Posts Tagged ‘Smokies’

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Down Memory Lane: The Smokies in the Spring

August 26, 2010

My Beautiful Bride is a mountain girl at heart and is one reason she moved to Tennessee from Texas back in 2000.  (I’m glad she did!).  In May, 2001, we visited the Great Smoky Mountains for the first time.  Betsy had been there many times before, but I had only driven through it once.

We spent a weekend exploring Cades Cove, Little River Road and Newfound Gap.  We also added a waterfall — Meigs Falls — to the collection we had just started.  We were even able to experience some good mountain music at the lodge at which we stayed.

We’ve been back to the Smokies many times since then — it’s much more convenient to get there now that we live in the Glade.  But this first trip in May, 2001, was — and still is — very special.

To see these pictures and others, click HERE.

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Posted in Travels | 15 Comments »

Scenic Sunday 106: Newfound Gap

July 25, 2010

Betsy at Newfound Gap, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. May 19, 2001.

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 main road across the Smokies between Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Cherokee, Noth Carolina, runs through Newfound Gap.  You can see the road in the background of the picture above.  The road contains many overlooks which offer spectacular views of the mountains and valleys.

I took this picture in May of 2001, before Betsy and I were married.  I realize I’m prejudiced, but I think the most spectacular sight in this scene is sitting on the rock in the foreground.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 14 Comments »

Down Memory Lane: Serenity Falls

June 17, 2010

We’ve been having showers and thunderstorms off and on over the past several days.  While that means that the weeds are winning in all of the flower beds, it has given me time to work on some pictures that have never been properly posted.

One folder contained pictures taken at Serenity Falls back in March, 2009.  We discovered Serenity Falls in the autumn of 2008 when we were visiting waterfalls around Cosby, Tennessee, on ‘the quiet side of the Smokies’.

At Serenity Falls we found a beautiful waterfall as well as some rental cabins.  One of the cabins was right at the base of the waterfall.  That, of course, was too big a temptation for Betsy and me, so we just had to book a few nights at Serenity Falls.

These pictures were from our first stay at Serenity Falls.  We enjoyed it so much that we went back in March of this year as well.  It’s hard to imagine a more relaxing place to stay.

To see these pictures and others, click HERE.

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Posted in Waterfalls | 12 Comments »

My World: Cosby

June 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.

The Smoky Mountains are an important part of live here in eastern Tennessee.  The national park brings in lots of tourists and is important to the economy.

But Betsy and I tend to avoid tourists whenever possible.  We often go to the eastern side of the Smokies.  One of our favorite areas is around Cosby, Tennessee.  We’ve been there several times.  The pictures in the collage above were taken on a visit to Cosby in March of last year.

To see these pictures and others, click HERE.

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I’m happy to report that Betsy is getting along pretty well after her knee surgery.  She had some problems with her pain medicine over the weekend, but she’s doing better now.  She’s able to walk short distances without any pain, which we consider progress.

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

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Posted in My World | 13 Comments »

Scenic Sunday # 99: Fontana Lake

June 6, 2010

Fontana Lake, North Carolina. 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.

When Betsy and I travel east from the Plateau, we often travel on back roads rather than the interstate.  Depending on our destination we will at times travel through the ‘backside of the Smokies’.  This part of the park doesn’t have the tourist attractions of Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, but it does have some beautiful scenery.  We captured this scene at an overlook of Fontana Lake in North Carolina.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 11 Comments »

Skywatch Friday: Smokies Sky

April 9, 2010

Cheoah Lake, Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina. October 13, 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.

I’ve been working in the yard this week and neglected to get any pictures of our beautiful skies.  But I found this picture in my archives that shows the sky and clouds very similar to what we’ve been enjoying.  This picture was taken this past October at an overlook above Cheoah Lake in the Smokies.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 13 Comments »

Scenic Sunday #89: Cades Cove

March 28, 2010

Fields in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.

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.

