10/29/2012

A Mountaintop Experience

Headed for the mountains of western NC.
This weekend my husband and I spent 22 hours with my sister and her husband. Their schedule and ours was a bit limited so that's all we could squeeze in.

But it was quality time. Besides just the enjoyment of being with them, we were able to have, literally, a mountaintop experience. Make that two! One on Friday evening and the other on Saturday afternoon.



Sunrays on our way up the mtn.
Soon after we arrived there in Asheville, we headed 3000 feet higher to the area of Mt Pisgah nearby. Located on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the drive was of course lovely, especially now during the Fall season although the peak of colors has already passsed. We arrived at the 5000 feet elevation where the Pisgah Inn and restaurant is located. What a view! We arrived at about the sunset hour. Not very colorful but it was breathtakingly beautiful nonetheless. I mean, let's face it, North Carolina's mountains need nothing extra to make them an unforgettable scenery experience!

Ok, I'll quit chatting and just show you a few of the 125 photos I kept of the 200+ that I took...


Definitely gives the feeling of being on top of the world!

There were lots of rocking chairs outside for people to sit in and enjoy the view.

Looking to our future? No, just drinking in the amazing scenery.

Our mountaintop restaurant. We sat by the windows on the left. A gift shop is on the right, some amazing stuff in there...
Have you ever seen a 24-kt gold-covered maple leaf nightlight? I didn't think so.
 
The view from our table. Difficult to get a good picture at that past-sunset hour.
 
One more pic of a photogenic rocking chair.

So. After sleeping in a bit the next morning, having a pancakes (think pumpkin, walnut and cranberry), sausage & strawberry breakfast...with MY coffee in a red rose, fine china cup (what? didn't I take a pic??), relaxing and talking, we headed out to take a short hike. Destination? Tom's Creek Falls, a 60-ft high one at the end of the 1/2 mile hike through a lovely forest. And with the Fall foliage still in abundance, although past its peak, it was a feast for the eyes.

 Allow me... 
 
Yes, yes, I'm back here taking pictures. 
 
Picturesque little bridge. Don't you love the carpet of leaves? I love that sound beneath our feet as we walk
through the still forest.
 
Some lichen...or maybe what they call shelf or horizontal mushrooms. Probably bad news for the tree but they
were rather impressive.
 
First glimpse of the Falls.
 
It might look small but it was the decent height of 60 feet.
 
The falling foamy water made a great background for the sun-filtered leaves.
 
An old mine nearby.
 
This gives more of an idea of the depth of it. That's Fritz and his companion. ;)
 
It may have been a micah mine because there were bits of it all around it, including big pieces
embedded in the rocks.
 
A natural "cathedral", yes?
 
Sunshine through leaves is a magnet for my camera.
 
I know my DH enjoyed the mountain experience but I have a feeling that his six speaking opportunities
 for the next day was on his mind.
 

Isn't that just like life? Once in awhile the Lord gives us a mountaintop experience which, indeed, refreshes us and gives us strength to go on, but sooner or later we have to come back down to the reality of life in the foothills or even in the valley. As someone has said, "He is God of the mountain but He is also God of the valley." Look at this interesting verse:

“Thus says the Lord: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand,
and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ” (I Kings 20:28)
 
"Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens."
(Psalm 148:13)

10/18/2012

The Rise And Set Of Sun


"What are the sunrise and sunset shouting about so happily? Their Maker! They are beckoning us to join them. But if I am grunting about the zit on my nose, I won’t even look out the window."
                                                                                    -John Piper (Letter To A...Teenager)


"The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun
unto the going down thereof."
(Psalm 50:1)

10/12/2012

Precious Promise: Psalm 40:31

My sister gave me a little forever calendar a few months ago. She said she'd used it for a few years but figured it was time someone else got to enjoy it. And I have. Although I don't remember to turn the page every day, I have been blessed to glance at it once in awhile and notice the verse that is there for that day.
 
 I had taken this photo about a month ago, thinking I would post it very soon, but then it passed the date and I wondered if I should delete it. Aha, Picasa to the rescue! I just blotted out the old date and put in a new one! I'm so proud of my novel idea, heh.
 
Isn't this verse just so beautiful and warming? I need this. Every day.

10/10/2012

Laminator


I tried to think of a catchy title for this post but was unsuccessful. However, I just wanted to tell you of a special thing the Lord did, granting me something that I have wanted for quite some time: a laminating machine. I had been researching online and in stores and was just about ready to buy one...although I cringed a tad at the price of at least $25.                                                 Then through some unusual circumstances (another story in itself), I was able to buy this one for only $5! I'm not sure if it was new or used but even though it was broken on the tiny tips of one piece, it is totally usable and works very well. I was thrilled to be able to experiment with laminating a couple of bookmarks in my Bible. Such fun! Now I'm on the lookout for things to laminate.
 
                "The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad." (Psalm 126:3)

10/05/2012

Queen Anne and Her Maidens

Summer officially left us two weeks ago but that doesn't deter me from posting about some summer flowers. I mean, how can I let all my lovely photos go to waste?!

Summer flowers have a beauty that is uniquely theirs, so fresh, light, delicate and, well...summery! And WILD summer flowers are even moreso, in my opinion.

One of the large fields of Queen Anne's Lace.
In July we were at a camp in Virginia. I was impressed with field after field of Queen Anne's Lace. That's right, not just a plant here and there or a small patch but large fields of it! It was amazing, I'd never seen so many at once and I was totally captivated by the utterly delicate loveliness of their white laciness (Wow, did that just come from my fingers??). I was further captivated by the many maidens which surrounded her, seemingly tending to her every whim, bowing and curtsying in the wind. I felt like I was in a storybook flowerland...

*Sigh*. Happily, I have myriads of photos to remember the experience. Please enjoy some of them with me!


Queen Anne herself!
 
One of my favorites. This butterfly has good taste, don't you think? I do believe she was using the Queen for her
helicopter pad!
 
Not a daisy but maybe a cousin. It's a larger version of one that's called "Forever Summer".
 
Black-Eyed Susan. Uh-oh, I see some little purple flowers which I failed to take a picture of...
 
This summer I learned the name of this lovely blue flower: Chicory.
 The roots can be baked, ground and used as a coffee substitute!
 
Wild Sweet Pea. That grasshopper has good taste, too!
 
Looks like Pink Clover but I think it may be something else.
 
Don't know the name of this cute little weed either but I think it resembles an orchid! It might be the wild version of
Lady's Slipper. Yes, that'll work until I hear otherwise from someone more knowledgeable of botany than I am.
 
Another unknown by me but, oh, so lovely. Apparently Miss Ant thinks so, too!
 
The color combination of Queen Anne and her maidens was beyond beautiful,
 I just couldn't get my fill of taking pictures. Does it look like it might be a piece of heaven there? It was.
The place, scenery, colors, weather...head-shakingly perfect.

His creation always turns my heart and mind towards Him. Thank You, Lord, for the loud message of Your
wonderful works of creation!

"As for man, his days are as grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourish."
(Psalm 103:15)

"The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry?
 All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field."
(Isaiah 40:6)