Honey Glazed Iris

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It's been been cold and wet (but not snowing) on the Plateau, and I felt the need for something to cheer things up. This photo, from late April, is of Honey Glazed Iris, a bright spot in our yard.

The Great Wall

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While walking on the Great Wall in 1990, I spotted the ruins of a watchtower a little below where I was standing. Those ruins did a good job of depicting the history and age of the Great Wall.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Color Guard at Fort George

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The picture above shows the Color Guard of British Fort George carrying off the Union Jack after lowering the flag. Fort George is an 1812-era fort at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.

Cane Creek Cascade

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Cane Creek Cascades is one of the waterfalls in Tennessee's Fall Creek Falls State Park. It's possible to access a rock shelf adjacent to the brink of the 45-foot drop. I think the water drops look like jewels as the creek begins its plunge.

Merry Christmas To All

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The picture above was taken about a week ago from our back yard, looking at our Christmas tree through the door leading out to the deck.

Betsy and I will be taking a long weekend from blogging to have time to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. We'll be back Monday, but in the meantime we want to wish you and your family a very merry and blessed Christmas.

Tahitian Sunset Rose

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I was covering some of the roses in the garden this afternoon to get them through the winter. That made me think think about some of the beautiful blossoms we had this year. Tahitian Sunset has large, beautiful, long-lasting blossoms that are a joy to behold.

More Autumn Color

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Although much of this area was blanketed with snow this past weekend, I want to share a photo made this past October. We drove the Cherohala Skyway over the mountains from North Carolina to Tennessee and saw some of the most glorious autumn colors imaginable.

Niagara Fall Up Close and Personal

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I was able to get this picture of Bridal Veil Falls while on the Cave of the Winds tour on Goat Island while visiting the American Falls at Niagara. I only had one chance to get a picture without drenching my camera.

Plateau Sunset

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We're blessed with some beautiful sunsets on this part of the Plateau here in Tennessee. The picture above was taken from the golf course fairway behind our house. It was taken this past September when there were still leaves on the trees. The next morning should have been nice since we had such a beautiful red sky at night.

Juyongguan Pass

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The first glimpse of the Great Wall that I saw was at Juyongguan Pass north of Beijing. In 1987, when this photo was taken, not much was left of the wall except the gate upon which I was standing when I took this picture of the pass through the mountains. Much of the wall in this area has been reconstructed since then.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Mero Star Lily

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It's cold and we're being threatened with rain, sleet or snow for the next 48 hours. Winter is definitely trying to put in an appearance, but I need a reminder of this past summer's color. Mero Star is another of the lilies in our yard.

Northrup Falls

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Northrup Falls is a pretty little waterfall about an hour north of our home. It's possible to hike from this vantage point down into the gorge and behind the waterfall. It's a great hike any time of the year.

Evergreen in the Snow

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We had a light snowfall earlier this month. It wasn't nearly enough to make Betsy happy, but it was enough for me to get this picture.

Mardi Gras Tulip

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Even though Winter hasn't officially begun, I'm already thinking about Spring. More properly I'm thinking about Spring flowers and the color they bring. We don't have much color in the yard right now.

Western North Carolina Mountains

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Betsy and I got back Saturday from our trip to visit waterfalls in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina. The picture above was taken in October of this year at the Yellow Face Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

Niagara River

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The Niagara River below the falls is almost hypnotic as the water rushes between the walls of the gorge and over around boulders in the stream.

Broadway Lily

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After several gray and rainy days here in the Glade, I felt the need to see some color. Broadway Lily is one of the lilies we had blooming in our yard this year. It is the only pink lily that we have.

The Sinks

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The Sinks in the Smokies is where Little River drops 10 feet over sandstone bedrock. There is a large, natural pool below the cascades which is a popular summer swimming hole.

Fort Niagara

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Fort Niagara is an American fort built on the Niagara River to protect against an invasion by the British from Canada during the War of 1812. This picture was taken from Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Fort George was built by the British to protect against an invasion by the Americans.

