Loved the brilliant red of the berries against the fading leaves and blue sky.

A Beautiful Fall Day

We had an absolutely beautiful fall day with crisp, cool weather. Big fluffy clouds and bright blue skies are perfect for hiking and photography. The clouds added to the images, but never threatened any precipitation. Despite the clouds, it was one of the better long-range view days in months.

The clouds added to the shadows, but never threatened any precipitation. One of the better long-range view days in months.

The clouds added to the shadows, but never threatened any precipitation. One of the better long-range view days in months.

The last of the blooms are beginning to fade in the higher elevations, though the valleys below are still quite green.

The last of the blooms in the foreground.

The last of the blooms in the foreground.

The first two pictures are taken from the top of Frying Pan Mountain. Frying Pan is an easy hike because of an access road to the peak. The mountain is used for cell phone and relay towers.

Cell phone tower on the top of Frying Pan Mountain. Just loved the dark lines against the clouds.

Cell phone tower on the top of Frying Pan Mountain. Just loved the dark lines against the clouds.

The mountain is also home to one of many fire observation towers that have been long abandoned in favor of helicopters.

Old fire tower on the top of Frying Pan Mountain. The clouds were moving quickly in the breeze.

Old fire tower on the top of Frying Pan Mountain. The clouds were moving quickly in the breeze.

Next door to Frying Pan Mountain is the more famous Mt. Pisgah, home to a TV transmission tower. Frying Pan also has a hiking trail to the top, but it is often crowded with other hikers. So many other trails in the area are much less used (including a trail from Frying Pan to Mt. Pisgah) and have equal or superior views.

Mt. Pisgah. You can see the beginnings of the leaf changes for autumn.

Mt. Pisgah. You can see the beginnings of the leaf changes for autumn.

Loved the brilliant red of the berries against the fading leaves and blue sky.

Loved the brilliant red of the berries against the fading leaves and blue sky.

In that period when the flowers have stopped blooming and the leaves have not yet started changing, one of the brightest colors is the brilliant red of berries. The color is particularly stark against the blue sky.

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3 Comments

  1. Susan McManus on September 14, 2015 at 7:49 am

    I especially love the one with the berries.

  2. Belinda Hulen on September 14, 2015 at 9:28 am

    We so enjoy all of your stories and photography. We are from Florida, with summer time in Michigan. For years in the past, we would vacation in N.C. In the Saphire Valley andCachier area. We are hoping to return there for a visit with friends and family. Keep up the great work and hug all your furry pups for us. Our two huskies send their love too.

    • Belinda Hulen on September 14, 2015 at 9:30 am

      Thanks for the great stories and photography!

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