Second Look--November 1, 2011

This week we had an uncommon October snow. While some places had over two feet, we only had a couple of inches. It never really got much below freezing, so many of the plants bounced back as soon as the weather warmed up. There still seems to be as much animal life as ever. I guess a little snow isn't going to slow them down.

Marigolds bent down from the weight of the snow.

These mums bounced right back after the snow melted.

Now that the leaves have fallen from the top of this maple tree, we can see the squirrel's nest in it.

Another new addition to the herd in the field behind us.

This chipmunk had to work hard at getting this large hickory nut to its burrow.

Honeysuckle berries. I've never noticed these in years past.

Black-capped chickadee on feeder. Adult chickadees don't migrate so we should see  these this winter.

Deer hoof print

Ponderings from Theodore-the Middle Years

Happy Halloween

Theodore wrote this poem about Lucky when he was twelve. Although he did not write it for Halloween, it seems appropriate to the theme of Halloween and Black Cats.

Hunter

Sleek, muscular, cunning like a shadow

Creeps from room to room,
Ever in search of his prey

Swift, lithe, dangerous like a bullet

Always alert, ever in search,

Ever in search of his prey

Keen, quiet, deadly like a knife

Always alert, ever in search,

Ever in search of his prey.

His prey! His prey!

Woebetide the day

When the shadow's claws

Meet the prey.

Always alert, every in search,

Ever in search of his prey.

Getaway--Part 5

Getting Home

I guess we knew that our idyllic getaway would have to end sometime--and it did. On our trip home. The plan was the same one as getting there--spend two days leisurely driving back. Well, we did spend two days, but I wouldn't exactly call it relaxed or leisurely. The first clue that our vacation was over should have been the morning we left when we saw clouds rolling in across the mountains. However, since we hadn't been listening to the news, we didn't know rain was coming. But it came and followed us for the whole day. Heavy rain, light rain, fog, big trucks, road spray, more heavy rain, mist, fog, stupid drivers. We saw it all.

We were happy to reach our hotel for the night. When we checked in, the staff was talking about a forecast for snow. But we weren't too worried since we were in the mountains, and we would be leaving them in the morning. However, what we didn't know was that the storm was covering half of the country and may be the biggest October snow storm since the Civil War. We started driving the next morning in a cold rain and it only got worse. Rain, sleet, snow, fog, trucks, road spray, more trucks, snow, white-out, sleet, stupid drivers. We saw it all.

But we made it home safe and sound. Had a wonderful time, wish you had been there.

The new clouds nestled in the mountains should have told us something.

 

And, when it was raining and 38, we should have known that something was up.

The snow was what was up.

But we made it home. Now we just have to unpack.

Getaway, Part 4

Water Falls and Winding Roads

Today, we took a hike in the Deep Creek area of Smoky Mountain National Park where we saw several waterfalls. Later in the afternoon, we drove the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway where it begins.

The road leading the the trails for the falls.

The Tom Branch Falls. The water flow on all of the falls was light.

Juney Whank Falls

Indian Creek Falls

Blue Ridge Parkway

View from Water Rock. We were out of the hardwood forests at this point and the clouds were rolling in.

Getaway, Part 3

This vacation couldn't have been better timed as far as outdoor activities were concerned. The weather was beautiful and most of the leaves were at their peak. Two things that we had no control over, but they cooperated all the same. These conditions had us spending much of our time saying, "Wow, look at that!"

Here is one of the awe inspiring places we visited. 

Clingman's Dome
On our first day, we went to Clingman's Dome which is the highest point in the Smoky Mountains at 6,643'. The drive there had us constantly climbing in elevation so that by the time we arrived, we had changed from the hardwood forests that were providing the showy leaf colors to the evergreen spruce-fir forests of higher elevations. However, the mountain top was not so green because a non-native insect, woolly adelgid, has been destroying the trees for several years now. We found it beautiful all the same.

One of the most entertaining things we saw was a young black bear in a mountain ash tree eating berries. The bear seemed a little too big for the tree as it swayed whenever the bear shifted its weight; but the bear was very agile all the same. Apparently, the bears don't like ash berries that well, but it was a bad summer for the better tasting things such as blueberries and acorns. So, I guess it takes what it can get.

The observation tower for Clingman's Dome has a very long spiral ramp.

The view from the top showed the spruce-fir forest with the insect affected trees.

The bear in the ash tree trying to fatten up for winter.

View coming down from the top into the hardwood forests. Notice the difference from the view from the very top.

At the very bottom, we spent a little time by the Oconaluftee River.

Note: We really enjoyed the people we talked to at Clingman's Dome. There was a very steep half-mile walk to the top, that had everyone huffing and puffing from the fittest to the couch potatoes. That walk along with the bear antics gave us a common bond for the morning that broke all stranger reserve,