…no idea what Three Dog Night’s music has to do with this photo except the mill is known as Ely’s mill. You can see it today on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in the GSMNP. And it is a wonderful hour plus trip if you get to the Smokys it is a must do drive. The mill was build by Andrew Jefferson Ely in 1925. A. J. Ely, known as "Old Man Ely," was a Yale law school graduate, a practicing Tennessee lawyer and a printer. One web site says if he liked you he would talk for hours if he didn’t “he would take the afternoon off to tell you why.” We were here on a perfect morning for color this past fall. The mill is across the road from the house posted Saturday.
Bend (and one of my favorite GSMNP photos) /
The twists and turns of the mountain streams along with the dense mountain laurel thickets that often crowd the banks make traveling off trail tough. A friend and I (Steve, Hi!) were hiking one December more than a few years ago when an unknown party suggested that we could cut across a small valley and reconnect with the trail and save some time because it was about ten degrees and we were losing light. The plan went fine until we neared the stream and it took at least an hour to work our way through the laurel on each side of the stream and find a place to cross. And it got colder and darker before we ever got back to the car. Or at least that is what I remember of that bright December day in the GSMNP,
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.” Psalm 37:23,24 NLT
Set in Gold /
This simple cabin is in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It is on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail that you access just out of Gatlingburg. God’s ornamentation exceeds all expectations.
Twelve Days .12 /
Joyous Christmas
This is a composite (my first ever effort in that area) of a small pottery nativity made in Peru and the “Christmas Star” that was visible on 12/21 near Raleigh. I love the fact that each culture uses appropriate imagery for their culture because, as the angel proclaimed, “Don’t be afraid!” he said “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Luke 2 10-12 NLT
So to all people may blessings and joy be yours today in Jesus who is the Christ
Twelve Days .11 /
“The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing”
Twelve Days .10 /
This is Bill’s Seafood in Chincoteague, Virginia on the Eastern Shore and the town is famous for the Chincoteague Ponys and the swim that takes place every July. But for photographers and especially those that wish to photograph birds, it is a wonderland. This year in early December the count was a bit low but the week after the numbers increased significantly. I was there at the invitation of Dennis Mook who goes each year with three of his friends. I was honored to be invited but their judgement seems a bit lacking as they appeared to invite me to the next outing as well. I had a super time. Bill’s is a fine place to enjoy local seafood andI highly recoomend it if you visit. As well as a shout out to the Island Creamery, one of the top ten ice creams (Marsh Mud is amazing) in the country, IMHO.
And Santa in a sleigh with his cocktail in hand being pulled by the actual Jumbo Shrimp, is clearly a unique decoration. My vote for the most intriguing of 2020.
Twelve Days .9 /
These are the oppoeite ends of the street in Raleigh, Fayetteville St., that runs from the State Capitol to what used to have a cool name until it became the Duke Energy Center. This stretch of road is used for the farmer’s market in the summer, concerts and street vender, food trucks and, vaious protests authorized and otherwise with an occasional riot tossed in. This night it is quiet, a misty night heavy with moisture and subtile silence. The tree the only nod to the holiday on the grounds of the State House, the more magificant tree by the old Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. I love how the light bends up the stairs in front of each column.
The seasons most unique decoration is tomorrow!
Twelve Days .8 (only four photos, thank goodness) /
Some of the odder decorations I have seen recently, or at least those I remembered to take a photo of them. A salute to the unique.
The old “oil can” reindeer? Or is it a moose? Anyway we all recall the night Oil Can Reindeer saved Christmas by lubricating the sleigh.
Not only can RVers decorate but you can decorate with an RV. And this one is nearly life size if you own an Oliver Elite, like, ahem, we do.
Some people are afraid of snowmen, but Lefty here is all bark and no bite. That was sappy. It will get worse if I go on. Leave your “ringer” names in the comments.
This arrived from one of the places we have some savings. Makes you wonder about our judgement.
Twelve Days .7 /
You will occasionally read about the need to keep the focus of Christmas on Jesus. Those notes are a good thing after three days of Hallmark movies. It is not a bad thing to add all the family, peace, presents and cookies to the mix but it is, as today’s photo emphasizes, necessary to remember the actual events that sparked the season of Christmas and the real person at the center of them all.
“All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: ‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’’” Matthew 1: 22,23 NLT
Twelve Days .6 (two photos) /
One place to see the unusual is the “Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration.” I am sure that includes lots of gingerbread structures, regular lights and candy canes but it also includes a set of trees with Disney movie themes and then there is the campground, Fort Wilderness. There Disney doesn’t have to do a thing because the regular December campers decorate, well, to excess is an understatement. People are here every year for a month and go all out on the light displays.
There is an RV in this picture, somewhere! This is one camp site at Fort Wilderness.
The Ms Poppins tree - quick iPhone shot.
Twelve Days .5 /
This just made me simile. But there is more to the story. A group of penguins on land is called a waddle. Cute. A group of young penguins on land is a creche. And the more famous of the usage of that word, right, the display of the nativity, or a creche. So, clearly these are young penguins - see the spectacled keeper towering over them, and they are on land at Christmas. How perfect.
