A Spring road trip

Last week, Bill and I took a 3-day road trip to East Tennessee.  I joked to Bill that we went from the No. 2 highest pollen area in the USA to the No. 1 highest area.....but it was well worth it!  The flowers, plants and trees literally took my breath away!!  This tree was covered by tiny honey bees.  They were so into getting their sweet nectar that they paid no attention to this budding photographer intent on getting close.


Of course, I journaled as Bill drove.  I'll just jot down a few of my "perceptions," and occasionally toss in a picture or two.
sticking to the back roads...Cumberland Gap area..."there is a redbud tree every 1-1 1/2 feet"...Dog n Suds-a pet grooming place...Rogersville, Tenn. just after they had had a gully washer (toad strangler Bill said)...beautiful rainbow-a promise from God...little black calf romping in the field with momma watching closely...spotting the huge Pepsi cap letting us know we had arrived in Johnson City.

 

Spring arrives at Milligan College campus

Seegar Chapel overlooks the campus       

and the steeple and cross stretch high into the heavens...along with the redbud blossoms. 

The newest building on campus is the Gregory Center for Liberal Arts.  I really enjoyed the architecture of this building and the mural on the outside.  The windows and doors also were quite striking.

 

 In driving the Johnson City countryside, we crossed Doe River again and again and again.  I loved this spot where the grapevines provide an awesome window view of the bubbling spring.

Yes, there are lovely mountain ranges in East Tennessee...and the "blue-ness" of it all is striking.

 No trip to East Tennessee is complete without a journey up Roan Mountain...even though the famed Rhododendron Gardens will not be in their glory until June.  At the top, close to 6,000 feet, the Appalachian Trail crosses.  I read that each year around 400 hikers complete this trail which runs from Georgia to Maine and covers 2,175 miles.  If you're interested, Bill quickly calculated that if they walked 8 miles a day it would take them 272 days to complete the hike. 
I was again struck by the eerie beauty of the Balds, large grassy areas atop Roan Mountain close to Carver's Gap. 

 We took a lovely drive over to Asheville, North Carolina, home of the Biltmore Estates...if you haven't toured this place...you gotta.  We've been twice, so this time we just enjoyed the flowers.

 WOW!








Roadside beauty!

Truly lovely!












What are these white beauties?  fothergilla, Kimberly told me...and they smell great!

what else...just a little traveling music..a little Willie (not Willie Johnson, Willie Nelson...and yes, there is a story there!) and a little Enya and a little Simon and Garfunkel and a little of our personal CD from Jason & Laura with music from 1938, 1946, 1967, 1970 and 1975 (some great years for us) and also, a little Jim Reeves which Bill picked up at Cracker Barrel.  Also, some good food, including a visit to The Firehouse for Tennessee's most famous barbeque!

YES, we had a great time!