Cades Cove

-->

This past weekend, my husband and I went to Cades Cove for the first time. We’d planned a trip to Gatlinburg with my dad’s side of the family and, on this day, our little caravan of Cannon cars puttered along on a one-way road that looped around the entire park. Josh and I listened as our travel tour guides, Renee and Kim, told us their tales of past bear-sightings that had occurred during their last trip around the track. Squinting my eyes, I hoped to catch sight of some rarely seen wildlife as I leaned out of a backseat window to get a better view. After missing a narrow window of opportunity to park next to the only restroom available for miles, we stopped our car to park at the next available pull-off spot. We’d all seen the sign that signaled park entrance bathroom location, though our one-way-road had been unforgiving of our late sign-recognition skills. Once parked, we hopped out of our car and became silent. The view that met our eyes was now breathtaking and the four of us stood in awe of a majestic mountainous scene. As the rest of our brigade exited their car, Kim handed me her camera. “Really? I mean, are you sure you don’t want to use it?” My questioning of Kim’s generosity was met without delay. “Yeah, I’m sure. It’s set to automatic now and you just adjust like this…” She grasped the most gorgeous camera I’d ever seen to demonstrate its zoom features and lens adjustments, in such an effortless, graceful manner that I doubted my own ability to replicate her recently performed steps of 'easy' camera operation. I felt as though I’d just been given a gold medal at the frickin' Olympics when I draped the holding strap over my head to feel its cool leather against my skin…That camera is INCREDIBLE…overwhelming, wonderful…PERFECT. Kim, you’re the best. I owe you. Readers, don’t worry- my camera admiration/obsession ends here. This post is entitled Cades Cove, and Cades Cove you shall see…

-->

This map is helpful for new visitors. However, this cartographic creation was absent from my possession during my first visit to the Cove… Therefore, its potential for usefulness has not been personally experienced so I now deem it useless. Kim and I could have really used this map when we stopped at a random site and proceeded to hypothesize our exact park location. Miles away from our lost little duo, the rest of our clan had decided they’d walk for a few miles to be picked up by Kim & Regina’s Taxi Services at Carter Cabin and they now trudged along in summer’s heat. Our misplaced chauffeurs had willingly obliged to this family request, as Regina had not worn appropriate footwear that would have been suitable for such a strenuous on-foot undertaking. Renee had warned these two drivers that they’d need to be observant of all signs posted along their way, in order to ensure their arrival to the designated pick-up location. “Yeah, yeah…we will,” said the drivers, as they’d entered their cars to enjoy mankind’s genius invention, known as air-conditioning. After cooling themselves in luxurious breezes that had been withheld from our pedestrians, the pair finally arrived at a cabin…but which one? “Hey, I didn’t see a sign, did you?,” Kim asked her accomplice. “Uhhh…well, I saw one a few miles back but don’t remember exactly what it said.” My answer was more unhelpful than this map- which I found one day after I’d arrived home in Nashville, TN. We hadn’t stopped at the decided cabin in which we’d been instructed to pick up our loved ones. Luckily, we hadn’t passed it either as we had previously done when we’d zipped by the rarity of a park restroom. Our weary nomadic relatives arrived presently and their gratefulness for our miscalculation of pedestrian pick-up spot was unspoken. Taxi drivers, Regina and Kim, decided to distribute water among the newly-arrived and exhausted customers, who decided to ride in an air-conditioned automobile for the remainder of the walk that they did not take. One may ask, ‘What’s the point of this story?’ The POINT, my dear friends, is that maps may be reassuring for some visitors of Cades Cove. On the contrary- and perhaps more importantly- they may also contribute to a disastrous experience. You see, if Kim and I had utilized this map, things would have happened much differently. Dehydration of our loved ones, for example…deprivation of water, blisters on the tootsies…the list goes on… Because I had no map, my location was unknown to anyone but Kim and a few abandoned cabins. Luckily, no mishaps occurred from that cliché beginning of a horror story. No location, no blisters, no exhaustion, no heat strokes suffered by our silly family members who still think walking is cool…all because we arrived at the wrong place. Maps are optional…and they may even be detrimental. :)

-->

Map or no map, you’ll like where you hap’

…(-pen to end up, that is…)

-->

I couldn’t refrain from repeatedly glancing backwards as I walked down a golden-brown dirt path, towards our first cabin at the Cove.

