Saying "Goodbye" to a difficult year,

So Looking forward to a fresh start.

~~~

Photo taken this past summer

at Sarah P. Duke Gardens

Near Duke University

in Durham, NC

Reynolda Garden at Evening

 
Come on an evening stoll

at

Reynolda Gardens
 

~~~

This was the formal

garden and historic home 

of Katherine and RJ Reynolds



There's formal gardens,
 

a beautiful greenhouse,

pergolas and fountains.

Reynolda Gardens

is located in

Winston-Salem, NC.

~~~

Their walking trails

are part of the

NC Birding Trails.

Everyone is welcome to come and 

stroll though the gardens and 

visit the surrounding village.

~~~

The historic home has been turned 

into a Museum of American Art.

~~~

Southern Style

 
We recently had the pleasure of 

visiting my husband's sister's home

This is her newest addition

to the family - 

Cleveland

~~~

We enjoyed a couple of nights sitting

out in their back yard birdwatching

while my brother-in-law grilled.

He was filling us in on some of the

history of Georgia, and we were

getting a rare chance to

see a pair of pileated woodpeckers

fly through their woodlands.  

We had the pleasure of

trying what I now call
"brother-in-law potatoes"

~~~

~~



These were actually cooked
in a wheelbarrow
with coals beneath
and above



He put in chuncks of
sweet potatoes, onion,
and garlic. 

They were also
seasoned with salt, 
pepper and olive oil.
 


Cook over the coals for
about an hour,
turning the potatoes once.







The aroma from the cooking

potatoes and onions kept our

mouths watering until...

our wonderful steak supper...... southern style

~~~

~

West Pointe Mill on the Eno River...

~~~~~~~

This meme been making the rounds

and I thought I would have fun too.

This is what I would be today...

Join in!

If I were a month, I'd be June…
If I were a day, I’d be Saturday...
If I were a time of day, I’d be 8 p.m...
If I were a font, I’d be Freestyle Script…

If I were a sea animal, I’d be a clown fish...
If I were a direction, I’d be South...
If I were a piece of furniture, I'd be a piano...
If I were a liquid, I'd be sweet tea...

If I were a gemstone, I'd be a sapphire...
If I were a tree, I'd be a Yoshino cherry tree…
If I were a tool, I'd be a trowel...
If I were a flower, I'd be a pink Calla lily…

If I were an element of weather, I'd be a light Spring rainshower...
If I were a musical instrument, I'd be a bell…
If I were a color, I'd be Purple…
If I were an emotion, I'd be in love…

If I were a fruit, I'd be a sweet, but tart blackberry…
If I were a sound, I'd be the lapping of waves on the shore…
If I were an element, I'd be silver…
If I were a car, I'd be a Subaru Forester...

If I were a food, I'd be a flaky, fried flounder…
If I were a place, I'd be a waterfall…
If I were a material, I'd keep you warm...
If I were a taste, I'd be sweet…

If I were a scent, I'd be Cinnamon...
If I were a body part, I'd be the small of a back…
If I were a song, I'd be The Climb …
If I were a bird, I'd be a Bluebird…

If I were a gift, I'd be everything you ever wanted!
If I were a city, I'd be Naples…
If I were a door, I'd be propped open…
If I were a pair of shoes, I'd be a pair of hiking boots…

If I were a poem, I'd be A Little Glimpse of Heaven…

~~~~~~~

~~~

~

Playing in the Waterfall

My blog friend Dagmar, from Holland, asked me to play along and have some fun so here I go. Okay you guys, wanna join the fun? Here's what to do:

1. Open your first photo folder
2. Scroll to your 10th photo

3. Then post that exact photo with it's story

4. After you've done that tag 5 people to play along.

Here the story to go along with the photo:

On one of the last days of our summer vacation in Cashiers, NC or "Paradise", we loaded up the children and all went to spend an hour or two wading in the pool at the bottom of Silver Run Falls. It got it's name from the silvery or platinum sand that covers this whole area. It must be mica or some mineral that has been chipped away by the falls. There is a ledge right under the waterfall where you can stand and let the ice cold water tumble right over you. It is very cold water, even in the summer time.

The pool is rather large and has a walking path all the way around to the other side of the falls. If you climb over opposite the falls, you can see another fall above this one upstream.

It is a wonderful way to enjoy the best of North Carolina!

Here are my 5 tagees:

http://possumkitty.blogspot.com/
http://nenslens.blogspot.com/
http://ols1-ols1.blogspot.com/
http://jeanneklaver.blogspot.com/
http://danceofapaintedlady.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much for tagging me Dagmar!! This was fun!!

~~~

Watching the Birds Feed in the Snow!

Here is a little wren we spent Valentine's morning with at my parent's house, along with a suprise snow.

~~~

We woke up to the snow, and my dad and I spent atleast an hour roaming about the yard taking photos.

~~~

The gold finches below decided to join us also.

Can you see the finch in flight?

~~~

~

Kreativ Blogger Award

I feel so honored to receive this award from Jeanne. This is my first ever award for either of my blogs. My first blog, yadkinvalleyhome is what I consider my "real photoblog". This one was sort of an afterthought where I can send out a little bit more about my personality.

Thank you Jeanne so much. Please visit Jeanne's blog at http://jeanneklaver.blogspot.com/ to see more about her life in Pennsylvania and her travels.

The instructions for me to are as follows:

1. Thank the person giving the award.
2. Copy the award to this blog.
3. Place a link to their blog.
4. Name 7 things people don't know about you
5. Nominate 7 bloggers who you admire (WHAT? ONLY 7???
6. Place a link to these bloggers
7. Leave a comment on their blog notifying them of the award.

Seven things people don't know about me:

1. I'm also a painter; photography was sort-of just a hobby until 2009. Now I'm learning watercolor painting.

2. All my photos (even on yadkinvalleyhome) so far have been taken from a simple, point and click camera - an older Sony Cybershot. And I don't have Photoshop either. I wanted my photos to be something anyone could do, even without expensive equipment.

3. My lifelong dream is to live in the mountains.

4. Geneaology has been a 10 year + hobby of mine. I have huge charts of both sides of our families and cabinets full of info, probably enough for a book.

5. Before the children came along, I owned a retail pet store.

6. After eating out and having a great meal, I like to come home and recreate the recipe.

7. My son and I enjoy raising finches together.


This last part was the hardest, seven bloggers who I admire:

1. Dagmar - http://barefootfromheaven.blogspot.com/ She shows her deep character to go along with her wonderful photos.
2. Mark - http://appalachiantreks.blogspot.com/ I love Mark's photos of the Appalachian Mountains.
3.Lee - http://fromthesehills.wordpress.com/ Lee has wonderful quotes of wisdom to go along with beautiful photos of flowers.
4. Jessica - http://jessicayusdi.blogspot.com/ Jessica shows us many gorgeous photos of her travels and her beautiful son.
5. Stephen - http://nikonsniper.blogspot.com/ Stephen is a new blog for me to follow. I like the crispness of his photos and the variety of everything he posts.
6. Sandy - http://4pointsphotography.blogspot.com/ Sandy shows us her wonderful outdoor world in a unique way.
7. Beverly - http://beverlygilbert.blogspot.com/ Beverly is so talented with color and her beadwork. Her creations are amazing!!

Pease also view all the blogs on the right-hand of my page.

It inspires me everyday to read about their travels or hear about their day. They all add so much to my life.

Thanks for visiting!!