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...

Monday, November 17, 2014

A Trip along Scenic Highway 215 in North Carolina --Oct. 22, 2014

Highway 215 runs perpendicular to the Blue Ridge Parkway--beginning near Waynesville on Highway 276 as we headed south to Highway 64 at Rosman.  About halfway between the beginning and the end of our journey,  we crossed under the Blue Ridge Parkway (milepost 423.3)... NOTE:  this picture is from the internet.
Besides being with great friends,  Neal and Patti,  our vacation in and around Maggie Valley led us not only to Cataloochee to see the Elk (click HERE for that post) ---but another favorite day was our drive on Scenic Highway 215...  We all love the backroads --and this one was definitely a highlight for me.  I will have two posts to share from this country road.  Hope you enjoy the journey!!!!  Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements.


Our first stop was LAKE LOGAN...  (Something ironic about this lake's name is that we were with Neal and Patti at another Lake Logan --in Ohio, a couple of years ago!!!! Wonder if we'll find another Lake Logan sometime????? ha)



Neal took this picture of George and me at Lake Logan.  It was a VERY Cool and WINDY morning. 



Highway 215 features waterfalls in various places along the way!!! (You can imagine how much George and I LOVED that!!!!)  This waterfall is the Falls of the West Fork of the Pigeon River (also known as Sunburst Falls --named for the surrounding community).  I love this picture of the four of us:  Patti,  Neal, George, Betsy..   



Then,  we started seeing more gorgeous Fall Colors... I love the layers of mountains.



The photographer at work---taking WAY too many pictures!!!  BUT---everything was so beautiful so I couldn't help myself... ha



We stopped OFTEN along that little highway and went several directions taking pictures.  In this picture you can see Neal in the distance,  George in the middle and Patti fairly close. We loved being on this road with very few people and no traffic much!!!


I not only enjoyed seeing all of the trees and their colors,  but also enjoyed seeing the colors on the individual leaves.  Amazing,  isn't it?




The colors all around us were just marvelous... Don't you love Fall???  Here at home now,  we are almost totally leaf-less ---and winter is approaching much too fast!  OR--should I say that Winter is HERE... Mercy Me!



George and Betsy at Mill Shoals Falls at the Living Waters Retreat Center
We hiked to see 3 waterfalls (French Broad Falls,  Mill Shoals Falls and Cathedral Falls-- also called Bird Rock Falls)  along with several more cascades when we visited the Living Waters Retreat Center (along Highway 215),  not far from Rosman.  The Retreat Center is privately owned --but they graciously allow people to visit the waterfalls.  They also gave us permission to eat lunch at one of their picnic tables.   Seeing this area was another highlight  for us!


George is taking some pictures of Mill Shoals Falls ---while I was looking straight ahead at another waterfall,  French Broad Falls.



Neal and Patti were checking out some of the waterfalls and cascades at the Living Waters Retreat Center.



I love this RED Tree which we saw while hiking at the Living Waters Retreat.
I will have one more blog post on Thursday this week --showing more pictures from our wonderful drive along Scenic Highway 215.   IF want more information about this wonderful drive,  click HERE.

Hope your weather is better than ours... We've had company --and I feel sorry for them since I'm sure the weather has been hard for them (and us)  this weekend/week... We seldom have cold and snowy weather like we've had this year during NOVEMBER....  More about our company in another upcoming post!!!!

Hugs,

56 comments:

Fun60 said...

Some of the best Autumn colours I've seen this year.

babYpose said...

really amazing beautiful

Ms. A said...

Absolutely beautiful colors! Sure wish I could have seen it in person!

Unknown said...

Wo these photos are gorgeous, these colours are fantastic. I am here in the us now and getting ready to go to the office in a while.
Enjoy your day!

Elizabeth Edwards said...

what do you do with all your shots, do you ever print them off for your photo albums? or just keep them on SD cards for computer viewing? gorgeous waterfalls. what a lovely fall time. my fave. ( :

Tanna said...

BEAUTIFUL photos, Betsy! I was able to enjoy some of this beauty during a recent visit to Roanoke. Looks like it was just in the nick of time, too! The winter has descended.... way too soon! Stay warm! blessings ~ tanna

From the Kitchen said...

