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...

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

On the Road to Skyland Resort----Part I

I got so involved sharing Christmas pictures in December  that I didn't finish sharing our Thanksgiving Trip with you.  On Thanksgiving Week,  George and I drove  on the Blue Ridge Parkway  from Asheville, North Carolina,  all the way to the end of the parkway.  For those of you who do not know,  the Blue Ridge Parkway ends ---and Skyline Drive continues north... We were on our way almost to the end of Skyline Drive (at Front Royal, Virginia) to the Skyland Resort...

I have a couple more sets of pictures to share from that wonderful trip.  I'll share one this week and another one next week.  These pictures were taken over a two -day period BEFORE we got to the Skyland Resort..

Above is a great photo of the view from the Blue Ridge Parkway.   Be sure to click on all pictures to make them larger.





George really worked hard using his muscles to hold this TINY rock up!!!!!! ha ha




We saw MANY deer while driving on the Parkway AND Skyline Drive... Here is a young male...  If you know this area,  you probably have heard of the Big Meadows area.  This deer was near that area.  Pretty one, isn't he?




This is the Big Meadow in WINTER...  It is truly a 'big meadow' ---so it's appropriately named.   If you enlarge this picture,  you can see deer grazing out in the meadow.




George hiked down a little creek path --and captured this marvelous reflection... 




Here is a picture of the two of us --taken at an overlook on Skyline Drive... I loved the sky on this day... It had been cloudy --but was trying to clear up...

Next week,  I'll share another set of pictures from that Thanksgiving trip... If you missed any of the previous blog posts from this trip,  click HERE.   There are a total of 9 posts from this  wonderful trip.

Hugs,
Betsy

68 comments:

Ms. A said...

The first one is perfectly staged, lol! I don't think you could have gotten away with that, you aren't tall enough.

eileeninmd said...

Hi Betsy, wonderful photos from your Skyline Drive trip. This is the area I am more familiar with. I love the Big Meadows and Skyland has a nice lodge. Did you see any bears? Great photos, have a wonderful day.

Anonymous said...

Very nice photos, Betsy. The pic of George and the tiny rock made me giggle! Have a great day!

Tabor said...

Lovely photos. Makes me wish I was out and about again.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Another very scenic area. George is a powerful man to hold that rock up like that. Nice shot.

Tanya Breese said...

what a nice trip you had! beautiful photos....
re genealogy: yes, i love ancestry and use it occasionally....i hate paying for it though! i only purchase a month here and there but need to sign up again and try and find some of those brick walls.
have you tried wiki tree yet? i got an email that it will only be open by invitation to new users soon. if you need an invite, let me know :)

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

I really love the reflection pic - so serene!

diane b said...

Fabulous scenery and you two look so cute.

Andrea said...

Lovely trip and photos, as usual Betsy. But the loveliest and funniest is the one with George trying to push the rock, and also I am always the fan of the partners-in-uniform.

MadSnapper said...

photo's 1 and 5 are really stunning views and so beautiful. i love the strong man holding up that Big Rock/Stone/Boulder, which ever it is.

Dorothy said...

Wonderful trip! I love those mountains!! Y'all are looking great!

Shug said...

Good Morning Betsy....I know it would be a blast to travel along beside you guys...I really like the picture of the rock...Others may not see it, but it looks like a big ol' catfish to me! ha! I don't know how, but I do see it.
Hope Y'all have a fantastic day!!
Shug

Jane said...

Betsy,I love all your pics,I have never traveled that far on the blue ridge,but sure would love too,so beautiful...thanks so much for sharing! Blessings Jane

TexWisGirl said...

love those blue mountains! just gorgeous!

Karin said...

Thanks for taking me along on this virtual tour of that beautiful area. You are so blessed to have a super man who will simply remove little or big pebbles that are obstructing your path and with a heave-ho toss them up and over! Love the reflection photo!!

I Am Woody said...

Haha! Love, love, love the one of George holding the rock up!!

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

I never tire of seeing the "layers" in the mountains, so I love that first picture. It's always nice traveling with you and George. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, what a nice trip and great snapshots! Have a really fantastic day today! Stay warm. No snow here last night but it did get cold and still is.

Busy Bee Suz said...

WOW....George never even mentioned that he was working out so much! LOL.
Great photos Betsy, I really love the cute couple at the end. *wink wink*
xoxox

Anonymous said...

You and George look so happy together. I love that photo of the two of you! Cute sweatshirts!

Out on the prairie said...

What a lovely area indeed, it brings back many memories.

From the Kitchen said...

I need to check out Skyland Resort for my next trip. Love the photo of George rearranging/holding up that rock. What a he-man!!

Best,
Bonnie

Sylvia K said...

Oh, I do love your photos of your Thanksgiving trip! So much beauty!! And, of course, I got a big giggle at George holding up the "little" rock! What fun! Thanks for sharing the fun and the beauty! Hope your week is going well, Betsy! Enjoy!

Sylvia

trump said...

I see that we both share the love for the outdoors and the mountains, and i love coming to your site for my mountain fix although we do have some smaller ones here in the Lancaster area. I hope to see you folks at my blog this Thursday when i post that Witness movie location tour as i post my images of my visit to the Amish farm where the movie that stared Harrison Ford in 1985 in Lancaster county. Richard

imac said...

Push a bit harder George - lol
Love these shots Betsy.

nanny said...

I love all of these shots....esp. George holding the rock up.....good job George!! lol

happyone said...

Enjoy seeing all of your great photos. I didn't realize how strong George is! : )

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

Beautiful photos Betsy...and I didn't know George was such a "strong man"!!!

