I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be away from my computer and phone for a few days. If you received an email that your prints were ready for pick up. I will contact you once I am back.

I want to tell you about my grandmother, Granny. I lived with my Granny until I was 24 and joined the Air Force. My Granny raised me, my sister, brother and 4 other cousins after their mom died. After I left home and was an “adult” I knew could still call her to ask her questions, even silly questions, like is $1.50 a pound a good price for half-runner beans or what flowers can I plant in my front yard that do not require lots of sunlight (this was my most recent question, two Saturdays ago) or to tell her I found white squash here (she would mail me some every summer from NC). She never laughs, she just answers them and I can hear the smile in her voice as she answers. She still calls me sweetie when I call her and still jokes when I say “I love you granny,” that she has been loving me for xx years now. I just wanted her to get better. She was a great second mother to me and I will miss her dearly. I know the next time I think a “I know, Granny would know,” thought it will hit me. But for today I wanted to tell you about my Grandmother, my Granny.

This from a few years ago.

Our Summer vacation, yeah I know (remember I am catching up).  We took a trip to Gatlinburg for our summer vacation.  We all loved it.  We took a drive to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  We decided to do the Cades Cove Loop Road Tour.  During the whole drive Connor kept saying he just wanted to see a bear and that it would make it this his most perfect day.  At the end of the drive just before we left the loop we saw a black bear.  An actual live, walking and looking for food, black bear.  It actually came right up to the cars and walked between the cars that were stopped in the middle of the road to take pictures. 

Wonder Works

Our Family -  See if you can pick me out of the group.

Proof that I was actually there.

Mini Me

Gatlinburg at night

Ripley’s Believe it or not Aquarium of the Smokies at night

Before the driving trail we stopped for a picnic lunch.  A couple people riding horses came through and actually stopped so that the kids could see the horses up close.

Mini Me take 2

Some sites along Cade Cove Loop

A young elk

OK, so I am obviously playing catch up with my posting.  These are things we did and pictures I took that I just never found time to share.  So, I am sharing now.  In October we decided to have a “mini vacation” weekend in Columbus, Ohio.  We had never been to the Columbus Zoo, so we went.  Here are some of my favorites from that day.  It was absolutely perfect.  It wasn’t too hot, it wasn’t packed, the animals were out and people were friendly.  The only issue we had was it was off season so most of the vendors and shops were closed.

In October I attended and photographed the OACHE Conference in Marietta, Ohio.  There was a great turn out, lots of people and amazing sites to see.  We were at the historic Lafayette Hotel along the Ohio River and Washington State Community College and of course I took a few pictures.  These were taken right after the ride on the sternwheeler, the Valley Gem, on the Ohio River. 

The view from our kitchen window.

Trinity liked the snow until it was up to her chest when she tried to walk, now she is not so crazy about the cold or snow.

This is the scene in our back yard.

This is Trinity, our newest family member.

And I just loved the way the bridge looked when we headed home.

Most of you don’t know that I am not originally from Kentucky.  I was born in North Carolina and graduated from Western Carolina University in 19…. with a B.S. degree in Psychology and a minor in Guidance and Counseling.  WCU is located in Cullowhee, NC and it has been years since I was on campus or even in that area and I didn’t realize how much I actually missed it until this past weekend.  April 24-26 was WCU’s African-American Alumni and Friends Reunion.  I attended and took my family.  I wanted our kids to see where I went to college.  I had a great time and of course I took my camera.  I saw so many of my girl friends from back in the day in Scott Hall and we relived so many memories.  I promise to keep in touch with them now that we have all found each other again.  We stayed at the Best Western River Escape Inn & Suites in Dillsboro, NC.  I did not remember Dillsboro or Sylva (this was the closest town to Cullowhee and the place we would go to shop) being quite so quaint and full of character.  It’s funny how one’s perspective changes with time and age.  Anyways, back to my post.  The hotel was right on the banks of the Tuckasegee river so that first morning I got up and went out to the back patio and took a few pictures of the sunrise and some fishermen.

Then it was time to get everyone up and drive to campus.  I literally held my breath as we rounded Catamount Gap.  This was the view that I saw every fall for 4+ years.  It looks a little different as the trees have grown up more and there is now a track there with lights and Scott and Walker Halls don’t dominate the skyline as much but it still a beautiful sight.

Campus is noticeably different and bigger.  There were so many buildings and roadways that were not there when I was student.  The biggest change, or most obvious, was you can’t drive in front of Scott Hall.  Here are a few other differences.

A track stadium

The whole front exterior of the University Center is changed.  I can not even begin to explain how the interior of the UC has changed. I would get lost now.

Alumni Tower.  There was no such structure when I attended. The trees leading up to the Alumni Tower did not exist then either.

There is a softball stadium/facility and a new residence hall behind it as well as a Greek Village. 

The reunion was great as I said before.  Here are few images.

The Inspirational Choir rehearsing

Dr. Lavern Hamlin Allen, the first African-American to ever attend WCU in 1957.

There were so many alumni who couldn’t make it to the reunion for whatever reason and they were missed.  We did a big group picture after the luncheon on Saturday of everyone one who came and while we represent every decade since the 1950’s of WCU graduates this picture is not complete.  If you are wondering how I was able to get in the picture, I set up the shot and then handed my camera off to a student worker.

Finally, as we were leaving campus to head back to Kentucky I got a few pictures of my kids in front of the Administration building with the Catamount. Check out their WCU gear. 

If you hung in there this long and read my entire post, thanks for indulging me and letting me reminisce for a little bit.

It’s that time of the year again.  My birthday was yesterday and did my annual self portrait.  Here are two of my favs.