Places to Hike in the North Carolina Mountains

Places to Hike in North Carolina

Hope you have your hiking shoes on today, because I'm going to take you on a couple of recent hikes that I have done with Mr.thisandthat. I'll wait if you need to go put your shoes on!

As you can see from the first image, this hike was in the Pisgah National Forest. We started at the Big East Fork Trail head and then headed down off the trail to our destination; the Big East Fork Pigeon River. 

There weren't a lot of miles on this hike, but there was a whole lot of beautiful scenery! The Pigeon River has rushing water over huge boulders surrounded by lots of trees and shrubs.

The sound of the rushing water was both soothing and relaxing.

I'm not a long distance hiker like my husband, so when we hike together we usually go for shorter distances and really pretty views. This hike definitely fit those requirements for me!

The Mr. was in his element snapping photos.

And I was in my element sitting on a rock enjoying the beauty that surrounded me! It was a happy day on this river hike. Now....are you ready to go up high? Follow me onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and we'll get you up into the high country. 

We're going to head up to Craggy Gardens area on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This is a hike we just did this past Friday.

We took a friend along on this hike. This is "Sophie" the exchange teacher from China who has been teaching Chinese at my husband's High School this past year. She heads back to China in a few days and had not had the opportunity to hike while she has been here. 

She was excited to see the mountains and it was fun for us to see her reaction to the scenery. She really enjoyed the hike!

Craggy Gardens area is known for its beautiful rhododendron blooms. Sophie was unfamiliar with this flower and learned about it on the trail.

It was rainy and there was distant thunder on the way up, but we still managed to get some pretty good views. Sophie told the Mr. that, "Debbie hikes slow."  Tell me something I don't already know! She then told him that I must hike slow so I can "go all day." That is definitely not me!  I'm like the tortoise from "The Tortoise and the Hare." Slow and steady wins the race when I hike....but, I don't typically go all day! I'm always at the back of the pack, though. Oh well....

We had a good time together. Here's Mr.thisandthat and I at the top.

And, of course, we had to take a "selfie" at the top! For reference, the trail we were on is not the main trail that goes to the top of Craggy Pinnacle, but rather a side trail that begins at the lower visitor center. It still gets you up high with beautiful scenery and balds at the top. There is also a covered shelter about mid-way up the trail that is a pretty site. We went past this to the top of the bald. 

*Hope you had fun hiking with me today!  Do you like to hike? Where do you go? I'm more of a "walker" than a "hiker" but I do enjoy when we are in the beauty of nature. And, it's always more fun with a friend, so thanks for going with me today! Hope you'll leave a comment. Let me know what you are up to this summer. Your comments make my day! And, please remember to recommend debbiethisandthat.com to others!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Saturday Scriptures #21-Belonging to the Family of God

A Sense of Belonging

That's plain enough isn't it? You're no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You're no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone.  Ephesians 2: 22

Some things just belong together don't they? Like cake and ice cream for instance. What would a birthday celebration be without these go together favorites? One belongs with the other. That's just the way it is. There are many things that go together in life. Like husbands and wives, children and their parents, shoes and socks, the list goes on and on. These things simply belong together. One without the other doesn't make sense. 

Todays' scripture speaks to the idea of belonging. Except this belonging is the most important belonging of all. Because in this case, we belong to the family of God. As believers, we are no longer wandering about trying to figure out what we believe. We are not strangers or outsiders. We have faith in Jesus and we belong as part of the family of God. 

This idea of belonging has been on my mind lately. Probably because I have had some experiences recently that made me question my sense of belonging. Has that ever happened to you? You attend a function, but, somehow, you feel that you don't really belong there. It could be because of people's attitudes or their actions (or lack thereof). Whatever the reason, you just don't feel like you belong. It's not a great feeling. It's awkward and leaves one feeling like they are on the outskirts of everything that is going on in the moment. There is very much the feeling of being an outsider. 

As believers, we belong to a family. And, as such, we have a sense of belonging with other believers. We may attend different houses of worship, or worship more or less formally, but we all belong to God's family. As the scripture tells us, our faith is our "home country." As we meet other believers, we are meeting our family members of the faith. There is no room for leaving others out, or causing others to feel that they "don't belong." No one need be exiled in God's family. We all belong. Thanks be to God. 

"For in Him we live and move and have our being." 

Acts 17:28

Blessings,

Debbie

How To Incorporate Veggies (and fruits) At Every Meal

Powerhouse Breakfasts Lunches & Dinners

(I am not a dietitian or nutritionist and this is not a sponsored post. All writing/opinions are my own.)

Think you can't eat vegetables for breakfast? Think again! I'm going to give you some ideas today for how to incorporate veggies (and fruits) into every meal of the day! 

