Fall photos and boat trips of 2024

Haven't posted here in a while and since I have time, just wanted to post some photos of the fall boating season.  Had a good Thanksgiving dinner with Scott, Pippa, and friends yesterday.  Played a little guitar concert for the guests after dinner.   

Took the boat out 5 times this year.   First was in the spring flood to Burgess Falls on Centerhill.   All 4 fall boat trips to the TN River Gorge I met up with Bill M. to do the Raccoon Mtn bike climb.  A 13 mile round trip with a 1450' climb.  Also are photos of my parents from my trip up to NY.  

Rare boat trip to Burgess Falls

Burgess Falls

Visiting Dada and Mom in NY

Nov sunset

Nov 9, 2024

Late Nov sunrise scene

Last boat trip Nov '24

Spring wildflowers in Sewanee '18

Glad I got out before the 2 freezes we've had since I took these photos on 4/6.  With a rain storm coming that turned to snow flurries the next day, I got out on the Shakerag Hollow part of the Sewanee Perimeter trail from Greens View.   Writing this on 4/16, we had a light dusting of snow last night and several hours of sub freezing temperatures.  I hope the tender new leaves aren't damage.

Glad I still have some firewood.  Cold today... in the 30ºs. 

Not great photos, some a bit out of focus, took them quickly with my phone.  I like the Dutchman's Breeches (1), and Jack in the Pulpit (4).  This was a perfect time to hike, no one there, a week before the local wildflower festival, and on a Friday morning.  It was very beautiful and peaceful.

The winter storms of '15

Anyone who knows me knows I love weather, winter storms are no exception.  I never remember MTSU being closed 4 days in one week.  I had an unexpected week vacation in Sewanee, and the weather was beautiful ... in it's own way.

Ice storm #1 was really hard on my Murfreesboro neighborhood.   Trees and branches down everywhere but my property did ok.  Arriving in Sewanee on Friday night brought a blast of beautiful big snow flakes just around dusk in storm #2.  I'm happy that I brought my truck because driving conditions required a 4x4, especially off the main road.  After putting a new starter and battery in my truck, I'm really happy to have it.

These first three photos were taken during the magic hour of dusk during the advent of the 2/20 snow/ice storm #2  It eventually turned to sleet and rain.  The flash produced an interesting effect, reflecting off of the big flakes.  One photo was taken at my Murfreesboro house after ice storm #1.

UPDATE:  The big Sewanee snow of 2/25-26 I wasn't about to miss out on so I rescheduled some students to Friday and enjoyed some 4x4 touring in the 5" of snow we got.  Murfreesboro only got an inch.  The town of Sewanee got 3-4", less on the north side of the mountain, more on the SW facing slopes like at my place.   I got up early on Thursday and hiked around by the Sewanee Cross and plowed through virgin snow all the way to the end of Brakefield road.   So glad to have a 4x4 that takes me into these wonderful wintry scenes.  

My road was still snow covered on Sat. 2/28 while the roads around the Domain of the University were mostly dry.

Another winter storm looks likely for Wednesday night!!!!  It's your birthday present, John P.

View at dusk from Sky Castle

Sky Castle during the storm

the bluff

icy beauty

happy to have lots of well seasoned firewood left

ice storm #1 in Murfreesboro

virgin snow - Brakefield Rd.

Greens View Rd

Virginia Ave 

The sound of roaring creeks

2.93 inches of rain Dec. 22-24 recorded at the Sky Castle weather station, this Christmas eve.  

The sound of the roaring creeks here is tremendous.   It's like living by the sea, except it is doesn't ebb and flow, it's constant.   It's particularly awesome at night, even a little scary.  The weather change abruptly today with the cold front.   It was 55º last night, and I had a window open to hear the sound of rushing water to sleep to.    Now, it's 41º with rain and fog.  Was planning on going to the track to train, but I think I'll take 2 days off and enjoy my last few hours of the year here in Sewanee before I travel.

Unlike a lot of my nature and weather videos, this has sound.   Have a listen to the awesomeness of nature - there is no greater church.

I'm off to FL. Merry Xmas, 2014.

Soaring

On the wings of ...

woodpeckers

Lucky shot from the Sky Castle web cam on Sunday morning, 12/14. A still from the cloud video.

Fall '14 color and toward winter

It's been a whirlwind of fall guitar concerts, travel, and now winter vacation.  Finally, I am on vacation and will update here with some photos....

It was a beautiful fall ... an unexpected early cold snap on Halloween with snow on the mountain, a great fall party, and goodbye to the leaves as we come upon the winter solstice within a fortnight from now.

Here's a chronological set of photos of the fall color season -  earth, sky, and home ....

Oct. 26, Moonset

Oct. 26 - leaves beginning to fall

Oct. 26 sunset

Oct. 28 - near peak color

October freeze - the plants come in

Snow on Nov. 1 morning

Nov. 11 - the last of the leaves

Boating, hiking ... Sewanee to Chattanooga to NC

It was a great week.   Brought the boat to my house in Sewanee for the first time en route to the TN River, Chattanooga, and Fontana Lake in the GSMNP.

I'd studied it for a long time and was confident I could get the boat up my driveway in Sewanee and turn it around.  No problem.

Roya and I enjoyed a Monday evening workout in Sewanee's Fowler Center then left Tuesday for the TN River Gorge.  Cruising the 30 miles from Marion Co. park to Chattanooga, the old boat performed flawlessly, cruising at 32 mph.   After an IMAX movie and a trip to the Aquarium, we had dinner and left for a night on the boat in the gorge.   There is one place, just up river from the Raccoon Mtn TVA facility, that is completely wild and undeveloped, with high mountains on both sides.   We floated at sunset down river a mile or 2 in this location, my favorite part of the river.  Just beautiful.  I swear, we did not see one other boat for 12 hrs, all night long.   Highly unusual for a commercially navigated waterway.

We pulled out on Wednesday and arrived at Fontana Lake late afternoon on Wed.  After dinner, swimming and watching the sunset, we took a night time walk on the dam.  Beautiful.

Thursday we did the 8 mile round trip to Shuckstack from Eagle Creek up the Lost Cove Trail to the Appalachian Trail.   The climb was difficult as usual.  2500' in 4 miles.  Great weather.  Glad to see all the wood on the tower has been replaced.   Looks like they'll keep it for a while.   Unfortunately, it is not possible to get on the roof of the lookout shack like we used to.  They put a solid piece of plywood on the roof.

Friday morning early, it rain and rained for 9 hrs.  Good time to watch  movies.  We got a brief respite early afternoon and took the opportunity to head back to Mufreesboro.   We encountered one brief intense storm approaching Monteagle.   The same storm seemed to spawn a tornado captured on my weather station webcam in Sewanee.

Great trip.

Here's the photos!

Fontana Lake sunset

Dawn on the TN River

Fontana Dam

Roya in the creek

Roya on the Shuckstack tower

Appalachian Trail

View from the Shuckstack tower

Friday's tornado in Sewanee - 8/8

The boat's first trip to Sewanee