Archive for April, 2013

Our World: Biltmore’s Walled Garden

April 29, 2013
Tulips in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina. April 16, 2013.

Tulips in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina. April 16, 2013.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)

This is my post for the Our World meme.  This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Earlier this month Betsy and I visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.  We go several times a year, and this time we hoped to be able to see the tulips in bloom.

As you can see from the picture above, our timing was just about perfect.  There were tulips at the entrance to the estate, but we went on to the Conservatory and Walled Garden.

Tulips in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina. April 16, 2013.

Tulips in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina. April 16, 2013.

The Walled Garden is a formal ornamental garden.  Part of the Walled Garden is a permanent rose garden, but plantings in the remainder of the garden are changed throughout the year.

Biltmore Estate's Walled Garden, Asheville, North Carolina. April 16, 2013.

Biltmore Estate’s Walled Garden, Asheville, North Carolina. April 16, 2013.

After walking through the tulips, Betsy and I walked to a hill where we could look down on the Walled Garden.  In this picture you can see the design of the garden.  The flower beds on the other side of the arbor are mirror images of the beds on this side.

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Posted in Our World | 26 Comments »

More Daffodils from our Yard

April 24, 2013

2013 -- Daffodils II

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

Once Spring decided to stay in the Glade, it didn’t take long for most of our daffodils to bloom.  Both Betsy and I have enjoyed finding new blossoms in the yard each morning.

Orange Progress is the daffodil on the upper left, and Pink Charm is the daffodil on the right.  The daffodils on the lower row are (from left to right) Chromacolor, Mount Hood, and Fortissimo.

We are now enjoying tulips in bloom.  The warmer weather makes it possible for Betsy and I to spend more time working in the yard.  That’s almost as good as going on a hike.

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Posted in Garden | 19 Comments »

Down Memory Lane: Fall Creek Falls

April 22, 2013

2001 -- FCF I

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

April 21 is a special day for Betsy and me.  On April 21, 2001, we had our first ‘big’ date.  On that day we went to Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee.

Our first date was a dinner date on March 29.  We had a couple of other dates after that, but on April 21 we spent the entire date at Fall Creek Falls.  We did a lot of talking and some hiking.

Fall Creek Falls State Park has five major waterfalls — those were the first waterfalls we saw together.  As you might expect,  this was the beginning of our waterfall ‘collection’.

The collage above has some pictures from that first date.  The picture on the upper left is a picture I took of Betsy fairly early in the day along the lake near the park lodge.  On the upper right is a picture of the two of us taken at the base of Cane Creek Cascade.  The bottom row had Fall Creek Falls and Coon Creek falls on the left, and Piney Creek Falls on the right.  In the picture of Betsy showing some leg was taken on the trail to the base of Fall Creek Falls.

Betsy and I have gotten back to Fall Creek Falls almost every April 21, and yesterday was no exception.  As I said, April 21 is a very special day for us.  What was the best part of the day?  I got my first kiss that day.

To see larger versions of these pictures and others from that day, click HERE.

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Posted in American Life | 20 Comments »

Spring Is Busting Out All Over

April 15, 2013

2013 -- Daffodils

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

It took a while, but it looks as if Spring has finally arrived on the Cumberland Plateau.  We finally have daffodil blooming in our yard.  Five of our daffodil varieties are shown in the collage above.

The daffodil on the upper left is Pink Silk, while Spellbinder is on the upper right.  On the bottom I have Breck’s Colossal on the left, Las Vegas daffodil in the middle, and Wild Carnival.

It’s great to be able to work out in the yard and to see these beauties in blooming in the flower beds.

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Posted in Glade | 23 Comments »

Down Memory Lane: Our New House

April 5, 2013

2002 -- New House

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

After Betsy and I got married, we lived in a townhouse she had in Hendersonville, Tennessee.  But we soon began thinking about a home of our own.

We considered many places before deciding on Fairfield Glade here in Tennessee.   Homes in the Glade were fairly affordable, and  the Glade was close enough to my parents in Hendersonville that we could get there if necessary.

Betsy did a great deal of research online, and then called a real estate company that worked in the Glade.  We met him on a Saturday in early August, 2002.  One of the first houses we saw was a ranch house on the golf course.  It had a wrap-around deck in back and three french doors leading from the great room to the deck.  We both fell in love with it almost as soon as we walked in.

We made an offer that very day.  We took possession in October, 2002, and have been happily living here ever since.

The picture of the back of the house on the top left was taken the day we first saw the house.  The picture on the top right shows the front of the house while it was under contract.  The picture on the bottom left is another view of the back taken from the golf course rough behind the house.  The great room in the house is shown on the lower right.  This picture was taken the day we first viewed the house.  Our name went on the mailbox after we moved in.

To see larger versions of these pictures and others, click HERE.

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Posted in Glade | 21 Comments »

Brush Creek Falls

April 3, 2013
Brush Creek Falls, Pipestem Resort State Park, West Virginia. April 23, 2010.

Brush Creek Falls, Pipestem Resort State Park, West Virginia. April 23, 2010.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

As most of you know, Betsy and I enjoy tracking down and visiting waterfalls.  They don’t have to be big or well-known for us to enjoy them.  We visited Brush Creek Falls in April of 2010.  It is located in the Pipestem Resort State Park in West Virginia, but it required some hiking to get to it.

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Posted in Waterfalls | 14 Comments »

Our World: Yaki Point, Grand Canyon

April 1, 2013
The Grand Canyon from Yaki Point. June 16, 2011.

The Grand Canyon from Yaki Point. June 16, 2011.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)

This is my post for the Our World meme.  This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

In June, 2011, Betsy and I visited the Grand Canyon.  It was everything we were told it would be and then some.  I don’t think any picture could do the scene justice, bt we took many anyway.  This picture of the canyon was taken from Yaki Point.

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Posted in Our World | 26 Comments »