The long and winding road

The long and winding road that leads to your door 
Will never disappear, I've seen that road before
It always leads me here, leads me to your door.  
--Paul McCartney (b.1942) English musician, singer and songwriter. 

Above: A short and winding road in Unicoi County, TN. Have you seen McCartney's latest music video? Great tune. Unreal to think of his impact on popular music and culture. Click here to read a biography of him (includes fascinating trivia section at the end).

Coming Home

You're invited to a reception this Saturday on the campus of Milligan College for the opening of an photography exhibit by Michael Kaal. The exhibit is entitled, "Coming Home" -- and its opening reception is this Saturday, October 26th at 11 a.m. in the Milligan Art Gallery, Derthick Hall (lower level). Campus map available here. I've been blessed to be a part of Mike's journey both in and out of the classroom these last few years and am very excited for this exhibit of some truly outstanding landscape photographs of this region. On his selection of the theme "Coming Home", Michael says, "I grew up in Arizona photographing the arid landscapes of the southwest. After going to Milligan College I fell in love with the lush, green surroundings of East Tennessee. I now call the Appalachian Mountains my home and want to share the beauty of this wonderful area."

Click here to visit Mike's gallery. In addition to his breathtaking landscapes, Michael is also an amazing wedding photographer.

Above: Michael at Linn Cove Viaduct, taken October 2011.

fountain of gladness

A kind heart is a fountain of gladness, making everything in its vicinity freshen into smiles. 
--Washington Irving (1783-1859) American Writer 

Above:  "Lady of the Fountain" in downtown Johnson City, TN. This is a bronze replica of the original that stood in Fountain Square for many years. Click here for more information and historic photos.

happiness

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.
--Frederick Keonig (1774-1833) German inventor.

 Above: Matias appreciating an autumn day at Price Lake.

Downtown JC

Grab your coat, and get your hat, 
Leave your worry on the doorstep 
Just direct your feet, 
To the sunny side of the street.
--Dorothy Fields (1905-1974) American songwriter

lofty

Mountains appear more lofty, the nearer they are approached, but great men resemble them not in this particular. 
--Marguerite Blessington (1789-1849) Irish novelist. 

strolling along

It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things. 
--Donald Miller (b. 1971) author. 

 Above: A young family out for an autumn stroll around Bass Lake, outside of Blowing Rock, NC.

wondrous

Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance - the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen. 
--Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Scottish Historian and Essayist. 

Above: The Linn Cove Viaduct amid the autumn splendor. The colors are nearly at peak. Next weekend will be a busy time along the parkway. :)

fire and music under my feet

By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.
--Thomas Merton (1915-1968) writer and Trappist monk.  

Above: The Blue Hole, outside of Elizabethton, TN. Not much water flowing, and the leaves still have a ways to go...but still it's such a beautiful, amazing place.

of hilltops and valleys

The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.
--Helen Keller (1880-1968) American Author and Educator.

Above: A car winds its way down the Unaka Mountain Road.

autumn blaze

The lands are lit with all the autumn blaze of golden-rod, and everywhere the purple asters nod and bend and wave and flit.
–Helen Hunt 

Above: A windswept tree atop Unaka Mountain ablaze with autumn. Unaka Mountain is 'near' peak right now. It's always hard to judge peak in the mountains. Some trees have already lost their leaves while others are still green. The trees on Unaka seem to change fast and then not last... so with the colder weather, I'd say this next week would be the perfect time to drive up and over Unaka to see some fall color.  One word of caution... Unaka Mountain Road has some deep ruts in places, so I recommend you take a high clearance vehicle on this trek. Here are detailed directions.

the tie that binds

Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.

Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.
 --John Fawcett (1740-1817) British theologian, pastor and hymn writer. 

Above: A shared, post-game prayer after yesterday's soccer match between Milligan College and Tennessee Wesleyan.

early autumn color

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. 
--Jon Hammond 

Hope to get out this weekend and find more autumn color. Here's yet another Watauga Lake photo from last weekend. Such a beautiful area we live in!

impediment

Expecting is the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, it loses today. 
--Seneca (1st century AD) Roman philosopher.  

Above: The Watauga Dam (in the distance) as seen from the pier at the Rat Branch Boat Ramp.