Happy Halloween!

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
--Jim Davis (b.1945) Cartoonist and creator of Garfield

Last week I had a lot of fun taking some family portraits which included three-year-old Ethan - a very happy and cooperative little boy (I'm sure he's always this cooperative, right Becky?!)  :)  He did a great job!

drive safely

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.--Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German-born American Physicist

One of a series of "S" curves leading up to the Mile-High Swinging Bridge on Grandfather Mountain.

no uninteresting things

There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people. 
—G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) English writer

Sorry if this one grosses you out (think of this as a pre-Halloween post), but when I saw it I had to run and get my macro lens. This has to be one of the strangest things in nature I've ever seen. This bizarre insect is simply known as a wheel bug - named for the round and spiny armor on its back. Fairly large (1.5 inches long) and slow moving, the wheel bug is capable of clumsy, noisy flight -- and is actually considered beneficial to have around, as they feed on nuisance pests.  When it encounters its prey, it uses its beak like a harpoon to attack and inject enzymes which paralyzes its victim. They shouldn't be carelessly handled, as a bite from one of these is said to be painful. Click photo to enlarge if you're interested.

autumn bouquet

Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved.  You ever notice that trees do everything to git attention we do, except walk?  

--Alice Walker (b.1944) Author, The Color Purple--

I haven't been able to get out as much as I would have liked this fall, so tonight I looked through the "archives" for an autumn photos to share with you. This one from 2008 is of my friend Jesse and his dog, Buddha, walking around Bass Lake outside of Blowing Rock, NC in mid October -- a beautiful place for an autumn stroll.  

heavenly

Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; 
--Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) English poet

Autumn on Unaka Mountain

misty morn

I saw old Autumn in the misty morn 

Stand shadowless like Silence, listening
To silence

--Thomas Hood (1799-1845) English Poet--

This morning was anything but silent -- 60 mph winds ripped through the Tri-Cities bringing down many trees, and knocking out power for 20,000 residents. Report here.

silence is golden

I like the silent church before the service begins, better than any preaching.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and philosopher

Downtown Johnson City, TN with the spire of Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church in the center, the eleven story John Sevier Center to the right, and Buffalo Mountain in the distance. This is a similar photo to one I posted here. Click photo above to enlarge.

most beautiful

Leaves become most beautiful when they're about to die.
--Regina Spektor (b.1980) Russian-born American singer-songwriter

‘The Curious Savage’

Tickets are now on sale for Milligan College’s production of “The Curious Savage,” to be performed this weekend, October 21, 22 and 23, at 7:30 p.m. in Milligan’s Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts. General admission is $8, and student tickets are $5. Tickets are available in the Milligan College Bookstore, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by calling 423.461.8733.

The play is hilarious and the actors are absolutely fantastic. I loved it! If you're looking for something fun and different to do this weekend, look no further! From the press release... Set in 1950, “The Curious Savage” is about a widow, Mrs. Savage, whose husband left her $10 million. Her grown stepchildren try to get their hands on the fortune. When they cannot, they commit the widow to a sanatorium. Mrs. Savage is determined to establish a fund to help others realize their dreams. In the sanatorium, she meets various social misfits. Her newfound friends conspire with her to get rid of the stepchildren and help her carry out her plan.

I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms,

the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another 

the sense of what it is to be a human being.

--Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic--

autumn bliss

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.
--Emily Bronte (1818-1848) English novelist

As you can see, many of the trees atop Unaka Mountain have already lost their leaves. This photo shows the summit of Unaka (right) taken from Deep Gap. Click the photo to enlarge.

Remembering Big Duke

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart.
--Unknown

My friend Lee (who many of you know from the blog 'From These Hills') lost her sweet lab, Duke, today. He was twelve. In his life, Duke hiked lots of trails and fetched lots of sticks and tennis balls -- and brought those of us who knew him, lots of joy. In the woods his delight was to find the perfect stick (sometimes log) and then prance through the woods with his new found treasure. Even when his health kept him from embarking on hiking adventures, he brightened everyone's day with his constant wag and the "thump, thump" of his tail. He was a loyal and loving friend...and we're gonna miss him.

 (Click the "X" above to close the pop-up ad.)

blessings

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!
--Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887) minister 

Hopwood Memorial Christian Church (established 1834) on the campus of Milligan College.

