Renourishing in the Mountains...

A winding mountain road

A very pregnant deer

A mountain stream

Mountain Rhododendron's

Mountain stream on the way to swimming hole

Coming down the mountain into a valley

I am in North Carolina taking care of business, mail, car inspected, plates, house, etc...This past weekend I spent in the mountains with no phone, no email, just a couple of my boys. Talk about peaceful.

The drive through Tennessee was beautiful. However, crossing that state line felt nice. The temperatures in the mountains was so much cooler. I think the forests and all of the streams cool everything down. It was so refreshing.

I thought I would share part of my drive and a few things the boys and I shared. The mountain road is part of the road into my son's mountain community. I love how it runs along this large mountain stream. The sound of the water and birds is so relaxing.

Shortly after I turned into my son's community, I ran into this large pregnant doe and last year's baby. We sort of eyed each other before she sauntered across the road and up into the woods. I have seen as many as five does at that particular turn through the years.

The streams are so much fun to walk in. We take my son's dogs and walk up to the swimming hole. They love to swim and jump off the rocks like kids in the hot of the summer.

The mountain flowers always stick out amongst the various shades of green. This variety of Rhododendron is almost finished blooming for the summer. They grow all along the stream banks. The seeds drop down into the water, when the snow melts they are carried down stream where they find themselves on the rich moist stream banks. There the take root and start the renewal process all over again. Never burn Rhododendron. Their smoke is toxic.

After a few days up in the mountains I always feel like a new woman. When you come down the mountains you find these beautiful meadows and fields of wheat, hay, alfalfa, and corn. The contrast is like a painting.....