A Mill In the Woods

After a fabulous breakfast in our B&B, this morning we went to explore the Newfound Gap Road through the centre of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It was a chilly morning about 5 Deg. C. The drive though the forest was spectacular with lots of pull-out to admire the views.

Laurel Springs B&B where we're staying B&B 

The Blogger admires the view

The Chimneys Range

Ice on the side of the road gives you an idea of the temperature

Then there was this white stuff everywhere

The Blogger looks cold

When we saw a sign on the road 'Mingus Mill This Way' we had to stop and go investigating.  After a short walk we came to this interesting working mill.

The Mill in the Woods

I had a chat with the miller, a very interesting man with a very heavy southern drawl. When I asked him if he was born in Tennessee, he drawled, No sirrr, I was born raaght here in North Carolina. Wow, I didn't even realise we had crossed the state border.

The mill was grinding cornmeal

A little further up the road, back in Tennessee, it started to rain, which really made the Smoky Mountains live up to their name.

The 'smoky' Smoky Mountains

After a stop for coffee and cake in Cherokee country, we started heading home to Gatlinburg again. But once again turned off the road for a walk, this time in the rain, to Cataract Falls.

The Blogger at Cataract Falls in Tennessee

Laurel Springs Lodge, Gatlinburg

We're staying in a wonderful B&B in Gatlinburg.  The brochure said: Gatlinburg was a sleepy, peaceful mountain village. The guests woke in the morning rested and relaxed. They enjoyed the sound of the river rushing out of the smoky mountains and savored the smell of biscuits baking and fresh coffee brewing.  There was excitement in the air as guests prepared to explore the mountains above Gatlinburg.  Talk was about the mountains becoming the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. These sights, sounds, and excitement have not changed in 80 years. They are still being experienced today!  The Lodge was known as Miss McCauley's boarding house for many of its early years. Miss McCauley was a music teacher in Knoxville.  She hosted hundreds of guests and often had school children "camping" on her screened porch, enjoying all the excitement the smoky mountains had to offer. 

The Laurel Springs LOdge at Gatlinburg

So now let's go and explore the Smoky Mountains.....

On The Road

We're picking up a hire car this morning at the Nashville airport and hit the road to Gattlinburg TN in the Smoky Mountains. For lunch we'll stop at Crossville where we'll meet a couple of Diane's blogging friends.

It's a long drive - on the wrong side of the road

Crossville

Music City Nashville

It's autumn in Nashville or as the local call it 'Fall in Music City'. Hopefully we won't. fall. So today we'll have a look around.

Making an Impact on Earth

They say everybody's dream is to end up in a Hollywood movie. Well, I never thought I would. But this morning I did land a small part in a forthcoming movie called Impact Earth, released early next year. S-I-L Bernie plays the lead in this futuristic flic about meteorites crashing towards earth.

Bernie had to go to the sound recording studio to do a couple of dubs of scenes they had already shot. He invited me along for the ride. Meeting the director and sound engineers, one of them said to me, Hey man, we can use you in the movie. My answer, I don't come cheap.

So I sat down and watched Bernie speaking dialogue to the existing vision, while the sound engineers recorded and matched the words to the vision. It was fascinating to watch them work.

When all the tracks were recorded, the director handed me the script and asked me to step into the sound booth. There I was asked to read a newsflash in a foreign radio announcer's voice, announcing the immediate impact the meteorites would have crashing onto earth. After a few takes, the director picked one version which the sound engineer then mastered into a genuine radio voice. My name was written down for the credits of the film.

Bernie with Tom Berrenger on screen with the sound engineer looking on

Bernie in the sound booth

Maybe a future star in the sound booth

After the recording session, we picked up the boys and drove to the UCLA campus to see Sonya at work. She showed us the entire theatre department and the various theatres where she works.

Unfortunately I was so in awe with her work environment, I forgot to take my camera out of my pocket.

The UCLA is a fantastic campus

There are some great buildings

 Finally, it was dinner time and we went to the local Japanese restaurant for a great fish dinner.

At the Japanese Restaurant

Santa Monica CA

We took the boys to Santa Monica pier for a play and dinner this afternoon. It's been a few years since we were there. It's where the old Route 66 used to end. Last time we were here with our New York to Los Angeles tour, the tour director took us to the Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurant on the pier and I recall that the food was quite good. So tonight we repeated the experience.

Santa Monica is where Route 66 used to end

Santa Monica Pier is a large entertainment precinct with lots of rides, restaurants and shops to entertain tourists to Los Angeles.

The boys had plenty to occupy themselves

Artist on the pier

The boys tried their luck with rings

The Smurfs were there too

Fox proved that he was big enough for the rides

Finally we saw the sunset over Santa Monica

Bernie is working on his movie tomorrow and has invited me to join him on the set. Who knows, I might get 'discovered.' Diane is babysitting the boys, so we'll both have fun. (???)

Life in L.A.

We took the boys up the hills to a lake last night to see the ducks and turtles.

Today, we're on baby sitting duties. 

Grandma loves playing with the boys

Fox loves playing the drums (with cars)

Banjo is a lovely lad

Apparently we're taking them to the movies this afternoon.

More soon.....