In the woods...

In the woods, we return to reason and faith.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and philosopher 

A small waterfall found in the Rocky Fork area of Unicoi County, TN. This panoramic photo above was stitched together in Photoshop using three separate images. Click photo to enlarge. This weekend should be peak color in many of the higher elevations - hope you're able to get out and enjoy it!  :)

looking for gold

Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.
--Henry Miller (1891-1980) American author

My search for autumn gold took me out to Lower Higgins Creek in Unicoi Co., TN again yesterday morning.  To see how different this scene looks with the deep greens of summer, click here.  Such a beautiful area -- I was surprised to find a decent amount of water flowing -- so many other creeks in our region are looking rather puny right now.  I was also thrilled that the air was absolutely still when I was there, which meant I could have the shutter opened for 15 seconds and still have the leaves sharp.

Details: Nikon D90 with 18-200mm VR at 18mm, 15 sec at f/22 ISO 200

young at heart

I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things.... I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind. 
--Leo Buscaglia (1924-1998) author

Lower Higgins Creek, Unicoi County, TN

October Leaves

October is the fallen leaf, but it is also a wider horizon more clearly seen. It is the distant hills once more in sight, and the enduring constellations above them once again.
--Hal Borland (1900-1978) American author




Technical difficulties...I'm not sure what happened to my right columns on the blog, they now appear at the bottom. Hopefully I can get this straightened out soon.  It happened prior to my changing the background photo, so not sure why Blogger is being so uncooperative with me.


On another note...Rich Owings recently posted a terrific post on Rocky Fork and the hike to Buzzard Rock in Unicoi County, TN. Check it out.

Carolina Majesty

All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and philosopher--

Grandfather Mountain, NC

When I visited last week, the colors were just starting to change (especially on the other side of the mountain), so I changed this to sepia, wanting to emphasize the textures and the ruggedness of the landscape. I also liked the interplay of light and dark that appear from this angle of the mountain during mid morning as the sun begins to illuminate the tips of the trees and rocks. Within Lightroom, I added a painted effect on the image and a vignette. Click the photo to see a much larger view of this spectacular mountain.

potential

Only as high as I reach can I grow,

only as far as I seek can I go,

only as deep as I look can I see,

only as much as I dream can I be.

--Karen Ravn, author--

A blue heron feeding on the Nolichucky River outside of Erwin, TN (click photo to enlarge).

give a hoot

When I first became interested in photography, I thought it was the whole cheese. My idea was to have it recognized as one of the fine arts. Today I don't give a hoot in hell about that. The mission of photography is to explain man to man and each man to himself.
--Edward Steichen (1879-1973) American photographer

This is Shakespeare, an injured barred owl that lives at the Nature Habitat at Grandfather Mountain. Being quite loud and vocal, they are more commonly known as "hoot owls." A common sound heard at night in the eastern US is the barred owl's "hoo, hoo, too-HOO; hoo, hoo, too-HOO."  My friend Kevin would mimick their hoots at night from his Roan Mountain porch calling out "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you" - which spurred them to answer back and move in closer.  Click here to listen to their distinctive call.

unleashed imagination

Nothing limits achievement like small thinking; nothing expands possibilities like unleashed imagination.
--William Arthur Ward (1921-1994) author

The brilliant display of mountain ash beneath the peaks of Grandfather Mountain. It was so windy the day I visited, that the top of the mountain was closed to visitors. Be sure to throw in an extra jacket if you visit - the mountain is known for its extreme conditions.

Changing Seasons

Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
--Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Essayist, Poet and Philosopher

Took a quick trip over to the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday to look in on the changing seasons.  Looks like the colors around the Linn Cove Viaduct won't be at peak for at least a week.

Here's a video of the area taken today!

Buffalo Treks: Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway

This is the first of what I hope will be a series of posts written specially for Milligan College students who stop and ask me..."Where should we go this weekend?"  With fall break beginning today, I recommend a trip to Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's your best chance to find fall colors at this point in October -- and it's only 40 miles away!

View Larger Map

Grandfather Mountain

To get there from Milligan...

