(Click on any image to enlarge it, or to begin slide show)
A few of my diehard blog mateys may have noticed my recent lack of attention to your jolly comments and pungent posts! (I have no idea why I wrote that in pseudo-piratical prose.) It was because my wife and I had slipped away for our annual-ish Fall Getaway, during which time my attention was solely upon us and our lovely surroundings.
I’ve spoken before of our differences, but Trudy and I also share some passionate interests (in addition to one another). Our love of story, for example: we read aloud together every day, and watch (and sometimes make) movies together. Another shared passion is our love of art in all its forms. Early in our dating relationship we visited California’s Getty Museum and found ourselves enveloped in a cocoon of aesthetics; for hours it was just the two of us and the art we were experiencing together. I remember thinking, “If I died right now, I’d die happy.” Of course, Trudy might not have appreciated that (there he goes again doing messy and embarrassing things).
It’s not surprising, therefore, that this year we chose to spend the first two days of our Getaway in Asheville, North Carolina, visiting the Biltmore Estate, America’s largest home. But apart from its palatial size (the obvious joke is that they “built more”), it was created following remarkable aesthetics, from its traditional chateau architecture to its unique interior design to the art on its walls (Sargent, Whistler, Duerer, Renoir). We were engulfed together!
But our deepest shared interest is in the ultimate Artist. And so for the rest of our Getaway we hiked and explored one of God’s masterpieces, the Great Smoky Mountains, just an hour away from Asheville. And once again we were engulfed together!
It’s quaintly Facebook-ish of me to post personal photos, I know, but I thought you might enjoy seeing some of the pics we snapped while I was away and ignoring you. But, hey, I’m back and,
You know I still love you, right?
Beautiful photos!
Thank you.
Asheville is so beautiful this time of year. Thanks for sharing
My pleasure.
Stunning pictures…what a grand get away.
Thanks, Sarah.
Love this! Thanks for sharing your adventures. Looks like my kind of getaway. 🙂
Absolutely enjoyed the photos. Thanks for sharing them.
Gorgeous photos. I haven’t been down to visit in a few years and I’ve always wanted to stay at the Biltmore. I love that you read to each other. My former partner and I used to do this regularly and I very much enjoyed it. Glad you had a lovely time!
Great pictures, Mitch. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. I love driving in that part of the country.
Thanks, Bill.
What an amazing place to visit – I love that you posted them here because I don’t use Facebook anymore. Thanks for sharing
Thank you Mitch, it was wonderful to hear about the trips you take in autumn. Wonderful idea and experiences you will cherish.
Your photos are great and I was especially hit by the Smokey Mountain as they really took my breath away . Stayed several days and destroyed forward plans.
Wrote several poems after. One is ” Upon a Mountain ” if you want to see.
Thank you
Miriam
I look forward to reading it, Miriam.
How fun! And, you guys are so cute!!
Aw, thanks.
It looks like a wonderful trip!
Know you love us? Right? Right. We are where we desire to be – number four after God, wife, art, (drum roll) bloggers!
;>)
Not only the photos are beautiful. Also to see you both in them and read your heartfelt words. Very touching, Mitch.
Thank you, Erika.
You are welcome, Mitch 😊
if you really loved us, you would have taken us with you … Just sayn’, cause I know how important it is to get away from us …
;>)
What a beautiful place! Love the photos. Good seeing Mrs. Teemley, too.
Never been, but always wanted to go. Been to the Smokeys multiple times, but never to the Biltmore.
The tour is expensive (like near-Disney World expensive), but worth it. Plan to spend the whole day there.
We know you love us, Mitch, because of all these beautiful photos. All during your trip you were looking for photo-ops that you knew we’d enjoy. That’s actually why you took the trip, right?
Um, right. ;>)
You guys look great and it looks like you had a great time as well, Mitch! These are awesome photos!
Thanks, Tre!
You’re most welcome!
I guessed that’s where you were, when I saw the pictures. Soo beautiful!! Great that you guys could get away together and glad to have you back!
Thanks!
You are welcome!
I thought I recognized Biltmore! My husband and I visited back in the 1990s. The Great Smokies are lovely (as is your wife).
Beautiful pics! North Carolina is special for Nancy and I. We travel there twice a year as Board Members of Hearts & Hands for Haiti, based in Raleigh, NC. Many wonderful people and gorgeous landscapes. Glad you and your wife were blessed!
Ron
Get-away, a key ingredient to building marriage. My wife and I are partial to tree houses, nature and adventure (white water rafting….so on) So worth it. Thanks for sharing some personal stuff too
Ah, the Biltmore House. Such a beautiful place! My husband’s Great Granddad worked on building the hunting lodge. His family is from those beautiful mountains, and he was raised in Bryson City. We still have lots of family there and love it when we get to go home. Looks like you guys had a wonderful trip!
Thank you, we did, Patty. Your grandfather must have been quite a craftsman; everything there is so beautifully made.
Oh my goodness! So much beauty in just one post! Love it! Thank you for sharing it! 🙂
I loved the photos! And I love the love you share with your wife. God bless you both! And welcome back.
Connie
Thank you, Connie!
Great pictures of the Biltmore. You were only about 35 minutes from my Son’s restaurant. If you were to return to the area, go to Columbus NC find The Rural Seed, and ask for Dad’s Table. You will have a very memorable meal. Our family has visited the Biltmore House many times. The Stream behind the house was the location of Peter Sellers walking on water at the end of Being There. There is probably no other place in this great country that would allow you to have more memorable experiences. You have the best of memories.
Wow, you have strong ties to the area, JW!
Beautiful pictures. Such a coincidence, I was looking at visiting the Biltmore Estate on my way down to Florida this year, but The Downton Abbey exhibit will be there and I already saw it last year.
It’s decorated for Christmas now, as well.
I can imagine it would be beautiful.
We just moved back to FL after 4 1/2 years in Asheville. Glad you enjoyed it!
Looks as if you had a wonderful vacation! Welcome back!
Thanks, Ann!
Hi Mitch,
Great pictures.Special memories. Thanks for sharing.
Gary
ahh! looking good
You are welcome back!
Thank you, and good to hear from you. Unfortunately, I’m still unable to view the Featured Works at your blog site :>( (When I click on them all I see is black.)
You see my works now?
Unfortunately, no, just black.
Wow. Very cool and gorgeous scenery.
I’m just now seeing this, because it’s showing on your blog as related to today’s post. Your wife is beautiful. I love the outdoor photos. And the Biltmore estate — wow. What kept coming to my mind was: How in the world does anyone dust all of that? Especially the library!
Well, you charge a lot of money for tours, and then you hire people to dust it.
Ah, of course. Thanks. Now I can stop worrying about THAT. Back to corona worrying… 😉