Macro Photography Workshop

I attended a Macro Photography workshop led by Christy Beal at Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville this morning, then had the opportunity to go out into the garden and take some pictures. 

We've had a long stretch of oppressive, hot, humid weather. But, the pollinators are still out doing their job, and it was a great day to be there. It's amazing what you will see when you really start looking! Photography is about seeing well and it's a great art to learn, if for no other reason, to involve us in taking note of the beauty and magic that exists in our own backyard. 

https://www.capefearbg.org/

The Butterfly and The Flower

Cloudless Sulphur Butter and Mandevilla Bloom

Somedays you just don't want to go any farther than your backyard.

The Mountains Are Calling

View from the Pisgah Inn on a foggy morning.

"The mountains are calling and I must go." While John Muir penned these words to express his responsibility to environmentalism, they have a different meaning for me. I woke up early one morning back in June, and I knew I had to escape to the mountains. I had been eager to visit Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway and decided this was the time to make a reservation. With a perch at a 5000 foot elevation on Mt. Pisgah, the Pisgah Inn boasts some of the most awe-inspiring views to be found anywhere. When making my reservations the desk clerk I spoke with assured me, "Every room here has a fantastic view!"

After a drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway I found my destination high in the clouds. The original Pisgah Inn was constructed in 1918; even back then, it was a popular area for those wishing to escape the summer heat and humidity. The current Inn was constructed in 1964, and was recently updated with new furnishings. It was meticulously clean, but their Covid 19 policy promised: No one will enter your room to clean until you have checked out. Dinner reservations could be made for your choice of three sittings in the dining room, and you ordered your complimentary continental breakfast the night before and it was delivered to your room the next morning. For dinner at the Inn, I enjoyed the Tuscan Meat Loaf, which was delicious; breakfast consisted of your choice of pastries, cereals, fruits, and yogurt, with a variety of  beverages available. There are snacks and drinks for grab and go in The Grazing Deer Cafe, and the gift shop off the main lobby is filled with locally handcrafted items. My stay at Pisgah Inn was everything I had hoped it would be and I can't wait to go back!

Scene from a mountain country drive!

Many of the little towns up in this neck of the woods are interesting to poke around: Little Switzerland, where you will find, among other establishments, The Switzerland Cafe and the Little Switzerland Books and Beans, a great little book store/coffee shop. Another quaint town within easy driving distance is Hot Springs; here you can walk the Appalachain Trail by walking down Bridge Street, the town's main drag. Stop by Spring Creek Tavern and Inn for a great meal you can enjoy on a deck right over Spring Creek.

See that barn quilt?!

A short ride down any country road in the mountains and you'll find breathtaking scenery at every turn. If you're a barn quilt trail follower like I am, keep your eyes open and you'll spot the colorful quilt squares throughout the countryside. Many mountain towns display not only quilt squares but also showcase the work of local artists in the form of murals and large paintings on downtown buildings. You'll find lots of restaurants and shops that will indulge your interest in local lore. 

Whether for a couple of days or an extended stay, you can't find a better place to relax and forget your troubles than the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.

https://www.pisgahinn.com/
https://www.hotspringsnc.org/
https://www.visitlittleswitzerland.com/
https://www.carolinacountry.com/carolina-adventures/travel-guide/2019-travel-guide/explore-nc-s-barn-quilt-trail

Starting The Day Right

Although I love bananas, strangely enough I've never really liked banana bread.  But when I realized yesterday that I had five overripe bananas in my fruit basket, I couldn't bear to be wasteful and throw them out. I searched Pinterest for recipes that sounded good, and I found this one*:

https://www.beatbakeeat.com/coffee-cake-banana-bread-muffins/

Although the recipe looked a little intimidating at first - at least it did to me, since I'm not much of a baker - I decided to try it and in fact, it turned out to be a very easy recipe. This is a nice, moist, muffin to have alongside coffee for breakfast; some fruit or an egg would have been nice with it as well.

