Free Time!

I was scheduled to do a show in Roswell at the Sweet Apple Village yesterday, but it was canceled at the last minute by the promoter.  This is a new show just added to the AFFPS (Atlanta Foundation For Public Spaces) schedule and I was really looking forward to participating in the first one at this venue.  However, it seems that they are still working through logistic issues and have postponed the grand opening until August.  It was a shame because the weather was fantastic which should have contributed to a large turnout.

Since I found myself with unscheduled free time Saturday, I used the opportunity to increase my inventory of bookmarks.  I just recently received some exotic and domestic wood turning squares which I had already glued up into blocks and were ready to be sliced and sanded into bookmarks.  I got everything cut and sanded Friday and the first coat of clear coat on them Friday night.  I was able to sand them Saturday with 600 grit paper and apply the second clear coat.  They are now ready to be bagged and taken to my next show.

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Back From The Mountains

We had a wonderful time in the Smoky Mountains last weekend.  Being back in the mountains is relaxing and provides a wealth of enjoyment for both of us.  This trip was focused on sightseeing and hiking in the woods, which we did a lot of both.  We visited areas of the national park that I had not seen in 30 years.  We always stay in a condo a couple blocks off the main downtown area because it’s a convenient walk to all the restaurants.  There are a lot of good food choices downtown.

The downside to Gatlinburg is the cheap “tourist” stores.  They are nice looking and have that authentic mountain town decor about them that begs tourists to walk into them, but that’s where the problem lies.  Almost all of the souvenirs are made in China or some other Asian country.  I don’t understand why anyone would visit this town and buy stuffed bears or “handmade quilts” made in China.  The stores are full of this stuff.  The only true local handcrafted store downtown is the Arrowmont Art and Craft store which features high quality art and crafts from all over the Appalachian Mountains area.  It’s refreshing to walk through this store and see American handcrafted products.

The real place to go for authentic, local made crafts is the Arts and Crafts Community about three miles from downtown.  This area is on Glades Road and consists of an eight mile loop that is full of artists who make everything from candles, ceramics and leather goods, to woodworking, jelly and furniture. I can spend hours out there browsing through stores and talking to artists.

A trip to Gatlinburg is not complete without a visit to the Smoky Mountains National Park which is just on the other side of town.  We hiked up to Clingman’s Dome one day which is an observation tower high upon a mountain on the Appalachian Trail.  On the way up we made a short stop at Newfound Gap and saw a small black bear wandering around on the side of the mountain.  The next day brought an excursion to Cades Cove and a short hike to the fire tower at Little Rock.  Our trip is never complete without stopping in Townsend at Apple Valley Farms for lunch.  This is a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant with great casual food.  My wife finally broke down and bought handmade fudge at the craft store next door for the trip home.

All in all, the weather and temperature was perfect for this weekend excursion.  We may have to go again before the end of the year.

A nice visitor offered to take our picture while at Clingman’s Dome.