Overlook at Pilot Mountain

 

In late afternoon, I began a road trip with a group of friends with our destination being none other than Pilot Mountain. The sun was beginning to set as the Hybrid we drove struggled to reach the top. We followed the road as it took us on curves and closer to our goal. The air grew thinner, but the excitement thickened.

When we arrived, there was a slight coolness in the air. Though we didn’t get a clear view of the sun set, you can see some pink on the horizon in this picture. This is a view of Big Pinnacle Overlook from Little Pinnacle Overlook. The mountain befoe us was a white quartzite monadnock. Pilot Mountain is part of the A.V.A Yadkin mountain. It rises up to 2,421 feet above sea level and expands across 3,703 acres! A combination of hours in the car, tiredness, but a feeling of amazment washed over me as I gazed at the valley directly below us. 

If you look out and beyond, you can see some pristine, untouched forest along with homes resting in the valley. It looks so peaceful and almost undisturbed. Further out you might even catch a glimpse of Hanging Rocks State Park which we conquered the following day.

Summer Awakens Garden Life

 

It is that time of year when the heat of the summer is upon us, but it is also the time when flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing, and butterflies are beginning to emerge. This year, I’ve got squash, large tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, and butterfly plants in my garden. The chocolate mint has really been a sensation this year. News of it has been spreading around the preschool that I work at and my dad has been drying it to distill. Other exciting happenings, are that my hollyhocks (picture below) are blooming with it being their second year and my native Common Milkweed is getting flowers. I’ve been waiting two years to see them bloom.

Hollyhocks getting ready to open.

A bumble bee enjoying lavender.

Yarrow which is a herb used for fevers.

Penta

The squash and zucchini have started producing. I’ve got an entire row for them, though it looks like the squash borers might soon steal my family’s feast. With gardening, you’ve got to get used to the fact that you will have to compete with insects and animals in the battle for food. It is all part of the journey. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing pictures from my garden.