My sister and I can jump out of a perfectly good airplane flying thousands of feet above the ground but we can’t walk to the top of a rickety old fire tower.

Rhonda pines for the wolf that died of stress, she told us while feeding the deer, one which gored another to death, nature being what it is, even in locked pens.

Dinner at Amis Mill Eatery, served by Michelle, finished the day’s funnery.

Then back to my mother in-law’s house to spin a metal snake down the washing machine drain pipe to clear out a linty/muddy clog.

My sister almost stepped on a green snake as we hiked to the top of Bays Mountain and the radio tower trail turnaround.

A mother and daughter wore “Emory & Henry” T-shirts after they drove 30 minutes all the way from Virginia.

‘Tis fun to be ignorant touristy day hikers, chatting about life and photographing nature in spring.

Raspberry moonshine with the alcohol content “cooked” makes for safe and delicious dessert syrup, I’m told.

The planetarium show was great for kids, sparking my wife, sister and me to use iPad/Star Walk to look at the night sky in a field between the Amis Mill and my wife’s old home place.

My homemade/DIY daypack made of plastic bags and blue ribbon worked well today, reminding my sister to say there are a lot of homeless people in Asheville, NC. Heightwise, she stood on the Rock of Ages at Holston Presbytery Camp just fine this week.

As midnight approaches, I can say I’ll sleep well before rising for Easter service, sharing pews with regulars and C&E members.

G’nite, Anne Elizabeth. G’nite, Janeil Ann. Good night, John Boy. Good grief, my sore feet, which broke in a pair of Columbia hiking boots.

Thanks to everyone working at Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium, keepers of Kingsport’s precious jewel.

Thanks to David for the loan of an electric drill and Melinda for the offer of turkey, ham and dessert for lunch – sorry, my dear, but we didn’t get back until 9:30 p.m. tonight.

Time to get the clothes out of the dryer, fold/roll them and go to bed.

Today was a good day to die but glad I’m alive and well enough to talk about what happened.