Blue Ridge Mountains Scenery

Last week I spent some time traveling through the Blue Ridge Mountains. There was so much to see and take in that I only scratched the surface. It's not the first time I've visited that area, but I never grow tired of the beautiful scenery. Many of the trees and flowers weren't in bloom yet despite being the end of April and early May - I assume due to the high elevation. That aside, there was still plenty to see and photograph.

I have plenty more photos of the area I'll be sharing in future posts.

Linking to Rural Thursday Blog Hop

Rural Walkabout

I recently set out to explore some new country with camera in tow. The first part of the hike included a 400 foot drop to the river bottom and after covering about 8 miles, I ended up in open, rolling fields.

Palisades of the Kentucky River.

This waterfall above the river runs heavy after a good rain. On this particular day, it was more of a trickle.

I'm not entirely sure what this is, but it may have been a well at one time.

The ol' Dixie Belle riverboat being prepped and painted for the upcoming tour season.

A shot of the palisades across the river.

This is High Bridge, a railroad bridge that crosses the Kentucky River. It is used by Norfolk Southern Railroad and was originally constructed in 1876. It has gone through several redesigns and was updated to two tracks in 1929. One of the redesign dedications was attended by President Hayes and General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1879. High Bridge is a National Civil Engineering Landmark.

It's funny where plants will grow...even out of solid rock.

This is another smaller waterfall above the river.

Here's where my hike took me out into open country. Kentucky has a wide variety of landscapes from the mountains of eastern Kentucky to the rolling hills in the central part of the state to the flat land of western Kentucky.

Linking to Rural Thursday Blog Hop

Fishing...Great Blue Heron Style III

Back in early January, I was at the lake (I know, big surprise) photographing herons and waterfowl. Much of the lake was covered in a thin layer of ice, including a small, shallow cove. Later in the day, the sun had warmed things enough that the ice in the cove began to melt and break up. A bunch of ducks and some geese discovered this development and began feeding like possessed zombie waterfowl. The sounds of the quacking, honking, and splashing were so loud, they drew attention from all over the lake. A heron that was perched nearby took notice of the feeding frenzy. As it wasn't his first day on the job, he knew the cracked out waterfowl would scare up the fish (by "he" it could also mean "she"). He sneaked past the silly mob and took up a position just outside the three-ring circus. In just a few minutes time, he caught 8-10 fish.

I didn't include every frame or every fish the heron caught, otherwise by the time you finished this post it would be time for next week's WBW. I'm certain you'll get the idea. If you like herons, you might also be interested in Fishing...Great Blue Heron Style, Fishing...Great Blue Heron Style II, Vole. It's What's For Dinner, and Lunch Time.

Linking to World Bird Wednesday

Popular Perch

This broken branch has become a popular hang out since the feeders went up a few months ago. It's a bit like a portrait studio for birds.

House Sparrow

Starling

Cardinal

Blue Jay