Smokey Mountains - Hope in him

 

The LORD is good to those whose hope 

is in him,  to the one who seeks him; 

it is good to wait quietly 

for the salvation of the LORD.

It is good for a man to bear the yoke

while he is young.  

Let him sit alone in silence,

for the LORD has laid it on him,

Let him bury his face in the dust--

there may yet be hope.

Let him offer his cheek to one

who would strike him,

and let him be filled with disgrace.

For men are not cast off

by the LORD forever.

Though he brings grief, he will

show compassion, so great is his

unfailing love. For he does not 

willingly bring affliction

or grief to the children of men.

Lamentations 3:25-33 NIV

Fontana Lake and Dam

 Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, ad it will be done."

Matthew 21:21

Rhythm of a flowing River

"But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
By Alfred Tennyson


I am renewed and refresh every time I visit the forest, mountains, rivers, and wildlife.  There is a rhythm of hope in every sound of nature. Nature's rhythm is music to my heart.

The Trees

The Trees


by Phillip Larkin


The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said;
The recent buds relax and spread,
Their greenness is a kind of grief.


Is it that they are born again
And we grow old?  No, they de too,
Their yearly trick of looking new
Is written down in rings of grain.


Yet still the unresting castles thresh
In fullgrown thickness every May.
Last year is dead, they seem to say,
Begin afresh, afresh, afresh.

Mary Lee Smith-Brown with her granddaughter Angela in Cherokee County, Ga.  She loved the Smoky Mountains.  She had Cherokee Indian ancestors, Augusta Cole and Mourning Brown who lived in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.

New Year's Resolution - Return to Cades Code

My New Year's Resolution is to return to the Smoky Mountains in spring and again in early November.  We may catch the first snow fall of the winter season like we did on this trip.  We also drove in rain and sleet and the main road was closed due to snow and ice.  It was an adventure of breathtaking beauty and I will do it again and again. I consider the Smoky Mountains as my home away from home.  It is were my ancestors  dwell for hundreds of years.  I can feel the spirits of native Americans in these woods, mountains and streams.

Shades of Cades Cove

Nature's Palette

Abrams Creek Serenity

Abrams Creek Waterfall

Abrams Creek Fall Foilage

Abrams Creek Smoky Mountains

Abrams Creek in Cades Cove was beautiful with the yellow and orange trees hanging over and along side the roaring rapids.  Snow had just started to fall and rest on the upper tree limbs.

Little River Road Smoky Mountains

Little River Road is a scenic drive to Cades Cove Loop Road.

Cade Coves Loop

A Smoky Mountain Winter Wonderland

Smoky Mountains Early Snowfall

It was cold, windy, raining and then the snow started falling.  It was a beautiful scene with snow on the treetops falling on colorful leaves.  Fall meets Winter Wonderland.