Southern Highlands Cam

Near McCaysville, Ga.

2008-11-08T16:08:00.002-05:00

At the apple orchard:

Not many left on the trees but there were still plenty for sale.

Up the road:

Just color

2008-11-07T12:35:00.005-05:00

From a drive around the lake

2008-11-02T14:36:00.002-05:00

Day after Halloween.
The best view around, Hiwassee Lake.

Up Panther Top

2008-11-02T14:12:00.003-05:00

Once a year, the Forest Service opens Panther Top lookout for a couple weekends so people can see the fall views.

You can walk up the road, though, about a mile, to get there, any other time of the year.

This time, a ranger was on duty to explain the views.

Folk School auction day

2008-11-01T17:21:00.002-04:00

At the Folk School:

(Hard light to photograph. More photos tomorrow.)
In the Keith House, the annual Blacksmith Auction is going on.

Lovely day

2008-10-31T12:52:00.001-04:00

Persimmons. Someone needs to shake them down and make persimmon butter.

Late October color

2008-10-27T15:37:00.001-04:00

I'm not gettting out to take photos these days (soon!) but the colors are starting to hit their second stage....

In Tennessee

2008-10-19T15:31:00.004-04:00

Smokey Mountains across Tellico Lake.

On the road, near Ballplay.

At Cherokee Lake

2008-10-15T11:52:00.001-04:00

More of the same

2008-10-12T22:00:00.002-04:00

Hiwassee Lake.

Apalachia Lake.

Shulers Creek meets the "dry gorge" of the Hiwassee.

Beautiful fall day

2008-10-10T10:18:00.002-04:00

Playing around

2008-10-09T12:09:00.003-04:00

I got a new camera to take closeups, since it was the one thing my trusty Kodak zoom couldn't do well. It's about time to record the flowers before they go away, anyway.

We have rain!

2008-10-08T16:42:00.005-04:00

It's been a long time coming. So the pictures aren't much but today I'm thinking of my parents, married 70 years ago today amid the wreckage of a late southern New England hurricane....

Just a hint of fall

2008-09-30T17:40:00.000-04:00

Sourwood. Dogwoods are coloring, too.

Looking a bit like fall now....

2008-09-25T11:44:00.000-04:00

Church picnics

2008-09-24T13:07:00.001-04:00

Beautiful places for them everywhere around here, this is a nice one.

Southern videos

2008-09-24T11:34:00.002-04:00

Over at the Knoxville News, online editor Jack Lail has a personal blog called Random Mumblings, mostly about journalism, but sometimes he points out things of local interest, like this great You Tube site from photojournalist Dan McCoig that he calls Dan Traveling.

Most of the videos are from places around the South, especially North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Lail's link was to a video on the great face jug makers at King's Pottery in Seagrove NC.

Apple time

2008-09-23T10:39:00.002-04:00

My favorite time of the year, having grown up in an old apple orchard. Cider House, McCaysville Ga:

Fun with trains

2008-09-22T17:08:00.004-04:00

Over at Mineral Bluff, Ga, they were having the second annual Ride the Rails festival. The old depot was renovated last year and now houses a growing model train layout.

On the outside, old timers and kids were having fun with trains.

(For some reason, size and layout isn't working today on my Blogger account.)

Glorious days

2008-09-20T10:48:00.002-04:00

With the occasional touch of menace....

More september scenes

2008-09-15T20:31:00.005-04:00

Finally this year we have decent hydrangeas.

Figs are ripening

More berries, on Devil's Walking Stick. (Anyone know what the previous blue berries are? Some sort of vibernum (prunifolium?), I assume....)

Lynne is churning out beautiful baskets.

Sign outside a govt office, won't say which one.....

September scenes

2008-09-13T17:28:00.001-04:00

Ready for winter.

Turtle time.

Berries.

Weekend fun

2008-09-07T13:58:00.003-04:00

At the Folk School, Friday night concert in the barn:

Featured Blue Ridge Grass.

Parksville/Ocoee Lake and the nearly 100-yr old dam.

The River was full of rafters, and the road with buses picking them up.

