The Barn Series - Day 8 - Great Smoky Mountains

Cade's Cove is on tap today for The Barn Series journey. A beautiful, peaceful valley with old farmsteads and historic, one room churches dotting the landscape. This old barn is one of my favorites. I love to photograph it in all of the seasons with the mountains looming in the background. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest national park east of the Mississippi River. Visitors flock here every year in the tens of thousands. The park is located in eastern Tennessee and is actually in Tennessee and North Carolina.

Cade's Code is one of the main attractions with visitors. In this valley, you can go back in time, as you travel the winding road. View first hand how these farmers plied their trade throughout the decades. The moment you enter this park you know you are in an amazing place. The forests are thick and lush with gorgeous trees and plants and wildflowers. Rushing rivers wind through the park as they make their way down the mountains into the valleys. The flora and fauna of this national park is like none other you will find across the nation, because the Smoky Mountains is also a rain forest. Witness that first hand as you drive throughout the park or hike the trails. Water is paramount here.

I hope you are enjoying The Barn Series. Wonder where we will end up tomorrow. ENJOY!

Linking to Metamorphosis Monday

Blue Smoke Across the Mountains

As I looked out across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last week a sense of nostalgia overtook me. I saw the unmistakable blue smoke that is the trademark of the Smokies. That mist lingers above the mountain range from the rain forest. It still seems odd to me, even now, to think of the Smokies as a rain forest, but in fact, it is.

Most of the color has gone from the trees, but I like the spark of yellow from the one tree that seems to be holding on. I had a darker image planned, but lightened the shadows to bring out the trees. I like the detail. Fall has come late to Tennessee and parts South. Did you hear this was the hottest Summer on record for the United States. With all of the wildfires and drought we have had over the past 18 months throughout all of the United States, I can see why. Back soon. ENJOY!

Red Maple Watercolor

I captured this image of beautiful red Maple leaves several years ago in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As I was strolling through my images from Fall's past, I noticed it and wondered just what it would look like with a little watercolor effect. I think it's even more beautiful. I can hardly wait for the reds and yellows and oranges of Fall here in the South. The weekend is approaching. We've had no rain for nearly two weeks. We will finally be getting some from a tropical depression which will be making landfall as Hurricane Nate this weekend. Everyone stay safe and dry. I also wanted to mention just how sad and disparaging all the news of the Las Vegas shooting has been this week. I can't even imagine the lives that have been torn apart by this senseless act of a mad man. Dear God can't they do something about gun control. GOD BLESS!

Blue Smoke of The Smokies

No matter what you try to do to tone down the blue smoke from photos of the beautiful Smoky Mountains, there's no getting rid of it. That blue smoke gave the national park its name. So as I see you off for a wonderful weekend, here's a little 'blue smoke' from my recent trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For those of you along the Texas coast, prayers and thoughts go out to you and I hope you evacuated to stay safe from Hurricane Harvey making landfall today. ENJOY!

Up Close With A Turk's Cap Lily

On the road to Clingman's Dome, which leads to the highest elevation in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, if you look very closely you just might catch a glimpse of the beautiful Turk Cap's Lily. If you are very lucky, you will find a spot to pull off the road to photograph them as I did on my recent visit.

Before my trek to the Smokies, I had read on the national park's Facebook page that the Turk's Caps were in bloom. I immediately wanted to photograph them. I didn't think I'd actually get to. So imagine my surprise when I found them in bloom along the road up to the summit of Clingman's Dome. The Turk's Cap Lily bloom in Summer in the higher elevations of the park. Since I rarely visit the Smokies in Summer, I had never made their acquaintance until this trip.

Along the road to Clingman's Dome I only saw one clump of Turk's Caps, but on the way back down there were several. Luckily I found a spot or two to pull off and capture these images. Needless to say, I was in my glory. Oddly enough, I thought I might see these flowers blooming along the road up to Newfound Gap, as that is a higher elevation too, but I didn't. We are having an 80's kind of weekend here in Nashville with an occasional scattered thunderstorm. Could it be that the 90 degree days are behind us. Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying the weekend and your weather is cooperating. ENJOY!

Fontana Lake View, Clingman's Dome

What a view from the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Looking out from Clingman's Dome, alt. 6,644 feet at the tip of the observation tower, you can see Fontana Lake in the distance. The forest around Clingman's Dome is a spruce-fir forest, but due to the cool, wet conditions here making it a coniferous rainforest. You notice the change almost immediately when you turn off the main road to make the drive up to the summit. You also notice the 10-20 degree drop in temperature.

Fontana Lake snakes its way through the valley below and is actually situated in eastern North Carolina. Clingman's Dome actually sets half in North Carolina and half in Tennessee. On a clear day you can see up to 100 miles and perhaps even seven states.

I snapped this photo with one of those beautiful Spruce Firs in the foreground. I just love these beautiful trees. The blue haze hung over the Smokies making for a beautiful blue hue. The weather here in middle Tennessee finally cooled off a bit and the sun gave us a beautiful weekend. Thank goodness for those cooler temperatures. What a sweltering July. Have a wonderful week. Back soon. ENJOY!

