Blue Ridge Mountains Natural Treasures

November 2, 2013November 6, 2013 / Donna George / Leave a comment

Blue Ridge Mountains

The scenic landscapes of the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains is ever-changing and simply beautiful. Where blue mist hovers over the mountain tops and the evenings are ushered to a close by sky hues of pinks and purples. The trees put the “blue” in Blue Ridge, from the isoprene released in the atmosphere, thereby contributing to the blue haze distinctive color.

Layered long-range view

The Blue Ridge is home to impressive gorges, canyons, lakes and waterfalls, all of which attract tourism for recreational activities year around. Summer presents the opportunity to get on the rivers, ride the rapids and experience a zipline cable ride across the hills. The fall season brings the color change of the leaves, that fills up the hiking trails with photographer enthusiasts, while the winter brings the ski resorts alive and jumping.

Don’t worry, if you are not interested in rock climbing or adventurous activity, there is plenty to do and see for those who just want to experience the natural beauty and serenity of leisurely admiration of the majestic surroundings. There are hundreds of trails to explore and its easy to stumble across hidden nature treasures, like waterfalls, rock ponds, old log cabins nestled along the way. Stay with me – I will share a few treasures I met.

Onlookers view, Linville Falls

Linville Falls

Rushing waters

Red foliage creeping out from between the rock

Dancing waters, Linville Falls

Pristine waterfall

Cliffhanger

Epic rocks

: Boulder gap

Meet our friends Kent & Andrea Powell, missionaries of Mozambique Africa, braving the trail and enjoying the views with us. (everyone wanted our walking sticks) FYI You will hear more about their amazing work for God in Africa later in a special blog, but for now back on the trail.

The leaf season got rushed a little due to a rainy summer and recent snow, but I managed to get a few shots, you might enjoy.

This is what I consider to be a RED leaf

This is what I consider a RED leaf

Trees hidden in the forest that escaped the snow

Air born leaf in the forest

Glendale Springs waterfall

Hidden away in the woods was this beautiful waterfall

Brilliant yellow leaf

A different path to the view

Up and down – all around beauty

There is so much to see…

Price Lake, on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Hope you get there someday.

Smoky Mountain Scenes

October 24, 2013 / Donna George / 4 Comments

If you saw and enjoyed my post on the Smoky Mountain leaf season, here you will find more. It is so beautiful to see and I can’t seem to part with my camera, so I wanted to share these photos with you. This is “peak week” for the leaf season and the colors are exquisite.

New River

cat tails

yellow trees

Black Beauty

majestic

The colors

Curiosity

October 19, 2013 / Donna George / Leave a comment

Donna George Blog

Most of us remember the phrase, “did curiosity kill the cat”? And what happened to Jack when he climbed the gigantic beanstalk? Do you think his courage to climb a mysterious gigantic tree and ultimately end up in a giant’s house, changed him? Absolutely!

Many of us abandon our curiosity when we become adults, leaving behind ourchildlike ways of adventure and explorations. As children we are always growing and learning new things, asking tons of questions, without fear of what others would think. Can you imagine how fun it would be to experience the world with the curiosity of a child, combined with adult wisdom? Why the hesitation?

There are many reasons why people stop asking questions and searching for new things to try. Often times we become comfortable in our routines and lose our vision to create something beyond our current circumstances. The passion simply fades away…

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North Carolina Mountains “Leaf Season”

October 17, 2013 / Donna George / 3 Comments

The Great Smoky Mountains are famous for the beautiful color changes of the leaves in mid October every year. Thousands flock to the high country to catch a glimpse of the spectacular hues of oranges, reds, yellows, olives, and purples.

Fall festivals are in full swing, porches are picturesque with hay, pumpkins and cornstalks, and hay rides are everywhere. If you are not up for a hay ride, then try your luck walking through a huge corn maze.

The Smoky Mountains offer the perfect October getaway for all types of visitors and offers a broad variety of activities. You can hike the trails, visit beautiful waterfalls, ride the bike trails, fish the winding rivers, go horseback riding and do some serious rock climbing. My personal favorite – the Ziplines!

I have some spectacular photos to share with you.

And this is me, camera always in hand – thinking of you all and how I want to share these glorious views. I hope you can make it to these hills on one October.

