The Hixson Holiday Headlines: September 2021

Tennessee

Tennessee Smoky Mountain National Park April 21, 2021

We spent the night on the swift flowing Hiwassee and Ocoee Rivers.

After taking a little hike along the river, we settled in for the night with a little chow and a nice snooze in the fresh Tennessee air.

The Visitor Center had a nice exhibit about Appalachian Culture and lots of black bear photos.

Larry enjoyed the antique truck that was on display.

We had intentions of riding the Vespa through the park but it rained and...

snowed.

We enjoyed following the river through the park and...

spotting several elk.

The log cabins were so quaint and interesting to spot along the way.

Spring was starting to bust loose, trees in bloom!

We enjoyed our time in the Smoky Mountains.

Our trip ended with a stop in Martinsville, Va. to visit our dentist to get our semi annual checkup. We returned back to Warrenton, VA in time to celebrate Kristy's birthday on April 30.

Looking back, it is hard to believe that we crossed the USA during the 2020 Pandemic. Larry and I were cautious about wearing a mask, socially distancing when in public, and using a lot of disinfectant spray along the way. We were fortunate to continue our spring travels as we have each year since our retirement!

Happy trails!!!

Texas Part 2

San Antonio, Texas April 8, 2021

We stayed in a very nice historic hotel, The Gibbs (1909). Larry and I love staying in these places. The marble, the high ceilings and the woodwork are all master crafted. You just don't see this kind of workmanship very often in our modern times. That evening we headed for a stroll on the River Walk.

Gorgeous horse drawn carriages were traveling up and down the streets.

The Riverwalk was lit up and it was a really romantic place at night.

River boats were loaded with people passing us as we walked along the water way. Many people were wondering around the area...maskless. In normal times it would have been fun to ride.

Many lovely flowers were enjoyed along the river walk.

To end our evening we walked by the infamous Alamo...a block from our hotel.

The next morning we headed out for our next destination, Houston.

On our drive across Texas, it was pure delight to see green grass and the fields of Bleu Bonnets, the state flower.

Houston, Texas April 9-18, 2021

Larry and I spent a great week in Houston taking care of our friend, Patrick's cat, Sebastian. Because it rained the whole week, it was a very relaxing time. We explored the city by car getting the oil changed, got the Covid vaccine, and had some great practice sessions on the guitar and autoharp. Sebastian was great entertainment.