We took a drive along the highest part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, making stops at some of the posted overlooks in order to take a picture or two. These are the Alleghany Mountains, of which the Blue Ridge are a part and which stretch from northeast to south and west across western Virginia, West Virginia, parts of eastern Kentucky, Tennessee and western North Carolina and beyond, forming part of Appalachian Mountain chain of eastern America. This road is one of the great scenic by-ways of the country. This picture was taken at 3700 ft elevation, looking off toward the north from the Blue Ridge. This would be almost directly north, some 10 miles from the town of Bedford, Virginia where we reside while serving in the West Virginia Charleston Mission.

While at the Peaks of Otter restaurant we encountered branch member Gloria Craig and her brother, Wayne Poynter. Gloria was so happy to have her brother come down from Illinois for a visit. They had not known each others whereabouts for some 43 years, until recently. Both had been placed in an orphanage as children. Wayne had been adopted by a family named Poynter when he was 7 years of age. Gloria remained in the orphanage and they never saw each other again for all that time. She had invited us to her home Monday so could introduce us to her brother. We had a nice visit. He is a very pleasant person to meet and talk with. So, it was doubly pleasant when we bumped into them unexpectedly at the Peaks of Otter!

This picture was taken on October 20, on th shore of the small lake below one of the famous Peaks of Otter where we had gone to view the autumn leaves after our visit with one of our older branch members, Rosemary Overstreet at her home in Thaxton. We were waiting for a table in the restaurant. During this time of year they do a rousing business with tourists and "leaf-seekers" who come from all over to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy the scenes of Autumn.

Linda took this picture of the man of the house with his apron on, asking what the woman of the house would like for Sunday dinner.