Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway --Aug 5/6, 2010

One disadvantage of taking SO many pictures when on a trip is to go through them and pick out six that you want to use on your blog.... That is HARD!!!! ha.. We stopped at most every overlook --and luckily, we have one of those neat Geotaggers ---which marks our pictures (so that when we go back to look at them, we'll know where they were taken. That helps SO much!!!

As I have said several times, if you haven't seen my other posts talking about our fabulous trip from August 5 (my birthday) through the 8th, to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive areas, please go to my sidebar on the right, scroll down to labels and click on the label marked, Birthday 2010.

Today, I'm sharing more pictures taken along the Blue Ridge Parkway... We got on the parkway at Floyd, VA (south of Roanoke). Above is a map of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. You can see the Peaks of Otter where we stayed the first night. Once you get north of Charlottesville, the parkway changes to the Skyline Drive (shown in yesterday's post). Below are more pictures (not in the order taken along the parkway)!





This is an old grist mill area called Rakes Mill Pond. You can see the stone-facing on that dam. It was built early in the 19th century by Jarman Rakes, a miller. He allowed customers to fish for brook trout in his pond while they waited for their grist.





I had to search and search to find information on this gorgeous church... I finally found it online. It's the Syon Abbey, a Catholic monastery located east of Christiansburg, VA. The monastery is a home where peace is the motto. It's that peace which the world cannot give. The premier activity of the monks is worship. They also live by the labour of their hands, growing all of their own food and preparing it for the table.

The monastery is the house of a family of brothers living under the rule and guidance of a father, their Abbot. The Community now at Syon Abbey began its corporate life in Kentucky in 1962. This beautiful monastery was built in 2002/03. If you visit the monastery, you will find that the monks are very happy men. I can understand why---after seeing what a fabulous setting the monastery is in, here along the Blue Ridge Parkway.




See those 'holes' in the mountains???? That is talus.... Remember me talking about that --when we were 'waterfalling' in the Savage Gulf????? Talus is a sloping mass of rock fragments along a cliff area. Believe me--you CANNOT walk on Talus!!!! Yipes! This picture was taken near Humpback Rocks.






This is the closest we came to seeing a waterfall on this trip... Aren't you shocked???? ha... We have visited several waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway in previous years. This little beauty is called Otter Creek Dam. Isn't it pretty???? Otter Creek tumbles 10 miles down the Blue Ridge to the James River.





This overlook looked down on Arnold Valley below. We were at elevation 3700 feet. The valley was at 2900 feet. We were north of the Peaks of Otter and south of the James River Visitor Center which is the lowest elevation along the Parkway at 649 feet.




This was taken at the Apple Orchard Mountain overlook. I did see some apple trees along the parkway in other areas --but what I loved about this photo was the wildflowers along the road. Aren't they pretty. This is the highest elevation in Virginia at 3950 feet.

On Apple Orchard Mountain, wind/ice/snow of raging winter storms have pruned this mountaintop forest, giving it an 'old apple orchard' appearance. However, this 'orchard' consists primarily of gnarled lichen -covered northern red oak trees.

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Hope you are enjoying our 'journey'... I love researching the area --so that I not only can show you some pictures, but also can tell you about them.

Have a wonderful Tuesday.

Hugs,

57 comments:

Susan Tidwell said...

Enjoying your trip, the BRP is one of my favorite road trips. We were up there this time last year. There are several good bloggers in Floyd, VA. Love y'alls matching shirts - LOL!

Jane said...

The monastery is a gorgeous place I'd love to visit there some day,

Jane

Fred Alton said...

I love the BRP! I've driven from Waynesboro down to Roanoke a few years back when I was itinerating for missions awareness and fund-raising. I enjoy reading your blog because it informs about things like the monastery, etc. - Keep up the good work.

Neal said...

You guys sound like us...stopping at every overlook. We always have plans to travel so many miles a day and seems like we always have to hurry the last part because we've stopped a lot more than we thought we would. Oh well, we always have fun anyways.:)

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

were you and George wearing a T shirt of a club you belong to? Nice warm color.

I started blog quite late, but what I do is I save all the photos, and usually roughly remember them. If it is a meme for a certain theme, i go back to it. Or like ABC Wednesday, I skim through the photos for that particular letter.

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, These are beautiful views you have shared today. The wildflowers are very pretty and I love the Monastery. That is such a peaceful setting. Hope you have a very nice day.

Catherine said...

That's a beautiful monastery that you saw. Love the architecture of it.

Have a terrific Tuesday Betsy!
xo Catherine

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures! We have taken that trip and it was lovely....

Arkansas Patti said...