Heritage Fest

2008-09-01T16:30:00.002-04:00

Saturday in Murphy, the annual Heritage Festival:

Old tractors racing.
At the music stage, Brad introduces...
Polecat Creek.
(and lots of other great musical acts.)

Summer color

2008-08-21T12:13:00.000-04:00

Angels for you

2008-08-20T19:23:00.003-04:00

Neighbor Brad Waggoner has set up a new website to show off his Barn Angels.

Aren't they beautiful? Nearly as beautiful as his barn. (This one's just a tiny example. Most are bigger and much more elaborate.)

When so many people these days just destroy old things, it's good to see someone putting them to good use.

And there should be a law against tearing down old barns.

Peach day

2008-08-18T15:35:00.001-04:00

We're picking peaches.
They look great in Lynne's beautiful basket.

Water colors

2008-08-11T16:26:00.002-04:00

At Lake Apalachia.

And the Tellico River.

No water, just crepe myrtle against the forest.

Harshaw Chapel

2008-08-11T12:00:00.004-04:00

On a hill overlooking Murphy, the old methodist church and cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The church was built by Joshua Harshaw, who was the largest slaveholder in Murphy.

Some of the graves predate the church.

Abram Enloe is believed by some to have been the father of Abraham Lincoln.

The high stones echo Murphy's towers and the mountains beyond (too bad about the power lines).

Another night of music

2008-08-09T18:11:00.004-04:00

Moon over the Hiwassee Dam community center

...and great acts inside.

After the show, the music moved to the neighborhood

As dusk fellthere was picking in the moonlight.

Just another sunset

2008-08-08T15:47:00.001-04:00

The rain passed us by, unfortunately, but the sunset was still worth a picture:

Mountaintop therapy

2008-08-05T12:01:00.002-04:00

On the way home from an unscheduled hospital stay in Gainesville, a stop at Neels Gap:

And a short walk in the woods:

Along the Appalachian Trail.

Best way to get back to normal I know.

Back home

2008-07-27T15:23:00.002-04:00

Just in time for a musical evening....

Could not focus on this bird but love the colors anyway:

Along the road

2008-07-20T12:55:00.002-04:00

Nantahala River, morning.First paddlers.
Unicoi mountains overlook, near NC/TN border.
A unique ride, somewhere near WV/PA border.

Pictures of Lily

2008-07-14T18:50:00.001-04:00

An AT story

2008-07-10T12:32:00.004-04:00

The shocking 1981 murder of two campers on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia was mentioned in Bill Bryson's book, A Walk in the Woods, and elsewhere.

This spring, those who knew the story were shocked to hear that the man who committed those murders had been out of prison for over ten years, and had tried it again, near the same spot on the Trail.

A great telling of the whole story, from the Washington Post: Blood on the Mountain.

Happy 4th

2008-07-04T12:50:00.005-04:00

They started celebrating early in Murphy this morning: down in the park.

Good chance for kids to enjoy the Valley River.
...and the bears...
Confederate soldiers on display...
...history lessons.
...and from another war.
Good time for a fishing lesson, too.
The party is all day, with live music, and fireworks, of course, tonight.

Tellico

2008-07-03T10:20:00.006-04:00

Tellico River.

Bald River Falls.

(for proportion, note the guy standing on the rock....)
In Tellico Plains, the bakery:

(Great sandwiches.)

On Hiwassee Lake

2008-07-02T11:26:00.001-04:00

And another sunset:

Hollyhocks

2008-06-28T18:01:00.002-04:00

Pickin'

2008-06-27T15:19:00.004-04:00

Along the Toccoa River
They're Pickin' in the Park every Thursday night.

Even the Spoon Lady was playing last night.
Idyllic place to spend an evening, even in the rain.

Summer daze

2008-06-26T13:05:00.002-04:00

After a rain.

We are in drought conditions again but still green here...so far...
The turtles are trying to lay eggs anywhere they can.

