Dillard, Rabun County, Georgia - Cornfield

I have been watching this cornfield grow with interest, waiting for it to mature and the right day to shoot its image. And, hoping it would not be cut before I got the shot. Yesterday was the day and I took several photos of it. Today I printed 5-8x10 prints that will be available for sale as a matted print ready for framing for $25 each. In the near future I will be printing larger photos of this same field. Please, contact me if you are interested in purchasing any of my photos. These are printed on Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster.

Rabun Gap Nacoochee School

Beautiful skies over Rabun Gap today. Enjoy!

Tallulah River Walk

Jean and I took a walk along the Tallulah River again this morning. Along the way I came up with the idea of doing some photography workshops next year, 2014. This would be a great place to do so. Anyone interested in kicking the idea around and getting a preview, shooting photos out there, please, let me know. We can take a walk along the river and take a few photos for the fun of it. No charge. I am just testing the waters and like to take pictures for now.

Waterfall on Chasteen Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

During the off trillium season, the time that rarely do you find anything that looks like a trillium, Jean and I go hiking. Last night we went to the Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. We drove to the Smokemont Campground and walked out the Smokemont Loop Trail to the Chasteen Creek Trail. The waterfall shown here was our destination. We just made it before dark and walked most of the way back in twilight and finally by flashlight.

New Passion

Yes, I have a new passion, VIDEO! Stay tuned, more to come! Later.

Clingmans Sunflower

Here is a sunflower I found along the road to Clingmans Dome last week. I don't know which variety it is so I will just call it Clingmans Sunflower for fun. Friday night we went up again and climbed the trail to the tower on Clingmans Dome. All along the trail were Clingmans Sunflowers with just the center part. A very few had yellow leaves. As the days pass this week I expect the yellow petals will sprout and make a photographers field of dreams come true. All the month of August these should be in full bloom if the history of years past holds true.

Bee Balm

Here is a pretty flower you can find along the Clingman's Dome Road and on the trail up to Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is also blooming on in other parts of the park and along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. Now is the time to look for it. You may have to slow down on the highway because it blends into the forest edge pretty well. Even so, there are clusters of this amazing wildflower that make for a colorful scene, especially when it is mixed with yellow sunflowers in places like the Clingmans Dome Trail.

On the farm, Fayette County, Indiana

Eric Angeles, one of my Facebook Friends posted this great photo of a Prairie Trillium. So, since I am pretty far from Indiana and I don't think I will find a Prairie Trillium in Georgia, I asked Eric if I could post it here for your enjoyment. Actually according to the USDA maps it is nearby in North Carolina and Alabama and most of the east but, not in South Carolina, Georgia or Florida. It may be rather rare and/or threatened in many states. Interesting, one common name is Bloody Butcher. I may do some research to find out how that came about.

Little Cascade on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Trillium of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Found in the Chattahoochee National Forest

Standing Rock Overlook Blue Ridge Parkway

Red & White

Catesby's on the Short Line Trail

Warwoman Dell - Hepatica & Ferns

Little Waterfall

Warwoman Dell, Vasey's Trillium

Persistent Trillium

The Persistent Trilliums are blooming this morning at Tallulah Gorge State Park. We found several. You do have to look pretty hard to find them. They are on the endangered species list and only are found in a few counties of NE Georgia and NW South Carolina. These are for the most part within 4 miles of Tallulah Gorge (Tallulah Falls, Georgia). I have found that they usually are in bloom for about 3 weeks in the spring. The flower is small and often bends over a bit making them fairly hard to photograph.

Three Trilliums

Painted Trillium

The Painted Trillium is one of the favorites found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and other parts of the the Southern Appalachian Mountains. At the moment the Kephart Trail is closed due to the reconstruction of US 441 where a landslide fell last winter. It should be open again May 15, 2013. Before then the highway is open on the NC side up to Collins Creek Picnic Area. There are many trillium wildflowers that bloom in April and May near the picnic area. Maybe even a Painted Trillium.

