Imagekind Gallery NorthCarolinaTennessee

Looking Glass Falls, NC

December 2nd, 2010 in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina. Was a clear cold day, quiet except for the roaring of the falls.

Small Pisgah Cascade

just above Lunchtime Falls is this little cascade of beauty.

Icicle Dance

Most icicles hang straight down, this pair decided to "dance" down the rock face instead.

Midnite Hole

Midnight Hole on Big Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Dry Falls Sept 2010

Dry Falls on the way up to Highlands from Franklin North Carolina. Taken in September 2010. Almost the "driest" I've ever seen the falls.

Tom's Branch Falls

This was taken in the summer of 2008. It was before they cleared the brush away and you had to walk across Indian Creek, very cold water, to get this shot.

Cedar Rock Falls, NC

On Grogan Creek in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina

Water Over Rocks

Water over rocks on the river in North Carolina. Taken in June 2010

Dry Falls another view

Dry Falls North Carolina

Bald River Falls

Bald River Falls in June 2010

Dwarf Iris

Dwarf Iris. Were beginning to bloom along the trail down to Crabtree Falls in North Carolina.

The purpleist asters

Purple Asters taken on the way up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. gorgeous color

The Smokies

Looking out across the Great Smokie Mountains into Tennessee

There's a reason they're called Smokies

There were great patches of drifting clouds that rolled in and out of the valley's and over the ridges.

Capitol Fall

Taken November 5, 2009 at the nation's capitol in Washington, D.C.. I parked about 15 feet away. the sun through the leaves was just gorgeous.

Dwarf Blue Flag Iris

Mountain Azalea

Taken in the spring near the Devil's Courthouse on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

Dandelion's on Mount Mitchell

They were so large and just begging to compete with the sun.

Mountain Laurel

Taken at Cataloochee in the spring of '08

Autumn Color and Shadow

At high noon the sun cast clear shadows of Mountain Laurel into the small clear stream which already held a hint of Autumns Fall.

Mountain Wild Azalea

Mountain Flame Azalea's. a pillar of nice orange.

Flame Azalea

These wild Mountain Flame Azalea's show why they have this name. Like a burning bush.

Indian Creek Falls

Just a nice little waterfall across the creek.

Jackson Falls

As waterfalls go, this is NOT one of the great ones - except for the contrast of dark rock, water and light.

Smokie Mountain Fall

Looking off towards the Smoky Mountains from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

It had recently rained

Just as you leave the parking lot of Clingmans Dome in the curve of the road there was this marvelous bit of water and moss.

Blue Ridge Spring

Mile Marker 424 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, spring 2009

Red October II

October in the Smoky Mountains.

Red October I

We were coming down the mountain from Cataloochee Valley visiting with the elk. the sun was perfect as the color of the leaves last fall.

Fall at the Graveyard Fields

This photo was taken in the last curve going south before you get to the parking lot at Graveyard Fields on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. These are the Yellowstone Cascades.

Father and Son

Looking upward to the sky these stacked stones send prayers and help in meditiation. skill and sense of beauty are a necessity in creating just the right balance.

Little Fall at Yellowstone Graveyard Fields

Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Graveyard Fields has a usually nice drop of Waterfalls. this one comes from the side and joins the larger stream.

they call this Dry Falls

Dry Falls North Carolina, on the way to Highlands

Answered Prayer - water

Zen

Big Rock and Falling Water

North Carolina waterfall

Kathy's Creek Waterfall

Cathy's Creek Waterfall in North Carolina. It was just a perfect day - wet.

My Favorite little Water Fall

it just grabs your attention as you drive up the bumpy dirt road to get to Daniel Ridge Falls, also known as Jackson Falls

Jackson Falls II

A difficult shot to take of the whole waterfall at one time. there is a row of tall trees just in front.

Cataloochee Valley Twilight

This is where the Elk are. The sky is still lit by the sun but the high peaks of the Smokies bring an early twilight to the valley.

A Rush of Water from the Hillside

Running down the mountainside into Deep Creek, icy cold fresh water.

Stacked Prayer Stones

Found mostly in Korean Buddhism, the stacking of stones was a meditation practice. Balance and sense of beauty are needed.

The Balanced Stone

climbing up from the base of the waterfall there were a series of these 'prayer' stones set up. Seen primarily in Korean Buddhism as a form of meditation.

Water Rock I

The little stream was quietly running past this sometimes covered rock that now has a few decorative spots of algae and moss.

Water Rock II

this tumbled boulder was a nice jade green.

Bridge in Pisgah National Forest

Built at the same time the Blue Ridge Parkway, this stone bridge crosses the stream above Looking Glass Falls near the Moores Cove trail.

Pretty Falls

North Carolina Waterfall.

