These Glorious Smoky Mountains

On Monday,  April 23,  George and I celebrated our 130th MONTH-aversary by taking a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains.  This time,  we started by traveling around the ROARING FORK MOTOR NATURE TRAIL  (which goes WAY back in the mountains to about 3500 feet in elevation, above the town of Gatlinburg).   This road was closed during the winter --but is open now... This is a popular drive for tourists who visit the Smokies, but we 'locals' love it too.  One can enjoy the mountains without even getting out of their car if they choose.  We, on the other hand,  stop at the pull-offs all along the way ---enjoying ourselves despite the unusually COLD weather on this day.

This 6 mile long one-way road offers views of gorgeous mountain streams,  forest growth,  some well-preserved log cabins,  and grist mills.    George and I have been on this road several times (mostly when we were hiking to Rainbow Falls or Grotto Falls or Baskins Creek Falls)....  This time,  we stopped and enjoyed some of the old log cabins --and we loved seeing all of the cascades in the area creek...  There is just something magical about being in the Smokies...

Hope you enjoy today's set of photos.  The one above was taken at one of the overlooks off of the Roaring Fork Road...   To me,  it's just a glorious photo of the Great Smoky Mountains.   AND you won't believe it --but when I took this picture,  the temperature was 37 degrees and it was 'spitting' snow....  GADS!!!    (There was snow at elevations above 5000 feet.)  Be sure and click on all of the photos to enlarge them.

We loved walking around some of the old home places while we were there..  This fence really attracted us---and we both took pictures of the fence (as we did other fences in the Smokies that day).  You can also see the barn in the background..

We also did what we do best:  just had fun!!!!!  Can George fit in this 'doghouse'????? ha ha ha..... He's NEVER in MY Doghouse though!!!!!!!    {In the background,  you can see (sorta) another fence,  a picket fence!!!}

Roaring Fork Creek was really gorgeous on this day...  We spent a LONG time walking up and down the creek along the way to see the cascades, small waterfalls and all of the Rhododendrons and moss.... In the picture above,  the moss was some of the prettiest I've ever seen, growing on the surrounding rocks.

George loved using his new Neutral Variable Density Filter ---and got some AWESOME water pictures... I'll show some of them in another blog.  I want him to publish an entire album page with some of these water pictures... They are about as professional-looking as any I've ever seen.  I'm so proud of him!

Roaring Fork is one of the prettiest streams in the Smokies I think.  It starts its descent down the mountain at over 5000 feet in elevation --and drops over 2500 feet in two miles. 

George took this picture of me while I sat and enjoyed listening to the sounds of the creek as it flowed downhill.   Give me a tent (with a heater on a day like this one) and I could just live here fulltime!!!! ha

After leaving the Roaring Fork area,  we drove down River Road toward Townsend.  Then,  we took another side trip on the FOOTHILLS PARKWAY, stopping at some of the overlooks along the way.  This is a picture of George with the Smokies in the background.  There was Honeysuckle blooming in this area ---and the smell was wonderful!!!   (The weather was improving --with sunshine during the afternoon.  BUT-the wind was cold and the temps still remained in the 50's.)

We knew that there was snow on the  tops of the mountains {Mt. LeConte (elevation 6600 ft),  Newfound Gap (elevation 5000 ft), and Clingman's Dome (elevation 6600 ft)} ----so I was glad to capture a picture with my long lens.  I think that that is Mt. LeConte in this picture in the distance. 

Finally,  here is one more picture of us --getting as close to the water --without jumping in!!!!!  I'm saying to George: "Come a little closer to me.. I'm COLD."  ha ha

We have more pictures from this trip to come...  I truly think that we are blessed to live fairly close to the Smokies!!!!!

Have a great weekend.  I'll see you on Monday.
Hugs,
Betsy

It's All about BLUEBIRDS

This past week,  I spent some time outside watching Mom and Dad Bluebird go in and out of the nest.  I haven't peaked yet to see how many baby Blues are in the nest,  but I'll bet there are at least four!!!!

I have a new toy...  George bought us a Radio Frequency Shutter Release...  To put that in 'my' terms,  it's like a remote control for the camera... I can set the tripod up near a spot (like the nestbox) ---and sit WAY back out of the way.  When one of the birds would go to the nest,  I would CLICK that photo...  Later on,  I just sat quietly on the back deck with camera in hand, and both Mom and Dad Blue came to the feeders... I got some great pictures of Dad---as he just took a 'rest' and sat on the feeder plate for a long time...

Hope you enjoy today's pictures,  and I'm sure I'll be using that new gadget again soon.  Above is a picture of Mama  peaking out of the nestbox...  Be sure and click on the photos to see larger views.

This is a picture of Daddy Blue at the nestbox.   Dad's colors are much brighter than Mom's..  She has blue in her --but it is a dull blue.

For comparison,  here's Mama Blue at the nestbox... 

Can you tell what that is?????  Mama was going into the nest to feed her babies... You can see her 'backside' in this photo... I'm sure she would tell me that that is not a very nice photo to post!!!!! ha

The rest of these pictures were taken while I just sat quietly on the deck...  I took a trillion of Daddy Blue as he posed for the camera!  Isn't he just gorgeous???   AND--he's a good Daddy... He protects the nest when the Blue Jays are around ---and he is so good to Mama Blue...   He is the one who goes in the nest and gets rid of the fecal sac (poop) --since they are very clean birds.

Similar picture --but they were all so good that I had a hard time choosing one over the other...  I was just thrilled that he trusted me enough to just sit there while I snapped the pictures... (I wasn't very far from him.)

I loved the way he cocked his head ---looking all around as he still was protecting his 'area'.

Mom came to the feeder --but didn't stay as long.  I did manage to get one good picture of her...   She's not as pretty ---but is gorgeous in her own way.  These are going to be two great parents.  I can't wait to see the little ones!!!! 

Here's one more picture of Mr. Blue....  I just couldn't stop snapping!!!!  He's one Proud Papa!!!!

Hope you enjoyed my Eastern Bluebirds.  They are always a favorite of mine. 

Have a wonderful day...  I hope to start catching up with your blogs today... I've just been extremely busy this week... Let me know if I miss anything that you want me to see.. Thanks!!!

Hugs,
Betsy