When we took our trip through the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive in Virginia in August, we not only saw gorgeous mountain and valley views. We also saw other pretty things. Today I'll share with you some of those beauties..
The first four pictures were taken along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the last two were along Skyline Drive. Above is a picture of some apple trees loaded with little apples. I know that Virginia is known for its apples. A friend told me about a fabulous apple found near Bedford called Black Twig... Anyone heard of this one??? It apparently can only be found in that area... We didn't get there to find it---but it sounds delicious!
Talk about 'eye candy'.... We saw so many gorgeous wildflowers along the parkway. Aren't they pretty?
These are almost past their prime --but I thought they were still pretty.
These yellow ones really stood out!!! They looked a little like Black-Eyed Susans --without a black eye!!!! ha
Those bees were really enjoying the Thistle!
And--who couldn't take a trip like we did without seeing some gorgeous butterflies!!!!
Hope you enjoyed seeing a little 'eye candy' today!!!! I'll bet the Fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive will provide some beautiful colors also in about a month or so.
++++++++++++++++++++
Since I'm such a 'weather girl' and have complained about us not getting any rain lately, I just need to announce that we got .4 of an inch of rain early yesterday morning. That's not much--but anything we get is helpful now!!!!! Thanks to any of you who did a nice rain dance for us!!!! Keep dancin'!!!!
Have a terrific Thursday.
Hugs,
Love the photos today Betsy. I have not heard of that apple. It would be fun to try one. I love the bright wildflowers and the butterfly. We also had a light rain shower yesterday afternoon. Hope we all get more soon!
ReplyDeletePretty as a picture post and the eye-candy all looked good enough to eat. I loved the wild-life on the thistles. Glad you had rain, Betsy. Hope it cooled things down and watered your beautiful garden. Bless you my friend. (((Hugs))) Jo
ReplyDeleteGood morning Betsy - Ah, yes, apple season is finally here! Loved your pic - at least you could see the apples (unlike my picture - horrors!),
ReplyDeleteJane
Having your "eye candy" for a early morning breakfast today...wow great photos!!! The bee and butterfly are wonderful!!!
ReplyDeletePretty pretty pictures! From the way our weather man is talking, this weekend will be a big rain event for the entire central part of the US! Not so great for football, but it will help the grass, flowers, and trees. Can't wait for another round of soccer games in the rain! NOT! Oh well, I am sure we won't melt too much! ;-)
ReplyDeleteSkyline Drive in the autumn would be nice. I think there would be a lot of traffic then. Loved the picture of the butterfly on the thistle.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see someone not only able to look "out" at a view but also look "down." Sometimes one scene will trump some really special ones.
ReplyDeleteNice shots Betsy.
Greats shota as always - The apple tree looks absolutely loaded.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the eye candy.I think my favorites are the ones that show the thistle.I love the color of these flowers.I wish I could share some of our rain with you,we have had a lot this year.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,Ruth
Pretty flowers Betsy! I enjoy seeing them too!
ReplyDeleteSorry but I have never heard of that apple before. Probably would be good!
love the title to your post, so appropriate and it really applies to that shot of the butterfly. that photo is specail
ReplyDeleteLove the wild flowers!
ReplyDeleteVery dry here too. My sister is in TX where they got dumped on bad. No flooding in here part, but her pool is about to.
I'm always up for eye candy!!!
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard of the apple, but they sure look pretty hanging on the tree! Love the wildflowers and the butterfly!
ReplyDeleteYummy! I love wildflowers!
ReplyDeleteOh, to see all that in reality would of course be best and thank you so much for the virtual tour! Eye-candy indeed!
ReplyDeleteOh I want some of those apples! I remember sneaking into this apple orchard back when we were kids. There would be about 20 of us kids all setting in trees eating green apples. LOL owners of the orchard never once said anything to us even though they tried putting up a chain fence. We just went over it. =P
ReplyDeleteThat butterfly is beautiful Betsy! So glad you got a sprinkle of rain ~ perhaps you will get some more soon!
ReplyDeletexo Catherine
I have never heard of those apples, but there are so many I have not heard of. I did not know there were so many varieties till I worked at the orchard.
ReplyDeleteYou sure did provide eye candy today...
And we are headed out in a few minutes to see our Bright Eyes!
Love the thistle photographs!!
ReplyDeleteLove the photos but most of all love seeing the sunshine. Haven't had much here for a few days--well all week.
ReplyDeleteAs for eating Dutch cooking while I was in Lyndenm--yes I did. Much like German cooking--lots of cabbage and sausage but the bakery good are wonderful. MB
Hi Betsy, Those apple trees certainly do look loaded and pretty! I love all the wildflowers, bees and butterfly. So glad you got some of your much needed rain, we got some too. :D
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are wonderful.... and I just have to say I am so jealous of your rainfall... we did not get nearly that much here.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you finally got rain, we did not. The black butterfly is my favorite here! Theres lots around, all over. But funny thing is, I never remember seeing any before!! Maybe I just wasn't looking hard enough. You really got a great shot of the bountiful yellow flowers with the mountains and sky in the background, too!! I love that one. It's not hard to find beauty around here wherever you look.