Curiosity

October 3, 2013 / Donna George / 3 Comments

“The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” – Albert Einstein (Photo credit: QuotesEverlasting)

Many of us abandon our curiosity when we become adults, leaving behind our childlike ways of adventure and explorations. As children we are always growing and learning new things, asking tons of questions, without fear of what others would think. Can you imagine how fun it would be to experience the world with the curiosity of a child, combined with adult wisdom? Why the hesitation?

The fear of what others think paralyze some people from experimenting with new ideas. Thoughts of embarrassment, shame, and judgement surface and these thoughts are scary. We’ve all experienced the sting of criticism and felt foolish, silly and out of our element, but we survived it and grew from the experience.

Ideas to Increase your curiosity

* Study others who excel at what you would like to learn to do.

* Read books out of your genre, but interest you a little.

* Hang out with groups of children occasionally and see their inquisitiveness nature and zest for life.

* Make a list of a new things to try each day and give it a valiant effort.

* Start a day journal and stay committed to living for more joy and excitement.

* Take a few risks, not life threatening kind, but safe risks that challenge you to be a better person.

Curiosity moves mankind to greatness. If no one ever took risks, or dared to chase their dreams, there would be no real heroes among us. We would have no role models to challenge us to greatness.

If you look through history, era after era – curiosity brought forth mighty discoveries. One of my historian favorites is Christopher Columbus. I can only imagine the greatness of his mind. The depth of his curiosity and the size of his determination to set out against all odds and discover America is astounding.

Thinking about historic figures such as Christopher Columbus can inspire us to look at patterns of behavior in our lives that have become routine and predictable. Joy is usually found when we are not in pursuit of it. I believe if we practice experiencing more curiosity, the odds are higher for finding inspiration to keep our spirit alive and our mind healthy.

The mind is a beautiful captivating gift from God, unique to every person on earth. I am intrigued by the many great minds I encounter everyday in life. Some are friends, some are acquaintances and others are just encounters, but they are all different. There is always a reflection or a glimmer of something extraordinary and a desire for more happiness and joy.

Action Point: What are some areas of your life where you can increase your curiosity in hopes to add more overall joy?

10 Random Acts Of Kindness

September 27, 2013October 2, 2013 / Donna George / Leave a comment

Random Acts (Photo credit: MTSOfan)

If you are like me, when you encounter exceptionally nice people, or people who seem particularly gentle and thoughtful to others, you might take a mental note. I notice these type of exchanges at random times and places. I am not referring to times of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or just chaotic events, but just simple acts of kindness in everyday life towards others. Genuine kindness flows from the heart, while superficial actions often come from learned behaviors. Most of us can tell the difference.

The battle of good and evil deep within us seems to war throughout the day. It is easier being selfish and distant than being warm and kind. I find myself constantly challenged in my pursuit of kindness for mankind. It is hard stuff, but at the end of the day, I believe that all of us want to feel good about our actions and behaviors. Our hope is to become more sensitive and passionate about our own personal development.

The kindness of strangers (Photo credit: Ed Yourdon)

Here is a quick list of “10 Random Acts of Kindness” from my note to self list.

1. Make eye contact and smile at others every chance you get.

2. Look for a way to give a compliment to someone and brighten their day.

3. Pay for the car’s food order behind you at the drive through. (amazing gift)

4. Help a senior citizen load their groceries in their car in the parking lot.

5. Add coins to someone’s expired parking meter.

6. Take your (read) current magazines to a business that could use them.

7. Post positive comments on a community web page of a service you enjoyed.

8. Get involved and take part in a non-profit organization you value.

9. Write a thank you note and send to someone who deserves it (snail mail style).

10. Write a note of appreciation to your mail person or a card to thank them.

The ideas are endless, the acts are kind, and the effects will echo in eternity. The choices we make and the chances we take, determine the satisfaction with life. Live with passion and believe that you can make a difference. You have the exact message that (someone) is waiting to hear. Try being larger than yourself and experiment with life that’s outside of your comfort zone. Who knows, it might be fun.

Be aware that we live in a world that is hypnotically entranced by the (i) culture, as much as we have embraced and accepted it, consider the huge influence of the little letter (i). You might recognize the gigantic impact of the (i) trend on our everyday life, i.e. iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMessage for just a few. And let’s not forget about the powerful little word (me). This is now synchronized in our culture with phrases like, follow me, join me, etc. What does this indicate for the future?

