Archive for the ‘Our World’ Category

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Our World: Iris in Our Yard

June 2, 2014
Orange Harvest Iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Orange Harvest iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We’ve been fortunate to have some beautiful iris blooming in our yard this Spring.  Iris are quite easy to care for, and when they have marvelous blossoms they are doubly delightful.  The iris above is Orange Harvest.  It’s easy to see how this iris got its name.

Floor Show iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Floor Show iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Floor Show is a very interesting bicolor iris.  We have it in a couple of different places in our yard.

Hell's Fire iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Hell’s Fire iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Sometimes the blossom is much prettier than the name.  Hell’s Fire is not exactly a name I would pick, but I do like the color.

Electric Shock iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 8, 2014.

Electric Shock iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 8, 2014.

We also have Electric Shock is a couple of places in the yard.  It has a very showy blossom that stands out very well.

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Our World: Strasburg, Virginia

May 12, 2014
Hotel Strasburg, Strasburg, Virginia. April 6, 2014.

Hotel Strasburg, Strasburg, Virginia. April 6, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

In early April Betsy and I visited Strasburg, Virginia.  Strasburg is near the northern terminus of Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park, one of our favorite parts of the country.  Staying in Strasburg gave us the opportunity to do some hiking and exploring in the area.

While in Strasburg we stayed at the Hotel Strasburg (pictured above), which was originally built as a hospital before being converted to a hotel sometime after 1912.  The decor of the hotel is very Victorian.  Betsy has posted more on this neat hotel; you can check out her blog and see some of the interior of the hotel by clicking  HERE.

An old home converted into a bed-and-breakfast, Strasburg, Virginia. April 6, 2014.

An old home converted into a bed-and-breakfast, Strasburg, Virginia. April 6, 2014.

We walked through part of Strasburg on our first evening in town.  Many of the buildings have been renovated and are in wonderful condition.  The home above is now a bed-and-breakfast.

The Dr. F. E. Grove house, Strasburg, Virginia. April 6, 2014.

The Dr. F. E. Grove house, Strasburg, Virginia. April 6, 2014.

The brick turret of the home above caught my attention.  This was the home of Dr. F. E. Grove, and when built around 1910 was the first Strasburg home built with electricity, indoor plumbing and central heat.

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The North Fork of the Shenandoah River, Strasburg, Virginia. April 7, 2014.

German settlers moved into this part of Virginia in the 1740s; the town of Strasburg was chartered in 1761.  The town was located on the bank of the North Folk of the Shenandoah River, a location we visited on a rainy day during our stay.

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Our World: Narrows of the Harpeth

May 5, 2014
Harpeth River, Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, Kingston Springs, Tennessee. April 20, 2014.

Harpeth River, Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, Kingston Springs, Tennessee. April 20, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

My daughter, Kelly, and her husband, Chuck, have an Easter tradition of a picnic lunch.  This year Betsy and I drove to their home in Ashland City where we were able to join them for a very enjoyable day.

After an enjoyable lunch at one of the Metroparks, Kelly and Chuck took us to Narrows of the Harpeth State Park.  Betsy and I had never been there, so it was a wonderful treat.

Map of Bells Bend and Narrows of the Harpeth. (Image from Google Maps).

Map of Bells Bend and Narrows of the Harpeth. (Image from Google Maps).

Narrows of the Harpeth gets its name from the fact that the beginning and end of a seven-mile loop of the river around Bells Bend are within a couple of hundred feet of each other, separated by a high bluff.

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In 1818 Montgomery Bell, a businessman, cut a tunnel through the bluff that separates the two sides of the Narrows of the Harpeth.  This tunnel allowed him to create enough moving water to power a forge which he established on the site.

Kelly and Chuck at the pool where the tunnel empties on the downriver side of the narrows. Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, Kingston Springs, Tennessee. April 20, 2014.

Kelly and Chuck at the pool where the tunnel empties on the downriver side of the narrows. Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, Kingston Springs, Tennessee. April 20, 2014.

The four of us hiked to the downriver side of the tunnel.  There is nothing left of the forge, but a pool into which the water from the tunnel empties provided a wonderful place to sit and enjoy a beautiful day.

 

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Our World: Mt. Magazine

April 28, 2014
Betsy at Signal Hill, Mt. Magazine State Park, Arkansas. February 26, 2014.

Betsy at Signal Hill, Mt. Magazine State Park, Arkansas. February 26, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Betsy and I have been going to Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas for several years. We love ‘our’ cabin on the rim of the mountain and the gorgeous views of the setting sun we get from the back porch.

Geological marker on Mt. Magazine. February 26, 2014.

Geological marker on Mt. Magazine. February 26, 2014.

But we almost always make a trip to nearby Mt. Magazine State Park to enjoy more mountain views and to do some hiking. Mt. Magazine is the highest point in Arkansas, and we’ve hiked to Signal Hill, the highest point, several times.

Patti, Betsy and Neal at an overlook on Mt. Magazine. February 14, 2014.

Patti, Betsy and Neal at an overlook on Mt. Magazine. February 14, 2014.

This year we were able to share Mt. Magazine with our friends Patti and Neal. In addition to hiking with us to Signal Hill, they also enjoyed the views from some of the overlooks around the mountain.

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Our World: Fall Creek Falls

April 21, 2014
Cane Creek Cascade, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2014.

Cane Creek Cascade, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

April 21 is a special day that Betsy and I celebrate each year.  It was on April 21, 2001, that I had my first ‘big’ date with Betsy.  We spent the day at Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee.  We did some hiking and checked out the waterfalls in the park.  That was the beginning of our waterfall ‘collection’.

Fall Creek Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2014.

Fall Creek Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2011.

