Category Archives: NC Mountains

Spring 2025

New Growth

Spring officially began on March 20th. It’s absolutely amazing to see the changes that surround our world each and everyday during the Spring season. If you blink, you could absolutely miss it! From the tiny, first buds, early flowers, greening of grass, to trees achieving full leaf maturity once again. The Earth is vibrant with the colors of Spring.

The days become longer in this season, bringing us closer to nature as we spend more time outdoors. The entire Spring process is a gradual progression of warming our outer environment all the while, warming and feeding our souls for renewal. Spring… a time of rebirth in nature and also for me. I hope you will enjoy the evolution of Spring of 2025 through my camera lens.

Floral Spring, A Peak Inside The Garden

From the earliest of blooms to the heartiest flowers beginning to emerge as the warmth begins to encompass the outdoors…

First Blooms of Spring, Forsythia
Field of Color…Tulips
Dancing with the Sun
Snap!!! The colors of Spring
Yellow Beauty
Iris Glory
Double White Amaryllis in Bloom
Peonies are almost ready…
In Full Glory…Peony
Strawberries 🍓 growing
Lettuce!
I’m personally experimenting with growing Microgreens for the first time!!! These gems offer a BIG nutritional boost!!!
When ready to harvest… Cut, rinse, and dry … store in refrigerator after drying thoroughly
Cabbage growing along the Greenway

Landscape Captures of Spring

As the early days of Spring begins… the leaves were noticeably absent, but as Spring temperatures rise, the changes begin to slowly emerge. How many slight variations can you find from beginning to end of this sequence???

Hues of Blue
Cloud Action
Crisp Sunrise
Light Frost… the greening of grass begins
Monday Sunrise… it’s the simple things
Contrail Sunrise
Breaking Through
Dark Clouds, April Rain
Quiet April Morning Sunrise
Sunset Hues and a different view
Foggy Morning in the Garden
Golden Sunrise
That Touch of Pink Evening Sunset

Spring Mountain Time…

A Spring trip back to Buck Mountain to watch these beautiful mountains grow into Spring, and oh my goodness… I’m in awe…

Mountain Laurel in Bloom

Cicadas…

The arrival of Cicadas in our neighborhood this year is a first. My initial, first memories of these bugs dates back to my childhood playing in my grandparents front yard listening to the consistent, noisy music of these creatures in Elkin, oblivious to their impact on the surrounding landscape.

Now, in present day, each time I go out my back door, those childhood memories come flooding back to the forefront, of those past, playful days, and now, in the process of adding new memories of cicadas in my garden.

I completed a of research about how cicadas life cycle to learn more about the impact of these creatures. My poor little dog, Cookie is so intent on hunting these critters each trip outside that it has become almost impossible for her to accomplish her “natural business”because she gets so distracted by them.

Finding Bigfoot

The legend is strong, about the wandering Sasquatch, in our foothills… Can you believe that he has been spotted at our local grocery store this Spring??? I simply couldn’t resist taking a moment to grab a quick peek for myself and a couple of pics.

Happy Springtime everyone!!! Hope it has been an adventure filled season for you as well!

Winter 2025

The Winter season officially began December 21st and will end on March 20th. From cold wintry temperatures, a few snowy days, and even icy morning conditions the winter weather has been season to remember in 2025. Thanks for the beautiful photographic memories Winter!

