Scenic Sunday #96: Calabash, North Carolina

May 16, 2010

Calabash, North Carolina, waterfront. May 3, 2010.

This is my post for the Scenic Sunday meme, which shares beautiful scenes from around the world.  To see more Scenic Sunday posts, or to join and show your own pictures, click HERE.

The picture above is of the Calash, North Carolina, waterfront.  Calabash is a fishing town and those are fishing boats at the dock.  Although the largest boats are shrimp boats, there are also charter boats available for deep sea fishing.  The inlet leading to the intracoastal waterway and the Atlantic is to the right front of the picture.

Calabash is also the location of some fabulous seafood restaurants.  To the left of the boats in the foreground (across the dock and some marsh land) is the Dockside Restaurant.  Calabash is just above the North Carolina – South Carolina border and only a few miles from North Myrtle Beach.  If you are in the area and want some great seafood, visit the Dockside or one of the other restaurants along the waterfront.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 10 Comments »

Skywatch Friday: Rainbow Over the Ocean

May 14, 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.

We had beautiful weather while we were at the beach, although it did rain one day.  Even that was a good day since we could catch up on reading and even slip in a nap.  The sun came out late in the afternoon and we were treated to a rainbow reaching out over the ocean.

If you enlarge the picture and look closely to the right of the rainbow you will see a faint second rainbow.  We don’t often see double rainbows, and this is the first time I’ve gotten a picture of one.  I guess that made a few raindrops very worthwhile.

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Betsy and I are going to Hendersonville this morning to see my parents.  Dad got something in the mail which has him concerned, so he wants me to see it.  I’ll try to catch up with each of you as quickly as I can.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 22 Comments »

Observations While on the Road

May 13, 2010

On our way to the beach Betsy and I spent the night in Simpsonville, South Carolina.  We were hungry after a day of visiting waterfalls and went to Ryan’s Steakhouse for dinner.

While we were eating I noticed a man talking to the young cashier.  They talked for a while and then the cashier came over to a table near us and told the family sitting there that their dinner was being paid for.  She took their receipt and went back to the front.  I saw the man who had been talking to her give his credit card to a man who turned to out to be the manager.  The manager processed his credit card, gave some cash to the young lady, who then brought it over to the family.

This happened at least four times.  Finally the cashier brought the man around and introduced him to each of the tables as the man who had paid for their dinner.  Of course, everyone thanked him profusely.  No name was mentioned, but it did not appear that the people whose dinner he paid for knew who he was.  He told each table that he was happy to be able to do it and he wanted them to remember this when they had the chance to help someone out.  Of course, they all said they would.

We have no idea who the man was.  We got the impression that he was known to at least some of the people in the restaurant, but not all.  Regardless of who he was, he brought a great deal of happiness to some strangers and gave Betsy and me something to think about.

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Posted in American Life | 14 Comments »

Watery Wednesday #87: Ocean Isle Beach

May 12, 2010

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 5, 2010.

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.

Betsy and I were fortunate enough to spend several days at the Islander Inn in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.  We had an ocean view room with a balcony that enabled us to enjoy the beautiful scene of the ocean pictured above.

This was the fourth year we’ve been to the Islander Inn.  But with views like this, I seriously doubt that it will be the last year that we visit.

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Posted in Watery Wednesday | 15 Comments »

My World: Tennessee Vols

May 11, 2010

Tennessee Vol Iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 8, 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.

When Betsy and I got home from the beach this past weekend, we found many of our iris in bloom.  We have several different varieties, but the iris pictured above is Betsy’s special iris.  As you probably know, Betsy is a die-hard fan of the University of Tennessee.  She does a pretty good job of keeping her emotions under control, except during football season.   During football season she bleeds orange.  So when I saw that there was an iris called Tennessee Vol, I knew I just had to get it for her.

Go Vols!

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Posted in My World | 20 Comments »

There Are Lots of Good People Around

May 10, 2010

Anniversary Party for my Parents at Their Church, Hendersonville, Tennessee. May 4, 2010.

I imagine that many of you have heard about the serious flooding that occurred last weekend in Nashville, Tennessee.  My parents live near Nashville in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

Sunday, May 2, was my mother’s 90th birthday.  My sister and I had arranged for the altar flowers to honor both Mom and my parents’ 70th anniversary, which was on Wednesday, May 5.  Because of the high water my parents couldn’t get to church, and a party that had been planned for them Sunday evening also had to be cancelled.

But it takes more than a flood to keep good people down.  On Tuesday our friend Judy and a Sunday School class of young adults who have adopted Mom and Dad prepared a surprise anniversary party for my folks.  About 50 people managed to get to the church at noon on Tuesday for the celebration.

My parents are in the lower left-hand corner of the picture above.  Judy, who helped arrange the party, is the woman in green at the extreme right.  The young adults (with their children) belong to the Sunday School class that ‘adopted’ Mom and Dad.  Judy’s husband Charlie took the pictures.

Dad Singing Mom's Song, Hendersonville, Tennessee. May 4, 2010.

One of the high points of the party was when Dad sang a song he made up for Mom many years ago.  I really don’t know when he ‘wrote’ it — I first heard it on their 50th anniversary.  Charlie said there  wasn’t a dry female eye in the place after Dad sang.  Not bad for a singer who is almost 98!

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Posted in American Life | 19 Comments »

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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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Posted in My World | 8 Comments »

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