happiness

We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.
--Frederick Keonig (1774-1833) German inventor.

 Above: Matias appreciating an autumn day at Price Lake.

strolling along

It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things. 
--Donald Miller (b. 1971) author. 

 Above: A young family out for an autumn stroll around Bass Lake, outside of Blowing Rock, NC.

from a distance

From a distance, there is harmony
And it echoes through the land
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace
It's the voice of every man
--Julie Gold (b. 1956) American singer-songwriter.

Above: Price Lake on the Blue Ridge Parkway

looking back

When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened. 
--Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British Prime Minister

Another view of Boone Fork Bridge.

divine design

We had better design and build thoughtfully, sensitively, creatively, as we usher men and women into the presence of the natural gods.
--Stanley William Abbott (1908-1975) architect of the Blue Ridge Parkway

autumn awe

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.
--Albert Einstein (1889-1955) physicist

Above: The awesome beauty of autumn along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  In the distance you can see the Linn Cove Viaduct wrapping around Grandfather Mountain. Click here to learn more about how this marvelous engineering accomplishment came to be.

launch!

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.
--Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Essayist and Philosopher

Canoeing on Price Lake. 

relaxation

Relaxation means releasing all concern and tension and letting the natural order of life flow through one's being.
--Donald Curtis (1915-1997) minister and author  

Located between Grandfather Mountain and Blowing Rock, NC at mile 296.7 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Price Lake offers hiking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. A 2.3 mile trail loops around and offers a scenic lakeside walk. More info here.

going in

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.
--John Muir (1838-1914), Naturalist and Conservationist

Price Lake at Sunset. This is an identical shot to the one posted here, taken at the same time, the only difference being a different white balance setting. Just goes to show what a dramatic difference the white balance setting can have on an image! We usually think about making sure we set the 'correct' white balance setting, however, it can also be used creatively to either dramatically warm or cool an image to give it an entirely different feel. Another example here.

heart and nature

Man's heart away from nature becomes hard.
--Standing Bear (1834?-1908) Ponca Native American Chief

s'marvelous

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.
--Aristotle (384-322 BC) Greek philosopher

Bass Lake, outside of Blowing Rock, NC (click photo to enlarge).

Howard's Knob

Ventured into the High Country of North Carolina last weekend -- and did the tourist thing. Took in the sights on the Blue Ridge Parkway, did some shopping at the Outlet Mall outside of Blowing Rock, then enjoyed the view from Howard's Knob and finally had a delicious dinner at Black Cat Burrito in Boone.

Howard's Knob (elevation 4,406 feet) offers "unparalleled views" of Boone and Appalachian State University. It was hazy the day we were there, so I had to push the contrast, blacks and recovery within Lightroom to pull out some of the detail of these photos of the Appy State campus and Kidd Brewer Stadium. Howard's Knob was named for an early settler to the area, Benjamin Howard, a British loyalist and contemporary of Daniel Boone. In 1979, the world's largest windmill was constructed there, but this experiment was short lived -- it seemed it was also the world's noisiest windmill. The turbine was dismantled in 1983 and the area turned into a park.

Directions: From 421 (E. King St.) turn north onto Grand Blvd and travel 0.2 miles, turn left on Bear Trail (one way) and drive another 0.2 miles, then turn left on Eastview Dr./E. Junaluska Rd. (listed as both on Google Maps) continue following this insanely steep road up the mountain for 0.85 miles, you'll then turn right onto Howard's Knob Road and drive 1/2 mile to the park located at the end of this road. The one-way road goes through the park goes counter-clockwise. The parking area for the overlook is located next to an open meadow -- a short walk will lead to the overlook.

Reflection

Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul.
--Thomas Merton (1915-1968) Author and Monk

Price Lake at Sunset, Blue Ridge Parkway Mile 297

our daily beauty

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.
--John Muir (1838-1914) Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of conservation of U.S. wilderness

Here's a shot from this past weekend taken at Price Lake at Mile 297 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a marvelous place to play and pray and be reinvigorated by the beauty all around. Boat and canoe rentals are still available on the weekends through the end of October ($10 for the first hour, $8 each additional hour). There's also a 2.3 mile trail around the lake -- a beautiful hike this time of year! Click the map to see the immediate vicinity of Price Lake.

Price Lake is smack dab in the middle of it all. In fact the 15 miles from Flat Rock to the Moses Cone Estate is considered by many to be the most scenic stretch of the entire Parkway. Highlights include:

Flat Rock Overlook, mile 308
Beacon Heights Overlook, mile 305Grandfather Mountain, mile 305
Stack Rock, mile 304.6
Linn Cove Viaduct, mile 304.3
Rough Ridge Overlook, mile 302.8
Price Lake (above), mile 297
Moses Cone Estate, mile 293 (includes Bass Lake, most easily accessed via Rt. 221 in Blowing Rock)

illumination

The color of the object illuminated partakes of the color of that which illuminates it.
--Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Italian scientist and artist

Ventured into the high country of North Carolina and was not disappointed. I think I took enough photos today to keep me busy for a week or more -- The fall colors were absolutely amazing! And the good news is that it's not yet peak, so if you haven't gotten out to take a look-see, there's still time. I'd guess that next weekend will be the peak in and around Grandfather Mountain. If you're planning a visit to Grandfather Mountain or locations nearby on the Blue Ridge Parkway, I'd really recommend going during the week. But if you can't go until next weekend, then I'd plan on arriving early (8-10 am) in order to beat the crowds. If you're heading that way, here are some places to consider visiting...

Grandfather Mountain
Linn Cove Viaduct
Rough Ridge Overlook
Beacon Heights Overlook
Price Lake
Moses Cone Estate
Bass Lake
(If you have other places in the area to recommend, please leave us a comment below!)

