Full Moon from the Blue Ridge Parkway

BRP_Full Moon_03 19 11_0297, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

Clouds finally start to break on this Saturday’s big Full Moon rise here in Boone, seen from Thunderhill Overlook on the BRP.

2010 in review

Hello everyone! I want to thank all of you for spending time with me in 2010 (and before). It’s been really fun having this blog place to contribute and look forward to. I really have enjoyed and appreciate you sharing your thoughts and comments.  I look forward to an eventful and busy 2011 out looking through the lens!

 

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 5,800 times in 2010. That’s about 14 full 747s.

 

In 2010, there were 48 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 244 posts. There were 8 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 3mb.

The busiest day of the year was December 2nd with 50 views. The most popular post that day was Sunrise Over Boone.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were blueridgeblog.blogs.com, mail.yahoo.com, en.wordpress.com, facebook.com, and mystufie.co.cc.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for grandfather mountain, mountain rivers, paragliding, howard’s knob, and boone fork trail.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

Sunrise Over Boone July 2008
1 comment

2

Old Man In the Mountain April 2008
1 comment

3

Boulder Flows April 2008
3 comments

4

Butterfly’s Bush July 2008
1 comment

5

Fall on the Trail April 2008

Wood Stove Decor

Wood Stove Decor, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

The front of our huge wood stove bares this ceramic plate. I really forget it’s there most of the time, so it ‘s a bit funny to focus on just it.

Boone Post Office

Boone Post Office, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

One of only two historical buildings on the National Register of Historical Places in Boone, the downtown post office stands on King Street. While no longer a full service post office due to the newer and larger one in town, basic functions (buying stamps and dropping post) still take place. The Town Of Boone purchased the building in 2008.

Proof

Proof, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

Proof that someone was here long before it was a hiking trail.  Logging was a huge part of the economy in the early 1900′s.  To read more, click here:  Middle Prong Wilderness

Enter Middle Prong

Enter Middle Prong, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

From the trailhead on Hwy 215, you can enter the Middle Prong Wilderness. This is one of the few pristine wilderness areas left. It’s not overly used or maintained. When you enter you feel a real sense of being out, away from it all.

www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah/pisgah/middle.html

Check out this link for further explanation and more info.

Choices

Choices, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

The instrument selection of Dom & Justin of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

On a different note, if you’ve clicked on the picture to take you to the blog page, you’ll see that I’ve changed themes of the blog.  I was looking for a theme that would allow me to show the images in a larger size.  I never liked how small the other theme forced them to be.  This is an experiment and IF I decide to keep it, it needs a lot of work.  Feel free to let you know your thoughts about it.  Thanks!

Beetle in the Stump

Beetle in the Stump, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

I believe this a leaf beetle variety, but i’m waiting on someone to confirm it. He traveled up and down this nail posing the whole time.

Shadow Tree

Shadow Tree, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

The details in the shadows from this tree were so fantastic. Couple that with green spring grass and blue skies and it’s a spectacular subject.

Kayaks in a Row

Kayak in a Row, originally uploaded by boonejag75.

I thought that the first days of spring deserved a colorful blast from one of my favorite pastimes; kayaking in coastal South Carolina marshes; more specifically on Hilton Head Island.

Elk Knob (Mt. Rogers View)

This view is spectacular, especially when you consider that you can see straight North to Mt. Rogers in Virginia, and peaks to the NW in Tennessee.  At Elev. 5520ft, Elk Knob provides views of several counties in NC and is part of the newly designated  Elk Knob State Natural Area.

Fire!

Nothing says “Summer!” like a camp fire.  Don’t forget to find yours.