ReplyDeleteHi Betsy, Wonderful pictures today. I agree with your "Rain Dance" idea - we certainly can use more rain. The picture of the thistle is especially good. I also enjoyed the picture of the butterfly. Have a superb day!
ReplyDeleteThe first photo of wild flowers -- Joe Pye weed are one of my favorites!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove the wild flowers!! That's one thing we do have a lot of are wild flowers!! In the summer the roadsides are prettier that the gardens!!
ReplyDeleteSo much candy...I think I have a cavity now!!!!
ReplyDeleteOf course, the bee's are the cutest. :)
Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThe butterfly photo was my favorite, Betsy! I love capturing them with my lens...and this one was wonderful!
ReplyDeleteEspecially like the butterfly with the thistle. Aren't they just incredible!!! Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing. Diane
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures...eye candy and no calories!
ReplyDelete☼ Sunny
Can you see me now? can you see me now (dancin' that is). :)
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful to see so many apples. Ours did not do well this year, but perhaps next. I'm hopeful.
You and George have a blessed weekend, Betsy.
The butterfly is gorgeous. Wow what a big apple tree! I saw the word Parkway used in Canada, we don't use it here. I'm guessing it means highway but you may be able to enlighten me more.
ReplyDeleteOne thing for sure, you two have an eye for beauty. You find it no matter where you travel. I think it is wonderful and keep on going. Betsy, did you know CC? She was very special blogger to me. She has passed awy.
ReplyDeleteNice photos as usual. I see thistles like that when I go hiking.
ReplyDeleteDid you pick an apple? I would have had to!!!! Yummy!
ReplyDeleteI loved the fall when we lived in Virginia. Although I don't remembe the apple you mentioned, I did have many, many extra-yummy varieties. An enjoyable read today!
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures, Betsy! Wow, that apple tree is really loaded. That would make a lot of applesauce and apple pie! :D
ReplyDeleteLoved the pictures. Right now we have been seeing some pretty bluish-lavender wildflowers beside the highway. If I were to go looking for them to get a picture - - - bet I couldn't find them again!
ReplyDeleteNice pics,glad you got some rain. We are still waiting on ours.
ReplyDeletehave a blessed tomorrow
Marilyn
Beautiful pictures, Betsy. Love the butterfly! The apple tree looks great...makes me long for a pie! Or maybe an apple dumpling with cinnamon ice cream. Yum, yum. Can you tell I'm craving something sweet? And don't need it, that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteGlad you got some rain.
Have a good Friday,
Cheryl
Don't you just love visiting areas with natural surroundings abundant with little critters and flowers to enjoy!
ReplyDeleteLovely little vignettes Betsy - the butterfly and thistle my favorites!
Nice photos of the busy insects as well as the flowers. I see lots of bees on thistle around here. Love the apple tree loaded with apples. We have 3 apple trees but got a total of 1 apple this year! Apparently a freeze got all the blossoms.
ReplyDeleteGreat eye candy, Betsy! So glad you finally got some rain. I got a good shower this afternoon with a double rainbow for dessert! Got
ReplyDelete.35" and am tickled.
Thanks for taking us along on your trip today.
Blessings!
CottonLady
Hi Betsy,
ReplyDeleteI know....shock! Where have I been..LOL It's been a busy summer and I'm soooo far behind on my blogging. I'm slowing down on the home front...at least with so much stuff that I'm personally doing. I still have plenty of organizing of my studio supplies but that sounds like a good fall and winter project.
We are having two sections of our main level porches screened in. After much pondering on which areas to screen in we finally made a decision.
We finally decided what to use for the hearth of the wood stove and we also changed it's location..ha ha It really needed its own corner of the great room so that's what it's getting.
I'll start posting again soon and showing what I've been up to this summer.
Your photos are beautiful..those apples trees are something! Love the wildflowers, fresh or spent..all are beautiful and the thistle is one of my favorites.
We've had a bit of rain but not much so the rain dance continues. :0)
Have a wonderful day,
Stephanie ♥
Oh Betsy, that is some very yummy eye-candy. That apple tree is loaded and ready for picking. I have never heard of a Black Twig apple. My favorite fall apple is the Honeycrisp.
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are beautiful and I love the shot of the bees on the thistle.
Glad to hear you finally got a little rain.
are these wild apples or what? In NEw Zealand, our apple trees seems to be stronger.
ReplyDeleteLong time ago, at the end of the season, the farmer let you pick apples at 10 cents a kilo, the apples had matured on the tree and grown very big a sweet. My best experience.
Thanks for sharing the pictures! You do EXCELLENT work with that camera.
ReplyDeleteit's apple picking season here now and i am looking forward to it because i want to take pictures... and yes to eat them too. hahaha
ReplyDeleteA lot of wonderful flowers for this late in the year. Eye candy, indeed!
ReplyDeleteI love that apple tree! Every fall when my children were home we would drive upstate and go apple picking.
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a good weekend Betsy!