Archive for April, 2010

« Older Entries

SkyWatch Friday: The Moon at Ocean Isle Beach

April 30, 2010

Moonrise at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 8, 2009.

This is my post for Skywatch Friday, a meme for sharing views of the sky from all over the world.  To see more, or to join and share your own photos of the sky, click HERE.

The picture above was taken at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, last year.  We’ve been  treated to a moonrise at the beach for the past two years.  We’re heading down there early tomorrow (Saturday) morning and hope we get to see such a scene again.

This will be my last  post until we get back.  I’ll have my iPod Touch with me and will try to visit as many of you as possible.  Until we get back I hope you all enjoy beautiful sunny days and peaceful star-filled nights.

Tags:, ,
Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 24 Comments »

If You Don’t Like Our Weather, Wait

April 29, 2010

Our side flower bed, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. April 11, 2010.

The picture above was taken a couple of weeks ago.  Almost all of our tulips are now gone, but the iris have started to bloom, so we still have color in our yard.

It’s a fairly common saying that if you don’t like the weather here in Tennessee, stick around for a few minutes — it will change.

We’ve enjoyed some beautiful weather this month.   As a matter of fact we had summer-like temperatures several days ago.  So Betsy and I were shocked when we noticed a freeze watch for our area Tuesday afternoon.  Tuesday was a chilly, rainy day, but it didn’t seem all that cold.  And then we got a text message from our friends Judy and Charlie who were hiking to the lodge atop Mount LeConte in the Smokies just east of here.  They were on the trail, but said it was snowing!

Betsy and I debated covering some of the roses and other flowers, but we knew we couldn’t begin to cover everything.  So we crossed our fingers and decided to hope the weather man was wrong.

Evidently the clouds stuck around longer than expected, because our temperatures stayed in the 40s over night.  Everything in the yard looked fine when we got up Wednesday morning.

And Judy and Charlie?  They woke up Wednesday morning to 8-10 inches of snow on the mountain.  Tennessee is never dull!

Tags:, ,
Posted in Weather | 13 Comments »

Watery Wednesday #85: Ormond Beach Morning

April 28, 2010

Morning at Ormond Beach, Florida. August 7, 2009.

This is my post for Watery Wednesday.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

When Betsy and I were at Ormond Beach in Florida last August we had an ocean-front room and were able to enjoy a sunrise from the balcony.  For a brief moment the sun turned the water a dark red-gold, making a good subject for Watery Wednesday.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Watery Wednesday | 14 Comments »

My World: Sandstone Falls

April 27, 2010

Sandstone Falls, Hinton, West Virginia. April 23, 2010.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

As I mentioned in my last post, Betsy and I visited some waterfalls in southern West Virginia last week.  One of those waterfalls was Sandstone Falls near Hinton, West Virginia.

The picture above shows a part of Sandstone Falls.  The waterfall is not particularly high — there are many that are higher — but it is by far the widest waterfall in West Virginia at over 1,500 feet.

The picture above was taken from the boardwalk at Sandstone Falls.  Although the boardwalk offers many wonderful views of the falls, it is impossible to see the entire falls at once.

Sandstone Falls from the overlook. August 23, 2010.

Later in the day we crossed the river and visited an overlook high on the opposite bank.  This second pictures gives a pretty good indication of the masiveness and power of the water going over the falls.

Tags:, ,
Posted in My World | 8 Comments »

Get Any Bites?

April 26, 2010

Fisherman at Sandstone Falls on the New River, West Virginia. April 23, 2010.

When I saw this fisherman last Friday, I immediately thought of my friend the Fishing Guy.  FG is quite a fisherman living up in northeastern Ohio, although I’m not sure he has quite this backdrop at his favorite fishing holes.

Betsy and I were at Sandstone Falls on the New River Gorge National River.  We had driven up to southern West Virginia to spend a couple of days seeing waterfalls in an area we had visited before.

This picture shows just a very small portion of Sandstone Falls.  The falls is not high, but it is spectacular, extending all the way across the very broad river.

I’m sure Betsy or I will be posting more pictures of Sandstone Falls in the future.  But I hope FG will someday have the opportunity to fish the New River at Sandstone.  I can’t guarantee a great catch, but I can guarantee some fantastic scenery.

