butler bridge

It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time. 
--Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British Prime Minister. 

Above: Butler Memorial Bridge over Watauga Lake (built 1948)

don't wait

In life, one has a choice to take one of two paths: to wait for some special day -- or to celebrate each special day. 
--Rasheed Ogunlaru

Above: Late afternoon walk at Carden's Bluff (Watauga Lake).

december swim

All men should strive
 to learn before they die

what they are running from, and to, and why.


--James Thurber (1894-1961) American author--

With temperatures reaching above seventy degrees, Blue was happy to go for a December swim in Watauga Lake.

risky business

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket -- safe, dark, motionless, airless -- it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.
--C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) British Scholar and Novelist.

Above: Sunset at Watauga Lake

life's essentials

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.  

--Joseph Addison (1672-1719) English Author and Statesman.   

Carden's Bluff Campground is open from mid-April till the beginning of November. But while you can't camp there now, you can park at the main gate and walk in and explore. It's a perfect place to walk the dog and take in some wonderful views of Watauga Lake.  For more pics and info, click here. 

dog days

"The first week of August hangs at the very top of the summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color. Often at night there is lightning, but it quivers all alone. There is no thunder, no relieving rain. These are strange and breathless days, the dog days, when people are led to do things they are sure to be sorry for after.”
― Natalie Babbitt (b.1932) author.

Above: Blue enjoying the dog days of summer at Watauga Lake. 

sail away

Well it's not far down to paradise, at least's not for me. 
If the wind is right you can sail away and find tranquility. 
Oh the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see, believe me. 

Sailing, takes me away 
To where I've always heard it 
Just a dream and the wind to carry me 
Soon I will be free 

--Christopher Cross (b.1951) Singer-songwriter.

Above: Sailboats on Watauga Lake

stormy weather

Faith is not a delicate flower which would wither away under the slightest stormy weather. 
--Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) Indian Philosopher.

I haven't gotten out much to shoot lately, so I'm looking through my autumn shots from this fall for photos to share. Two of the prime weekends for fall color this October were stormy. So I have a lot of rainy, misty shots this autumn. At the time I took the shot above, there was a steady drizzle of rain, and I had had it. Hiking in the rain, keeping the camera dry and the lens free of rain drops (while holding a dog on a leash) ... not much fun! But shooting in these conditions can often make for some interesting shots in spite of the frustrations.

The photo on the left shows an old boat ramp entering the western end of lake near Hampton, TN. It makes me wonder where the roads used to be before the lake was completed by the TVA in 1948. Who knows, maybe this was an old road bed that led to the old town of Butler?  I haven't seen any old, 'pre-Watauga Lake' road maps of the area. There is a nice Butler museum in the new town of Butler, TN which is worth checking out if you're ever out that way (open seasonally). It tells the interesting history of the town and the people displaced by the lake.

let it shine

As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
--Marianne Williamson (b.1952) author and lecturer.

Above: A break in the clouds above Watauga Lake lets in some light.

storms of life

Life does not consist mainly, or even largely, of facts and happenings. It consists mainly of the storm of thought that is forever flowing through one's head.
--Mark Twain (1835-1910) American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer.

be crazy

Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.  
--Anthony Robbins (b. 1960) American self-help author and speaker.

Here, once again, is my crazy friend Peter, doing his thing -- this time at Watauga Dam. Previous antics here.

lovely view

Standing on the moon 

With nothing else to do 

A lovely view of heaven 

But I'd rather be with you 

--Grateful Dead 

I hiked out to Watauga Dam last weekend from Hampton, TN. A sign at the start identifies it as a two mile hike, but it feels much more like three each way. It's a scenic hike that mostly follows along the lake, with lots of wildflowers this time of year. The view above was taken from the top of the 318-feet-tall earthen dam looking downstream in the direction of the powerhouse, which is nearly a mile away from the reservoir.  The more familiar view from the dam is below. There are three different hiking options to get to the dam, click here for more. Click images to enlarge.

April spirit

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.
--William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English writer.

Above: Watauga Point Recreation Area awaiting summer picnics.

leaning

There are two things that are more difficult than making an after-dinner speech: climbing a wall which is leaning toward you and kissing a girl who is leaning away from you. 
--Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British Prime Minister.

connections

Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you.
--Saint Augustine (354-430) bishop and theologian.

Above: Butler Bridge, built in 1948.

nature talk

It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to, the feeling for the things themselves, for reality is more important than the feeling for pictures.
--Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) 

Above: Watauga Lake at Carden's Bluff Campground.

overlook

The essence of genius is to know what to overlook. 
--William James (1842-1910) American Philosopher and Psychologist. 

november palette

The greatest masterpieces were once only pigments on a palette. 
–Henry S. Hoskins (1875–1957) Stockbroker and man of letters.

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.