One of my favorite places

Watching the waves at the Gulf Islands National Seashore—Florida district

This is one of my favorite places in North America. It's sort-of a secondary home to me. My family has vacationed in this area for many, many, many years, and it never gets old. My husband and I were sitting on the sand, and watching the sun set over the Gulf when I took this picture. There were Willets darting in and out of the waves, and the sunlight on the water was just incredible. Every time I look at this picture, it takes me back to that. It's like having a little mini-vacation in my memory. There's just nothing more peaceful than watching the waves roll in like this. It speaks to my soul! The world becomes clear, sitting at the edge of the sea. The chaos comes into focus. It's amazing to find peace in the roar of the ocean, but I do.

Wildflowers in the Smokies

These Black-eyed Susans (I think) were on the trail up to "Ol' Smoky" (a.k.a. Clingman's Dome) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Some of them were as tall as we were! Whenever I see wildflowers like this, I always think of these verses from the Bible . . .

Matthew 6:25-30

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!

Smokies

"How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains! "

—John Muir

This picture was actually taken at sunset, not sunrise. But, I love the way this stream is in the shadow of the Smokies, and you can see the sun on another mountain in the background. These woods and mountains are so diverse, they fascinate me. What a wonderful piece of Creation! The Smokies always remind me a bit of Hinds' Feet on High Places, and the journey of "Much Afraid." I can't help thinking about that story whenever I'm there.

"From the heights we leap and go

To the valleys down below,

Always answering to the call,

To the lowest place of all."

Bee & wildflowers

Grotto Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We took a short hike into Grotto Falls in the Smokies. We spent quite a bit of time here, playing in the water, snapping shots, looking for salamanders (there are tons!), eating lunch, and relaxing.

The falls are fairly easy to get to (some list the trail as "easy", others as "moderate") from the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. It's well worth the short trip in.

Barn in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

A barn along the Cades Cove loop in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

I don't know much about this barn. If you do, please fill me in. I did read somewhere that it's a bit newer than some of the other older buildings along the Cades Cove loop, because it has a metal roof and was built with milled lumber. But, that's all I know. I just liked this view as we traveled along.

Alum Cave Bluff Trail bridge

A couple of years ago, my husband and I spent some time in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for our vacation. One of the trails we did was the Alum Cave Bluff Trail. There are two bridges you cross early on in the hike, and this is one of them. I loved the light . . . not too bright. It made for a very serene location to snap pictures. I love bridges, for some reason, and this one captured my fancy.

The trail is 2.2 miles to the bluff, and well worth the trip. It's a beautiful trail, and goes through a number of interesting rock formations, and through some incredibly beautiful forest. At one point on the trail, you might be able to spot a Peregrine falcon nest, if you know what you're looking for.