Biltmore Estate House

Day 3 of our weekend vacation (Sunday, May 28) Todd and I visited Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Todd is obsessed enough with houses to take photos of the gutter downspouts, and I took dozens of the gardens. I am proud to note that we did not fall into the carefully-laid Biltmore tourist trap - we did not purchase any kitschy souvenirs at all.

Blue Ridge Parkway, Mt. Mitchell

Day 2 of our weekend vacation (Saturday, May 27) we visited Mount Mitchell, the highest spot east of the Mississippi River - elevation 6,684 feet above sea level. I took this photo from atop the observation tower of the Blue Ridge Parkway below.

Grove Park Charm

Also day 1 of our weekend vacation (Friday, May 26), at the quaint Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C.

Stone Mountain

This photo was taken on day 1 of our weekend vacation (Friday, May 26) - atop Stone Mountain, Georgia - height of 1600 feet above sea level.

Best Bathrooms

There were several great bathrooms on the tour today. The most elegant was this one (bottom) with the blue glass tiles, and the most unique was the one featuring this river-rock tile floor (top). Again, at the Township at Colony Park.

Best Kitchen

The best kitchen we saw at the new homes tour was this one with cabinetry painted slate gray and walls painted pale blue, to great effect. The light fixtures were lagniappe in this terrific room.

Todd's Birthday

Saturday was Todd's birthday and several of us went to Cinco de Mayo restaurant in Ridgeland to celebrate. I forgot to take the camera, so the only picture we have is a faded Polaroid featuring a closed-eyed Todd wearing a sombrero, taken by the waitress!

New Home Tour

We visited some newly constructed homes in the Jackson area today at Township at Colony Park. This photo is of two homes on Harper Street in the $500,000 range.

The Brethren

After finishing The Brethren by John Grisham, I am determined to keep others from being subjected to it. Far from typical Grisham, this is not a fast paced adventure. None of the characters are likeable and the ending is anticlimactic. The one sympathetic character gets himself killed on page 300. Take my advice and get this one for free at the library.

Pops Concert

The local symphony orchestra had an outdoor concert Friday night, and Laura and I posed for a shot while there. It was on the water, so there was space on land to watch and plenty of room for local boaters to gather, too.