Bubba's Garage

Photos from Waynesville's Smoky Mountain Christmas

2023-12-09T16:16:00.001-05:00

Gather around downtown Waynesville, North Carolina for their Smoky Mountain Christmas celebration. We love Waynesville.

Attending the Waynesville Christmas Parade

2023-12-04T15:43:00.007-05:00

Local businesses and organizations gather together each year to celebrate Christmas during the annual Christmas Parade in Waynesville, NC. This year all the available spaces were filled, and the parade lasted well into the night. What a great way to start the holiday season.

Building LEGO's Disney Castle

2023-11-26T15:08:00.001-05:00

Okay, this is going to take some time to build. The LEGO Disney Castle has 4837 pieces and is 32" high! The instructions are easy to follow and, if you take your time, you should have no problems. We built ours over several days and absolutely love the results. There are lots of details, some of which you will never see after building the entire castle.

NC Arboretum's Winter Lights

2023-11-18T14:23:00.010-05:00

A trip to the North Carolina Arboretum is becoming one of our yearly holiday destinations. While the lights are not a large display, they are pretty and the event makes for a relaxing walk. Joining us this year were my sister and her friend. Pile everyone in the car since the entry fee is based on vehicle not how many individual people go with you.

Dollywood's Smoky Mountain Christmas Photos

2023-11-17T11:45:00.041-05:00

Gather up your family, friends, and loved ones to enjoy a Smoky Mountain Christmas as only Dollywood can deliver. Peg, my sister Terry, our friend Lisa, and myself spent a day enjoying all the festivities that Dollywood had to offer. Good food, good entertainment, and great company made for a perfect day.

Disney World Resorts Gingerbread Crawl

2023-11-14T23:00:00.001-05:00

Did you know with a bit of planning you can explore all Disney World resorts for free? We decided to do just that on a recent trip. Even though it was still early November, we figured we would see if we could visit the major resorts' gingerbread displays and see if their Christmas decorations were up. Our starting point was the Drury Plaza Hotel. After a decent complementary breakfast, we used the free shuttle bus to first go to Hollywood Studios.

We then took the Disney Skyliner to the backside of Epcot.

The Disney Skyliner drops you off near the International Gateway entrance to Epcot. From here, it was a short walk to our first resorts. We decided to start at the Beach Club. The Beach Club had been decorated and they had a lovely carousel as their gingerbread display.

After doing a little shopping, we walked to our next stop at the Yacht Club. We had waited a little later in the morning to visit the Yacht Club in order to see the train display running. Their gingerbread display was of a lighthouse. Not the best but it was there. Christmas decorations were already displayed.

Another easy walk had us at the entrance of Disney's Boardwalk Inn. This was the first resort that we were too early for the gingerbread display. But, we were happy to see the Christmas decorations had been installed.

From the Boardwalk, we took a bus to Magic Kingdom and then walked to the Contemporary. The Contemporary Resort hadn't put up any Christmas decorations but they did have their gingerbread display available. It was kind of odd but, hey, it's the Contemporary.

Woot! Time to hop on the monorail and head for the Grand Floridian. The Grand Floridian is the one place you don't want to miss at Christmas time. Their gingerbread house is so large that people actually work out of it, serving all sorts of holiday cheer.

We hopped back on the monorail to Magic Kingdom. We then took a boat to Wilderness Lodge. Unfortunately, Wilderness Lodge didn't have their Christmas decorations installed. We did have a good lunch at Geyser Point Bar and Grill. We then took a bus to Animal Kingdom and another bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge. {sigh} Too early for any of Animal Kingdom Lodge's Christmas decorations or gingerbread display. So, we hoped back on the bus to Hollywood Studios. And yet one more bus to Port Orleans French Quarter for some well-deserved Mickey beignets.

From the French Quarter, we took the water taxi to Disney Springs for an afternoon of more shopping and dining. We had great fun and never set foot in a Disney World park!

Photos from the Christmas Tree Stroll at Disney Springs

2023-11-13T22:00:00.005-05:00

We got an early start to the Christmas holiday at Disney Springs by participating in the Christmas Tree Stroll. The stroll is scavenger hunt of sorts. Get your sticker sheet and stroll Disney Springs to find the locations of all the Christmas trees. Match the sticker to the proper location and get a collectible button. It's a fun way to kill some time.

Riding the Amphicars at Disney Springs

2023-11-13T12:07:00.004-05:00

We like cars. We like boats. So when we had the opportunity to combine the two, we took it! We strolled over to the Boathouse Boutique in Disney Springs to reserve a ride in one of their 1960's Amphicars. The 20-minute Vintage Amphicar Tour takes you around the sites of Disney Springs. Our captain, Captain Larry, pointed out different locations along our tour and was quite knowledgeable with regards to the waterfowl we encountered. The Vintage Amphicar Tours are a wonderful and unique experience that you should try while visiting Disney World.