Saturday in Murphy

2008-06-21T16:13:00.003-04:00

At the farmers' market, sketching and reflexology...metal cutting....
picking and clogging.
Quiet at the Depot.
Hiwassee River.
at the boat show, trying out inflatable kayaks.
Lined up for trout fry, and more boats to look at.
Good to see the river high enough for paddling.

A familiar place

2008-06-20T21:08:00.001-04:00

I've posted pictures from here before, but each season is a bit different: Nottely Lake.

Slow June days

2008-06-16T11:10:00.003-04:00

Haven't gotten out to take any new pictures lately, so for sake of filing something new, I'll bore you with more flowers and sunset.....

Cherry time

2008-06-10T10:46:00.001-04:00

In a neighbor's yard, lots and lots of cherries:

Hottest day of the year

2008-06-07T17:31:00.003-04:00

So far. Hope it doesn't get any hotter than this....

Brasstown Creek looks pretty inviting....
From a couple evenings ago...

Visitor.

British motorcycles

2008-06-07T17:20:00.006-04:00

The Greater Atlanta British Motorcycle Association has an annual rally near Hiawassee, Ga, under the shadow of Brasstown Bald.

Everything from beautiful sidecars:
To Vincents:

To Triumphs and BSAs

To Velocettes:To rat bikes:

No pictures

2008-06-04T12:51:00.001-04:00

But there's a nice video about McCaysville GA/Copperhill TN on this AP story about Georgia's bid to move the state line further north.

(Thanks to Lisa Jacobi)

Murphy's day in the limelight

2008-05-31T16:05:00.002-04:00

A reminder, in the Asheville Citizen Times, that today is the 5th anniversary of the day Eric Rudolph was caught by Murphy police officer Jeff Postell behind the Save-a-Lot on the east side of Murphy.
Many Remember Rudolph Saga:

...what also stands out in (Murphy mayor)Hughes’ mind five years later is the media horde that descended on Murphy when news of the capture broke.
“I think we had 26 satellite trucks in town, and I was interviewed 15 or 20 times that week,” he said. “I think I knew everyone at CNN by name.
“It is an ill wind that blows the national media into your town. Far too many reporters wanted to portray us as illiterate, ignorant and anti-government hicks who approved of Rudolph’s doings, which was totally false.”

Rainy day

2008-05-28T14:43:00.001-04:00

Mountain laurel, nearly past peak:
A couple roses:

Gabrielle takes a walk in the woods. Nearly 20 years old, amazing she still does this.
Layla just watches.

A ride over the Blue Ridge

2008-05-24T16:20:00.002-04:00

Lakes, mountains, and lovely small towns.
This is Chatuge Lake on the NC/GA border.

Cullusaja Falls along NC 64:
Lake Jocassee, South Carolina.
Whitewater Falls on the Whitewater River that runs from NC to Jocassee Lake and SC.
Buildings along the railroad track in Dillsboro, NC:

...and a restaurant (Cornucopia) in Cashiers.

A slow week

2008-05-22T18:05:00.002-04:00

After the rain the other night:
Sweetshrub.
It's time for the ladyslippers but so far have seen only a couple. They're not back in the normal spots. The laurel blossoms are coming out now and will be full in a day or so.

Another mountain weekend

2008-05-18T15:19:00.002-04:00

Saturday, one day without rain, and as clear as it gets. And green as it gets.
Friday night at Hiwassee Dam community center.

Steel String Sessions is playing.

In Murphy

2008-05-12T17:08:00.003-04:00

Courthouse on a clear day.

Angles.

Rhododendron in bloom.

Valley River St.

Roses at the bank.

Farmers' market, irises and cat blogging

2008-05-10T15:28:00.003-04:00

Cedar Valley Farmers Market, Saturdays in downtown Murphy

Reminders of old Murphy. Irises in my yard. A good year for them.
On the prowl.

Tuesday flea market

2008-05-07T17:04:00.003-04:00

Flowers and a photo blog link

2008-05-07T15:21:00.004-04:00

Wild flame azaleas,Some things in my garden,

And more woods azaleas, these didn't start out wild....

And, via comments, The Riverbum has a photoblog called Random Ramblings. A couple weeks ago he spent some time at the John C. Campbell Folk School, and has some great photos from his woodturning class and other folks around the school. Check out the April postings.

