Lighthouse Smash*book

Just a quick post to share my latest Smash*book pages.  

These pictures are from our trip to the Outer Banks, NC.

  If you want to read about our trip, you

 can go HERE and HERE.

 One our "hobbies" is visiting lighthouses.  Over the last decade we have seen 141 different lighthouses in the US and Canada.  That is a lot of stairs and awesome views.  

This layout is featured on the Life in Details Blog.

 They are having an "Anything Goes" challenge for the month of December.  If you smash or do Project Life pages, make sure to enter a project or page.  

 I made some pockets in my book so I can save the pamphlets from each of the lights.

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!

Travel Smash

 Here is a peek at my travel smash book.  I bring this book along with me when I travel.  I pick up books and brochures from information centers.  I save maps, tickets, napkins, business cards..... and smash them into this book.

 I loved this "roam like a gnome" in the travel book.

  I had to include him in my book!

Thanks for checking out my travel smashbook.

If you want to read about our trip to the Smoky Mountains go HERE and HERE

Have a blessed day!

Outer Banks Smash

 I have been a bit behind in posting my smashbook pages. 

 Here are a few from our trip to the Outer Banks.

 I created a pocket to put the brochure from our trip.

 The sunsets were amazing.  

If you want to read about our trip to the Outer Banks, you can go HERE and HERE.

Thanks for checking out my pages.

Have a blessed day!

Blue Ridge Parkway

 On our way home from Tennessee we wanted to take the Blue Ridge Parkway. This beautiful road winds it way from Cherokee,NC to Shenandoah N.P..  It is 469 very LONG miles.  
The weather was turning bad so we decided only drive about 100 miles and save the rest for another trip. 

The trees were past peak and  the leaves were 

"snowing" down on us as we drove along the road.  

 As we drove to lower elevations the colors began to show up again.  There were many tunnels along the road.  In most of them you could see the light at the end of the tunnels, but in some you could not.  It was pitch black and kind of scary to drive through them.  

 We stopped to hike Linville Falls.  The falls fell through a rocky gorge along the river.  

Can you see how the river carved out the rocks?  Pretty cool!

 Marby Mill was an old grist mill from the 1800's.  They made grits/grain and milled lumber.  They had a trail through the property and during the summer season they have people in character explaining life in the 1800's. 

They even had a moonshine still in the woods!

Before all the rain started to fall we had a nice 

drive along the parkway.  

We cut our trip short and headed home. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day! 

Smoky Mountains

Last week we spent some time in the Smoky Mountains.   

The trees were at peak and the colors were fabulous!  

 We drove the Roaring Fork Motor Trail.  We had beautiful weather for a drive.We stopped and hike to Grotto Falls.

 It was a 2.8 round trip hike.  The trail was pretty steep and was full of rocks and roots.  It made the climb a bit tricky,but it was well worth the challenge.

The waterfall wasn't very big.  It was cool because you could walk behind the falls.

 

The next day we hit Laurel Falls. 

 This one was paved all the way to the top.  

 Laurel Falls were much bigger than Grotto Falls.  

We drove past this waterfall on our way through the park.  

 Our last hike for the day was to Mingo Falls.  We climbed 156 steps up to a short trail to the falls.  The falls were trickling down the rocks.  If you come in the spring the falls cover all of the rocks.

Thanks for stopping by!

Next stop the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Outer Banks Day 3&4

We visited the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and climbed the 257 steps to the top!

As the sand shifts and moves, this lighthouse became in danger of falling into the ocean, but in 1999 it was moved.  Yes, they put it on rollers and moved it to a safer location. You can read about the story HERE.

I added a fun 1960's filter to this picture.

 What a view!

Bye bye Hatteras!  We hopped on the ferry and headed to Ocracoke Island. 

 

We couldn't climb this lighthouse so it was a 

quick stop for a picture.

 The next day we woke up in the tiny town of Edenton, NC.  We checked off another lighthouse and did a bit of fishing.

 Then we headed to my cousins house for a bit of family time.  We only see each other every couple of years, so it is great fun catching up.  

His beautiful wife cooked us some yummy eats!  We left with full tummies and hearts.

We had a great time on our mini vacation.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a blessed day!

Outer Banks NC: Day 1&2

Now that schools are back in session and the temperatures are cooler, it is travel time for the hubby and I.  We hopped in the car and headed to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.



We stopped to get a fishing licence and they had this huge Adirondack chair out front.  I had to test it out. 

Our first stop was the Currituck Lighthouse.  It is located on the northern part of the Outer Banks, in the town of Corolla.

We climbed the 214 steps to the top and enjoyed a great view of the ocean and sound.  

 After the climb we picked up some picnic supplies and headed to grounds around the lighthouse.  We watched the sunset and marveled at the beauty that surrounded us.

 We stayed at the Hampton Inn just down the road and relaxed on our balcony over looking the ocean.

In the morning we woke to watch the sun rise. (Yes, Jule I got up!)  We walked along the beach and snapped pictures.

Love Sandpipers!

Next we headed to the Wright Brothers National Memorial.  We learned all about how these men built the first powered airplane.  

They persevered though so many trials.  It was an amazing story to relearn as an adult.  I really didn't pay to much attention in school. 

 We walked the grounds where they built and flew the plane.  Their first flight was only 12 seconds long.  

 They had markers for each of the flights.

 Next we went to Roanoke Island and saw the light house in the harbor.

 Then it was on to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Bodie Lighthouse. 

We were'not leaving.  The light was better on this side of the sign.

• Bodie Lighthouse stands 156 feet tall
• The height of each stripe is 22 feet
• It has 214 stairs to the lantern
• The beacon is visible up to 19 miles

We ended the day at a local fishing pier.

Tomorrow I will share our final two days of our road trip.

Thanks for stopping by........