Smoky Mountains

Trudy and I spent last week in the Smoky Mountains. We spent several days in this small cabin in Townsend, TN located north of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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Vacationing in the mountains during the summer is a tradition for us ... Time to enjoy the finer things in life


Here is a panorama of Cades Cove, just before the visitor center.


There are few straight lines here, not in the twisty-windy roads or the trails.




Clingmans Dome granite.


Here are Fairy Wands on a nature trail at Chimney picnic area ... What a cool name for a flower!


And Ahhhhh the sight, SOUNDS and smells of a mountain stream. This is the West Fork at Tremont.








I name this "Seal Rock"






Next month we're going to the beach!

Spring Beauties at Wakulla Springs

Although the +90 degree afternoons already feel like summer, the spring season will continue until the summer solstice on June 21.

This cormorant casually preened and posed for photos on the end of the boat dock at Wakulla Springs. These images were taken in the late afternoon, hand-held, with a lens focal length of 200mm. I was only about 8 feet away from this very cooperative bird ... amazing!




And the huge, creamy white flowers of the southern magnolia trees in the park are at or very near their peak. It is no wonder the tree is named Magnolia grandiflora!



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Water Lily near Otter Lake

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Wakulla River Birds

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Good Morning

Mashes Sands

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All of these images were taken handheld with a Canon 60mm macro and a Canon 7d body. The on-camera flash was used for the katydid photos.

Sweetgum leaf


Magnolia and cycad leaves


Note the two red ?mites? on the side of this kaytidid.


A third ?mite? is visible between the kaytidid's antennae in the next two photos.

Salt Marsh at Skipper Creek on Saturday Morning

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