Batteries Not Included

Every year the Cradle of Forestry (here) holds a Forest Festival Day in which various North Carolina colleges of forestry celebrate forest heritage in a competition.  The competition includes log rolls, speed chopping, axe throws, pole climbs, and other activities related to forestry.  We were able to go to the festival on Saturday and truly enjoyed watching the young forestry students compete in these age-old activities.  It was a beautiful day, sunny and brisk.  The skill of the young students was amazing.  Other exhibits demonstrated wood carving, soap making, and other activities.  It was a lovely day.

I suppose you think I am going to show you some photographs of the various events.  That was indeed my plan.  But you see?  I had put the camera batteries on the charger the previous evening.  Enough said?  The camera went with me all right, but the batteries stayed at home.  Of course my dear husband thought that was hilarious and asked the obvious, "Didn't you think the camera seemed a little light?"

So instead of the pictures of the festival, I will show you what our area looks like with autumn just beginning.  We had some much needed rain and a drop in temperature.  When the rains stopped, the mountains were clear and beautiful.

The edge of the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment lies a short drive from our house, across the SC line.  There are dramatic views from the escarpment where the mountains meet the piedmont of South Carolina.  On a clear day you can see for miles and miles.

These photographs were taken last week by my husband at Caesar's Head State Park, SC.

Table Rock looms above everything else.  The lake below it is the reservoir that provides water to the city of Greenville, SC.  Needless to say it is a popular hiking spot.

Looking in the other direction you can see the hills and valleys below the escarpment.  There isn't much color at those elevations yet.

Atop the mountain however the leaves are just beginning to turn.

In another week the color will take your breath away.

We'll make another trip to the area in about 10 days so that you can see how rich the autumn colors are in this area.

And next year...when I go to the Forest Festival Day I will take the batteries along with the camera.

A Walk Through the Laurel

The mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) just happens to be one of my favorite native perennials. An evergreen, it provides deep green foliage all winter. And in the spring, it blooms in abundance in the Blue Ridge Mountains. While technically a shrub, some laurels grow as big as 40 feet. It is a wonder to behold, growing along the hills and rocks along the roads.

One of our favorite sites for viewing Mountain Laurel is a short trail near Caesar's Head State Park in South Carolina. While the trail is not an energy-consuming hike, it is a very peaceful and lovely place to wander slowly observing nature.

We actually don't need to go away from our house to view the lovely Mountain Laurel. Our property is loaded with them. Here is one near our house.

Whenever I walk through the laurel thickets, a song my gramma taught me always runs through my mind. I didn't bother to look it up, but the words I remember are these:

Like the Mountain Laurel in the grove dear,

My love is, it's evergreen.

Like the Mountain Laurel finds the grove dear,

I'll find you again.

Where the mountain breezes blow

There's a place I long to go,

You'll be waiting there I know

In the pines, and we'll climb

Into the hills we knew in days gone by,

When your heart was gay and so was I,

And we'll find the love we left behind

Long ago...long ago.

Today, the Mountain Laurel is valued for its twisting vine-like branches. They are used to make bannisters on porches and decks, even inside the houses.

The Escarpment in Spring

Portions of the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment are quite near our home. The dramatic drop from mountains to plateau creates dramatic scenery. Recent rains have shrouded the mountains in a foggy haze, but the sight is gorgeous just the same.

This is a view of Table Rock in South Carolina. Note that the shoreline of the reservoir indicates the normal water level. Last fall the water was several feet below the shore.



Giant rock formations scatter the mountain, overhanging into the gorge.

There are many shades of spring green as the various trees fully leaf.

This long-range view gives an idea of just how dramatic the elevation drop is. The land below is more than a thousand feet lower than the land on which I stood to take the photograph.

So much attention is paid to the mountains in autumn, and deservedly so. But I really love the greens that cover the mountains in spring.

A Visit to Caesar's Head

I have posted before about the part of the Southern Blue Ridge Escarpment where the mountains meet the piedmont in Upstate South Carolina. Just a few miles across the North Carolina border into South Carolina is Caesar's Head State Park which lies on the escarpment and offers some wonderful views. The park is very popular, with a visitor's center (complete with a model of the escarpment), shelters and picnic areas. Nearby trails offer strenuous hiking into the gorges.

The park is situated on land covered with huge rock formations.


This is taken from the trail leading to an area in which Caesar's Head (the rock formation) can be viewed.

Here you can view the near and the distant mountains. It was a lovely day with fluffy white clouds and blue skies.

Before you can reach the viewing area, you must travel through the Devil's Kitchen. There are stairs leading down and the path winds through the narrow area between the giant rocks.

Once you make it through the Devil's Kitchen and hike a short distance, the rock formation known as Caesar's Head comes into view. Can you see Caesar's Head? Remember he is said to have had a rather large nose.

Here the formation is in the center of the photograph.

This is a close-up of Caesar's Head.

This area is absolutely gorgeous in all seasons. The short-range mountains, coupled with the distant mountains make the fall colors absolutely outstanding. I'll take another trip to Caesar's Head when the leaves are changing. I can't wait to show you.