The Smoky Mountains
There are Sea People and there are Mountain People, and I have always loved the sea. But I have to admit, my foray into the realm of the Mountain People was quite enjoyable. There is a peace and beauty in those blue hills that equals that of the ocean. I have felt that same peacefulness in the desert, too, when the sun is just coming up and the cactus and rocks are bathed in early morning light.
We left the cabin after breakfast each morning and didn’t return until suppertime because going up and down those steps more than once a day was tiring for me. We had to be back before dark anyway because the “road” to the cabin was too treacherous to travel after dark. Evenings were spent sitting out on the porch, sipping glasses of wine and listening to soft classical music while we grilled out. Mornings were spent with a cup of coffee on the porch or inside, listening to the old Victrola which we started listening to after trying to get something on the radio and hearing, “I ain’t making you chicken and gravy, and I ain’t gonna have your baby.” Gene Autry with his sweet voice and gentle lyrics was infinitely more pleasant.
Here is Gene singing a song that will bring tears to your eyes. I want this sung at my funeral. Are you listening, children? Oh, and I’m signing up for yodeling lessons as soon as I find a class.
After just a few days on the mountain, I began to feel like a mountain girl.
Here I am with my “Mountain Woman” face, ready to get me some b’ar (that’s bear to you city slickers).
Coming East 
I am a sea person! But I love your mountain person viewpoints… The “bars” would certainly have much to contend with, if they met up with you wielding that gun and that boot, and yodelling all at the same time! 😉
Well, the yodeling would freak them out for sure, Rufina.
Great post! I love hill billy, western, country, cowboy type of music and enjoyed Gene Autry! Like your pictures, too and Smoky Mts. I am also a retired administrator/teacher, but I only started blogging a month ago.
Great, Shofar! Welcome to the blogging world. I’ve been at it nearly two years. Can’t believe it’s been that long. I’m going to hop on over and take a look at your sight. Glad you found me!
Thought you might enjoy this as well…..
Loved it, Life! I used to sing “You Are My Sunshine” to my youngest every night when he went to bed.
That looks like a beautiful place! You look dangerous with that big gun right next to you!
Don’t mess with me, Shanghai!
I love the hills and the sea, the joys of living in a small country. I love Gene Autry too. 🙂
Interesting that you also love Gene Autry. Guess the cowboy mystique crosses the ocean! America is so big and there are so many different geographic regions, it’s impossible to explore all of it unless you are retired and very rich. I’ve got the retired part, but my husband doesn’t, and we’ll never have the rich part unless we win the lottery. There is something to be said for living in a small country!
Well there’s the risk of being insular on the other hand. Me, I’m just from another South West. 😉
The Southwest, Eye? What are your cowboys like? LOL
You can take the girl out of the mountains, but you can’t take the mountains out of the girl. Or something like that. I find time spent at both the mountains and the shore (if there aren’t too many others on the shore) relaxing and recuperative. Did you get that b’ar? Did you cook him up for supper?
Naw, Patti. We cooked grouper, something from the sea. How ironic!
Aw what a beautiful place! Where was this? And I just love Gene Autry! I could use some nights sitting on a porch in the mountains drinkin’ wine myself right now. Sounds just lovely!
It was on Dream Mountain, H&G, right next to Cold Mountain in North Carolina, about forty minutes southwest of Asheville. Do you know the area?
No, but I keep hearing North Carolina is a pretty place. It’s definitely on my list of sites to see. I love the mountains, though.
I had never been in North Carolina until we moved to Virginia. So much beauty in these parts of the country.
Agreed. I feel that way about the West Coast, too. There’s so much here alone I haven’t explored yet — Yosemite, Tahoe, the Wine Country, Big Sur … One day!
We lived in Texas for nearly thirty years, H&L, and I never got to Santa Fe or the Palo Duro Canyon. I don’t know if I’ll ever see those places now. I’d love to see Yosemite.
I love the mountains AND the beach too. My ex husband was from the mountains, and I loved to go visit there. I always wondered how they managed to drive all those hills in the winter!
Maybe they stayed in when the roads were icy, Dianna? Some of those mountain roads are treacherous. Heck, all of them are treacherous!
Chains on the tires will get you up and down those icy hills. 🙂
I forgot all about chains on tires, Patti. I remember my father putting chains on our tires when I was growing up in Connecticut. Then they outlawed them because they chewed up the roads. snow tires were doing out about that time anyway.
I love your Mountain Woman shot. Beautiful. The cabin looks beautiful too.
