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Thanks everyone! NCN, there is so much of NC to see that we haven't yet. Where is the zoo you talk about? My kids would love that.
lunch...
vanilla yogurt with flaxseed and Grapenuts
The zoo is at Asheboro not to be mistaken for Asheville. Asheboro is probably closer to you than me or is just about halfway between us. The leaves will be turning there when they turn in your neighborhood. The Great Smokies are a higher elevation and start turning earlier in October. We have found a way to Blowing Rock from where we live that takes less than three hours. So we leave early in the morning, eat lunch at the Pizza Hut right off the parkway in Blowing Rock, get on the parkway and drive until about 4 P. M. and according to how far on the parkway we have driven we either come off the mountain on Highway 421 or I-77 at Fancy Gap, Virginia. Some days we stop and look more than other days. Mr. VA likes to come off on Highways 16 or 18, but you really do not want to do that unless you are a professional race driver. Those are the roads the race drivers started on.
When I was a child, I enjoyed exploring through the mountain laurel in the picnic area at Doughton Park. Doughton Park and the Brinegar Cabin are both fun places for children. The Brinegar Cabin is an educational place for children. Cascade Trails is also very educational too, but one really needs to stay on the trails. There are warning signs there that people have slipped on the rocks in the creek and fallen to their deaths. If you happen to do the parkway from Blowing Rock and go North, do not miss the fresco painting of the Lord's supper at Glendale Springs. Just stop in at the Northwest Trading Post and ask for directions. A lot of people like to go South on the parkway to the really high elevations, such as Mt. Mitchell. I don't enjoy that so much because it is so high and scary. We do sometimes backtrack South to the via duct and than head North.
In writing this, I realize that what I like best may not be what your children like best, but my children never complained about heading for the parkway. Everybody enjoys the parkway. I Love North Carolina and I probably more than some others. There are many books in the library about the parkway. But if you don't have at least one trip up there in the Fall you will really be missing a lot of what North Carolina is all about. I like to take a trip in early Spring for the blooms and the Fall for the leaves. We go in Summer sometimes for the cool air. If there is rain in the area,cancel. Being on the parkway in fog is not fun.
I once took a friend for a ride to the parkway and took her on the trail underneath the via duct, etc. and she said it was the most enjoyable trip she had ever had to the area. Do not stay in your car. Get out and walk on the trails, but do stay on the trails, in single file and one right behind the other. I took a church group once and they did not understand the singel file stay on the trail and walked three or four together and got into a yellow jacket nest. I bet they are still talking about that. We were just happy they could still talk about that. It is safer to walk there in Fall than in Summer or Spring, because the snakes should be hibernated by then.
Jeannie, this is so off-topic, it will not hurt my feelings if you remove it. I am not usually pushy about things, but you really do not want to miss Fall on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Lacey, I spent the first 18 years of my life living about 5 to 10 miles from the parkway. Sometimes in hot summertime we would visit every Sunday afternoon. There are many places in the almost 500 miles of the parkway, but the part I know best is from Blowing Rock North to Virginia. I have traveled the entire parkway and that is my favorite part but probably because of so many childhood memories. I have climbed to the top of Alligator Back but only once. When you get to the top you look out and see air. I crawled the first few feet off the rock and I was on a date with my now husband, but I didn't know him very well at all. He really laughed at me!
When you are going North from Boone and get to the Northwest Trading Post there is a little road that passes across the parkway. If you turn left, it leads to Glendale Springs where my aunt lives still and she is about 90 by now. You can see the church with the fresco from her yard. If you turn right, the road takes you to the place where I was born if you don't make a mistake and go on someone's driveway instead of staying on the road. LOL. I was traveling with my Mom one day and had to stop and ask her which road to take and one was someone's driveway to their home. For many miles the road is very small and not paved.
NCN you explained that place so well that I want to go there now!
afternoon snack
7 lite triscuit crackers (2 points) with 1 piece of lean oven roasted turkey (think it's 1 point but not sure)
I think I will cook steamed Tilapia with steamed vegetables and a small salad. Not sure how many points the Tilapia is
Maybe a skinny cow ice cream for dessert.
With todays food I think I will have under 21 points, which is what I get.
NCN...sounds wonderful in NC...you make it sound so picturesque!
