I’ve been very quiet lately – enjoying our time in our wonderful cabin. We spent the entire month of April “living large” in what feels now to be a three-bedroom mansion!  Pumpkin particularly enjoyed having all of the extra room, 2 sets of stairs, and a loft where he could lounge out of sight while still keeping an eye on all of the comings and goings.

It’s been many years since I stayed in one place to watch the Spring season arrive. In South Florida, seasons change with gradual and subtle variations in temperature and humidity, with none of the weather drama that I knew as a child in Indiana. When we arrived in Gatlinburg at the end of March, trees had barely begun to leaf and nighttime temperatures still dropped below freezing, decorating the mountain tops in white frosting. During our stay we watched the dogwoods and apple trees bloom and fade, and the countryside transition from bare trees to full-on, bright green foliage. It was spectacular!

I also forgot just how dynamic the Spring weather can be. Temperatures fluctuated from cold to hot from day to day, punctuated by wild weather. We experienced high wind conditions, torrential rains, severe thunderstorms, even tornados in the area. Welcome to Spring in the southeast! But in between the periods of interesting weather, we had some absolutely beautiful days with clear air that provided pristine views of the surrounding mountains. I love it!

Our cabin time has always offered opportunities to gather with friends and family, and this trip was no exception. Taking full advantage of our extra sleeping space, we hosted guests every weekend, including friends from Kentucky and nearby Knoxville, and my sister and parents from Indiana. Sean and Marissa made it up one weekend in conjunction with a Greensboro apartment scouting trip. We even managed to meet up with visiting South Florida friends for dinner on our last night in town. It was a wonderful time with friends and family.

We hadn’t been to our cabin for 2 years, and immediately noted things that needed doin’.  As usual, we spent time doing minor repairs and replacing missing or broken items. Staying longer than usual meant that we had the bandwidth to address some needed upgrade items including new drapes, new couches, new mattresses, and new kitchen countertops (upgrading to quartz). The pool table is getting a makeover. Some of the items were completed during our stay while others are getting done this week – we won’t get to see the results until our next trip!

In between guests and upgrades, we spent time doing our usual things – riding the motorcycle, hiking, visiting downtown Gatlinburg, shopping, and just hanging out in the cabin, enjoying the view. The month passed SO quickly!

We are now on our trek northward, continuing our Midwest loop.