Already at peak this weekend are the stunning maple trees lining Bass Lake (pictured above) outside of Blowing Rock, NC. What a beautiful place! The lake, which was once part of the Moses Cone estate (click here to learn more), is the perfect spot for a stroll or jog (0.7 mile loop). If you've never been there, I really recommend you check it out! To see my previous Bass Lake posts, click here.

Directions: Bass Lake is easily accessed on Route 221 south (a.k.a. Yonahlossee Road) just outside of Blowing Rock, NC. Click here for a map of the area.

St. John's Church

This photo is of the beautiful Saint John's Church (dedicated in 1862) in Valle Crucis, NC. Today, the church has services every Sunday during the summer months (May through September) and is also used for special services. I haven't been inside, but still I'd recommend a visit to see its classic architecture and country setting. As I mentioned yesterday, I'm experimenting with various Lightroom 'pre-sets' this week -- this one is called "Surreal Edgy Effect" - it's not one that works for very many shots, but for whatever reason, I liked what it did to this shot I took last winter. Click here to see a previous post and black and white photo of this historic church.

Directions. St. John's is located in Valle Crucis just off of Mast Gap Road. If coming from Boone or Linville, take Highway 105 to its intersection with Broadstone Road, turn west to head to Valle Crucis. In approximately four miles you will pass the Mast Store Annex and shortly after the original Mast Store (both are on your right). Continue straight on Broadstone (now Highway 194) for approximately one more mile and then turn left on Mast Gap Road. You'll quickly come to Still House Hollow, turn left (A sign will point the way to St. John's). It's a short distance from here to the church (which will be on your right).

Shades of Grey

St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church (built in 1862), Valle Crucis, NC.

I've been experimenting with black and white a lot so far this new year. Maybe its because it's January and there's not a lot of color to be found. Or maybe it's because in the winter months you see the "bone structure" of the land (as Andrew Wyeth said) and black and white photos tend to emphasize the scene's texture, lines, shadows and form. With color striped away, we look more deeply. In fact, it's common for people to say that there's so much more detail in black and white photos. It's not that there's any more detail than in a color print -- it's just that we see so much more when looking at a black and white shot. So which photos look best in black and white? Look for scenes with contrast -- an interplay between light and shadow -- for instance, scenes with deep blue skies and bright white clouds. Also look for interesting textures, patterns and shapes. With Photoshop (and other programs, even free programs like Picasa), you can apply color and infrared filters when converting them to black and white to exaggerate the contrast and make your black and white photos "pop." Click here to see some famous black and white images from Ansel Adams.

Looking back: new favorites

Wow. There've been lots of discoveries in 2007 and thousands of miles logged in search of the best this region has to offer with my friend Lee of "From these Hills" fame. In this post, I've tried to pick my favorite 2007 discoveries from Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. Like I said yesterday, picking favorites is always tough -- but there is one fairly objective way to decide -- that is, which places do you find yourself going back to again and again. [click the links below for additional photos, information, and directions]

1. Northeast TN: Sill Branch Falls. Once we get some more rain, you can bet I'll be heading back to Sill Branch in the Clark's Creek area of Unicoi County. It's convenient to Erwin, Jonesborough and Greeneville -- and a fairly short and easy hike. Above is a shot from last spring. (BTW, the final tally on the rain deficit for 2007: 18.94 inches)

2. Western NC: Bass Lake. For those from the Blowing Rock area of NC, you're probably rolling your eyes at me. Bass Lake doesn't seem like a tough one to discover -- but you'd be surprised. I had been to Blowing Rock dozens and dozens of times and driven right past all the horse trailers along the road, and never thought to venture in. I've asked some friends who are always going to Blowing Rock and Boone for shopping, if they'd ever been or heard of Bass Lake... nope. So, I'm glad I'm not the only one! Bass Lake has become a regular stop on our tours of western North Carolina -- it's always a beautiful walk at the end of the day. Here's a shot from October.

3. Southwest Virginia: Virginia Creeper Trail. Again, this is one of the best known destinations in our region of Appalachia. But for all the talk of the Creeper Trail, I'm embarrassed to say that in over 12 years of living here, I never checked it out until this fall. It's an amazing treasure -- and needs to be at the top of everyone's list for '08.

I appreciate all the kind comments and the supportive emails I've received this past year -- they really mean a lot. I have to say my favorite ones are from those who say, 'I read your blog and followed your directions and ventured out!' That's really what this is all about for me -- pointing the way and encouraging everyone who lives or visits this region to get out and explore. This has been a great year of discovery for me -- I feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the country -- and I can't wait to see what's around the bend in 2008!

Happy New Year!

Autumn reflections

One of the places where the colors are popping right now is around Price Lake at Mile #297 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Experience the lake by renting a canoe (I forgot to look into this when I was there, but from what I can tell online, they're inexpensive to rent, but only available on weekends during the month of October) -- Or hoof it and take the 2.3 mile trail around the lake. Price Lake is smack dab in the middle of it all -- Grandfather Mountain, Linn Cove Viaduct, Rough Ridge Overlook, Moses Cone Estate and Bass Lake (to name a few!). Click on these place names under the "Table of Contents" section to the right to learn more. Click the map above to see the immediate vicinity of Price Lake.

Appalachian State University

This statue of Daniel Boone is located on the campus of Appalachian State University in the city that bears his name. With an enrollment as big as the town (both are around 15,000), it is safe to say Boone, NC has the look and feel of a college town. ASU's academic and athletic programs are certainly well-regarded -- but talk to students who go to ASU and many will say it was the setting that really attracted them to Boone -- nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains with ski slopes, hiking trails, the Parkway, and all the scenic beauty and recreational activities offered in the High Country. It's indeed a beautiful setting -- and Appy State and the city of Boone have a personality all their own.