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Raven and Chickadee Artwork
 March 10, 2022

Two Years In Florida

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in Florida for two years now. Settling into life here in the Florida Panhandle, we’re getting more involved in the community, participating in local festivities, and enjoying time with both local and visiting friends. This is finally beginning to feel like home. Finding Peace In Difficult Times I […]

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Categories : Florida, Musings
Tags : Apalachicola Mardi Gras Parade, Audubon volunteering, Forgotten Coast
 February 23, 2022

Biking The Virginia Creeper Trail: Southwestern Virginia

We have a spare tire cover that proclaims, “All Who Wander Are Not Lost.” It’s a wonderful philosophical statement for those who love to travel. Except when you really ARE lost. On a one-lane mountain road. Heading in the wrong direction. With no cell coverage. At that moment, the spare tire cover becomes an embarrassment. […]

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Categories : Travel, Virginia
Tags : Creeper Trail Campground, Virginia Creeper Trail
 February 9, 2022

Fall On The Blue Ridge Parkway

We’ve always wanted to catch the fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway. In early October, we got our chance as we left Lake Toxaway and headed to the North Carolina High Country, nestled in the northwest corner of the state. Driving the parkway while towing a trailer is surprisingly easy. The speed limit is […]

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Categories : National Parks, North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Anvil Arts Gallery, Banner Elk, Beacon Heights Trail, Blowing Rock, Blowing Rock Art Museum, Boone, Driving Blue Ridge Parkway, Hiking Blue Ridge Trails, Linville Falls, Linville Falls Winery, Moses Cone Memorial Park, Over Yonder Restaurant, Rough Ridge Trail, Stick Boy Bread Company, Tanawha Trail, The Blue Ridge Parkway, The Speckled Trout, Valle Crucis
 January 2, 2022

Happy New Year: The Sacred And The Profane

At the dawn of a new year, I always spend a bit of time reflecting on the past year and thinking about my hopes and dreams for the coming year. I don’t know about you, but 2021 was another strange and disorienting year for us. Better than 2020, that’s for sure. But still strange. If […]

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Categories : Musings
 December 21, 2021

Waterfalls Galore: Western North Carolina (& Happy Holidays!)

We’ve seen a lot of waterfalls in our travels, but we’ve never seen anything like the wealth of waterfalls concentrated in Western North Carolina. During our two month summer stay, we visited 22 different waterfalls. Most involved hiking, but some were very short hikes. And there was a not-to-be-missed waterfall that required only a quarter-mile […]

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Categories : North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Dry Falls, DuPont Forest, Gorges State Park, Greenland Creek Falls, Rainbow Falls, Schoolhouse Falls, Triple Falls Trail, Turtleback Falls, Whitewater Falls
 December 3, 2021

Fall 2021: At Home In Florida

We’ve been home for almost six weeks now. This is a near perfect time to be in Florida. We’re enjoying gathering around the fire pit in the evenings, but it’s still lovely for a stroll on the beach during the day. I’m grateful to be here. And to be perfectly honest, I’m still adjusting to […]

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Categories : Adventures With The Kitty, Florida, Musings
Tags : Apalachicola, Crooked River lighthouse, Lantern fest, Seafood festival
 November 9, 2021

Little Mountain Towns With Big Appeal: Western NC

During our two months at Lake Toxaway, we spent a lot of time traveling up and down Highway 64. It winds through thick forests, along picturesque rivers and beside roadside waterfalls, and passes through charming little towns, each with a distinct personality. Sounds idyllic, right? Ha! It’s scenic, but not relaxing—unless your idea of fun […]

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Categories : North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Brevard, Carl Sandburg Historic Site, Cashiers, Flat Rock, Hendersonville, Highlands, Pickens, Whiteside Mountain
 October 24, 2021

Home Again: From The Mountains To The Bay

We arrived home on Wednesday afternoon, after two-and-a-half months in the mountains of North Carolina and Virginia. This was our first trip out since the pandemic stranded us in Florida in March 2020. Heading to the mountains was the perfect choice for our reentry into travel. It was relaxing, filled with adventures, and a great […]

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Categories : Adventures With The Kitty, Musings, Reality RV
Tags : coming home, Full time travel, part time travel
 September 25, 2021

Cultivated Nature & Wild Art In Asheville, NC

The bohemian city of Asheville has been one of our favorites in our travels. We’ve visited twice—in 2018 and 2019—and both times, had a blast. At only an hour away from our campground in Lake Toxaway, we were looking forward to a return visit. But with the ongoing pandemic (is this ever going to end?), […]

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Categories : North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Asheville, North Carolina Arboretum, River Arts District
 September 13, 2021

Gourmet Dining & Beautiful Hiking: Lake Toxaway & Gorges State Park

We like variety in our traveling adventures, from hiking in wild places to exploring cool towns and gourmet dining. I am so grateful that for our first trip out in 18 months, we’ve landed in a place that offers an abundance of things we enjoy. Granted, we’re still in a pandemic, and life is not […]

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Categories : Adventures With The Kitty, North Carolina, Travel
Tags : Gorges State Park, Greystone Inn, Lake Toxaway, Rainbow Falls, Staircase Falls, Turtleback Falls
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Welcome to our blog!

Eric and Laurel

If you enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, birding, art, music, quirky towns, good food, and good friends—you'll enjoy traveling with us. Join us as we explore the backroads of North America—we love company and comments!

~Laurel & Eric

Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.
~Mary Oliver

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Recent posts

  • A Brand New Adventure (And The Challenge Of Leaving Home)
  • A Time Of Sorrow…And Anger
  • Quiet Time On Cape Cod
  • Boston, After 25 Years Away (Bonus: Surprisingly Charming Salem)
  • A Peek Into The Gilded Age: Newport, Rhode Island
  • A Collection Of Cool Stuff, And Other Vermont Attractions
  • Fall Brilliance In New Hampshire
  • Traveling Down The Coast Of Maine: Acadia To Portland
  • The Magic Of Acadia National Park
  • Dusting Off Our 2019 Adventures: Lubec, Maine

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Raven & Chickadee © 2022 | Photography by Laurel Vukovic & Eric Setterberg
Website by Michaels & Michaels Creative, LLC
 

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