Clingman's Dome

On Sunday, I got the opportunity to explore the Great Smoky Mountains during the most beautiful season. The trees were lush with golden, orange, and red bursts of color that amazed the eye and warmed the heart. 

We decided to drive up to the North Carolina/Tennessee border to explore Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the Great Smoky mountains, standing at 6,643 feet high. The dome was named after Thomas Lanier Clingman, a North Carolina attorney and politician who aided in the exploration of the region. 

The path itself was paved, and due to the high elevation, patches of ice and snow lingered about the trail and then summit itself. We drove a short distance to get to the trail, and we then hiked the steep 0.5 mile path to the top. The wind and cold air burned my throat yet energized my spirit. Below are some of my favorite pictures from the trail, including one of my husband and I at the summit. Aren't the views spectacular?

Autumn Day at the Apple Barn

Hello lovely readers,

This past weekend my family and I traveled to Sevierville, Tennessee (home of the legendary Dolly Parton) and participated in some fun fall activities at the Apple Barn!

The Apple Barn is a large collection of rustic stores and restaurants that provides good, hearty food, flavorful cider and wines, and artisan-crafted goods. The location of this little village is off the main road in Sevierville across the street from a beautiful flowing river that I just HAD to explore. :)

We ate at the Apple Barn Restaurant, which was delicious. They even had gluten free options for me. You walk in the restaurant, and you're met with a beautiful mantle and fireplace to welcome you in. The restaurant is very quaint and made you feel like you were eating at your grandmother's house versus a restaurant.
Their menu was full of southern, hearty dishes like chicken-and-dumplings, chicken pot pie, and tender pork loin. The food was delicious and even came with a free dessert!

After eating, we wondered the shops which were full of artisan crafts including soaps, candles, food, candy, and Christmas decor. The stores were set in log-cabin like buildings with exposed wood accents, crafted staircases, and decorative mantles. I ended up purchasing an apple butter scented candle. It smells heavenly in my living room. I also bought a caramel and peanut-dipped candied apple that I saved for the ride home.

The small village included two restaurants, a candy store with a fudgery, a winery, an apple cider bar (which we didn't get to experience due to the crazy long lines), a general store, and a Christmas shoppe. It was the perfect setting for a perfect autumn day with family.

Hope the rest of your autumn is heavenly and full of fun, family memories!

A Beautiful Autumn Day

This weekend my love and I explored new hiking trails at a new park near our house. It was a glorious day. Perfect fall weather, and you can just see the leaves beginning to change. I love how the colors always seem to be hopeful---a chance for a new beginning regardless of what happened in a previous season. Autumn. A time of beauty. A time of change. A time of hope.

In my personal life, I'm going through quite a bit right now, but I hope I can always hope. Hope is what we long for as humans to get us through even the toughest times. That's what Autumn symbolizes to me-- hope in tomorrow.

After a crisp, fall hike nothing's better than some hard apple cider to warm you up!