by William Britten | May 20, 2010 | photography, travel
If you are ever traveling on NC Route 284 between Cosby, TN, and the Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains, you might find yourself in need of a rest stop. Now this is a fine gravel highway with some excellent gift shops along the way (see below). If you...
by William Britten | May 18, 2010 | Wildflowers
Pennywort (Obolaria virginica) is a diminutive wildflower that can easily be overlooked among the fallen leaves in the Smoky Mountains forests. There is a nice colony of them at the start of the Schoolhouse Gap Trail, just to the left, blooming in mid April. Look for...
by William Britten | May 17, 2010 | Wildflowers
Beaked Violet (Viola rostrata) is an April blooming wildflower in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See the beak? It’s an exaggerated protrusion from the flower’s lower petal. There are many varieties of violets in the Smokies, but this one is...
by William Britten | May 11, 2010 | travel
We traveled to flood-stricken Nashville, TN this past weekend to attend the Tennessee Association of Craft Artists (TACA) outdoor fair. The fair is nestled in Centennial Park every May, beneath the view of an 1897 full-scale replica of the Parthenon. Most of the art...
by William Britten | May 10, 2010 | Wildflowers
Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) is a quiet and reserved April wildflower of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Like so many of the early April bloomers, this one can be found along the Chestnut Top Trail. Look very low to the ground for this two-inch...