inspiration

I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.
--Claude Monet (1840-1926) French impressionist painter

17 years in the making

This cicada is just one of hundreds that showed up this week in my yard. Seems we had a similar invasion a few years back -- when I looked it up, I learned that these swarms come in what are known as broods (the last brood in this area was in 2004). There are 14 different broods of 17 year cicadas in the US and 5 broods of 13 year cicadas. This little guy is a member of the XIV Brood, which won't reappear until 2025. Click here to see the brood maps. They don't bite or sting, but the male cicadas do make quite a racket. They spend most of their lives 1 to 9 feet underground feeding on root sap and then emerge to moult (shed their skin) and reproduce. Click here to go to Cicadamania.com. I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds this stuff fascinating!

An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.
--Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French Poet and Novelist

How can I keep from singing?

My life flows on in endless song;
Above earth’s lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing;
It finds an echo in my soul—
How can I keep from singing?

What though my joys and comforts die?
The Lord my Savior liveth;
What though the darkness gather round!
Songs in the night He giveth:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of Heav’n and earth,
How can I keep from singing?

I lift mine eyes; the cloud grows thin;
I see the blue above it;
And day by day this pathway smoothes
Since first I learned to love it:
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
A fountain ever springing:
All things are mine since I am His—
How can I keep from singing?

--Robert Lowry (1826-1899) Baptist minister and hymnist

This hymn is gained popularity through the recordings of Pete Seeger, Enya, and most recently Bruce Springsteen. Most recordings follow Seeger's reworking of the lyrics, which removed the Christian references. The lyrics above are the original version, penned by Lowry in 1860. Click here to visit a neat website (if you like old hymns) called "The Cyber Hymnal."

The waterfall above is one of the most visited in the Tri-Cities area --the Blue Hole is a series of four small waterfalls (totaling a drop of 45 feet) outside of Elizabethton, TN. Click here to see my previous posts and to get directions.

Eastern Box Turtle

This is an Eastern Box Turtle, which is fairly common to our area -- they can vary widely in terms of shell size, pattern and color. Male box turtles, like the one above, have red eyes and flattened shells, while the females have brown eyes and more rounded shells. They are long lived (up to 100 years!), but they are slow to mature and reproduce, and threatened by loss of habitat and by human activity (primarily automobiles and pet trading). Because of their fragile state, they should never be removed from nature and turned into pets. More info here and here.

Try to be like the turtle -- at ease in your own shell.
--Bill Copeland

Now that the smoke has cleared...

This view from Willow Spring Park shows the extensive damage to Buffalo Mountain caused by the recent forest fire. Some 1,500 acres were consumed in the fire. [click photo to enlarge]

While the Buffalo Mountain Park remains closed, if you live in the Johnson City, TN area, I'd recommend a visit to Willow Springs. Not only is it home to the city's dog park, but it's also the perfect place to go for a walk and take in beautiful mountain views, or to take the kids to the playground or to fly a kite.

Directions: From State of Franklin Road in Johnson City turn on West Walnut Street heading toward Jonesborough. Go 1.4 miles, turn left on Huffine Road and proceed 0.7 miles to the park on the left.

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

--William Ross Wallace (1819-1881)


Happy Mother's Day!

College Graduation

Education has for its object the formation of character.
--Herbert Spencer (1820 - 1903)

A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in the students.
--John Ciardi (1916 - 1986)

Congratulations to all those graduating from Milligan College today! What a milestone in your lives, such a great accomplishment for you and your families. We're proud of you!

Lately there's been a trend in higher education for colleges to rename themselves 'universities' -- I guess the thought is that the name change will somehow make the institution seem more significant. I'm proud to say we're still a Christian Liberal Arts College. The greatest part about being a professor at Milligan is that I have the opportunity to know my students and enter into their lives -- the privilege to help shape them not only academically and professionally, but spiritually and personally. I loved my university experience as a student, but I knew very few of my professors -- the educational experience was limited to the classroom. In many classes you not only felt like a number, you were a number! At Milligan, we know our students by name. They often stop by our offices, worship with us, hike with us, eat dinner at our homes and call us at all hours. It's a wonderful learning community -- and I'm reminded today how thankful I am to be a part of it.

