Floor Show Iris, Fairfield Glade. April 29, 2009.
It’s nice to get up in the morning here in the Glade. The sliding glass door to the deck from our dining room looks out on our long flower bed and gives us a perfect view of some of our iris.
Yesterday morning we were greeted by this iris, Floor Show. Although it has been in the garden for a couple of years this is the first year that it has bloomed. I would say that the wait was worth it.
Possum Falls, Dunlap, Tennessee. April 21, 2009.
In my previous post I mentioned a nice surprise that Betsy and I encountered while driving on the interstate. Today I would like to share a pleasant surprise we encountered on a back road.
We came back from Texas on Monday and Tuesday, April 20 and 21. We got as far as Fort Payne, Alabama Monday night and, since we had to go near Fall Creek Falls State Park (our special place) on April 21 in order to get home, we decided to stop by the park on the way. So we asked our GPS to take us by the shortest route (which usually means back roads) and off we went.
We were going up the Escarpment when Betsy called out that she had seen a waterfall along the road. So we turned around and went back to a pull-off where we found the waterfall shown in the picture above. Research after we got home told us that this is Possum Falls, an 80-foot fall near the road. This was a waterfall that we hadn’t known about until we stumbled upon it.
An added bonus was two more waterfalls in the next couple of miles on this back road.
Lake Nickajack, Tennessee. April 16, 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 post your own pictures, click HERE.
Betsy and I like to travel on back roads whenever possible — we see much more of America that way. But our recent trip to Texas involved such long distances that we asked our GPS to take us by the quickest route, even though we knew that would mean mostly going on the interstate highways.
We’ve stopped at some fairly nice rest areas on the interstate, although I would not call most of them scenic. But on this trip we got a real surprise — a rest area that is actually scenic.
The picture above was taken at the rest area on I-24 near Chattanooga. The rest area is on an island in Lake Nickajack on the Tennessee River. The lake is formed by Nickajack Dam, a hydroelectric dam near Jasper Tennessee. Nickajack Dam is one of nine dams on the Tennessee River owned and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The name Nickajack comes from a Cherokee village which once stood just upstream from the dam site.
Clouds over Cane Creek Gorge. April 21, 2009.
This is my post for Skywatch Friday, a meme for sharing views of the sky from all over the world. Last week over 300 people shared their view of the sky. To see more, or to join, click HERE.
The picture above was taken this past Tuesday at Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee. The waterfalls are usually the main attraction of this park. We did enjoy the waterfalls, but the day was bright and sunny with many clouds floating in the blue sky.
This picture was taken at the Fall Creek Falls Overlook, but I was looking across Cane Creek Gorge. Cane Creek Gorge is about 15 miles long and is sometimes referred to as Tennessee’s Grand Canyon. It is very impressive, but on this day so was the sky above it.
Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee. April 21, 2009.
This is my post for Watery Wednesday, a weekly meme created and hosted by 2sweetnsaxy of Eyes Mind Heart. To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your pictures to share, click HERE.
As I mentioned in my last post, Betsy and I went to Texas over the weekend to see our granddaughters play softball. We didn’t see any softball games but we did see plenty of rain. So we had a very watery weekend.
The picture above was taken yesterday (Tuesday) on our way home from Texas. This is one of our very favorite spots — Fall Creek Falls here in Tennessee.
Since Tuesday was April 21, we just had to stop by to see these falls. Betsy and I went to Fall Creek Falls State Park on April 21, 2001. It was our fourth date, but the first on which we spent the whole day together. We went to see waterfalls (there are five in the park).
Although that day was the beginning of our waterfall collection, the waterfalls were definitely only the second best thing about the day. The best thing about that day eight years ago was that I got to kiss Betsy for the first time.
Now that is something to remember!
Betsy at Centennial Park. April 7, 2001.
Tuesday, April 7, was the eighth anniversary of my second date with Betsy. We had our first date (a dinner date) on March 29, 2001.
I was working in Nashville at the time, in an office building near Centennial Park. I often walked in Centennial during my lunch hours and knew that the tulips and other flowers in the park were absolutely beautiful. So I invited Betsy to go there on a Saturday morning. She accepted — Mother Nature cooperated — we had a beautiful day in which to enjoy the park. The picture above is the very first picture I ever took of Betsy.