Our front yard

2008-05-04T13:30:00.000-04:00

It's looking pretty green these days...

Evening in Andrews

2008-05-04T13:02:00.005-04:00

Saturday was Murphy's Spring Festival, but we stayed home because of the rain. Sorry we didn't make it, it's always fun and would have made for good pictures. But it was our anniversary, so we went for an early supper at Cole House in Andrews. From the highway, still lots of clouds over the Nantahala mountains:

This old house is a unique restaurant for this part of the world, and the food is amazing, especially the trout. In early evening it's not crowded and the light is beautiful.
Live music outside,
in the wine garden.
The light was wrong for getting a picture of the restaurant but at least it shows the lovely view of the Snowbird mountains to the north:

House by the railroad tracks.
Coming back, the clouds have dispersed and the view of the Valley River mountains is clear as a bell:

Oh, yeah, that anniversary? 18/27, depending on how we count.

Bonus photo blog link: via a comment from Dee Dee, lovely flowers, still lifes, and scenery from Florida at Love White Linen.

A brief flirtation

2008-05-02T11:31:00.001-04:00

Fraser magnolia,

and irises.

Around the neighborhood

2008-04-24T17:47:00.000-04:00

Finally, we have lilacs. Been awhile. And another swallowtail.

Saturday road trip

2008-04-23T13:59:00.004-04:00

More photos from Saturday. Failed Blogger photo upload delayed until now...
From Woody Gap on the edge of the Blue Ridge, looking towards Dahlonega.

Near Suches.
Toccoa River.

A few more scenes of Dahlonega.

Bear in the Square

2008-04-20T13:16:00.008-04:00

It's the annual spring festival in Dahlonega, Georgia, on the square.
Beautiful weather, after the rain, and lots of people.
...most of them making music.
...or things to eat
The red hat ladies are out, too.

And lots and lots of crafts, like this broommaker....

painter....
blacksmith....
chairmaker....
baskets....(love the chair seats of woven ties...)
and Debbie and J's jewelry and woodturning.

Dogwoods

2008-04-17T18:26:00.005-04:00

At the Cherokee County Courthouse, the dogwoods (both pink and white) are blooming now:

And the cherries along Valley River Street: the United Methodist Church.

Swallowtail and redbud

2008-04-17T10:26:00.001-04:00

Not quite snow, but....

2008-04-14T18:35:00.001-04:00

This was some heavy sleet. Or would you call it hail?

Froze yet?

2008-04-14T10:32:00.002-04:00

It's snowing in the mountains right now but not here. Below freezing temps tonight.
Last year in the April freeze this bleeding heart plant turned to mush but came back later.

The flowering pear was hurt pretty badly in the freeze last year, too....

Nantahala-Tusquitee ride

2008-04-13T13:48:00.003-04:00

Downtown Andrews, always quiet on a Saturday afternoon.

Nantahala Lake.

Chota side of Nantahala.
Big Tuni Creek.
The wooly ageldid is killing the hemlocks here, most are nearly dead. It's arrived in our neighborhood now, too. Sad to see the hemlocks go.
On the other side of the mountains, even greener near Tusquitee...

Redbud time

2008-04-10T15:43:00.002-04:00

Tulips.
Hiwassee Dam.

The picnic area.

The 'sculpture' is a 50-ton turbine, aluminum cast in Norfolk in 1940.
Serviceberry in the distance, behind Maple buds.

In Murphy

2008-04-07T14:44:00.005-04:00

These dogwoods near the courthouse will be beautiful in a few more days:

The old Episcopal Church:

In front of the Cherokee County Historical Museum:

More cherry trees on Tennessee Street.

Nothing new here

2008-04-03T14:45:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the lack of photos recently but haven't been out to take any in awhile, especially with the rainy days we've been having. We are getting lots of color now and slight green on a few of the trees.

This little guy was out and about on a warm day....

Feels like spring....

2008-03-30T14:39:00.004-04:00

Peach blossoms.

