Tennessee In Review

*Note:  This post is still catch-up from before our trip home for Christmas!  We are presently in Florida hotel-hopping while our RV is still in repair:(  Hoping to get it & post a current Florida blog next week!*

We could hardly believe as we entered Tennessee that we were embarking upon our 25th state!  Oh, how time flies!  We left Kansas in June feeling like it would be an eternity before seeing friends and family again, and here we were approaching our half-way mark & trip back home for Christmas.  A reminder of how each & every day needs to be cherished, for sure.  

We left our home near Asheville, NC for our first jaunt into Tennessee.  Anxious to explore the Great Smoky Mountains, we made a beeline for hiking trails.

The 2 mile hike up Chimney Tops mountain was strenuous & steep, but beautiful, lined with rhododendron (unfortunately not in bloom).  Chimney Tops has one of the few bare rock summits in the Smokies and the steep walls of slate at the peak proved to be a bit too much for our fam... especially after a girl in front of us dropped her backpack only to watch it tumble hundreds of feet.  The "just-short-of-the-peak" view was still spectacular, overlooking the Sugarland Mountains.  

For years and years our little family has taken an annual trip to Branson during the Christmas season, so heading to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge made us feel right at home.  If you've been to Silver Dollar City, you've pretty much experienced Dollywood... other than hearing Dolly's voice overhead, seeing her pictures everywhere... even touring her outdated tour bus!

Our favorite area was the 30,000-square-foot aviary housing dozens of majestic bald eagles.

SO fun was the ropes course...over 100 obstacles up to 26 feet above ground.

Mmmm...skillet food, just like Silver Dollar City:)

After completing South Carolina & Georgia, we left our motorhome behind and hit Eastern Tennessee on our jeep-journey back to Kansas.  

Nashville is home to all things country, including the Grand Ole Opry, otherwise known as "the show that made country music famous".  Founded in 1925- just 5 years after commercial radio was born in the U.S.- the Grand Ole Opry began as the National Life and Accident Insurance Company built a radio station (WSM) offering it as a public service to the community as well as a new medium to advertise insurance policies.  Over the years it became the place for up and coming country stars (and eventually other genres) to make their debut.  It has moved to many buildings over the years, but we were thrilled to be able to see a show at the original Ryman Theater (since the Rockettes were filling the newer Opry Stage for the Christmas season).

It was like going back in time.  We were seated in the original pews dating back to 1892, laughed through the opening act hosted by the latest "Minnie Pearl", listened to the live radio announcer during the breaks, and enjoyed the most wonderful line-up of performers on the stage that was once shared by Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Elvis, and so many more. 

The theater itself was rich with history.  It was first built in the late 1800's by Captain Thomas G. Ryman who upon reluctantly visiting a traveling preacher's revival was converted.  He quickly raised funds to build a permanent home for the traveling preacher- the Union Gospel Tabernacle.  In the early 1900's the building served as a venue for a wide variety of events... many of which we've found in our history books this year!  Evangelist Billy Sunday, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Booker T. Washington, and Helen Keller were among those that drew crowds here.  In 1943 it became the home of the Grand Ole Opry and the performance we saw proved to be a great representation of the types of talent that still grace the stage today.  

John Conlee, Diamond Rio, Little Jimmy Dickens, Bill Anderson, Phil Vassar, The Whites, Ricky Skaggs, and our personal favorite, contemporary Christian artist Matthew West (who was making his debut at the Grand Ole Opry) all rocked the stage.

Diamond Rio

Little Jimmy Dickens (who was just a week shy of turning 91!)

Matthew West

Ricky Skaggs & The Whites

Our last (and super fun) stop in Nashville was to Mike Wolfe's Antique Archaeology. If the name doesn't ring a bell, just check out American Pickers on the History Channel.  Mike is the ultimate picker & his shop was loaded with cool finds. 

Giant 300-pound cowboy boot picked in Kansas!  

