Smoky Mountains Vista

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This is a view that Betsy and I enjoyed last month driving along the Foothills Parkway near Maryville, Tennessee.  We were at an overlook looking toward Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Sunrise on Skyline Drive

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There are some advantages to getting up before dawn in order to get on the road early for a trip home.  That is exactly what Betsy and I did when we left Skyland on the Skyline Drive in Virginia for our trip home after celebrating Betsy’s birthday.

Getting up while it is still dark is not my favorite thing to do (I did enough of that before I retired!).  But getting up that early did provide some benefits, one of which was this view of a beautiful sunrise seen from Thorofare Mountain Overlook on Skyline Drive.

Along the Road in New Mexico

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When Betsy and I travel out west we encounter a landscape completely different to the green mountains of Tennessee.  Don’t get me wrong — I think the western landscape is beautiful, but I would probably call it a stark beauty.  We encountered this scene along the road in New Mexico.  September 8, 2017.

Star Struck

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The Star Struck day lily in our yard has one of the largest (and prettiest) blossoms of all our day lilies.  It is always a welcome sight.

Virginia Mountains

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Betsy and I traveled to Skyland, along Skyline Drive in Virginia, to celebrate her birthday.  We’ve been there before, and have always enjoyed the scenery.  This year we enjoyed the mountains so much that we walked to the restaurant for our meals.  This is the scene we enjoyed on our way to breakfast on August 3, 2017.

I Found a Diamond Ring in the Sky

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Fairfield Glade was in the path of totality during the eclipse on August 21, 2017, and Betsy and I were really looking forward to experiencing a total eclipse from our own yard.  The only potential problem was that cloudy skies were expected to move in at about the time the eclipse was to reach totality.

One of the things we were told to look for was the ‘diamond ring’ that occurs when the sun starts to reappear from behind the moon.  The clouds came as expected as you can see in the photo above, but if you use your imagination you can also see a diamond ring.

Preparing for the Eclipse

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Fairfield Glade is in the zone of totality for the solar eclipse on August 21, so we’re all hoping for clear weather on that day.  I’ve been practicing getting photos of the sun in preparation for the big day.  I don’t have a lens long enough to get any details on the surface of the sun, but I’m hoping I’ll be able to get some sharp pictures as the moon passes between earth and the sun.  The picture above is my latest attempt to get a clear picture of the sun.

A Rose About Betsy

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I like it when the roses — and other flowers in our yard — have some connection with Betsy.  This pretty rose is called Something Special, when does a great job of describing my Beautiful Bride.

Paradise?

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What is Paradise like?  I don’t know, but a beautiful beach under a gorgeous blue sky comes pretty darn close in my opinion.  This picture was taken at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, on May 10, 2017.

Fontana Lake

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My Beautiful Bride and truly enjoy driving the back roads, especially when we’re in the mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.  These roads don’t work well when we’re in a hurry or have to be some place at a given time,  The problem is that there is always a wonderful view around the next curve that simply insists we stop and get a picture.

I got this picture of Fontana Lake in North Carolina several years ago while we were driving through the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina.  Fortunately we had time to stop and enjoy the view.

Dogwood Blossom

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The pink dogwood in our yard always presents photographic opportunities when it is in bloom.  I got this picture of a blossom on April 13, 2017.

Mt. Nebo Moon

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Betsy and I enjoy getting up before the crack of dawn when we visit Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas.  That gives us time to get to Sunrise Point in order to see a beautiful sunrise.  One morning this year I got this picture of the moon while we were waiting for the sun to put in an appearance.

Over the Moonbow

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Betsy and I went to Cumberland Falls State Park in Kentucky to celebrate my birthday and, if possible, to see the moonbow which occurs on clear nights with a full moon.  The night we were there was slightly hazy, and a ranger told Betsy that we wouldn’t be able to see anything.

Although we could see the falls in the moonlight, we did not see any sign of a moonbow at all.  But I decided, since we were there, I would do some experimenting with night photography and time exposures.  I took some 15 second exposures at where we thought the moonbow should be, but in camera, everything was black.

I was surprised, when I looked at the photos on my computer to see, although the photo was very dark, a faint moonbow.  I worked on the image in Photoshop and was able to bring out the moonbow a little more.  This image is noisy, but it is proof that there was indeed a moonbow although we couldn’t see it with our naked eyes.

Mossy Tree and the Little Pigeon River

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Sometimes a scene just begs for a picture to be taken.  In mid-January Betsy and I were hiking along the Little Pigeon River in the Greenbrier section of the Smokies.  The day was pleasant, but partly cloudy.  As we got near the bridge over the river leading to Ramsey Cascade Road, the sun came out.  This moss-covered tree on the bank had branches leaning out over the stream, and the light seemed perfect for a photo.  This is the result.

McLeod Plantation, Charleston, SC

Betsy and I visited the McLeod Plantation on James Island, Charleston, South Carolina, over Thanksgiving weekend.  The house and grounds were fascinating, and we enjoyed the beauty and history of the place.