I’ve never been able to figure out if I am a Mountain Person or a Sea Person. I used to think Sea, but I’ve spent enough time with mountains lately that it’s made me unsure. I’m thinking I could be both, especially if I moved to Nova Scotia where I’d have the sea, the rugged cliffs that I love so much, sand beaches, and mountains.
Yes, Nova Scotia does seem to have it all. A little cold for me, though.
I need cold. I’m at the age where I’m producing enough heat to power a small town if only I could figure out a way to hook up to the grid. I expect that someday my husband will come home from work and find a pile of ashes on the floor and some soot on the ceiling, all that’s left of me after I spontaneously combust.
I have this image of you bursting into flames, Robin, but you return younger than ever, like the Phoenix. I have just the opposite problem. I’m always cold. I never went through that hot stage. Skipped it altogether. Didn’t seem like something I needed to experience.
You got your b’ar kickin’ boot on!
The Smoky Mountains look beautiful – much greener and gentler looking than the still snow covered Rockies that I see west of us!
Ah, but the Rockies are beautiful, too. I saw them many years ago, when I was a sophomore in college, and my parents gave me a trip to Colorado for my Christmas present. It snowed the whole timemI was there, and the scenery was breathtaking, Margie.
Hay Mountain Gal – this is a grand post and I loved the Gene Autry song. We have b’ar here for you when y’all come visit. 🙂
Sounds, good, Dor. I’ll have to bring Ol’ Betsy. I forget…is that my rifle or my horse? I haven’t been a mountain girl for very long.
I love sitting on the porch with a glass of wine and it doesn’t really matter to me if I’m looking at the mountains or the sea. 🙂
I’m with you, Shary. Love porch-sitting, especially with family or good friends. And a nice glass of wine adds to it.
Bad ass chic mountain girl… love it! That could be another section of your blog, just for those days you are feeling a bit mountainous. I am a dyed in the wool mountain girl, so glad you came over to the dark side for a few days… Love the post, as always, thanks for sharing, and WAS there moonshine in that bottle? That could heal your foot real quick and you could howl at the moon while trying it out dancing!
You know, DAF, my foot is feeling a little bit better, now that you mention it…
Years ago I did explore the “Western Highlands” of NC and visited Ashville and the Great Smokey Mountains. I was amused by the fact that even dwellings that were about to cave in on themselves had a porch with rockers. Then one afternoon I parked myself in one and found out why!! Is that moonshine in that ther bottle???
I’ll never tell, Carol!
Webb Pierce is singer I enjoy listening to – similar to Gene Autry. His song Slowly is one of my favorites.
I truly enjoy spending summers at the Shore, but like you – I think I most prefer the mountains. I don’t know, I suppose I would not turn down a chance to visit either. 🙂 Truth is – regardless of the location, you’ll find me on the porch enjoying the view. I won’t be climbing the mountain or combing the beach – I’ll simply be taking in the sites from a comfy front porch chair.
“Stop that a’growling, Dew. You sound like an old b’ar.” My favorite Sissy Spacek line from Coal Miner’s Daughter.
Great line, LD. Now don’t get me wrong. I loved the mountains, but I am a dyed-in-the-wool sea girl, and that will never change. It’s just nice to see another part of the country once in awhile. Virginia is such a beautiful state and has a great beach area and beautiful mountains.
haha b’ar! I so love your posts, especially this one. I related to it. I am listening to his song as I comment, and I cannot help but think of my husband who will surely love it.
Sounded like such a romantic trip with your hubby. Back to the sea, matey!
Thanks, Country Wife. I know you love the mountains, and yours are gorgeous. If you ever have a hankering for the sea, come and visit!
Love Gene Autry…. our community has Gene Autry Days each year. It celebrates a visit he made to our Kenton Toy Factory which made Gene Autry cap pistols in the 30’s. Also celebrates everything cowboy from that era. Really enjoyed the music.
We listened to record after record of Gene’s, Life, on that old Victrola. What great lyrics to his songs. Love cowboy songs.
Correction: Chic mountain girl. Cool spectacles, Merlot and a classic white-t makes you Chic. However, when Chic holds a shotgun, almost as big as her….that’s Badass Chic! Glad you had such a good time : )
Ooh, I like that, Life. Bad Ass Chic Mountain Girl. That’s my new moniker. Should I change my blog name?
Badass Owns The East….lol
And don’t you forget it, Life!
Hahahahahahaha!
Glad I made you laugh, Life!
Oh my! Don’t plan your funeral yet. It’s just a broken foot.
LOL. That cracked me up, Adela. Just preparing for the far distant future.