The Kids Annual Summer Visit – Part 2

Continuing with our visit by family, daughter Wende came down from Oak Ridge a couple of times and brought along the newest grandkid, seven month old Eliza and of course she was a hit with her older cousins.

After the shrimp and pasta dish from the previous post, our next three suppers were Fajitas, grilled hot dogs with Bush’s Grillin Beans, and another southern meal of corn on the cob, fried potatoes cooked crispy in a cast iron Dutch oven, green beans, and tomatoes and cottage cheese.  Since I met Bev’s family about 35 years ago, I participated in the family tradition of having picnics in Cades Cove that included potatoes cooked over an open fire in a large cast iron pot and since Kathy got to go and loved them, she always requests them when she comes to visit – we just don’t drive up to The Cove to have them, even though they are always a little better there.

The next supper meals were Low Country Boil then hot dogs again following a big lunch from the Calhoun’s At The Marina buffet.  We made the 15 mile trip down to the restaurant on the pontoon boat while Kathy rode the jet ski and all I could say was “what was I thinking being on the lake mid-day on July 4.”  As always, the buffet was very good and we had a nice set up in the bar area – the outdoor bar area next door was doing a great business.

Calhouns is located in the marina just a short distance from Ft. Loudon Dam which is the last of the nine dams on the Tennessee River.  Not much activity at the locks which drops boats to Watts Bar Lake 72 feet below.

Here are a few shots during the boat ride starting with us heading out of our cove then a shot of the clothes drying after we hit one of several drenching wakes from the large cruisers out this day – wakes great for the jet ski but not so much on the pontoon boat.

Kids on the top of silos from what was once a river bottom farm.

As usual, many boats were anchored in the coves.

I will say I needed a glass of wine by the time we got home from our ocean cruise but we had gotten a parking spot at Calhouns, didn't run out of gas, had no incidents, and I believe the girls all had a good time, so all-in-all a good trip.

Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them and the blue words are links.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by Almost Heaven South

Larry

7/1-7/4/18 Event Dates