Breakfast can be a tough one for incorporating veggies.  However, I have grown to love sauteed spinach and tomatoes over my eggs in the morning. Sometimes I saute the little grape tomatoes and sometimes I use canned Italian diced tomatoes. I saute the spinach in olive oil and some onion powder and then add in the tomatoes. Delicious! And, yes, technically tomatoes are a fruit. So I am having a little fruit and veg on my morning eggs!

Now, let's move on to lunch! How about a delicious veggie pizza? We like ours with lots of broccoli, tomato, onion, mushrooms, and banana peppers.

Or sometimes we go for spinach, green pepper and black olives. Either way is OK. We like to go light on the cheese and pile on the veggies. 

Now, although I'd love to eat pizza for lunch every day, I know I can't! So to get in my veggies I might opt for a great spinach salad. I like to add in chopped up almonds, apples and Craisins for a great taste sensation.

I like the reduced sugar variety of Craisins. If you've never tried these, I highly recommend it! Craisins are dried cranberries with the texture of a raisin. They really add delicious flavor to my spinach salads. If I don't have Craisins, I throw in some raisins. Still a great flavor topped with my balsamic vinegar and olive oil homemade dressing. 

Now, I don't know if you're like me or not....but, I tend to rely on certain tried and true vegetables at dinner time. Sometimes, I think I'm going to turn into green beans and potatoes! So, I like to hunt for variety in the types of dinner vegetables we eat and the ways I prepare them. These vegetable skewers were a hit for dinner recently! 

So delicious and easy to make! I simply soaked the wooden skewers beforehand in water and then poked the skewers through grape tomatoes, green peppers and mushroom pieces that I had cut into bite size pieces. I used my Caphalon stove top grill pan sprayed with a little olive oil and drizzled some additional olive oil over each skewer. The veggies came out soft and were grill marked to perfection. Served with tilapia over a bed of rice, this was a tasty meal!

And now, let's talk dessert! What?! Can we get our veggies in our desserts? You bet, if you are eating this delicious zucchini cake! I can't take credit for this amazing cake as it is made by my sister, Sharon. She makes this for me every time I come home to visit in West Virginia and it is such a treat! Mmmmm....wish I had a big old piece right now!

Guess I'll have to opt for my tried and true fruit salad!

So, there you have it! Veggies (and fruits) for breakfast, lunch, dinner and...even dessert! I try to get in my fruits and veggies every day. But, I have to admit that I sometimes fail. I love all types of foods and have a MAJOR sweet tooth! So each day presents a new challenge to me to make healthy food choices. How about you? How do you incorporate vegetables (and fruits) into each meal? Anybody got a great recipe for spinach cookies?

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Saturday Scriptures #20-Finding Strength and Courage in Tough Times

Finding Strength In Tough Times

debbiethisandthat.com

Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”(Deuteronomy 31:6)

Tough times come to all of us and can come for a variety of reasons. Day to day living, decision making, health issues, anxiety, job worries, financial situations....the list is endless and depends on what each individual person is going through at any given time. When tough times happen, we often feel as if we are at sea floating all alone. Tough times are universal, however. As humans, we all experience them. Today's scripture is a powerful reminder to me that, during whatever tough times life may bring, we are not alone. The Lord our God is with us. He goes with us through the difficulties and is right by our side strengthening and sustaining us. Sometimes, because of our humanness, it is hard to "feel" the Lord beside us. During these times, we must rely on faith and not on feeling. Easier said than done, I know. Because, I have been there many times. I remember when my husband went through a very difficult heart surgery. I was stressed to the max and full of fear. I had faith....but, I just couldn't seem to "feel" God with me. I remember a family member telling me that I had to "allow God to take care of things." It was hard to understand what this meant at the time. But, I came to realize that I was trying to be the one in control, rather than letting God be in control. God was in total control during my husband's surgery and recovery. But, I wanted to be the one in control. When I was able to "let go and let God" I was able to relax more. I continue to struggle with this even today. It is human to want to be in control of our life situations. This scripture reminds me, and can remind all of us, that God will never fail or forsake us. I hope that today you are not experiencing tough times. But, if you are, take hope in the fact that you are not alone. God is fully present with you in whatever you may be going through.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

Blessings,

Debbie

*Your thoughtful comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Do It Yourself Decorative Laundry Area Signs

Crafty Wooden Do It Yourself Signs

These do it yourself wooden signs were fun and easy to make for the laundry area in our home. I only needed a few supplies and used scrap wooden blocks left over from Mr.thisandthat's wood working.

These are the supplies I used to create these wooden signs. I used leftover white paint we had to paint the wooden blocks. 

I chose colors of ribbon that would match well with the colors on our washer/dryer set....

And the rug on the laundry area tile floor....

Since our laundry area is next to my husband's shop area, separated by a low wall, I chose a saying that I felt incorporated both areas. The tool stickers were purchased from AC Moore and stick right onto the painted wood with no problem. I used a Sharpie metallic paint marker for the writing. 