Above: Seeger Chapel at Sunrise.

endangered lady's slippers

Wildflowers should be enjoyed unplucked where they grow.
--Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) 26th US President

Usually at this time of year, there are Pink Lady's Slipper flowers blooming all over Buffalo Mountain. Once the smoke clears (see yesterday's post), I'll have to go check and see. The flowers above were found in my neighbor's yard on the edge of the woods. There's no way to transplant these unique-looking orchids, because they are completely dependent on a specific fungus in the soil for their survival. It's considered endangered in Tennessee, so if you find them in nature, please heed TR's advice and leave them undisturbed!

Fire on the Mountain

Fire broke out yesterday at around 11 a.m. on Buffalo Mountain in Johnson City, TN. Forestry officials thought they had it under control at one point and sent fire crews home -- but the fire flared up again last night. The cause is not yet known. To read more, click here. For more pics, click here and here.

Update: Thick smoke continued to blanket Johnson City today...Hopefully today's rains have helped to firefighters to bring the blaze under control. Here is an updated story from the Johnson City Press and a video of the fire.

Out in the fields with God

The little cares that fretted me,
I lost them yesterday,
Among the fields above the sea,
Among the winds at play,
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the trees;
Among the singing of the birds,
The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what might pass,
I cast them all away
Among the clover-scented grass,
Among the new-mown hay;
Among the rustling of the corn,
Where drowsy poppies nod,
Where ill thoughts die and good are born--
Out in the fields with God!

--Author Unknown

Living

We are always getting ready to live but never living.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

A photo taken near the top of Red Fork Falls (see yesterday's post).

Red Fork Falls

Visited beautiful Red Fork Falls outside of Unicoi, TN between raindrops on Saturday -- and it really was an ideal day for Red Fork... the water level was perfect, it was a cloudy day (just what you want when photographing waterfalls), the recent rain caused the spring greens to be saturated with color, and we were the only ones there! If you want to see it for yourself, I recommend you read my detailed description of the falls here (which also includes directions) -- but please note, this isn't the place to take the kids or to walk the dogs -- even though it's only a 1/2 mile hike, it's a very steep, slippery descent. Stay far back from the edge at the top of the falls - it's very slick and dangerous. Use common sense and respect the falls, and you'll be fine.

The top photo shows the main falls -- it's listed as 60 feet. There's a smaller waterfall above this and many more further down -- but what you see above is the main attraction. If it's your desire to 'see it all' -- you could spend all afternoon exploring the area. The photo to the right is a side-profile of a small section of the main falls.

Out of the depths

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassions, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.
--Elisabeth Kubler Ross (1926-2004) psychiatrist and author

Yesterday, Justin (pictured above), Lee and I had an amazing time exploring a cave in Carter County, TN. This was my first real caving experience -- besides touring caves open to the public like Bristol Caverns in Bristol, TN or Appalachian Caverns in Blountville, TN. I'm told that there are dozens and dozens of smaller caves like this one in our area. But I haven't found much about them online, most likely because they're on private property and fenced off. While there weren't intricate stalagmites and stalactites, still I was amazed at how large this particular cave was -- To walk from the cave entrance to the other end took about 15 minutes. The good news... not many bats, almost no visible vandalism or trash, I didn't have to crawl through mud or slither through small openings, I could stand up throughout most of the cave, and there were many large rooms with neat rock formations to explore. The bad news... before I was taken there I had to agree not to disclose its location to others (I'm sorry!).

To get the silhouette effect in the top photo, I spot metered on the brightest part of the scene and then refocused on Justin. The result is that the darker parts of the frame were made darker and the brightest parts of the scene were properly exposed.

