If it’s good for the geese
These Canada geese went for a leasurely stroll on NC 24 in Carteret County Saturday afternoon.
Naturally, they had the right of way.
Chasing waterfalls, 2018 style
Mother Nature sure paints a beautiful picture with waterfalls. One of our favorite things to do is take in that beauty and go chasing waterfalls, like the Dry Falls waterfall between Franklin and Highlands.
We hit a couple other waterfalls during a fall afternoon drive.
Tyler relaxes at Quarry Falls.
Tyler sure enjoyed a few moments to chill during a stop at Quarry Falls.
Here are some other photos of Dry Falls.
Here’s an obligatory selfie at Dry Falls.
You can walk beneath the falls. Sure, you’ll get a little mist on you, but it’s a spectacular view.
Here’s another view of Dry Falls, from the side.
Bridal Veil Falls was our lost stop during our afternoon waterfall tour.
Bridal Veil Falls.
A mountain vacation, finally
The view from our balcony in Franklin is spectacular.
I’ve taken numerous trips to the mountains for work over the past year and a half. But this week was the first time in three years that my sister, my dog, and I got to make our traditional fall trip to the mountains.
We wondered what the colors would be like, since we weren’t able to get here until after peak season. I’d say we lucked up.
My sister posted a similar photo to the one above of the Great Smokey Mountains on her Facebook page, which prompted this response: “I can feel the stress leaving.”
This trip marks the first time I’ve used Airbnb. I have to give it a thumbs-up. We’ve got a cozy cottage on a mountain in Franklin and the hosts/owners are great.
Another fun Fourth at Kenan
Earlier thunderstorms didn’t deter thousands from coming out to celebrate America’s birthday at Kenan Stadium. And the Town of Chapel Hill put on an awesome show.
Thanks to the town, and to the firefighters who made sure everyone was safe.
USA! USA!
Kenan was lit up
My guess is 30,000 people packed in the south side of the stadium to watch the show. It was pretty spectacular.
Happy birthday, USA
Fireworks light up the sky on the Morehead City waterfront.
It was John Adams who said it first. The Fourth of July should be celebrated with fireworks, from one end of the continent to the other.
And so, Morehead City did so on this Fourth of July, 2016, on the 240th anniversary of the founding of our nation.
Happy birthday, America.
Hey, Max Patch, you’re pretty awesome
We timed it just right this year. The colors were beauitiful
The Great Smoky Mountains are at their peak. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, then here are a few thousand words worth.
It was a nice hike up, but well worth it.
Trish and I both took pics.
Oh beautiful, for spacious skies…
Fall in the Great Smoky Mountains
This is Dogwood Cottage, our home away from home in the Great Smoky Mountains for a week.
Our annual trip to the mountains has been just what it’s supposed to be: beautiful and restful. My sister, my dog, and I arrived at Dogwood Cottage in Haywood County Monday for a bit of R&R. And that’s what we’ve been doing.
Not a bad view from the porch of our cottage, is it?
You could add another “R” to that. Along with resting and relaxing, we’ve been riding. We went into downtown Waynesville on Tuesday. By the way, downtown Waynesville is very dog friendly. There’s a dog bakery downtown. Tyler thoroughly enjoyed it.
We’re tailgating on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
On Wednesday, we stopped by a KFC (just like we used to when we’d go on trips as children with Mom and Dad), and had a tailgating picnic on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Tyler relaxes while chewing on a hoof on the porch.
What’s in store for today? We’re thinking about a trip to Cherokee. Later in the week, we’ll hike up to Max Patch on the Appalachian Trail.
Finding an old photo from a Newport restaurant
Newport, N.C., town ordinances, circa 1917.
I was just browsing through some old photos on my phone and noticed this one that I took about a couple years ago at Fat Fellas restaurant in Newport.
On the wall, there’s a list of town ordinances from around 1917. It can be amusing what can get you thrown into the jail or guardhouse a century ago. I don’t think I would have liked to have spent any time there.
Once again, Max Patch doesn’t dissapoint
A beautiful view from Max Patch Mountain in Western North Carolina.
Is Max Patch getting steeper? No, I’m just a year older and more out of shape.
Friday was a gorgeous day in the North Carolina mountains, and a good day for hiking up to Max Patch, a beautiful area on the Appalachian Trail in Madison County, NC, near the Tennessee border. My sister, Patricia Smith, and my dog, Tyler, It’s the third year in a row that we’ve made the hike.
Here’s another view from Max Patch, near the NC-TN border.
Trish and I both commented on the effect on our muscles and joints, and how sore we’d like be. The hike didn’t seem to phase Tyler, who has actually had hip surgery.
Here’s another view from Max Patch.
Once we got to the top (almost), my sister threw down a blanket. We rested, had a snack, drank some water, and took some photos. Then we made the hike down the mountain. Gravity was on our side. The trek down the mountain was a bit less strenuous than the hike up.
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