And, for some really beautiful flower photos (and other mountain scenes), check out
the site of local photographer Larry Hunsucker.

And, here's another local blog I found intriguing: Smoky Mountain Cafe, a cooking blog by a Katrina refugee from Louisiana, now settled in the foothills of the Smokies. Nothing fancy, a little southern mountain cooking, a little cajun..... (via her brother's blog, western NC photographer John Roberts.)

J&B Produce

2008-03-25T14:12:00.001-04:00

Nice to see a local business featured on another blog. Photographer John Roberts likes the looks of this produce stand, at the flea market at the Ranger intersection.

Contrast on a spring weekend

2008-03-24T10:54:00.007-04:00

This is what it looks like this morning: snow on the pear blossoms.

On Friday, though, a whole different scene at Reliance, TN: the fishing businesses coming alive,

Rafters will be coming, too, as it warms up. Some bikers out now.

At the Apalachia powerhouse, they've rebuilt the walking bridge.

The clear water coming from Apalachia Lake meets the brown water from the 'dry' gorge.

The Hiwassee River travels about 10 miles through these tubes.

The new bridge work.

Looking downstream.

They were releasing large amounts of water that day to flush the river bed for the fishing.

Left to rot by someone:

Good Friday in the mountains

2008-03-22T11:19:00.003-04:00

This abandoned house has always intrigued, on a remote part of the old Joe Brown Highway (Unicoi Turnpike). How did they live on this mountainside, and was it a busier road when they built it here?
What a view.

We saw several waterfalls we've never noticed before: the spring rains have made them bigger and they're not hidden this time of year.

(The new header photo: Cohutta (Big Frog) mountains from old Joe Brown Highway.)

It's starting

2008-03-20T18:05:00.002-04:00

After all the rain, seems everything's popping out:

Is this the future of our mountain lands?

2008-03-15T13:07:00.005-04:00

I saw this cabin-covered hillside a couple years ago on a trip to visit friends near Gatlinburg, over the other side of the Smokies in Tennessee. It was shocking then, and is even more shocking now, in this photo posted to the Blountviews blog a couple weeks ago. Just take a look. Commenters ask if it's real or photoshopped. How long before the hills everywhere look like this?

(Think this is impossible? There's a development across from the end of our road that will look like this if a house is built on every lot. And a lot more small-lot ridgetop developments around....)

We may get enough rain today

2008-03-15T12:18:00.003-04:00

Darkness at noon.

There are some blooms on the flowering pear, but who can see them in this fog and rain?

Sunshine and snow

2008-03-10T14:57:00.002-04:00

Photo upload in Blogger isn't working for me today. There was also a nasty patch on Saturday, when nothing would load (and the blogs disappeared for awhile).

So, trying something else....

Along Tellico Lake, looking towards the Smokies....

Winter returns

2008-03-08T15:04:00.003-05:00

It was too warm for the snow to stay, so although it snowed a lot it doesn't look like much on the ground. After all the rain we've had and the snow on top of it , though, it may get trecherous when it freezes tonight....

Some color for a change

2008-03-02T18:13:00.001-05:00

Friday bird blogging

2008-02-29T16:48:00.003-05:00

Just a feeder scene....
...and the bluebird house, in the snow (so far unoccupied).
The best bird views of the week were yesterday, when we saw a bald eagle fishing in the Hiwassee River. No place to pull over to try to get a photo, but we saw him hit the water and begin to fly off. Couldn't see if he caught anything. A hundred yards down the road, a turkey flew across the road in front of us and sideswiped the windshield of an oncoming car. He flew off unhurt, we hope...

After the snow

2008-02-28T18:05:00.004-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, already starting to melt:
This morning, Chunky Gal/Nantahalas, from Hayesville:
Three of Brasstown Bald, in Georgia. From Hayesville:
From Young Harris, GA
From Track Rock Road.

Most places looked like this, though, all the snow melted.

One more shot from yesterday morning, touch of color in the grey/white...

An unusual sight

2008-02-27T11:33:00.001-05:00

Yes, it did

2008-02-27T08:33:00.002-05:00

And it still is. More later, but wanted to get the snow on the trees before it blows away.

