Photos by Dick

A number of us spent a couple nights at Vogel State Park in far north Georgia hiking, eating and generally having a great time.  Our long hike was the Jarrad Gap trail, part of the Appalachian trail to the top of Blood Mountain, and the down the Slaughter Creek trail, a distance of something over 8.5 miles.  We also did a number of turns around Lake Trahlyta, but that’s only a mile or so.

I shot the sunrises, but only the first was really any good.  The first time around the lake on the first afternoon showed good color, but the last time around just before leaving was spectacular.  Buck and I stopped frequently to admire the view and decide a composition.  My thanks to Buck for some pictures I would not have see otherwise.

The first few pictures are from Dick’s Creek near Turner’s Crossroads.  Its on my way, so I left early and took time to look for reflections in the creek below the falls.  Some success there, but not as much as hoped for.

Herewith the pictures:

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Did a workshop by Bill and Linda Lane in Brevard, NC right after the remnants of tropical storm Nate blew through.  The waterfalls were flowing full-faucet, and the creeks were up, so far up many of the best photo ops were just not accessible.  Still a great time, fun people, and I learned something too.  🙂

I was disappointed in most of my waterfall shots because there was so much water most of the details were obscured, or I just couldn’t find a point of view I liked.  So I’ll return again to try again.

My favorite shots are toward the end:  the square picture of fog in the trees, and any of the sunrise shots.

The Sonny Day Hikers hiked the trail as prelude to next week’s hike by the Hearthstone Hikers.  I expected some damage from the recent storms, but we  found relatively little to impede us.

The Georgia Master Naturalists planted a garden of native plants at the Bethelview Road trailhead on the Forsyth County Greenway.   The garden is now nearing the end of its second year, and the plants are doing nicely.  I visited there three times in May and June of this year.    I can’t id most of them.  The full set is here, but I’ve included a couple teasers.  🙂

At the Laurentian Environmental Center north of Virginia, MN.  The full set of pictures is here, but I’ve included my favorites in this post to get started.

Family vacation at Santa Rosa Beach, FL.  Pictures here.

Two things here:  First, a set of pictures taken at the Atlanta Botanical Garden at Gainesville.  Not large, but very nicely done.  Second is three taken on the Rocky Mountain trail off Indian Grave Gap road north of Helen, GA.

The garden was having an exhibit of bronze frog sculptures called “The Ribbit Exhibit.”

Zenny, one of the nineteen sculptures.

The model railroad at the gardens.

Fred and Ethel

And, of course, a few flowers.  “)

My favorite.

And from the trail:

Flame azeleas.

And the rhodedendron  were in bloom.

Pictures from two places:  first, the native plant garden done by the Georgia Master Naturalists, and second, a hike with the Hearthstone Hikers at the Arrowhead Interpretive Wildlife trail.  I got is a bit of a rut doing flower close-ups.

So, some plants native to Georgia, or maybe even specifically north Georgia:

Crimson beebalm, I think.

Spiderwort.  This one I know.

And a hosta from my back yard.

Then from Arrowhead trail:

A bumble bee o n a thistle.

Trumpet Creeper blooms and buds.

And just a nice fungus.

A scouting hike and then the Hearthstone Hikers at the Arrowhead Interpretive Nature Trail near Floyd Springs, GA in early June.   Great weather both days, and a most informative ranger-led hike.

My favorite mushroom.  🙂

A nice wetland pond.

And a couple of the intrepid group.

Views of some of the many ponds.  The place was originally a fish hatchery.

And lastly, some of what was blooming.

A potpourri of pictures taken in the second half of May and June first.  I am trying to use my ultra-wide angle lens more, just because I don’t often use it.

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Sunrise over Lake Lanier.  Best sunrise we’ve had in a while that I could shoot

This and the next are from the Native Plant garden by the GA Master Naturalists.  It is at the Bethelview Road trailhead of the Forsyth County greenway.

Daylilies in my neighbor’s yard.

Magnolia bloom in a neighbor’s yard.

These last are from Gibbs Gardens.  First is a set of Hydrangea blooms.

A little pollinator at work.  I think the flower is an iris.

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A frog, variety tbd.

Waterlily bloom.  Can’t not shoot them.

And a damselfly, I think.