Christmas Magic

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
--Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) Protestant preacher and author

A lazy, rainy day, and not wanting to venture out to photograph real trees, I took this out-of-focus shot of my Christmas tree.

Photo details: Shot with the Nikon D80 and 50mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 400, 1/40s.

Winter Beauty

Each moment of the year has its own beauty.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thankful

The more you complain, the more you find things to complain about. The more you give thanks, the more you find things to be thankful for.
--Bob Hoffman, Mercer University Basketball Coach

And now, for a little Thanksgiving entertainment...Click here to listen to Josh Groban's inspiring song, Thankful. And click here for beautiful photography set to George Winston's Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Awareness

Ask yourself, 'Why am I seeing and feeling this? How am I growing? What am I learning?' Remember: Every coincidence is potentially meaningful. How high your awareness level is determines how much meaning you get from your world. Photography can teach you to improve your awareness level. --Ansel Adams (1902-1984) American photographer and environmentalist 

This quote reminds me of my literature professor in college, George Colby. We affectionately called him 'Old Man Colby.' I remember him walking into class on the first day and without much introduction writing in large letters on the board, "L = C". He then proceeded to explain to his sleepy, apathetic gathering of nineteen year olds that "Life equals Consciousness." It's a good thing he didn't ask us to finish that equation; I think a few in there might have suggested that life equals cerveza. I really don't remember many lectures from college, but a lot of the things he said to us remain with me today. Something about Old Man Colby got to me. His passion for literature, for ideas, for life -- was infectious. He challenged us to read critically, think deeply, and constantly ask questions. Here it is twenty years later, and now I'm on the other side of the lectern; and Old Man Colby continues to challenge me.

Roan High Knob Shelter

At 6,285 feet, the Roan High Knob Shelter is the highest shelter found along the 2,175 mile Appalachian Trail. It is also known as Fire Warden Cabin as it was originally built to house the fire warden who manned a nearby fire tower (long since removed). Built in 1933, the shelter underwent renovations in 1980 and again in 2003. As AT shelters go, this one is unique (some might even say luxurious) with its two stories and 15 person capacity. Most of the more than 250 back country AT shelters located along the length of the trail are much smaller (usually accommodating only 6 people) and more primitive (with one side open to the elements). To see a map with photographs of AT shelters in this region, click here. To the right are the views of the interior of the cabin (click to enlarge).

UPDATE: For summer photos of the shelter, click here!

Directions: Take Route 19E to the town of Roan Mountain, turn onto Route 143 and travel 12.8 miles to the TN/NC state line (Carver's Gap). On your way up the mountain, you'll pass through the Roan Mountain State Park. Eventually, you leave the state park and enter the national forest. Option 1: Park at Carver's Gap and take the AT approx. 1.5 miles up (heading south on the AT, away from the Balds) -- or (Option 2) turn right at Carver's Gap and continue driving to the Old Cloudland Hotel Site (this road is closed during the winter months). Park at the end of the lot nearest the bathrooms, climb the stairs and venture to your left.  You'll soon run into the AT.  Turn right to hike north on the AT (toward the balds) for a short distance (approx. 1/2 mile) -- on the way you'll pass by an old chimney. The shelter is located one tenth of a mile off the AT on well-marked, blue-blazed trail. Click here for the Google map of the Roan Mountain area.

Roan Radiance

There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its very hollows in snow. It is the still ecstasy of nature, wherein every spray, every blade of grass, every spire of reed, every intricacy of twig, is clad with radiance.
--William Sharp (pseud. Fiona MacLeod) (1855-1905) Scottish Poet

A scene along the Appalachian Trail near the Roan High Knob Shelter.

Like the new banner?! I've been putting off switching from the autumn banner to the winter one. It's hard letting go of Autumn. But it's time to face the chilling reality that winter is upon us. I've enjoyed the snow so far (but not the cold) -- I'm just wondering when I'll be ready to move on to spring. I know I won't have as hard a time letting go of winter as I've had saying goodbye to fall!

the art in you

Life is your art. An open, aware heart is your camera. A oneness with your world is your film. Your bright eyes and easy smile is your museum.
--Ansel Adams (1902-1984) American photographer and environmentalist

surrounded by mystery

I would rather live in a world where my life is surrounded by mystery than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it.
--Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969) American clergyman

When I zoomed in, I liked the lines and abstract nature of what I saw. Even though it's a very small waterfall, it has a lot of interesting detail in its layers of water and rock. This is Clear Fork Falls -- at least that's what I call it. I doubt the falls have an official name. After all, it's only four-feet tall (if that) and was created as a man-made fish barrier to keep non-native rainbow trout from invading the native brook trout populations upstream. Man-made or not, it's still a pretty place to stop along the Unaka Mountain Road to take a photo and be surrounded by mystery!

changes

To exist is to change,
to change is to mature;
To mature is to go on
creating oneself endlessly.
--Henri Bergson (1859-1941) French philosopher

quivering

In every winter's heart there is a quivering spring, and behind the veil of each night there is a smiling dawn.
--Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) Lebanese American writer and philosopher

magical

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event.
--Author Unknown

Above: Unaka Mountain Road. Click here to see a photo of this same stretch of road taken last month.