Changing weather

2008-02-26T12:27:00.002-05:00

Some days warm, sunny:
Some days changing. Last night's clouds preceeded the storm. More today, cold tomorrow (snow?)

Foggy

2008-02-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

Eclipse

2008-02-20T22:15:00.000-05:00

Around the Folk School

2008-02-19T11:33:00.008-05:00

Down the hill, at one end of the John C. Campbell Folk School, is the blacksmithing complex.A good friend visited us in Black Mountain 30 years ago, on his way to attend the blacksmith class there. Since then he's had a blacksmithing business in Vermont. This week he visited us here in Murphy area and we took a short tour of the school.

A class was going on inside.
Work tools.

A reconstruction project next to the old shop.
Looking back up the hill to the farm house.

Hiwassee Dam

2008-02-17T12:57:00.003-05:00

And the view of the lake I never get tired of....

Right on time...

2008-02-15T15:22:00.000-05:00

Cold and a bit snowy

2008-02-13T16:34:00.000-05:00

There's more snow on this club moss now.....

Links moved

2008-02-12T12:10:00.000-05:00

A few years ago I started keeping Web links for places, people and businesses in the Southern Appalachian area I was going to move to.

When I moved and started this photo blog, I posted them to the Web. They are mostly links that I've used, blogs I look at, and links to Murphy-area friends and institutions.

I also watched out for things relevant to other places in the mountains I've lived, mostly the Black Mountain-Asheville area.

I don't know if any of these links are relevant to any of you, but if you've bookmarked them, they've moved. My old dialup account, which provided Web space, is being cancelled since broadband has reached this (formerly) remote part of western Cherokee County, so the links are now at my new site at ElisabethDonovan.com. You can also get to them from the "Lots more local links" in the sidebar.

As the rain dispersed yesterday

2008-02-07T15:53:00.000-05:00

There's a lovely view of the Tusquitee and Nantahala mountains from downtown Hayesville.
The People's Store.
The last time I visited this store it was closed and dark. Yesterday, at least, the lights were on so I could get pictures through the window.It's been cleaned and set up beautifully as a museum.
The view around the square is always peaceful.
The old courthouse has been cleaned and is looking really sharp. New sidewalks are going in around the square.

Colors in the rain

2008-02-04T12:55:00.000-05:00

Sunny weather

2008-02-03T11:49:00.000-05:00

It's been cold and gloomy but that didn't stop the amaryllis from blooming:
We've had a day or two with no clouds, though, nice change before it gets rainy again tonight.

Some days the clear skies, bare mountains, and golden fields make this one of the prettiest times of the year to me....
There's been enough rain that Lake Hiwassee has risen above its lowest point, to nearly normal winter levels. We're still in extreme drought here, though, but no longer exceptional.
A family enjoys exploring the lake bed in the warmer weather.
The huge oak near the dam is covered with mistletoe.

More cat blogging

2008-01-28T15:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the lack of scenic photos; haven't been traveling much except for going to town and it's been too cold and/or rainy many days to get out in the hills....So here's another cat photo.Having to stay inside is making the cats frisky; this one hasn't done this for a few years now....

Piles of bugs

2008-01-23T13:22:00.000-05:00

We've been seeing these things in little clusters near paving stones for the last few weeks. At first we thought somehow paint had spilled, but up close it's a mass of tiny jumping insects, like fleas. Up close, you can hear a noise like rain that's the jumping on the leaves.
Even in the water dish:

It seems they're Springtails, maybe the version called Snow Fleas. In most descriptions they're not purple but I have seen some photos resembling ours (also blue, white, pink and black). Strange things. For descriptions: What's that bug?; Cold weather acrobats.

Cold weekend

2008-01-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

We got a little snow yesterday but it didn't last long. The real cold didn't arrive til after dark, and this morning it was about 5. The thermometer on the cold side of the house hasn't gotten above 20 yet, despite the clear skies and sunshine...But the wood stove in the basement is chugging away and keeping the house pretty warm: The furnace has turned on only a few times.