Travel Journal - Ledge Creek Trail #1 - The Pond

 

Travel Journal - Last of the sketches -- Ledge Creek Trail #1 - The pond. I always find it a bit sad to end a trip, and this one, in particular had so many highlights, it was especially difficult to head back home for doctor appointments .... Looking back on my journal, though, brings back so many terrific memories, that I am ever grateful for taking (or finding, or making) the time to write and sketch along the journey ...

Travel Journal - Ledge Creek Trail

Travel Journal - The end of our trip meant we headed to North Carolina and a quick visit with my son. As we waited for him to get home from work, we took a 'new to us' trail in Stem. This trail - #1, was newly added after we left Oxford. We loved the hike and enjoyed the view of this parcel of land from another side of the property.

 

Travel Journal - Virginia Creeper Trail

Travel Journal - LOVED seeing and crossing the train trestles on the Virginia Creeper Trail ...

 

Travel Journal - Virginia Creeper Trail

Travel Journal - We are considering taking a fall bike trek through the Virginia Creeper Trail, so decided to follow the road along the trail, stopping for short hikes from various points ..

 

Travel Journal - Cades Cove, TN

Travel Journal - While in the Great Smoky Mountains, we took the drive around Cades Cove -- A beautiful, bucolic area of former farms, fields, an old mill, and more ....

 

Travel Journal - Cataract Falls

Travel Journal - While in TN, we visited the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We got our "National Park" stamp, then hiked the short trail to Cataract Falls.

 

Travel Journal - Tennessee

Travel Journal - We were camped at Chester Frost Park in TN, and decided to hike around the two islands the park occupied. It was a lovely campground bordered by Dallas Bay and the Chickamauga Lake.

The following day, decided to hike the Greenway Farm Trail - lots of steep hills and rocks, but found the really lovely quarry midway thru the hike.

 

Travel Journal - Rock City Gardens, GA

Travel Journal - Rock City Gardens, GA - The pathway through the gardens is mostly rock - and most often, surrounded by boulders interspersed by flowers, trees, and other flora that softens the view. Gentle music plays throughout the garden and lights of all kinds give the walk and views a hint of mystery as well as majesty ...

 

Travel Journal - TN / GA

Travel Journal - Rock City - TN/GA - After leaving Alabama, we entered Tennessee. Traveling thru South and North Carolina years ago, we always saw signs on barns and roadways stating "See Rock City." Before now, never thought to even look up what that was -- but since we were in the area and we just left a preserve of boulders, we thought we would check out "Rock City."

In Chattanooga, we took a ride on the "Incline Railway" up Lookout Mountain .... The seats on the train were cantered so that while we vertically ascended the mountain for this one mile trip, we remained upright in our seats. Quite a view - and a bit unnerving to be on such an angle! We had a gorgeous view over the mountain range!

After that, we decided to find the Rock City Arboretum -- or, according to the signs - see Rock City. This part of the mountain was located in Georgia - apparently the mountain is claimed by Georgia and Tennessee.

But oh - how AWESOME was that garden!!! Boulders, waterfalls, streams, trees, plants, a fairy garden with lights, music, replicas of Mother Goose tales, stunning views of 7 states, one of the most beautiful and breath taking gardens I have ever seen!

The pathway was one-way and the day we visited was rather crowded so it was hard to linger ... but this was certainly one of this trips highlights.

 

Travel Journal - Moss Rock Preserve, Alabama

Travel Journal - As we walked one of the trails at Moss Rock Preserve, we heard more water. This time, the waterfall was down a narrow, poison ivy strewn trail ... Charles braved the trail to make it down to the falls -- well worth the risk and thankfully, no poison ivy!

 

Travel Journal - More from Moss Rock Preserve, AL

Travel Journal - More from Moss Creek Preserve - After working our way around all the boulders -- such fun!! We heard water and followed the sounds up the trail, over more boulders to the waterfall --- a beautiful sight!

 

Travel Journal - Moss Creek Preserve, AL

Travel Journal - While in Alabama, we hiked the incredibly beautiful trails at Moss Creek Preserve. I LOVED the boulders, creeks and waterfalls ---

 

Travel Journal - Tannehill Ironworks, Alabama

 

Travel Journal - As we continued exploring Tannehill Ironworks, we worked our way to the Grist Mill and the waterfall. The mill was closed, but we were able to get a bit closer to the waterfall ...