That monastery is awesome, hard to and a bit disapointing that it was built in this century. It looks so old world.
You and George are always standing on the edge of something or under massive boulders. Braver souls than I but makes for great pictures.
Only time I was on the BRP, it was either foggy or was in the clouds for I could barely see the road. Thanks for letting me see what I missed.

From the Old InkWell said...

What a great trip! We are planning a trip in somewhat this same area in October. Looking forward to it!

Dar said...

It is always such a pleasure to travel with you to places I, otherwise, will never see. We sure do live in some gorgeous country. Thanks for taking me with and for always visiting when you see me out there. We have been very busy helping with the wedding that was this past weekend, and then my PC went haywire on me. It's still ' iffy ' so I could loose you anytime. Time to replace this prehistoric one.
BlessYouandGeorge
LoveFromWI

RoeH said...

I remember a town called Mountain Top or something like that that we stayed in somewhere on the Parkway. A very small town...like service station, store and motel. It was so neat. I should have just stayed there. Forever.

Susie said...

Doesn't God give us the most beautiful places to visit!?!?!

Thanks to you guys for showing a lot of it to us.

Happy Tuesday to you!

Dorothy said...

Still enjoying your trip through your pictures, Betsy! Makes me want to get out and GO somewhere!

Cicero Sings said...

Pictures and commentary are great. Love the stonework "waterfalls".

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Oh I have to especially love the old grist mill area and the waterfall!!! Yummmmy...

But you standing "on an edge," kind of gives me knots in my stomach! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek! Honest. :-)

You are lucky you don't react like I do, to edges. ,-)

Janice K said...

I have been enjoying your wonderful birthday adventure....I bet that would be a neat trip in the fall of the year when the trees are changing colors.

DeniseinVA said...

I am so enjoying your Virginia trip Betsy. You are showing me a lot of places I would like to go in my own back yard. Thank you!

Snap said...

Gorgeous, Betsy. I love the Blue Ridge Parkway ... one of those wonderful roads you *awe* over at every turn! We drove a lot of it in North Carolina many years ago.

Anonymous said...

All are really nice pics, but I love the 2 waterfall shots: Otter Creek Dam & the falls at Rakes Mill Pond! I love all that stonework

Keep on keepin' on, Betsy!

MadSnapper said...

I am loving Otter Creek damn, that is beautiful. I do hope you were not standing with your back to a steep fall off place. hoping you were standing in the same place as george but from another angle. i am enjoying my armchair traveling of the mountains with you and georgel

Joy said...

Worshiping the Lord and growing food in such a beautiful setting...sign me up. I'll join that monastary. Great postcard pictures as usual. You and George take the best trips.
♥ Joy

Busy Bee Suz said...

I want to visit the monastery!!! It looks so beautiful. I remember going to one with my church as a teen in Georgia, the Monks were so nice and they sold this wonderful bread that they made there.
Damn, that otter damn is awesome~~
Have a great day!
Suz

Sunny said...

You take such scenic and interesting journeys. It's fun to see places that I probably would never see in person, although I would love to travel in that area.
Thank you Betsy for all your kind words while I have been under the weather. Thankfully, each day I'm feeling better.
☼ Sunny

amelia said...

What is grist?

If we ever can afford a nice holiday in the US I'm coming to your area. It's the prettiest place I think I've ever seen!!

Small City Scenes said...

Thanks for taking us along on your roadtrip. great info and excellent pictures. I love the Otter Creek Dam waterfall.
What a wonderful tour guide. LOL
MB

I Am Woody said...

I have GOT to go back to VA and tour along that road!!

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

I sure loved this post....so much info here along with your gorgeous photos!!! I've got to look into that little geo tag thingy...I've seen the name around but never bothered to look into it.

Rose said...

I sure have loved this trip of yours! I hope you have several more posts to do from it...I love those views, and I love that little waterfall.

Cheryl said...

What a lovely area to visit. The monastery was gorgeous! This looks like a trip my husband and I would love to take.

Diane said...

You saw some wonderful places Betsy. That geo whatever on your camera would be really helpful, especially if you go a lot of places like you and George do. Diane

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

I am very much enjoying this virtual trip.I only wish I were there in person.The waterfall looks lovely.although I am surprised that this is the only one you saw.The other beauty around more than makes up for the lack of waterfalls.
Blessings,Ruth

Tipper said...

Love all the pics-especially the grist mill-neat that he let them fish while they waited.

(I love your radar in the side bar-sometime I jump over here just to check it out since it shows me too-I know I could get my own-but I like you having it better)

Valerie said...

Must have been a beautiful and relaxing drive. Love the waterfall. Very unique looking!

