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One of the advantages of visiting waterfalls in December is that we can often see water in a couple of different forms. This picture of ice and water was taken a few years back at Dry Falls in the Cullasaja Gorge of North Carolina.
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Late autumn can be a great time to go searching for waterfalls — the weather is usually mild and there are fewer people on the roads and trails than is the case during spring and summer.
Several years ago we explored the Unaka Mountain area near Erwin, Tennessee, on Thanksgiving weekend. Being on the mountain was certainly much more enjoyable than facing Black Friday crowds at the stores and malls. We drove along some Forest Service roads and did some hiking. This pretty little waterfall is one of the sights we enjoyed.
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One of the nice things about living in eastern Tennessee is that autumn in the mountains can be spectacular. There’s no guarantee of course — Mother Nature is going to do what she wants when she wants to do it. There have been years when the autumn colors are muted and quite frankly, drab. But there are other years during which the colors on the mountains take your breath away.
My Beautiful Bride and I try to go on a ‘leaf-hunting’ trip every year. We usually make a loop — going through the Smokies over Newfound Gap, and coming the other way over the Cherohala Parkway.
The picture above was taken along the Cherohala Parkway connecting North Carolina and Tennessee several years ago. We hope we are as fortunate this year.
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Betsy and I celebrated by birthday earlier this year before the pandemic and the lockdowns came along and closed everything down. We went to Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia for a short getaway with the possibility of getting in some hiking.
Blackwater Falls is a pretty waterfall that gets its name from the amber tint of the water going over the falls. The tint comes from the tannic acid of fallen hemlock and red spruce needles.
This picture was taken at an overlook across the river from the main Blackwater Falls overlook near the base of the falls.
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One of the joys for Betsy and I when we visit Mt. Nebo State Park in Arkansas is the sunsets we can enjoy from ‘our’ cabin when we visit in February or March. All the pictures in this post were taken on February 12, 2013.
Regardless of what we do during the day, we try to get back to the cabin before sunset. Sometimes, as in the picture above, the late afternoon gives a hint of the glorious sunset to come.
As the sun drops lower, a look to the south across the valley shows the reds, oranges and pinks of the clouds above.
For a moment the sun seems to pause just as it touches the mountains to the west and baths everything in a golden glow.
Then the sun is gone, but it leaves a reminder of the beauty of God’s creation in the sky.
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When Betsy and I would visit Mt. Nebo in Arkansas, one of our favorite places to visit and hike was the Pedestal Rocks Scenic Area off of Scenic Route 7 north of Mt. Nebo.
Pedestal Rocks features “mushroom’ shaped columns sculptured by wind and weather. The “pedestals” are both fascinating and beautiful.
Pedestal Rocks is a great place to hike on a beautiful winter day.
In addition to unique shapes, many of the pedestals have lichen growing along one or more sides. Some of the colors are varied, vivid and beautiful.
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This past September Betsy and I, along with Betsy’s son Mark and his girlfriend Robin, visited the Gatlinburg Skybridge for he first time. The Skybridge, which opened earlier in the year, is the longest (680 feet) pedestrian suspension bridge in North America.
The Skybridge is located at the top of the Skylift in Gatlinburg. Robin and Mark rode up the mountain in the chair in front of us.
The Skybridge is even more impressive when viewed from the top of the mountain.
There were quite a few people on the Skybridge, but we were still able to enjoy the views of the Smokies above Gatlinburg.
We never get tired of seeing the Smoky Mountains.
Cane Creek Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2013.
If you have kept up with Betsy and me for any length of time, you know that Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee is a special place for us. It was the place for our first ‘big’ date, our first kiss, and the beginnings of our fascination with waterfalls.
I know I have posted pictures of the individual waterfalls in the park, but I don’t think I’ve done a single post that shows all the waterfalls The pictures in this post were taken over several years — we’ve visited Fall Creek Falls at least once a year since 2001. I’m showing the waterfalls in the order we usually visit them while at the park.
