Get ready for the Possum

According to the Cherokee Scout, the annual new year's eve 'possum drop' will be happening again this year at Clay's Corner in Brasstown.

Ever since the 'possum drop made the New York Times a couple years ago, this event is getting bigger and bigger. Here's a version that appeared in Australia's The Age newspaper; in the Taipei Times; in Salon.

Don't be late. But if you can't make it the Clay's Corner site says it will be broadcast live on the radio, WKRK.

Slight change

Note the photo at top of the blog has changed from a view of the Unakas from near Murphy with fall foliage and a view of Hiwassee Lake to a colder darker mountain vista. (This one looking towards the Tennessee-Georgia-NC corner) I'm experimenting with using Flickr for photo storage so have changed the photo to reflect the season. I believe Flickr uses static addresses so the photo won't disappear. I'm loading more of my mountain-area photos into Flickr so I'll be able to point you to a photo archive at some point soon.

Don't miss these

While I've been getting fairly boring pictures of dreary weather, Marie at Blue Ridge Blog has taken some amazing photos in the last few days. The deer on Three Cross Hill: to die for. Not to mention the blue mountain ridges.

Meanwhile, Fletch at No Direction Home has gone back to the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge and found the cranes are back, and maybe even a couple Whoopers.....!

On another note, Doug Thompson has something to say about the proliferation of housing developments beginning to defile the mountain scenery. In Doug's words, "Got a news flash for you folks. A “wilderness paradise” ceases to be such when the bulldozers move in."

Cold weekend

Around the Murphy area on Christmas Weekend....between the rain showers (and a bit of snow on the mountain tops today). 

Cold day on Hiwassee Lake. 

Along Joe Brown Highway.... 

A place to hang out....near Hanging Dog, NC. 

Clouds over Blue Ridge Lake, Ga. 

Wild holly in the mountains. 

Holiday barn. 

Waiting to visit the manger? 

The price of population growth

Land across our driveway is turning into a development of some sort. Sad. Hate to see these trees go, and now can only hope there will only be one or two houses...... 

Wet December

For a slightly less gloomy scene than we've been seeing around here the last few days, this was a brief light spot in Dillard, GA, yesterday, outside the Dillard House.  

A few minutes after this, we actually saw a rainbow over the restaurant from over by Rabun Gap (in mid distance in this photo), but since I wasn't driving, didn't get to photograph it in time.......

More of the same.... 

Slow going

There've been no new photos for awhile lately since I've been hobbling around on a sprained foot, and although I'm mostly mobile again, it's been wet and/or cold outside most of the last few days, so haven't gotten out much. I promise to get some new photos soon.

Other side of the Smokies

RNeal, the former South Knox Bubba, has his gallery of Pigeon Forge photos online on his new website: Smoky Mountain Vacation Guide. Not to be missed.

Not enough? Well, there's also another gallery from Neal, Southern Culture on the Skids, from visit to a flea market in Blount County, TN.

Thanks to Fletch of No Direction Home, who is posting a continuing series of photos of Gatlinburg, also worth a look.

On Thanksgiving Day.....

We give thanks for these beautiful mountains. 360-degree view from Buck Bald in Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee. 

A beautiful day this morning, sunny with snow on the Snowbird Mountains to the East. Cold coming later today..... 

Looking up the Hiwasee River valley towards Murphy and the mountains beyond. We could still see Brasstown Bald in Georgia from here. 

Looking towards the north: hazy ozone layer over the Tennessee Valley, towards Knoxville. 

Lots more snow

Marie has some great photos of snow up Watauga County way on Blue Ridge Blog.....

Fall rain gives in to winter

After the rain....some turned to snow. None near us (although there was a little on the roofs last night) but we could see it on nearby mountaintops today. Much more on the higher mountains east of us, and lots of mixed rain/snow/sleet on the roads. Looks like much more is on the way, especially for those a little north and east of us. 

Do you know the trolls?

Fletch at No Direction Home shows us the trolls that live in the Smokey Mountains.

Wow, deja vu. I've known these trolls for nearly 30 years. Amazing that they're still around. I see them poking out lots of places still. Even saw them in the rain forests of Washington or British Columbia, somewhere, a few years ago...or maybe it was Oregon....

Storms coming..... 

Color's over, leaves mostly gone, waiting for the cold..... 

Changes

I changed the photo at top of the blog to reflect a different season. (The old photo was taken in spring. I'll bring it back again later.)
Also, I'm moving the links page to a new account, since it still has been inaccessible. Should work now.)

There's still some color...... 

Last night, just before dusk.... 

Close up, they glow. 

In downtown Murphy this morning: The Cherokee County Courthouse, made of local blue marble. 

Note the amazing blue of today's sky... 

The old church (Episcopal). 

The Cherokee stone turtle in front of the museum.