Sunday, July 8, 2018

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

9 comments:

  1. What a fun time out on the boat, sound like y'all had a great time.

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  2. Larry, Looks like a great outing! I have noted what seems like more large cruisers on the lake including a couple that ran 45' or more. Tough wake for a pontoon boat...especially when loaded! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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  3. In a family of GIRLS, Little Eliza will fit right in!!!!! My middle son has 2 daughters --and one of them had a baby in January. Guess what??? Another girl!!!!!! ha...

    Looks like a great boat ride ---and all of the family seemed to enjoy their time together. You and Bev are GREAT host/hostesses.

    Your comment about food tasting better when on a picnic --that is SO true... When I was younger and we'd go to the Smokies on a picnic, even an old can of Pork an' Beans tasted good... ha ha (I have graduated from Pork an' Beans to those Grilling Beans now.... We had the Smoked Beans with Bourbon on the 4th of July and I enhanced them with some bacon and spices--and they were as good as the homemade ones I used to make!!!)

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  4. What a great time. And that food! My gosh delicious. Growing up with one of those silos in my back yard, that photo of them submerged seems rather eerie.

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  5. Sounds like a great fun time for you all! Good food too!

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  6. Wonderful, happy family! I can tell a good time was had by all :)

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  7. Eliza sure is a cutie! Cast iron fried potatoes are the best. Looks like you had a great time.

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  8. Your pontoon trip on the lake reminded me of our time at our lake cottage in Maine. All the kids loved being out on the water.

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