Posts Tagged ‘North Carolina’

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My World # 40: The Mountains of Western North Carolina

July 14, 2009
Evening in the mountains of North Carolina. July 10, 2009.

Evening in the mountains of North Carolina. July 10, 2009.

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

I lived in Black Mountain, North Carolina, from 1972 – 1985 and really grew to love the mountains.  So when my son Bob called to ask us to come visit them during their vacation in North Carolina, it didn’t need to think long before saying yes.

Sunlight breaking through the clouds. July 10, 2009.

Sunlight breaking through the clouds. July 10, 2009.

Bob, Mel and the boys were staying near Burnsville, North Carolina.  It was great to get back to those mountains that I had visited many times.  Friday evening was cloudy, but the sun did attempt to break through the clouds.

Clouds over the mountains. July 11, 2009.

Clouds over the mountains. July 11, 2009.

Saturday morning the sky was brighter, but there were still clouds skirting the tops of the mountains.

Bob, Mel, Zack and Sean. July 11, 2009.

Bob, Mel, Zack and Sean. July 11, 2009.

The real reason our visit was so nice were these wonderful people.  Their hospitality was as high as the mountains behind them.

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Posted in My World | 13 Comments »

A Family Visit

July 13, 2009
Sean crossing a creek on rocks instead of using the bridge. July 10, 2009.

Sean crossing a creek on rocks instead of using the bridge. July 10, 2009.

We had a wonderful visit with my son, Bob, and grandson, Sean, on Friday and Saturday.  They were staying, along with my son’s girlfriend, Mel,  and her son, Zack, at a condo in the North Carolina mountains owned by Mel’s parents.

Zack is older than Sean, so Sean has an ‘older brother’ to play with and do things with.  We were impressed at how well the two boys got along and how well they cooperated at doing their chores together.

We met them on Friday morning at Pink Beds, a picnic area in Pisgah National Forest.  After a short hike and a delicious picnic lunch, we went to nearby Sliding Rock.  Sliding Rock is a naturally occurring 60-foot waterslide with an eight-foot deep pool that has been developed into a recreation area by the US Forest Service.

Bob and Sean at Sliding Rock. July 10, 2009.

Bob and Sean at Sliding Rock. July 10, 2009.

When we got to Sliding Rock there were many people enjoying the slide (but even more were watching).  While we were there the water temperature was about 50°, but that didn’t deter Bob and the boys, as you can see from the picture above.  They went down the slide twice, but then Sean decided that was enough.  As he explained, the was COLD!

After everyone got changed into dry clothes we then drove to the condo northeast of Asheville, NC.  There Bob and Mel were perfect hosts and prepared a delicious meal.  The condo is an absolutely gorgeous area and some of those views will be the subject of future posts.

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Posted in Family | 17 Comments »

Watery Wednesday # 42

July 1, 2009
Twentymile Creek, Great Smoky Mountains, NC. June 22, 2009.

Twentymile Creek, Great Smoky Mountains, NC. June 22, 2009.

This is my post for Watery Wednesday, a weekly meme created and hosted by 2sweeetnsaxy of Eyes, Mind, Heart.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

On our anniversary trip we went through the Smoky Mountains along US 129 (Tail of the Dragon) and N.C. 28.  This part of the Smoky Mountains is about as far off the beaten path as it is possible to get, but the views are definitely worth while.

Our route crossed Twentymile Creek, and it looked so inviting that we had to stop and investigate.  We obviously did not find a waterfall, but the cascades along the creek caught our attention and are definitely worth a Watery Wednesday mention.

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Posted in Watery Wednesday | 23 Comments »

Mountain Laurel

June 11, 2009
Mountain Laurel near Otto, North Carolina. May 29, 2009.

Mountain Laurel near Otto, North Carolina. May 29, 2009.

When we visited our friends Judy and Charlie at their cabin in the western North Carolina mountains, we were treated to a magnificent display of mountain laurel in bloom.  One afternoon we walked up the road  past their cabin and were treated to the view you see in the picture above.  The blossoms  were mostly white and pink,  but there were subtle differences between the different flowers.

Unfortunately no picture can do justice to such a marvelous scene.  But in spite of this I still can’t resist the temptation to post a close up of these beautiful blossoms.

Mountain Laurel blossoms. May 29, 2009.

