Brevard NC visit , Pisgah NF

Coming back to the mountains of Western N. C. is very close to a religious experience.  I still have the most amazing feeling of being blessed to have such sights available to me.  The older I get, the more elevated the reaction, standing on Pounding Mill overlook, seeing Looking Glass Rock, and being there for a sun rise.   So here are some belated views. 

Looking Glass Rock from Pounding Mill Overlook

Pilot Mountain, late-blooming Rhodies

Chestnut-Sided Warbler.  What a beauty!

Blue-headed Vireo?

On Don's porch screen.  About 5 inches across.

Looking Glass Rock, evening

The resilience of life



Carolina Wren

Last morning in N.C. watching the sunrise at Pounding Mill Overlook.

And just below the drop-off, a female Indigo Bunting (or a young male)

And here is the male, serenading me.

Indian Paint Bruse, not common up here.

Mountain Laurel

Fire Pinks

A little bit left of Flame Azalea

A curious, and very brave Yellowthroat.

Sam's Knob Hike

I have not climbed Sam's Knob in the Shining Rock Wilderness area of Pisgah National Forest since my oldest son, Ken, and I climbed it in the 1970's.  I remember it being one of the shorter hikes, but it took Tom English and I roughly 2 hours to climb to the top, and getting back down wiped me out.  My knee (the newest one) swelled up twice normal size, and Barbara was a great nurse, with ice packs, and sympathy. The top was very overgrown, so the view to the other "Knob" was obscured.  But I was delighted with having accomplished it.

Tom, ready to hike down into the valley to climb Sam's Knob in the distance.

Bluets, all along the trail through the valley.

A long boardwalk down into the valley before the climb.

Close to the top, looking West.

On top, looking North.

Looking East, with Devil's Courthouse in the distance.

A huge outcropping of quartz, part of the reasons for the "Shining Rock" title.

Back down, through the valley, looking back.

Driving back down the Shining Rock Road, looking Northeast
 

The Blue Ridge Parkway, and Looking Glass Rock

Heritage Gardens with Bruce, Irene, Susan

A wonderful two-day visit from my brother Bruce and his wife Irene.  Irene is from Germany and loves gardens, so off to Heritage we went, where Bruce really enjoyed the antique autos, one of the best collection I know of.  They live in Halifax, N.S. and we see them way too little.

Actually, the first two are from my garden.

This is a Fringe Tree, spectacular.

From inside the tree.

An  art installation

Bruce being, well, Bruce