Posts Tagged ‘Tennessee’

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Meeting an Old Friend for the First Time

January 5, 2015
Betsy, Ruth and Gwen at Cracker Barrel, Nashville, Tennessee. December 29, 2014.

Betsy, Ruth and Gwen at Cracker Barrel, Nashville, Tennessee. December 29, 2014.

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

Betsy and I celebrated the holidays by meeting a blog friend in person.  We have both followed Ruth for several years, and she quickly became a friend whom we enjoyed visiting on world wide web.  Ruth is a marvelous photographer, and you can  check out her beautiful blog HERE.

Ruth lives in western Canada, so when we learned several weeks ago that Ruth and her friend Gwen would be attending a gospel music convention in the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, we couldn’t let her get that close without meeting her in person, so we made plans to meet them.

Since neither Ruth nor Glen had ever been to Tennessee, we took them to Cracker Barrel for some good southern eating.  Although we introduced them to cornbread and chicken and dumplings, the highpoint of the evening was talking as only friends can talk.

Ruth and Betsy, Nashville, Tennessee. December 29, 2014.

Ruth and Betsy, Nashville, Tennessee. December 29, 2014.

Ruth mentioned that she would like to get back to Tennessee with her son some day.  We hope she makes it so we can show her the beautiful mountains of east Tennessee.  Of course, we warned her that one of these days we might show up on her doorstep in Manitoba.

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Posted in Friends | 23 Comments »

Falling Water Cascades

December 8, 2014
Falling Water Cascades, Burgess Falls State Park, Tennessee. October 5, 2014.

Falling Water Cascades, Burgess Falls State Park, Tennessee. October 5, 2014.

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

In early October Betsy and I met my daughter Kelly and her husband Chuck in Cookeville, Tennessee, to do some hiking at nearby Burgess Falls State Park.

The park contains three waterfalls, but the trailhead for the main trail begins upstream at Falling Water Cascades.  That’s the trail we hiked, so we took the time to visit the cascades as well.

The water in river was low, but the cascades were still pretty.

Burgess Falls State Park, Tennessee. October 5, 2014.

Falling Water Cascades, Burgess Falls State Park, Tennessee. October 5, 2014.

There was enough water in one channel to create beautiful flowing waters.

Falling Water Cascades, Burgess Falls State Park, Tennessee. October 5, 2014.

Falling Water Cascades, Burgess Falls State Park, Tennessee. October 5, 2014

Even the shallow water covering the rock river bed took on a dreamy experience.

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Posted in American Life | 25 Comments »

Our World: Sequatchie Valley

November 3, 2014
The Sequatchie Valley, Dunlap, Tennessee. August 16, 2014.

The Sequatchie Valley, Dunlap, Tennessee. August 16, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

The Sequatchie Valley in Tennessee is a narrow, straight valley between the Cumberland Plateau and the Walden Ridge.  Betsy and I often drive through or across the Sequatchie Valley when we travel south from our home on the Cumberland Plateau.

In August Betsy and I met a blogger friend, Lynda, and her husband for lunch in Dunlap, Tennessee, which is in the heart of the Sequatchie Valley.  Not only did we have a great time and delicious meal with a wonderful couple, we were also able to enjoy the beauty of the valley around us.

The Sequatchie Valley, Dunlap, Tennessee. August 16, 2014.

The Sequatchie Valley, Dunlap, Tennessee. August 16, 2014.

We were in the valley on a bright, sunny day with clouds that rivaled the valley in beauty.

The Sequatchie Valley is primarily rural, dotted with farms and small towns.  The escarpments of the Cumberland Plateau and Walden Ridge form a picturesque background for the barns and cattle.

The Sequatchie Valley, Dunlap, Tennessee. August 16, 2014.

The Sequatchie Valley, Dunlap, Tennessee. August 16, 2014.

All in all we had a perfect day in Tennessee’s Sequatchie Valley.

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Posted in Our World | 20 Comments »

Lake Canterbury

October 13, 2014
Lake Canterbury, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. October 30, 2013.

Lake Canterbury, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. October 30, 2013.