Travel Journal - Tannehill Ironworks - McCalla, Alabama

Travel Journal - More from Tannehill Ironworks - The foundry

 

Travel Journal - Tannehill Ironworks, Alabama

Travel Journal - We continued our roadtrip through Alabama and took in another stops we had planned to make earlier this year - Tannehill Iron Works, McCalla, Alabama. This state park was once a major supplier of iron during the Civil War. Unfortunately, the Museum was closed during our visit, but we were able to see many of the outbuildings which included several log homes that we samples of the period.

 

Travel Journal - Providence Canyon, GA

Travel Journal - Another canyon view from Providence Canyon, GA

 

Travel Journal - Another Canyon from Providence Canyon, GA

 

Travel Journal - Providence Canyon, Georgia

Travel Journal - Another canyon from Providence Canyon, Georgia. What I loved about these canyons is the way the trees softened the view. According to the literature, these canyons were formed recently - all due to poor farming practices during the 1800s, causing run-off and erosion.

 

Travel Journal - Providence Canyon, Georgia

 

Travel Journal - After leaving Adamson Oaks, we headed to our campsite, Bluff Creek Campground, across the Chattahoochee River that divides Georgia and Alabama. A really lovely campground that also gave us a chance to walk around this island ....

Camping here was a 'time-challenge.' Our cell phones pinged off towers in Alabama, thus reading Central Daylight Time, while many of the area sites we visited, operated on EASTERN daylight time. So it was always a question of 'what time is it -- and where' to decide if we were on time for a museum or site being open ... lol

But we were here for one of the highlights of our trip - Providence Canyon - across the river in Georgia.

Before planning this trip, I never hear of Providence Canyon. But it was reputed to be 'the little Grand Canyon' of Georgia. We had planned to visit it during our travels west, but since that trip was canceled due to Covid, we decided to make Providence Canyon a stop THIS trip.

AND WE WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED!!! WHAT A TREASURE!! Canyons, bluffs, rocks, colors -- WOWZA! We were able to hike all 9 canyons .... from along the wet canyon floor ... and then hike the rim for awesome view INTO the canyons! Absolutely LOVED this place.

Travel Journal - Adamson Oaks

Travel Journal - On the way to Alabama, we had an overnight stay at Adamson Oaks, Glennville, GA. This alpaca farm also boasted sheep, chickens, donkeys, horses, dogs and cats --- We went on the farm tour and visited their gift shop. We came away with pecan flour, muscadine jelly, and cane syrup. WE parked the motorhome under one of the pecan trees in acres of pecan trees.

 

Travel Journal - Poinsett State Park, SC

Travel Journal - We spent a week at Poinsett State Park taking in each of the many trails ...The focus of this part of our trip was definitely the hikes and I was glad to capture them with a bit of ink and watercolor.

One thing about keeping a travel journal - the compromises, especially when traveling with a non-sketcher/non-journaler. It seems to me that I had a few options, depending on what I wanted to focus on --- I could relish and LIVE the experience I was having, stop and capture the moment(s) with words or images, or take lots of photos and recapture those moments from photographs. With a non-sketcher as my partner and husband, what became most apparent to me was the importance of living in that moment -- TOGETHER. So that meant, I could capture a word or two on paper, and take tons of photographs (which I've done), and sketch later -- my compromise.

What I found by doing this, was my experience of what we were doing, seeing, living, was later RECREATED from the photos I had taken. The scenes I had experienced by sharing those with my husband, were amplified by recreating them in pen and watercolor and words. While I might stop and do an on-location sketch when we weren't hiking, I found that the time spent with my spouse and sharing that experience took priority over capturing a sketch or paragraph.

Priorities may change on different travel plans, but this trip - the focus was on the hiking, seeing things we missed when our plans to go West were canceled due to Covid, and simply enjoy the spring as the season made its way north.

So, more hikes, and a rest at the Poinsett Visitors Center.

 

Travel Journal - Poinsett State Park, South Carolina

After a monthlong roadtrip thru South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina, there is much to catch-up on. I'll begin uploading some of my journal sketches -- it may take a bit of time as there is more to sketch and add. Had a great trip -- weather was perfect - only 3 days of rain thru the entire trip -- needed rest days to be sure.

We started our trip at Poinsett State Park in South Carolina. I had visited this park with my children ages ago -- and my return visit was just as terrific --save for the gnats!!! Mercy, they were relentless!! Fortunately, our early morning hikes had fewer gnats on the trails ---

I followed Liz Steel's suggestion for adding maps to our journals - so this part of our trip was mostly sketches of our trails and some of the many wildflowers we found ...

 

Sketchbook Journal - Splash and Splatter Wisteria

Sketchbook Journal - Splash and Splatter Wisteria -- The wisteria is in full bloom and the scent is heavenly!