Why they are called the Smokies

Smokies smokin'

Fall comes to the Smokies

Fall colors the near mountain sides looking towards the Great Smokey Mountains

Smokey Mountains

View of Smokey Mountains

Dusk at Cataloochee

Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains

Red Baneberry

Red Baneberry - Actaea spicata Beautiful flowers, poisonous fruit. Taken along Big Creek trail in the Great Smokey Mountains

Gathering Minerals

Tiger Swallowtails and Pipevine Swallowtails gather minerals leached from the mountains along US 441 near mile marker 22 in the Great Smokey Mountains.

Balsam Lake Seep

The dam that created Balsam Lake has been open for some time. Most of the 8 acre lake is dry except for a few small trickles and this seep that join the creek that races through the two or three foot sediment that built up over time.

Oxeye Daisy 1

Chrysanthemum leucanthemum found all along the roadways and fields.

Carolina Allspice

Carolina Allspice - Calycanthus floridus Along NC 281 we parked near a hairpin curve and the side of the road was blanketed with a stand of these in bloom.

Standing Stone

Off NC 215 runs the north fork of the French Broad river. While everyone takes photo's of the falls, there are three or four really nice ones on the private property of Living Waters, I thought this monolith fallen from the cliff was handsome. A poignant Standing Stone rising above the flood.

Flame Azalea

Flame Azalea - Rhododendron calendulaceum photo taken along NC 281in Jackson Co. NC

Iceland Poppies

I've lived and traveled through North Carolina since the late sixties. NC has always done wonderful landscaping along it's highways. These beautiful poppies were next to an on-ramp of Interstate 40 west of Asheville.

Fall Ferns on the Blue Ridge

Ferns turning blond as fall approaches along the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina.

Chrysanthemum leucanthemum

Oxeye Daisy, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum

Turk's-Cap Lily

Turk's Cap Lily growing along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

Oxeye Daisy 2

Chrysanthemum leucanthemum

Stump

Old stump still holding it's own and looking elegant with its wrap of moss. Photo taken along Big Creek Trail in Great Smokey Mountains.

Forest Rings of Age

Off to the side of the trail at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee, there is beauty in the soft light that filters down through the tree canopy. such was this old log that was sawn some years back. the rings are etched and lichen grows. some beetle has made a home in the center of this beauty.

another view

I walked down the grade a bit to look at another little freshet that was tumbling down the side of the hill and walked back. This was just a beautiful shot at this little cascade of water spilling down the little cliff.

Possum Falls

Route 111 near Dunlap, TN just off the side of the road was this 80 foot drop of water. beautiful. it was a nice day, little traffic, just the sound of water splashing down the rock face.

Trametes versicolor, the turkey tail fungus

A very common forest fungus, but not always this beautiful. Taken at Natural Tunnel in Virginia.

the dam at Burgess Falls

Our trip was to see Burgess Falls again - while it was roaring with the recent rain, it was also brown with mud. This little dam, that until 1944 helped make electricity, is still standing and made a nice shot.

The Autumn Log

this old cut tree has become decorated for the coming autumn with the orange fungus.

Up the road from Possum Falls

up the road, about a half mile or so from Possum falls was this cataract - I'm sure it was from the recent rains, but was beautiful none the less.

October 13, 2011

Everyone waiting for this cool time of the year - remembering last year. The color and the cooled air on the Blue Ridge, North Carolina.

Zen Rock

Restfully Spiritual Rock

Fall 3

Autumns color along the Blue Ridge Parkway 2010

Fall 2

fall color

Fall 1

Along the Blue Ridge

Yellow Flower

A yellow flower clings among the bare rocks of the wall along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Gathering the last Autumn Nectar

The honeybee out on a sunny warm autumn day gathering the last nectar along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Purple Asters

Purple Asters in the Pisgah National Forest

Aster and lover bee

It's late in the early autumn as this wood borer bee seeks the last bit of nectar and pollen along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Sourwood Red

This sourwood tree has turned truly red.

A Blue Ridge Fall 2

Fall 2010 along the Blue Ridge Parkway

A Blue Ridge Fall 1

Fall along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Shadow Bear

About 6 in the evening, the bear forms from Whiteside Mountain between Cashiers and Highlands - dramatic - worth the wait.

Smoky Mountain Fall 6

In the afternoon the sky cleared to blue and only a few drifting high white clouds

Smoky Mountain Fall 5

Smoky Mountain Fall with moon

Smoky Mountain Fall 4

A touch of the Sun in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, USA

Smoky Mountain Fall 3

Smoky Mountain Fall 2010 drive

Smoky Mountain Fall 2

A ray of sun broke through the overcast and lit the fall color on the side of the mountains.

Smoky Mountains 1

Going from North Carolina to Tennessee on US441 the vista with the closing clouds was breathtaking.