Prayers for Great Smoky Mountains & Gatlinburg

As I sat and watched the wildfires descend upon Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and into Gatlinburg and Sevier County, Tennessee, my heart ached. I normally trek to the Smokies once or twice a year. I have thought about nothing else but the people and the hardship ahead. I have also wondered how the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail was impacted. Many people can't take long trail hikes and this is one drive that anyone can do in their car and be totally immersed in the forest while the Roaring Fork River rushes downstream. It's a breathtaking place. Thankfully, most of Tremont is alright and Cade's Cove was unaffected by the fires.

Lives lost, lives perished with no trace, homes destroyed, businesses devastated. All over Tennessee and neighboring states, firefighters have traveled to the Smokies to help with the wildfires. We had some rain this week, but there is heavy rain coming this weekend and hopefully it will push East. I pray it will push East. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the 'most' visited park in the entire United States and I hope it stays that way in spite of everything that has happened. And pray for the families in south central Tennessee who lost loved ones, homes and businesses, as well, due to tornadoes the day after the wildfires. And a week prior to this six small children were taken from us by a crazed school bus driver in Chattanooga. Needless to say, Tennessee has been hit especially hard by tragedy in the past two weeks. Tennessee will bounce back, but in the meantime, I ask for your prayers. Thank you. Carol

SPECIAL NOTE: Do you believe in Climate Change. It not, watch just two episodes of the 'Years of Living Dangerously' on the National Geographic Channel. It's an awakening! Sadly, Americans have the highest carbon footprint globally. Yet, the worst areas affected right now by our ever warming ocean is not the U. S., but areas like the Philippines and the Amazons where the majority of the population live well well below the poverty level and who's entire existence and livelihood depends upon the land, and especially the ocean. If we do not take action now, fifty years from now there will be floods, hurricanes and wildfires, not to mention droughts, the likes of which we could never ever imagine.

Hello September!

Hello September! May you herald in cooler temps, dryer afternoons, blue skies, balmy breezes and the slightly hint of Fall. Photo taken in Cade's Cove, Great Smoky Mountains, in June after a bit of rain a rainbow came out. Back soon. ENJOY!

The Grandeur

The grandeur that is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is truly amazing. Every year millions visit the park. There is no fee to view the park. There is no wait list to view the park.

Foggy Day, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Spring 2016

There is the Roaring Fork, Cade's Cove, Newfound Gap, Chimney Tops, Elkmont, Greenbrier and Tremont. There are Elk, Black Bear and White Tailed Deer. There are White Trilliums, Black Eyed Susans, Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurels. There are rapid rivers, waterfalls, flowing streams and babbling brooks. There is blue smoke, fog and rain. There are cool days in Spring, sweltering days in Summer, crisp Autumn days and snowstorms in Winter. This is the grandeur of the Smokies.

Bright Sunny Day, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Spring 2012

Every year I visit the park at least once and often twice. I love Spring in the Smokies with the blooming wildflowers and bright green of the new leaves in the forests. Yet, I can't resist Autumn when every surface is a magnificent chorus of color. The red Maple trees, the orange Sycamores, the yellow Oaks are in contrast to the dark green of the Fir trees. Each visit I bask in the grandeur of the Smokes. This magical place shows my heart, eases my mind and soothes my soul. It ruly is grandeur. ENJOY!

Blue Smoke, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The essence of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park surely must be the fog and blue smoke that hangs over the Sugarloaf Mountains. This mountain range is typically immersed in blue smoke, but this past weekend there was an abundance of fog and blue smoke due to the rain showers that plagued the park. In spite of the weather, I did visit several sections of the park taking in the various wildlife including a few Black Bears in Cade's Cove. If you look at the very bottom of this image you will see bright pink blooms from the Mountain Rhododendrons. The Rhododendrons will be in full bloom in mid June. I just wished I could be there to see it. ENJOY!

Fall Color, Smoky Mountains

One of the many benefits of rainy weather in the Smokies is the fog in and around the mountains.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Happy Halloween Eve! ENJOY!

GSMNP, Shrouded in Fog

There is always more to photograph than there is time to do so when you spend any amount of time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a virtual wonderland of rivers, streams, forests, woods, mountains, valleys and let's not forget the history that is found here. When you take 500 images over the course of four days and slowly cull through them to see just what you have captured, you never know what will be peering back at you.

When I happened upon this image, I decided it has to be one of my favorites from my trek to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. No doubt there are people who believe rain and fog won't net them much on a photography trip. I beg to differ. A foggy mountainside can be stunning to me and when you add yellow Fall leaves with the dark green Fir trees, I declare a winner. I love to capture photos that have natural lines such as the one I shot here of the ridge line. It takes your eye right up to the top left of the photo. I did photograph some Fall color and some water images while on my trek and will post those soon. Back very soon. ENJOY!