Episode: "Getting the Boot"

Next was Memphis... and we made it just in time to swing by the Peabody Hotel to see the legendary Peabody ducks.  A friendly traveler in Nashville told us it was a Memphis tradition not to be missed.  So we did our research and learned that the tradition began in 1932 when the GM of the hotel and his friend returned from a hunting trip, placing their live duck decoys in the hotel's elegant fountain.  Guests loved the sight, so there the ducks remained.  In 1940 a bellman ( and former circus animal trainer) taught the ducks the Duck March & became the hotel's first Duck Master, which he enjoyed for 50 years.  And every day the tradition continues as crowds gather to watch the new Duck Master lead a group of ducks down the red carpet to the fountain at 11am and back out again at 5pm.  Where do the ducks go each evening, you ask?  To the Royal Duck Palace on the hotel's rooftop, of course!
So silly, but so delightful:)

Coming from the land of the best barbecue in the country, we love comparing this most-delicious food to see how other states measure up... or should I say, fail to:)  A friend told us about Rendezvous Barbecue, which we were delighted our GPS verified was within walking distance from the Peabody.  We quickly felt that we were in a rough part of town, so when a young man approached offering to give directions and then ask for money, Jim was already on edge.  He led us into an ally.  I remembered reading about the restaurant's odd location, but apparently hadn't informed Jim who was furious that I would so naively follow someone into a dark ally!  Here I was, thrilled to have help to our destination while Jim was nervous, ready to defend his family.  We made it to our destination safe & sound, but it took a bit for Jim's heart to stop racing.  Ah, but the food made it all worth it... so good in fact,  that I forgot to take a photo until our meal was half eaten:)

We loved Rendezvous' motto:
  "Not Since Adam Has a Rib Been This Famous"

The girls & I were quite content to call it good in Memphis & begin our 8-hour drive home, SO very anxious to see friends & family.  Jim however, insisted that we couldn't leave until visiting Graceland.  I'm just not an Elvis fan... in fact, on the top of my "most-creepiest-things-EVER" list is Elvis impersonators!  Eww!  But he continued to insist, so we went.  And it actually wasn't so bad!  We learned about the person he was, the incredible talent he had & his amazing ability to change the face of music around the world.  I certainly left with a new appreciation for the "King", but still say the impersonators are creepy.  

Graceland, built in 1939
Rather than a mansion, we found Elvis' home to be quite modest for this music sensation.

That's Jim in the mirrored staircase. 

The fabric wall-ed & ceiling-ed Billiard Room

One stairwell surrounded by mirrors, the other by green shaggy carpet!

The infamous Jungle Room

Lisa Marie's playground by the horse pasture

The Racquetball Building now displaying countless awards & memorabilia   

In the backyard is the Meditation Garden with the graves of Elvis,  his parents & his grandmother

Such a bittersweet time... we were excited to reunite with loved ones, but sad (at least us parents) that we only have half of the adventure left.  Truly cherishing this selfish time we get with each other:)

Georgia In Review

Our new neighborhood in Georgia was at the KOA in Richmond Hill, less than 30 minutes from charming Savannah.  We were nestled in between beautiful, huge trees and our oversized front window faced the serene 35 acre lake.  It was one of those campgrounds where we wanted to spend just as much time at home as we did sightseeing.  

We counted at least 9 varieties of birds that swam in the lake each day & loved the bald eagles, ibis, blue herons & egrets we'd spot in the area. 

Ahhh... more of our most favorite trees:)

Our front yard was so lovely, I had to drag the girls out for a photo shoot:)

I LOVE decorating for Christmas, but actually enjoyed the simplicity this year.  We bought & decorated a 3-foot Christmas tree & gathered supplies outside to make a sweet centerpiece for our picnic table.  But yet again, we were no match for our neighbors who displayed flashing lights & garland, festive holiday signs & blow up santas.

We took a day to enjoy Tybee Island, just 20 minutes south of Savannah.  Why, Paula Deen herself advertises it and she is the Queen of Savannah after all!  It was too chilly to swim, but perfect for Alayna's favorite beach activity... chasing birds!

And we had lots of schoolwork to catch up on, so we brought it along... not a bad classroom!

Natalie working on her favorite subject, Algebra.
...Could you feel the sarcasm in my tone?!?

Alayna & Dad chillin' on the swings

Of course while in Savannah we had to explore all things Paula, which included her brother's restaurant Uncle Bubba's Seafood & Oyster House.  Delicious, fresh seafood, yummy southern drinks & sides, and gorgeous marsh views.

Mmmm... the ONLY way to eat oysters... grilled over the fire and smothered in garlic butter & parmesan cheese!

I could've just driven down the breathtaking streets of Savannah for days... nearly as charming as Charleston.  

Everywhere we looked were reminders of Savannah's history... street signs named after historic figures, monuments honoring them & town square after town square after town square, (I think we counted 23 in the small historic district!) each one honoring a piece of Savannah's past.  Savannah was actually the first planned city, designed by Oglethorpe in a series of grids with public squares & parks placed throughout.

