The Grandfather

We left the mountains today just when it was starting to rain (and thankful we had such great weather while we were there working!) so by the time we got to this section of the highway several miles out of town,  it was starting to be foggy or else low clouds coming down.   This mountain is called Grandfather Mountain and is the second highest mountain in North Carolina at almost 6,000 ft. (1828m).   The mountain face seen here is the reason that the mountain is called "grandfather"...the rock outcroppings seem to resemble the face of a man looking up at the sky..if you use your imagination you can see the forehead, eyes, nose and chin.   There is a "swinging" bridge at the summit between two of the outcroppings..it is now a sturdy bridge but formally was a rope and wood bridge that did swing as the wind blows constantly.  Now the wind "whistles" through the slats of metal on the newer bridge.    The mountain was owed by a Scottish family that settled in the area, the Macraes, and each year they would hold highland games for all the Scottish families in the area.  This tradition is still going on and is a major festival in the area.   The mountain is full of hiking trails, picnic areas, wildflowers in the spring and they also have a small zoo that houses bears and other animals that have been hurt in the wild and are being protected and rehabilitated.   

It has been several years since we went up to the top of this mountain.  My granddaughters were very young and we could not do any long hikes so maybe this year we can make a trip..when it is not raining or the clouds don't fall down on the mountain..which seems to happen fairly often at the height of over a mile in the sky.

The major remodel work is done..new cabinets in the kitchen finished this morning.  Now the family can move in to the house and work can be done as they get to it.    

 We are home and I know the hubby is just going to rest..he slept most of the way home.  Hard work that he did on his knees putting down the wood floor but he did say he felt like he had taken a big load off our son who needed to work at his job and just could not get it done in a timely manner. The cabinets only took a few hours.    Moving in this week if all goes well.       

I really will be glad to stay home for a while now..maybe!