December photo project - Day 2

Dawn patrol in the backyard

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Late afternoon Montreat trail hike

After a day of running holiday related errands I took Asta for a short hike around 4 PM, giving us a few hours of daylight. We started at the end of Appalachian Way in Montreat, taking the spur trail up to intersect with the Old Mitchell Toll Road and the East Ridge Trail. Here's a description of the Old Mitchell Toll Road, taken from a Montreat Trail Guide:

After logging operations on Mount Mitchell were shut down, a venture wanted to build a tourist road for automobiles along the route of the old railroad bed. Montreat wanted the road to be moved to the other side of the ridge to minimize noise and traffic in the valley. Montreat won a court decision, and the road was re-routed in several places.

The trail went up the western side of the ridge, and by the time we reached to Toll Road and East Ridge Trail, the sun was low in the west and the light was fantastic. Here's some photos from the hike. 

Asta on the Old Mitchell Toll Road. We're on the eastern side of the ridge in the shade.

Looking east from the Toll Road with Hawksbill Mountain and Table Rock in the distance.

A closer took at Hawksbill Mountain and Table Rock.

The sunset bathed everything on the western side of the ridge in a rich orange light.

Autumnal photos from the NC mountains

We moved from Blacksburg to Black Mountain this summer, and slowly discovered that relocation takes an amazing amount of time. Between packing, moving, unpacking, and settling in, it seems like the summer and fall flew by. While I took a lot of photos I haven't posted that many. Yet. Here's a bunch of photos from various places in our extended NC mountain neighborhood.

View east from the Craggy Gardens parking lot on the BRP.

Barrie and Cindy hiking.

Barrie on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Buddha on the potting bench

Ray of sunshine backlighting a leaf on the trail near our house.

Flat Creek in Montreat. Our "quick n' easy" nearby hiking trail.

Pond across the highway from our little neighborhood

Asta hanging out on the floor in my study.

On the roof of our rental house. The meditation room is on the right.

Our living room. The house was constructed using the windows and flooring from an old church. 

View of the UNCA quad from the library's front steps. Mt. Pisgah is in the background.

Window in my study.

Catawba Falls.

Illuminated Edwin on the Catawba Falls trail

Double rainbow

Autumnal Photo Project: Strolling in the Suburban Woods

I've always had a fond feeling for suburban woods, having spent many happy hours as a child in suburban sylvan settings. The outdoors were always more fun than indoors (unless it was staying inside to read or build model airplanes).

The path into the woods in my neighborhood

My first real awareness of suburban nature was in the 1st and 2nd grade, where my outside escape was the desert near my house in Tucson, Arizona. Outdoors was filled with great natural surprises: roadrunners zipped around everywhere (without their cartoonish "beep! beep!"), tumbleweeds rolled through leaving a wake of small stickers (Dad called "goatheads, and they would pierce a rubber flip-flop), and lizards and horned toads were everywhere. There was a grove of mesquite trees that ran behind our house where we would hang out, and I was just sure that mosquitoes were born in tiny little nests in mesquite trees. As I recall, I asked my 1st grade teacher if this was true, and she told me all that stuff about water and mosquito larvae. I preferred the image of tiny little mosquito nests in mesquite trees, but that's just how reality goes I suppose.

Saturday was a beautiful fall day in Blacksburg, so Asta and I headed over a few blocks to take the woodland trail that runs along a ridge and above the quarry. On the way we walked past a scooter and evidence of children playing in a yard:

A scooter poised for action in Blacksburg!

I love the little dirty jeans, the yellow bus, and the classic "woody" Radio Flyer.  Fun was had here, to be sure.

So after a few blocks we entered the woods on the trail above. Filled with maples and other hardwoods, the woods were bright yellow and red. The trail runs along a flat ridge for some time, with the Virginia Tech quarry where they get "Hokie stone" to the left of the trail.

The trail, with the quarry down to the left. 

A great tree beside the trail.

The quarry from the trail, overlooking Ellett Valley. The quarry produces 30-50 tons of Hokie stone each week.

Once we got past the quarry there are a few places where you can see through the trees to the mountains beyond, such as this photo below:

Ellett Valley, looking to right from the trail.

Several clusters of rock formations are beside the trail.  Oh, to have this to explore as a little kid!

A rare bit of flowery color on the trail.

The edge of Blacksburg.

Asta, actively exploring the trail.

The road uphill after our adventures. 

Birds were everywhere yesterday.  This house finch and tufted titmouse were hanging out near the bird feeder in our backyard.

Yum!  Black sunflower seeds!

Cameras: all photos taken with a Panasonic ZS15, except the last two taken with a Panasonic G3

Autumnal Photo Project - Why Asta Smells Like Mums

Asta smells like mums lately, to the extent that it can be overpowering. She's been vigorously digging around in our waning wildflower/flower bed, tunneling under the now overgrown batch of vegetation. Here she is in mid-romp:

Asta taking a rest after extensive frolicking

The official term for this is "snorgling"

Coming up for air

Bottle tree

Asta, quite satisfied with life

Morning glory on the vine

Wildflowers and more summer photos

Late summer wildflower bed and assorted photos. Enjoy!

Backyard wildflower bed in the morning fog.

Wildflower bed and bottle tree

Sunflowers looming above we mere mortals

Shy sunflower awaiting its moment in the sun

Asta loves running through the wildflower bed

And a few other late summer photos:

Wall and barn door, carriage trails, Mose Cone Manor, Blowing Rock, NC

Handblown glass jars at the Southern Highland Craft Guild shop, Moses Cone Manor

Colorful plate things at the Southern Highland Gift Shop

Bou, asleep on vacation

Pandapas Pond near Blacksburg, late in the afternoon