Family Reunion

The boys and I are home from our family reunion.  It was held at the ancestral property in Alabama where Zach and John Charles' great, great, great grandfather lived.  His name was "Wild John".  The property has been in the family all these years and when we're there we feel so at home. No words or photos can capture the beauty or describe the remoteness of this property.  It's like you've been dropped off in the middle of a vast wilderness.

I'm in the process of making a musical slide show, but for now I hope you'll enjoy a few photographs. I wasn't able to get the posed family shots that I wanted because the boys were constantly running off to explore some where, but I still love all the photos I got.

Turning off the road onto the long trail that leads to the homestead.  First we have to drive across this narrow bridge.

 

The water that we're driving over

 

Zach opens the first gate for us

 

We enjoy the beautiful  mountain scenery

 

Lots of beautiful scenery

 

 Colby gets the next gate

 

We have to drive through the water this time

 

I love this portion of the trail

 

We're there!

 

Happy 100th Birthday Sallie Belle!

 

It's not time to go into the cave yet

 

Exploring

 

The old barn where Sallie Belle killed a bear

 

Good ole Southern cooking to enjoy

 

Papa Charles with 2nd cousins that he'd never met before.

 

There are a few caves on the property.  This one is the easiest to explore.

 

Let's go caving!

 

Inside the cave at the AL/TN border ( I don't know how they know this)

 

A fossilized footprint inside the cave.  There's a baby footprint nearby too.

I see light!

 

After an hour and a half I exit the cave exhausted

 

Zach and Tanner in front of the trail that leads to the mountain top family cemetery before we leave

 

Enjoying the scenery and longing to live here as we drive back down the trail.

 

 

Back over the bridge that takes us to the main road.  Makes me want to cry!

 

 

After a good night's sleep we head back home to the hustle and bustle of city life.

 

We enjoy lunch at The Varsity

 

We making seating changes and then we head home.

 

Thank you for the trip Papa and Nana.  We had a great time.  John Charles has even cried to go back to the hotel.