09/15/2026
We took off some time to visit artsy Asheville again and get out in nature! Many days were HOT like Louisiana, but it did cool off a little. Some of our favorite things to do are visit the Biltmore Estate, look for deer, horses, turkey and sometimes bears, along with the awesome Estate and farm to table food! Hiked in the fog at Black Balsam K**b, an easy hike (difficult drive in foggy mountains) with great views if you're not stuck in the fog like we were. Still, it was pretty cool! Stopped at Pisgah Inn for lunch and gift shopping. Pisgah Inn has great views on a clear day! Kaitlin joined us this trip, and it was so special spending time with our long distance girl. Favorite things to do were hiking, downtown shops, art galleries, Antique To***co Barn, Atomic Furniture, Biltmore Ice Cream, Sierra Nevada Brewery for pizza, Bone and Broth for dinner, Stable Cafe for lunch, Grove Park Inn for sunset and dinner. This time we checked out Black Mountain for shopping and coffee, also a drive to Waynesville and a hike at Paradise Falls Trail in Nantahala Forest. The drive was lovely, but I would NOT recommend this hike unless safety measures are implemented by the county. This was a "death or disfigurement highly likely" hike, and after traversing tree roots and rocks with loose ground and very steep drops, we decided to pull ourselves back to safety. We checked out Knoxville, TN, and the downtown was quite nice with tons of shops. Felt very safe there. Found a swimming hole at Meads Quarry near Ijams Nature Center and took a swim. The water was lovely, and we met some Boston folks who were very friendly. I still had to work, and that's OK. I am grateful for my clients and always bring my laptop on vacation. Never fails, if you want to get busy in real estate, just go out of town haha. Cried again leaving Kaitlin at the airport, just excruciating to have my kid across the country. But God is good, and one day we'll live closer.
