Headed Home

It started pouring again as we drove off and cleared up again almost as fast.

Then rained again...

I decided to play with the new-to-us camera

It does a few things I have not played with before, like mosaic:

Dramatic:

I think it's HDR

Watercolor:

Fisheye, which I have used before, but I liked the shot!

And a totally new one for me, reflection:

I love this part of Tennessee/Alabama with the rolling land and little mountains off in the distance.

Headed up Bankhead, nearly back!

Thanks for coming along with us, hope you enjoyed some of the sights!

Down the Rabbit Hole

The kids tried out for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Saturday and did very well, we got news they had been cast late Sunday night.  Chandler will be the Duchess, Ben is playing 2 smaller roles, an animal and a Spade and Jake has been cast as the Gryphon, but they have asked if he would consider the larger role of the White Rabbit if their first choice could not do it.  The casting is not settled at all, it might change by the time they start rehearsals in June, but that's where things are for now.  Matt might or might not be the Knave of Hearts.  I will not be doing any of the roles, it's another musical.

In other news, this weekend has been busy!  We were out all of Saturday then last night until 2 and ALL dang day today.  I plan to stay home until Thursday night, it's too hot and I am ready to be here a while.  I am sure June will not be my favorite month with rehearsals 4 nights a week and then Show Week.  July looks nice.  August will be a little crazy with 8 performances spread over 3 weeks, then September off and October-vacation for a couple of weeks.  We are kicking around camping at Disney or maybe just along the Atlantic Coast.  Maybe still going out west.  It's all balancing on basically house repairs and how much all of that will end up dipping into the budget and Matt's job.  Nothing is happening to his job, but he's traveling more and has more responsibility which means we can't just leave town at the end of the quarter or other busy times for the project he's on.  If we can't plan a 2-week trip until mid-October, it could be snowing in the Rockies already. 

At any rate, things will work out, I am sure of that much. 

Richard Martin Trail North End

Today Matt and I headed out to walk the northern end of the Richard Martin Trail from Elkmont to the Tennessee state line, about 6 miles one way.

We did the southern 5 miles last spring.

We had barely gotten started down the trail when we saw this! 
There were at least a dozen scattered along the trail, it was very exciting.

These guys are not due to bloom until June.

The northern end of the trail is prettier, I think.  It winds around and goes down a long hill for a couple of miles (which is uphill on the way back and somehow steeper!)

 Other than 3 horses and a couple with a dog, we had the trail to ourselves all day!

The trail ends at the TN state line at Veto.

Matt took this one!  I thought we were doing 10 miles total, so I wanted a pic with the 10  mile marker.  When we got back to the van, we had done 12.1 miles.

 Looking waaaay back over the road toward Alabama off in the distance.

I got excited, thinking I had spotted the Easter Bunny off in the distance under that mower trailer!

*sigh*  No bunny.

We drove back out looking for a cheese place that was not open, so we kept driving to get to the next intersection and viola!  My grandparent's old house!  I have not seen it in 17 years, when they moved to Kentucky to live with my aunt.  It was SO much bigger when I was a child.  Needless to say, I chattered Matt's ear off on the way to Athens about everything Granddaddy and I used to do together.  : ) 

It was a great day, I really enjoyed our walk.  It took just over 4 hours due to us stopping and taking pictures and milling around at the bridges and the TN state line.  I was pleased with our pacing!

Tomorrow, Jake goes for his wisdom teeth to be removed.  I am a wreck! 

Off To See...

It's almost time to leave for Oz again, it's always amazing how fast this last bit goes, despite the endless rehearsals and that drive back and forth from the theater, killing time when it's too rainy to walk the track, biting my tongue over and over while watching bits of rehearsals.  Of course I would do it differently, that's why I am not directing.  I would have ritually sacrificed a couple of the louder parents and rowdier kids the first week and there would be dead silence and total effort in my theater.  None of this milling around and missing ques and forgetting lines.  Those monkeys would FLY!  LOL

But, it's not my world to manage, so I will take care of the one I can have some control over.  : ) 
The first 3 plays were today and the first full dress rehearsal was last night, Jake said on the way home, "Okay, I did rehearsals, we put on a play.  I am done." 

I took a LOT of pictures at dress rehearsal, but here are some I took today:

 

And a few from rehearsal, first: My favorite shot of the night:

I love me some Amos kids.

Creepy Farmhand Jed listens in while Auntie Em chats to Dorothy

Whatever's coming, they don't look too happy!

Not In Kansas Anymore

She's so MEAN!

Sending a signal to his Mama!

The Mayor heads to take over the next town!

I am not uploading more right now, so you'll just have to wait, or come see the play for yourself!
Here are some sneak peeks...