Our World, My World

 Hello and Happy Monday!

 There are many parks to visit right off the Blue Ridge Parkway, on Nov 4th we visited the Mt Mitchell State Park. Mt Mitchell is the highest peak or point east of the Mississippi River. The park is located at milepost 355.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is 35 miles northeast of Asheville North Carolina.

 We walked the steep but short trail to the summit from the parking lot. It was a chilly and cloudy day, but no rain.  I lucked out on this trip with the weather once again. It started raining when we were about 3 hours from home on the last day. There are 360 degree views at the top, well worth the steep walk. 

 Hubby and I hiked and walked a lot of steps during this road trip to the North Carolina Mountains along the Blue Ridge Parkway. They say there are 91 species of birds seen in this park. They were hiding from me  🙁 .  I have to say we saw few birds this trip, overall everywhere I go I am seeing less birds.  Very sad.. 

 I loved this view of the mountain ranges.

Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there. 

Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks for visiting and commenting, have a happy day and a great new week!

Saturday's Critters # 309

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!

I am sharing some of the birds and critters I saw on our North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway road trip. The next two photos are a couple of White-tailed Deer seen along the parkway. 

A Black Bear waiting to cross the road, I stopped and waited for him to cross safely.

Blue Ridge Parkway birds, Pied-billed Grebe at the lake, Pigeons on the waterfall cliff, White-breasted Nuthatch, Possibly Phoebe and bottom right corner a Carolina Chickadee.

The Green Anoles were seen at the Chimney Rocks State Park. 

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !







Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Thankful Thursday

 Hello and Happy Thursday & 


I have more trip photos from our recent road trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Asheville North Carolina.  On this day, we visited Grandfather Mountain State Park, there is an admission fee that is used to preserve this beautiful mountain park, it's biodiversity and all it's nature. 

Below are the Split Rock and Sphinx Rock, rock formations in this park are supposedly dated back to 1.2 billion years. 

Rock formation is title Sphinx Rock, it does have a Sphinx face.

There is a wildlife preserve, we saw the cute river otter, elk and eagles. 

There is a Swinging Bridge, which is a mile high above sea level. The mountain is 5946 feet high and is estimated to be 300 million years old. 

It was a windy day, I was thankful they have anchored this bridge so it does not swing.  

Me and my shadow on the Mile High Swinging Bridge.

The closer view from the Swinging Bridge, I assume the buildings are hotels, condo and vacation homes.  

The American Robin seemed to be enjoying these berries.  

I counted at least 5 Robins in this bush with these red berries. 

I am so thankful to be retired and able to take road trips.

I was thankful to see any birds, this trip was more for hiking and waterfalls than birding. 

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday




Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Our World, My world

 Hello and happy Monday everyone!

** God Bless and thanks to all our Veterans** 


 Hubby and I recently returned from a road trip to Boone & Asheville North Carolina. We drove the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway in both Virginia and North Carolina.  We started off the trip driving the whole length of the Skyline Drive, Shenandoah my post on our first day is here Road Trip.

These photos are from our 2nd day on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stopped at various overlooks and Blue Ridge Music Center. Our hike for the day was at the E.B. Jeffress Park on the Cascades Trail.

There was still plenty of fall colors along the Blue Ridge Parkway on November 2nd. 

The photos in this mosaic are views of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Blue Ridge Music Center.  

 The Blue Ridge Music Center, a museum promoting the historic music and blue grass musicians of the Blue Ridge region.

Me and my shadow and the view from the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

From our hike in the E.B. Jeffress Park to the Cascades Waterfall.  The parking area is right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. They call this an easy 30 minute hike. If you take the steps to view the base of the falls it is more difficult. It is just a .8 mile round trip hike out and back, part of the loop was closed.

On the Cascades Trail we walked past by the Falls Creek and little cascades toward the taller falls. The mountain laurel lined the trail and there was still plenty of falls colors.

 A view of a small cascade.

More of the Cascades Waterfall.

Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there. 

Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks for visiting and commenting, have a happy day and a great new week!

Saturday's Critters #308

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!



Lately I have been hearing and seeing the Ruby-crowned Kinglets in my yard. On this day I found one bouncing around a vine wrapped around our wooden swing. They are quick movers and very small. 

These birds have an eye ring but the ring is broken at the top and bottom. 

I found it hard to get a clear shot of this bird, it was moving around too fast. Never staying still.  I think you can see a tiny red dot on the bird's head on the photo below.

This shot shows more of the tail and wing feathers.

This is not the best White-throated Sparrow photo and not my first sighting this year.  It was a rainy morning and the photo was taken from my dining room window. It is just a record of one of my winter yard birds seen recently. 

I do not often keep a list of my yard birds but David and his blog, made me think of keeping a list one day of my yard birds seen in an hour or so. 

Here is my list of 14 bird sightings and 4 birds heard:
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
Mourning Doves
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Turkey Vultures
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Downy Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
White-throated Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch


If I count birds heard and not seen, I would include the:
Pine Warbler
Pileated Woodpecker
American Crow
Canada Geese in flight.


I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !


 







Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.