Get it?  Laundry Builds Over Time.....I think I'm so clever sometimes, Ha!  I thought the clothes pins looped through the ribbon on top added a nice touch, as well.

No words on the companion piece, just tools. 

These decorative wooden signs sit so nicely on the half wall between the laundry and shop area and add a colorful and festive look to the area!

Have you created your own do it yourself decorative signs for your home? They are quite popular right now and I have purchased several for around our home. This is my first foray into do it yourself wooden sign craftiness and I'm pretty pleased with the results! Hope you'll leave me a message and let me know what you think!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Linking with: A Delightsome Life (In future posts this will be added to my Where I Party tab. )

Pattern Mixing for A Slim and Sophisticated Look

Harmony With Textures and Fit

(Not a sponsored post. All writing and opinions are my own.)

I love it when the stars align with pieces of clothing that I already own and a new purchase. Such is the case with these new ankle pants and the black top and scarf vest that have been in my closet for quite awhile. 

I'll admit that I have been on a bit of a tear here lately trying to find pants that I like, that fit well and can be used as basic closet staples for many different outfits. I spoke recently of my irritation with trying on clothes and looking in dressing room mirrors. I have a pair of Basic Editions slacks in black that I really like but couldn't remember where to find them. (That's how long I have had this pair!) I tried Sears but no luck there. Walmart didn't have them. I had gone to one local K-Mart and they didn't have any. So, today, I decided to try another K-Mart a little further out from town and eureka...they had tons of Basic Edition brand tops and pants. I was mainly looking for solids, but tried on this black with white polka dot pair and fell in love! 

I find I like to mix patterns when the mix is subtle. I feel like the polka dots mixed with the flower pattern of the scarf is subtle enough for my taste. In my opinion, there is harmony with the mixed textures of these pieces. By the way, I'm calling the flowy top I'm wearing a scarf vest, but I have recently been seeing similar type tops on blogs being called "Dusters." I'm not sure if this qualifies as a Duster or not. Anyone know about that? 

Another neat thing about these scarf tops is their versatility. I was able to change up the look by tying it rather than leaving it loose and flowing. The look is still sophisticated in my opinion and black is always very slimming. Love that!

You all probably already know this, but Sears owns K-Mart. That's why I thought I would find the Basic Editions brand at Sears. From what I saw today it looks like all of the Basic Editions brand have been moved to K-Mart. I've heard rumors that Sears might close eventually. I surely would hate that as I am usually able to find clothing that fits well at Sears. Mr.thisandthat also likes to shop at Sears for his pants. Sears has been such a staple type store for years I can't imagine them closing. But, perhaps its time has come. Sure hope not! I can remember when the Sears catalog would arrive when I was growing up. It was a huge catalog and I would so enjoy looking at the toys section! Later, as a teenager, I delved into the ladies clothing section and, of course, the bridal gown section. Such fun! OK, enough reminiscing....let's talk shoes. 

I mentioned in an earlier post that I would tell you about these shoes. These George brand heels are a great find for me. I've been looking for a classic pair of heels that were still pumps and yet had more of a block heel. When I first saw this style at Walmart, they didn't have a size in this style that fit me. So, I kept checking back and at different stores. After several months, they finally restocked this style and I got a pair in my size. Hooray! 

I won't say these provide perfect comfort, but they are pretty darn close! And I really like the look of a classic pump. The heels are just the right height to look like a pump and yet are comfortable for walking. It's hard to believe that in my days as a young teacher I would wear pumps all day at school and even would take the kids outside for a break and run around in circles with my students while I was wearing pumps! Definitely not going to be doing that now! Ah....youth!

So, talk to me. Do you like to pattern mix? How do you achieve a sophisticated look? Are you a lover of classic pumps? Hope you'll leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you! Like something you see here? Feel free to pin it and be sure to recommend debbiethisandthat.com to other readers! 

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Source

Saturday Scriptures #19-Revelation 19:6 God's Voice in the Rushing Waters

The Rushing of Many Waters

photo taken by Debbie Ross of debbiethisandthat.com

And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns. (Revelation 19:6)

I love the sound of water flowing over rocks. To me it is a relaxing and peaceful sound. For many years, we had a fountain in our backyard and we enjoyed so much the sound of the flowing water. It would occasionally splash out and give off a refreshing spray. We no longer have the fountain, so I look forward to hearing the sound of the stream on our property after a hard rain or the sound of a river flowing over rock when we hike in the woods. Each time I hear the rushing sound of water, I think of the voice of God. It is a voice of power and might. Just as the water that rushes over rock can smooth jagged edges and cut new paths for the river to flow so can the voice of God smooth out the rough edges of my life and cut a path for me to follow. The sound of the mighty rushing waters is a reminder to me that God is in control. "Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reins." 

Blessings,

Debbie

*Your thoughtful and respectful comments are always welcome. All writing in this post is my own.