What is Amorette's Patisserie Cake Decorating Experience

2023-11-13T10:18:00.005-05:00

We decided to do a couple's event and bake Peg a birthday cake at Amorette's Patisserie Cake Decorating Experience in Disney Springs. The space for the class is very limited so you must get reservations early through the Disney Experience App or online. The morning class teaches you how to make a Mickey or Minnie dome cake. All the decorating items are provided for you and the cakes are pre-baked.

Our instructor, Paige, was absolutely fantastic! We weren't rushed and all her instructions were clear. This made for a wonderful experience. Amorette's Patisserie Cake Decorating Experience is well worth the price.

Visiting Disney Springs

2023-11-13T09:38:00.108-05:00

We decided to do a short notice trip to Disney Springs to celebrate Peg's birthday. The Drury Plaza Hotel Orlando in the Disney Springs area was the perfect stay for our basecamp.

Of course, one of the best things to do at Disney Springs is shop. If you are lucky, you may find Disney artists available to sign that special Disney art piece for your home. On our visit, Dirk Wunderlich was signing some of his Thomas Kinkade prints.

Don't forget to head over to take the bridge over to Swirls on the Water for some Dole Whip. We couldn't decide on a flavor, so we did a flight. The flavors change every so often so there is usually something new to try.

From the "It's a small world" files, I met a former coworker at Disney Springs. I hadn't seen Lynn since I retired but there she was enjoying Disney.

Disney Springs has many options for dining. Peg picked Raglan Road for her birthday dinner and I was able to get a reservation using the OpenTable app. We had great seats near the stage and the band even sang Happy Birthday to Peg.

It's very easy to spend an entire day at Disney Springs. We always make sure to visit while we are at Disney World.

Kia in the House

2023-10-31T13:51:00.012-04:00

Time for a new car. This time we went for a hybrid as our grocery getter. This 2023 Kia Sportage Hybrid AWD, getting 38MPG, will make these road trips cheaper, safer, and more comfortable. Peg has named her, "Kimchi."

We rode in the Big Banana Car

2023-10-15T13:28:00.005-04:00

When we learned that Steve Braithwaite was bringing his Big Banana Car to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee we headed across the state line to see if we could catch a ride. Guess what? We road in the Big Banana Car! We took a short trip along the Pigeon Forge strip with Steve and we couldn't stop smiling. If you ever have a chance to ride in the Big Banana, DO IT! This was the highlight of my year.

Ride the Rails with Tri-State Model Railroaders

2023-10-14T12:34:00.072-04:00

We headed back to the Mineral Bluff Depot for the Ride the Rails event with the Tri -State Model Railroaders. Fall is a perfect time to join this friendly group as they take a couple of railroad speeders on a five mile round trip on the former L&N trackage to Murphy Junction. The highlight of the trip is crossing the Toccoa River on an old iron bridge.

If you go on the Ride the Rails event, make sure you check out inside the Historic Mineral Bluff Depot where you will find the Tri-State Model Railroaders' wonderful HO layout which is based on the area.

Visiting the Savoy Automobile Museum

2023-10-14T09:43:00.144-04:00

We hit the road to visit the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, Georgia. The museum is beautiful and all the automotive collections are impressively displayed. What the museum may lack in quantity it more than makes up for in quality. The Savoy Automotive Museum is constantly rotating out exhibitions so there is always something new to see.

The main reason for our visit, this trip, was to see the Fuller Moto exhibit and especially "Thundertaker". All of Bryan Fuller's creations are works of art.

Also on display was the Bigfoot exhibit. It's always nice to be able to get close to these beasts.

There are always classics on display. I am partial to the real old stuff.

Outside you will find the museum's namesake. The Savoy Automobile Museum was named after the 1954 Plymouth Savoy that was found on site when the museum began clearing the land for construction.

Our trip to the Savoy Automobile Museum was very enjoyable. We will certainly be back. Check out more of our photos over on our photo website: Bubba Harmon Imaging

Photos from Dollywood Harvest Festival

2023-10-07T13:50:00.040-04:00

Pumpkins, Jack-o'-lantern, and all things Fall were on display during our trip to Dollywood for the Harvest Festival. Shades of orange was the dominant color as we enjoyed a beautiful Fall morning. Dollywood is such a fantastic place to visit this time of the year.

A Trip to the Carolinas Dahlia Society Show

2023-09-09T13:00:00.016-04:00

The Carolinas Dahlia Society's annual show was held at the Haywood County Extension office in Waynesville, North Carolina. The free show was open to the public Saturday afternoon and we went to see all the different dahlia flowers that were being judged. It was a beautiful with various colors, sizes, and varieties of dahlias on hand.

