Thursday (We are a family)

On Thursday, admist wind and rain, we bid farewell to Charleston and Folly Beach, as we made our way to Asheville. Four hours of travel later and we were checked into our hotel. We ventured downtown for lunch, a visit to the Earth Guild, Purl's and Malaprop's Bookstore.

Afterward we met up for a family dinner to kick off the festivities leading up to my brother and soon-to-be-sister-in-law's wedding. They hosted the meal in their beautiful and unique backyard. As we all sat along a long table at the center of their gardens, we shared food and drank wine as the two families and groups of friends got to know each other a little better. Fireworks topped off the evening and we said our goodbyes.

Meanwhile our "hometown" was pelted by horrific storms and perhaps a tornado. Trusted friends checked on the house and thankfully all is well. However, the steeple on my church was torn off and tossed into the sanctuary, several houses were damaged, some buildings destroyed and trees, powerlines and poles scattered around town. Apparently 11 people are injured, but gratefully no deaths reported thus far. The tornado is one of 10 potential ones in a four county area.

I am not certain what today holds, but there is a picnic and "field day" at 4. Wish us luck, as the athletic gene has not been passed among our clan.

Photos:
Shot of the dinner table and one of the candles scattered throughout the yard.