As I said yesterday, we escaped this past weekend to the Appalachian Mountains and the 70-degree weather with Will’s mom. If my trip to Williamsburg with my mom was a trip to a different time, this was at least a trip to a different season. It totally felt like fall! And while I am not entirely ready for fall yet, it was great for a weekend in the country. This is your soundtrack for a weekend in the country, obviously, and if you think I don’t have a showtune up my sleeve for every possible occasion, then it’s nice to meet you.
Our Cabin
We had the most perfect cabin in the woods complete with our very own creek. It was rustic without really roughing it and had so many places to sit outside we had to rotate just to try them all: we’re talking a porch swing, a picnic table, chairs around a fire pit, rocking chairs, a second table, beautiful chairs carved out of wood, and a hot tub on its own deck. I like this guy’s style.
See?
I think my favorite part about the house was the winding stone staircase and railing made out of branches. This is the way to do rustic chic!
My model follows me around a lot.
The rest of this post could really just be Pippa playing in the creek, because she spent all weekend in that water, just loving life. It was adorable.
Boone
The cabin was just outside of Boone, NC. Boone reminded me a lot of a small town in Colorado, actually. It is nestled in the mountains with lots of ski and bike shops on every corner, dogs are welcome everywhere, and everyone is there to be outside. There are winter ski resorts, but in the summer it’s all about hiking, biking, rafting, zip-lining, fishing, and horseback riding.
Daytime Activities
Doesn’t Will look like his mom?
Bright and early Saturday morning, these two daredevils set out to go ziplining, and I stayed behind to enjoy some outdoor serenity with the dogs. That is to say that I’m terrified of heights, so I don’t really regret missing this one.
Yep, that’s the father of my future children hanging 300 feet above the ground.
Go Kathy!
Luckily everyone made it back to the ground, and we went to this cute little place for lunch.
Then it was time for kayaking! We had the best afternoon on the water, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Will was in his happy place with all the hiking and kayaking. Apparently he has planned an overnight kayaking/camping trip for us next. As I’ve never been camping, it should be an adventure.
We floated past all of these picture-perfect lodges nestled in the hills.
So cute! There are no pictures of me, as I couldn’t really hand my camera over in the water. 🙂
When we got back to the house, we did a little hiking and a lot of playing fetch with Pippa.
I can’t stop with the Pippa pics.
The struggle is real.
This is Pippa leaping off the ground with glee over the fact that I’m about to throw that stick.
This is Pippa with Kathy’s dog, Tully! They were some tired puppies.
An Evening Out in Boone
We finally got cleaned up for dinner in town and then went to see Horn in the West, a Revolutionary War play about Daniel Boone and the colonists who fled from the British in the Blue Ridge Mountains. You can’t escape the colonial history on the east coast (or this blog), and I am loving it! Here’s the best part: they have been doing this same play for SIXTY-FIVE consecutive summers. I am always so thrilled to support old-fashioned American traditions.
We were a little late, so they were just rolling up the Don’t Tread on Me flag when we arrived. 🙂
When we got back, Will made a fire in the fire pit (using only a candle and some wet sticks!), and we roasted marshmallows. It was so cool I had to wear several shirts and wished I had brought a hoodie. So much like a real fall night! I love fall, but I’ll still take six more weeks of summer.
We ended the night with star-gazing in the hot tub, and oh my gosh the stars were so bright out there! It reminded me that some of God’s most beautiful work can’t be captured with a cell phone or even a DSLR. There are still some things in life that are meant to be savored without a screen, and that was a really refreshing realization.
