Posts Tagged ‘Travels’

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Scenic Sunday # 51: We Hold These Truths

July 5, 2009
Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. November 18, 2000.

Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. November 18, 2000.

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 picture above may be more historic than scenic, but I think it is appropriate for this holiday weekend.  This is the room in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, in which the Declaration of Independence was signed.  That document laid out the fundamental promise and obligation of a new nation.

… We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. …

Two hundred and thirty three years later, work still needs to be done to reach that ideal.  But progress has been made and is being made.  The words of July 4, 1776, still define and animate the nation today.

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Posted in American Life | 12 Comments »

Skywatch Friday # 51

July 3, 2009
Dillard, Georgia. June 24, 2009.

Dillard, Georgia. June 24, 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 and share your own photos of the sky, click HERE.

As we were getting ready to come home from our anniversary trip I noticed the white clouds forming between the blue sky and green trees in Dillard, Georgia.  I just had to try and capture that pretty sight and since this is the beginning of the Fourth of July weekend, the American flag makes the picture even more appropriate for this particular Skywatch Friday.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 12 Comments »

Laurel Mountain Falls

July 2, 2009
Upper Laurel Mountain Falls, Dillard, Georgia. June 22, 2009.

Upper Laurel Mountain Falls, Dillard, Georgia. June 22, 2009.

On our anniversary trip our main destination was Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia.  But we wanted to see some other waterfalls in the area, if possible.

We have a book describing waterfalls in northern Georgia, and the book mentioned waterfalls and cascades on Patterson Creek near Dillard, Georgia, which is where we were staying.  The book had directions, but it is eight years old and things change, even in the mountains.  But we persevered and did find the creek.  A faint path led us to the fall pictured above.

Laurel Mountain Falls, Dillard, Georgia. June 22, 2009.

Laurel Mountain Falls, Dillard, Georgia. June 22, 2009.

A little way downstream we came upon Laurel Mountain Falls.

Lower Laurel Mountain Falls, Dillard, Georgia. June 22, 2009.

Lower Laurel Mountain Falls, Dillard, Georgia. June 22, 2009.

A steep path led down to Lower Laurel Mountain Falls, although I couldn’t get to creek at the base.  Betsy, being the sensible woman she is, waited for me at the head of the steep path.

Patterson Creek did not have a heavy water flow, but the falls and cascades along the creek were pretty.  We were glad to add these to our collection.

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Posted in Waterfalls | 13 Comments »

Scenic Sunday # 50

June 28, 2009
The Blue Ridge Mountains from the Dillard House, Dillard, Georgia. June 23, 2009.

The Blue Ridge Mountains from the Dillard House, Dillard, Georgia. June 23, 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.

The picture above was taken at the Dillard House, in Dillard, Georgia.  I’ve mentioned the fabulous meal we had there, but the scenery is almost as good as the view.  After our meal we walked around the inn enjoying the view in the evening light.  The Dillard House is located in the Little Tennessee Valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The picture above, taken in front of the restaurant, looks across the valley to the mountains in the distance.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 13 Comments »

Tallulah Gorge

June 27, 2009
The southern end of Tallulah Gorge. Oceana Falls is in the foreground.

The southern end of Tallulah Gorge. Oceana Falls is in the foreground.

Yesterday I talked about my adventure (or misadventure) on the steps leading to the Hurricane Falls Observation Deck in Tallulah Gorge State Park.  Today I would like to share a little about the gorge itself.

Tallulah Gorge is one of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern U. S.  It is approximately two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep.  As I mentioned yesterday the gorge contains six waterfalls which are collectively known as Tallulah Falls.  Until 1913 the Tallulah River ran freely through the gorge and the falls were considered the “Niagara of the South”.  In 1913 a dam was completed just above the gorge, diverting most of the water for power generation.

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The Tallulah Gorge Dam. June 23, 2009.

Tallulah Gorge was designated a state park in 1992 and is operated by a public-private partnership with Georgia Power Company, the owners of the dam.  This arrangement allows for aesthetic releases of water several times a year, which approximate what the river looked like before the dam was built.  There are also whitewater releases which allow kayakers to shoot the falls.