Ginny Hartzler said...

I LOVE that rock reflection!!! And funny that that big rock is black, not like the others! Big Meadow is right beside us, and I have never been!!!! You are George are just TOO cute!!!

Arkansas Patti said...

Wow, George has been eating his Cherrios. Loved the close up of the deer. He looked a bit thin.
Wonderful shots and always enjoy the one of the happy hikers.

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

Your pictures are so wonderful, Betsy! I'm so glad you're backtracking so we can see all of the Thanksgiving trek!

Diane said...

It must have been a great trip Betsy. Nice pictures-especially the one of you and George. Diane

HolleyGarden said...

Such a pretty part of the country! I love that you go hiking all year round.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the ride along Skyline Drive. The picture of the deer is great!

Ann said...

Such a pretty ares. I had no idea that George was related to super man. Of course he must be to be able to hold that rock up....lol

Catherine said...

Looks like you two had fun! Hope you both are keeping warm!
xo Catherine

penny said...

Thanks for the beautiful journey, Betsy. The beauty around each and every curve in the Skyline Drive is awesome.

Be well and happy holding each other ever so tightly.
:)

Unknown said...

Such beautiful pictures! LOVE the reflection picture.

Serenity Cove said...

That reflection is just beautiful.
Great pictures Betsy. Oh,tell George the rock needs to go a little more to the left:)

Wendy said...

Beautiful pics, Betsy. I was going to say I like the water reflection best, until I saw the one of you and George. That one is my favourite!! You both look so happy.
Sending hugs.

Rose said...

Isn't it wonderful how we can relive our travels with our photos...I spend way too much time looking back at mine.

Connie said...

Haha! George is pretty strong!! Great photos, Betsy. Sounds like you had a lovely trip.

Fred Alton said...

All of your pictures and the descriptive accounts are so interesting, Betsy. The one of the deer grabbed my attention and ties with the reflections in down by the creek.

Chatty Crone said...

You two are picture perfect. And I like George holding up the rock! HAHA

sandie

Tami AKA My Kid's Mom said...

I love the pictures. I haven't been through the Parkway since my kids were little!

carolina nana said...

I love to look at all your traveling photos, they are always so good and it always makes me want to go to the places you've been.
We are freezing again tonight over here.
Blessings
Marilyn

SquirrelQueen said...

Love that shot of George holding up that tiny little rock. That is such a beautiful place, your photos are gorgeous Betsy. The reflections on the pond are so pretty.

I just looked over at your weather widget. We have exactly the same temperature right now.

Cuby said...

Blue Ridge Parkway what a beautiful drive and these photos from your Skyline Drive are so, so delightful and everyone of them so BLUE! Love the pic of you and George.

Anonymous said...

What lovely countryside. Looks like a great trip.

Beth said...

Lovely pictures, as always, Betsy! Thanks for taking us on your journey up the Parkway. Although we've traveled numerous times to the southern end of the Parkway (as we live close by), we've yet to see the northern end. And, wow! I knew George was an amazing fellow, but never knew of his superpowers! haha

RoeH said...

As always, I love following you on your travels. I'd like to move to that area so I can see each and every thing that I want to.

Lady Di Tn said...

How I enjoy tagging along on your trips with you. George's humor is showing in the rock photo. If I have not told you I love your header photo and I always sigh "AH" when I arrive at your blog. Peace

Elzie said...

What a view!! And deers are really cute, even though they are a pain in the neck during spring time, eating all the spring flowers, lol. We have some deers walking around here in our garden every night and it's cosy to watch them.
Hope you have a nice day.
Love Elzie

Michelle said...

The Blue Ridge Parkway is beautiful. If I had known you would be driving so close to my house, I would have invited you over for tea. Lovely photos. My favorite is "holding" up the rock. ;)

Glenda said...

Your pics make me wish we were there!

A Colorful World said...

Great photos, Betsy! Loved the one of George holding up the rock, and the reflections one he took was lovely. I know how much you had to have enjoyed this trip...beautiful scenery!

Oh, that's a neighbor's cat curled up in the corner of my back yard! :-)

Small City Scenes said...

Great shots, Betsy. I love the one of George holding up that 'tiny' rock. Sweet pic of the two of you. MB

Cheryl @ TFD said...

You know I always love your beautiful photos, Betsy. But the one of George and the rock really made me smile. I love your sense of humor and the two of you in the last photo are so cute together in your pretty blue sweatshirts!

Sandy said...

Wonderful photos of your trip. I am so jealous. Great shot of the two of you. (o:

Terry and Linda said...

Beautiful!

Linda
http:/coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

FAB said...

Lovely series from your trip Betsy.

Neal said...

You have to know that I would love that first picture. All of them are good but that one is special.

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

George did a great job getting that tiny rock up there!

Donna said...

George sure is strong to hold up that boulder! LOL.

Elettra said...

Pictures really special !!!!!
Congratulations to George for his muscles! AH! AH! AH!

JDS said...

What a fabulous trip. I have always wanted to drive the BRP from beginning to end, since before I was even old enough to drive. I am glad you got to do it!

By the way, it's amazing how fast you get around to commenting after I post something. :)

Beth said...

These are lovely, Betsy. It is always a privelege to see this beautiful country from yours and George's eyes. That reflection photo is especially awesome.:>)

Janie said...

Looks like a lovely drive. The photo of the two of you is really sweet, and with a great backdrop.
Whoa, I'm really impressed with George's lifting skills. ;)