Chickrae...I love Tilapia...we do ours in an iron skillet on the BBQ grill with cajun spices...absolutely no fat, and it gets crisp around the edges...mmmm
Lunch:
Starbucks Iced Tea...no sweetner
1 Chicken Soft Taco with beans, rice, veggies and chicken from Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Ok, I have to hang my head in shame. All of you are doing fantastic. I fell off the bandwagon this weekend. I know it's not an excuse but I did buy extra food and snacks for our company on Saturday. Unfortunately I've been eating everything thinking "I have to get this stuff out of the house." Instead of throwing it out I have been filling my belly.
Carmac- Thanks for asking. We had a really nice time with the "Geezers". They are a very nice couple who plan on retiring about 15 miles from us in 2 more years. We are going to check out their land on Wednesday.
You also asked about my waffles and ice cream. It has to be the "real" waffles nice and hot, throw some chocolate ice cream on top and smear it around. You can also add chocolate syrup and whipped cream if you want. Uh oh. I might be banned form this thread, lol.
I am not telling you everything I ate today. Let's just say I ate too much unhealthy stuff. I will check in tomorrow morning and I will be back on track, lol.
Lisa we all do it from time to time. That is why we are on this thread. No guilt. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. God gives us a fresh new day to try again.
Coffee and milk and a peanut bar for afternoon snack.
Green beans mixed with tomato, cucumbers, and hushpuppies.
One chicken dog cut into small slices and fried in soy sauce and canola oil.
Water to drink.
I will now have a coffee and milk and maybe a strawberry yogurt for dessert.
NCN, you're really a tour guide! That sounds so much like vacation, I could pack my suitcase and be on my way in an hour! Too bad my next "vacation" is only at Christmas and we'll definitely stay at home.
Well at least we'll have another weekend trip in three weeks . I'm really hungering for trips these days and I'm already planning the vacations for next year
Dinner was 2 slices of w/w bread with a little salami and a pepperoni stuffed with cream cheese.
The zoo is at Asheboro not to be mistaken for Asheville. Asheboro is probably closer to you than me or is just about halfway between us. The leaves will be turning there when they turn in your neighborhood. The Great Smokies are a higher elevation and start turning earlier in October. We have found a way to Blowing Rock from where we live that takes less than three hours. So we leave early in the morning, eat lunch at the Pizza Hut right off the parkway in Blowing Rock, get on the parkway and drive until about 4 P. M. and according to how far on the parkway we have driven we either come off the mountain on Highway 421 or I-77 at Fancy Gap, Virginia. Some days we stop and look more than other days. Mr. VA likes to come off on Highways 16 or 18, but you really do not want to do that unless you are a professional race driver. Those are the roads the race drivers started on.
When I was a child, I enjoyed exploring through the mountain laurel in the picnic area at Doughton Park. Doughton Park and the Brinegar Cabin are both fun places for children. The Brinegar Cabin is an educational place for children. Cascade Trails is also very educational too, but one really needs to stay on the trails. There are warning signs there that people have slipped on the rocks in the creek and fallen to their deaths. If you happen to do the parkway from Blowing Rock and go North, do not miss the fresco painting of the Lord's supper at Glendale Springs. Just stop in at the Northwest Trading Post and ask for directions. A lot of people like to go South on the parkway to the really high elevations, such as Mt. Mitchell. I don't enjoy that so much because it is so high and scary. We do sometimes backtrack South to the via duct and than head North.
In writing this, I realize that what I like best may not be what your children like best, but my children never complained about heading for the parkway. Everybody enjoys the parkway. I Love North Carolina and I probably more than some others. There are many books in the library about the parkway. But if you don't have at least one trip up there in the Fall you will really be missing a lot of what North Carolina is all about. I like to take a trip in early Spring for the blooms and the Fall for the leaves. We go in Summer sometimes for the cool air. If there is rain in the area,cancel. Being on the parkway in fog is not fun.
I once took a friend for a ride to the parkway and took her on the trail underneath the via duct, etc. and she said it was the most enjoyable trip she had ever had to the area. Do not stay in your car. Get out and walk on the trails, but do stay on the trails, in single file and one right behind the other. I took a church group once and they did not understand the singel file stay on the trail and walked three or four together and got into a yellow jacket nest. I bet they are still talking about that. We were just happy they could still talk about that. It is safer to walk there in Fall than in Summer or Spring, because the snakes should be hibernated by then.
Jeannie, this is so off-topic, it will not hurt my feelings if you remove it. I am not usually pushy about things, but you really do not want to miss Fall on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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Uh oh. I might be banned form this thread, lol.
