Today we take a break from Smoky Mountains news and photos to share something personal. Leaving our cats and dog to a house-sitter, Sarah and I are driving down to Atlanta to catch a flight to South America! We’re headed to Bogotá, the capital and largest city in Colombia. Way up in the mountains at…
Smoky Mountains in late-winter. Still the weak, watery light. Crisp, thin air. The Smokies look like they’re shaking off a long sleep, just waking up. But if you walk into the woods, there are definite signs of awakening life. Yesterday I drove out into the Greenbrier area and turned up the road towards the Ramsay…
This scene is classic winter-get-away-from-it-all Gatlinburg-style. The snow-capped Smoky Mountains in the distance, snow laying on the rooftops of surrounding log cabins, and the hot-tub fired up and steaming. Ready for some serious cold weather relaxation and daydreaming! The offseason is one of the best times to visit Gatlinburg and the Smokies. Downtown is still…
It’s not too late to schedule a Smoky Mountain getaway, find yourself a cabin like this one, and sit back to gaze at Mt. LeConte and count your blessings for the year. The autumn leaves may have faded, but there’s plenty of blue skies and perfect temperatures to enhance your reverie. Between now and Thanksgiving…
Everyone loves to get out and drive in the Smoky Mountains during the autumn leaf season in October. It’s all about sensory overload. The colors flying by, the smells of dry leaves, the sensation of getting down the road and getting away from it all. A stunning time to take a few photographs. Unfortunately, we’re…
Wow. What can you say? These are the days that take your breath away. Blue skies and golden light day after day. Save it up for winter. This cabin is high on a ridge about 10 miles out from Mt. LeConte and the Smoky Mountains in the distance. The two chairs are just waiting for…
It’s October already, and the carefree days of summer have slipped away once more. This may be our last chance for a while to sit out on the deck and enjoy a quiet coffee moment. Here in Gatlinburg, on the edge of the Smoky Mountains, October is the busiest month of all. The leaves begin…
Summer is almost over, and the hot humid days are transitioning to crisp and cool. Green leaves are fading to oranges and yellows. Plans for the day are still shaping up. There’s a moment here to relax with a coffee break or a cup of tea. Enjoy the stillness of the woods or identify a songbird….
It’s not always about the Smoky Mountains, and sometimes I get miles away also. This week we’re away on a beach trip to South Carolina. While we’re away, you can still stop in to see the complete display of Smoky Mountains Photography at the William Britten Gallery on Glades Rd. The Gallery will be open several…
Pull up a chair, fill your mug with coffee or tea. The morning sunlight is soft and inviting. The mountain view invites daydreaming. Days like this are meant to unfold at their own pace. When you plan your next Smoky Mountains getaway, please consider a visit to see the complete display of Smoky Mountains Photography…
Is it too decadent to grab your coffee and jump into a Smoky Mountains hot tub first thing in the morning? Of course not! The summer air has a hint of snap too it early in the morning, and the warm water feels so good. And that view! Later in the day there will be…
The day is drawing to a close, time to grab a chair on the porch and relax, watch the evening sky descend over the Smoky Mountains. Listen to the crickets, maybe a whippoorwill, or an owl if it’s getting late. A good time for quiet conversation, reflection on what’s important in your life. If time…
So many resort cabins with a stunning Smoky Mtns view. Like stepping into a photo … what a day for a daydream! Custom made. A perfect day for taking a walk outside. On a day such as this your daydream might last right on into the night. And tomorrow … who knows? If you have…
Hello! Come on out on the deck and enjoy the privacy. The rocking chairs are waiting. Steam is rising from the hot tub into the cool morning air. The view into the woods is quiet and serene. Bring a book out and sit for a while! These are times to contemplate what is good in…
It’s a lazy summer Monday in June. Nothing much to do but park yourself out on the deck chairs, contemplate the Smoky Mtn fabulous view and start the day out slowly. One of the magical things about the Smoky Mtn area around Gatlinburg is that although there are hundreds of cabins with a view of the Smokies,…
Ah … those feathery ferns guide the way down this hiking trail that clearly is headed towards serenity. There’s a little clump of bluets to enjoy … see them on the left side of the trail in the foreground? Everything is sparkling new-morning bright, still dew-covered or maybe it’s the mist in the air. Oh,…
Never too busy to sit down for a moment or two. Or three. The summer season is just beginning. The nights here in Gatlinburg still have a snap to them, the cool air comes rolling down the Smoky Mountains. Mist in the mornings, windows and doors opened wide to capture some freshness for the day….
