Posts Tagged ‘North Carolina’

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Skywatch Friday: Ocean Isle Sunrise

January 18, 2013
Dawn brought some beautiful color to the sky off Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. December 14, 2012.

Dawn brought some beautiful color to the sky off Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. December 14, 2012.

(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 wasn’t the all that great when we were at the beach last month, but we were treated to a gorgeous sunrise on our last morning at Ocean Isle Beach.

The sun making an appearance off Ocean Isle Beach. December 14, 2012.

The sun making an appearance off Ocean Isle Beach. December 14, 2012.

There were low clouds on the horizon out to sea, but the sky above was clear and beautiful.  We were able to watch as the sky brightened and the sun made its appearance.

A path of light leading to our room. December 14, 2012.

A path of light leading to our room. December 14, 2012.

As the sun moved above the horizon, it sent a path of light straight toward us.  While that made it hard to leave, it certainly gave us something to look forward to when we go back.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 25 Comments »

Linville Falls

January 16, 2013

Upper Linville Falls, Linville Gorge, North Carolina. November 8, 2012.

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

In early November Betsy and I went to Asheville, North Carollina, to visit Mount Mitchell and enjoy some of the beautiful scenery along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  But Mount Mitchell State Park was closed because of snow, and a big part of the Parkway was closed due to construction.  So we had to go with Plan B.  Plan B included a morning visit to Grandfather Mountain and a late afternoon visit to Linville Falls.

We had visited Linville Falls back in 2004, but this time we had a little more fun getting there because of the road closures.  We reached a Forest Service trailhead to the falls in the late afternoon.

The trail first led us to Upper Linville Falls (above).  The upper falls is a small double falls above the main falls.  Although the falls are small, the setting is very pretty.

Linville Falls, Linville Gorge, North Carolina. November 8, 2012.

We couldn’t see the main falls from the upper falls, so we decided to hike to an overlook about half a mile away which offered a distant view of the main falls.  I had to use my long lens to get the above photo.  There is a small, twisting gorge (‘The Chimney’) between the upper and main falls.  You can see the water flowing from the bottom of the chimney before reaching the main falls.

It was getting late, so we didn’t make it to the Chimney View overlook, nor did we have time to hike to the base of the main falls.  I guess we’ll just have to go back.

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Our World: Ocean Isle Beach

January 14, 2013
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The beach at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, as seen from the balcony of our room. December 11, 2012.

(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 December my Beautiful Bride and I made a quick trip to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.  Ocean Isle is one of our favorite places to be, and it is near Calabash, North Carolina, which has some of the best seafood found on the east coast.

Sky and water off Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. December 11, 2012.

Sky and water off Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. December 11, 2012.

The weather in December isn’t always the greatest, but in December we often have the beach to ourselves.

It was overcast the afternoon we arrived in Ocean Isle, but the afternoon light, the clouds and the water made a beautiful picture.

Sunbeams breaking through the clouds at Ocean Isle Beach. December 11, 2012.

Sunbeams breaking through the clouds at Ocean Isle Beach. December 11, 2012.

I was fortunate enough to capture some sunbeams breaking through the clouds in the late afternoon.

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Skywatch Friday: Tennessee Skies

January 11, 2013

Autumn color on the Cherohala Skyway. October 25, 2009.

(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.

Moon in a blue sky over the Cherohala Skyway. October 25, 2009.

I went to my archives for these pictures of a beautiful Tennessee sky.  We were on the Cherohala Skyway on a gorgeous October day.  The autumn colors and the sky were both brilliant.  The moon in that blue sky was an added bonus.

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Our World: Mile High Swinging Bridge

January 7, 2013

The mile-high swinging bridge on Grandfather Mountain, North Carollina. November 8, 2012.

 

(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 had to go to Plan B on our November trip to Asheville, North Carolina.  Plan B included a trip to Grandfather Mountain and the Mile High Swinging Bridge.  The name ‘Mile High Swinging Bridge’ is somewhat misleading.  Although the elevation of the bridge is 5,278 feet (a mile) above sea level, the bridge spans an 80 foot deep chasm on Linville Peak of the mountain.

The Mile High Swinging Bridge as seen from the parking lot on Linville Peak. November 8, 2012.

Both Betsy and I had been to Grandfather Mountain before we met.  Back then the bridge (a suspension bridge built in 1952) really did swing.  The wooden planks and side rails weren’t anchored, and would readily swing during high winds.  In 1999 the bridge was rebuilt and galvanized steel was used for the the planks and side rails.  Furthermore, anchor cables for the planks were added.  Now the bridge doesn’t swing very much, but it does ‘sing’ during high winds.

