rejoice

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. 
--Unknown

Above: Price Lake

be true

Voyage upon life's sea,
To yourself be true,
And, whatever your lot may be,
Paddle your own canoe.
--Sarah Bolton (1814-1893) American poet.

Above: Taken last weekend, here's Price Lake found along the Blue Ridge Parkway, with Grandfather Mountain in the background.

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.

from a distance

From a distance, there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace
It's the voice of every man
--Julie Gold (b. 1956) American singer-songwriter.

Above: Price Lake on the Blue Ridge Parkway

launch!

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.
--Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Essayist and Philosopher

Canoeing on Price Lake. 

relaxation

Relaxation means releasing all concern and tension and letting the natural order of life flow through one's being.
--Donald Curtis (1915-1997) minister and author  

Located between Grandfather Mountain and Blowing Rock, NC at mile 296.7 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Price Lake offers hiking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. A 2.3 mile trail loops around and offers a scenic lakeside walk. More info here.

going in

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.
--John Muir (1838-1914), Naturalist and Conservationist

Price Lake at Sunset. This is an identical shot to the one posted here, taken at the same time, the only difference being a different white balance setting. Just goes to show what a dramatic difference the white balance setting can have on an image! We usually think about making sure we set the 'correct' white balance setting, however, it can also be used creatively to either dramatically warm or cool an image to give it an entirely different feel. Another example here.

heart and nature

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.
--Standing Bear (1834?-1908) Ponca Native American Chief

Reflection

Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul.
--Thomas Merton (1915-1968) Author and Monk

Price Lake at Sunset, Blue Ridge Parkway Mile 297

our daily beauty

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.
--John Muir (1838-1914) Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of conservation of U.S. wilderness

Here's a shot from this past weekend taken at Price Lake at Mile 297 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a marvelous place to play and pray and be reinvigorated by the beauty all around. Boat and canoe rentals are still available on the weekends through the end of October ($10 for the first hour, $8 each additional hour). There's also a 2.3 mile trail around the lake -- a beautiful hike this time of year! Click the map to see the immediate vicinity of Price Lake.

Price Lake is smack dab in the middle of it all. In fact the 15 miles from Flat Rock to the Moses Cone Estate is considered by many to be the most scenic stretch of the entire Parkway. Highlights include:

Flat Rock Overlook, mile 308
Beacon Heights Overlook, mile 305Grandfather Mountain, mile 305
Stack Rock, mile 304.6
Linn Cove Viaduct, mile 304.3
Rough Ridge Overlook, mile 302.8
Price Lake (above), mile 297
Moses Cone Estate, mile 293 (includes Bass Lake, most easily accessed via Rt. 221 in Blowing Rock)

Autumn reflections

One of the places where the colors are popping right now is around Price Lake at Mile #297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Experience the lake by renting a canoe (I forgot to look into this when I was there, but from what I can tell online, they're inexpensive to rent, but only available on weekends during the month of October) -- Or hoof it and take the 2.3 mile trail around the lake. Price Lake is smack dab in the middle of it all -- Grandfather Mountain, Linn Cove Viaduct, Rough Ridge Overlook, Moses Cone Estate and Bass Lake (to name a few!). Click on these place names under the "Table of Contents" section to the right to learn more. Click the map above to see the immediate vicinity of Price Lake.

Price Lake Sunset

Located between Grandfather Mountain and Blowing Rock, NC at mile 296.7 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Price Lake offers hiking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. A 2.3 mile trail loops around and offers a scenic lakeside walk.