wednesday celebrations

Today we traveled to Brooks and Brynn's school to enjoy Thanksgiving lunch with them! They have been attending Sanford Montessori School since they were 3 years old.  Mrs. Wood has been their teacher every year and now they are in kindergarten.

After lunch,  Brooks, Brynn and Bailee had planned a birthday party for Granny Lerion!  There were decorations. . .

There was cake and presents. . . 

And a piñata. . .

Then we had a football game!

It was a terrific afternoon!

pogue creek canyon trail

We took advantage of the unusually warm November weather to explore the trail at Pogue Creek Canyon Natural Area near the entrance of Pickett State Park.  Its an up and down trail through some massive rock formations and lots of mountain laurel to an overlook.

 First stop along the trail is Turkey Roost Rockhouse.  You can get an idea of its size by finding Peanut at the bottom of the picture below!

 I took several geology classes in college but I can't remember what these formations are called or what types of rock they are but they were very interesting!  You can't see it but they are eroding into a very fine sand underneath.  The sand is extremely soft to the touch, it feels like talc powder.

 This is the view from the overlook, it is suppose to be looking toward Pall Mall.  We sat here and enjoyed a pack of trail mix and a bottle of water!

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bunkum cave

This morning's hike took us a short distance from home to the Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park when we took the bunkum cave trail.  It's a place we've been in our youth even before there was a trail! 

We had the whole place to ourselves--didn't see anyone the whole time we were there.

From the overlook the sunlight was pointing the way.

After a little cave exploring we made our way back to the parking lot taking the upper loop of the trail. 

Our total was 1.9 miles with some steep stairs and hills that we think should count for more!

Here's a little cave history:

One of many caves located on Highland Rim, Bunkum Cave is situated along the headwaters of Cove Creek, just south of the Cordell Hull Birthplace. The mouth of the cave is approximately 100 feet  wide and 30 feet  high. A 1992 survey of the cave by the Tennessee Division of Archeology  found evidence that the cave had been occupied during the Middle Woodland period (c. 1000 B.C. - 1000 A.D.). William Hull, Cordell's father, used the cave to house a moonshine still.

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