1. Head towards Elizabethton on the Milligan Highway 1.9 miles and then turn left on 19E.
2. Drive 0.6 miles and turn right onto "G" street and then right again on Gap Creek Road at the first light.
3. Follow the curvy Gap Creek Road 7 miles until it T intersects with 19E
4. Turn Right on 19E and follow this for 23 miles through the towns of Roan Mountain, TN and Elk Park, NC.  Note that 19E becomes Rt. 194 in NC.
5. At the town of Linville, NC, turn left onto Rt. 181 (you'll find a Subway and Flick Video on this corner) and drive 4.1 miles.
6. You'll come to an intersection where you could turn left on 105 and go to Boone or drive straight, staying on 181, and head towards Grandfather Mountain. Go straight and drive 2 miles to the entrance to Grandfather Mountain. There is a $15 per person entrance fee to get into Grandfather. It's worth it because you can spend an entire day exploring the mountain. Besides the Mile-High Swinging Bridge and the Nature Habitats, there are also some amazing hiking trails there.
7. After Grandfather Mountain Park, continue driving on Rt. 181 for 1 additional mile and you'll reach the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway take the entrance ramp and stop at the stop sign.
8. From here you have two options....

View of Linn Cove Viaduct from Rough Ridge

Option 1: You can turn right, and your first two stops are Beacon Heights Overlook on your left, followed by Flat Rock Overlook on your right. Both are short hikes (approx. 1/2 mile or so) that offer great views.  If I were only going to do one of these, I'd choose Beacon Heights.

Option 2: Turn left, and you'll pass by Stack Rock Overlook (it's okay, but I'd keep going) and then the Visitors Center to Linn Cove Viaduct (There's a gift shop and restrooms there, and also a neat trail that winds around the viaduct), followed by a couple more overlooks.  After the viaduct, I recommend going to Rough Ridge Overlook (Mile #302.8). Rough Ridge offers the best views of the viaduct -- as well as panoramic views of the mountains in every direction. A half mile hike take you to a wooden platform, but don't stop there, go another half mile and the views keep getting better.  Continue driving on the Parkway and you'll find more to explore....
Boone Fork Parking Area (the entrance point to many trails)
Price Lake (rent a canoe or hike the 2 mile trail that circles the lake)
Moses Cone Estate (miles of great trails)

Hope this helps...have fun!

full of paradise

I suppose what makes me most glad is that we all recognize each other in this metaphysical space of silence and happening, and get some sense, for a moment, that we are full of paradise without knowing it. 
--Thomas Merton (1915-1968) Author and Monk

Above: Spivey Creek in Unicoi County, TN.

intangible harvest

The true harvest of my life is intangible - a little star dust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched.
--Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Essayist, Poet and Philosopher

While so much of the focus of our lives is on producing tangible results -- this quote from Thoreau reminds us that it's the intangibles, the untouchables, the things that cannot be grasped or held, that are our real, our true harvest. Makes me wonder what I should be planting.

 Here are some of the interesting tangible (and intangible) things to be found at Bays Mountain Park in Kingsport, TN: a closeup of watershield growing upon the reservoir, a baying wolf, a sleepy owl, and a box turtle soaking up the sun resting on a log.

autumn vagabond

There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir,

We must rise and follow her;
When from every hill of flame,
She calls and calls each vagabond by name.
--William Bliss Carman (1861-1929) Canadian poet--

A photo of the Blue Ridge Parkway taken in October 2008.  I don't know about you, but I'm anxious for the colors of autumn - something in the cool, crisp autumn air is calling and has set my gypsy blood astir. :)

Brooklyn Grace

A daughter is a day brightener and a heart warmer.

-Author Unknown-

This is Brooklyn Grace with her mom and dad. We had a very fun photo shoot the other day in downtown Jonesborough for her 1st birthday photos. She was so sweet and cooperative and easy going - we had lots of fun exploring the downtown area together. To learn more about my portrait sessions and to schedule your own click here.

Many, many thanks to those who came out for the opening of my photography exhibit at the Nelson Fine Art Center in downtown Johnson City. Dick Nelson, the owner of the gallery, estimates we had over 500 attend. It was a wonderful night and I appreciate everyone who came out and said hello. The exhibit will remain up throughout the month of October, so if you missed the opening, you can still stop by and see the show. The gallery is located at 324 East Main Street, Johnson City, TN.