-->

I arrived at my dirt path's end and stood in front of John Oliver’s cabin. I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about the history of Mr. Oliver…nor of his cabin in the Cove. For my fellow friends who share my initial ignorance, you can copy my homework by clicking on this  link: 

http://www.thegreatsmokies.net/john-oliver-cabin/ 

Click it, or don't...but knowledge is power, right? Besides, the story is interesting and I prefer active learning/in-person sightings of historical landmarks.

-->

Meet Pawpaw…some of you may know him from previous posts. The rest of you are one sorry bunch of sillies that probably didn’t click that link about John Oliver’s cabin. WHY...so....serious?? Anyway, this is my granddad. He’s standing in front of J.O.’s (because we’re cool like that) cabin. This picture may not mean anything to you, but you’d feel as I do if he was your ‘Paw-paw’. I sneaked (because my high school English teacher, Mrs. Cooper, says ‘snuck’ isn’t a word) several pictures of my dad’s dad as we strolled through Cades Cove. 

I love this one because he doesn’t know I took it. My favorite photos are of people in their most candid, natural state…unless it’s me- then candids are awful! This one says more than 1,000 words because I feel more feelings than the majority of my pictures ever provoke. Pawpaw’s child-like wonder and curiosity is captured here, even though you can’t see it on his face. He marveled at all historical sights we visited on this trip and I always wondered what he was thinking. Maybe next time, I should ask…Then again, I’ll probably just take another picture to cherish forever of my grandfather. I don’t get to see him enough lately and his hugs always warm my heart.

-->

"I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright."

 

– Henry David Thoreau

-->

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity...” 

- John Muir

-->

“Aren't the clouds beautiful? They look like big balls of cotton... I could just lie here all day, and watch them drift by... If you use your imagination, you can see lots of things in the cloud formations... What do you think you see, Linus?"
"Well, those clouds up there look like the map of the British Honduras on the Caribbean... That cloud up there looks a little like the profile of Thomas Eakins, the famous painter and sculptor... And that group of clouds over there gives me the impression of the stoning of Stephen... I can see the apostle Paul standing there to one side..."
"Uh huh... That's very good... What do you see in the clouds, Charlie Brown?"
"Well, I was going to say I saw a ducky and a horsie, but I changed my mind!” 

- Charles M. Schultz, The Complete Peanuts, Vol.5: 1959-1960

-->

We continued driving along Cades Cove's eleven-mile loop. With my backseat window withdrawn into my car door's interior, I inhaled warm, fragrant breezes that signaled summer's end. Our car's interior had become perfumed with fresh, grassy scents that my back-home, city-life in Nashville rarely affords. The smells of a scarcely-populated scene reminded me of my rural hometown, in which I'd spent seventeen years of my life. Now at Cades Cove Park, while dangling my upper body outside my window, I caught whiffs of delightful familiarity.

-->

I’d wrapped Kim’s camera strap around my wrist so tightly that I felt confident in my arm’s distance from our car’s safer interior. Yet, I still heard a cautioning voice that no person in our company had spoken…do…not…drop…that…camera. Luckily, the beauty of our surroundings was sufficient to silence my brain-dwelling-voice’s  advisory warnings.

-->

Certain that my cautionary strap-wrapping-'round-the-wrist-five-times procedure would keep the loaned camera safe, I reached further and zoomed farther than more responsible borrowers of equipment would risk. I must say, these pictures were worth it! Oh, what a little daredevil I am! :)

-->

Ninety seven historic structures, including grist mills, churches, schools, barns, and the homes of early settlers, preserve Southern Appalachian mountain heritage in the park.

Source: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/nightsky-soundscape.htm

-->

I couldn’t help but wonder why I’d never been here before, as my compulsively twitchy trigger finger involuntarily and persistently pressed down a button that would capture beautiful memories. I’d heard about Cades Cove, though actually experiencing its beauty was unexpectedly wonderful!

-->

"A woman's dress should be like a barbed-wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view."

 

- Sophia Loren

-->

“I like to take pictures of lots of things: people-such as my nephews, my dogs, and just interesting objects that I see. For instance, I might take a picture of flowers by the side of the road, an old sign or a fence.”