I love the "blue" highways too. William Least Heat-Moon (writer/historian) wrote a book called "Blue Highways". It is about his travels across America using only those highways. He writes of the mountains and valleys. He writes of the people he met in those travels. Excellent read!

Best,
Bonnie

linda m said...

Those are some of the best Autumn color pictures I have seen. What a gorgeous road to drive on. Nothing better than back roads. Thanks for sharing.

Out on the prairie said...

I really had fun shooting fall colors this year, but nothing as gorgeous as this.

Shug said...

The Fall colors are totally splendid!! enjoyed how you pointed out the array of colors in one single leaf...awesome.
I know that this was a wonderful trip and I'm thankful that you posted the beauty of God's works. Hope you all are staying warm! We had a "small" bit of snow flakes last night....
Blessings.

Chatty Crone said...

With your friends again - I think that foliage was just beautiful as well as your house in the header. You two even have the same color jackets - you are so cute.

Linda Kay said...

Great job with these fall photos, and you all look like you are really cold in those heavy jackets. Although the pictures of the changing leaves are beautiful, probably not quite what they were in real life? Thanks for sharing.

George said...

Highway 215 is a beautiful drive. I wouldn't mind seeing what it looks like in the Spring.

Nellie said...

Beautiful colors! We love that NC area! Rainy and cold here this morning. Leaves are quickly falling to the ground. Take care! xo Nellie

David said...

Betsy, Thanks for the tip on scenic Hwy. 215! Great fall color photos, and of course, I love waterfalls too. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Anonymous said...

How very scenic - and those autumn colours are lovely!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

I'm so happy you had such a wonderful trip. You got gorgeous photos!

LV said...

We too are having a bad cold spell. It makes it nice tho to take a trip with you on a cold day through your lens.

Sylvia K said...

Gorgeous, colorful place and superb captures, Betsy!! Thanks for sharing the beauty and the fun with us!! That "layer of mountains shot" is awesome!! Hope you have a wonderful new week, stay WARM!!!

Big Dude said...

Looks like you had a great time and saw some of natures beauty.

A Colorful World said...

This was about the time Mom and her friend Leslie went to Skyline Drive, and all they saw was BROWN! Not sure what the difference was...she sure was disappointed. Your photos are gorgeous! Lots of beautiful color there at that point. Looks like you had a great time with friends!

DeniseinVA said...

These are all marvelous Betsy, fantastic fall colors. Such beautiful scenery!

Busy Bee Suz said...

You are a bunch of hiking, water-falling, picture taking fools. I love it!!!! Great photos and of course, the fall colors are spectacular!!!
Sorry you're not having great weather this week; I hope it gets better soon.
It's hot here today and we're going to cool off tomorrow!

Terri D said...

You certainly did pick the right week to be in the mountains, with the colors at their peak! So much beauty!! You don't realize how massive the trees and mountains are until you see a tiny little cabin on the shore-line...puts it in perspective!! I have loved seeing your amazing photos, and can't wait for the next post! Thanks for sharing!

Jarka Panci said...

Amazing trip, mountains, fotos, friends. It is good!
Have a nice week!! Jarka

Anonymous said...

Really colorful Autumn photos and I love the waterfalls, too. John usually surprises me by taking a photo of "me taking pictures!" That's always a shock!
Stay warm and safe!

Small City Scenes said...

What fun you all had. such smiles!!
We had beautiful colors in October too. Now we just have November freeze. Everything that was blooming is dead and a lot of the trees hadn't even lost their leaves yet when the freezing temps hit.
Love all the Falls. MB

Connie said...

Beautiful photos, Betsy! I love all those pretty fall colors. We have snow here today. Winter is definitely starting too early here.

Latane Barton said...

I just loved every minute of that trip on Route 215.

Betsy said...

Those colors are amazing. I think my favorite is the one showing the mountain "layers". So many pictures! I don't know how you keep track of all of them.
Blessings,
Betsy

Ruth Hiebert said...

Beautiful fall colors,waterfalls and good company.This looks like a recipe for a perfect day.

happyone said...

Wow those are pretty fall pictures.

Ann Thompson said...

