Gibbon Falls

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Betsy and I so enjoyed our first trip out west in 2011 that we took another trip in 2012.  This time our ultimate destination was Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.

Back then we both could still hike, and we; were still actively seeking waterfalls to add to our ‘collection’.  We were delighted to discover that Yellowstone contained several waterfalls.  And the nice thing was that the first waterfall we visited required very little hiking.  Gibbons Falls was practically along the side of the road and we happily added it to out collection of visited waterfalls.

 

 

 

 

 

Cades Cove

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Betsy and I went to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park earlier this month as part of her birthday celebration,  I got this picture of the mountains and the cloud-filled sky at a overlook on the Cades Cove loop.

 

 

 

 

Niagara River

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Betsy and I visited Niagara Falls in August, 2002.  Although we spent most of our time o the Canadian side of the river, we did cross over into the United States on one day.  We visited Niagara Falls State Park and viewed the American Falls.  We also walked over to Goat Island, which is between the two falls.  While on Goat Island I got this picture of the Niagara River with the Canadian skyline in the background.

A July Evening Sky

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One advantage to living along a golf course is that we can walk out the back yard and get a clear view of the sky.  Often the sky is beautiful, as it was on a July evening when the setting sun turned clouds (and jet contrails) to red.

 

 

Morning on the Golf Course

 

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For several years after I retired Betsy and I would get up early in the morning so we could walk the golf course behind our house before the golfers were on the course.It wasn’t always ely to get up at the crack of dawn, but we persisted.  Besides, the Druid Hills golf course was beautiful and very peaceful at that early hour.

I got this picture one morning as the sun started to pop up over the mountains to the east of us.  What a way to start the day! 

 

 

 

Indian Creek Falls

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Indian Creek Falls is a pretty little waterfall on the North Carolina side of the Smokies,,near the Deep Creek campground.  Betsy ands I visited Indian Creek Falls a few times over the years.  I used software on this picture of the waterfall to make the image .look more like a painting.

The Abyss

 

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The Grand Canyon is certainly grand!  Every view point offers a different view of the amazing canyon.  I got this photo of the Abyss when we visited in 2011. 

 

 

Before the Deer

 

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For the first ten years or so we lived here in the Glade, we had beautiful roses in our front yard.  We had a rose bed along the street in from of our house and other rose beds on each side of the driveway.  The roses did very well and bloomed beautifully. People would often stop at the house to admire them.

Then the deer moved in.

Now the only roses that bloom are in containers on the deck.  Most of the roses in the from yard were replaced by iris, which deer don’t like.  The front yard looks very dull during much of the year, but at least we have pictures to remember what it used to look like.

 

 

Byrd Lake

 

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We are fortunate to have Cumberland Mountain State Park near us — just outside the Crossville city limits.

The park was established by the federal government is 1938 and the Civilian Conservation Corp began construction on the park’s structures.  The biggest structure at the park was the stone brigand dam that fired Byrd Lake.  That bridge, in fact, was the largest structure made by the CCC.   Cumberland Mountain became a Tennessee state park in 1940;

I got the above picture while walking along a portion of Byrd Lake . 

 

Azalea Blossoms

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My Beautiful Bride and I went to Biltmore for our annual Spring visit.  Unfortunately many of the azaleas at Biltmore had already bloomed out.  Fortunately we still have azalea in our yard that are still putting on a show.

 

Memories of Fall Creek Falls

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April  21, 2001, was a very special day for me.  On that day Betsy and I went to Fall Creek Falls state Park here in Tennessee.  We very much enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the waterfalls in the park.  It was here that we began our quest to visit as many waterfalls as possible, and we visited several hundred over the following years.

But as exciting as that was, even more exciting was that it was at Fall Creek Falls that I got my first kiss from Betsy.  Now that is a cause for celebration.

I got this picture of My Beautiful Bride in 2013.  We were walking along Cane Creek when she noticed this log and decided it would make a good spot to enjoy the scenery.

 

 

 

Whitewater Falls

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For many years after we were married (when we were young enough and healthy enough to hike), Betsy and I would ‘collect’ waterfalls — trying to visit as many as we could.  We both are relegated to walkers nowadays, but we have pictures and memories which allow us to keep enjoying ‘our’ waterfalls.

One of our favorite waterfalls is Whitewater Falls in South Carolina.  We’v visited it several times over the years.  I got the picture I used to create this poster back in 2014.  I hope you like it. 

 

 

Betsy at Petit Jean

 

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When Betsy and I went to Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas, we worked in visits to two other state parks— Petit Jean State Park (usually on our way to Mt. Nebo) and Mount Magazine (one ay during our stay at Mt. Nebo).  I got this picture of Betsy at Petit Jean when we visited Petit Jean last year. 

 

 

 

Grand Canyon at Hopi Point

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In 2011 Betsy and I were both retired and we had the time to do some traveling.  That year we made our first trip out west.  One of the highlights of that trip was our visit to the Grand Canyon.

We spent most of three days driving along the canyon and hiking the rim.  (We weren’t brave enough to hike down into the canyon!).  The views from the overlooks were spectacular, and we both took many pictures.  Above is a view of the canyon from Hopi Point, taken on our second day at the park.

 

 

 

 

Our Mt. Nebo Cabin

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We stayed in the same cabin every time we went to Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas.  The cabin is on the top of the mountain and offers a perfect view of the sunset in February.  I took a picture of the cabin and then used software to convert the photo into a line art image.  This is the result.

 

 

 

Someone Really Enjoys Snow

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Someone (who shall remain nameless) was disappointed that we got very little snow from the storm that came through here last weekend..  We got plenty of wind and cold temperatures, but very little snow.  I had to go back into my archives to get a picture of that happy someone celebrating snow.  I really don’t like snow, but she’s so cute that I couldn’t resist getting a picture.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Betsy Enjoying the Sunset

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When we go to Mt. Nebo in Arkansas, we stay in ‘our’ cabin where we can enjoy the sunsets from the back of the cabin.  I got this picture of Betsy enjoying the sunset last March..