Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to APRIL!!!! Spring is AWESOME. Enjoy some beautiful TULIPS from Biltmore!!

Monday, August 19, 2019

More Beauty from Skyland and Skyline Drive, Virginia

Yellow Wildflowers Blooming most everywhere we went that week;  This batch was taken on our walk around the Skyland Resort area where we stayed.
Dear Friends,   I have so many pictures from our latest trip to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia...  SO-today,  I  will share some from only one of our days there,   August 7, 2019...  Hope you enjoy seeing this beauty!!!!!!!

There are two groupings:  1.  around the Skyland Resort where we stayed;  2.  Overlooks along Skyline Drive (between Skyland Resort  and Front Royal, Virginia).


Our view of the Shenandoah Valley looking from the balcony of our room at Skyland Resort



As we walked to dinner one evening through the resort,  I just had to take a picture of a beautiful Butterly enjoying the Thistle Bloom.



On that same walk,  we saw more pictures of the Shenandoah Valley below.



I'm always impressed by the HUGE Fir Trees on our walk at Skyland Resort.   This picture doesn't really show the overall vastness of that tree.   Amazing!



More yellow wildflowers along one of the maintenance roads at Skyland;



In last week's Blog Post,   I talked about the hike we took UP UP UP to Little Stony Man overlook, and the gorgeous views we had up there... This picture, which was taken on the opposite side  of the mountain from where we hiked,  shows another part of the Stony Man overlooks.... Maybe the next time we are there,  I can hike to this part of the mountain.  However,  it is a much longer and harder hike....Bet it's even more beautiful up there though than where we were at Little Stony Man!!!!



Since last week's blog post was ALL about ME --and my BIRTHDAY,   I must show some pictures of my Sweetheart,  who made this trip possible for me.   George is standing at one of the overlooks along Skyline Drive.



I loved seeing all of the cloud formations.... We had a beautiful day to visit that area.



Every Overlook gives us different views;  I loved seeing the shadows in this picture.



More beautiful mountains and pretty puffy clouds



More shadows --and a different look as the sun plays Peak-A-Boo with the clouds



This is my favorite picture from the overlooks...  I loved the clouds,  the shadows and the sun peaking through.... 



Anyone who visits the overlooks on Skyline Drive ALWAYS has to stop  (us included) and take pictures from the rocks... Who is that handsome man climbing up on those rocks to get more pictures???
WELL---that's enough for today....  I have one more  August 7th post from our hike on the Limberlost Trail --but that will come later!!!!!!

Hope you had a great week...  We certainly did!!!  After getting home from our big trip on August 10,   we had three very special get-togethers  with family/friends this past week... On August 13,  we met good friends, Judy and Charlie,  at Cades Cove in the Smokies  for lunch and a visit.   Then in late afternoon that day,  we met two of our sons  (Bert and Mark) in Townsend for dinner at the Trailhead Restaurant...  Then,  on Saturday, August 17,  the other son,  Jeff and his wife, Dawn,  came to see us here at home.....  SO--as you can imagine,  it was a terrific week!!!!

Have a good one,  and remember to get some exercise and stay hydrated!!!!!!!!

Hugs,