FYI: Two photos below have active links to more recent blog posts!!!! (New Orleans and Cloud Dancing) Please check those out as well 😊

Winter Solstice Sunrise
New Beginnings… January 1, 2025
Golden Sunrise
Icy morning
Waiting on the Snow
It begins…
A new coat of white… snowy afternoon
Snowy Morning
Snow Day
Snowy Branches
Crunchy!
A Walk into the Woods
Snow on the Mountains
Sunset at Buck Mountain after the Snow
Snow Capped Golden Hour
Looking into the Valley
January Wolf Moon
Winter Beauty
Hello Sunshine
Colorful Sunrise
Pink Sky
Winter Sunrise Glory
Drama in the Sky
Rainbow Sunrise
Winter Days are Lazy Days, JOY
All wrapped up, COOKIE
Winter Blooms
Morning Coffee
New Orleans
Cloud Dancing
Butterfly Sky
March Masterpiece
Magical March Sunrise
Lavender Sky
A Little Floral Volunteer… a prelude to Spring
Ready to emerge
In full bloom
Hello Buttercup!
New Growth

2024 Photography Favorites

Beginning in early 2024, I wrote these opening lines: “I have decided to take this year and document and capture memories… from our everyday life activities. Everything isn’t glamorous, we work long hours, 6 days a week, but Richard and I find time to share and unwind. I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite collected moments via photography.”

What a journey it has been! Here’s a look at a few of my photo favorites from each month in 2024. Below each photograph, I will include the original link to each month from 2024, in case you missed it or would like to see more photos from each month.

Time passes like clouds in the sky…

January Photographed
February Photos
March Photo Favorites
March Photo Favorites
April

Winter Gives away to Spring…

Majestic May

Bringing forth the Hues of Summer…

June Memories Photographed
July
August
September: A Mountain Montage

Summer fades into Fall

October
November
December

Different minutes of the same hour it seems in 2024. Thanks for the memories!

November

This November has been a month of contrasts. Warm weather marked the beginning of the month and ended the month with colder than normal temperatures. 

Autumn Glory

I think you will see some definite contrast in some of the photos captured this month. The leaves are beginning to fade away as compared to the glorious autumn colors of last month’s photo gallery. November brings us a time to reflect on our blessings. 

November Beauty

My joy this year has been found in finding Blessings in the simple things we have in our lives, like capturing a sunrise moment. Each day brings unique moments and experiences. 

Glimmering Sunrise

May you be blessed this holiday season with Thanksgiving in your heart each & every day. Happy Holidays! 

First Light
First Fire of the season! About month later than usual.
Glorious Beauty: this old, majestic and mature tree is one of the last ones to lose leaves in our neighborhood.
Golden Hour: I must admit I’m not a fan of the time change but the Sunsets have been glorious at Wilkes County Hardware this month.
Stealing The Rainbow
Morning Love Story
Blooming Beauties Hard to believe that flowers were still blooming in early November
Jack Frost: Heavy frosts set in finally in later November, the sun quickly melts it away
Sunshine Seeker: Joy enjoys a nap in the morning sun
Hometown Holidays: November kicks off the holiday season with Light Up Downtown.

October

Morning fogs, and vibrant colors… the best way to introduce my photography finds for October. The colors of Autumn are majestic, melding together as a kaleidoscope for the camera lens.

Foggy Mornings

Awakening to Fog
Sun peaking through the fog
Valley Fog

Northern Lights: Aurora Borealis

The unique colors are determined by the gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, the altitude of the collision of the gases, and the amount of energy in the particles… different colors are created. Just a few pictures of what I witnessed during this rare capture this month.

Pink/purple: Produced by nitrogen particles

Green: One of the most common colors at the lowest levels of the atmosphere, interaction of oxygen molecules

Red: Oxygen molecules interact at a higher level in the atmosphere.

Hello Indy!

Waiting for my nephews band to arrive to begin their routine uniform pickup before their performance in Bands of America competition. They placed 5th out of 91 bands in this super regional competition!!! So very proud!!! Go Wando!!!
Early morning flight…

The Colors of Autumn

“Nature’s first green is gold. Her hardest hue to hold.” – Robert Frost
Vibrant Reds
Autumnal Gold and Copper
A walk in the woods…
Peaking in towards the mountain
Colorful Woods
Buck Mountain never disappoints 💕
Kaleidoscope of Color
Melding of Autumn
Perfection of Autumn