The Traveler

     When I came up with the name Trillium Traveler I was looking for a name for this blog. I have another blog I use to write whatever is on my mind at the moment. But, Trillium Traveler has become more or less unused when the trilliums are not in bloom. While I can use old photos of trilliums or just write notes, I think it will be better to add the Traveler to this blog. I like to travel even more than I like trillium wildflowers. And, I can travel all year long. So, from now on you will find more photos of my travels on this blog along with the photos of trilliums when I choose to post time. It will be more of a trillium/traveler blog. Hope you will stay with me. Thanks.
     The Pecos River or Rio Pecos runs east of the Rio Grand and eventually into the Rio Grand well into Texas. Last fall we followed this road along the Pecos River in New Mexico until the river ran away from the road. As it looked, it could run on forever and we were on our way home. Upon this realization we turned around and headed back to Interstate 40 and points east.
     www.rhconfortzone.blogspot.com
is my other blog if you just can't get enough here and you can find me on Facebook, too.

Litterbug!

Please dispose of trash properly. Leave the world a better place.

Blue Ridge Parkway

It won't be long until the Blue Ridge Parkway is open again, I hope. There will be trilliums blooming between the Great Smoky Mountains and Asheville, North Carolina, I am sure. With the recent snows it may be a week or two until the opening. Since the Great Smoky Mountains New Found Gap Road is closed until the landslide is repaired we are all awaiting the opening to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We also are looking forward to the opening of the New Found Gap Road, too, I expect. Let spring begin!

Sometimes

At Devils Fork State Park I just had to take another picture.

Oconee Bell Wildflower

The Oconee Bell flower is only about one half inch tall and as you may have guessed shaped like a bell. The day we were there is was raining so these are dripping with rain.

Oconee Bell Wildflowers of Devils Fork State Park

We did find Oconee Bell wildflowers blooming along the stream bed in Devils Fork State Park near Lake Jocassee and Salem, South Carolina. It seems Oconee Bell wildflowers only grow near sandy stream beds and only in local areas of North Carolina and South Carolina and Georgia.

Toadshade Trillium

Yesterday, Sunday, March 24, we were not deterred by the rain or cold. We traveled to Devils Fork State Park in South Carolina in search of Oconee Bell wildflowers. On the way we stopped at a favorite trillium site in the Chattahoochee National Forest. It is along US 76 on the Georgia side of the Chattooga River. Literally, hundreds of trillium bloom here each year. Sure enough we found time doing well bursting forth in hopes of spring.

Congaree National Park Thrush

Here is a puzzle. This appears to be either a Gray-cheeked or a Bicknell's Thrush. It was kind enough to just allow me time to take several photos. These species are very similar. An amateur such as myself would have a difficult time making an ID. So, I will leave it up to you.

Great Blue Heron & Cypress

Jean spotted a Great Blue Heron hunting among the giant Cypress trees in Congaree. I put on my 55 to 200 zoom lens and tried to sneak up on the wary great blue. When I would take a step it would take a step. In order to get the shot I had to anticipate where it would be next. Hiding behind a Cypress tree, I was able to get this photo.

The Traveler

Saturday night Jean and I traveled to Newberry, South Carolina where we spent the night. Sunday morning we got up early and drove to Congaree National Park, South of Columbia, South Carolina. Congaree became a national park in 2004. It was designated Congaree Swamp National Monument in 1976 when loggers wanted to log this old growth forest. Many record sized trees are scattered around the walk ways that were saved from the ax with creation of the Congaree Swamp National Monument. It became a Congaree National Park under then president George W. Bush. The "S" word in the name was dropped in order to increase park visitation. There are miles of trails and boardwalks in the park where we saw several Pileated Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, warblers and other birds.   We did see a few butterflies. If you are ever down in this area it is worth a trip for a day or two.

Little Waterfall at Warwoman Dell

I don't know if there is a name for this little waterfall. It is found in the very back of Warwoman Dell on a little nature trail. It is a great trail to find trillium on. There are two waterfalls in Warwoman Dell, this one and Becky Branch Falls. Becky Branch Falls is found by following the Bartram Trail up from the old CCC fish hatchery ruins and across Warwoman Road. If you drove from Clayton, you crossed this part of the Bartram Trail on Warwoman Road on the way into the park. Follow this steep part of Bartram Trail about 1/4 miles to Becky Branch Falls. There is a wooden bridge across Becky Branch to view the falls from.

Round Leaved Violets at Warwoman Dell

I went trillium hunting at Warwoman Dell. I did find a few just starting to come up but, none with flowers on them. One had a bud. On the right is a photo of a clump of Round Leaved Violets that was growing along the trail. Trail conditions are fairly poor as several trees have fallen across it during the winter. In a couple of weeks I expect the trilliums to really begin their season of blooms.