 

Sketchbook Journal - Hospice Gardens

Sketchbook Journal - After my husband gave blood yesterday, we had a lovely lunch at Our Crepes and More, and spent a bit of time at the Hospice Gardens.  A lovely 'date day' ....

 

Sketchbook Journal - Brunswick Gardens

Sketchbook Journal - Sketched today at Brunswick Gardens with Maria Liberto Bessette - So good to catch up and be outdoors on a glorious day! Some of the trees were just putting on their leaves, and the waterfall was filled with water and wonderful sound!

 

HAPPY EASTER! SPLASH AND SPLATTER AZALEAS

 

Sketchbook Journal - The BBT

Sketchbook Journal- A view of the BBT from the parking lot ...

 

Sketchbook Journal - Tree Shadows

Sketchbook Journal - Tree Shadows -- I really love the shadows trees cast .. but sketching them is harder than I thought!

 

Sketchbook Journal - Easter Flowers

Sketchbook Journal - Spring Flowers -- Easter flowers from my sweet husband ....

 

Sketchbook Journal - Blue House

Sketchbook Journal - Taking our walks around Southport, NC always yields some interesting sights. This blue house charmed us, with that single purple door and pink flamingos ...

 

Sketchbook Journal - Random Sketches

Sketchbook Journal - Some random sketches of views seen on a walk through Southport, NC

 

Sketchbook Journal - Pink House

Sketchbook Journal - Pink House -- We noticed this colorful house on one of our walks downtown Southport, NC

 

Sketchbook Journal - A cloudy day

Sketchbook Journal - A cloudy day ... finally able to do some dry brushes on the Stillman and Birn Alpha sketchbook ...

 

Sketchbook Journal - Pink Camellia

Sketchbook Journal -A walk around Southport and enjoying all the camellias in bloom....

 

Sketchbook Journal - Yellow Fields on the First Day of Spring

Sketchbook Journal - First day of spring had me remembering those yellow fields I so loved in Oxford. Twice a year we'd take a road trip to find fields of yellow mustard so I could take photos and later sketch -- I especially loved those fields when they also included a barn or two ... I sketched this in my Stillman and Birn Alpha journal - trying again to learn how to apply my watercolors on this smooth paper ... BTW, I added those haybales after I did the yellow fields - just had to have a hay bale! LOL

 

Sketchbook Journal - Flower and Shopping Area

Sketchbook Journal - My African Violet and the shopping area across from our storage lot ....

 

Sketchbook Journal - Green

Sketchbook Journal - Trying the Stillman and Birn Alpha journal. Pages are thinner than Beta, and I need to remember to use a LIGHT hand with my washes, and NOT use a ballpoint pen for darker lines ... but it was fun doing these 'Green Things" for the Wilmington Urban Sketchers this morning.

 

Sketchbook Journal - Live Oak and brick house

Sketchbook Journal - Still working on learning how to use Stillman and Birns Beta paper -- Sketched this live oak that dwells in my neighbor's yard -- it towers over their brick home ... On the day I sketched it - the sun was in front of the house, casting the entire yard in shade. There is a light coat of blue for the sky that faded out in the photograph.

 

Sketchbook Journal - My rose-looking camellia

Sketchbook Journal - My rose-looking Camellia (in Hannemuehle Journal) - done during Wilmington Urban Sketchers Zoom Meet-Up

 

Travel Journal - Emerald Isle Beach

Travel Journal - At Croatan National Forest -- we had two FULL days of sunshine and warm weather -- truly glorious days. We were able to walk several trails and take in another sunset. We also got to hike Emerald Isle Beach and the Woods Park Trail near the Point -- great time!

 

Travel Journal - Sunset at Cedar Point

Travel Journal - Cedar Point, Croatan National Forest - Two glorious days there - sunshine, warm weather -- and the most beautiful sunsets from the pier ....

 

Sketchbook Journal - Kiwi

Sketchbook Journal - The challenge this week for the Wilmington Urban Sketchers was to paint from life the inside of fruits or vegetables. I have been trying different journals - and find that when I change from pure coldpress watercolor paper to those that are often more smooth, it takes (and will take) a lot more practice and a change in painting techniques. Here are two samples -''The first is using the Hannemuhle Journal - the second, Cheap Joe's Kilimanjaro Travel Sketchbook Journal ...

 

Travel Journal - Bench at Cedar Point Tideland Trail

Travel Journal - One of the nice stops along the Tideland Trail in Croatan National Forest - looking toward the White Oak River ...