Woodland - Tumblr Posts
Inside the sunset.
Nantahala has always been a very distinct color of green in the summer.
I sure do love the woods
I love the snow. Most of my birthdays have been spent up in the mountains, and every time I get the gift of watching snow fall. This weekend was no different.
Copper Mountain, Colorado
Old growth forests are special in their own right. Add floodplain, southern swamp, and wetland elements to it, and you have such a diverse landscape. With the lack of rainfall in recent weeks, the floodplain has soaked up much water, leaving many guts and swamps with dry beds. You can see the underside of what these trees look like under water. Not to fret though, rain will come soon and so the wetland cycle continues.
I usually do not bring my camera bag with me when I’m deep in the woods, but I decided to this weekend in Congaree National Park.
The floodplain old growth forest, full of swamp guts and land often under water, hides truly ancient bald cypress trees. They are treasures the land works to preserve. The ecosystem within Congaree is hard to navigate and most of the time is not a friendly place to explore. You have to accept the creatures, bugs, mushy ground, and very long walks - but when you see the old growth- it’s always worth it. It reminds me that we are all here as a small part of this world among trees that were here 1,000 years before us. The old growth and the young cypress trees will be here long after each of us. To me, it is a humbling, calming reminder.
Mount Mitchell was absolutely perfect today, and Pisgah always welcomes me back with a warm embrace. Putting on my boots and walking the Balsam Trail meant the world to me.
I actually took my real camera on the hike with me for once, and I CANT wait for you to see some of these photos.
I often have a hard time picking favorites, especially when it comes to nature… but, the Balsam Trail at Mt. Mitchell is absolutely my favorite I’ve hiked in the Appalachians. It’s the most unique trail - completely different from anything you’d ever see in this region of the world. Stepping from the peak of the tallest mountain in the Appalachians, and into the threshold of the Balsam Trail - it teleports you. The fog you see in the background is no fog, we’re in a cloud 6,684 ft in the sky. Pisgah National Forest has a huge piece of my heart.
Along the Balsam Trail at the top of Mt. Mitchell, I captured something - an elder of the trees laid to rest.
Blue Ridge Parkway near Mount Mitchell.
The beautiful decay of the forest floor, regenerating into new life.
More photos from the Balsam Trail. Mount Mitchell, NC. The magic of Appalachian summers.
The Black Mountains are often under the cover of clouds and fog.
Through the thick of it in the Black Mountains of North Carolina.
What’s my fantasy? Disappearing in the forest and becoming one with the old growth.
I had a dream about Mount Mitchell last night. Woke up this morning and fog covered my surroundings. I can’t escape my memories.
#NorthernBarredOwl
The hoot of a Northern Barred Owl (Canadian Chouette rayée aka la Chouette Folle) has been heard last night. My girlfriend caught the sound with her mobile. Of course no picture or video has been made; It is always pitch dark around here at night. But the sound is great. It was around 2am.
A little woodland scene painted with three spare watercolour half pans.
I found these in a box of half pans I’d forgotten about while digging out my gouache. I don’t use pre-made pans anymore (I just squeeze tubes into them), so I thought I’d pick two or three out at a time and mess around with limited palettes. I played it safe this time with sepia, yellow ochre and intense green, but next time I might pick some at random and see what I can do.
The tiny sketchbook is also something I used half of and then forgot about. I seem to have used a lot of it for swatches so I think it deserves some nicer pieces.