Pieter Created Board for my Crafts Sale in Fayetteville, Georgia

Not being allowed by Campbell Soup at that time to work within the USA in the mushroom business, I did create a lot of handwork.

Also trying to deplete my Mom's vast stack of yarn, by buying it from her and bringing it home after each visit to Europe.

Aside from crocheting and knitting myself, I also gave classes at my home.

Once, I even forced myself to crochet with my left hand in order to teach a left-handed lady. 

I practiced myself, presuming that I'd had an accident and no longer could use the other hand... Felt mighty proud for pulling it off. 

When Pieter came back from giving a seminar at the 28th Mushroom Industry Short Course at Pennsylvania State University on June 10-12, 1985, he brought home some black and white boards for me.

He built me this display rack with those boards, and set it up at the Courthouse in Fayetteville, Georgia.

Yes, I'd crocheted doilies, curtains and framed window decorations.

Also I had crocheted net darning lacework into metal rings for hanging in the window.

Using up lots of Mom's stash of yarns.

Oh sure, this was very profitable!

Also knitted sweaters and lace edging on towels. 

Sitting there on Saturday, June 15, after driving one-way two hours and setting up everything, I sold for the astronomical amount of US $ 47.00

But: KEEP SMILING...

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad - Nantahala Gorge Excursion

 On World Animal Day, we left our six kitties to their cat-sitter, and drove to North Carolina...

Our destination was Bryson City, North Carolina.

We'd booked for 2 nights at the hotel, conveniently close to the Bryson City Depot.

Here we are inside the First Class Silver Meteor cabin

Nantahala Gorge on a Diesel engine train

Silver Meteor

Table C Seat 3 + 1

When booking, I'd selected our choice of lunch and it was delicious.

Great service by our hostess Conny!

Pieter standing near our train, before boarding...

Yes, we were required to wear our face mask, except for eating and drinking.

GSMR = Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

Our departure was at 10:30 and every morning in the mountains of North Carolina it was heavy fog.

Such was the case as we crossed over the Tuckasegee River in Bryson City.

You see that around noon, the fog had cleared and we had sunshine!

This is in Almond, North Carolina in the Nantahala National Forest

Near Fontana Dam and Lake

Another bridge across the river.

The vines you can see on the ground are all Kudzu, a very invasive plant that got introduced for a certain beetle but has gotten completely out of hand!

After going a bit further than this point, we came back to the Nantahala River Gorge, with its rapids.

Ziplining, whitewater rafting, and kayaking paradise!

Surrounded by restaurants, that now could not fully operate due to COVID

Such sad facts for all those, that solely depend on tourism!

This was also the place where the Cherokee Indians lived in the Nantahala Town.

The people of Nantahala Town opposed the Treaty of New Echota and after the army arrived in the summer of 1838, many hid in the dense rhododendron thickets of the Nantahala Gorge.

Those captured, got driven from here via the Trail of Tears, to Oklahoma...

There also are hidden caves, where the Cherokee used to shelter in winter time.

More Kudzu on the banks and you can also see how the front part of our train is snaking through the area.

Again, near Almond in the Nantahala National Forest

Of course we did capture this very special train ride on Relive.

This rail track through the isolated Western North Carolina area got established in the late 1800s. 

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad History click link for reading more about the digging, filling and blasting for creating this track...

Husband Pieter standing on the bridge in Bryson City, overlooking the Tuckasegee River.

Such a lovely city with nice planters everywhere!

Friendly people and great restaurants too.

Hope you enjoyed traveling with us!

Video Great Smoky Mountains Railway click link

Husband Pieter Doing it ALL

Yes, over the years that we built our nests, husband Pieter had done the lion share himself.

We planned on adding a patio for privacy and for having lunch, coffee/tea outside.

So, on Tuesday, May 14 of 1985, Pieter started his VACATION...

Tiles had been shipped over from The Netherlands.

Pieter had taken the day off on May 6, for bringing the Dutch tiles from Nedimex, Venray home. With the help of the fork lift, at the Campbell mushroom farm, using the Toyota truck from AEM.

Both of us have unloaded the 1,600 pounds with our bare hands...

In Europe we are using a lot more tile floors, here it is finally getting more popular the last decennia.

Pieter started with our new patio...

Just for seeing him in action... 27 seconds on silent movie

Dutch: Tegelzetter Pieter maakt terras

English: Tiler Pieter makes terrace

All hand work

Cutting the tiles by hand; using a chisel...

Making progress!

Yep, that is my Red Ford Escort with the Rebel Tag in the front...

Guess I've been a Rebel With a Cause.

Pieter's boss, the Campbell Soup CEO shook his head when Pieter picked him up one day, when he'd landed at our local airport. 'No Pieter, you cannot do that', he said.

But it was MY car, the Buick was at the garage for a tune up...

Not having it done for $ 1.00 per tile; but for sweat!

Sunday lunch on our new patio, with guests/mushroom friends from Switzerland...

Kuhn mushrooms' manager Enzler and Hans Jörg Kuhn with Pieter.

Mauzie our Dachshund is seen bottom right.

On May 27, beginning with the wall...

Yep, Pieter became a carpenter and now working on the roof.

On May 30, with the roof on, it starts looking good! Now the painting...

Voilà, our new patio with privacy and a nice place for lunch, coffee/tea.

On the wall is the antique brass and copper ship's pump, mounted on an oak plank.

Stepping a bit more back, so you can see the Zinnias blooming on the side of the patio.

It sure was a great extension to our previous home.

Do you see that duct in the center of the roof?

One evening, while Pieter was traveling for Campbell Soup to one of their mushroom plants, we had quite a storm.

Turned out that the duct was flapping and making an awful noise.

So I got on a ladder and went up the roof and stamped it shut.

Pieter later on fastened it more secure so it won't flap ever again.

Treasures from archiving our photo albums...