Even though there was only an inch or two of snow, the road was icy and treacherous. But that didn't stop the dozen or so SUVs, trucks, and one car I saw heading up the mountain in search of a wonderland adventure. It got so icy near Horseback Ridge that we turned around, put it in first and slowly made our descent. I can only imagine that now after more traffic and another thaw/freeze cycle that the road is nearly impassable at the top. They usually close the gate on this road once people start getting stuck or in trouble up there -- glad they didn't have to close it on account of me! If you want to see some snow, I'd head up to Roan Mountain. They usually keep the road to Carver's Gap in pretty good shape.

brilliance

Faith is a light of such supreme brilliance that it dazzles the mind and darkens all its visions of other realities, but in the end when we become used to the new light, we gain a new view of all reality transfigured and elevated in the light itself.
--Thomas Merton (1915-1968) Author and Monk

Above: Terrace View, Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC

Meant to Shine

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
--Marianne Williamson (b. 1952) activist, author and lecturer

Roots of Kindness

No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.
--Amelia Earhart (1897-1937) Aviation pioneer

championship run

God made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.
--Attributed to Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire, the 1981 Academy Award winning film about two British athletes competing in the 1924 Olympics.

This weekend the Appalachian Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship was held at Sycamore Shoals State Park in Elizabethton, TN. Seventy-three men and 58 women from eight colleges competed. Above are the top three finishers (left to right) in the men's 8K race, Wilbourn Kosgei (Montreat College), Austin Ellis (Milligan College), and Wegene Degefa (Milligan College). Kosgei finished the 8K (5 mile) race in just under 26 minutes, averaging 5:13 per mile! Congrats to the Milligan men's and women's cross country teams for winning the overall conference titles! (News release here).

heritage

There are some things which cannot be learned quickly, and time, which is all we have, must be paid heavily for their acquiring. They are the very simplest things and because it takes a man's life to know them the little new that each man gets from life is very costly and the only heritage he has to leave.
--Ernest Hemingway (1898-1961) American Writer

WHEN the Elizabethton Covered Bridge was built in 1882, life was so different from today. We can hardly imagine the daily lives of those who first crossed over this bridge and all the difficulties they encountered. And I wonder, if they were to look in upon our lives, would they recognize themselves in us? As I consider the generations that have crossed over and looked upon this beautiful bridge, I wonder what we share with them. What simple things, what lessons, could we learn today from their lives?

take time

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.
--Elizabeth Lawrence

Above: Seeger Chapel on the campus of Milligan College.

Lacey and Warren

Ahh young love! I recently had the privilege of taking engagement portraits for Lacey and Warren. What a fun-loving, down to earth, absolutely adorable couple! We had so much fun together -- taking a wide variety of shots -- some posed, some romantic, and some just plain silly. But always they were smiling! They were such a pleasure to work with and get to know, so filled with love and joy...and life!

We are most alive when we're in love.
--John Updike (b. 1932) American author

Truman for President

My friends, Will and Kendi, have such an amazing kid. This past spring he was running for 2nd grade president. Each candidate was to write a speech and deliver it to the class prior to the big vote. Here is the text of Truman's brilliant and stirring speech...

I promise that if you vote for me, Truman, as your next class president I will ask the principal if we can have lines drawn on the football field, and I'll ask the teacher if we can have drinks at the drinking fountain for as long as we want to and have unlimited pencil sharpening on Wednesdays and no "power-ups" in four square. Thank you for listening - remember a vote for me is a vote for you!

Ahhhh...what would you give for kid issues?

Above: First Baptist Church, Jonesborough, TN

Buffalo Mountain Fire Revisited

This was my first visit to Buffalo Mountain since the devastating fire last April. The park was closed for a while after the fire in order to clear the trails. From the photo above you can see that Huckleberry Knob is looking pretty bare -- but here we are just five months after the fire and you can see the resilience of the plant life -- ferns, mountain laurel, sassafras and pine trees are springing up through the ashes. In fact, there's actually quite a bit of color to be found there this fall. Click here for trail maps and more information about Buffalo Mountain. Huckleberry Knob is a short walk from the main trail head and offers great views of Johnson City, TN.