But what really made the day special was that on that day I got my first kiss from Betsy.

We go back to Fall Creek Falls every April 21 to re-live the magic.  So if you don’t hear from me today, you’ll know where I am.

Piney Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2014.

Piney Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2011.

The pictures in this post were taken on a visit to Fall Creek Falls on April 21, 2011.

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Our World: Spring Puts In An Appearance

April 14, 2014

 

Crocus in our yard, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. March 15, 2014.

Crocus in our yard, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. March 15, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Purple crocus 'volunteers' in front of our house. March 15, 2014.

Purple crocus ‘volunteers’ in front of our house. March 15, 2014.

I was beginning to think that Spring would never make it up on the Cumberland Plateau here in Tennessee. It seemed that every time we had a nice day in March, we would have freezing rain or snow tow days later.

Crocus in bloom. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. March 15, 2014.

Crocus in bloom. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. March 15, 2014.

But in spite of the reluctance of Old Man Winter to leave, we finally had some crocus pop up in the yard. The critters seem to think that crocus bulbs make a delicious treat, so we had mostly single flowers or small clumps of blossoms.

Crocus blossoms, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. March 15, 2014.

Crocus blossoms, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. March 15, 2014.

But be that as it may, at least they brought some color to the yard and a promise of more blossoms to come.

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Our World: ‘Our’ Mt. Nebo Cabin

March 31, 2014
'Our' cabin on Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. February 26, 2014.

‘Our’ cabin on Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. February 26, 2014.

(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.

By now most of you know that Betsy and I visit Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas every year.  Betsy knew about this place before I was in the picture, but It didn’t take her long to introduce me to Mt. Nebo.

We stay at the same cabin each time we go.  ‘Our’ cabin is a one-bedroom stone cabin built by the CCC, although it has been renovated since then.  The cabin has a small but well-equipped kitchen, and the main room has a marvelous fireplace  which we enjoy very much.

The back of 'our' cabin, Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. February 27, 2014.

The back of ‘our’ cabin, Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. February 27, 2014.

The cabin sits near the western rim of the mountain.  It has a small porch in back as well as a patio with a picnic table.  We don’t use the picnic table much since it’s usually still winter when we visit.

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‘Our’ cabin in the light of the setting sun, Mt. Nebo, Arkansas. February 26, 2014.

The cabin is perfectly located for enjoying sunsets in February-March, when the light of the setting sun bathes the cabin in a golden glow.  The back of the cabin gives us a grandstand view.

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Our World: Old Man’s Cave

March 17, 2014
Looking down into the gorge near Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. March 10, 2014.

Looking down into the gorge near Old Man’s Cave, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. March 10, 2014.

(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.

Ice along canyon walls, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. March 10, 2014.

Ice along canyon walls, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. March 10, 2014.

Old Man’s Cave is a recess cave in a gorge in Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park.  Betsy and I have been to the park a couple of times and have enjoyed hiking down to the cave.  The park contains several waterfalls which had very little water when we visited before, so we went back there in early March hoping to find more flowing water.  We found more water, but we also found a great deal of ice, which was unexpected.

Ice along the walls of the gorge, Hocking Hills State Park. March 10, 2014.

Ice along the walls of the gorge, Hocking Hills State Park. March 10, 2014.

The walls of the gorge were covered in ice in many places, which was very beautiful but made it tricky to get down to the floor of the gorge.

A column of ice near Old Man's Cave, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. March 11, 2014.

A column of ice near Old Man’s Cave, Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio. March 11, 2014.

Once I got down to the floor of the gorge, it was fascinating to see the huge columns of ice reaching from an overhang to the base of the cliff.  In the photo above you can even see some blue ice in the column.

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Our World: Setrock Creek Falls

March 3, 2014
Setrock Creek Falls, Yancey County, North Carolina. February 15, 2008.

Setrock Creek Falls, Yancey County, North Carolina. February 15, 2008.

(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.

February is a good month for visiting waterfalls, and since the weather is usually mild (at least in this part of the country) it’s also a good month for hiking.

Setrock Creek Falls, Yancey County, North Carolina. February 15, 2008.

Setrock Creek Falls, Yancey County, North Carolina. February 15, 2008.

These pictures are from my archives.  In February, 2008, Betsy and I visited several waterfalls in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.  Setrock Creek Falls in Yancey County, North Carolina, was one of those waterfalls.

We actually went to the area to visit another waterfall, but when we found the trailhead to Setrock Creek Falls, we couldn’t resist the temptation to make the hike to the falls.

Setrock Creek Falls, Yancey County, North Carolina. February 15, 2008.

Setrock Creek Falls, Yancey County, North Carolina. February 15, 2008.

I’m glad we did.

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Our World: Betsy Got Her Snow!

February 17, 2014
Snow on the trees in the vacant lot next to our house, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 13, 2014.

Snow on the trees in the vacant lot next to our house, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 13, 2014.

(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.

It snowed most of this past Wednesday afternoon and night, and it was Betsy’s ideal snow storm.  When we woke up early Thursday morning snow was clinging to everything, as can be seen in the photo above.

Druid Hills golf course, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 13, 2014.

Druid Hills golf course, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 13, 2014.

The sky cleared a little later in the morning, so we went for a walk.  The contrast between the blue sky and white snow was absolutely gorgeous.  This photo looks up the fairway from behind our house.

The back of our house, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 14, 2014.

The back of our house, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 14, 2014

I had to shoot more toward the sun to get the picture of the back of our house, but I thought it looked pretty in our own Winter Wonderland.

My Happy Bride, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 13, 2014.

My Happy Bride, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 13, 2014.

To say that Betsy was a happy camper is an understatement.  She could barely contain herself!

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