2013 Persistent Trillium

Signs of spring 2013. This little Persistent Trillium is about to put out its flower. Tallulah Gorge is the only place in the world this wildflower lives. It thrives on the slopes of the gorge and can be found near the trails if one in persistent.

Painted Trillium

The Painted Trillium is one of the prettiest wildflowers in the Smokys. This one grows wild along the Oconaluftee River (Beech Flat's Prong across 441 from the Kanati Trail) on the Cherokee side of the Smokys. It is a small trillium and can be easily overlooked. Please be careful watch your step in this garden. This season the trail is closed until the landslide repairs are done on US 441. The Painted Trillium here will likely be done by the time 441 and related trails reopen. You can find Painted Trilliums elsewhere in the Smokys. You will just have to search likely areas. I know I will be looking for them, too.

Little River Trail Trilliums

These trilliums were found along the Little River Trail in February 2012. So, now is a good time to take a walk along that trail at Elkmont, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Trillium Toadshade sessile

It is almost time for the 2013 Trillium Season. Actually, I have seen my first for the year. Not yet blooming of course but, at the location in the Chattahoochee National forest where I found these last year. The location is on US Hwy. 76 just west of the Chattooga River in Rabun County, Georgia.

This garden is a mess. It is where careless people throw their trash out and it falls among the thriving trilliums. The highway brings people traveling north and south, east and west, thru the mountains to enjoy this beautiful place. A few don't care about the environment we live in and just toss aside whatever they do not want to keep. Here I have found old tires, diapers, beer cans and bottles, cola cans and bottles and just plain old trash. It is not just here. It is along our highways and back roads, in our local parks, state parks and National Parks. I am for beauty. Please, don't trash America.

First Trillium Black Rock Mountain, Georgia

This is a photo of the first Trillium I found last year on March 6, 2012. It was just off the main road going into Black Rock Mountain State Park, Georgia. My first this year was last night February 23 at the Chattooga River along Hwy. 76. I didn't take a photo yet of it. The 2013 trillium season has begun!

Tennessee Rock Trail

One of the main trails in Black Rock Mountain State Park is the Tennessee Rock Trail. This trail goes thru a variety of wild plant habitats. And, in places here is an abundance of trilliums, as well as, other wildflowers and forests. Here are similar trilliums but, as you look closely the color of the flowers are not the same.

Tough Trillium

Some trilliums are quite tough and are not. This one is of a tough variety. I found it growing along the road above the spring house at Black Rock Mountain State Park. This is an area where trilliums and a lot of other wildflowers grow near the Spring House. There is a trail that meanders thru the bed of flowers with signs along it saying not to leave the trail in this sensitive area. Last year after the tornados downed trees someone came in with heavy tracked equipment to remove the fallen trees. There did not seem to be much care in the clean up. Just my opinion on the matter. This year I shall return to see how much damage was really done in this sensitive area. I am hoping many of these tough wildflowers will return in spite of the treatment they endured.

Special Places

Young people probably will never have seen an oil can like this. But, someone left it along with several more in a bed of trillium many years ago. As you can see, it takes decades to recycle products like these in nature. Please, pack out and properly dispose of trash rather than discard it in a natural garden or forest.

Road and Trail Damage

https://www.facebook.com/GreatSmokyMountainsAssociation

For the latest news about some of our favorite places in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park check out the link above.

Valentine's Day is February 14!

I know this isn't about trilliums but, it is important.
DON'T FORGET YOUR VALENTINE!

Dreams of Spring Trillium

Spring is just around the corner. Last year I found trillium leaves coming out of the ground before the snow and ice had melted. It is time once again to start looking for our favorite trilliums. As soon as I find one I will begin posting photos often for you to enjoy.

Spring Time Dreaming

On a rainy day like today I dream about spring. Oh, I would post something rainy but, that wouldn't be any fun. Here I have posted a Cardinal Flower. It is a flower just rare enough we are a little excited to find it and take its picture. This one we found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Greenbrier Unit. I really don't remember finding it but, the file was named Ramsey Falls Trail. So, I figure it was there. February is almost here so, near the end of that month I expect to find the first leaves of a trillium plant appear. Are you ready? I am.

Icicles

This morning while visiting the Great Smoky Mountains I found these icicles along New Found Gap Road just a bit up from the Oconaluftee Visitors Center. I posted it here just to let you know I am still out there. Won't be long until it is trillium season.

Club-Moss

Probably Shining Club-Moss but, I am not sure.