‘pressed to the sound of mellow mountain folk on spotify
rarely have i met a person who was ready to leave the cool retreat found in the mountains. my little family of four is no exception. we are a passionate bunch so, “if we don’t leave, than we can never come back” is an oft-used saying in our family, wherever we find ourselves. though it sounds like a phrase yogi beara might have uttered, it speaks to the heart of the matter, which is to be grateful it happened rather than sad because it’s ending. another familiar bear once said “how lucky am i to have something which makes saying goodbye so difficult” —winnie the pooh.
4,000 feet above sea level where the borders of georgia, north carolina + south carolina converge, sits a lush plateau among the smoky mountaintops that i have been fortunate to visit many summers of my life. it’s a sentimental spot that i have never wanted to leave. this place feels like an extension of my home, representing a very happy + memorable part of my childhood. the flora + fauna of the mountains left their mark on me as a young girl. i can recall vividly the first time i saw a hummingbird visit a bright red feeder on the porch overlooking rows of blue-silhouetted mountain peaks; the surprise i felt as the crisp, rushing waters took my breath away; the crystal clean taste it left in my mouth; the earthy, wet scent of the moss-laden stones surrounding my every step. who can forget the thrill of an afternoon thunderstorm, followed by the faint hissing of steam rising off the carved, curving asphalt roads? who can ignore the ubiquitous leather-leafed catawba rhodendron? these are all as familiar to me as the backyards of my youth + the faces of my loved ones, lending a familiar welcome whenever i am afforded the chance to visit again.
vacations are a wonderful opportunity to get away, to see + stay with family, friends, or sometimes to take a more intimate trip with just a few. they also provide a welcome change of scenery for a short-time which results in all sorts of other benefits during + after the trip.
as a creative person, i deeply enjoy gleaning inspiration from all the new surroundings, people + culture wherever we go. there is some magic in revisiting certain places as well, for even if they have changed over time, it can be as therapeutic as visiting an old friend. surprisingly, it is even in the return home when i find so many new ideas, attitudes + perspectives bubbling up.
do you have a favorite vacation spot? what is it that you love the most about it? is it the sights + sounds, the weather, the time spent with people you love, perhaps it’s just in the coming + going. for me, visiting the mountains is all about the views of nature, the crisp, fresh mountain air, the games shared + small memories made in the pauses, the quiet…if only after the kids’ fall asleep! + the invitation to rest.
i’ve so many more pictures to share with you still! expect another few posts coming soon–looking forward to reliving all the hikes we’ve done in the area so far. the flora + fauna are positively dreamy, to say nothing of the waterfalls! we can’t wait to get back to the mountains, until then, we’ve got our memories to hold us over.
porches + pillowfights 