Oglethorpe arrived in 1733, naming the 13th & final American colony "Georgia" after England's King George II.  Savannah became its first city.  It was intended to be a place for the poor (who were imprisoned for their debts) to have a chance at a fresh start. The new settlement offered individuals the freedom to worship as they pleased and for a time slavery, lawyers & hard liquor were prohibited.

We loved walking the streets & browsing through the boutiques, souvenir shops & eateries-especially along the Savannah River-, finding little treasures like mouth-watering, southern pralines.  Oh my. 

Filming for an upcoming movie was taking place all around town.  We occasionally had to pause at street crossings until the cameras stopped rolling.  The film crew was super-secretive, but locals informed us that Kevin Costner was involved... sadly we weren't able to confirm that information first hand!

We stopped for lunch at a place friends had suggested... The Pirate House.  Built in 1754, it was originally a seaman's tavern in the days of sailing ships and pirates.  After our meal, a pirate gave us a tour, telling tales of the underground tunnel that connected the rum cellar to the river where drunk visitors were placed on ships later to awake at see as crew members!  It is said that Treasure Island was inspired by events that occurred here and that ghosts still haunt the premises today...

The Savannah History Museum was another interesting stop where we found items like Eli Whitney's Cotton Gin & the bench used in the movie Forrest Gump.

We learned that Eli Whitney didn't invent the cotton gin, just made it more efficient using wire teeth to pull the seeds from the cotton rather than rollers that squeezed the seeds out.  Just a few years before he patented his machine in 1794,  the south exported 200,000 pounds of cotton.  By the early 1800's, 41 million pounds per year were exported.

The Forrest Gump bench

Dinner at Paula's Lady & Sons restaurant was a must, and pretty much what we expected... BUTTERY, fried, southern home cooking.  Visiting in the off season, we thankfully didn't experience the out-the-door-lines people warned us about, but loved chatting with the staff hearing that Paula -though a serious business woman- is truly as sweet as she seems.

Southern fried chicken, riblets, creamed potatoes, mac n cheese, yams, collard greens, lima beans, green beans, black eyed peas, banana puddin', peach cobbler, gooey butter cake... practically all swimming in butter...

Feeling a few pounds heavier just reading this?!?

We waddled out, vowing never to do that to our bodies again:)

A short distance from the restaurant was the Historic Savannah Theatre where we watched a Christmas performance.  The theatre is considered to be the oldest operating theatre in the U.S.

Near the end of our stay we were lucky to catch a battle reenactment at Fort McAllister, the southernmost and most active Confederate fortification in Savannah's defenses.  In 1864 the fall of Fort McAllister marked the end of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's March to the Sea, and prepared Sherman for the siege & capture of Savannah.

"From the roof of Cheves' rice mill (2 1/2 miles across the Ogeechee in the direction of the arrow) General Sherman and his staff watched the reduction of Fort McAllister, sunset, December 13, 1864"

The surrender

Our final Georgian destination took place after dropping off our RV at a repair shop in South Carolina. Atlanta was the first stop on our jeep journey back home to Kansas for Christmas.  I SO wanted to take a CNN tour, showing the girls the behind-the-scenes of a news broadcast, but we only had a day so chose Passages instead. This traveling "museum of the Bible" gave us a fascinating look at the history and impact of the best-selling, most translated book of all time.  Steve Green, president of Hobby Lobby, has collected Biblical artifacts since 2009 and The Green Collection now has over 30,000 impressive items (300 of which we were able to view).  No photos were allowed, but here's a small sampling of what was in the museum:

  ~a marble menora from a temple in Jerusalem in Jesus' time

~a huge 14c torah scroll made from calf skin, found in Germany

~Esther scrolls from the mid 17th century, read at the beginning of the Feast of Purim

~a small, worn piece of Greek papyrus with the writings of Hannah's Prayer in 1 Samuel

~incredibly ornate Torah tiks (coverings)

~one of the earliest texts of John, Peter & Psalms written in Greek, from just a couple generations after the disciples

~Latin Vulgate Bibles from as early as 9c

~Wycliffe's New Testament translated into Middle English, 15c

~a written, signed letter by Martin Luther just days before he faced the church officials on charges of heresy

~the only known copy of Tyndale's New Testament, edited & printed while he awaited execution, 1535

And so much more...hours more!  We were sure to request a visit to Kansas City, noting that Union Station would be a most perfect display venue.  We would recommend anyone to visit this impressive collection if it comes to town.

On to finish Tennessee and then home for a much needed visit!