Apple Store – iPhone 5c (Photo credit: Steve Rhodes)

What is the most radical act of kindness or goodwill you have ever done?

Scenes From Summer, Coastal Carolina 2013

September 19, 2013 / Donna George / 1 Comment

a little more summer blue

Consider The Possibilities

September 10, 2013September 10, 2013 / Donna George / 1 Comment

sea oats

Two little words… WHAT IF…Think of the possibilities.

I can do this!

I am doing that!

It’s true, you can make your dreams, if you are willing to reach out and work for them. Most people have heard the quote “shoot for the moon, if you don’t make it, you will fall among the stars”. For some people the stars are not the dream, so they press on… and keep trying, never considering giving up.

carolina beach sea oats

I believe that our dreams somehow keep us alive inside, inspire us to continue to hope and believe in ourselves. I love being around friends who are zealous for life, it’s contagious. It’s like a powerful energy that changes the atmosphere and makes me happier. I love the moments my imaginations jumps into full throttle and climbs to a peak and stops. It’s a magical place to travel, exclusively (only to you).

The key is to hold on to those dreams and impressions, get a plan together, and activate baby steps. Look for resources to help you and keep moving forward. you can look back, but don’t stare. Staring can cause you to stumble, procrastinate and doubt yourself.

Think big! Personally, I like achieving the possibilities that once seemed completely out of reach, like pie in the sky. I make myself little rewards for what I carry out along the way, The past is our road maps marked with boundaries that prepare us for what lies ahead. I like to think of the past as a warm up exercise that has me equipped for the future. I believe the best is yet to come.

Consider this, ” what if” I am right… Is there something you can imagine that you want to do? Have you exhausted all your possibilities? If you think you have – you probably have, but if you share my passion…we have just begun.

Tell me about the possibilities for you, I dream of being in a book store, as an author of a book, that bleeds my passion and changes the lives of the ones who read it. I have always imagined the scene like it was real, the place, the details in living color, even my outfit and red shoes. Sometimes speaking it out loud will confirm it in your mind. What if…

seagull

Take A Ferry Ride

August 30, 2013 / Donna George / 6 Comments

If you are lucky enough to live near a ferry, I urge you to take a joy ride. This is the Fort Fisher Ferry off the Wilmington NC coast. It’s such a fun way to travel, just buy a ticket and drive your car down one of the lanes. Minutes later, it’s you, your vehicle and the Cape Fear River from every view.

This is me, sharing an extraordinary day with you. I have ridden the ferry many times, but not in several years, and with time, our perspective and appreciation often changes. Excited and eager to fill my eyes with the beautiful canvas of the sea surrounding me on all sides.

One of the best parts is getting out of my jeep, free to walk around on the voyage. Inhaling and indulging on the scent only worn by the sea. And the seagulls and pelicans flying along, popping in and out of the ferry, singing little happy songs along the way. It seems as if they are the ocean’s hospitality ambassadors. Seagulls are always attentive to people, watching, waiting, ready to fly away if you come to close.

You can see all different kinds of ferry boats on the water. Some just transport passengers, luggage, animals, but not vehicles. The ferry I am on arrived in Southport, a small quaint little town where I grew up and went to school. You may have heard of some of the movies being filmed there, like Stephen King’s” Under The Dome”oh, and the recent Nicholas Sparks book “Safe Haven”. Don’t worry, I won’t leave you there…I will share a photo of one of the houses used in the movie “Safe Haven” in Southport.

Departing the ferry in Southport I have that feeling of nostalgia creeping into my reality and eagerly I drive on towards the highway, but first stopping to snap that picture I promised.

So here is one of the set locations. I could show you more, but I have another ferry to catch. By the way, the coastal NC is home to Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill. Wilmington is ” Wilmywood” by Hollywood. Where Hollywood and Wilmington unite.

The next ferry travels to Bald Head Island without your vehicle. This island is so amazing, only golf carts, no cars on the island (except island official vehicles). To describe the island would be another blog. Maybe a part 2 or my first blog sequel. It’s just too spectacular to describe in a sentence or two, so I won’t attempt, but tag the name for your bucket list, it will be worth it.

A few hours later and back to the ride home. Take time to explore the wonders around you. Live some extraordinary days…and take a ferry ride.

xoxo