Watery Wednesday # 60: Hurricane Falls

Hurricane Falls, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. June 23, 2009.

This is my post for Watery Wednesday.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

Betsy and I have been to Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia twice this year.  We were there for the first time in June and liked it so much that we returned in October.

Actually the main reason we went back fits in very nicely with Watery Wednesday.  There is a dam at the head of Tallulah Gorge that restricts the flow of water through the gorge.  The picture above was taken in June and shows Hurricane Falls as it normally appears.

But a few times during the spring and fall the flood gates of the dam are open to allow the water to flow over the falls as it did before the dam was built.  We went back to see the waterfalls when there was an increased flow over them.

Hurricane Falls, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. October 14, 2009.

This picture was taken in October when the flood gates were open.  Both pictures were taken from the same location.  Can you see the difference a lot of water can make?

My World: Ready for Winter

Ready for winter -- our woodpile. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. November 2, 2009.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

I finally finished stacking the wood that came while Betsy was in Maggie Valley.  The picture above shows our wood pile.  The wood on the right is what I’ve stacked this year.  We’ll burn that wood next year.  The pile on the left has been aging for a year and that is what we will burn this winter.  If you look at the foreground of the picture you will see lots of leaves.  Guess what we’ll be doing this week?

 

Full moon in the eastern sky. November 2, 2009.

Now that we’re back on standard time it gets dark early.  Monday we were coming home from Cookeville and had to stop at a grocery store to pick up a few things.  When we came out of the store we saw this full moon in the eastern sky.

 

Sunset afterglow. Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. November 2, 2009.

As we headed home we came up over a hill and had this view of the western sky.  What a great way to end the day!

Memories of Burgess Falls

Betsy at the base of Burgess Falls, Cookeville, Tennessee. May 26, 2001.

Rainy days have certain advantages.  One advantage is the ability to work on old pictures without feeling guilty about not being out in the yard.

We had a couple of rainy days last week, and I was able to get some work done on my computer.  One set of pictures that I worked with was a set taken back in 2001 when Betsy and I were dating.

I’ve mentioned that we realized we were falling in love on a date to Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee on April 21, 2001.  That date was the start of our waterfall collection, among other things.

On May 26, 2001, we were an engaged couple on a date to Burgess Falls State Natural Area near Cookeville, Tennessee.  This area is within the Falling Water River Gorge and a one mile hike allowed us to view a cascade and three waterfalls.

When we visited Burgess Falls back in 2001 we had no idea that we would eventually be living in the Glade, which is fairly close to Burgess Falls.  We’ve been back several times since.

If you look closely at the picture above you’ll see that Betsy is posing so that her engagement ring is on display.  I think she rather liked it!

To see more of that first visit to Burgess Falls click HERE.

Scenic Sunday # 68: Woolyback Overlook

Woolyback Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway. October 25, 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.

Last Sunday was an absolute gorgeous day in the mountains, with a clear blue sky.   Betsy and I took the Blue Ridge Parkway from Maggie Valley and stopped at several overlooks to enjoy the autumn scenery.

The picture above (which can be enlarged by clicking on it) was taken at Woolyback Overlook at mile marker 452.  “Woolyback” refers to a thicket created by the mountain laurel and rhododendron that’s so dense you can almost walk in it.

The elevation at this overlook is 5,425 feet, so most of the vibrant autumn colors were gone.  But you can see rust-colored trees at lower elevations and of course the ridge lines of the mountains leading back to the horizon.

No Trick — This is Definitely a Treat

Pink Promise Rose, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. October 30, 2009.

One nice thing about living in Tennessee is that the growing season lasts longer than it does in Ohio.  Even though it is the end of October we still have roses in bloom at the house.

I took the picture of this beauty, Pink Promise, yesterday (Friday).  We have buds and blossoms on several other roses as well.  I hope we can enjoy them  before we get our first frost.

Skywatch Friday: An Autumn Sky

A beautiful autumn sky, Cherohala Skyway, Tennessee. October 25, 2009.

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.

Because of the rockslide on I-40, Betsy and i came home by coming from North Carolina to Tennessee on the Cherohala Skyway.  The scenery along the skyway is beautiful any time, but this particular day the autumn colors were stunning, especially along the middle elevations.

