#KINDNESS LIVES IN THE MOUNTAINS

I called it the “dam trip,” and dragged my husband along. Labor Day didn’t mean we had to work–me at my computer writing and Robert in his garden gardening–and besides, the day held the promise of perfect weather. Temperature in the seventies, cloudless sky, and a slight breeze all indicated to me it was time

IN PURSUIT OF THE WATERFALL

We’re in our second summer of living in the Smoky Mountains, and we still have so much to learn and explore. Yesterday, we took a day away from canning and cooking to chase waterfalls. And we ended with a short kayak paddle on Nantahala Lake. First, we headed east on Highway 64 toward Highlands, North

SUMMER LINGERS WHILE FALL BECKONS

  The wild turkeys gather together as summer wanes forming their “gangs” to wander the mountains surrounding our cabin. Last night we heard a rustling outside our front door. When we went to look, a large turkey flapped its wings and flew into a tree in front of our porch, settling on a branch precariously.

WATERFALLS – HEAT RELIEF

We decided to take a break this week and go out in search of waterfalls near us here in the western Smoky Mountains. The vegetables are piling up, but before we begin the arduous task of canning tomatoes, we needed a respite. Here’s a little photo journey to help beat this July heat wave of 2016.

January in the Smoky Mountains.

After five days of staying in our cabin as the wind, snow, and ice played outside, we ventured out this afternoon when the sun came out and blessed us with fifty-degree temperatures. We headed over to Fires Creek Recreation Area where Fires Creek meets up with Leatherwood Branch and Falls. It’s a lovely spot very

Glaciers create landscape drama

  By Patricia Zick @PCZick When my daughter visited me recently, I wanted to show her some of western Pennsylvania’s landscape without driving very far. Serendipity intervened by delivering to my mailbox “The Sylvanian,” the Sierra Club’s Pennsylvania chapter’s magazine. An article on Slippery Rock Gorge offered me a solution. A forty-mile drive from Pittsburgh,