Location, Location, Location!

On Waterrrock Knob, Haywood, County, NC  -  2015

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

I received a few questions about the location of the photo I posted Sunday as my new Facebook profile picture. That photo was a crop from the one above which shows more of the location and background.

This photo of me was made by my daughter Courtney on the peak of Waterrock Knob (Elev. 6293'). It is one of the places she wanted to go while she was home from college for a couple of weeks. The peak is reached by a short (1.2 miles round trip) hike from a parking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Mile Post 451. If you look closely near my elbow you can see a tiny portion of the Parkway far below. The first half of the trail is paved, but fairly steep. It even had my daughter's heart pounding, and she's an everyday runner. The second half is not quite as steep, but very rocky all the way to the top. The hike is well worth it as the views of the surrounding Pisgah National Forest from the top are magnificent!

Don't Pity The Tree

Dead Tree And Moon, Haywood County, NC  -  2015

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Because trees are such relatively long lived organisms, sometimes living hundreds, or even thousands of years, we sometimes think they should live forever. Not so. Like us, they have a prime of life, then they get old, become weaker and more susceptible to disease and injury, and then they die. It's the natural order of things.

The tree pictured above lived a full life on top of Waterrock Knob near the Blue Ridge Parkway. I don't know how old it was or how it died. I'm sure it observed the construction of the Parkway, and then countless visitors to its home on top of the mountain. Eventually, insects, disease, or maybe lightning ended its life. Now hikers see this tree and think it's such a shame that it's dead. Not really.There is a new generation of younger trees growing up around it to crown this mountain peak. To really enjoy nature, one has to observe and appreciate all its phases - life and death. Even in it's current state, it still has a certain kind of stark beauty, don't you think?

Just For Me

Windows And Lamp, Asheville, NC  -  2015

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I made this photo on a Sunday afternoon in June when I was bored and decided just to take a walk around downtown Asheville by myself. I realize that not everybody gets this kind of photo, but I just liked the combination of colors, shapes and textures. Since I shoot mainly for my own enjoyment, I took the shot. And a month later I still like it.

More Warehouse Art

Rail Contemplation, Asheville, NC  -  2015

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I try to swing through the area on Riverside Drive where artists use the walls of the old warehouses as their canvas at least once a month. There is usually a few new wall paintings every time I visit. In many cases, these are not the works of mere vandals with a can of spray paint, but real artists. The sad thing is, works like the one above will eventually be painted over with a newer work. I try to preserve the ones I think are really good with my camera before they disappear forever.

Hidden Treasures

Red Chair, Asheville, NC  -  2015

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I never know what I'll find when I explore the old warehouses on Riverside Dr. That's why I keep going back.

Missing Trees

Courthouse During Folkmoot, Waynesville, NC  -  2015

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Our county courthouse used to have huge, beautiful oaks and maples in front of it. A few years back they all had to be cut down because of a disease or insect infestation. I forget which. New trees were planted, but it will be decades before they provide the summer shade and fall color of the old ones. I miss the old trees.

On The Streets of Asheville - Always Something New

Lookout, Asheville, NC  -  2015