Category Archives: North Carolina

Instagram, February 2017

As you can see, I did some hiking this month, mostly on the Neusiok Trail. I’ll do some more on that in a separate post.

I’ve been working on a new sock pattern, I’m almost done knitting them so I can write and post the pattern to ravelry, hopefully by the end of this week.

Lots of pictures of my dogs. Panzer had his semi annual vet appointment this week hes doing really well. The vet told us he wishes all 10 year olds he see were this healthy. I think its because the younger dogs keep him active and playful. And we actually walk our dogs everyday, I’m convinced thats the reason my husky lived to be 16 and was pretty healthy for all but his last 6 months.

We did lose a chicken. When they were out in the yard a hawk killed one. So the ladies have been stuck in there coop for the last few weeks. I’ll start letting them out again in the spring, when there is more food around and the ladies wont be such a target.

Towards the end of the month my bulbs started flowering. I’ve been really missing winter, probably because I see everyone’s pretty snowy pics on instagram, but I’m over it and so glad spring is here!

Hidden Falls at Hanging Rock State Park

This is a photo I took in October 2015, at Hanging Rock State Park, here in North Carolina. I had a great day, taking a few short hikes with Panzer and Sasha, but I wasn’t very happy with my photos. I had intended to photograph the waterfalls surrounded by autumn foliage, but nature just wasn’t cooperating. The leaves were not at peak color yet and I’m not sure if it would have made much of a difference anyways, the rhodadendrons around the falls would have stayed green. But I was so proud of myself for using a long exposure to give the water that beautiful gauzy effect. And its a very pretty waterfall and I was happy with the compostition, just not the colors. It took me over a year to settle on the obvious solution, change it to black and white. And now I love it!

I’m not sure “Hidden Falls” is the best name for this waterfall. There is a very clearly marked, relatively easy trail from the parking lot to the river.

Beaufort Old Burying Ground

One of my favorite places to walk locally is alone the waterfront in Beaufort, the next town over, and through this old cemetery. Its all overgrown with amazing live oaks, and mosses, lichens, and even a few ferns on the old weathered headstones.

Still on my black and white kick. I loved this tree covered in vines.

A Walk Patsy Pond

Sometimes, I just need to spend a few hours in nature. One nearby place I like to walk occasionally is the Patsy Pond trail, in the Croatan National Forest. Unlike much of the forest, which is swampy, the ground here is sandy, and covered in grasses and small shrubs between the towering long leaf pines. It gets pretty crowded on weekends, but on this beautiful, 55 degree weekday, I had it mostly to myself. It was incredibly peaceful.

Interesting dead winter flowers and grasses.

A reflection on the calm, quiet pond.

And of course, I had one of my dogs with me. I try to spend alone time with each of them so they don’t feel left out, and this day was Otto’s turn. We adopted him less than 2 months ago, and he is fitting into the family nicely. Even if he is alot of work.

Lake Mattamuskeet Wildlife Refuge and Swan Quarter Fishing Pier

Last year, I was taking a mini road trip around Eastern North Carolina and completely by accident found thousands of Tundra Swans in a marsh. Last week I packed up Jon and the Wild Bunch (our 3 German Shepherds) for a day trip to go see the swans on purpose. It didn’t work. It was windy, and not a single swan was in the same marsh where I saw them last year. Driving around we did see a few, from a distance. Not what I wanted though. But thats how it goes with photographing nature and wildlife. We still had a great day.

Lake Mattamuskeet Hunting Lodge. This was originally a pumphouse used to drain the surrounding area for farmland, and later a world famous hunting lodge. Its been unused for the last 30 years, but there are plans to revive it for a visitor/ education center.

A short hiking trail through a bald cypress swamp. I’ve loved these trees ever since I moved to the south.

Storm clouds approaching over the marsh.

On the way home, we stopped at another wildlife refuge, Swan Quarter, and walked out the really long fishing pier into Pamlico Sound.

Wordless Wednesday, Blue Haze

Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge, North Carolina and Virginia, December 2012

Craggy Gardens, Spring and Fall

During the last week of October, I once again took a trip out to the Blue Ridge Mountains, to see the fall foliage. Below are two photos taken at the same location, Craggy Gardens, elevation above 5000 feet, on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. I love the bright pink rhododendrons and the green foliage in the spring. But I also love the red berries in the fall.

What do you think? Do you prefer the spring or fall (or maybe you like summer or winter) best? Where is your favorite place to see the seasons change?