This past weekend was spent in Macon County, NC. We stayed at a cabin in Franklin, NC that we found on Airbnb (feel free to email if you'd like the link). The cabin location was perfect - quiet, private, had a great mountain view, but was very close to downtown historic Franklin.
We stopped at a local roadside market and bought some pumpkins (apparently the grey squash make the best pies)! We walked along the Little Tennesee Greenway and even spent some time at the dog park right outside of downtown! We met a great local guy, John, who gave us awesome advice on local hikes! We ended up seeing him both Friday + Saturday! :)
The leaves were already changing in NC and naturally no camera could truly capture the beauty!
Since Friday was our anniversary, I made veggie chili and cornbread and we exchanged gifts. The anniversary gift theme for year 5 is wood. J + I both went a similar route and did different wood pieces and wood burning. I'll share more of the gifts soon, but below is the piece I made for J on a piece of wood used from our wedding (DIY instructions on the blog tomorrow)!
We spent the rest of the day, relaxing and enjoying the fireplace.
On Saturday morning, I woke up early and spent some quiet time downstairs with Townes.
I made a huge breakfast: potatoes, maple soysage gravy, fried egg, and honey wheat biscuits. Can't forget the Cholula! It was the perfect food to start a full day of being outside!
After breakfast, we headed to the Nantahala National Forest to hike up to the Wayah Bald Tower that is along the Appalachian Trail. The fog was pretty thick, but thankfully we got to see a bit of the view! Once again, the leaves were magical!
After our hike, we stopped downtown at Motor Company Grill a quick lunch (they have a pet-friendly patio!) and then walked around the various antique shops and the vintage car show. Downtown Franklin, NC is awesome, because everyone is so friendly and the little town is surrounded by mountains!
Saturday night, we laid low by the fire (of course) and I knitted a bit. We made veggie "chicken" pot pie for dinner - YUM!
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On Sunday, we took John's (from the dog park) advice and went to the Cowee Mound. It's an old burial ground from the 1700's and the area used to be principal diplomatic and commercial center of the 18th century Cherokees. The land is protected, but we got the local scoop on how to get there. The photos do not do the area justice...the burial mound is HUGE and surrounded by the mountains and runs along the river. It felt very surreal to be in this desolate area and to imagine the history that took place there. Even more special since I have Cherokee ancestry.
We decided to go to Highlands, NC for the rest of the day before heading home. We stopped at some falls along Highway 64 into the Highlands. The drive between Franklin and Highlands was incredible - the winding mountain roads, rock cliffs, waterfalls, and vibrant leaf colors made my day!
Here we are at Dry Falls. Despite being invaded by tourists (ourselves included), it's a pretty incredible sight!
We went hiking at Whiteside Mountain right outside of Highlands. It was a beautiful 2 mile loop; however, we were engulfed in fog so we missed out on the views. Next time!
For reference, this is what we could see...
...and this is what one normally sees! Go figure!
Townes was officially tuckered out, so he slept the whole way home. We did stop at Jaemor Farms for some fresh strawberry ice cream and boiled peanuts!
It was a great weekend getaway - a strong reminder that we need to actually buy or build a place of our own sooner than later! It's amazing what a weekend away from yard work and obligations does for the soul...
Hope you had a fabulous weekend!
♥
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