Saturday, April 13, from South Carolina to Northern Virginia

Peach water tower 

All along the drive up Highway 81 we saw these lavendar/purple flowering trees.  Don't know what they are, but they are really pretty. 

These daffodils grow at a rest stop 

Mount Jackson, Virginia, apple water tower 

April 12, Greenville, South Carolina

Stephen took us on a little tour of downtown Spartanburg.   We went past this place called Yellow Mushroom

This cardinal landed in Stephen's back yard this morning.  He was so pretty.  

Spartanburg downtown recently put up a variety of art in the form of lightbulbs.  Unique for sure.

It started to rain, so this photo of a running statue is not that great...  :-(  

April 10-11, North Carolina

Stephen found this Honda Fit for us. It was originally orange and he had it painted blue--my favorite color!   Runs well and gets good mileage.  

Chick-Fil-A  one of my favorite places.  

We went to Morning Star Baptist Church for Wednesday night service.    This is where Sara attends while at college

Thursday the 11th, we went to Ambassador and went to some of Sara's classes.  This is the President of the College, Alton Beal, in the morning chapel service.  He said that on his trip to Japan last fall, he ate the best Japanese meal at our church (sukiyaki).  It was really nice to meet and talk with him again.  

Tuesday 4/9 arrival in SC

Flying East past Dallas to Spartanburg

Son Stephen took us to this upscale Italian Restaurant in Spartanburg. Excellent cuisine.  Mr. Renalto greeted us at our table and explained the off-menu items. We chose from the menu which was excellent.  Staff was very helpful and friendly.  Pricey, but worth it. 

This is an ice cream dessert wrapped in melted chocolate--also delicious. 

First leg of Trip 2019

This was a check-in gate at the Dallas airport.  That's a giant wishbone behind Henry

#1 Son took us to dinner at Renalto's Italian Restaurant in Spartanburg.  Upscale, very delicious food and staff was very friendly and attentive.  

Henry had a veal dish--delicious

Painted on the side of a building were a group of signs for local businesses 

We are standing in front of one of various "lightbulb" art around downtown Spartanburg.  

A statue of a man named Washington who was involved in the Battle of Cowpens near Spartenburg way back when 

Sakura and Pheasant

 Sakura is in full bloom in our area of Kita Kobe--the temp has warmed up in the last couple of days.  The birds are back twittering all over the place.  Such a nice sound.  One of the resident male Japanese pheasants comes by every morning and honks and flaps his wings to let us know he is just outside out window.  I'll miss Japan while we are in the States starting April 9th.