What beautiful fall colors. Sounds like the four of you had a fabulous time. Can't beat that.
We've got snow here now, our fall colors didn't seem to last very long and now we're starting a very long winter.

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Looks like you all had loads of fun on your fall trip! Great fall colors and the waterfalls are beautiful. I love fall but it doesn't last long enough. Winter weather is now here, but we managed to escape the snow that they were calling for. Others in the state weren't so lucky.
In answer to you question a blog or two ago, yep, I was VERY happy about the election results!! :)
Have a nice week, I'm still on blog break, for the most part, but have to check in once in a while to see what my friends are up to!

Cheryl @ TFD said...

I should have say a "blog post" or two ago!

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

That was a nice treat. What colors. And, waterfalls. Thank you for sharing your trip again.

Arkansas Patti said...

That Logan fellow sure got around. What beautiful colors. Sure was nice while it lasted. Last week was the end of peak here. We have bare limbs and blustery cold also.

Linda P said...

Scenic Highway is well named. I enjoyed seeing the lake views and the different shades of Autumn leaves. It's always good to be able to take these trips with your friends.

The Furry Gnome said...

We ve those scenic drives down country roads.

diane b said...

The colours are gorgeous. We should have come a month earlier. We did Cades Cove today. Freezing but beautiful even in the snow and rain.

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, I enjoyed the virtual scenery. Great pictures. Glad you had a really fun trip! Have a good day tomorrow and stay toasty!

NCmountainwoman said...

Don't you love it when four different photographers go in four different directions to capture the beauty?

Small Kucing said...

The place is very scenic. what a lovely place to walk around and snap pics :)

A lovely day to you, Betsy and George

Optimistic Existentialist said...

Those endless colorful mountains look like pure paradise :) I hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

troutbirder said...

What an absolutely gorgeous highway. We love road trips on backroads too...:)

Pat Tillett said...

One beautiful photo after another. What a gorgeous part of the country. It looks like you had another great trip Betsy...

Susie Swanson said...

Beautiful part of the country and you all captured it so perfectly. Hugs and much love, xo

Peaches McGinty said...

Hi Betsy!
What a wonderful excursion with friends! the highway is incredibly beautiful, it's so lovely to see the autumnal colours (I don't feel like we have had this yet!) and waterfall photo's are always a joy and of course the photo's of you, George and your friends - the BBC informed us today of the weather conditions in some parts of the USA, brrrrr!! stay warm!! x x x

Terry and Linda said...

What a lovely autumn day and time! Thank you for sharing!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/?s=The+Adventures+of+Fuzzy+and+Boomer&submit=Search
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Rose ~ from Oz said...

No fall here in the tropics of Oz Betsy so what a treat to come by here and get my fill! You and George see some of the most amazing country! For a split second I thought the post said 215 waterfalls!! Now that, would have kept you busy!
Fabulous post and the back roads are always, always the BEST roads!
x

Cheqna said...

Lovely autumn photos..thank you for sharing..the layers of mountains and Lake Logan are beautiful.

Hope you all have had a great trip.

Have a nice day.

:-)

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

I love the photos of all those rolling mountains filled with autumn color, Betsy, and the photos of You and George and the one of you al together. It must be nice to sahre all this beauty wit friends.

I know the Arctic blast we had last week has traveled east. Thankfully, our temps are now returning to the normal high 40's and 50's. The high Rockies have been getting lots of snow, but they love that up there!

Lux G. said...

Beautiful pictures! Great place to spend a weekend or the whole autumn season.

Beatriz said...

Very nice trip Btasy!
I love your fall colors everywhere, it's wonderfull! We don't have this kind of leaves in Brazil, so colorful! The nature of this time of year is something....

Hugs

<°))))< Bia

Jeevan said...

This sounds like an awesome highway led to fabulous sight of scenic waterfalls and mountains! It seems best time to be around this highway highlighted in autumn coloring and that too being with friends to share the joy of nature’s delight is quiet gifted.

Great photos and i liked more the images on lake and mountain in autumn colors

Annesphamily said...

So beautiful, you share the very best photos and your always smiling. Makes me smile too. Good to see you here. Hugs. Anne