The picture above has just about everything you could ask for on a beautiful autumn afternoon:  bright colored leaves, a clear blue sky, and, if you look closely (the picture can be enlarged), a beautiful moon in that blue sky.

 

More Autumn Color

Autumn color in the Glade. October 29, 2009.

Yesterday (Wednesday) was a busy day for us.  We made our weekly trip to town to do the grocery shopping and to help rescue the economy.  It was cloudy while we were in town.

On the way back home we noticed blue sky peeking between the clouds.  By afternoon, when I was out stacking wood, the sky was clear.  I noticed the sunlight on the trees behind our house and had to go get my camera.

At this rate it may take longer than planned to get that wood stacked!

Watery Wednesday # 59: Becky Branch Falls

Becky Branch Falls, Clayton, Georgia. October 13, 2009.

This is my post for Watery Wednesday.  To see more of our beautiful watery world, or to join and post your own pictures to share, click HERE.

Earlier this month Betsy and I went back to northern Georgia to revisit the waterfalls in Tallulah Gorge and to visit some new ones for the first time.  One of our new waterfalls was Becky Branch Falls, near Clayton, Georgia.

Becky Branch Falls is near the Warwoman Dell Recreation Area east of Clayton.  The falls is reached by a steep, but short, trail from the parking area.  When we reached the falls we decided that the hike was definitely worth it.

My World: In Search of Autumn Color

The view from the Blue Ridge Parkway near Maggie Valley, North Carolina. October 25, 2009.

This is my post for the My World meme.  It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, Louise and Fishing Guy.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Since the direct route home from Maggie Valley was closed because of the rock slide on I-40, Betsy and I decided to get home by going south on the Blue Ridge Parkway and then west on the Cherohala Skyway.  We were hoping that we could find some autumn color while avoiding the masses of traffic around Gatlinburg and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

It was a beautiful day with a clear blue sky.  Most of the color was gone from the higher elevations as you can see from the picture above.  But there was more color at the lower elevations.

Woodfin Cascades, North Carolina. October 25, 2009.

No trip would be complete for Betsy and me if we didn’t find a waterfall.  We had to view Woodfin Cascades from across a valley, but it was still a nice addition to our collection.

The Cherohala Skyway is a 36-mile road from Robbinsville, North Carolina, to Tellico Plains, Tennessee.  Along the way it crosses the 5400 foot mountains on the border of the two states.  There are very few signs of civilization along most of the skyway.  Construction of the skyway began in 1960 and it finally opened in 1994.

Color along the Cherohala Skyway, North Carolina. October 25, 2009.

We probably saw the most vibrant colors of the trip on the skyway.  The picture above is only a small sample of what we enjoyed along the way.

Look What Got Between Betsy and Me

The rock slide on I-40, October 25, 2009. Photo by wpsa.com

Yesterday (Sunday) started at an early hour for me.  I knew Betsy had to check out of the cabin in Maggie Valley at 9 o’clock (ignoring the time change).  I also know that it took three hours to get from Maggie Valley to the house on Tuesday.  So I set the alarm for 4 o’clock and was on the road before five.  I would get there to Maggie Valley with an hour to spare.

Everything went well until about 7 o’clock , as I was approaching Newport, Tennessee.  Flashing lights, a police car and a fire truck announced that there was a problem up ahead.  It turns out that there had been a major rock slide on I-40 at about 2 o’clock Sunday morning.  The rock slide caused about 30 miles of the interstate to be closed.  The closed section runs through the Pigeon River Gorge and is just about the only way to get through that part of the mountains.

There were volunteers giving directions, but unfortunately they didn’t agree on the way to get from where I was to Maggie Valley.  Following one set of directions took me in a circle and brought me back to the exit where I had to get off.  Our GPS can select a route by the shortest distance or by the faster time.  Both routes used the closed section of the interstate.  I finally gave up and took a route that I knew would get me there — eventually.  To make a long story (and trip) short, I finally got to the cabin just before 11 o’clock.  That three hour trip took six hours.

Fortunately Betsy hadn’t given up on me and I got reunited with my Beautiful Bride.  Since  the interstate was closed we decided to go back home over the Cherohala Parkway.  The autumn colors were gorgeous, but I’ll save that for tomorrow.

Sunday night they were reporting that the interstate will be closed for at least two months.  We might not be traveling east for the next couple of months.