Kentucky #1

Yesterday we moved from the Mountain Pass campground on the Powell River in northeast Tennessee to the Holly Bay campground on Laurel Lake in the Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. We have a lovely campsite nestled in the woods, very private & plenty spacious.

New painting!

I dug out my watercolors last week and did this 8 x 11 piece on 300# Fabriano cold press paper - a fun change from painting on YUPO.

This scene has been batting around my mind for several years. I'm glad I finally committed it to visual art, and I'm pleased with the result.

Over the past 28 years or so we have hiked many of the canyons in the designated Bears Ears National Monument, discovering cultural historic archeological treasures such as this. Many of these precious places have been opened to 'extractive resources' under Trump's executive orders and may well be destroyed.

Where, oh where?

Can you guess where this is? Jamaica? Puerto Rico? Mexico?
Nope. Guess again.
This incredibly popular BBQ joint is on the Powell River in northeast Tennessee, 5 miles from the highway on a very narrow winding river road.
Forget that old maxim 'location, location,  location'!

Moving on

We finally left our friends' driveway near Mascot TN and are spending a few days at a private RV park about 70 miles north of Knoxville, on the Powell River. It's a beautiful place, remote & small & quiet. We have no phone signal, no private MiFi, and the park's WiFi is spotty. Nevertheless, I'll try posting a few pictures. The 2nd picture is our front yard.

Reptilian Visitor

This Eastern Tennessee Box Turtle, the State Reptile, came to visit us this morning. Stunning markings, absolutely beautiful!

More Tennessee

House Mountain State Park is quite literally just over the hill from where we are parked in friends' driveway outside Knoxville. Nice hiking, deep woods, wildflowers, and millipedes.

Morning excitement

This mature snapping turtle wandered through the backyard where we are parked near Knoxville TN. He's a big old fella - close to 18" long. He was making his way to the ponds, probably coming from the neighbor's pond. Of course he refused to stick his head out when we got near.