Tag: Great Smoky Mountains

  • Snow-er-cise

    Other than the Smoky Mountain’s peaks, unlike the Last Frontier, snow is not a frequent meteorological phenomenon in TN. Yesterday winter showed up and we were blanketed in 4 inches of snowflakes . . . Beautiful! Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no…

  • A.I. Road Trip

    The Cherahola Parkway is a scenic, mile-high, two-lane highway winding over the Smokies between Tellico Plains, TN and Robbinsville, NC. Earlier this week Ellie decided to take a road trip along it before the forests shed their spectacular, multi-hued fall display of color. Somehow, I had managed to cajole my permanent girlfriend to explore a…

  • Farewell Road Trip

    Prior to jumping on a jet headed to the Greatland we and took a Great Smoky Mountain road trip to bid adieu to some locals, who graciously obliged us to pose for a few photos. Lord willing, I’ll send along some of pics of their brother Grizz and  and uncle Bullwinkle relatives after arriving. All…

  • ‘Lions’ and Lying

    The game cam recently captured this large local bobcat strolling along the path by our stream-side ‘Quiet Bench’. A persistent rumor exists that mountain lions still roam the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Mischievously curious (one of my ‘Needs Improvement’ character traits), I envisioned an opportunity for prime rumor enhancement. Stretching the truth just a…

  • Creation vs. Invention

    Fur and feather together . . . from my Quiet Bench I watched these two of His wild creatures sharing the stream together, and got to a-musing . . . Who among mankind could have designed a sleek otter or gangling heron with their intricately functioning life support systems uniquely suited for their survival, and…

  • The Quiet Bench

    Ever been so busy you skipped a meal?  Way back in career mode times, I often did. Retirement eliminated that. Now when I skip a meal it’s because I forgot 😊 Mark 6:31 tells of a time when Jesus’ disciples were so busy with the crowds they didn’t have time to eat, and Jesus told…

  • Wapiti Wanderings

    The Cherokee National Forest borders our Great Smoky Mountains environs. Except for sections lying within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, it comprises the border area between eastern Tennessee western North Carolina. A pristine retreat John Muir once described  . . . “And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my…

  • Silent Time Capsules

    The Arctic Blast that brought record setting sub-zero temperatures and snowfalls to parts of Tennessee’s  Great Smoky Mountains has finally begun its departure.  Above average temps and lotsa’ rain are predicted to follow later this week . . . century climate change condensed into two weeks 😊 Ice mystically captures flowing water’s soothing serenity in…

  • Great Smoky Mountain Symphony

    Today I attended a mile high Great Smoky Mountain symphony ‘listening’ to mountains sing and trees clap their hands . . . breathtaking kaleidoscopic splendor! “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst forth in song before you, and all the trees of the field…

  • Fall Watercolors

    Red and yellow . . . black . . . with a smidgen of white, all compose a colorful sight