Winter Getaway - HOME

I'm sitting home on this Friday night, sheltered in for the duration of this pandemic....never having imagined that God would keep us just ahead of this brewing storm as we traveled from Michigan, through 10 states and back again.  We utilized 2 Airbnb's, 1 home, 4 state parks, 1 National park, 1 unexpected hotel, 1 KOA, 1 Good Sam, 3 private RV parks, 1 Cracker Barrel, 1 Camping World, 2 Hole in the Wall campgrounds, and 1 Tennessee Lawn!!  We listened, we loved, we fought, we learned, we played, we rested, we hiked, we biked, we talked, we laughed, we prayed....my heart is full.

  

  

 





  

 

 

  

And...this is what we "enjoyed" the morning after we arrived home:

And...this is how we feel:

Winter Getaway - Last Stop: KNOXVILLE TN

We arrived in Knoxville on Tuesday, March 10--just as we were becoming aware of the Washington and California coronavirus spreads.  Our Santa Cruz kids went into shut down just a few days later, and the Tennessee schools closed on Friday of that week.  We parked our RV on the grass in the Tegelaar lawn, using their electricity and bathroom facilities for the week!  We enjoyed extra time with the kids being home: with walks, dinners and some fun TV time.  Zeal and I started a puzzle --and when Azi joined in, we had to fight for pieces....she has a quick visual skill and was leaving us in the dust!

  

For our second week, we all set off for Yarberry Campground, an isolated peninsula on Fort Louden Lake. Since we had booked the sites in January, we discussed if this was still "sheltered".  Because of its location, the large sites, and lack of people; we decided that being outdoors might be the best place for all of us.  It was a delightful week, we maintained our 6 ft distance from others and we learned how to get in and out of the bathrooms without touching anything!  We played games everyday, the kids caught their first fishes (fish?), we cooked over the campfire, Chef Boppa made his outstanding banana pancakes and waffles...AND we  enjoyed God's very beautiful creation.  Blue Heron were in abundance and they appeared to be fighting over their nests or mates EVERY morning!! 

 

 

 



 

Winter Getaway - Wandering Towards Knoxville via MEMPHIS AND NASHVILLE, TN

After discovering that our Nashville friends were under the weather, our meandering kicked into gear!  Since we missed the unusual Pro Bass store on our first Memphis stop, we pulled in for a quick browse.  Originally an event venue for sports and concerts, this largest Pyramid in the world now houses the store, a hotel, a restaurant, an observation deck, an indoor swamp and bowling alley!

Amazingly we headed a few miles south to stay overnite at Camping World (free) and passed

through Mississippi--our first trip there! Ha!

We decided on a brief stop in Nashville to see the American Picker store (a History channel show). Although their store was a huge disappointment, we did enjoy the history of the Marathon Motors building and the fun little boutiques scattered throughout.  The good folks of Tennessee were cleaning up from the recent tornado devastation, and we marveled at the randomness of how it touched, then jumped over other areas. We spotted our first daffodils here!

 

 

Because we had a few extra nights before our targeted arrival at the Tegelaars, we pulled off I-40 in Crossville to check out Cumberland State Park.  We liked it so well we stayed two nights!

 

Much to Bill's delight, we came across a stone house that was being remodeled on the park land.  Of course, we explored it thoroughly and also enjoyed the dam right next to it.  Imagine listening to that waterfall every day--I would love it!

 

Vincent VanGogh by Carol Berry and Shades of Light by Sharon Garlough Brown

After attending a book signing by my former spiritual director, Sharon Garlough Brown, I felt compelled to first read her recommended book about VanGogh for a bit of background.  I am not familiar at all with art education nor the different types of painting genres...although, interestingly I do have a Vincent reproduction of "Wheatfield with Crows" in my family room.  Purchased when we first remodeled the lower level,  it's the colors that made me choose it. I now have a new comprehension of all he was painting.

Van Gogh was raised by ministry parents in a very conservative home.  He loved Jesus and this book is a compilation of his letters to Theo, a younger brother.  The point of Sharon's recommendation was to get a glimpse into the mind of a man who was plagued with mental illness all of his life, and to understand her main character, Wren, who took great comfort from VanGogh's life and art.

Shades of Light was a very personal effort for Sharon as her only son has struggled with this "darkness" for many years.  I am challenged to listen better to others who are depressed and don't seem to "get over it".  To those of us who have only scratched the surface of this illness, and who tend towards optimism--I feel inadequate to understand.  (My only "real" bout with depression was after both my sisters died when I cried daily for a year, but was still able to carry on with most responsibilities.) Wren's life is a picture of functioning well for quite some time, then slipping again into the deep abyss where she could not climb out without counseling, meds and truly supportive people.  Her mom's story is one of support, guilt and anxiety -- only wanting to see her girl well; but slowly understanding that God alone can give comfort, give healing, give strength.  I think what I see in Wren is the type of person who "feels deeply" about everything, which is exactly what was true about Vincent VanGogh.

I thought I was reading a novel, but it was so much more.

Winter Getaway - A Bit of Respite in HOT SPRINGS, AR

Hot Springs National Park was a bit off our original proposed path...but mineral springs sounded delightful AND we had not yet utilized our National Park Pass on this trip.  Who can give up $15 a night lodgings?
 

 

Our day in town was pretty enlightening.  My non-scientific mind cannot comprehend how these mineral springs have continued to "spring" for over 150 years.  The National Park Service owns this whole area and they do a wonderful job of preserving the history and informing the public.



 

After encouraging our little van up the twisty road to the Mountain Tower, we were very disappointed to see the sign on the gift shop door:  Elevator Not Working!  A very young gal looked at us, saw our age and worn out look and said "The steps are hard, a very hard climb...it was difficult."  We got her drift!  On the positive side, we filled up our drinking water jugs FREE!  They have stations along the main street near the bath houses.  One lady makes the trip every few weeks with a pick-up truck filled with empty water bottles.  She takes them home and dumps them in her 50 gallon tank!!

 

Have we only been on the road for 5 weeks??
I guess it's time to head to Knoxville to catch up with the Grands!  SPRING is coming!