The Great Wall at Badaling

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The most visited portion of the Great Wall is the Badaling section near Beijing. It was the first section to be opened to tourists. The gate at Badaling is in the lower left-hand portion of the picture above. The picture was taken in 1987 when I hiked up the south section of the wall from the gate. When I returned in 1990 I hiked up the north section to the watch tower in the top center.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Veterans Honor Rose

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Veterans Honor is the last of the roses from our garden this year. This is another picture that was made in the Spring, although the rose itself was blooming in October. Veterans Honor doesn't have much of a fragrance, but it's beautiful red color makes it one of Betsy's favorites.

Remembering Autumn Colors

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Yesterday's post showed a little autumn color at the bottom of the picture, but the autumn color we enjoyed as we drove the Cherohala Skyway was so spectacular that I just had to share another photo.

Autumn Moon -- Autumn Color

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I took this picture in late October here in Tennessee on the Cherohala Skyway, a road over the mountains between Robbinsville, North Carolina and Tellico Plains, Tennessee.

I really like the moon in the blue sky. The autumn color of the trees looks rather nice as well.

Wesner Bald Overlook

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The Blue Ridge Parkway is a part of the National Park System and is sometimes called "America's Favorite Drive". It is also one of America's most beautiful drives. The picture above was taken in late October at Wesner Bald Overlook in North Carolina.

Whisper Rose

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The picture above of Whisper was taken in the Spring, but I brought in the last bud from this rose on Monday. I guess that's not too bad for the last day of November!

Morning Rush Hour

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The picture above of morning rush hour traffic in Beijing was taken during my trip to China in 1987. At that time the bicycle was the principle means of transportation for ordinary Chinese. The vendors in the background are selling breakfast foods. I guess they are the Chinese version of Macdonalds!

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Orange Leaves and Blue Sky

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The leaves are long gone, but they were so beautiful that I had to share another picture. This tree is behind our house and the sky was absolutely gorgeous on the day I took the picture.

The Flag and Blue Skies

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The picture above was taken last month when we had some beautiful blue skies here on the Plateau here in Tennessee. But it somehow seems to be an appropriate photo to share on this Thanksgiving Day.

Entrance to the Ming Tombs

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The Ming Tombs near Beijing contain the tombs of thirteen of the sixteen Ming Dynasty emperors. Construction of the tombs started in 1409 and ended with the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. The stone archway above is at the southern entrance to the tombs and was built in 1540.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

American Falls at Niagara

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In August, 2002, Betsy and I visited Niagara Falls and took a cruise on the Maid of the Mist to the base of the two falls. This was the view of the American Falls as we approached it on the boat.

A Stone Guard on the Shen Dao

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One of the places I visited in 1987 on my first trip to China was the Ming Tombs. Thirteen of the sixteen Ming dynasty emperors are buried in a box canyon near Beijing. The entrance to the tombs (a shen dao or spirit way) is lined with guardian animals and officials. This fierce fellow was one of the guards along the shen dao.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Rutledge Falls

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Rutledge Falls, near Tullahoma, Tennessee, is on private property, but the owner has graciously made access available to the public. It is a very pretty waterfall that we were happy to add to our collection.

Spellbound Rose

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We've had Spellbound Rose for a couple of years. It's a beautiful rose with a slight fragrance. Although the picture above was taken in the spring, I brought in a Spellbound bud for Betsy last week.

Remembering Autumn Colors

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The colors were so brilliant last month when Betsy and I came home along the Cherohala Skyway that I couldn't resist posting this picture. This was taken at an overlook in North Carolina.

I've Been There

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President Obama made the news on Wednesday by visiting the Great Wall at Ba Da Ling, near Beijing. News reports say that he walked to the third tower on the wall.

The wall was closed while the President was there, but the picture above, taken in 1987, is from the third tower at Ba Da Ling. There were a few more people on the wall when I was there.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

A Street Sweeper in Beijing

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I went to China for the first time in 1987 as part of a group of professors from Heidelberg College. We spent our first night in Beijing at the Friendship Hotel. I was up early the next morning and found this street sweeper with her broom sweeping the driveway in front of the hotel. For some reason the sight of her convinced me that I really was in China.