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

Fairfield Glade has several lakes, all of which are man-made.  One of the larger lakes is Lake Canterbury.  There are homes all along the shoreline, but it is still a pretty autumn scene, especially with a blue sky above the lake.

Lake Canterbury, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. October 30, 2013.

Lake Canterbury, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. October 30, 2013.

I got these pictures from a boat ramp used by fishermen.

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Posted in Glade | 20 Comments »

Our World: Candy in Our Yard

July 28, 2014
Custard Candy Day Lily, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. June 20, 2014.

Custard Candy Day Lily, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. June 20, 2014.

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

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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

All of these pictures were taken in mid-June, but I wanted to share some of our ‘candy’ with you.  These candies contain absolutely no calories, and so can be enjoyed as often as desired without any weight gain whatsoever.

Custard Candy was the first of our candies.  We now have two different clumps of Custard Candy.  One is on the side of the house where we can enjoy it from the deck.  The other clump is in the flowerbed near the road in front of the house.

Strawberry Candy Day Lily, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. June 21, 2014

Strawberry Candy Day Lily, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. June 21, 2014

Strawberry Candy is also in the bed along the side of the house.

Elegant Candy Day Lily, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. June 21, 2014.

Elegant Candy Day Lily, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. June 21, 2014.

We have a large clump of Elegant Candy along the road.  We both like the color of this day lily.

Wineberry Candy Day Lily, Faiarfield Glade, Tennessee. June 19, 2014.

Wineberry Candy Day Lily, Faiarfield Glade, Tennessee. June 19, 2014.

Wineberry Candy is the last of our candies.  It, too, is along the road in front of our house and puts on quite a display that we, and the people traveling along the road can enjoy.

The nice thing about the day lilies along the road is that they are all rebloomers, and will bloom again in the autumn.  It’s just a good thing these candies aren’t fattening — we enjoy them so much.

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Posted in Our World | 23 Comments »

Our World: Byrd Lake Reflections

June 30, 2014
Reflections on Byrd Lake, Cumberland Mountain State Park, Tennessee. June 7, 2014.

Reflections on Byrd Lake, Cumberland Mountain State Park, Tennessee. June 7, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Betsy and I were fortunate to have a visit with son Jeff and his wife Dawn in early June. We took them to Cumberland Mountain State Park to celebrate (belatedly) Jeff’s birthday. After a delicious lunch we walked along the shore of Byrd Lake to enjoy the beautiful day.

The lake was calm, almost mirror-like, and the reflections were absolutely beautiful. I got the picture above of the couple in the canoe as they were heading back to the boat rental dock.

The bridge over the Byrd Lake dam, Cumberland Mountain State Park, Tennessee. June 7, 2014.

The bridge over the Byrd Lake dam, Cumberland Mountain State Park, Tennessee. June 7, 2014.

Byrd Lake is man-made, formed by a dam. The dam and the stone seven-arch bridge carrying the road over it was constructed by the CCC. It is reported to be the largest masonry structure constructed by the CCC.

Betsy at Byrd Lake, Cumberland Mountain State Park, Tennessee. June 7, 2014.

Betsy at Byrd Lake, Cumberland Mountain State Park, Tennessee. June 7, 2014.

I didn’t get a picture of a reflection of my Beautiful Bride, but she looked so good that I can’t resist including this picture of her taken from a small fishing pier on the lake. The bridge over the dam (and its reflection) can be seen behind her.

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Posted in Our World | 26 Comments »

Our World: Friday the Thirteenth Full Moon

June 16, 2014
Moon and clouds, Friday, June 13, 2014. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.

Moon and clouds, Friday, June 13, 2014. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

I’m sure most of you were aware that this past Friday, June 13, was special because there was also a full moon that night.  The combination of a full moon on a Friday the thirteenth is fairly rare.  It won’t happen again until 2049.  If I’m still around, I would be 107 the next time this combination occurs, so I really was looking forward to seeing the full moon Friday evening.

Moon and clouds, Friday, June 13, 2014. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.

Moon and clouds, Friday, June 13, 2014. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee.