The photo to the right was taken near the entrance of the cave using a long shutter speed (9 seconds), my flash, and the three of us 'painting' the walls, floor and ceiling with four flashlights to bring out the color and detail. [click photo to enlarge]

The Merton Prayer

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
--Thomas Merton, (1915-1968) author


[For a beautiful shot of uncoiling ferns, check out photographer Jerry Greer's blog...]

an easy choice

I realized that If I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes.
--Charles Lindbergh (1902-1974) Aviation Pioneer

I think this is a spotted sandpiper -- I'll double check with our resident bird expert at Milligan College, Dr. Gary Wallace. Gary is retiring from Milligan this year after 41 years of teaching -- but will return part-time to teach various field biology classes. His enthusiasm for nature, especially birds, is contagious -- students come out of his birdwatching class excited about what they've learned and experienced -- with a new appreciation and quiet awe for the splendid creatures flying about them. Congratulations and happy trails to you, Gary!

BTW: There's a terrific website to help with bird identification called whatbird.com -- it includes lots of information, illustrations, and the sounds each bird makes.

A Good Catcher...

A good catcher is the quarterback, the carburetor, the lead dog, the pulse taker, the traffic cop and sometimes a lot of unprintable things, but no team gets very far without one.
--Miller Huggins (1879-1929) Baseball player and manager

Above: Milligan College junior Brandon Murphy (Johnson City, TN) visits the mound to talk with senior Jon Stoudt (Marietta, GA) during a recent game. Each of the descriptions mentioned in this quote fits Murphy perfectly (well, except for the part that mentions "unprintable things"). I have enormous respect for students like Murphy and Stoudt who are truly 'scholar athletes' -- who excel both on the field and in the classroom. Today, Milligan faces rival King College in the opening round of the AAC Conference Tournament at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, TN. Go Buffaloes!

To learn how to make a presentation frame like this using Photoshop, click here for photographer John Shaw's helpful step-by-step directions. [click photo to enlarge]

'Tis the gift to be simple

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, Rejoice, for your soul is alive.
--Eleanora Duse (1858-1924) Italian Actress

This quote got me singing "Simple Things" and digging through my CD collection to find Copland. Composer Aaron Copland borrowed the traditional Shaker melody in creating his quintessential American classic "Appalachian Spring." Click here to listen to an NPR discussion of Copland's masterpiece. And click here to watch a short 1981 video of Marilyn Horne performing "Simple Gifts" -- and you'll be singing it all day...

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.

--Joseph Brackett, Jr. (1848)

easy and unwelcome

If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn.
--Andrew V. Mason

Marking the Days

HER LIETH THE BODY OF CHRISTOPHER MCENTURF JUNER HE WORS BOREN MARCH THE 25 1782 AND DYED APRIL THE 29 AND BURYED THE 30 1796 HIS AGE WORS 14 YEAR ONE MONTH AND 4 DAYS

I came across this very old tombstone in People’s Cemetery off of Springbrook Road outside of Unicoi, TN. I’ve never done much in the way of genealogy research, so I was amazed at all resources available online. It didn’t take long to find records pertaining to Christopher, a fourteen-year-old boy who died 212 years ago. Here's what I found... Christopher McInturff, Jr. was born March 25, 1782 in Shenandoah County, Virginia -- the eighth of ten children of Christopher and Christina McInturff. Around the time North Carolina ceded her western lands to the federal government (1790) to create the Tennessee Territory, the family moved to a large plot of land (550 acres) on Buffalo Creek at the foot of Buffalo Mountain (near the cemetery).

Christopher died the same year Tennessee became the nation's 16th state. At that time an enormous swath of northeast TN was called Carter County – from this huge area, two additional counties were later created: In 1838, Johnson County was separated out of Carter County and in 1875 Unicoi County was established out of parts of Carter and Washington Counties. I didn’t find much about this family's involvement in local history – but I can only imagine how difficult life on the frontier was for these early settlers. I find it touching that in making Christopher's tombstone, they counted and celebrated each of his days.

watching spring unfold

One attraction in coming to the woods to live was that I should have leisure and opportunity to see the spring come in.
--Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American author and philosopher

[click photo to enlarge]

Ramsey Creek Falls

This beautiful twenty-foot waterfall is nestled in the western slopes of Buffalo Mountain in Washington County, TN on private property operated by the Buffalo Mountain Camp. And while it's small compared to other waterfalls in our area, I love its spiral-stair shape and rocky setting. Click here to read my previous Ramsey post for directions and a description of the hike.

