Appalachian Roots

Though he lived most of his life in large cities and traveled over much of the United States, my father always said he was a Tennessee hillbilly. Over three hundred years ago his ancestors settled into the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, and I, too, can feel the strong pull of heritage when I visit the region.

Earlier this week I was in the Smokey Mountains, so named for the fog which drapes over the ancient hills. A mist is created by the rapid cooling of moist coastal air as it reaches the higher elevations of the Southern Appalachians, and this causes the typical smokey appearance.

Perhaps my affection for the earth and living things comes from roots which spread through these mountains. It is easy to fall in love with the Smokies, with their gentle slopes and wide diversity of plant and wild life. I took all of these photos in and around the area known as Cades Cove, originally a farming community nestled in the mountains of Tennessee. Now human history and nature are preserved by the national park system and enjoyed by visitors throughout the year.

Do we all feel a tug when we visit the land of our ancestors? Do roots run through the generations, connecting us to the soil of our forefathers? I think maybe so.

Autumn Lights

When I published my last post, About Trees, I thought that would be it for fall. Then later this week I walked outside just as late afternoon sun rays were shining through the trees. The golden light from heaven took my breath away, and I grabbed my camera, hoping I could capture the mood. The autumn radiance lasted only about thirty minutes, long enough for me to get the following photos. Enjoy!

An old oak tree behind my house:

The dogwood at the entrance to the woodland garden:

These dogwood leaves remind me of stained glass:

I love the pattern of these tree branches:

Nandina in the woodlands:

A Japanese maple drapes over a woodland path:

Feelin' Blue weeping deodar cedar against a soft background of autumn colors:

Golden light washes over the blue bridge in the woodland garden:
 Another woodland view:

The structure of a weeping cherry stands out against  a background of fall colors:

More trees! Will I ever be tired of trees?? Probably not! Here's some tall ones:

I suspect that within a week all these gorgeous fall leaves will be brown and on the ground. Then I'll have to do a post on raking. 

Happy Fall to all!