Out and About
Here’s one of the most visited and photographed attractions along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. Mabry Mill.
And, here are several landscapes which I tend to go back to each time I drive up there from home … 45 minutes away. I’m a big believer of finding new compositions in places I have visited many times.
We had a nice clear day on a road trip yesterday along the Blue Ridge Parkway in SW Virginia. It’s my favorite place to go when I want to relax and be thankful.
This photo is one of my favorites. I’ve been there many times, alone and with others. It’s located near 3000 feet elevation along the Blue Ridgeway Parkway. Perhaps one reason why I enjoy going there are thoughts I have about what it would have been like to have lived as a young adventurous barefooted boy in the adjacent farm house of which these outbuildings are a part.
Close enough to sit on the small dock on a hot summer’s day, feet dangling in the cool water, cane-pole fishing for an elusive bass or catfish, and still hear my mother’s voice calling for me to come home … time to eat. Maybe her reward would be a string of fish already caught. I could swim in this pond as well, carefully watching for various critters hiding in the grass. Snakes maybe.
Not shown in the photo are nearby open fields, providing unlimited opportunities for me to explore. I would have been told my limits, however. A well known terrain feature is Buffalo Mountain, which can be seen for mlles. I might have been told to always keep “the Buffalo” in sight. In the winter my wandering would be less. And, I would be told to stay away from the frozen pond. It gets very cold at 3000 feet, but in this part of Virginia it can also warm well above freezing in winter, making for thin ice.
In my mind I sense itches caused by chiggers and mosquito bites. I hear frogs croaking and crickets clicking, bees buzzing and various song birds calling. I visualize Turkey Buzzards, Eagles and Hawks gliding along in circles high above, surrounded by puffy clouds and blue sky. Soft breezes with the scent of fresh cut hay tease my nose. Sneezes would be common as a result.
As a summer’s day ended, and I lay on a quilt pallet my mom would have placed for me on our screened-in porch so I could be cool, compared to my usual bedroom in an attic space, I’d pray for the next day to be as exciting as the one just ended.
Cold as it has been lately, I thought I’d post some “warmer” images, hopefully to make you smile.
Slate Mountain Presbyterian Church was originally built in 1932, It’s located along the Blue Ridge Parkway in SW Virginia. Here’s a related fact. A Graveyard is located in a churchyard, such as here. A Cemetery is located somewhere not associated with a church. As an aside, I learned that fact during a visit to several really old churches in England and Scotland in the 1980s. The architecture of this church looks similar to some I saw there.
Examples of the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and North Carolina is shown here in part. Mabry Mill (above) is one of the most popular spots for photographers and tourists in both states.
This farm situated along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, above 3500 feet elevation, is a favorite photo destination of mine. I try to get various compositions throughout the year as seasons change. It takes a hearty and adaptive person to farm at this elevation, some distance away from a town, but there are many successfully doing it today. Cattle, corn, and other crops thrive thanks to their efforts.
Made about 3500 feet above sea level in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, near Meadows of Dan. Thankfully a relatively short drive from home. Colors are mainly past peak, but I looked hard and found some nice ones. I plan to start sharing more over the next few posts.
I’m glad I stopped while driving along a Blue Ridge Mountain road in Virginia above 3000 feet elevation, to briefly explore a portion of a dilapidated motor hotel with a view. I wondered what it was like to have spent a night there back when it was open for business. This scene is one reason why I love photography. An opportunity to share what I saw.