Photo data: Nikon D80 at 10mm, 1.3 sec. f/16 ISO: 200

surrounded by mystery

I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.
--Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969) American clergyman

It's okay, don't be afraid. These creepy tenticles can't reach through your screen to get you. And no, it's not some alien pod or sci-fiction monster. This is Cedar Apple Rust, a golfball-sized fungi that attacks apple, crabapple and juniper trees. If you feel you must, click here to learn more about these strange and mysterious things. Click the photos above to get a close up view of this strange thing.

Okay, so my question for you today is this...Who looks most like this mysterious mutant fungi? (Just be glad your name isn't listed here!) ...

UPDATE: The poll is now closed...And the winner is...(drum roll)...

Chuckie from the Rugrats cartoon!

Second place is Carrottop
Third place goes to Tina Turner
Fourth Place is a tie between...Sideshow Bob, Phyllis Diller and Rod Stewart!

Thanks for voting!

risking to live

The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live.
--Leo F. Buscaglia (1924-1998) author and professor

I'm not sure this quote has anything to do with the photo above, but I thought it was great and wanted to share! Maybe it means you should play hooky today and have a marvelous Monday up on Unaka Mountain. After all, this quote reminds those of us who are tempted to become complacent in our comfort that a life devoted to the pursuit of security is no life at all.

This shot was taken from a favorite vantage point on Unaka Mountain in Unicoi County, TN called Horseback Ridge. If you're looking for a wow place, a magical place - this is it. The Unaka Mountain Road is one of the most scenic, and roughest, drives in our area. For a dozen miles, this gravel road snakes around the mountain, offering breathtaking views. I've listed below some of the things to experience on the mountain...(listed in the order you'll find them traveling from the Unicoi side of the mountain to the Erwin side -- north to south -- mileage listed is approximate distance from Hwy 107):

Red Fork Falls (1.2)
Stamping Ground Ridge (6)
Horseback Ridge (6.4)
Unaka Mountain Overlook (approx. 7)
Beauty Spot Overlook (approx. 10.5)

Directions to Horseback Ridge: From I-26 take the Unicoi exit (#32). At the end of exit ramp turn east towards town. At the stop sign, turn right onto Route 173/Unicoi Road (which is also known locally as the Erwin Highway) and proceed for 0.7 miles. Follow the signs pointing to the Cherokee National Forest by turning left onto Rt. 107 (Limestone Cove Road). Drive 7.8 miles, turn right on Red Fork Road (it's also referred to as Unaka Mountain Road). Reset your trip odometer and proceed up the mountain for 6.4 miles. You will pass by the parking area for Red Fork Falls, then the road will turn to gravel. At around six miles up, you'll pass by the parking area for Stamping Ground Ridge on your right and then it's just a short distance to a very small pull-off area (as you emerge from the forest and round a curve) and unmarked trail head for Horseback Ridge to your right. Note: While this particular section of the Unaka Mountain Road isn't nearly as rough as others, I'd still strongly recommend that you take a high clearance vehicle (truck or SUV) for this trip. Here's a good map of the area (note that the I-26 exits have since been re-numbered!)

Just like clockwork

I cannot imagine how the clockwork of the universe can exist without a clockmaker.
--Voltaire (1694-1778) French Enlightenment writer, philosopher

Just like clockwork, the trillium have returned to the southern Appalachians this spring. This particular one was found out at Rock Creek Park near Erwin, TN. With their three leaves and three petals, trillium are easy to identify. You'll often spot them growing in damp, shady areas near forest streams.

bursting forth in silence

If spring came but once a century instead of once a year,
or burst forth with the sound of an earthquake and not in silence,
what wonder and expectation there would be
in all the hearts to behold the miraculous change.
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) American poet