Centennial Park contains a replica of Athen’s Parthenon and we enjoyed viewing the statue of Athena in the main hall. The lower level contains an art gallery and they had an exhibit of paintings the day we were there. I suggested we view the exhibit and Betsy agreed, but she didn’t want me to pay for her admission — she said she could pay her own way. I pointed out that it was my idea and that I would be glad to pay the small price of admission. After more discussion and great reluctance on Betsy’s part, she finally let me pay. We enjoyed the exhibit a great deal.
By the time we left the park it was lunch time. There was a small restaurant near the park which was recommended to me and I suggested we get some lunch. Betsy agreed, but ONLY IF I let her pay. I told her that wasn’t necessary, but she INSISTED and Betsy can be very persuasive when she INSISTS! Since I didn’t want the day to end, I agreed, and we had a very good and enjoyable lunch.
When the check came, Betsy pulled out her credit card only to be told that the restaurant didn’t take credit cards. She pulled her check book, but was told they only take cash. Guess who didn’t have much cash!
By this time I was having a hard time keeping a straight face, but I did a pretty good job of not grinning from ear to ear. But I will admit that I soon asked her out again.
The Little Pigeon River in the Smokies. March 28, 2009.
This is my post for Watery Wednesday, a weekly meme created and hosted by 2sweetnsaxy of Eyes Mind Heart. To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your pictures, click HERE.
Betsy and I enjoyed our stay in Cosby last weekend. We had some rain while we were there, but not enough to keep us from hiking and exploring a part of the Smokies we haven’t visited as often as we have this side of the park. The rain had the advantage of keeping the water flows relatively high, which we thoroughly enjoy.
The picture above, which can be enlarged, was taken in the Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We drove along the Little Pigeon River and stopped to enjoy this view of the water rushing over the boulders in the stream.
The view from Ed's Mill Cabin. March 26, 2009.
Imagine that you like waterfalls and have the opportunity to wake up in the morning, walk into the living room and see the view in the picture above. (The picture can be enlarged if desired).
That’s exactly the situation Betsy and I found ourselves in over the weekend. Last November we found a rental cabin in what had once been an old mill. The cabin was in the Smokies at the base of a waterfall. There wasn’t much water going over the falls in November, but we knew right away that we would want to go back.
We spent three nights at Serenity Falls and never got tired of watching the water cascade down the falls. The window in our bedroom overlooked the creek below the falls and we slept with the window open so we could hear the water rushing over the rocks. What more could two waterfall enthusiasts ask for?
Although we had some rain while we were in the Smokies it didn’t stop us from getting out an doing some hiking. A high point (in more ways than one) was a 2.2 mile hike up into the mountains to see Hen Wallow Falls. We were also able to check out a few smaller falls in the area, but we’ve left some bigger falls unseen so we have an excuse to go back in the future!
Cabin at the base of Serenity Falls, Great Smoky Mountains. November 10, 2008.
Last November Betsy and I spent a couple of days on the eastern side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While searching for waterfalls we came across the cabin in the picture above, which is located at the base of Serenity Falls. In November there wasn’t much water going over the falls, but the setting was so nice that we decided we would like to go back when there was more water.
Well, we made reservations a couple of weeks ago and are going back there later today. But then Tuesday night I posted a picture of Betsy in the rain at a waterfall. It started raining early Wednesday morning and has been raining fairly steadily ever since. The weather forecast says that it will rain through Saturday. I might come back home with several more pictures of Betsy in the rain.
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On a more serious note, today is Purple Day, a day to increase awareness of Epilepsy. The writer of one of my favorite blogs, Michele at Rocky Mountain Retreat, has to live with this disease. She recently suffered from a series of seizures which left her hospitalized. Fortunately Michele is doing much better now. Michele is a very talented photographer who posts marvelous pictures on her blog. Stop by her site — you’ll be glad you did.
Betsy at Lower Lula Falls. March 29, 2008.
Watery Wednesday is a weekly meme created and hosted by 2sweeetnsaxy of Eyes Mind Heart. It celebrates our wonderful wet world. To see more pictures or to post your own, click HERE.
I thought the picture above definitely qualified for Watery Wednesday. Betsy and I try to do our hiking when it’s not raining, but we’re not always successful. This picture was taken at Lula Falls near Chattanooga, Tennessee. As you can see, not only was there a pretty waterfall (Lower Lula Falls), but it was pouring down rain. We definitely got our share of water that day!
Senior Moments 