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday! I'm on the other end of the state -- Memphis! Love the photos & views!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Gads, Betsy, your post just hit me like a ton of bricks today. You were born on the same day my mom was, August 5th. For some resson, that never registered with me before now. I don't quite know what to make of it. I believe there are no coincidences in life. I'm loving the pictures!! How far from us is that abbey? Because I want to go there! We have a monestery here where the nuns make cheese from thier own cows. I love the picture of you standing in front of the mountains, and the Otter Dam that looks like steps, those are my two favorite today. Think you can drag out these posts till Christmas, I would love that!! Because I am seeing things in my own area that I've not seen before. I guess mainly because of my fear ohf heights.

Glenda said...

Of course I loved these pics . . . because I love driving along the Parkway - just don't get to do that nearly often enough. I was really surprised to see the beautiful monastery, but that's a perfect place for peace and serenity.
I like the grist mill pic, too. We stopped at one near Cherokee, NC last trip and bought the best meal.

SquirrelQueen said...

I am very much enjoying your birthday journey. The mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway are so beautiful. Otter Creek dam is beautiful, I really like the way the water cascades over those stones.

Looking forward to more!

Anonymous said...

My favorite of the pictures was the old grist mill and dam. Lovely. I sure do want to go and visit those locations - maybe next summer, who knows?

We are getting our much needed rain today. Weather forecast is for 1-2" today and tonight combined. We will see. Have a wonderful day!

Tabor said...

Where have I been? Away for afew days and now I find that your birthday is the same as hubby's. How cool is that?

Becca's Dirt said...

Beautiful pictures Betsy. Happy birthday.

KathyA said...

I most certainly am enjoying your journey! And as a result, we're adding the Blue Ridge to our list of places to go. We've been down that way many, many times taking our daughter to and from college and visiting her there, but never had the time to actually stop.

Anonymous said...

I remember seeing signs for Skyland (from your previous post) when we drove along Skyline Drive several years ago. I love the view that you had from your room.

A Geotagger is a gadget that I would love to have. In fact, I was talking with Bob about it the other day. I haven't found one that will work with my camera though :-(

I like that you show the pictures and tell us something about the pictures. I try and do the same on my blog.

ruthinian said...

I agree... it's hard to decide which photos you want to publish when your limit is only 6 and you have millions of them to choose from. It's so frustrating.

Your falls photo is gorgeous, it's different from the usual falls that I've seen. I love your smile in ever photo that you published here... you really had a wonderful birthday. Lucky or shall I say blessed you. keep posting.

Unknown said...

What a beautiful, peaceful, restful trip! I LOVE that area, kind of makes me want to say, "Good Night John-Boy!" ;-) I also got a giggle at the shirts you were wearing. hee hee! Thanks for the lovely scenery to wind me down from yet another crazy day here in my world. One more, and then I think I get to actually stay home for most of the day! WOOO!

JunieRose2005 said...

Beautiful scenery-all equally pretty!

Makes me wish we were traveling on that trip! :)


Junie

Elizabeth said...

SO enjoying your trip! I love traveling roads that are NOT the 4-lane divided interstate...you and George would be so much fun to travel with because you are ready to stop when something catches your eye...and the trip TO the destination is so much part of the fun, is it not?

Looking forward to more of your Birthday Adventure!

Loran said...

My first hike ever was to Humpback Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway! That was a long time ago. Thanks for the memory. I love that parkway.

carolina nana said...

I love driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We are so fortunate to live so close to such a beautiful scenic road. I love old grist mills they are so interesting.
We got some more rain today,hope you are getting some.
Blessings to you
Marilyn

Love Of Quilts said...

Sounds like a great place to visit...you are really good with details I would never remember all the places I had been. Trish

Kirigalpoththa said...

That monastery is situated in a lovley place. Nice waterfall too!

Anonymous said...

I love the name of your blog, the photos, your attitude and your sensitivity. Glad, I found you.

Tootie said...

I enjoyed the trip Betsy. Very beautiful. You and George have so many wonderful times together.

Connie said...

I love that waterfall, Betsy! Looks like stair steps. :D

The Retired One said...

Gorgeous shots, Betsy..you were there on my anniversary (Aug. 5th)! Loved the "steps" waterfall photo and the one with the flowers and mountain peak the most..but I tend to like pix without people in them the best (not that you two aren't beautiful, because you ARE)ha.

The Retired One said...

Gorgeous shots, Betsy..you were there on my anniversary (Aug. 5th)! Loved the "steps" waterfall photo and the one with the flowers and mountain peak the most..but I tend to like pix without people in them the best (not that you two aren't beautiful, because you ARE)ha.

Janie said...

You saw a lot of great sights on your journey. Wish I could go stay in the monastery for a few days and enjoy the view!