Lower Higgins Creek Falls

This is a seldom visited waterfall in Unicoi County, TN - not a lot of people seem to know about it. Which in some ways is a very good thing. There's no trash or graffiti - no broken glass or cigarette butts. There's not even a path to get you down to the falls from the trail far above. So when you're sitting at the base of this 100 foot waterfall you feel like you've stumbled onto something wild and pristine. My reason for starting this blog was to highlight the beauty of our region and encourage people to get out and enjoy its scenic wonders -- but I have to admit that in some ways I hesitate to give directions to this place. It is so unspoiled. And yet I know that if people visit here, the vast majority will love this place and value it -- and then speak up to make sure it is protected. The future of Lower Higgins Creek is unclear -- it's part of the Rocky Fork tract of land that's been at the center of controversy. Conservation groups are seeking to purchase this enormous, privately-owned tract (which is leased by the state for recreation purposes) in order to preserve it. Here's a recent article from the JC Press about Rocky Fork. Lower Higgins Creek actually contains six waterfalls - the one pictured above is the tallest - click here and here for photos of the others. Hiking Bill, who extensively travels this region and shares his journeys, recently visited Lower Higgins and wrote a detailed description of his journey here.

Directions: Take I-26 to the Temple Hill exit #43 just south of Erwin and then turn right onto the old Asheville Highway (19/23), after 3/4 mile, turn right onto Lower Higgins Creek Road and drive 1.5 miles till you reach a dead end. There's a clearing where you can park. The trail is actually an old logging road which begins to the left over a rickety, old wooden bridge. While there are No Trespassing signs all around, there is not one at the trailhead. The waterfall is about a mile in on your right. The trail has a moderate grade, with the exception of the last quarter mile, when it becomes quite steep. You'll be able to see the waterfall down a treacherous 100 foot slope to your right. It's best to visit in the spring or fall, as the steep descent to the falls is made even more difficult when the slope is completely overgrown.

The Allegory of the Game

Baseball is an allegorical play about America, a poetic, complex, and subtle play of courage, fear, good luck, mistakes, patience about fate, and sober self-esteem.
--Saul Steinberg (1914-1999)

Above: The Milligan College Buffaloes take the field against the visiting Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs. Click photo to enlarge.

Bound 4 Beijing

The USA National Softball team was in town yesterday and took on Milligan College as part of their national tour leading into the Olympic games this summer. The second highest tour attendance (3,476) turned out at Cardinal Park on a frigid, rainy day to watch the competition. The Olympic Team dominated, winning 24-0. In the various interviews I read today, the Lady Buffs and their coach all said to play a team of this caliber was a great honor, a tremendous experience and a memory they'll always treasure. Above, Milligan sophomore Leah White (Fall Branch, TN) catches while USA's Jennie Finch (La Mirada, California) takes aim. After the game Finch, an Olympic gold medalist, remarked, “Playing teams like Milligan and other colleges is helping us prepare for the Olympics tremendously, because it is allowing us to get several innings in on the field and at the plate."

all I am and hope to be

All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.
--Abraham Lincoln

I thought of my mom when I took this shot. She has said that her favorite shot of mine is a close-up of one of these little hearts against a black background. They look like bleeding hearts, but actually they're called Squirrel Corn (which doesn't sound nearly as pretty). If you look back at my post on Dutchman's Breeches a few days ago, you'll notice that the two plants are very closely related.

Today is my mom's birthday -- and she truly is my angel. There aren't words to say or poems to quote or songs to sing that could possibly express how wonderful a person she is -- and what her love and example have meant to me. She is the strongest, kindest, most generous and gracious person I've ever known. Happy birthday, Mom! I love you! Hope you have a great day!

nothing is accidental

At first laying down, as a fact fundamental,
That nothing with God can be accidental.
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) American poet

I set out in search of the smallest, tiniest flower in my yard and this is what I found. It may be no more than a tiny, insignificant, pest-of-a-weed spouting up unimpeded, but for the sake of argument, and in light of the quote above, let's call it a wildflower. My yard is full of wildflowers these days.