Ah, Smoky Mountains Dreamin’ … you wake up and feel like you’re in a Thomas Kinkade painting. Soft morning light, the cabins around you still shaking off the night, a little fantasy village. The Smoky Mountains off on the horizon, greeting the day in their own proud way, beckoning you. This is one of the…
It’s a moody Smoky Mtn Monday in early May. The valley is lush with spring green, while the upper elevations are still shrugging off winter. The vantage point for this view is the Oconaluftee Valley Overlook, gazing into North Carolina from the parking area off Newfound Gap Rd. This is a spot for the usual…
Could life get any better than this? So many cabins, so many great Smoky Mtn views, plenty of time to enjoy it all. Mt. LeConte beckons in the photo above. This resort cabin sits high on Shields Mountain, about 10 miles out from the Smokies. With some rocking chairs on the front porch and a hot tub…
A rocking chair, a cup of coffee or tea, the sun coming up over the Smoky Mountains. The air is soft and cool, and the day is new. Settle into a chair and enjoy the relaxing moments. You’re miles away from cares and stress. Your daydreams are all that matter.
Heavy rains make the creeks rise and creates great conditions for kayaks. I ran into a group of students and staff from Purdue University last week. They were miles away from home on a Smoky Mountains spring break kayaking trip. You can see from these photos that there was a lot of whitewater along the…
Last week we experienced a popular Smoky Mountains view at the Oconaluftee Overlook. This time we’re enjoying the view from Morton’s Overlook. The photograph above is looking west, down the valley towards Gatlinburg. You can see the twin bumps of the Chimney Tops in the upper left portion of the photo. This view spot is a…
A classic Smoky Mountains morning. The signature blue haze, the tops of the ridges warming with orange as the sun approaches the horizon. How many of the receding ridges can you count? Twelve or thirteen at least. Dawn comes very slowly here. You can leave Gatlinburg in the dark and drive the 15 miles or so…
The Smoky Mountains are starting to look Spring-like on this last day of February, and our heavy winter snows may be over for the season. I really enjoyed them … the big Christmas Eve storm that gave us a White Christmas for the first time since we have lived in Gatlinburg. Then some more good…
It’s a quiet and peaceful day in Cades Cove. Winter is really special here. Plenty of time to cruise the loop road at your own pace, stopping whenever the mood strikes. In winter the deer come out by the dozens — probably over 100 of them in the central meadow on a sunny day like…
Bare trees, the welcoming glow of Smoky Mountain cabins at dawn … a warm and friendly Kinkade-colored scene. It’s that time of year when, surprisingly, winter has already started to lose its grip in the Smoky Mountains and Gatlinburg area. In a few short weeks the early flowers will be staking their tentative claim on…
I don’t need a groundhog to tell me that in 6 weeks the early wildflowers will be blooming in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! In the meantime, there’s still a chance to squeeze in a snowy winter getaway to Gatlinburg and the Smokies. Or if there’s no snow, some bare woods hiking along some…
You could get lost in the layers of this scene. Late afternoon, sun setting on the Smoky Mountains, the shadows enhancing the definition of the landscape. Taken from my newly-favored perch on top of the Space Needle in downtown Gatlinburg. I spent an hour up there last week all by myself, getting lost in the…
Doesn’t this scene warm your heart? Even as cold as it looks? Makes you want to find the nearest fireplace, invite a cat onto your lap, and be grateful for living on planet Earth. Wow! The wood is cut and dried on the porch, and you’re obviously not going anywhere, so just relax. Hope you’re…
I live in Gatlinburg TN, on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. The Smokies are a very spiritual place, and I attempt to capture some of that spirit in each of my photographs.
If you are in Gatlinburg, please stop in at my gallery .
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