Summer Sunset Bloom

While waiting for a friend to arrive at her parent's house, I noticed I had parked next to a huge, blooming stand of pinkish-white peonies. With the sun low along the horizon, the flowers were awash in a golden glow of sun. Those who hate to wait need only look around to capture their impatience with something that makes the passage of time an enthralling journey.

Free!!

It's FREE!! Who can pass up something for free? *Everyone* needs a telephone pole in their home, right? The pole is free, no? Well, I'm sure only the sight of this sign is free. A free laugh. In passing this strange graffiti, it just struck me as curious. It appears the letters were scraped in to the wood versus being sprayed on. I had the sudden urge to put something, anything, at the base of the pole plus an arrow pointing down to see if anyone would take it as a freebie. I suppose I wanted to test the response of passersby. Would they even look despite this being a very busy intersection? Would a *car* actually stop to look and/or take? How much time would elapse after placement? Would pedestrians eye it suspiciously? I wonder...

Mystery Cargo

Waiting at a traffic light behind the county's Department of Public Works truck, I became mesmerized by translucent domes stowed in the cargo bay. My curiousity set in as I tried to determine what they were. Giant hats? Oh! The fact that it was a DPW vehicle gave me the vital clue. They were street lamp covers! Indeed, on closer inspection, you can see that these slightly angular domes have an elongated gray base which is the rest of the street lamp. Ah, how disappointing. They were not as exotic an item as I had hoped. Nevertheless, mystery solved!

Coupling Seeds

Spring is in full bloom. Flowers bursting forth, insects humming their songs of life and pollen drifting in the air to set the seeds for next year's vibrant show. I spied these tree seedlings that had survived the winter now perched on fresh spring-green growth in a cozy pose together. The perfect pose, really, as it encompassed the idea of reproduction in their appearance as lovers snuggling on a bench enjoying the fine day together as if engaging in the human form of the "mating dance."

Quiet Reflections

Nestled mountains. Deep woods. Dark skies. Foggy nights. Driving down the twisty, pitch-black roads of North Carolina, it's just you, the roar of your engine, the rumble of your tires, and the wind whipping through your hair. Stopping along the side of the road with the engine off, there's a comforting silence as you realize how secluded and far away you are from the bustling city life of the daily grind. As you listen more closely, it's not so silent as the insects restart their interrupted chitchat, and the startled animals go about their business once more.

Being on the outskirts of the Great Smoky Mountains, I felt blessed to have the opportunity to experience this fine landscape. As I rummaged about the side of the road in search of a geocache, I could distinctly feel the muggy night air clinging to my skin. Nevertheless, I was much relieved with the cooler night temperatures over the daytime 80's and hot sun. For safety reasons, I left my hazards blinking which became the only source of light in my immediate area until I brought out the flashlight to scope out the roadside stone wall. After finding the cache, I eyed the lights beyond the lake. Without a tripod, I made do with the car door to stabilize the camera. You would think that the glow of lights would be silent in the depths of such a black night, yet it was quite alive by the few workers out there at this old powerhouse. Due to the surrounding silence, their voices carried clear across the water hinting of nearby civilization.

A mysterious place of tangled forests and glowing beauty, yet readily accessible for anyone's enjoyment. I can only imagine how the region displays a different face of beauty when blanketed in winter's snows.