Tags:,
Posted in Waterfalls | 8 Comments »

Skywatch Friday: Cresent Moon

April 23, 2010

Crescent Moon in the evening sky, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. April 18, 2010.

This is my post for Skywatch Friday, a meme for sharing views of the sky from all over the world.  To see more, or to join and share your own photos of the sky, click HERE.

Last Sunday (April 18) evening I was outside putting things away as it was getting dark and I noticed this crescent moon up in the sky.  Naturally I had to grab my camera and get a picture to share with you.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 9 Comments »

Return to Fall Creek Falls

April 22, 2010

George Hole, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2010.

As I mentioned yesterday that we would do, Betsy and I went back to Fall Creek Falls State Park (about an hour from our home) to celebrate the ninth anniversary of our date there.  We essentially retraced the steps of that magical day in 2001.

One of the places we visited that day was the green area pictured above.  Back in 2001 it didn’t have a name, but a last year a sign appeared calling it ‘George Hole’.  I have no idea how that name came about, but who am I to argue?

In the afternoon of April 21, 2001, after a day of hiking and visiting waterfalls, Betsy and I spread out a blanket in about the middle of this picture and I proceeded to show her an album of photos from my year in China.  We looked at those pictures, talked about my experiences and some other things.  It was about then that I got that first kiss.

The best part of the day. April 21, 2010.

We didn’t have a blanket with us yesterday, but I did get that kiss!

Tags:, ,
Posted in Betsy | 9 Comments »

Watery Wednesday #84: Fall Creek Falls

April 21, 2010

Fall Creek Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2008.

This is my post for Watery Wednesday.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

The picture above, of Fall Creek Falls here in Tennessee, was taken in 2008.  If you’ve visited here for any length of time,  you know that Fall Creek Falls State Park is the absolute favorite park for Betsy and me.

I’m posting this picture on Watery Wednesday because April 21 is the anniversary of our first ‘big’ date back in 2001.  We spent the day there talking, hiking, seeing waterfalls and getting to know each other.  That day was also memorable because that was when I got my first kiss from Betsy.

We’ve gone back to Fall Creek Falls every year to enjoy the magic and we’ll be going back again today.  Who knows, I might even get another kiss!

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Watery Wednesday | 11 Comments »

My World: Tiptoeing Through the Tulips

April 20, 2010

Tulips in our side flower bed, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. April 11, 2010.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Well, we didn’t tip-toe through the tulips, but rather alongside them.  We’ve had some beautiful tulips this spring, many of them in a flower bed that Betsy and I built along the side of the house.  We also had a few tulips in the front of the house.

The weekend cold front has passed through without any frost in our area, for which we are grateful.  So I was able to return to regular Spring chores in the yard.  The cooler weather didn’t slow down the grass, so I got to mow the grass in addition to the other chores in the yard.

It’s a good thing exercise is healthy because all of the beauty of Spring also means there is always something that needs to be done in the yard.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in My World | 13 Comments »

April Is An Interesting Month

April 19, 2010

Pink dogwood in our front yard, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. April 14, 2010.

April is an interesting month, although not always in a good way.  You know how April showers bring May flowers?  Well, we’ve had practically no rain at all this month.  I’m still hoping for May flowers,  however.

We had summer-like temperatures for most of last week.  We didn’t use the air-conditioner, but we did have the house open and fans running.  So you can imagine our shock and surprise when we got home from running some errands on Saturday afternoon to discover that a frost advisory had been issued for the Plateau.  We moved our container roses into the garage just to be on the safe side.  Fortunately we didn’t have any frost and so we moved them back out yesterday.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m not complaining.  We’ve had beautiful weather and beautiful flowers.  Our pink dogwood tree (above) is about as pretty as it has been since we moved here.

I am finding, however, that I must be slowing down with old age as it seems to take me longer and longer to do everything that needs to be done outside.  So If these postings become a little more sporadic than they’ve been in the past, rest assured that it is because the weather has been good and I have been working outside.  I haven’t forgotten about you and will endeavor to keep up as best as I can.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Weather | 14 Comments »

« Older Entries