On the Porch
Onisha Ellis
April 14, 2021 Leaving Pigeon Forge
Our final morning in Pigeon Forge,Tennessee. The days had flown by and I wondered if I should have booked 7 nights instead of 5. Maybe it was good to leave with future adventures to anticipate rather than a “been there done that feeling.”
Our check-out time was 10 am and we had a lot of stuff to load into the car. We made it with minutes to spare and waved a fond good-bye to our unit.
As you may have noticed from previous posts, my husband loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts. For him, a trip to Pigeon Forge always includes a visit to the doughnut shop. Every day of our stay he would ask if that day was KK day. Every day I said not yet, until this day, our final day. After all, our route from the time-share to highway 441 to begin our journey home would take us past Krispy Kreme.
Photo Credit Pinterest
In past times we would always purchase a dozen glazed doughnuts, preferably hot from the fryer. Now we limit our order to one each or two each for special occasions. Fifty years of marriage definitely qualified as special.
Photo Credit Trip Advisor
Our daughter and I were salivating over the featured doughnut flavor, Oreo. We decided to split one. It was good but not nearly as tasty as it appeared.
After 5 days of doughnut deprivation my husband was too intent on wolfing them down for me to get a good picture. I had to settle for this one.
Hyped up with sugar and caffeine we began our return journey through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Newfound Gap is where the states of North Carolina and Tennessee meet. Several hiking trails including the famous Appalachian Trail can be accessed at the gap. I was impressed with this group of older hikers and wondered what sort of trail they were attempting.
When we began our anniversary trip we were thrilled to view an elk herd wading in the Oconoluftee river. We weren’t so lucky on this day, but we did take the time to enjoy a walk by the river. I was fascinated by the tree roots growing on top of the ground.
I think I may enjoy the spring colors of the mountains more than fall. There is something about the tender green of the leaves and the delicate blossoms that speaks life to me.
50 years of marriage. So many memories we have made together. Life hasn’t been perfect, but wouldn’t perfect be boring? We have always enjoyed road trips and the memories that stand out are the ones that began with a wrong turn or a particularly unpleasant situation that turned into a funny memory. We are looking forward to whatever time God has ordained for our future together. We are blessed.
After my retirement, I decided to re-learn the canning and preserving skills I learned from my mother but hadn’t practiced for twenty years. I titled the blog Old Things R New to chronicle my experience. Since then I have been blessed to have six other bloggers join me, DiVoran Lites, Bill Lites, Judy Wills, Louise Gibson, Janet Perez Eckles and Melody Hendrix
In addition to blogging, I work as the publicist/marketer/ amateur editor and general “mom Friday” for my author daughter, Rebekah Lyn. I also manage her website, Rebekah Lyn Books
My 2021 goal is continue touse my love of photographs and words to be an encourager on social media. You can visit Real Life Books and Media You Tube Channel if you would like to view some of the mini-videos I have created for our church, Gateway Community in Titusville, Fl.
Old Things R New 
I have to echo the comments above my own–A lovely, beautiful post. I’m sure I’ve congratulated you and your husband for achieving fifty years of marriage without murdering one another, but if I haven’t then I now do.
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Lovely and beautiful post.
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