blossom

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
--Anais Nin (1903-1977) author 

Another bloodroot photo, this one was taken out at Buffalo Mountain Camp - a private Methodist camp encompassing 700 beautiful acres on the west side of Buffalo Mountain.  The staff, and I'm sure many, many volunteers, have really been hard at work sprucing up the campgrounds -- it's never looked better. I'm very appreciative of all their hard work and for their hospitality. They've always been very welcoming in the off season of hikers -- but require that you sign in at the office. You'll find detailed directions at the above link. If you go, follow the signs to the office and then park in the large gravel lot just past that. I recommend that you take the road/trail to the right of Allison Lodge, and then take the lower trail which will follow Ramsey Creek. Lots of wildflowers including trillium ready to blossom. Trail map here.

old friends

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American Poet, Lecturer and Essayist

vision

Vision looks inward and becomes duty. Vision looks outward and becomes aspiration. Vision looks upward and becomes faith. 
--Stephen S. Wise (1874–1949) Rabbi 

Still not getting out like I'd want to -- hope to soon. In the meantime, here's a shot from a couple years back of beautiful Rocky Fork in Unicoi County. I'm thinking there's a lot more water flowing there right now after tonight's heavy rains.  It'd be a good time to play hooky and go out and see some waterfalls! (I'm assuming my students won't be reading this!)

faith affirmed

Our faith is affirmed, once again, by springtime's first early blooms.
--Kathy Davis, artist and designer 

Found some early blooms out at Lower Higgins Creek today in Unicoi County - so far just bloodroot (above) and spring beauties -- but lots more around the corner! These flowers are called bloodroot after the orange-red sap contained in its roots which Native Americans used as body paint and as a fabric dye.

awakening

There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me.
--Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) 3rd US President

the more the better

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and philosopher

greatness

Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.
--Mark Twain (1835-1910) American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer.

courage

I have always considered tennis as a combat in an arena between two gladiators who have their rackets and their courage as their weapons.
--Yannick Noah (b.1960) former professional tennis player 

A shot of Milligan College junior Matt Clark at the net. Matt's a business major from Kingsport, TN and a graduate of Dobyns-Bennett High School. Poor Matt has me for two classes this semester.  I've always found tennis to be one of the more difficult sports to photograph. You wouldn't think it, but getting the player, the racket and the ball in the frame is a challenge given the speed of the game. When shooting, it does no good to wait till you see the ball in the frame, by then it's too late to press the shutter -- and the shot will be missed. So it's better to watch the player and when the racket goes back, start shooting.  It's times like this I'm very thankful for digital -- can't image how much film I'd have wasted yesterday. By the end of the meet my timing was better and  I was getting much more efficient getting decent shoots, but still there were lots and lots of shots to edit and delete.

Details: Nikon D90 with 70-300mm VR lens at 140mm, f/4.8, 1/1250 sec., ISO 500

awakening

Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.
--Lewis Grizzard (1946-1994) American writer and humorist 

Above: Clark's Creek in Unicoi County, TN

winter unfrozen

And the wrens have returned and they're nesting
In the hollow of that oak where his heart once had been
And he lifts up his arms in a blessing for being born again
And the streams are all swollen with winter
Winter unfrozen and free to run away now
And I'm amazed when I remember
Who it was that built this house
And with the rocks I cry out 
--Rich Mullins (1955-1997) singer and songwriter 

Click here to watch the video for "The Color Green," an anthem of spring and one of my favorite songs from Rich Mullins. Click the photo above to see a larger version of this panoramic shot of the Blue Hole, stitched together from three different images.

vision

Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.
--Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) Irish Author

March madness

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.
--Doug Larson (b.1926)  journalist

So I guess I jumped the gun in switching the background and banner for the blog to a spring theme.  :)  Here's the same flower a day later...Ugh.

hidden

Each of us has a soul, but we forget to value it. We don’t remember that we are creatures made in the image of God. We don’t understand the great secrets hidden inside of us.
--St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun

dare to begin

All glory comes from daring to begin.
--Eugene F. Ware (1841-1911) soldier, lawyer, politician and author

A trail at Rock Creek Park after our recent heavy rains.

shadows of life

Most of the shadows of life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and philosopher

On the trail at Rock Creek Park outside of Erwin, TN