And the winds were definitely high when we were at the bridge.  The official temperature was 35°, but the wind was so strong it was hard to stand up straight.  I don’t know what the wind chill temperature was, but my fingers were so cold it was hard to take pictures.

Betsy after crossing the Mile High Swinging Bridge on Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina. November 8, 2012.

Even my Beautiful Bride thought it was cold.

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SkyWatch Friday: Blue Ridge Sky and Mountains

January 4, 2013

The view from Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville, North Carolina. November 22, 2010.

(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.

Do the mountains reaching up to touch the clouds bring out the beauty of the sky, or do the clouds heighten the peaks and folds of the mountains?  All I know is that this beautiful scene was captured at Craggy Gardens on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

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Our World: Grandfather Mountain

December 17, 2012

The view from Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina. November 8, 2012.

 

 

(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.

Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina is the highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountain range.  It is also the only private park in the world designated by UNESCO as an International Biosphere Reserve.  Grandfather Mountain received this designation because of the sixteen different habitat communities that can be found on the mountain.  The vegetation on some parts of the mountain has more in common with northern Canada than North Carolina.

We visited Grandfather Mountain on a beautiful but cold and windy day in November.  The picture above shows the view from the first overlook on the road leading to the summit and the Mile High Swinging Bridge.

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Our World: Morning on the Blue Ridge Parkway

July 2, 2012

Morning at the Grassy Ridge Mine overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. April 4, 2012.

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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 early April Betsy and I spent a couple of nights in the mountains of Western North Carolina.  Early one morning we went up to the Blue Ridge Parkway.  It was a beautiful day with a gorgeous blue sky, but we could see clouds blanketing the valleys below us.  The picture above was taken at the Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook on the parkway.

The view from Grassy Ridge Mine overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. April 4, 2012.

This picture was taken at the same overlook.  The leaves weren’t out yet on the trees, but the clouds in the sky above and the clouds in the valley below made this overlook an enchanting part of our world.

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I find it hard to believe, but this is the 1,000th post I’ve done on this blog.  When I started, I would never have imagined that it would go on this long.  But I do want to say ‘Thank you’ to all of the wonderful people I’ve met who have shared this adventure with me.

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Our World: Calabash, North Carolina

June 25, 2012

Calabash, North Carolina, waterfront. May 7, 2012.

(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.

Calabash, North Carolina, is known as ‘The Seafood Capital of the World’.  It is primarily a fishing village with shrimp boats docking daily during the season, selling fresh-caught shrimp.

Sport fishing boat pulling into the dock at Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.

Sports fishermen often dock at Calabash, and there are also charter boats available.

Fish ready for cleaning on the Calabash dock, Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.

In the evening it is often possible to find one or more group of fishermen cleaning their catch on the dock.

Dockside restaurant, Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.

One of the major attractions of Calabash as far as Betsy and I are concerned is the Dockside Restaurant.  The restaurant is right on the waterfront and, if you are lucky enough to get a window seat, you can watch all the activity on the dock while eating a delicious meal.  This picture of the restaurant was taken from the dock, which shows how appropriate the restaurant name truly is.

Seafood platter at the Dockside restaurant, Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.

Calabash is famous for its ‘Calabash Seafood’, which is prepared with a special flavoring unique to the area.  I know we’re supposed to avoid fried foods, but once or twice couldn’t hurt us, could it?  It sure is good!

Betsy at the Dockside restaurant, Calabash, North Carolina. May 7, 2012.

Betsy, a tree-hugger at heart, is also a fan of the huge live oak trees at the front of the restaurant.

 

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SkyWatch Friday: Ocean Isle Sky

May 18, 2012

The beach and sky at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 10, 2012.

(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.

When we are at the beach Betsy and I enjoy the sand and the water — and the sky.  Sometimes the blue of the ocean comes close to matching the blue of the sky.  The white of the breakers in the ocean and the clouds in the sky only serve to emphasize the blue.

Reflections in the sand at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 10, 2012.

On this particular day the sky and the clouds were reflected in the wet sand left by the falling tide.

Clouds over the dunes at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. May 8, 2012.

We also enjoyed watching the clouds appear over the dunes on a lazy afternoon.

 

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I’m sorry for being behind in visiting your blogs, but Betsy and I went to visit Dad yesterday.  He was better than we’ve seen him in several weeks.  He still has trouble completing his thoughts at times, but he was walking better yesterday than he has in quite some time.  He enjoys being outside, so the nice weather is a blessing.  Dad will be 100 in August.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 25 Comments »

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