Quick snatches of the Blue Ridge Parkway


Yesterday I needed to get out of the house after the last eye surgery. I feel like my new eyes are a miracle and so I took some photographs on the Parkway. It is a gift to be able to see to write, photograph and paint again. It makes me cry with relief.

 

So, dear friends and readers, yesterday was a partly sunny day with temperatures in the high 50’s. It was a perfect day to drive in the mountains and revel in what Divinity has wrought.

 

When I put a camera up to my eye, I see more than I was seeing before. I have been with non-photographers who were amazed at my photographs because having been with me they didn’t see until what I saw through the lens until they saw the photographs. I think, for me anyway, that my heart and soul see through the camera. They see what is really there. When I began to take pictures, I wanted to prove to myself that this life was real. It wasn’t a dream. I was, by extension, also real. Enough of that, please enjoy the photographs.

 

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Around every curve and hill is more beauty to thrill the soul. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

Around every curve and hill is more beauty to thrill the soul. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

Every day there is more green on the trees. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

Every day there is more green on the trees. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

The Blue Ridge Parkway goes from Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

The Blue Ridge Parkway goes from Virginia, North Carolina and into Tennessee. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

Woodworking on the Parkway. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

Woodworking on the Parkway. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

This is not an autumn photograph. It is new leaves coming out on the branches. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

This is not an autumn photograph. It is new leaves coming out on the branches. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

Wildflowers. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

Wildflowers. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 201

 

 

Have you hugged a tree lately? Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

Have you hugged a tree lately? Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

The Blue Ridge Mountains never stop being a thrill. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

The Blue Ridge Mountains never stop being a thrill. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

 

Carolina Blue sky amongst the trees. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

Carolina Blue sky amongst the trees. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

The mountain air is as sweet to the lungs as the mountains are to the eyes. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

The mountain air is as sweet to the lungs as the mountains are to the eyes. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

Flowers in bloom on trees. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

Flowers in bloom on trees. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio, 2016

 

 

Simple beauty. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2016

Simple beauty. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2016

A Journey Down the Road


Yesterday was such a beautiful day. It was like summer here in the mountains. Of course, it is frequently like that. The sky was Carolina blue with big white cumulus clouds overhead.

So Amy and I started a journey on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I decided to take photographs, no surprise, I am sure. So what follows is a pictorial record of our journey and the colors that are beginning to come to the tops of mountains. I hope you enjoy our trip. I wish you all a fabulous week.

Namaste

Barbara

 

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The French Broad River before we got on the Parkway. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

The French Broad River before we got on the Parkway. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

 

The Blue Ridge Parkway Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

The Blue Ridge Parkway
Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

 

The road is cut out of rock in some places. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

The road is cut out of rock in some places. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

 

The colors are just beginning to show and there are so many shades of green. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

The colors are just beginning to show and there are so many shades of green. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

 

The clouds. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

The clouds. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

There are always more mountains no matter what direction you look. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

There are always more mountains no matter what direction you look. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

 

There are many tunnels going through the mountains. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

There are many tunnels going through the mountains. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

 

Red my favorite color. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

Red my favorite color. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

Sometimes no words are necessary. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

Sometimes no words are necessary. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

Bad Fork Overlook. Photograph and copyright by Amy Halperin 2015

Bad Fork Overlook. Photograph and copyright by Amy Halperin 2015

 

 

Coming out of a tunnel. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

Coming out of a tunnel. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

 

The higher elevation you are at, the more colors you see. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

The higher elevation you are at, the more colors you see. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

The joy of color. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

The joy of color. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

Antique truck out for a ride. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

Antique truck out for a ride. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

A beautiful colorful day. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

A beautiful colorful day. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

 

I love the tunnels and there are many. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

I love the tunnels and there are many. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

 

The River. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015

The River. Photograph and copyright by Barbara Mattio 2015