Monday, March 30, 2015

Lake Jocassee
















The Lake


She is quiet this morning.  


No breeze sighing through the trees
No breeze moving the leaves
No breeze stirring the shore

The water lays flat
 The water stands still
The water stays motionless


The sky is cloudy, overcast
The sky hangs low, close
The sky encourages rest, peace



She is relaxing to the soul. 


                                                                         



           toby perry

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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Bald Knob

Huge open rock outcrop on side of Pinnacle Mt. 

           This was my long weekend off from work and I spent it well! Thursday was overcast and  dreary so I stayed home and did pretty much nothing useful. - Don't even have guilt feelings about it! - Friday had been predicted to be a spectacular beautiful day and it was every bit of that. I grabbed Friday by the belt loops, it jumped and jerked, twisted and turned, but I owned it and claimed it as my personal "Happy Happy Happy"! My plan was to hike to the bald rock on Pinnacle Mt. and enjoy the impressive view. Did that, but didn't do it! You're confused? Me too! Got to bald rock and see this sign - Bald Knob! I say, OK, bald knob it is. Don't remember seeing this sign during previous visits to this side of the mountain, but who knows?  Pinnacle Mt. is the highest mountain in SC at 3415 feet, well the highest mountain that is completely within the boundaries of the state of South Carolina. Sassafras Mt. is higher at 3553 feet, but part of this mountain is located in North Carolina. I know this is also confusing, so to simplify things - Sassafras Mt. is the highest point in SC! I hiked up Pinnacle Mt., but did not go to the top, I stopped at Bald Knob!! It would have been a very steep elevation of 566 more feet to peak out.


       




Views from Bald Knob!

          These views are facing southward, the Pinnacle Mt. peak is at my back. A beautiful view from any direction!
           
          This was done the middle of January. OK, now I have so-so caught up and my next blog can be fresh. Have taken many hikes this year, just haven't recorded them.


          Turtle




























Sunday, March 22, 2015

Cades Cove

Taken from the Cades Cove scenic loop!



          Pictures from a trip my wife and I took the first of October. I have had these waiting to blog about and post, but I have just decided to post these four and move on!


          Turtle




















Friday, March 20, 2015

First visit to Lake Keowee and quick stop at Lake Jocassee!

Turtle and Hatch
            We made it to the water! I have been trying to make a trip to the lake with my grandson and slowly acclimate him to the great outdoors, but something has always stopped us. For two whole days he was in my care and I took advantage of both days and we did things. The first day we drove an hour south and visited my Father, he bought us lunch at Mama Penn's in Anderson, SC. My Dad had not seen Wyatt but one time way back when he was a small infant. We had a good visit and one stinky messy diaper, which after the changing and cleaning of Wyatt, Great-grandpa made me take both Wyatt and the diaper with me when I left! So we made it back home in one piece and let Grandmama have the boy the rest of the day.

          Day two started with sunshine and breakfast. We played a while then took that all important morning nap, yes, important to me also! I let him wake on his own time and be ready to go where ever I might lead him! First stop was the local Hardees for hamburger and fries. Gracie and I used to stop here for steak biscuits early in the morning, we would share a couple as we made the familiar drive to Lake Jocassee and a day of canoeing.      Many good memories of Gracie!!    Wyatt didn't complain about lunch so we moved on to the rest of the day. Another hours drive but headed north this time toward the foothills of SC. No canoe strapped on the top of the car and no hiking shoes or trekking poles laying in the back, a diaper bag and day pack held all the necessary gear for a successful walk down to the shore of Lake Keowee.


Cove near Fall Creek Landing

          This is a nice quite spot, a couple of years ago a parking lot was built and the path to the lake was widened and steps were added. The summer months, this place is  full of people enjoying the mountain lake. I discovered this cove many years ago while paddling the illuminated lake on a full moon night. Gracie and I would put in after ten o'clock anticipating the quiet paddle and load up to return home as the sun warmed  us to start a new day. We glided the still waters from Keowee Town Landing toward Fall Creek Landing and would stop here to snack and nap in the cold night hours. When Hatch was born I said this will be one of the first places I show him, after he starts walking. Here we are! You can see the shallow water and nice big sandy beach. Another anticipation of mine is to see this great outdoors through the new eyes of a child, Hatch is my set of new eyes. We just stand looking out over the lake when I spot a mussel opened up and laying in the sand. I pick it up and give it to him, I had no idea that you could study one little mussel so intently.


What is it?
          There ya go! We found one that was still closed and brought it home.  He wasn't real sure about walking in the lake water!
You see the water line right at his toes!

The mud was OK!

           We went ahead and played in the dirt for a little while, new things to see and do!






           You can see by the pictures that they were taken away back in October, I might need to post this blog before it begins to grow green mold!


          On the lake or in the woods,

          Turtle and Hatch