Another find in my backyard..
This lovely State Park was developed after a dam was built in the area. The dam was built from 1916 to 1923. Much later in 1987, the creation of this park occurred with many hiking trails and camping. The Park’s name sake is James B. Duke, the founder of Duke Energy.
Let’s take a visit.
Other views.. The Park lies at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Linville Gorge Wilderness area, (a future blog).
Bye for now… Hope you enjoyed the views.
Began investigating wineries in Western North Carolina and found this small gem in my backyard. Was pleased to find the wineries in this part of the state have dry wines rather than the sweet varieties 4 hours east. South Creek has a lovely tasting room and what a small world meeting a friendly couple from Orlando, Florida. Prices range from mid 20 to early 30 range in price and are easy on the pallet of those who enjoy dry reds and whites. Explore the grounds and who knows maybe you’ll run into a neighbor!
As if Hickory wasn’t lovely enough here are some pictures of the beautiful homes in this City.
And Shuford Memorial Garden, the perfect location for wedding pictures..
So, when in Western North Carolina stop by Hickory and get to know this lovely City.
Fellow travel nurses are living in Hickory so decided to explore the City. On the outskirts much is available..
A movie theater..
and some other necessities..
However, in traveling further I found more to Hickory than stores. There is a college,
a museum area,
and a downtown alive with community theater,
a renovated train station with a restaurant,
and a myriad of shops including a billiard hall, yoga studio, coffee shops, church, and a playground for children. The City has done a fine job infusing a variety of venues to bring folks back to this area and on my Valentine’s Day visit it was bustling with patrons.
Another interesting downtown piece was the building murals. Catch a glimpse..
But my favorite was…
Tomorrow: More of Hickory, North Carolina,..
Rented a cabin for my stay in Western North Carolina. Didn’t think I would arrive in the middle of a snow storm with a power outage, however, I did. Driving through the forest as my Atlanta based landlord guided me was a challenge in the darkened wilderness but the cabin was found. Discovering no power another call to Atlanta was made. The landlord’s brother in law arrived with candles. Nice touch.
Since this is my eighth travel nurse experience I know to plan for the unexpected. The small and light weight Vornado heater was packed and has served the purpose for heat along with a flannel night gown, quilt, and afghan.
Up early the next day to investigate the area found an interesting lumber operation nearby. Here’s a few pictures..
Later laundry was done with a recent purchase – a portable washing machine. What a great machine. Here she is…
Brought plants for the cabin and am growing herbs. A homey touch and fun to watch…
Computer access is problematic in the area. Am learning more of hot spots and the like since my last blog. Running back and forth to Verizon and Staples is exhausting and time consuming for this computer nincompoop.
Tomorrow will be exploring Hickory, North Carolina. Stay tuned.
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Young Retiree Needs a Life 