"From the Inside Out," 2010 Russ Bralley

 

Lady Winter arrives and makes herself known to the Tennessee Mountains.

 

Had dinner tonight at one of my customary haunts - O' Charley's on Eastman Road.  Big shout-out to fellow outdoorsman and excellent waiter, Keith B (last name too long and complicated to mention here.)  Always feel at home and welcome there, thanks to the totally excellent staff.  Cheers!

This was a sunny, chilly, nice day.  I can handle the winter if the sun warms the room and the birds sing - which they did.  I hear rain and overcast skies are on the way, but also is the Winter Solstice, and after that the days will lengthen towards Spring - which I predict will come early after a frosty start.

 

Pear and Cheese Tort from Germany.

Shout out to Suzanne Voight at Texas Roadhouse tonight:  great service, great food, great conversation!  Thank you!

Now that's a "say something" hat!

The wind blew down my 15' of Tibetan prayer flags during the night.  They traveled across my camp and landed in the embers of my campfire.  I was shocked and surprised to wake up to make coffee and find some of them burned to a crisp.....had the fire followed the string, it might have caught my tent on fire.  Things that make you go "hum?"

A great night in the forest, solo-camping on Iron Mountain at the Wythe/Grayson border.  Warm fire, cold beer and great music under the stars.

St. Patrick's abandoned Roman Catholic Church, Speedwell, Virginia.

"I saw a UFO and nobody believes me"  15 July 2008 - Edgar M. Bralley

"Generations"  Russ Bralley 2014

The 360 degree view from my favorite campsite at Comer's Rock on Iron Mountain in the Mount Rogers National Wildlife area of Washington and Jefferson National Forest, elevation 4,106 ft.  PS: I had bronchitis.  This was the fourth day and the first day I came out of the tent because it rained torrentially for three days.

Central Park, New York City - one of my favorites - not far from my old apartment.

Inishturk Island, County May, Republic of Ireland.

Just returned from the 11 mile trip to Wytheville and a visit to MacDonald's to steal their free WiFi.  Purchased 4 Duraflame logs and a large folding camp chair.  Sky is completely crystal clear and blue, which suggests a very cold night.  Typically, cloudy nights are warmer.  Picked up a cheap thermometer for inside the tent.  I hate second-guessing the temperature.  Called sister Debra from town and sent friend Nancy a text that all was okay.  It is strangely warmer now than it was earlier, although the wind has died down quite a lot.  Just gathered tonight's firewood and broke a sweat!  Popped a Carona and set up my big chair.  Listening to the last bird calls.  The barred owl I heard last evening never came any closer.  6:30 p.m. - Sun has totally disappeared below the horizon and the new thermometer says 54 degrees.  Holding off on lighting fire.  Very quiet - except for falling acorns.

Bliss

Cold and overcast.  Slept very nicely last night under the addition of the two $5 camo mover's blankets I picked up at Harbor Freight.  Awakened around dawn by some commotion in camp - deer passing through.  I realized then how cold it was at 6:30 a.m. and burrowed in for a few more hours. Dreamed I was on a big ship working.  Was being sent to Barcelona to pick up a cruise.  Grieg on radio this morning...coffee on fire.  May drive the 11 miles to Wytheville today...or not...a little stiff today.  Not used to strenuous physical activity like cutting wood or getting up and down from the ground all day and night.  By the way, the little mattress I picked up for the cot made a huge difference.  No cold air up through the cot fabric at all.  I put on thermal underwear this morning.  Cold!  My favorite mushroom so far is called "The Barometer Earthstar - astress hydrometricus."  Forestry truck cruised through but didn't stop.  12:30 p.m. and the sun has finally broken through the clouds.

66 is the high today....

Feeling good.  Just heard on NPR there are possible showers tonight - 80%.  Wow! It's amazing how much better I feel this time around sans bronchitis.  12:45 p.m. strolled through the forest and around campsite taking pix of wildflowers.  Forgot to mention that something sailed through camp last night, low and silent.  Probably an owl.  In the hall of the mountain king.  Looking for an evergreen suitable to Bonsai for Debra.  Stopped to examine a tiny white pine and just then some kind of juvenile or small hawk silently landed on a branch near my head.  It was small and had white plumage on its wings.  Not a kestrel.  The acorns fall incessantly, keeping me alert.  Also, the woodpeckers never shut up - all day long pecking and laughing.  Collected some downed limbs for my fire later.  Re-aligned the rocks around the pit and when I placed the first new twigs it began to smoke from last night's fire.  Strange.  It is 4:45 p.m. and a black and blue swallowtail butterfly just landed at my feet.  Several cars and trucks have gone down the fire road toward Hale Lake.  Two riders on motorcycles circled around and waved.  Sign at picnic table says "Bears have been known to tear off doors and break windshields in search of food."  Now I feel better.  Barred owl hooting before dark from the SW.  Black vultures circled so low I could hear the wind on its wings.  6:15 p.m. Twilight has definitely settled in now.  The sun is just barely peeking through the trees.  Crows and woodpeckers still chatting and some screechy thing I can't identify.  Crickets waking up.   Holding off on starting fire until it is a little darker.  Chilly, but the wind has died down.  Overnight low tonight in the low to mid-50s.  10:00 p.m.  In spite of my earlier commitment, I'm listening to the miserable Vice Presidential debate on NPR.  Great fire tonight.  Time to crash.  Hope those gremlins don't return tonight - once is enough.  Lantern in hand.  Heading in for the night....