The picture above was scanned from a slide.

Rio Samba Rose

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One of the more colorful roses we have in our yard is Rio Samba. Although the picture above was taken in May, the rose was still blooming last week.

Floor Show Iris

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My parents have grown iris for about as long as I can remember. I've always enjoyed their showy display, and now Betsy and I have them growing in our yard. But in addition to the regular varieties of iris, we also have some reblooming iris. That means we get to enjoy them twice each season. The picture of Floor Show above was taken in late October.

Ruins Along The Wall

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This picture was taken in 1990, when I visited the Great Wall at Badaling (near Beijing) for the second time. I climbed in the opposite direction from my first visit and from a watch tower I got this view of the intact portion of the wall going down hill toward a section in ruins. I'd like to go back and see if this portion of the wall has been reconstructed.

Bridal Veil Falls (Niagara), Part 2

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In the picture I posted yesterday of Bridal Veil Falls at Niagara, it's possible to see the rails of steps leading up to the falls. The picture above was taken from those steps. As you can see, we got quite close to the falls. Fortunately, rain slickers were provided!

Bridal Veil Falls (Niagara)

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This picture of Bridal Veil Falls, a smaller falls adjacent to the American Falls at Niagara. We were on The Cave of the Winds tour which took us to the base of this waterfall and then up the steps you can see in the picture. As you can tell from the water spots, it was a little wet when viewing the falls from this perspective.

A Different View of Hurricane Falls

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In June Betsy and I went to Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia. While there I hiked down to the floor of the gorge to the base of Hurricane Falls. The trail down led to a suspension bridge over the river directly above Hurricane Falls. I took the picture above looking down the falls, a perspective I usually don't get when visiting a waterfall.

Radiant Perfume Rose

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Although it's November, we're still enjoying roses in our yard. Most of the bushes are without leaves now, but some are still blooming. So I think I'll be able to continue bringing in a rose for Betsy for a few more days.

This picture of Radiant Perfume rose was taken earlier this year. The picture gives an indication of how pretty Radiant Perfume is, but in addition it is as fragrant as the name implies.

Niagara River Above the Falls

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This picture was taken on Goat Island, between the American and Canadian falls at Niagara. The mist in the upper right-hand corner of the picture is from the Canadian (Horseshoe) Falls.

Harvest Moon

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I haven't had a great deal of success when it comes to getting pictures of the moon, but that hasn't kept me from trying. Last week we had a beautiful full moon, so I tried again.

Cades Cove

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One of the most popular areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Cades Cove. The Cove has been preserved by the park to look much the same way it looked in the 1800's. Once home to a small mountain community, Cades Cove today has original pioneer homesteads, barns, businesses, pastures and farmland -- as well as whitetail deer and black bears.

Upper Nebo Falls

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Betsy and I really enjoy visiting waterfalls. There is something very spiritual about a hike through the woods to find a waterfall. The sight and sound of running water is cleansing to mind and soul. It doesn't matter if the waterfall is big with a huge volume of water or small with only a trickle. It doesn't matter if we're seeing a waterfall for the first time or if we've been there before. We've visited Upper Nebo Falls several times and I'm sure we'll go back again the next time we visit Mount Nebo in Arkansas.

Pink Peace Rose

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This is another rose from our garden. Pink Peace is bred from Peace and has very large, silvery pink blossoms. Pink Peace is very prolific and also extremely fragrant.

Middle Desoto Falls

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One nice thing about visiting waterfalls is the hike that it often involved in getting to the waterfall. In August we visited Desoto Falls Scenic Area in Georgia and hiked to Middle Desoto Falls. The falls, and the setting, were very peaceful and tranquil.

Snaking Across the Mountains

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The picture above was scanned from a slide made in 1990. I was on the Great Wall and had hiked to a watch tower at the top of a pass from which I could see the wall snaking across the mountains for as far as the eye could see. It would have been fun to go further along the wall, but I had to head back down to the gate from which I started.