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We love living in the mountains of western North Carolina.

Here we are surrounded by the most ancient mountains in the world, excellent opportunities for hiking and other outdoor activities, and some of nature's most gorgeous scenery.

Today I hiked with my husband and daughter on a trail just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Weaverville, NC. We packed our lunch and hiked most of the day at a leisurely pace, stopping to rest, enjoy the view, play ukulele, take pictures, and draw. Here are some photos from our day!

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These are patches of moss look almost like a hilly terrain seen from a bird's eye view.

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This is my daughter, Hive account@purplepencilgirl. She brings a sketchbook pretty much everywhere she goes, and this was no exception.

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Hive account@purplepencilgirl tells me that this caterpillar is called a "king of the forest".

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Music break!

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My husband, Eric, just got a new wilderness utility kilt. He says it's the most comfortable item of clothing he's ever hiked in. And I say kilts are hot.

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Hive account@purplepencilgirl took this photo! I love it.

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This photo was taken on the way back down the mountain, after hiking nearly all day. I'm hot and tired, but it's totally worth it.

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We encountered this snail. I don't know if you can tell the size of it from the photo, but he was rather large for a snail, at least around these parts.

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Now Eric needs a music break!

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Pictures From Today's Family Hike in the Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains