The Battle in the Sky: Clouds/Fog, vs Sunshine/Blue Skies

1.  Taken the first afternoon we were there on 6/15!!!  (Little did we know at the time about the upcoming weather during the remainder of our stay!!!! ha)

Dear Friends,   George and I have visited the Pisgah Inn (on the Blue Ridge Parkway west of Asheville, NC) several times in different years and different seasons.  This year we were there for 3 nights (6-15-20 to 6-18-20)... This is the FIRST time we haven't been able to see either the sunrise or the sunset on ANY of the 3 days we were there...  The clouds and mostly FOG won the "Battle in the Sky" that week, especially early mornings and late evenings.  Disappointing?   Of course....

BUT--we did what George and I always do.!!!! We found some 'different' pictures to take/share.... And --some of the pictures we took ended up being JUST as beautiful as a sunrise or sunset would have been.    God's beautiful world is glorious --whether the skies are cloudy or sunny!!!!!

More good news about this visit:   We were able to get out and do some hiking and 'waterfalling' that week --with NO RAIN  (although the rain seemed to be all around us, especially at the Pisgah Inn)....  SO---life is good for the Adams' Family....

Today,  I'll share some of the many pictures we took from our balcony room at Pisgah Inn that week. The first 3 were taken right after we got there on 6-15 (in the late afternoon).   Luckily, we could enjoy that marvelous view for a little while,  before the fog rolled in.

The 2nd day (6/16) --- I didn't take any pictures from the room since it was very foggy and rainy most of the day.  BUT--on 6/17---there were some breaks in the fog --so we were able to get some good pictures... Some of the pictures were taken early morning (with the sun on your left --as you view the pictures).  Then--late in the afternoon,  the sun would be on the right in the picture....

Hope you enjoy these pictures  I  took...  The 'real' photographer in my family hasn't shared his photos yet --but I'll bet they are all much better than mine...BUT--even some of mine are pretty good, don't you think? As you look at the pictures,  please choose a favorite or two--and let me know which ones you REALLY enjoyed!!!

2. First afternoon --but a close-up of  the Mountain Laurel and Flame Azalea in bloom that we enjoyed from our Balcony! 

3. Morning of 6/17;  We saw a little sunshine --before the fog began to roll in!!!

4. Blue Sky early on the 17th,  as I looked toward the west!

5. "Oh What a Beautiful Morning..." 

6.  Looking back east;  Where did the sunshine go?

7.  OOPS ---There's the sun,  but it looks like the rain is coming also!!!!!!  Grrrrrrrr.

8. Looking back toward the west, before the fog and rain gets here!

9.  The "Battle in the Sky" is still on!!!!!! The sunshine is 'trying' to win, but the blue sky is losing its battle...

10.  Beginning with this picture, all of the remainder were taken late afternoon on 6/17.   After we came back to the room from our visit and hike to Roaring Fork Falls,  we were able to get a few more pictures from our balcony.  

11. I zoomed in,  to show a close-up of the clouds and sky!!!

12. The sunshine is trying SO hard to show off for us!!!!!!  And it really did!!!!

13. The closest we came to seeing a little of the sun beginning to set behind the mountains in the west!!!

14.  It's beginning to get very foggy again!!! SO--this was my last picture before we couldn't see anything!!!

That would be 'it' when it comes to photos from our balcony during those 4 days!!!!  I took no pictures on the 16th --and also when we were getting ready to leave on the 18th due to the heavy fog....  But---as you can see,  we were able to get some good shots of the "Battle in the Sky"...  

OKAY---I numbered the 14 photos and ask that you choose 1 or 2 of your favorites and list those favorites for me... Some of the pictures were taken with my iPhone11 and some with my big Canon.   I've been told that the iPhone camera is really good ---so I'm just giving it a little test!!!!!!  I also may use one of your favorites as my "Header Photo" on my Blog in July.  Thanks for your help!!!!

Have a great week --and remember that God's World is GORGEOUS on a cloudy/rainy day as much as on a sunny day!!!!!!!  

Hugs,

Join us for a Little Walk Around DRY FALLS

One of George's fancy, neat pictures of DRY FALLS, taken on 6/15/20

Dear Friends,   Tomorrow  (6/23/20) is George's and my 19th Wedding Anniversary.  We are starting 20 years --which have been some of the best years of my life...

Due to Covid-19,  we haven't traveled much this year YET---- until last week.  Since Pisgah Inn (along the Blue Ridge Parkway west of Asheville, North Carolina) was opened with very strict Social Distancing rules,  we decided to celebrate our anniversary a week early.  

We spent  Monday,  6/15,  through Thursday,  6/18,   at one of our all-time favorite inns,  Pisgah Inn...  AND--of course,  we enjoyed visiting some waterfalls we hadn't seen in awhile,  plus we got to take some great hikes...  It was wonderful to get out in nature and enjoy God's beautiful world.

Today I'll take you on a little WALK --as we visited DRY FALLS  near Highlands, North Carolina along the Cullasaja Gorge area on 6/15/20.  Put on your hiking shoes and come with me!!!   WARNING:   Prepare to get a little wet as you walk behind the Falls!!!!   BUT --on a hot summer day,  that water felt good!!!!!!

Here we are---beginning our walk around the beautiful waterfall!!!

Getting a little closer!!!!   Are you getting excited????   (There are a few people around --but not too many.)

Here's a very happy woman ---getting closer to Dry Falls (which incidentally is NOT dry).... ha

WOW---what a big waterfall!!!! We are getting closer and closer!!!!!  Don't be scared!!!!!

Now we are starting to walk behind the waterfall... Prepare to get wet!!!!

A picture taken as we begin to walk under the falls!!!

Whew---that felt good!!!! Now --we're coming out on the OTHER side!

Here comes George!!!   He stopped to take more pictures.

We made it to the other side!!!!  Do you like it????

George got some GREAT pictures of this amazing waterfall!!!!

A 'damp' but happy woman on the 'other' side of the waterfall!!!

Another of George's amazing pictures of Dry Falls!

Well---except for getting quite damp,  I hope you enjoyed taking the walk with us around that beautiful waterfall.... If you ever get to western North Carolina,  be sure and visit the Cullasaja Gorge area between Franklin and Highlands....  It's an amazing journey!!!!!

Have a great week ---and stay happy and healthy.... And --a Happy Belated Father's Day to all of the fathers out there!!!!   Much Love!!!

Hugs,

A Day at Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee

Beautiful Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee 

Dear Friends,  George and I went on  another 'outing' ---thanks to Mark and Robin.   They came to pick us up on Sunday,  June 7, and  the four of us went to Fall Creek Falls State Park,   which is about an hour south of our home here.  What a marvelous day we had!!!!! 

We started out with a delicious Picnic Lunch (provided totally by Mark/Robin) --and then,  since Robin had never been to Fall Creek Falls,  we gave her a little tour.  We checked out cabins and the campground, for future trips there!!!!  We found that the park has made a lot of great changes in the past year  (such as the visitor center area) --but the lodge and restaurant won't be ready until about August, 2021.. 

We checked out the 'main' waterfall at the park,  Fall Creek Falls,  and we took the scenic drive along the gorge area.  We stopped at Buzzard Roost --and did some hiking to the rock overhangs along the gorge.  It was a HOT day (about mid-80's with added humidity) ---but that didn't stop us from enjoying the trails along that gorge edge....

Since Covid-19 'appeared',   George and I have done very little outside of our home.   SO-getting to do something like this is even more special to us.   Mark and Robin are SO SO SO very good to us.  

NOTE:  I'm struggling with the new Blogger format ---and  have not yet figured out how to move my pictures around to get them in order.   I hate bringing in one picture at a time--but will either have to do that next time,  OR get all of my pictures in the correct order BEFORE bringing them in.   Is this new Blogger Format supposed to be BETTER?????   Right now --until I learn more about it,  I do NOT think it is!!!

SO---hope you enjoy the pictures today --although they are NOT in the order I wanted to put them in...

A Happy Mom and her son, Mark, at Buzzard's Roost


 

Mark and Robin were on one overlook along the gorge ---and George and I were heading to another one..  Mark took this picture of me WAY up there!!!!  

Look how steep it is along the canyon!!!!!!

Mark and Robin fixed us a delicious picnic lunch!!!!

Lunch always tastes better on a Picnic!!!!  This lunch was FABULOUS...

Beautiful Fall Creek Falls,  the largest of about 6 different waterfalls in the park

Robin and Mark at Buzzard's Roost

One of several of the rock outcroppings along the gorge

My Sweetheart climbing around on the rocks on a gorgeous day in Tennessee!!!

Mark loved getting too close to the edge (says Mama)...  You'll have to ask him about that moment when a Buzzard flew right over his head and startled him!!!!!

Mark and Robin out on one of the big rock formations;  What great views from there!!!!

The old woman climbing on the rocks also...  (You must know that I couldn't let them have all of the fun!!)

Remember the picture above where I  was standing in the distance?   (Count back 11 pictures!)...  Anyhow that is where I was standing taking a picture of Mark/Robin at another overlook!!! He took a picture of me and I took a picture of him.... ha

My Sweetheart took this Panorama of our views from those rocks!!!!   What an awesome place --on an awesome day!!!!!!

The old woman was looking for a tiny bit of shade for a rest on a hot afternoon in Tennessee!!!!

Mark took this picture of Robin, me and George at the Fall Creek Falls Overlook!!!

Well----I'm not sure how all of this is going to come out,  but hopefully,  you'll be able to figure it out.   I love telling a story as I show pictures, but it's hard to do when the pictures are NOT in any kind of order....  I'll keep learning this new format as I have time to work on it... 

Regardless,  we did have a marvelous day!!!!  Thanks again to Mark and Robin for everything they do for us!!!!

Hugs,

Betsy

More IRISES in our Yard 2020--Part II

Waltz Across Texas Iris -- photo taken 5/1/20

Dear Friends,  As I said last week,  we had 32 different varieties of Irises blooming in our yard this Spring.   AND --many of those varieties each had many many blooms.  It was a great year for the Irises and George and I loved  "walking the yard" most every day!!!!

Last week (Click HERE)  I posted Part I of the Irises...  Today I will share the remainer of them.   I will probably publish one more post showing some of the 'group' pictures of the Irises in our yard.... I hope you enjoy seeing all of them.  They are gone now (sniff sniff) --but I love looking at all of the pictures and choosing ones to show you!!!

English Charm Iris --5/5/20 (after the rain)

Electric Shock Iris  5/3/20

Iceland Iris  4/21/20

Champagne Elegance Iris  5/5/20 (after the rain)

Feedback Iris  5/2/20

Floor Show Iris  4/29/20  (George took this neat picture.)

Harvest of Memories Iris  5/3/20

Orange Harvest Iris 5/23/20 (always a gorgeous Iris)

Hell's Fire Iris 5/1/20

Fall Fiesta Iris 5/16/20 (George took this picture of the LAST Iris variety to bloom this season.)

Halloween Halo Iris 4/25/20

Eugenia King Iris 5/5/20  (Taken after the Rain)

Cable Car Iris 5/18/20

Bountiful Harvest Iris 5/2/20  (my favorite Iris;  note my header blog picture)

Goodnight Kiss Iris 5/3/20  (Such a beautiful Iris which we have had for several years;  This year --for the first time,  we realized that this is NOT the name of it....They must have sent the wrong Iris when we ordered it years ago--and we didn't catch the mistake.  SO---to us,  it is still Goodnight Kiss.  Just don't try to order it under this name!!!!!!!  I absolutely love the colors in this Iris.  I wish I knew the 'real' name.

WELL---there you have it!!!!  Those are our 32 varieties of Irises this season.  Most of them are rebloomers --so hopefully they will rebloom in the Fall....  I have never enjoyed our Irises as much as I have this year.   I have one more post to share sometime --showing our Irises in groups,  many showing off many, many blooms....

The question I always ask is which in this group is your favorite????   You know how much I love Bountiful Harvest---but another favorite this year is  Waltz Across Texas.  It bloomed and bloomed, and so did Eugenia King.

Have an awesome week ---don't forget to get out and enjoy the Flowers and just being out in Nature.

Hugs,