We Gave Thanks

Well we had a small intimate group for the hike Thanksgiving day up to Rattlesnake lodge. This is the same hike we did last year, only the weather was very different. Last year we had a cold, raw rain, and Holly didn't even want to hike. This is a woman from Kansas, you know where they survive grueling heat in the summer and icy cold in the winter. Soft, I tell you, she's gone soft after all these years in NC. But yesterday we had really nice weather and she was happy to hike like the rest of us. It was in the fifties and clear, a beautiful day. Our hiking group consisted of Susan, Donna W, Ellen, Holly and me. Oh yeah and we took Riley, Donna Z's little dachshund too. We had all piled into the Prius and drove almost to the Parkway where the start of the trial is. There were so many other cars at the trailhead that we had no place to park initially, but by the time I got us turned around to park on the side of the road, someone had left. The hike was excellent; even Riley thought so. We did take some photos since one family was kind enough to take our picture with everyone's camera. I don't have my camera-computer cord with me so I'll have to upload the photos when I get back to Hillsborough.

Dinner was terrific. I took pictures of that too. I'll load those photos too next week. We ended up with quite a crew, the hikers above plus Patty, Ann, Maggi, Donna Z, Kathleen, and Karen H. Freddi couldn't attend since she went to Fla to be with her Dad who isn't doing well. We missed her. When Susan told me that we would be having 11 people for dinner instead of the 8 or so I had counted on, I decided that we would need a second pecan pie (this in addition to all of the regular food and the pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and fudge that we already had). So Thanksgiving morning I threw another one together quickly. I hate to be without enough and 11 people cannot possibly share one pecan pie. But we did actually, and I got to bring the 2nd pie home as well as the fudge and sweet potato casserole that was left over. (I'm currently baking fruitcake while I write. This is a good time to have lots of sweets around, especially to share with others). Before we ate, I told everyone how thankful I was to be there, literally and metaphorically, and Donna W said a nice prayer. Only the pilgrims could have been more thankful or grateful, and I'm sure they had less to eat than we did.

Holly and I ran together yesterday morning-hills, hills, and more hills. I had to walk most of those. But today I ran/walked the Beaver Lake route that is 6 miles long with 2 big hills, and I did some better. It's getting a bit easier each day.

Photo: View of downtown Asheville from our backyard. I may have included this one previously; I still like it.