Posts Tagged ‘Tennessee’

Our First Signs of Spring

February 25, 2013
Crocus in bloom, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.  February 21, 2013.

Crocus in bloom, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 21, 2013.

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

We have had some cold weather over the past few days, so winter is not quite ready to leave us.  But there are a couple of hopeful signs.  I noticed a couple of days ago that our crocus has begun to bloom.

Crocus in bloom, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.  February 21, 2013.

Crocus in bloom, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 21, 2013.

The pictures aren’t very good, but the blossoms do promise that Spring will soon be here.

These crocus were a gift from my Dad when we bought our house.  Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.  February 24, 2013.

These crocus were a gift from my Dad when we bought our house. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. February 24, 2013.

Yesterday, these crocus, given to us by my Dad when we bought this house, gave us another hint of the promise of Spring.

Down Memory Lane: Tennessee Waterfalls in December

February 8, 2013

2009 -- Dec. Waterfalls TN

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

December is a pretty good month for visiting waterfalls in Tennessee.  The weather is usually cool for hiking, although sometimes the water levels are low.

We visited some waterfalls near Flag Pole, Tennessee, in December, 2009.  Most of the waterfalls were fairly small, but we enjoyed visiting them just the same.

In the collage above Big Branch Cascade is on the upper left, while  Hogskin Branch Falls is on the upper right.  Upper Big Branch Falls is on the left in the bottom row, with Devil Fork Falls in the center.  Big Branch Falls is on the lower right.

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

Our World: Betsy Got Some Snow!

February 4, 2013
Snow falling at our house.  February 2, 2013.

Snow falling at our house. February 2, 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 finally got some snow to enjoy!  It started snowing Saturday morning and came down at a pretty good clip.  We had three or more inches by the time it was over.

Our front yard.  February 2, 2013.

Our front yard. February 2, 2013.

We didn’t have much traffic on the road in front of the house for much of the day.  The road was snow covered, as were our roses and flower beds.  The snow looked nice on the blocks of the wall near the road.

Spring flowers that have come up poking through the blanket of snow.  February 2, 2013.

Spring flowers that have come up poking through the blanket of snow. February 2, 2013.

Betsy was delighted with the snow, but I’m not sure our Spring flowers were as happy about it as Betsy was.

Skywatch Friday: Winter Skies

February 1, 2013
Winter sky over Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.  January 17, 2013.

Winter sky over Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. January 17, 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.

In mid-January we had a very interesting week.  It started out with above average temperatures, followed by rain, followed by sleet and some freezing rain.  We were supposed to have snow, but we didn’t get any (much to Betsy’s disappointment).

The weather started to clear late on Thursday afternoon, and as the sun was setting we noticed an unusual color in the sky.  Both of us went outside, cameras in hand.

The sky to the west contained clouds with both purple and orange-pink hues, as can be seen from the picture above.

GladeSky13011701

But looking to the south, we saw a beautiful rose glow to the sky.  Once again God’s artistry was on vivid display.

Our World: Little Pigeon River

January 28, 2013
Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.  January 23, 2013.

Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. January 23, 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.

Last week Betsy and I traveled to Gatlinburg to spend a couple of days in the Smokies.  Although our trip was cut short by an impending ice storm, we still were able to enjoy the beauty of ‘our’ Smoky Mountains without the distraction of lots of traffic or tourists.

Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.  January 23, 2013.

Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. January 23, 2013.

Winter is a marvelous time to visit the park because the rivers are relatively high, and the rocky stream beds provide wonderful photographic opportunities.

Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee.  January 23, 2013.

Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee. January 23, 2013.

On our second morning in the Smokies we drove up Greenbrier Road along the Little Pigeon River.  Although we stopped several times for pictures, these photos were taken at the bridge where the road to Ramsey Cascade meets Greenbrier Road.

Down Memory Lane: Our Reception

January 23, 2013

2001 -- Reception I

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

Although we both lived in Hendersonville, Tennessee, at the time, we got married in Knoxville.  We did this so that we could have a small family wedding.  Betsy was the Associate Minister at a large Methodist church in Hendersonville and she didn’t want to have to make decisions about who in the congregation should be invited and who should not.

‘The Girls’, Betsy’s girlfriends from the Hendersonville church, gave us a reception in the church fellowship hall a few weeks after our wedding.  This allowed members of the Hendersonville church to share in our wedding.

I came across pictures from the reception when I was going through my archives and posting pictures on my photo website.  The collage above includes some of those pictures.  From left to right along the top:  Betsy and I when we arrived at the reception, sampling some of the goodies, and with ‘The Girls’.  On the bottom left we’re sharing some photos from our wedding and honeymoon.  On the bottom right I’m talking with Mom and Dad.

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

Our World: Wetumpka Falls

January 21, 2013
Wetumpka Falls, Tullahoma, Tennessee.  February 9, 2012.

Wetumpka Falls, Tullahoma, Tennessee. February 9, 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.

When Betsy and I go to visit Dad, we try, if at all possible, to take him out for lunch and a ride.  On one of our rides last year we came across Wetumpka Falls near Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Wetumpka Falls, Tullahoma, Tennessee.  February 9, 2012.  (Photo by Betsy.)

Wetumpka Falls, Tullahoma, Tennessee. February 9, 2012. (Photo by Betsy.)

Wetumpka Falls is in a wooded setting.  Although the stream doesn’t have much water, the result is a pretty little waterfall we enjoyed visiting.

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.

Skywatch Friday: Tennessee Sky

December 7, 2012

Looking toward the Smoky Mountains from the Foothills Parkway near Townsend, Tennessee. October 23, 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.

Some people come to East Tennessee to enjoy the glorious autumn colors.  Other come to see our majestic mountains.  When both are present under a beautiful Tennessee sky, there’s not a better place to be.

This picture was taken on the Foothills Parkway looking toward the Smoky Mountains in October of this year.

Micro Moon

December 5, 2012
Full Moon over Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.  November 28, 2012.

Full Moon over Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. November 28, 2012.

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

Did you see last week’s full moon?  It turns out that it was really a Micro Moon.  On November 28, 2012 the smallest Full Moon of 2012 reached its full phase only about 4 hours before its apogee, the most distant point from Earth in the Moon’s elliptical orbit.

We’ll have to wait until January 16, 2014, to see the next Micro Moon.  On that date the moon will reach its full phase within about three hours of apogee.