Thorofare Gap

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When My Beautiful Bride and I are on Skyline Drive (or the Blue Ridge Parkway) we never make quick progress since we stop at most of the overlooks we pass.  But the views of the mountains and the sky always seem to beg for some attention.  This picture was taken this past August at the Thorofare Gap Overlook on Skyline Drive in Virginia

Looking Back: Autumn Color Along the Cherohala Skyway

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I’m afraid that the heat and drought of the past couple of months will mean that there won’t be much autumn color in or mountains this year.  That won’t stop us from looking for the colors of autumn, however.  I got this picture along the Cherohala Skyway several years ago.

O Shenandoah

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Betsy and I celebrated Betsy’s birthday this year by going up to Virginia along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyland Drive.  One of our favorite places when we are in that part of Virginia is Skyland Resort, which is right on Skyline Drive.  From the balcony of our room we were able to look down into the Shenandoah Valley.  This is the view we had one of the mornings we were there.

Lake Abbott

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Betsy and I celebrated her birthday this year at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.  This is the view we had from our room of beautiful Lake Abbott.

Mother of Pearl Rose

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I’m beginning to think that it is unwise of Betsy and me to visit the Walled Garden at the Biltmore Estate.  When we were there in May we saw this beautiful rose — Mother of Pearl.  Now we’re trying to find a place for it in our yard!

Sempervivum Flower

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We have sempervivum (hen and chickens) in several places around our yard.  We like them because they are always green, regardless of the weather or season (‘sempervivum’ means ‘always alive’).  One thing we didn’t know was that the hens, just before they die out and are replaced by chickens, flower.  The flowers are small and delicate, but still beautiful.  I got this photo of a flowering hen in out front yard.

Cane Creek

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Several years ago Betsy and I were sitting on a rock along Cane Creek in Fall Creek Falls State Park between the cascade and the waterfall.  The creek wasn’t very deep, but the water was rushing over and around boulders and ledges.  I tried to capture all that frenetic action, and this is the result.