Cloud cover and fog rule this beach. Yet to me, this brought more of a calm and soothing feeling as opposed to one of dreariness. It causes one to slow down and experience textures … the visual textures of sand and the “Haystack”, as well as the tides themselves. And the tide expands beyond a […]
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This will hopefully be the beginning of several blog posts from last week’s trip to Oregon with my best bud Carl. Oregon was new to both of us, so lots to explore. We spent months planning (perhaps better stated as Carl did months of planning while I contributed occasionally). We not only agonized over where […]
Old piers and sea structures are amazing. How they withstand the test of time, the tides and undercurrents, and the extreme weather elements, I’ll never know. They are stalwart giants engulfed by the perpetual movement of water and sand. There is nothing around them that is foundational or solid, yet they find a way to […]
I heard an interview titled “The Last Quiet Places” with Gordon Hempton this past Sunday, May 13th on NPR. He is an acoustic ecologist and the author of “One Square Inch of Silence: One Man’s Quest to Preserve Quiet.” The interview was a fascinating listen about the power of quiet and natural sounds. Hempton says […]
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I posted a fall version of this back in October, but spring has such a different feel with the greenery. I wish timing had worked out for us to experience the flowers at peak, but the textures of the green ferns and ground cover did not disappoint. Carl’s presence is important to comprehend the scale […]
As the autumn gives way to winter in the south, I am continuing to enjoy reminiscing of the Smokies. Today is Thanksgiving, and we are spending it in middle Tennessee with my brother and his family. The terrain here is hilly and not as mountainous as the Smoky Mountains, but Tennessee is Tennessee. It will […]
click the Audio below and adjust your sound if necessary [Audio clip: view full post to listen] This 2-mile hike was recommended to us by a volunteer at the visitor center in Townsend, and it was an excellent recommendation. Most of the hike was along an old railroad bed and stream. White Oak Sink is […]
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click the Audio below and adjust your sound if necessary [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Located off Little Creek Road, just across from the turnoff for the Tremont Institutue, are the Laurel Creek Cascades. The cascades are located roadside on the way to Cades Cove, so there is a constant flow of cars […]
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Recently I had an opportunity to travel to London on business. It has been several years since I last traveled to the U.K., so it was good to get back. London is an exciting and vibrant city, full of pedestrians and “buzz”. I always try to travel with my camera while on business should the […]
Here is a straight-on view of Schoolhouse Falls, featuring my best bud Carl. This was taken from a small beach where met a couple who had camped overnight. I had forgotten how cold it was this morning until Carl mentioned this in his comments on the prior post. Ambient temps were not quite at the […]
Panthertown Valley was one of my favorite finds in the Cashiers, NC area. The valley contains a network of hiking trails that travel to a variety of popular destinations within a 6700 acre tract of high-elevation Forest Service land. At least 8 major waterfalls and countless smaller ones lie along the area’s streams. It has […]
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One of my favorite places on our recent NC trip was Old Iron Bridge off of Bull Pen Road. Bull Pen is east of Cashiers 6-8 miles, then another 5 miles south down Bull Pen’s dusty, gravel road bed. There are wonderful rocks and falls under the bridge. Scaling the rocks for a good vantage […]
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