Posts Tagged ‘North Carolina’

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Down Memory Lane: Mountain Air in 2009

February 7, 2014

2009 -- Mountain Air

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

In July, 2009, Betsy and I went to Mountain Air, near Burnsville, North Carolina, to visit my son Robert and his family.  Robert and Melissa were staying at a condo owned by Melissa’s parents, and they invited us to visit them there.

Mountain Air is a development built around a country club and get’s its name from the mountaintop airstrip that allows people to fly in to visit.  Robert and Mel  — as well as Betsy and I — didn’t fly in, but got there by car.

There are awesome views from many places in Mountain Air, as well as some beautiful homes.  We thoroughly enjoyed the tour given by Robert and Mel — as well as Zack and Sean.

The collage above shows views of the sky we enjoyed on our first evening in Mountain Air.  The picture on the left in the second row shows a view of the mountains on the morning of our second day.  The picture in the middle shows me with Robert.  The picture on the bottom right shows our hosts, Melissa, Robert, Zack and Sean.

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

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Posted in Travels | 15 Comments »

Photographer At Work

September 16, 2013
Betsy in the Rose Garden, Biltmore House and Gardens, Asheville, North Carolina. August 6, 2013.

Betsy in the Rose Garden, Biltmore House and Gardens, Asheville, North Carolina. August 6, 2013.

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

One of the nicest things about traveling with my Beautiful Bride is that I get to watch Betsy the Photographer at work.  That was the case when we visited the Rose Garden at Biltmore House and Gardens last month.

Betsy takes her photography very seriously — perhaps more seriously than I do.

Betsy in the Rose Garden, Biltmore House and Gardens, Asheville, North Carolina. August 6, 2013.

Betsy in the Rose Garden, Biltmore House and Gardens, Asheville, North Carolina. August 6, 2013.

You could almost say that she throws herself into her work.

Paul Neyron Rose, Biltmore House and Gardens, Asheville, North Carolina. August 6, 2013.

Paul Neyron Rose, Biltmore House and Gardens, Asheville, North Carolina. August 6, 2013.

But then the results of her dedication are absolutely beautiful.

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Posted in Betsy | 25 Comments »

Our World: Tanbark Ridge Overlook

August 19, 2013
Betsy at Tanbark Ridge Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. June 26, 2013.

Betsy at Tanbark Ridge Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. June 26, 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.

In late June Betsy and I traveled to North Carolina to meet my son Robert and his family.  We took advantage of the opportunity to drive along one of our favorite roads, the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We picked up the Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina, and headed north.  We stopped at the Tanbark Ridge Overlook to enjoy the view.

TanbarkRidgePanorama13062601

The mountains and the sky were both beautiful, and I tried to capture that beauty as best as I could in this panoramic shot.

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Posted in Our World | 19 Comments »

SkyWatch Friday: Hole in the Clouds

August 2, 2013
The view from Tanbark Ridge Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. June 26, 2013.

The view from Tanbark Ridge Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. June 26, 2013.

(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.

Betsy and I met up with my son and his family in North Carolina late last month, and we used that as an excuse to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The Blue Ridge Parkway is sometimes called America’s most beautiful roadway, and I’m not about to argue with that.

The photo above was taken at the Tanbark Ridge Overlook north of Asheville.  The hole in the clouds was what first attracted my attention, but the photo also shows why the mountains are called the Blue Ridge Mountains.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 26 Comments »

SkyWatch Friday: Weather Front Coming Through

June 14, 2013
Panoramic view of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, in the morning. May 6, 2013.

Panoramic view of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, in the morning. May 6, 2013.

(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.

The weather was not good the day Betsy and I arrived at Ocean Isle Beach last month, but the weatherman promised that the next day would be better.  And the weatherman was right.  When I went out on the balcony of our room the next morning, I could see gray, threatening clouds to the left and bright blue sky to the right.  Fortunately the front was moving from right to left, and we had a beautiful day at the beach.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 24 Comments »

SkyWatch Friday: A Cloudy Day on the Blue Ridge Parkway

May 17, 2013
Waterrock Knob, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. August 4, 2011.

Waterrock Knob, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina.
August 4, 2011.

(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.

The view from Waterrock Knob. August 4, 2011.

The view from Waterrock Knob. August 4, 2011.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is beautiful in any season and in any weather.  Cloudy weather may mean you can’t see as far into the distance as on a sunny day, but on a cloudy day it sometimes seems you can reach up and touch the clouds.

Mountains and clouds at Waterrock Knob, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. August 4, 2011.

Mountains and clouds at Waterrock Knob, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. August 4, 2011.

These pictures, from my archives, were taken on a cloudy August day at Waterrock Knob on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  These photos were taken while hiking from the parking area to an overlook higher on the knob.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 25 Comments »

Our World: Calabash, North Carolina

May 13, 2013
Calabash, North Carolina, waterfront. May 7, 2013.

Calabash, North Carolina, waterfront. May 7, 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.

Betsy and I just got back from a week at the beach.  We stay at a wonderful inn in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, but we head to Calabash, North Carolina, each evening for dinner.

Shrimp boat tied up in Calabash, North Carolina. May 9, 2013.

Shrimp boat tied up in Calabash, North Carolina. May 9, 2013.

Calabash is a fishing village that calls itself the ‘Seafood Capital of the World’.  I’m not about to argue with that description.  Calabash seafood is delicious, and there are several restaurants right along the docks where the fishing boats come in.  You can buy fresh seafood right off the boat, or enjoy a meal at a restaurant as you watch the boats coming in.

Calabash scallops and shrimp at the Dockside restaurant, Calabash, North Carolina. May 5, 2013.

Calabash scallops and shrimp at the Dockside restaurant, Calabash, North Carolina. May 5, 2013.

The photo above shows some Calabash shrimp and scallops.  It’s definitely worth the trip from Tennessee to enjoy these yummies.

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Posted in Our World | 24 Comments »

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 »

Our World: The view from Grandfather Mountain

March 18, 2013
The mountains of western North Carolina as seen from an overlook on Grandfather Mountain. November 8, 2011.

The mountains of western North Carolina as seen from an overlook on Grandfather Mountain. November 8, 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.

Since Betsy and I live in Tennessee, we’re naturally fond of the Smokies.  We visit the Smoky Mountains whenever we can.

But the mountains of western North Carolina are pretty neat as well.  I lived in Black Mountain, North Carolina, for thirteen years and enjoyed exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina is Grandfather Mountains.  (Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the state is in the Black Mountains.)  Betsy and I visited Grandfather Mountain in November, and I was able to capture this panorama view of the surrounding mountains from one of the overlooks.

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Posted in Our World | 25 Comments »

The First Daffodil of Spring

January 30, 2013
Daffodil in bloom at the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina. January 28, 2013.

Daffodil in bloom at the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina. January 28, 2013.

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

Monday Betsy and I went to Asheville, North Carolina, to the Biltmore Estate.  We went primarily to visit the Conservatory — something we do a couple of times each year — and to do some walking around the estate.

As we were walking through one of the gardens back to the car, we spotted this daffodil in bloom under a tree.  Some of our daffodils are up, but they are a long way from blooming.  It was a surprise to find this one in bloom.

Orchid in the Conservatory at Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina. January 28, 2013.

Orchid in the Conservatory at Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina. January 28, 2013.

As I mentioned, Betsy and I went to enjoy the flowers in the Conservatory.  We spent quite a bit of time in the Orchid Room, enjoying beautiful blossoms like the one above.

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Posted in Technology | 21 Comments »

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