Several days of dreary weather provided a dramatic backdrop for our annual drive across the Foothills Parkway, into Cosby, TN. Our destination? Carver's Apple Barn, of course.
Dramatic clouds hung low in the valley. We couldn't get enough so we stopped at every pull off along the Parkway.

We are a few weeks earlier than usual on our apple excursion so only the sassafras and dogwood trees have begun to change colors. Most vegetation looks lush and green from our recent rain.

This is the Smokies side of the Parkway. Lots of ahhhhs at this spot as we watched the clouds shift in the wind.

Home just a week from a few weeks in China, we are still a bit cloudy ourselves from colds and jetlag. This didn't dampen our excitement to near the Smokies and we can't wait to be out hiking and backpacking this fall. (Note to all those I promised China pictures on the blog this weekend, the first post will not be ready until Monday, sorry about that :-(

At Carver's Apple Barn, John is picking gourds to decorate his house for Halloween. We laughed about the funny shapes and colors of these gourds.

We also grabbed several jars of jam, a bag of tomatoes and several types of apples including a new one, at least to us, Ginger Gold. This apple is a little soft but has a sweet ginger bite followed by a tart after taste. Yum! Post Carver's we headed to Gatlinburg for a tureen of Brass Lantern's vegetable soup and a plate of corn bread. A perfect way to usher in fall.