Cottage Girls and TBA 2017

Dateline Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee

Joni and I are at Fall Creek Falls State Park vigorously relaxing before the start of the 2017 Tennessee Basket Association Convention.  All I can report is that all this relaxing is pretty tiring!  So far, we have hiked, biked, climbed down steep mountains, and then back up.  I almost can't wait to get back to work.  But I am getting ahead of myself.....

We left last Wednesday, July 12, on our way down to Milton, GA.  Suzanne and Jud Marvin were kind enough to open their home to us to hold a workshop with the Cottage Girls. I finally got to see the namesake for the Cottage Girls group....a beautiful basket cottage in the back of Suzanne and Jud's property.  And I can tell you, it is a beautiful and relaxing place to weave.  I know I sound like a broken record in these blogs, but once again, Suzanne and Jud did an outstanding job of hospitality, and I believe a great time was had by all.  The setting was ideal for the purpose and many beautiful baskets were completed in the few days we were there.  Not only did Suzanne feed us very well, but it was nice to talk woodworking with such an accomplished denizen of the wood shop, as is Jud.  He has done some amazing carving and very unique one-of-a-kind pieces.  

We bid Milton a fond ado on Sunday morning and meandered our way up to Fall Creek Falls State Park, stopping at Cabela's in Ringold, GA (hiking shoes for Joni, a new Pfleuger President spinning reel for David), then to the Blue Ridge Fly Fishing Shop in Chattanooga for a cupful of new fly patterns (like the kid in the candy store!).  

We checked into the State Park campground Sunday afternoon, dropped the trailer at the Inn, and reconnoitered the bike trails between the campground and the Inn where the convention is being held.  We plan to bike back and fourth daily unless the expected heat wave (>97 F) materializes over the weekend!  Monday we took Royce Parman's advice and hiked down to the base of Fall Creek Falls.  I am not sure if he was trying to kill us with his suggestion, or was sincerely interested that we should see the Falls from below.  Well, if the former, the joke's on Royce, because we made it down to the base and back up to the top again, and we have the pictures to prove it! Seriously, folks, this is a breathtakingly beautiful site.  It reminded both Joni and I of Tallullah Gorge in North Georgia, where we spent many a weekend in college.  With its 256 foot drop, Fall Creek Falls is the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi.  So, in 2017, Joni and I have seen both the tallest (Fall Creek) and largest (Niagara) waterfalls in the eastern US ... Ta Da!  After a little more biking today, we are massaging our muscles and resting up for the TBA convention, which starts tomorrow.  More on that after the event.

That's all for now.  Remember, these are beautiful days, don't let them slip away! .......David