Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures

Rain was forecasted for Saturday, so we treated ourselves to a trip to the indoor zoo: the Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies!

I find aquariums so peaceful and soothing, don't you? Even the predators just glide by in this tranquil way. Even the light in aquariums makes me happy. I wish I lived in an aquarium.

That someone else would clean!

I also really love eels' expressions. 

Watching the jellys glide by with wonder

There's also a large penguin exhibit there!

Jon & I watched their feeding from outside the enclosure..

Miles and Adele watched from within the enclosure! behind plastic, but still. 

Needless to say, they loved it. Adele has a stuffed penguin at home that has never gotten as much love as it has since we got home from the aquarium. She named it "Butch" after one of the Ripley's penguins.

There were a lot of other very cool features for kids to experience the "swarms of living creatures" in the water.

No pictures, but we got to touch the rays! That was my favorite part. I can remember the cool, sinewy feel so precisely. 

I would like to thank these particular fish for lifting my mood with their cheerful colors!

Again... I feel our household would be so much more serene if we could only have aquariums for walls. They were so entranced.

There is a moving walkway in a tube where you have a surround-view experience and can "swim" with the sharks!

Love this guy

Howdy, Left Shark!

There was a whole tank full of Doctor Fish that you could allow to nibble your hands! Miles & Jon must have stayed there for 20 minutes. They have some extremely clean hands, now.

When we left, Gatlinburg was sunny and in the high 70s. So, we felt we owed the downtown area a visit. 

Among the varied fantastic sights downtown is a movie car museum, with the love bug and other famous cars. I don't do famous cars, so my knowledge ends there. But look, the Avengers!

I also don't do superheros, but Adele does! She was thrilled to see Captain America, Ironman, and HULK-SMASH! But we had to tell her who Thor was, for some reason.

Adele. loves. Hulk-Smash. But, it'd been a long day, with no nap.

So obviously, we had to go hiking again! Back to the Smoky Mountains Park for one more ramble in the woods.

No bears, here!

Finally, we made time for dinner at Corky's. That this Memphis legend has a restaurant as far east as Gatlinburg was totally unexpected and delightful!
Best BBQ ever. Besides Dinosaur BBQ, of course.

We were home for church on Sunday! And we were there for Evensong, as well. We stayed long enough to take some of the extra reception wine home with us. What good fortune!

Fancy-ed up for Evensong

Back in Blacksburg, where the beauty, while different, is no less astonishing. 

We needed that time together in a new setting. I'm so grateful to have gone.