A Journey Through the Appalachians by J. Aubrey and S. Maturin

[nid_dabeille]

Jack and Stephen (and Sarah and I) just got back from a lovely trip.  The highlights were the big huge historic Biltmore House and estate, and hiking to lots of waterfalls (lots being 3 or 4 or 7 or something.)  The boys had never had a vacation before, and they were SO excited!  They got rather dirty and bruised, and Jack lost a little gold braid, but ehh, that's inevitable.  And it made me glad that I'd never gotten around to making Stephen a proper waistcoat.  Proper clothes just don't suit his naturalist habits.


So here they are, Jack and Stephen at Biltmore:


Stephen marvels at the grapevines in the garden.  Jack is bored.


The boys enjoy a refreshing pot of tea and some marvelous snapdragons (or slapdragons as I prefer to call them now.  Who is it whose son calls them that?  I forget.  And that's actually just the creamer.)


A sublime view of Hooker Falls:


Worrisome views of tadpoles at Triple Falls:








More worrisome still!!!  (But it's only a northern water snake, Nerodia sipedon)


Jack is unimpressed by Nerodia sipedon.


Catching a ride with their minders.  Sarah:


And me:


Farewell, beautiful falls!


The end.

Comments

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

GOOD IDEA!!!! I don't know why I never thought of that before!

I was hoping to see a pileated woodpecker, since we were in its prime area, but alas, no. I've only seen one in my life, and it was so cool! (And strangely enough, it was just the very day after I'd been telling a friend that I longed to see one. And it was in my own front yard.)

[des-pudels-kern.livejournal.com]

When I was younger there was this woodpecker that used to steal the nuts from our hazel bush, jam them into a crotch of the willow next to it, and shell them there. A Great Spotted Woodpecker, if I remember correctly.

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Cute! I love woodpeckers. There are a few different kinds that live or hunt in the tress outside my windows.

[des-pudels-kern.livejournal.com]

Lucky you. Nowadays I only have that stupid crow that likes to sit on the roof next to mine in the morning and call for something or someone that/who never answers.

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

Maybe YOU should answer. Maybe it's calling for you.

[des-pudels-kern.livejournal.com]

I tried reasoning, pleading, and threatening. In three languages. Yes, I was desperate. Now I have earplugs.