Trip to Ashville North Carolina

Silver plane flying through the beautiful blue sky, taking me away.   I love to fly, and watch the fluffy white clouds go by.





Beautiful blue sky from window of airplane

 

Charlotte, my daughter and I flew out of Shreveport, La. Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 7:30AM with a stop over of about two hours in Atlanta.  We changed planes and flew on to Asheville.  I love to fly, before I was 60, I would tell you "If God had wanted me to fly, he would have given me wings."  In 1993 Charlotte and her husband, Don, took me to Orlando, Florida, and we flew, my first flight.   I got a window seat and the sky was so beautiful, I never even thought of being scared.  I have flown many times since.  We landed at 12:30 had to take a taxi cab to the Grove Park Inn, what a ride, and fifty dollars.     



Grove Park Inn




View from our room

  Mr. Edwin Wiley Grove made millions selling a tasty chill tonic with quinine.  His doctor suggested Mr. Grove go to Asheville because of a health problem.  Mr. Grove had a very bad case of hiccups, sometimes they lasted for several weeks.  Really liking the Asheville area Mr Grove decided to build a resort where people could relax in peace an quite.  With the help of his son-in-law, Fred Loring Seely, Mr Grove built the Grove Park Inn Resort.  The Inn was built in 11 months and 27 days, with about 400 men, from July 1911 to 1912.  At that time there were only about 450 rooms. Today there are more than 500.  He did not allow any loud talking in the lobby.   If any one was taking loudly they would be handed a card, that told them they were too loud.     



Sketch by Fred Seely 1912

There have been many famous people to stay in the Inn including ten Presidents from Woodrow Wilson to Barack Obama.  This picture shows just a few. 

File, Firestone, Edison, Henry Ford and Fred Seely

During  world war 11 the Inn was used as an internment for Axes Diplomats. They were allowed guarded trips to town to shop.  This was a big help to the strapped local merchants.  The Navy used Park Grove Inn as a rest and rehabilitation center for the Sailor who went over seas.  The Army used it for rest and relaxation  before being assigned to other duties.  The Philippine Government, while in Exile, stayed in the Resorts Presidents cottage.  A nice quite place to stay and run whatever business they had.

My seat partner

    



On the plane this nice lady set by the window, and I was on the isle seat.  I hope she does not mind me showing her picture.  She  is a designer for the Electric company.  I had my computer, and I was going to get my pictures in order.   As I was working she was watching, so was the lady who sat on the other side one seat back.  What we had was a flower show.  I enjoyed their ohs and awes all the way to Atlanta.


Arrangement in lobby



In the lobby while Charlotte was getting us registered I stood by watching all the people, I like to just watch. We had to wait for our room a couple hours so the Bell man stored our belongings.  Of course I took my camera.  I love the arrangements below, the vase must have been a least four to five feet tall.  The flowers were another two or three feet higher, and the ceilings had to be ten to twelve  feet above that.  The fireplaces  were very pretty had flower arrangements in them.  In the winter this place would be a winter wonder land.  Cosy up to the fire. 







The fire places were just beautiful.  arrangements in some of them.



 


We walked around and I took pictures of just about everything except our room, which was large and beautiful.  Potted arrangements were everywhere. The light fixtures were huge and different from any I had seen. 



  A wall of stone was outside and pots with arrangements sitting on top, and I took pictures of every arrangement  for future reference.  Maybe one day I may have great potted arrangements.  Right now I am still buying to plant in the ground.

View from the Sunset Restaurant



Arrangement at the front door



   I plan to take them to my nursery and buy what I need to make them.  Most of them had the pink petunias and the bright green sweet potato vines.  The grounds were quite lovely, flowers everywhere.  we went to our room around 4:00 pm.  Put our things away and went to eat.  We ate at the Sunset Terrace Restaurant.  They  said they have a beautiful sun set from there but the whole time we were there I never saw the sun set.  It rained or was cloudy or a haze was over the place.  Never got a clear view of the mountains.



Sunset Terrance Restaurant



Pink petunias seem to be a favorite



The grounds were  lovely and we met up with a friend of Charlotte's.  And  we took more pictures.

 


These Oak Leaf Hydrangeas where really               beautiful.  They really had a lot of different             hydrangias.  This is really a big place and complete   with shops and  food service is wonderful.  I       give this Park Grove Resort a 10

On Friday we spent the day in the Spa a wonderful relaxing day. First I got a much needed facial, after I neglected cleaning so long because of the nerve pain.  It felt great.  Then we went in the hot tub with a water fall.  I let the water fall on my shoulders, soooo relaxing.  Then I sat in a chair and read and napped all day.  Every woman should go to this place.  I think we all need a vacation every once in a while.                              



The golf course is beautiful and looked  like a good sized one.  Here are some pictures I took from the terrace I think my camera did really well.



Even got a picture of the little men walking around. The resort has tours around town but we did not take  one.  I really think we were both tired and needed a complete and total shut down and this place was perfect.  This place is truly a place to  return to.

I have a little story to tell you about Carrel and I.  We both have our own money.  He pays most of the bills but not all.  I buy my own personal items, most of the time.  Carrel buys groceries at Walmart.   I buy from Schwans.  Thank God for Schwans.  They really have some good food and I do not waste so much.  We were in Walmart and I thought about Charlotte telling me I needed a bathing suit.  I saw a rake with  a sign 15 dollars for bathing suits.  I said that is not much for a bathing suit that I will only wear one time.  However the one I choose was marked 35 dollars.  I took it up to the cash register and the man said 35 dollars. I told him about the sign. A lady at the next register took it back to the department head and asked her if this bathing suit was on sale.  She said over ride the register all the bathing suits were 15.00.  I said I will take it.  Carrel in the mean time had gathered the items that he needed.  I put my bathing in shopping cart.  Mr Sheffield inform me he would not pay for a bathing suit.  Another customer was watching us and I informed him I did not need him to buy me anything!  I think she got a kick out of this.  I told him I was not stingy I paid for everything in the cart. Well, when we got home Mr. Sheffield said I would have to try on the bathing to see if he would let me wear it.  Let me wear it.  At seventy five some one is going or not going to let me wear something.  Don't think so.   I tried it on and Mr. Sheffield said it looks good, he let me wear it.   Hope you enjoyed this post and you will continue to watch my garden grow and will grow on of your own.  Happy gardening to you from me.  Juanita 









I really liked the blue spruce.  They will not live here.