I just arrived at Mark and Wanda's

I might not be losing any weight this week

Their house is set up for some serious porch visiting.

Beautiful country views in every directions.

Awesome!

They had to cut his vest off after the wreck, but he was able to save all of his patches.

Took me back to my Grandpa's country home.

Sign says no tresspassing, hunting, fishing and a few other things.

.....but there's Mark picken the lock.

Those little wiener dogs chase up that hill like it was only 100 yards to the top instead of a couple of miles.

One thinks he's a pointer, the other a blood hound

Crazy looking stalks

Turns out they are rhododendrons

The shooten hole

I wonder how many rounds it took to make it. It is at least a foot deep.

Edible? Not for me to find out.

Shades of ........

Deliverance

The Mule House

The country home with carport and work shed that is doubling as a motorcycle garage for a few days.

A perfect country setting, they even have a little creek flowing through the back yard.

Where Mark goes, they go!

This large paper wasp nest is in one of the bushes by the driveway. He wants to save it when it goes dormant.

If you look in that little hole, you can tell it isn't dormant now!

First Cabin!

Mark took me up to this old fire lookout

Just a short hike he said!

A Large fire came through here 2 years ago and burned of the top of the tower, but it has been replaced.

Hoping to eliminate vandalism, but it seems to have little influence.

This is Waya Bald, a place where trees naturally won't grow.

This is way bald, a place where naturally won't grow.

Some of the trees killed by the fire.

The moisture in the air makes for the namesake, the Great Smokey Mountains

You can see the Franklin airstrip in the valley

A little closer look at the Waya Bald

We stopped at the Wilson Lick Ranger Station on the way down the hill

It amazes me how some of these old buildings have survived all of the years against amazing odds

Older than me, better shape

Bucky, Grettle, and Daisy proud Home Owners.