The waterfall above is Cane Creek Falls. The overlook for this waterfall is the first we come to after entering the park.
Rockhouse Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 22, 2019
Rockhouse Falls shares the same basin with Cane Creek Falls. Rockhouse Falls is much taller, but it is on a smaller creek and has a lower flow of water.
Cane Creek Cascades, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2013.
Cane Creek Cascade is a short distance upstream from Cane Creek Falls. In many ways the cascade is more impressive than the falls since it’s possible to get closer to it. Cane Creek Cascade is a great place to sit, relax and enjoy the beauty and the sound of water.
TributaryFalls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2018.
We discovered this little waterfall last year when the park was undergoing some renovations and a new, temporary, trail to Cane Creek Cascade was cut through the woods. I have not been able to find an official name for this waterfall nor have I found the name of the little creek that feeds it. So we refer to it as Tributary Falls.
George Hole Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2013.
I’ll admit that we’re cheating a little here. George Hole Falls is created by a small dam on Cane Creek. But we always visit this waterfall because George Hole is the site of our first kiss. We always try each year to recreate that kiss as well!
Fall Creek Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. September 6, 2015.
The park gets its name from Fall Creek Falls, which is the biggest waterfall in the park. This picture was taken from the overlook, and although we have hiked to the base of the falls, the hike back up seems to get a little longer and a little steeper each year. So we are mostly content to admire the waterfall from the overlook.
Coon Creek Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2013
Coon Creek Falls is a smaller waterfall on a stream that shares the same basin as Fall Creek Falls. Both waterfalls can be seen from the same overlook.
Piney Falls, Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee. April 21, 2011.
The last waterfall we see on our visits to the park is Piney Falls. We have to admire this waterfall from an overlook some distance away, as it would involve a hike and overnight campouts to reach the falls. So we make do with telephoto lenses for our cameras and the view from the overlook.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick tour of Fall Creek Falls State Park. If you have the opportunity to visit the park in person, we’re sure you will enjoy it.
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My Beautiful Bride and I have season passes to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, and we try to visit the estate several times a year. Although we have gone into the house several times, we usually go to visit the conservatory and the gardens.
The Walled Garden is the centerpiece of the gardens at Biltmore. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, as were all the gardens at Biltmore. Frederick Law Olmsted is often considered America’s foremost landscape architect.
The Walled Garden is usually the second area we visit (after the Conservatory) on each trip to Biltmore. This post show a typical Spring visit to the Walled Garden. All these photos were taken in April, 2013.
The Walled Garden features a seasonal rotation of blossoms. A long arbor covered with grape vines runs down the center of the garden.
Openings in the arbor provide a pretty frame for the tulips.
Over 50,000 tulips (and 14,000) daffodils are planted in the garden each Spring, making a beautiful display.
I was fortunate to find another type of beauty in a different section of the garden.
To see these and other images from our visit, click HERE.
Barong, the symbol of virtue and good in Balinese mythology.
(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice. These images are scanned from slides taken in 1987)
On one of the first days we were in Bali, our group was taken to an outdoor theater to see a traditional Balinese dance drama that depicted the struggle between Barong and Rangda. The dance represents the eternal battle between good and evil.
Rangda, the symbol of evil.
Barong is a symbol of health and good fortune, while Rangda is a child-eating witch who leads an army of evil witches against the forces of good — Barong.
Queen Dewi Kunti and her stepson, who will be sacrificed to placate the anger of Rangda.
In the version of the story we saw, the stepson of the queen was to be sacrificed to placate the anger of Rangda.
Unti, a minister of Dewi Kunti
The king sent his prime minister to deal with Rangda, although he was unsuccessful. His failure set the stage for the battle between Barong and Rangda.
The dance/drama was definitely interesting and provided a glimpse into traditional Balinese culture.
To see larger versions of these pictures, as well as others from the performance, click HERE.
Senior Moments 