Unfortunately, Friday was rainy and cloudy.  Betsy and I went out shortly after the time of the moonrise, but we could see nothing but clouds.  We went out again an hour or so later and could see some stars over head, but still no moon.

A little later we finally got a glimpse of the moon playing peek-a-boo with the clouds and the trees.  I attempted to get some decent photos without a great deal of success.

Full moon over Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. June 13, 2014.

Full moon over Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. June 13, 2014.

Finally the moon poked through a clear patch of sky and I was able to get a fairly decent picture.  I’m glad I got to see this full moon, because I’m really not convinced that I’ll be around the next time there is a full moon on Friday the thirteenth.

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Posted in Our World | 21 Comments »

Our World: Iris in Our Yard

June 2, 2014
Orange Harvest Iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Orange Harvest iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

We’ve been fortunate to have some beautiful iris blooming in our yard this Spring.  Iris are quite easy to care for, and when they have marvelous blossoms they are doubly delightful.  The iris above is Orange Harvest.  It’s easy to see how this iris got its name.

Floor Show iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Floor Show iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Floor Show is a very interesting bicolor iris.  We have it in a couple of different places in our yard.

Hell's Fire iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Hell’s Fire iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 7, 2014.

Sometimes the blossom is much prettier than the name.  Hell’s Fire is not exactly a name I would pick, but I do like the color.

Electric Shock iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 8, 2014.

Electric Shock iris, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. May 8, 2014.

We also have Electric Shock is a couple of places in the yard.  It has a very showy blossom that stands out very well.

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Posted in Our World | 20 Comments »

Down Memory Lane: Burgess Falls

May 26, 2014

2001 -- Burgess Falls

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

Betsy and I had our first ‘big’ date at Fall Creek Falls in late April, 2001.  That was the beginning of our waterfall ‘collection’.

The next additions to our collection came about a month later.  We went to Burgess Falls State Park near Cookeville, Tennessee.  This park, which is only about an hour from our present home in Fairfield Glade, contains three waterfalls, and we hiked along the river to all three.

The collage above shows some scenes from that visit to Burgess Falls.  The picture on the upper left shows the Falling Waters River above the three falls.  The other picture on the top shows Burgess Falls — the main waterfall in the park — as we hiked down to the base.

The picture on the bottom left shows Betsy enjoying the mist at the base of Burgess Falls.  Next is a view of the brink of Burgess Falls, followed by a side view of the falls as we hiked to the base.

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

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Posted in American Life | 15 Comments »

Our World: Narrows of the Harpeth

May 5, 2014
Harpeth River, Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, Kingston Springs, Tennessee. April 20, 2014.

Harpeth River, Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, Kingston Springs, Tennessee. April 20, 2014.

(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 three wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

My daughter, Kelly, and her husband, Chuck, have an Easter tradition of a picnic lunch.  This year Betsy and I drove to their home in Ashland City where we were able to join them for a very enjoyable day.

After an enjoyable lunch at one of the Metroparks, Kelly and Chuck took us to Narrows of the Harpeth State Park.  Betsy and I had never been there, so it was a wonderful treat.

Map of Bells Bend and Narrows of the Harpeth. (Image from Google Maps).

Map of Bells Bend and Narrows of the Harpeth. (Image from Google Maps).

Narrows of the Harpeth gets its name from the fact that the beginning and end of a seven-mile loop of the river around Bells Bend are within a couple of hundred feet of each other, separated by a high bluff.

NarrowsTunnel14042003

In 1818 Montgomery Bell, a businessman, cut a tunnel through the bluff that separates the two sides of the Narrows of the Harpeth.  This tunnel allowed him to create enough moving water to power a forge which he established on the site.

Kelly and Chuck at the pool where the tunnel empties on the downriver side of the narrows. Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, Kingston Springs, Tennessee. April 20, 2014.

Kelly and Chuck at the pool where the tunnel empties on the downriver side of the narrows. Narrows of the Harpeth State Park, Kingston Springs, Tennessee. April 20, 2014.

The four of us hiked to the downriver side of the tunnel.  There is nothing left of the forge, but a pool into which the water from the tunnel empties provided a wonderful place to sit and enjoy a beautiful day.

 

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Posted in Our World | 22 Comments »

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