Twelve Days .4 (two photos) /
McAdenville, near Charlotte bills itself as Christmas Town - and they live up to the nickname. Scores of homes are fully decorated, town trees are trimmed and brightly garbed in colorful lights and in normal years -2020 does not count as one of those, the small lake is a reflecting pool of Christmas Trees that is the focal point of celebrations. We got there well ahead of the 5:30 start time, parked and walked to a bakery where we had a slice of cake (shared!) for dinner. Then about 5:15 we started on a nearly four mile walk. House after house glowed with santas and snowmen and every imaginable type of light. What was especially neat were the kids. They were thrilled. One little guy kept running to the next house and yelling about something he would see. It was a joyful night. Lots of kids seemed to delight in wishing you a “merry Christmas” and mons and dads were delighting in their fun. Quite a nice night.
Twelve Days .3 /
This is clearly not the spectacular photos you pay to see here. (But nice Bokeh) I am coming home late tonight and this was one of two back-ups that I prepared incase of emergency. What is unique about Santa you may ask. Well, this one is unique as it is the only one in the world. That must qualify, right? This fellow with his bag of toys about to descend the chimney is one I carved a last month. In my on-going quest to learn Flat Plane Carving, he is number 37 for the year. Hoping to get to 52 but it is not looking good. I am completing 44 this week, still, 8 more in two weeks is a stretch. More to the point, I am learning, a bit. What I am really learning is how much I don’t know and that is a good thing for the process of any skill. For example, I get lots of “fuzzies” and I make too many shallow cuts on edges and I still don’t know how to cut a smooth line across grain and, actually what I don’t know would exceed the legal limit of this page. But thanks for looking and tomorrow, back to the spectacular. Maybe:)
Twelve Days .2 /
It is early morning, about 6:20 in Chincoteague, Virginia along Main Street. It is pouring rain and the winds are about 35mph with gusts to 50mph. I have been to the shore, as if there a sunrise might be visible! As the rain was sweeping over the dunes and filling all the depressions in the sand I decided to head back to the town as I did not want to get the MINI stuck. The town was deserted because all the smart people were having their second cup of coffee or just rolled over in bed to wait for the third snooze alarm. But me, I am trying to keep my lens clean enough for a photo and leaning on a telephone pole to try and steady the camera. So, day two of the Twelve Days of Christmas with all the turtle doves snug in their nests, we get the old theater with a Christmas season wish.
What ever year Disney’s Cars came out Cindy and I were in Chincoteague and it was raining so we went to this theater for an afternoon matinee and saw Cars with a packed house with lots of kids. Must have been 200 seats. Now it is used for community events.
12 Days .1 /
Traditionally the 12 Days of Christmas begin on the 25th of December and continue to the 6th of January or the day the Orthodox Church celebrates Epiphany. At Two Lane Touring we are going to have our own 12 Days of Christmas beginning today and ending on December 25th. As is fitting for 2020 it is my intention to focus on some unusual, some abstract and some “really you thought that fit Christmas” photos.
We begin with a 25 foot snowman! This inflatable is just a block from my house and we often pass him on our afternoon walk. You will note that my wife is not even afraid of this creature.
Summer Storm /
Riding the roads around Lancaster, PA during a rain storm provides nice opportunities when the rain slows a bit.
“The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living.” Psalm 19:8 NLT
Ok boys and girls, the word of the day is Incongruous...(two photos) /
…can you say, Incongruous? With apologies to Mr. Rogers.
In rural southeastern Arkansas near the National Park Unit of Arkansas Post is a small collection by the same name but it is a state facility. It consists of four reconstructed buildings without much of a theme and one mid 19th century cabin. It is used most often by area elementary school groups for field trips to learn a bit of Arkansas history. They also have a picnic area where the kids would have their lunch. And adjacent to the picnic area (it was closed due to covid) is a gallows. Now this is an old gallows of a type used in public executions and one of only two still existing - according to the guide there. And it is the focal point of lunch.
Planning /
This is a panorama from near the top of Penobscot Mountain in Acadia National Park. My favorite hike! We have done this one four times and once pushed on to Sargent Mountain. That is the Jordan Pond below. I am excited because we are in the process of planning a trip there for 2021. No place I like better. Covid needs to cooperate next year.
Chincoteague Ponies /
The name Chincoteague Pony is an official breed. The fire department and scores of volunteers (saltwater cowboys) bring the herds into pens during June to prepare them for auction in July after the famous “Pony Swim.” Some are sold and leave the lsland a few are “sold” but called “buy-backs” and the buyer gets to name the horse but it stays with the herd. The male in this photo, Riptide, is the son of a famous horse and now is the alpha male of the southern herd. The other pony in the photo is “Get Milk.” These were a quite distant today and trying to stay a bit out of the wind which was blowing 30 to 50 mph. Smart horse - less smart photographer..
At Least One.... /
It would be cruel to make you wait for all the bird photos until Bird Week X, so…..
A Black Skimmer stands along the bayside of the strip of sand with the Atlantic on the other side. Skimmers like to glide just over the water and drop their lower and longer bill into the water and scoop up a few tasty morsels for dinner. Great bird to watch darting about.