Mountain Laurel blossoms. May 29, 2009.

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Posted in Travels | 17 Comments »

Watery Wednesday # 39

June 10, 2009
Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May, 2007.

Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May, 2007.

This is my post for Watery Wednesday, a weekly meme created and hosted by 2sweeetnsaxy of Eyes, Mind, Heart.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

This week I have been kept busy in the yard and didn’t have an opportunity to capture any watery photos.  So I’ve gone to the archive and gotten this picture from Ocean Isle Beach in North Carolina.  This is where Betsy and I have gone for our beach vacation for the past three years.  We’re attracted by the beauty of the ocean and beach and the fact that in May we can practically have the beach to ourselves.

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Posted in Watery Wednesday | 19 Comments »

Fontana Lake

June 8, 2009
Fontana Lake, North Carolina. May 30, 2009.

Fontana Lake, North Carolina. May 30, 2009.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a wonderful place to visit.  Most people visit the Tennessee side of the park since that’s where the towns of Gatlinburg and Sevierville are located.

The North Carolina side of the park is more remote and doesn’t have as many visitors, but it also has many gems.  Last month Betsy and I drove through the park from North Carolina to Tennessee, stopping at just about every overlook we passed.

The picture above was taken at one of those overlooks.  The lake is Fontana Lake, which is one of the deepest lakes in the region.  In some places it is over 400 feet deep.  The lake is roughly 30 miles long and is at an elevation of about 1700 feet.  Nestled in the mountains, Fontana Lake offers boating, fishing, hiking, and camping.  It may be remote, but it is well worth a visit for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors.

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Posted in Travels | 17 Comments »

Scenic Sunday # 47

June 7, 2009
Morning view at the Otto cabin. May 30, 2009.

Morning view at the Otto cabin. May 30, 2009.

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.

I lived in Black Mountain, North Carolina, from 1972 – 1985 and learned to love the mountains of western North Carolina.  So when our friends Judy and Charlie invited us to join them for a few days at their cabin near Otto, North Carolina, it didn’t take us long to take them up on their offer!

The picture above is the view from their deck, looking west in the not-so-early morning.  But the mountains and the Carolina Blue sky make it a scene to enjoy over and over again.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 13 Comments »

Skywatch Friday # 47

June 5, 2009
An Evening View from the Otto Cabin. May 28, 2009.

An Evening View from the Otto Cabin. May 28, 2009.

This is my post for Skywatch Friday, a meme for sharing views of the sky from all over the world.  Last week over 350 people shared their view of the sky.  To see more, or to join and share your own photos of the sky, click HERE.

Betsy and I visited our friends Judy and Charlie last week in the mountains of North Carolina.  It rained fairly hard the first afternoon we were there, but it cleared up in the early evening.  That’s when I got the picture above.  The sky was clearing but there were still clouds over the mountains and fog was rising from the valley below the cabin.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 22 Comments »

Ahhh … To Be Young Again

June 3, 2009
Running Nantahala Falls, North Carolina. May 30, 2009.

Running Nantahala Falls, North Carolina. May 30, 2009.

This is my post for Watery Wednesday, a weekly meme created and hosted by 2sweeetnsaxy of Eyes, Mind, Heart.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

When we came back from our friends’ cabin in North Carolina on Saturday, Betsy and I had our GPS bring us home by the back way.  That usually means  we will see some beautiful scenery and, with luck, will see some waterfalls.

Saturday we saw both and more.  We made a detour through the Nantahala Gorge and stopped at the Nantahala Outdoor Center near Wesser.  Our guidebook said there were some waterfalls (they are actually rapids) nearby and we did some hiking to see what we could find.  What we found were rafts and kayaks shooting the rapids at the end of their run down the Nantahala River.  It was a beautiful day and it looks as if every one is having fun.  What could be more fitting for Watery Wednesday?

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Posted in Watery Wednesday | 19 Comments »

Scenic Sunday # 46

May 31, 2009
The mountains of western North Carolina. May 29, 2009.

The mountains of western North Carolina. May 29, 2009.

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.

We got home from North Carolina last night.  We had a very relaxing couple of days with our friends Judy and Charlie.  They have a very beautiful cabin in the mountains south of Franklin.  The picture above is a view of the mountains from their deck.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 6 Comments »

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