An artist captures nature by painting it at Bass Lake, North Carolina
Observing Nature – and Painting It
Category Archives: North Carolina
Observing Nature – Pearls on Branches
Early on a foggy winter morning, the sun creates diffused light and shadows, while the dew drops seem like pearls on branches
Flowers – Petunia
Petunias are among the most popular flowering annuals for good reason. Petunias are bright and lively, bloom from spring until frost, and scent the air with lovely fragrance. Captured this flower color combination in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Flowers – Purple Coneflower
A native to the eastern United States, purple coneflowers are found in many flower gardens. Planting purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in the garden or flower bed draws bees and butterflies, ensuring that nearby plants have plenty of pollinators. Captured these in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Flowers – Mountain Hydrangea
Mountain Hydrangea lives up to its name. It shares the showy blooms and beautiful pink or purple color of big-leaf hydrangeas, but because it grows wild on the chilly mountain tops instead of the mild seaside, it naturally developed substantially better cold tolerance. The sturdy lacecap blooms will be bright pink or deep purple-blue, depending on your soil pH, and the handsome dark green foliage resists wilting. Found these in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Flowers – Colorful Hydrangea
Blooming in spring and summer, the Hydrangea is considered a shrub. But despite their ability to be rather large showstoppers in your yard, how to grow hydrangeas isn’t a question even the novice gardener will need to ask – these beauties all but grow themselves. Reaching up to 15 feet in height, the hydrangea grows quickly and often fills in a space in just one summer. Captured these flowers in Hickory, North Carolina.
Flowers – Petunia
Petunia is genus of 20 species of flowering plants of South American origin and one of the most popular to grow. Here are some from Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Flowers – Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are some of the most beautiful flowers in the world with over 75 species. “Hydor” means water and “angos” means jar or vessel, emphasizing the need to water this particular flower often. Hydrangeas don’t have petals, but sepals, which are leaves that protect the flower bud. Only after they age do they turn from green to the pigmented colors you see. Here is a sampling from Hickory, North Carolina.
River Flowing Midst Greenery
Before all the gushing torrent into Linville Falls, water gently flows in Linville River surrounded by greenery
Water Gushing Past Boulders
Significant rain storms increase the flow of water gushing at Upper Linville Falls, North Carolina
Debris at Upper Linville Falls
Storm damage is still evident and previously accessible viewing areas are closed at Upper Linville Falls, North Carolina.
Rock Formations at the Waterfalls
Spectacular rock formations at the Upper Linville Falls, North Carolina
Two Falls
Linville Falls has two sections – Upper and Lower – and can be viewed from four vantage points. Linville Falls thunders through a towering cliff before pooling in a deep, wide basin below the waterfall and flowing downriver through the 12-mile gorge.
Linville Falls
The Linville River flows from its headwaters high on the steep slopes of Grandfather Mountain and cascades through two falls as it begins a nearly 2,000 foot descent through this rugged and spectacularly beautiful gorge. Known by the Cherokee as “the river of many cliffs,” Linville Gorge was the nation’s first officially designated wilderness area. Linville Falls is probably the most photographed waterfall in North Carolina.
Water Flowing Over the Rocks
After the gushing torrent from Price Lake Dam, water gently flows over the rocks going down the stream
Viewing the Dam
Visitors enjoy the view of Price Lake Dame near Blowing Rock, North Carolina
Foggy Images – Clouds over Bass Lake
Low hanging clouds over Bass Lake viewed from Moses Cone Manor
Foggy Images – Moses Cone Manor View
Low hanging clouds create a foggy scene over Bass Lake as viewed from Moses Cone Manor. Flat Top Manor, as it is most commonly known, is also called the Moses Cone Manor, and is located on Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
The Curve of the Linn Cove Viaduct
This award-winning complex concrete bridge (Linn Cove Viaduct) is a symbol of pride to landscape architects and engineers for its marriage of beauty with utility and habitat protection.
Foggy Images – Linn Cove Viaduct
Fog slowly rolls towards Linn Cove Viaduct on Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. The Linn Cove Viaduct hugs the face of Grandfather Mountain and is recognized internationally as an engineering marvel.
Photos by Ravi 