Forest Fire Nearby

Yesterday starting a 3:45 P.M. a forest fire blazed on a mountain

opposite the one on which we live. By the night time it was blazing in
full view. Winds here were dry and gusting up to 55 M.P.H.
making it a real challenge to contain. Fire fighters were
called out to from all neighboring counties. I awoke this morning
to hear on the radio that all homes that were in
jeopardy were saved! We were able to procure these
photos across the valley to the mountain top that
was involved. I had never seen a fire line
so clearly and from this vantage point
before in my life.
Praises to all involved in fighting this fire.
It was really something to watch at night!
Let's hope that it is a one time event.
Apparently, it was started when
the high winds caused a tree to
fall down across electric lines...
I would say that I can surmise thus
far that living in the High Country
is not for the faint of heart.

Be my valentine-red night sky

A Preview

'Frozen Beauty'
...an icy natural quarry
we stumbled upon.

Summertime Dreaming...

Wintry February Morn

A cold front has moved in bringing
our temperatures down below 32.
There is once again a cold
chill in the air with a light snow.
Time to work on keeping warm again.
The clouds sweep by driven by gusty wind,
changing the sky from dark to light.
The sky over the mountains is thick with drama.

What's Up Yonder?

¹yon·der

adv \ˈyän-dər\

: at or in that indicated more or
less distant place usually within sight;
as in 'look yonder and
you'll see the next mountain peak.'

Ever wonder what is up ahead?
Ever obsess on what
should be/could be/must be
...ahead?
This I do know,
that there is no merit in fretting or looking
anxiously ahead
"...for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own."
(Matthew 6:34)
Can we be that unattached today...
to tomorrow thus allowing
it to worry about itself
(I find myself wondering?)

Another trap we seem to fall into,
when 'dreaming' or actively yearning
about tomorrow
is that I (also) have seen that
we miss just what today offers~
when we set our sights
too anxiously on what we think
needs to be ahead (in order to make
us happy, fulfilled or more successful;
or just plain successful at all;
if you are as hard on yourself
as I seem to be at times!)
"When I get that new car..." or
"When I pay off this (or that...) I will feel better"
"When I turn 21 (life will be as it should be...)"
or "When I reach this ideal weight...
(then surely, I will be my real self...)"

May the yonder that is
within your grasp
today be held lightly
and be blessed.

My simple creed:
May I lightly tread
through grasses green
ever beholding
the glories seen
that greet me.

Yonder will I go
to the place I know
and there all blessing
will rise up
to meet me.

Gentle Morn

I awoke to a gentle, mildly orange colored sky this A.M.
It had snowed last night (about an inch) but it
consisted of frozen little balls that made for a compacted
slick layer of almost sleet. It was still lightly snowing
when I awoke. With school canceled (as the mountain
roads are not safe for bus travel when slippery)
I traveled out (on foot) to capture the color.
Unfortunately, my camera fogged up due to the
temperature change from the house to the cold, and
the first two colorful shots were not clear...
Top: Entitled "Can't Get Enough Blue"
[taken on this Saturday (past) road trip.]
Bottom Two: Gentle color from a
February morning. The temps here are
milder now so even though
we had a light snow,
it is still enjoyable out!

V is for

valley.

Mystic Ice On the Blue Ridge

The Blue Ridge Parkway was clear this week
as we have had temps in the mid 30's with an
occasional 42 thrown in (for a few hours.)
The normally thick ice and snow have melted
back to expose this Ridge Top road once again.
The Parkway has a series of huge double gates
that they close (or open) every few miles depending
upon the road conditions...I was delighted to find the
trail to the south (this has some of the best
long views found atop the Appalachians)
open late in this week (past) so I seized
the opportunity to travel as far as
I could to 'spy' good potential photos.
And here they are. The setting sun was
silvery upon the still frozen ice of
Julian Price Lake near Blowing Rock,
elevation about 3850.
...Make sure to note the mystic
series of circles in both photos of the
frozen lake.
How cool is that?
:)

Wintry Sun

winter sun beauty
high up in the sky
muted grays smokey blues
and gentle on the eye
tender sun setting
silver orb aglow

let me give this
gift to you
as proof-
I love
you so.

summertime revelry

Summertime dreaming
the beating waves of sunlight
thick
on my back
...bags to pack
...places to see
summertime revelry.
Let's set sail.

Misty Monday

Mist-it enshrouds us this morning
Vapor it hangs in the air
Everything gray all around us
And so we sit and we stare

Was that an apparition I just did see
behind me, no-over there?
Such is the Appalachian way
in the mist, tread here
but also beware.

An Appalachian Song of Praise

Cymbals tinkling in the distance

Dancing to the night wind
Black sky like velvet, around me
The woods, quiet I can swim in

Big dipper twinkles surrounded
By stars that glitter like gold
There are so many stars in the night sky
In my mind I can touch and to hold

I think not that I will tire nor grow weary
Of mountain glories revealed
A song of praise wells up within me
Each time my soul rests on these hills.

A feast for my wanting mind's eye
is around every turn
up the big hill near the hollow
for you forever I'll yearn.

Pray tell do not forsake me
I pray these hills ever will stand
A testament to the glory of God
all fashioned by His own hand.

January Push...

for more snow!

Fog Line

A fog line caught hovering on a misty day.
:)