Now that I've started my day with a (fairly) healthy breakfast, I'm heading out with my camera.

"Whate'er we leave to God, God does,
     And blesses us;
The work we choose should be our own,
     God leaves alone."

Henry David Thoreau

*The recipe calls for a vanilla glaze but I skipped on that, afraid it would make them too sweet for my taste. In hindsight, I don't think it would have, and next time I will add the glaze.

Sylvan Heights Bird Park

Situated in the northeastern part of North Carolina, the town of Scotland Neck was named in 1722, when Scots settled in this Halifax County region around a "neck" of the Roanoke River. As of the 2010 census, the town population of this little burg was a mere 2,059 residents. But just a hop and a skip outside the city limits you'll find a different, and slightly larger, population thriving in a bird park that is home to 3,000 birds representing 140 species. The world's largest collection of exotic and rare waterfowl is right here in North Carolina near the little town of Scotland Neck. 

The founders of Sylvan Heights Bird Park came from England to the mountain town of Sylva in 1981 to begin a breeding program for rare waterfowl from around the world. In 1989, they moved their entire collection of birds to Scotland Neck. Not only has Sylvan Heights Bird Park been instrumental in aiding preservation of several endangered waterfowl species, they serve as an international center for avicultural training and research. In 2006 they worked with the guidance of the NC Zoological Association to open the park to the public and now the park sees more than 55,000 visitors each year.

And if all that isn't enough, Sylvan Heights is just a fun place to visit. I drove up to Scotland Neck last June along with a friend, thinking we would find ample opportunities to photograph beautiful birds. We took our cameras and spent a couple of memorable hours at Sylvan Heights, and we were in photographer's heaven. From the African Jacana to the Wandering Whistling Duck, the variety of birds is astounding. For the little ones, there is a huge parakeet enclosure you can walk into and instantly, you're covered with sweet little parakeets. 

And did I mention the pink flamingos?  While we might frown at having a pink flamingo as an ornament on our lawn, it turns out that you can't have too many pink flamingos in a bird park. One of the things we learned during our visit is that the intensity of a flamingo's color depends on what is in the diet they consume.

We drove into Scotland Neck afterwards and had a really nice lunch at La Cassetta Italian Restaurant. Another great day trip in the awesome Old North State!

You can read more about the bird park on their fantastic website:     https://shwpark.com/
You can read about Scotland Neck and the surrounding area here:  https://www.townofscotlandneck.com/

Sunset at Fort Fisher

The Maritime Forest at Fort Fisher State Historic Site is one of my favorite places. I visited in February, and stayed late to capture the sunset views through the wind-swept oaks. I wasn't disappointed. 

The Landscape of the Forest Floor

“And into the woods I go,
To lose my mind and find my soul.” John Muir

I recently visited the “Road to Nowhere” in Swain County, North Carolina, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Bryson City. As we walked through the tunnel and down a hiking path, this tiny red capped mushroom caught my eye. The conditions were just right to capture a beautiful photograph of the landscape of the forest floor. There’s a whole world of wonder in the forest floor.

https://www.greatsmokies.com/road-nowhere/ 

Magnolias

For some reason I’ve paid more attention to Magnolia trees this year. Huge, old, Magnolia trees, full of creamy white flowers cradled in shiny, dark green leaves with golden underbellies; leaves that are as pretty as the flowers themselves. Even if you’re not close enough to enjoy their fragrance, you can recall it, and it brings a calmness to your soul.

This Magnolia tree lives at Swan Lake and Iris Gardens in Sumter, SC. Covering 120 acres, Swan Lake is the only public park in the United States to feature all eight species of swans. It's an easy walk around the lake, and you'll see not only the beautiful swans but ducks, geese, and other wildlife. I was there when the flowers were in bloom - Magnolias, Hydrangeas, and Iris. 

https://www.sumtersc.gov/community

A beautiful Wood Duck rests atop his house at Swan Lake. 

https://www.sumtersc.gov/community