More photos can be found on our photo site: Bubba Harmon Imaging

A Trip Across Lake Lure Flowering Bridge

2023-08-18T10:07:00.040-04:00

What do you do with an old decommissioned bridge that is scheduled to be demolished? Well if you are the people of Lake Lure you make a garden out of it. The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge was dedicated on October 13, 2013 and has been enchanting visitors ever since. The 155-foot span is open 24 hours a day and every day of the year.

Southeastern Narrow Gauge and Shortline Museum

2023-07-29T12:49:00.045-04:00

We took a detour to visit the Southeastern Narrow Gauge and Shortline Museum in Newton, North Carolina. It is housed partially in a former restored Southern Railway Passenger Depot. There isn't much there, but the people are friendly and it's a good place to take a break and stretch your legs.

Dollywood Summer Celebration

2023-07-09T09:58:00.040-04:00

It's back to Dollywood for Summer Celebration. Plenty of colors and good times.

But the number one thing to do at Dollywood is to attend the shows. And the number one show was the Gazillion Bubble Show! What an amazing thing to watch. The lights, lasers, and all the bubbles made for a truly spectacular event.

Gnome Pottery Class with Laurey-Faye Dean

2023-06-10T08:50:00.050-04:00

We are always looking for something different to do. So, when we saw our friend Laurey-Faye of Hazelwood Pottery was hosting a gnome pottery class we signed up. Laurey-Faye is an excellent instructor. She gave us the basics and encouraged everyone to be creative and just have a good time. When we were finished with our creations, she gathered up all the gnomes to be fired in her kiln at her home studio. A few weeks later, we had the end results of a wonderful class.

Hugging Trees in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

2023-05-30T12:57:00.112-04:00

When I was a kid in the 5th grade, I had to memorize a poem entitled "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer. Forty+ years later I find myself in a wonderful forest dedicated to the man and his poem. The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest near Robbinsville, North Carolina is a magical place. There are over 100 species of trees here with some over 400 years old and 20-feet in circumference. A two-mile, figure 8 trail makes hiking this 3,800-acre forest very enjoyable.

The Lower Trail Loop is quite beautiful and relaxing. You will want to walk the Upper Trail Loop to see all the monster old growth giant yellow-poplars stretching over 100-feet into the sky. Go ahead and give them a hug. You know you want to.

There is much to explore but be careful. The trails are primitively maintained. Ankle twisting roots are everywhere and you wouldn't want to squish any critters on the trail. The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest is one of my most favorite places that we have visited.

We took a dam trip to Fontana Dam

2023-05-30T08:48:00.002-04:00

Fontana Dam in North Carolina is one of those places you go to say, "Been there, done that." At 480 feet tall, it is the tallest dam in the Eastern United States. When it was constructed between 1942-1944, it was the 4th tallest dam in the world. It is a pretty area but unless they are releasing water from the dam, it's not very exciting. A nice but small visitor center explains the operation and history of the dam. Worth a visit if you are in the area. Now, where can I get some dam bait?

Road Trip Photos: Bloom with a View

2023-05-06T08:05:00.070-04:00

We really don't need an excuse for a road trip but the Bloom with a View event at the North Carolina Arboretum sounded interesting to us. After a short drive to Asheville, we were greeted by thousands of beautiful blooms in various planters. Color was everywhere! It truly was an enjoyable trip. This will probably be a yearly trip for us as it is that impressive.

Visiting Dollywood for the Flower and Food Festival

2023-04-14T16:43:00.102-04:00

We used our newly acquired Gold Season Passes to check out the Flower and Food Festival at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. We love all the staff and the grounds of this amusement park. It's clean and everyone is so friendly.

The Flower and Food Festival has many topiary displays throughout the park. Most of them are animal themed. We didn't really care for any of the food offerings but there are lots of snacks to keep you fed.

Of course, one of our favorite things to do is ride the steam trains. Number 70, a 2-8-2 "Mikado" type steam locomotive built by Baldwin Locomotive Works and known as Cinderella, was running this day. We took the first ride of the day along the 2.5 mile loop of track.

Dollywood is always a fun time. Even though we don't ride many of the rides we always enjoy just walking the grounds and taking in a show or two.

A Visit to the Lane Motor Museum

2023-04-13T14:49:00.054-04:00

There is no denying that the crew at Bubba's Garage likes wacky cars. One of the best museums to get your little car fix at is the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. The museum boasts that they have "the largest European automotive collection in the U.S." This collection includes many one-of-a-kind odd balls that you will find no place else.

The Lane Motor Museum is a fantastic little museum. The displays are swapped around all the time as they have more cars than will fit on the display floor. What is really neat about the collection is almost all of the vehicles are in running condition! At 11:00 AM every day they start something up for a demonstration.

Don't forget to drive around back to see the museum's 1959 Army LARC-LX. This thing is massive. For scale, I am 6' 5".

More photos from our trip can be found over on our photo site: Bubba Harmon Imaging