Fort Stedman

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This is another picture from our trip to Virginia in 2007. I should have posted it before I posted yesterday's picture, but I didn't.

This picture was taken near Petersburg, Virginia, and shows Fort Stedman, a part of the Union siege line. Fort Stedman was attacked by the Army of Northern Virginia on March 25, 1865. The attack was the last serious attempt by Confederate troops to break the siege. The attack ultimately failed.

The Surrender Room

When Betsy and I were in Virginia in 2007, we stopped at Appomattox Court House, the site of Robert E. Lee's surrender to Ulysses S. Grant. This is the room in the MacLean House in which the two met. Robert E. Lee sat at the table on the left, while U. S. Grant sat at the table on the right.

Double Delight Rose

I am often asked what rose is my favorite, and I always have a hard time with that question. But if I had to choose I would probably say Double Delight. Double Delight has a wonderful fragrance and lots of blooms (hence the name). The white and pink blooms mature to pale yellow and strawberry red.

Coker Creek Falls

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The second waterfall in the Coker Creek Scenic Area is Coker Creek Falls. It is another small waterfall, but it's possible to get close. An ideal place to spend a hot summer day.

Upper Coker Creek Falls

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The Coker Creek Scenic Area of the Hiawassee Ranger District of the Cherokee National Forest here in Tennessee contains four small waterfalls. This is the first, Upper Coker Creek Falls. The rhododendron are almost as pretty as the falls.

Cades Cove

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Betsy and I were at Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Thursday when I snapped this picture. Visiting Cades Cove is like stepping back in time.

Brigadoon Rose

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Another new rose for us this year is Brigadoon. Brigadoon is a pink blend, with dark pink edges and a light pink and yellow center. The fragrance is a little unusual -- sometimes it is strong, but at other times it isn't. But we think it is pretty all the time.

Brigadoon was an All America Rose Selection in 1992.

Indian Creek Falls

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Since Betsy and I were in the Smokies yesterday, I decided to share this waterfall with you today. Indian Creek Falls is one of the lesser-known falls in the Smokies. It's in the Deep Creek area on the North Carolina side of the park.

Clouds on Fire

Wednesday was a cloudy day here on the Plateau. We got a little rain off and on during the day, but by and large it was just a dreary day.

But clouds aren't always bad. Clouds at sunset can lead to some fascinating colors, as shown by the picture above.

Lilies in the Sun

Most of our lilies have finished blooming for the year, but they sure were pretty while they lasted. This was the view from our kitchen window.

Eye-Yi-Yi Daylily

The beautiful daylily above, Eye-Yi-Yi, is on the side of our driveway near the garage and has been putting on quite a show. I can see this daylily from my computer and it brightens the morning whenever a new blossom opens up.

Moon in a Blue Sky

The picture above was taken back in January, but I like the moon in the blue sky and decided to share it with you. The picture was taken on a hike on Black Mountain near Crab Orchard, Tennessee.

Elizabeth Taylor Rose

Elizabeth Taylor is a new rose to our garden this year. It is a beautiful pink rose with a slight spice fragrance.

Lower Potter Falls

This waterfall is located near the town of Wartburg, Tennessee. A short hike through the woods led us to this pretty little falls. It was a very refreshing place to visit on a hot summer afternoon.

Gold Band Lilies

We have many nice lilies in our yard, and that variety allows us to enjoy lily blossoms for several weeks. Right now we're enjoying these Gold Band Lilies. Gold Band is a true lily with large, white flowers which have golden markings running down the center of each petal. Gold Band flowers have a strong fragrance.

Icicles for a Hot Day

When Betsy and I were at Mt. Nebo, Arkansas, in March of this year, we had an ice storm one night. We woke up to these icicles on the eaves of our cabin. It's so hot here in Tennessee now that I thought this picture would be a good way to make it seem cooler.

Love and Peace Rose

The rose above is another rose in our garden. We got Love and Peace in 2008. It has a fruity fragrance, but the feature we like most is the golden flowers edged with pink. It quickly became one of our favorite roses.

Rhododendron Blossoms (2)

This past Friday Betsy and I met my son at the Pink Beds Picnic Area in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. We were pleasantly surprised to find rhododendron in bloom -- our rhododendron bloomed out several weeks ago. It was nice to see these pretty blossoms.

Western North Carolina Mountains

Friday was a very cloudy day in western North Carolina; we even had a shower in the afternoon. But in spite of the clouds (or maybe because of them) the mountains were still majestic. The picture above was taken at an overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mount Pisgah.

Strawberry Candy Daylily

We've been enjoying our lilies and daylilies. They both have put on a show this year. The beauty above is Strawberry Candy. I must admit that to me it looks good enough to eat.

Sweet Branch Falls

Sometimes you need to look carefully in order to find a waterfall. Sweet Branch Falls does not have a large water flow, but it is certainly interesting with the jumble of rocks along its course. The waterfall is along the side of the road near Robbinsville, North Carolina, but there are no signs to let you know the waterfall is there.

Mister Lincoln Rose

One of our favorite roses is Mister Lincoln. Mister Lincoln is one of the first roses we got, and as you can see it's a beautiful, velvety red rose. What you can't do is smell its incredible fragrance.

Great Falls

Rock Island State Park is one of the smaller parks in Tennessee, but it contains three main waterfalls. I've pictured Twin Falls from the park HERE and HERE.

The photo above is of Great Falls in the park. Great Falls was greater before a dam was built upstream. At one time Great Falls was the widest cataract in Tennessee. It's not as wide now, but it is still pretty.

Glowing Peace Rose

We finally got some much-needed rain yesterday afternoon, which should help the lawn and flowers. One of the flowers it will help is this rose -- Glowing Peace. We've had this rose in our garden for a couple of years.

Liberty Bell

I started a new job in November, 2000, and was sent to Dover, Delaware, for training. One weekend I went to Philadelphia and there saw the Liberty Bell. This photo seems appropriate for this holiday weekend.

Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums

Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drums seem to me to be a perfect visual for the Fourth of July. They play instruments and tunes from our Revolutionary War period and their uniforms reflect that time period as well.

I hope you're having a wonderful Fourth of July weekend.

Home, Sweet Home

This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago and shows the front of our house from the road. It's not the fanciest house on the street, but we think it's just perfect.

Bama Bound Daylily

Betsy does like our daylilies -- she posted about them yesterday. But she didn't mention the problem she has with this particular daylily. It is very beautiful and has a fantastic color. But the name -- Bama Bound -- is just too much for my beautiful bride, a die-hard University of Tennessee Vol fan!

Gemini Rose

We have many pretty roses in our yard, but one of the prettiest is Gemini. It is a prolific rose with a nice form, beautiful color, and a light fragrance.