Craggy Gardens in NC – June21

I posted recently about the laurel and rhododendrons balds on the parkway and promised you and me a road trip. This spot is only 20 miles from Asheville but I felt like I had gone on vacation. The first disappointment is that I assumed (you know about assumptions) that since the rhododendrons were blooming here it would be the same 2000 ft higher elevation and on the top of the mountain ridge.  Oops they had already bloomed. Flowers here and there but the green of the forest and fern floor is so healing to me, it was wonderful. The path to Douglas Falls for another time. There is also the mountain to sea trail and many other connecting trails through the area.

Things I found interesting where this tree hollowed out by a lightning strike and still full of leaves, the trail Bella looked at me and asked if I was kidding and the twisted branches of the laurel that grows with the rhododendron. An afternoon adventure.

Related articles

• Hiking Through a Rhododendron Tunnel (mountainmae.wordpress.com)

Dessert at 5000 feet

             

One of the things I love about this area, besides the beauty and the climate, is the variety of things you can find to do close to home. I decided a road trip was in order so I grabbed a friend and choose to take the Blue Ridge Parkway south about 40 miles to Mount Pisgah and the lovely Pisgah Inn. The parkway is a beautiful drive any time, except in the winter when it is closed due to snow. Mount Pisgah offers hiking options including the shut in trail that goes down the mountain to Asheville. The Shut-In trail was named for the tunnels of rhododendron and mountain laurel through which it passes, giving the traveler a “shut in” feeling. Not feeling the hiking, we chose to visit the Pisgah inn for dessert and coffee. The “french silk pie, all the way” is a treat worth the drive.  Hope you enjoy the pictures. The artist was sitting outside painting- talk about good working conditions! The picture of the steps is the location of the birds nest complete with babies. We went through 4 tunnels on this trip. The picture with the river is just outside of Asheville, the French Broad river.

New house surprises

kitchen window January

kitchen window in July

The butterfly bush covers the whole window

butterfly bush flowers and yellow lillies

Part of the fun of a new home is to see what comes up and blooms as the seasons change. This butterfly bush just grew and grew until it was above the window..now it pushing at the roof overhang. It is very popular with the bees, butterflies and even a few hummingbirds. Nature keeps me amused.