Like many other days this fall,
I left early this morning and drove northward
to the Blue Ridge mountains. Give me a day like this,
my hiking boots, and my camera, and there is no happier man on earth.
While my destination was the Eastatoe Valley,
I stopped by one of my favorite spots, Pinnacle Lake,
which is located below Table Rock Mountain. The sun was
still relatively low at that point and there was hardly any wind,
all of which created perfect conditions for catching wonderful reflections in the lake.
This patch of woods was especially beautiful,
and it reminded me of a large, abstract impressionist painting.
I often find that looking up through
the trees, especially when the leaves and limbs
are backlit, provides lovely perspectives which are easy to miss.
The fields and forests of the Eastatoe Valley
are beautiful in any season, but they are especially vibrant in the fall.
The people who settle in this valley
tend to be rugged individuals. This is
a perfect spot to live for those who want to
live the simple life in a simple cottage,
surrounded by the beauty of the natural world.
Look in any direction,
and you're sure to find something magical . . .
. . . perhaps the textured, colorful woods of November . . .
. . . or a trail like this one that leads one through a beautiful forrest . . .
. . . to the peace and tranquility of Twin Falls.
Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on top of the dishevelled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame.
W.B. Yeats, The Land of the Heart's Desire
