2011-06 General Update

(We visited Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens several times during our stay in Columbia)

This is our first series of updates in almost a year.   We have begun our 2011 summer and fall travels and will try to be more diligent in making posts about our travels and activities.

Our last series of postings were in August 2010 while we were in Mackinaw City, Michigan.  As I believe you all know, we interrupted our travels to return to SC for a series of medical exams for Monique that ultimately lead to a diagnosis of a type of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma called SLL/CLL.  This is a slow growing form of cancer that at present requires no treatment.    We also went to Duke University for a second opinion which confirmed the diagnosis (see November post.)  Monique is on what is generally called “Watch and Wait”.  So we are periodically returning to SC somewhere between 4 to 6 months for tests and visits with the Oncologist.  We are thankful that no treatment has been required so far, and we appreciate all your prayers and good wishes.

Except for a short break to travel up to Duke University Medical Center, we stayed in Columbia from August until mid-December.  We enjoyed meeting some new friends and  spending time with them and our other friends we see at the Barnyard RV Park when in Lexington.  Then we headed to Florida for the winter which is discussed as you work backward in some of the following posts.

Note:  This Blog works backward from the most current posting.  As you reach the bottom of the page, there will be an arrow or link pointing to the next set of postings.

2011-05 Solitude Pointe

We left Florida and returned to Columbia in April for 3 weeks to complete all our routine annual doctor visits and for another set of tests and visits with the Oncologist for Monique.  All the exams generally went ok.  However we learned that Monique’s lymph nodes have continued to grow larger.  So that was a disappointment although the Oncologist continued to recommend no treatment at present.

We left Columbia and traveled to “Upstate SC” to Solitude Pointe, a lovely campground about a 30 minutes drive north of Greenville, SC.  It is just off Scenic Highway 11 between Table Rock and Caesar’s Head State Parks.  There are only 14 campsites and 6 cabins.    We had a very peaceful and pretty site on a green hillside of trees and Mountain Laurel.

The Mountain Laurel was in full bloom when we arrived.

We love this area of SC and are thinking about buying a home somewhere in the Upstate.  In fact we spent considerable time looking for homes on the Internet and driving around north Greenville, Traveler’s Rest, Greer, Taylors, and Easley looking at some of the homes and neighborhoods we found online.  So far we have not found the “right one”, but the process has helped us get a better idea of the type home we would prefer ( a 1 story brick house without a large yard, perhaps a patio home).  We are also looking at homes back in the Lexington area.  So we are  not yet sure where we will settle down, but we do think we will probably try to find a house and “hang up the RV keys” by next spring.

There are a number of lovely places to visit within 1/2 to an hour’s drive from Solitude Pointe.  The next few posts will cover some of those we visited.

2011-05 Bald Rock, "Pretty Place" and DuPont State Forest

We took several drives up Hwy 276.  This is a very winding road that climbs sharply up to Caesar's Head and then continues on through Brevard, NC.  We saw the beautiful red Rhododendron shown above at the Chamber of Commerce in Brevard. 

Not far after leaving the campground is a roadside pull off we subsequently learned was called "Bald Rock".  We had seen a number of cars stopped there but did not know why.  So one day we parked and took a short stroll to discover a large rock outcropping with long distance views.  We were glad we stopped to explore.

In the distance you can see Table Rock:

Past Caesar's Head just before you come to the NC border is road leading to Camp Greenville YMCA.  Monique had driven there once before with a group of ladies on a church retreat to see "Pretty Place".  She knew it was a place I would want to see.  "Pretty Place" is the name given to the YMCA camp's open air chapel that has a fantastic overlook.  It is generally open to the public unless there is a wedding or other scheduled activity.

 

Continuing along Hwy 276 after crossing into NC there is a road leading to the DuPont State Forest.  This property once belonged to the DuPont Company and has recently become a NC State Forest.  There are a number of beautiful waterfalls.  Here are the two we visited:

This is just a gorgeous area.  We went to Hendersonville, NC each week while at Solitude Pointe so James  could get his allergy shots.  Usually we traveled Hwy 25 which is a relatively new 4 lane highway.  There is limited development along this route, and it is a beautiful drive with long mountain vistas.  Twice we traveled along Hwy 276 and then past DuPont State Forest.  This was a longer route but equally beautiful with part of the route through the state forest and part through pretty mountain valleys.  We certainly recommend these areas in SC and NC to visit and tour.

2011-05 Hagood Mill

We discovered Hagood Mill a couple years ago.  It is an 1845 Grist Mill and Folklife Center operated by the Pickens County (SC) Museum. We learned there is a monthly festival the 3rd Saturday of each month, so we made sure to go this May while staying at nearby Solitude Pointe.  We had a nice afternoon touring the exhibits and talking with the demonstrators. 

There was a military historical  exhibit by the SC State Guard (not the National Guard).

I enjoyed talking to and admiring the work of a man re-caning a chair.

This young man gave a great explanation of his Civil War reenactor uniform, guns, and a replica of a rare Confederate rapid fire cannon.

I was fascinated by the demonstration of a flint knapper as he showed how to make flint arrow heads, axe blades, etc.

This lady had the hottest job as she demonstrated cooking over the open fire in a cabin fireplace.

We love to see handmade quilts.  This always reminds us of the quilts made by my Mother and Grandmother.

All the time we were wandering around, we enjoyed some great country and bluegrass music performed by two different groups.

Another gentleman was dressed as one of the Revolutionary War "Over the Mountain Men" who defeated the British at the battle of Kings Mountain, (This is another interesting place to visit in the SC Upstate.)

 

We highly recommned a tour of Hagood Mill, especially on the 3rd Saturday of the month.

The next post will cover one more demonstrator we met just as we were leaving.

2011-05 Mr. Joda Snipes - Hagood Mill

Our final highlight at Hagood Mill was our time talking to Mr. Joda Snipes about his wood carvings.  We came upon Mr Snipes as he was beginning to put away his carvings, but he took time to answer our questions and entertain us with his stories and singing.  He was a great story teller.  We especailly enjoyed his story about his Santa Clause carving. (Click the play button to view.)

One of his specialties are hand carved "music spoons".  Here are a couple of short videos of Mr Snipes playing his spoons.