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Posted in Travels | 8 Comments »

An Anniversary Trip

June 22, 2009
Minihaha Falls, Rabun County, Georgia

Minihaha Falls, Rabun County, Georgia

Betsy and I  are going to be traveling again.  Our eighth wedding anniversary is Tuesday and we’re going to northern Georgia to search for waterfalls.  I don’t know if we’ll get back to Minihaha Falls (pictured above), but we will be in that general area.

It’s been so hot and miserable here over the past few days that we’ve planned a trip that won’t involve hiking long distances.  Most of the hikes we’ll be taking are only a mile or so.

We’ll be celebrating Tuesday evening by having dinner at the Dillard House.  We’ve eaten there a time or two and it really is an experience.  It’s a family-style restaurant  that specializes in Southern cooking with lots of food.  Needless to say, we’ll hike before eating not afterward.

We plan on being back home Wednesday evening.  Until then have a great week.

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Posted in Travels | 18 Comments »

Mountain Laurel

June 11, 2009
Mountain Laurel near Otto, North Carolina. May 29, 2009.

Mountain Laurel near Otto, North Carolina. May 29, 2009.

When we visited our friends Judy and Charlie at their cabin in the western North Carolina mountains, we were treated to a magnificent display of mountain laurel in bloom.  One afternoon we walked up the road  past their cabin and were treated to the view you see in the picture above.  The blossoms  were mostly white and pink,  but there were subtle differences between the different flowers.

Unfortunately no picture can do justice to such a marvelous scene.  But in spite of this I still can’t resist the temptation to post a close up of these beautiful blossoms.

Mountain Laurel blossoms. May 29, 2009.

Mountain Laurel blossoms. May 29, 2009.

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Posted in Travels | 17 Comments »

Fontana Lake

June 8, 2009
Fontana Lake, North Carolina. May 30, 2009.

Fontana Lake, North Carolina. May 30, 2009.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a wonderful place to visit.  Most people visit the Tennessee side of the park since that’s where the towns of Gatlinburg and Sevierville are located.

The North Carolina side of the park is more remote and doesn’t have as many visitors, but it also has many gems.  Last month Betsy and I drove through the park from North Carolina to Tennessee, stopping at just about every overlook we passed.

The picture above was taken at one of those overlooks.  The lake is Fontana Lake, which is one of the deepest lakes in the region.  In some places it is over 400 feet deep.  The lake is roughly 30 miles long and is at an elevation of about 1700 feet.  Nestled in the mountains, Fontana Lake offers boating, fishing, hiking, and camping.  It may be remote, but it is well worth a visit for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors.

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Posted in Travels | 17 Comments »

Scenic Sunday # 47

June 7, 2009
Morning view at the Otto cabin. May 30, 2009.

Morning view at the Otto cabin. 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.

I lived in Black Mountain, North Carolina, from 1972 – 1985 and learned to love the mountains of western North Carolina.  So when our friends Judy and Charlie invited us to join them for a few days at their cabin near Otto, North Carolina, it didn’t take us long to take them up on their offer!

The picture above is the view from their deck, looking west in the not-so-early morning.  But the mountains and the Carolina Blue sky make it a scene to enjoy over and over again.

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Posted in Scenic Sunday | 13 Comments »

Skywatch Friday # 47

June 5, 2009
An Evening View from the Otto Cabin. May 28, 2009.

An Evening View from the Otto Cabin. May 28, 2009.

This is my post for Skywatch Friday, a meme for sharing views of the sky from all over the world.  Last week over 350 people shared their view of the sky.  To see more, or to join and share your own photos of the sky, click HERE.

Betsy and I visited our friends Judy and Charlie last week in the mountains of North Carolina.  It rained fairly hard the first afternoon we were there, but it cleared up in the early evening.  That’s when I got the picture above.  The sky was clearing but there were still clouds over the mountains and fog was rising from the valley below the cabin.

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Posted in SkyWatch Friday | 22 Comments »

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