Cades Cove is probably the most visited part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The Cades Cove Loop road is a wonderful way to see lush fields, old homesteads and  plentiful wildlife.  BUT NOTE:  THE CADES COVE ROAD IS NOW BEING RESURFACED AND IS CLOSED UNTIL MAY 21, 2010.

The Cove has been preserved by the park to look much the way it looked in the 1800s.  It was once a small mountain community with settlers mainly from Virginia, North Carolina and upper east Tennessee.  Today Cades Cove contains original pioneer homesteads, barns, businesses, pastures and farmland.

When driving the loop most of the settlers’ homes and homesites are on the outside of the road, while there are acres of grass and wildflower fields on the inside.  Those fields were once used for growing wheat, corn and cattle.

If you are on a tight schedule or are in a hurry, stay away from Cades Cove.  If you would like to step back into time, Cades Cove would be a wonderful place to visit.

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Today I’m thankful for all the people and organizations that preserve the past for us to enjoy and learn from today.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 16 Comments »

Down Memory Lane: Hen Wallow Falls

March 18, 2010

Scenes from our hike to Hen Wallow Falls. March 27, 2009.

Betsy and I visited Serenity Falls for the first time in March, 2009.  In addition to the time we spent at the cabin enjoying the waterfall right there, we also got to enjoy the  Cosby, Tennessee, side of the Smokies.

The area around Cosby is often referred to as the ‘Quiet Side of the Smokies’ because most visitors head toward Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.  In many ways it seems possible to enjoy the beauty of nature more because there are fewer distractions.

Hen Wallow Falls is one of the taller waterfalls on the Cosby side of the Smokies and the hike to the waterfall is slightly over two miles.  Of course, once we got to the waterfall we had to get back to the car, but the trail through the forest was very pleasant.  We saw only one other couple on the trail during our entire hike.

Our hike to Hen Wallow Falls was a very wonderful way to spend part of a day.

To see these pictures and others, click HERE.

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We’re making a trip to Hendersonville today so I can take my Dad to the doctor.  It’s just a routine checkup, but it does mean I’ll be away from my computer most of the day.  I’ll try to catch up as quickly as I can after we get back up.

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Posted in Waterfalls | 14 Comments »

Betsy Fibbed To Me — And To You

March 12, 2010
Betsy enjoying a snow bank in the Smokies. March 9, 2010.

Betsy enjoying a snow bank in the Smokies. March 9, 2010.

If you’re a regular reader of Betsy’s blog, you were very surprised when she said a couple of weeks ago that she was tired of snow and she was now ready for Spring. I was personally very shocked when she wrote that.  I’ve heard her complain bitterly about the lack of snow during some of our recent winters.

As you know, Betsy arranged a birthday trip for us to celebrate my 68th birthday.  We stayed at a wonderful cabin in the Smokies near Cosby, Tennessee.  Tuesday morning we decided to travel to Tallulah Gorge in Georgia to revisit the waterfalls there (remember that we both have new cameras!).

The drive was only a couple of hours, but it took us over the mountain at Newfound Gap.  As we headed up the mountain we started to see snow along the side of the road.  The higher we got, the more snow we saw.  The road was clear, but the piles along the side were quite high in places.  Of course, we stopped a few times to take pictures.  Guess who was grinning from ear-to-ear!

Betsy tired of snow?  Don’t believe it for a minute!

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Posted in Betsy | 17 Comments »

Down Memory Lane: Middle Prong

February 6, 2010

Scenes from the Middle Prong of Little River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. January 25, 2008.

The most-visited of our national parks is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.  The crowds can be overwhelming at times.

But it is possible to get away from the crowds even in the Smokies.  One of those lesser-visited places is the Middle Prong of Little River above Tremont.  An old logging road follows the stream for a couple  miles, offering some wonderful views of the cascades and rapids.

Betsy and I first explored Middle Prong in January, 2008.  We enjoyed it so much that we’ve been back several times since.

To see these pictures and others, click HERE.

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I’m grateful that a health scare involving my mother was a false alarm and that she is feeling much better.

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Posted in Travels | 11 Comments »

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