- Lacey Chabert

-->

It is a great satisfaction to find that your oldest convictions are permanent. With regard to essentials, I have never had occasion to change my mind. The aspect of the world varies from year to year, as the landscape is differently clothed, but I find that the truth is still true, and I never regret any emphasis which it may have inspired. Ktaadn is there still, but much more surely my old conviction is there, resting with more than mountain breadth and weight on the world, the source still of fertilizing streams, and affording glorious views from its summit, if I can get up to it again. As the mountains still stand on the plain, and far more unchangeable and permanent,--stand still grouped around, farther or nearer to my maturer eye, the ideas which I have entertained,--the everlasting teats from which we draw our nourishment.

- Henry David Thoreau

-->

“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

--> Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove, That valleys, groves, hills, and fields, Woods, or steepy mountain yields.
- Christopher Marlowe

-->

Blue is the male principle, stern and spiritual. Yellow the female principle, gentle, cheerful and sensual. Red is matter, brutal and heavy and always the color which must be fought and vanquished by the other two.

- Franz Marc

-->

Okay, I’m not one to brag…BUT…(yeah, that ‘but’ foreshadows that…) I’m about to brag. Then again, I’m feeling a bit critical and uncertain since I’ve set myself up for photographic scrutiny. Allow me to re-phrase…I do not normally feel as though my photos reflect the majesty of things I see. However, I feel confident that this photo does best depict an overwhelmingly gorgeous showing of various aspects of nature, to include: land, sky, cloud, mountain, valley, seasons, plants, and…just a LOT, OKAY?? As a mundanely modest, amateur photographer and secretively-aspiring writer, permit me my moment of glory, please. These are the facts: me + camera = picture. Picture (location + timing) = quality. Therefore, 

(me + camera) (location + timing) = quality

FOIL:

(me)(location) + (me)(timing) + (camera)(location) + (camera)(timing) = quality 

 Since math has never been my strong suit and pictures rarely represent what I feel when I take them, I’m feeling extra braggy right now. :)

-->

Cool fence, right? RIGHT. Learn more about the history of Cades Cove fences at: 

http://williambritten.com/wordpress/great-smoky-mountains-national-park/smoky-mountains-history-fences/

C'mon...aren't you just a little curious?

-->

This horse helped demonstrate molasses-making at Cades Cove when we visited the mill. Learn more about cane mills at:

 http://www.mysmokymountainvacation.com/molasses.html

-->

Historically, sorghum cane was a common crop in the Smokies. It was generally planted in the late spring or early summer and harvested in the fall. After the cane was cut, it was fed through a mule- or horse-powered mill to extract the juice. The juice was then cooked for several hours in a large kettle until it thickened into sorghum molasses. Source listed at link above!

-->

Sugar cane mill, reenacted at Cades Cove...NOW….

-->

THEN…(link source listed above)

-->

http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/Slavery/details.php?categorynum=7&categoryName=&theRecord=111&recordCount=114

 http://www.chewingcane.com/sugarcane_history.html

My horse at Cades Cove lead me on an internet-searching tangent, in hopes of finding more information about cane mills. Don't ask me why- I was just curious. This diversion from my non-detailed blogging of travel adventure was as unexpected for me as it is now for you. Without referencing Wikapedia, I am unable to determine official origin and development of cane mills. Anyone who wishes to pursue this study will receive extra credit for informing me of the history of horse-powered sugar/molasses mills. Poor horsey at Cades Cove...he seemed happy, but I'm glad our technology has improved over time...along with our molasses-making techniques!

We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action. 

– Frank Tibbit

Our heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. - Longfellow

http://cadescovepreservationtn.homestead.com/cablemill.html

-->

I must admit, this butterfly gave me some confidence in my picture-taking abilities. Even with a torn wing, it’s just freakin’ perfect.. Imperfections are too often criticized by society. In actuality, it’s the little unique quirks that make us even more beautiful…even when we can’t see it.

-->

Resting upon an aged wooden portion of Cades Cove Mill, this broken butterfly basked in a radiant glory, all its own. The old wooden plank that it sat upon had been  marked with purposefully-carved initials that some unknown person must have carved many years ago. Judging by the depth of this lettering, I determined that one must have been set on making an impression…leaving something behind…marking where he or she had been. 

W.L.’s marked site was acknowledged by a bright- but torn and broken butterfly, that gently alighted upon these carvings. 

Respectfully acknowledging previously marked and neatly cut lettering, Blue Butterfly traced W.L.’s pattern with her fragile appendages, as if to establish an acceptance of the balance in power and influence between man and nature.