Snow Snow Snow

We had snow for Christmas this year, which was nice, but it didn't stop snowing until two days later!

This is a picture of the daylily seed stalks along the retaining wall.

Our Christmas Tree

I took a picture of our Christmas tree to use on our christmas cards, actually I took three and HDR'd up a picture.

Here's the cropped section I used on the christmas card.

Sill Branch Falls in winter

I was a bit restless after a week of working to get our downstairs den finished in time for a birthday party, so, when the first snowy Sunday of the winter season presented a few hours of walkabout time I was on it.

It had been raining and snowing most of the previous week, so I figured the creeks would be running full which could make any creek crossings trickier than usual, and any of the local waterfalls would be at their best. I picked Sill Branch Falls because it's a relatively easy hike and there was only one creek crossing and it's never been tough.

When I arrived at the trailhead I could hear the creeks roaring so I knew there would plenty of opportunity for good picture taking. The trail follows the creek all the way to the falls, so the plan was to go directly to the falls but scan the cascades for photo ops on the way in.

As expected, the falls were rolling and it was almost perfect weather for waterfall picture taking - cloudy - but it a bit windy. The picture above is a three-exposure HDR photo of the center section of the falls, it would have been much better if the wind off the falls hadn't been blowing that hemlock branch about.

This picture is a cascade about half-way back. It's a three-exposure HDR. I passed over several other small falls and cascades that were equally photogenic to get to back to this particular one. The sun was getting up and the clouds were getting thin, so the good light was getting away from me, and the snow was melting.

I was hoping for more snow, I was looking for some "snow on the rocks in the water" pictures ... maybe next time.

Baby it's Cold Outside

This little fern is feeling the cold of the first measurable snowfall of the season.

Along Sill Branch Creek in the Clark's Creek area in Unicoi TN.

It Snowed !

The end of a branch of the hemlock tree at the end of our driveway, in the snow.

Willow Tree

I'm really digging on this willow tree. It sits along the road on my way to work. I've been waiting on a foggy morning to try this picture because of all the clutter that would be in the background - though this morning might have been a bit too foggy.

It gets it's unique flat-sided shape from growing up right beside of a house. That house was recently torn down exposing the flat side of the tree to view. There are no limbs with leaves covering the trunk and the branches on the flat side which makes the great contrast between the black of the branches and the grays of the limbs with leaves.

Rocky Fork - Unicoi TN

I've found a new favorite place to go walkabout and practice taking pictures of moving water, it's the Rocky Fork area of Unicoi county. It wasn't a particularly good for taking pictures of waterfalls as the sky was partly sunny. I had to use an ND8 filter to get the long exposures, but that makes the colors a bit off.

Getting there is a simple thing: take exit 50 off I-26 east (Flag Pond) and at the stop sign turn left onto Upper Higgins Creek Road. Drive 1/2 mile and when you reach Rt. 23 turn right and drive another 2 1/4 miles then turn left on Rocky Fork Road.

The picture in the upper left is a waterfall just a little ways up the road on the right, it's easily visible from the road, you can't miss it. Take your time driving up this road as the creek is a constant 'stream' of amazing cascades and waterfalls. Get it, 'stream' of ..., oh bother.

After 3/4 mile from where you turned onto Rocky Fork Road, you will see a gravel pull-off to the left. Park here but make sure to stay out of the way of the gate because it's a tow-away zone. Follow the gravel lane along the creek into Rocky Fork on foot. The trio of falls in the picture to the right is about a quarter mile in on your left.

The gravel forest service road is in great shape, and it's not steep at all. It follows the creek but there were no creek crossings in the mile or so that I walked. There is a seemingly endless number of cascades, riffles, and waterfalls to shoot.

Like this cascade that swoops around a rock then rolls and over a shelf and makes some swirlies. Or this long skinny chute that has some cool swirlies to it's inside.