Down Memory Lane: Burgess Falls

May 26, 2014

2001 -- Burgess Falls

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

Betsy and I had our first ‘big’ date at Fall Creek Falls in late April, 2001.  That was the beginning of our waterfall ‘collection’.

The next additions to our collection came about a month later.  We went to Burgess Falls State Park near Cookeville, Tennessee.  This park, which is only about an hour from our present home in Fairfield Glade, contains three waterfalls, and we hiked along the river to all three.

The collage above shows some scenes from that visit to Burgess Falls.  The picture on the upper left shows the Falling Waters River above the three falls.  The other picture on the top shows Burgess Falls — the main waterfall in the park — as we hiked down to the base.

The picture on the bottom left shows Betsy enjoying the mist at the base of Burgess Falls.  Next is a view of the brink of Burgess Falls, followed by a side view of the falls as we hiked to the base.

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

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Posted in American Life | 15 Comments »

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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Posted in Our World | 20 Comments »

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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Posted in Our World | 22 Comments »

Young Love

May 2, 2014

Mom'38

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

When Dad passed away last December, I found this picture of my mother in his wallet.  From the worn condition of the photo, I couldn’t help but wonder how often Dad pulled it out to look at it.

I had never seen this picture before, and while the writing on the back was badly faded, I’m pretty sure it was a senior photo taken in 1938.  Dad first met Mom in 1937 when he was in the CCC at a camp near her hometown.

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I had seen the picture above of Dad before.  It was a photo taken in December, 1938, and given to my mother.  I now suspect it was a gift to her in exchange for the picture she gave him.

Mom died in 2011, but today would have been her 94th birthday.  Mom and Dad  were married on May 5, 1940.

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Posted in Family | 19 Comments »

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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Posted in Our World | 18 Comments »

Down Memory Lane: Atlanta, 2001

April 24, 2014

2009 -- Atlanta

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

In early June, 2001, Betsy and I were invited to the wedding of the son of one of Betsy’s childhood friends in Atlanta. We were invited to the rehearsal dinner as well the wedding itself, so we spent the weekend in Atlanta.

We took advantage of some free time on Saturday to visit Stone Mountain Park. I had been there a couple of times before, but it was fun exploring the park with Betsy. We took the gondola to the top of Stone Mountain to enjoy the view, and later visited the covered bridge and old mill in the park. That evening we attended the wedding and reception.

The collage above contains pictures from our weekend. Betsy is striking a fetching pin-up pose on the top of Stone Mountain in the picture on the top left, while the top right shows the water wheel of the old mill. The covered bridge is shown on the lower left, while Betsy is beautifying a rock in front of the iconic Stone Mountain carving in the lower middle. The picture of us on the right was taken that night at the reception.

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

 

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Posted in Travels | 15 Comments »

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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Posted in Our World | 20 Comments »

Skywatch Friday: Mountains and Sky

April 18, 2014
The view from Signal Knob Overlook on Skyline Drive, Virginia. April 8, 2014.

The view from Signal Knob Overlook on Skyline Drive, Virginia. April 8, 2014.

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

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.

Earlier this month Betsy and I were in Virginia, and we drove along the northern end of Skyline Drive on a beautiful morning.  When we stopped at the Signal Knob Overlook, I got this panorama of the view we enjoyed.  The sky, mountains and valley combined to give us a gorgeous view.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 18 Comments »

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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Posted in Our World | 17 Comments »

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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Posted in Our World | 16 Comments »

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