Asheville

Asheville Visiting Eric's parents in Asheville, NC

We saw some black bears outside the house		More bear video


Helping grandma make breadsticks		At Shindig on the Green, a bluegrass style festival held regularly in Asheville.


Cloggers		Playing with Conrad


At the Biltmore House		Playing with the marble track


Kenny learned to pump his feet on the swing!		Swimming in the pool


The view has been greatly improved at the Vasilik house because some trees were cut down		Eric's mother Ann had this marble track when she was a little girl


Picking tomatoes with Grandma		Got quite the haul


Apples with Grandpa		Kenny with an insect


At a local playground		Wearing Grandma's sunglasses


Kenny got to feed the fishes		We went on a nature walk at the NC Arboretum, and saw lots of different mushrooms














		A tour group came by, on Segways


There was lots of Mica - a very shiny, fragile rock		At the greenhouse


They had some beautiful examples of bonsai		Carnivorous plant


Swimming at the local pool


Eating some home grown apples		Visiting Oma and cousin Conrad in Charlotte





Eating lunch at Oma's house		And now time for desert





		Bojangles is a fried chicken restaurant chain in the south. This particular location is where I had my first real job.


At Earthhaven, the land co-op where my brother lives


This house at Earthhaven looks pretty well taken care of


This is the house my brother first built		The "hut condo". Looking at the braces, looks like they have some problems with stability.


Tom, me, and Kenny		This is the council hall. School was in session when we went by, so we couldn't go in.


		The root cellar


Tom built the railing on this bridge, which leads to the campground. We ate lunch at the picnic tables at the campground.		At Montreat, a christian community near Black Mountain that has a great playground


		We did a morning trip to Biltmore House with Brian.


We did the rooftop tour, which allowed us access to some of the balconies and other rooftop areas


This gargoyle is supposedly carved in the image of George Vanderbuilt, who had this mansion built.





It's certainly a peaceful setting. I'd like to have a backyard like this.


		Now the Vanderbilt family can't afford to live in the mansion anymore, so they live out back in this RV. (just kidding!)


Lots of beautiful old trees		The gardens





We got permission from some neighbors to pick some of their grapes


		Walking around downtown Asheville. I think we have a picture from this same location, but years ago.


Meanwhile, Kenny went with his grandparents to a children's science museum.		I found a praying mantis on the bushes next to the driveway


At Beaver Lake		At the Nature Center








		Great photo op at the tractor


We saw some black bears outside Eric's parents home in Asheville - a mother bear with three cubs


		Helping grandma make breadsticks


Wearing grandmpa's shoes		At Shindig on the Green





At Montreat - having fun in the stream		A big hunk of quartz


Checking the bridge for trolls		We found a crawdad in the water