Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to DECEMBER . Hope you have an awesome and grateful month!

Monday, October 21, 2019

Take Time to See the Beauty ABOVE!!!!

From Abbott Lake in the Peaks of Otter on 8/5/19;  Love seeing the clouds reflecting in the water!
Hello Blog Friends/Family...  Hope you are all doing well!!!!   Today's post is a compilation of pictures from two recent trips... I love watching the SKY --so when I started working on pictures,  I enjoyed finding pictures from those trips to share with you... Whether I am looking at sky reflections in water,  OR puffy clouds with a pretty blue sky,  OR clouds that look like 'critters in the sky',  OR clouds before or after sunrises or sunsets  OR just a beautiful clear day with a gorgeous blue sky----- I just love it all!!!! Hope you enjoy the pictures today. There's just so much beauty all around us ---if we LOOK.   (NOTE:   I think that you will enjoy these pictures SO much more ---if you click on them in order to see the details.)


Another reflection picture from the Peaks of Otter, 8/5/19;   This is when you can enjoy seeing the clouds/sky without looking UP!!!!! ha



After sunset at the Peaks of Otter, 8/5/19,  We took a long walk after dinner --and enjoyed seeing this beautiful area.  Again,  the reflections in the lake were awesome.



On 8/7/19,  we drove north from Skyland Resort (where we were staying) and stopped at several overlooks along the way.  This picture was taken from the Thorofare Mountain Overlook, elevation 3595'.



Crazy Critters in the Sky as we waited for the sunset;   Skyland Resort--8/7/19, which has an elevation of 3710';  



Clouds are so gorgeous as the sun begins to sett!!!   We were at Skyland Resort off of Skyline Drive on 8/7/19 when this picture was taken.



On 8/8/19, we took a hike to Little Stony Man Overlook (elevation--3642').     I love the mountains and those pretty clouds from that overlook. Our elevation gain on that hike was about 450 feet.    Can you see the road (Skyline Drive) below?



From the Crescent Rock Overlook (elevation 3550') along Skyline Drive (south of Skyland) on 8/8/19



Another gorgeous sky with the Shenandoah Valley below;  Taken along Skyline Drive, at the Timber Hollow Overlook,  elevation 3360',  8/8/19



A picture of the sky/clouds taken after sunset from our balcony at Skyland Resort, VA --on 8/8/19

All of the pictures above were taken on my Birthday Trip to the Peaks of Otter and Skyland Resort  from 8/5-8/8, 2019.   The pictures below were all taken on our little trip to Pisgah Inn on 9/25 and 9/26,  2019.



On 9/25/19,   we headed north on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Craggy Gardens area.   The elevation here is 5497'...   As I've said,  I love being at the higher elevations along the parkway.  This year,  I was thrilled to see the Mountain Ash Trees in bloom  with lots of little red berries... Mountain Ash trees LOVE higher elevations.  SO pretty!!!





On 9/25/19,  we continued driving north on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mt. Mitchell State Park.  We hiked up to the summit for some great pictures.  The elevation here was about 6700 feet.  I love seeing the Balsams and of course the layers of mountain ranges..  There weren't many clouds in the sky on this beautiful day!


After our day on the Blue Ridge Parkway (9/25/19),   we headed back to Pisgah Inn --just in time to see this marvelous sky after sunset...



The next day (9/26/19)---our journey took us south on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  This picture was taken near the Looking Glass Rock Overlook,  Elevation--4492'



The wildflowers along the Blue Ridge Parkway Overlooks were gorgeous this time of year (9/26/19).  This picture was taken at the Caney Fork Overlook,  elevation 5650'.



The higher we got,  the more beautiful Balsam trees we saw... This picture was taken (9/26/19) at the Haywood Jackson Overlook,  elevation 6020'.
WELL--I hope you really liked this post...  (At least you can tell me you liked it!!!!!!! ha ha )  I have spent more time on this one than most others in a long time.... Working on two trips at the same time isn't always easy --especially when I have SO many pictures to choose from.  Then I wanted to see where the pictures were taken --so had to research that,  etc. etc. etc.   GADS---sometimes I try to do too much since most people (me included) don't have time to even read what another person writes....  'Tis the busy lives we all have.....

Have an awesome day ---and THANKS for taking time to read my posts!!!!!

Hugs,