Waiting for the right conditions and then taking 30 second exposures gave me plenty of time to enjoy the ambience of this my final mountain scene. The sound of the water, the gently falling leaves, the myriad of colors from vibrant green to red, brown and gold, and the lush woods that filled the gorge where this little creek flowed, I immersed myself in every last detail. I love the mountains, with their vistas, creeks, waterfalls, balds, and mystical forests. For me, Appalachia is the nearest faraway place, one so distinctly different from home, yet oddly enough sometimes the only place I feel truly at home in. I know not when I will be able to visit again, for I have big plans for 2020, but none bringing me here at present. If I do not find myself here again soon, it is not for lack of love, but opportunity.
Tag Archives: Helen
2019/11/04 Raven Cliff Falls and Duke Creek Falls
As humans we are biologically conditioned to judge things based on endings. We place an unbalanced weight on finales. It doesn’t matter how good things were leading up to it. A TV show can deliver deliver eight seasons of captivating, acclaimed programming, and then become subject of derision and ridicule over a lackluster final episode. The New England Patriots can go 18-0 leading up to the Super Bowl and everyone will still think its hilarious when they lose the last game of the year. To Eli freaking Manning. We expect endings and signature moments to help make sense of this cold, cruel world.
“Huh” was all I had to say as I reached the namesake and terminus of the Raven Cliff Falls Trail. That is not exactly a ringing endorsement.
2019/11/04 – Experiencing Anna Ruby Falls
Fall is special, there is no doubt about it. There is something in humanity that makes us flock to it so we can revel in its myriad of colors. How is it that the colors of death provide such a breath of life? Maybe it’s because the death of the leaves occur but the tree still lives on, ready to endure the cold and then emerge in a burst of green as spring and summer warmth returns. The air itself paradoxically provides a feeling of warmth with its chill, much welcome after the assault of summer heat waves. All in all, there is a romantic quality to the season, and when you find a special place illuminated in fall color, it feels like you’re walking in a dream. I can remember the select few times I’ve been in an area that was really and truly fully overtaken with fall color, with cloudy weather to bring out every varied shade of the woods. One was visiting Jones Gap State Park in South Carolina, where a small pocket of impressive fall color held out till very late into November of last year. The other was at Anna Ruby Falls.
J. Parker Nature Stories 