The Hawk’s Nest State Park overlook is one of my favorite places. When I was a small child I lived next door in Lovers Leap,West Virginia. The cut stone and general architecture reminds me of an old world castle wall. In contrast, I still think the coin operated binoculars look like a robot from a 1950s science fiction film. The old gnarled tree in early Spring provides an interesting focal point. In the valley below is the New River. The New River is one of only three rivers in the world that flows from South to North. I love to stop and walk out onto the overlook and feel the wind blowing up from the gorge below. This is what it feels like to be on top of the world.
Tag: quiet time
Summer On The Lake
Remember that trip to the lake?
Remember the innocence of our summer vacations? We spent warm days playing in the cool water. Remember the coins? They were not real money. They were aluminum disks leftover from a project but to us they were real pirate silver lost in a storm and found by two boys. We take turns tossing them in the water and then diving into the deep. I remember how the water got cooler as we dove deeply into murky depths. The real treasure we found was the adventures and the memories of Summer on the lake.
This image was taken at the Salmon Run portion of Summersville Lake in Nicholas County West Virginia.
Saturday Morning Sunrise
There are few pleasures of life that are better than greeting the sunrise. The crisp mountain air fills my lungs as the golden light washes over me. It makes me feel energized. The rest of the world fades into the background. My whole world at this moment consists of nothing but the three rivers which join at this point, the mountains in distance and the morning sun. I will hold this moment in my spirit for the rest of the day. The Shawnee say that it’s bad luck to make camp where three rivers join but I respectfully disagree. This place is blessed by God. Today will be a good day. I take one last deep breath and climb back into my truck. I only have a moment to enjoy the view but the moment will be all I need.
Image taken in Gauley Bridge West Virginia on February 3rd 2018 on my way to my day job.
Little Blessings
One of the blessings of my Appalachian home is that there’s always some little treasure to find. I’m the guy who always seems to be drawn off the pathway to examine whatever might be in bush. Insects, small flowers, animal tracks and odd shaped stones are irresistible to me. There are little treasures everywhere. We just need to slow down and find them.
The image above was taken in Jodie, West Virginia, Fayette County.
Daydreaming of Summer
I can’t believe it’s still Winter. Well, more to the point, I don’t want to believe it’s still Winter. I’ve had enough of gray skies, muddy roads, cold and damp. I want to see green grass, blue skies and life everywhere I look. I miss the butterflies and honeybees that fill my yard. Warm weather brings songbirds to my mountain. I know each one of them by their voices. Some of them have returned every year to live in the brambles in the edge of my yard.
The Ironweed in the photo is a late summer flower. It emerges during the warmest part of the year.
Today I’m hiding from ice and snow but in my heart it’s still Summer.
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