Till the sun went down

We try to go leaf looking a few times every Autumn. Most of the leaves had passed their peak, so we lowered our expectations and went ‘for a drive’.

First stop was at Mingus Mill in Cherokee. It wasn’t running that day but still pretty neat to see.

Mingus Mill

A half-mile north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is Mingus Mill. Built in 1886, this historic grist mill uses a water-powered turbine instead of a water wheel to power all of the machinery in the building. Located at its original site, Mingus Mill stands as a tribute to the test of time. Hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily mid-March through mid-November. Also, open Thanksgiving weekend.  Highlights:  Water flows down a millrace to the mill. A working cast iron turbine. A miller demonstrates the process of grinding corn into cornmeal. Cornmeal and other mill-related items are available for purchase at the mill.

We walked around the Mountain Farm Museum which included a home completed in about 1900 by John Davis. He split the chestnut logs in half along their length and placed the halves in matching positions on opposite wall. Made me grateful we had power tools. The Museum is beside the Oconaluftee visitor center where they had some old sayings on the wall. The quotes and stories were interesting. Sadly the only one I remember is about lighting a corn shuck for use as a flashlight. Problem was it didn’t last long so that’s where the saying to “light a shuck” meant to get home in a hurry before the husk burnt out.

Then we had time to waste while we waited for sunset so we drove to the parking lot of Mingo Falls and had an early dinner.

I know I’ve said it before but I seriously love living in Western NC. I heard a preacher say once, that if you’re a believer in Jesus, this earth is as close as you’ll get to hell; and if you are are not,  this earth is a close as you’ll get to Heaven.

My mind simply can not imagine how much more stunning Heaven will be.