The conditions finally aligned so that I was able to capture a bit of color here in NC. Nothing that will win any prizes, but it works for me!
Technically I didn’t see the aurora, but my camera did…. 😉
My First Aurora!
Tag Archives: NC
More Fortunate Than Many
Kathy and I were in Asheville, NC last Wednesday, just prior to Hurricane Helene. We knew the storm was approaching, but of course at that time no one knew how severe it was likely to be. Those of us in central and western NC usually take comfort in our distance from the coast, which usually is sufficient to soften any blow.
Our first clue that trouble was brewing was on Thursday morning, when we drove to the Biltmore Estate for a previously scheduled tour with friends. The main entrance to the estate was closed due to flooding along the Approach Road, so they routed us in through a back entrance. Little did we know at that point that the French Broad River, which runs next to Biltmore, had already started to flood.
At 1:00 they announced that the estate would be closing and evacuated. And the storm hadn’t even come ashore in Florida yet! We went back to our motel to decide what to do. We were with friends who were traveling to Florida and had plans to meet my brother and sister in law in Waynesville that weekend, so we decided to stick it out. How bad could it be, right?
Now we know how bad.
Power went out about 4am as the brunt of the storm passed through. By Friday morning the damage was just starting to become apparent. Our friends left to head on to Florida, and Kathy and I headed to Waynesville. We made it, but just barely. What a mess.
In Waynesville, power had just come back on in town but there was no cell phone service, no cable and no internet. Businesses that were open were on a cash only basis, but all the ATMs were down because there was no network.
We stuck it out until Sunday, when it was clear that we could make it out safely. We headed toward Charlotte, figuring that we could at least get back home, although what we really wanted to do was to complete the rest of the trip by visiting Bourbon Country in Kentucky with my brother and sister in law. The map looks a little silly, but we made it and are now safely in Kentucky.
Needless to say we know that we are very fortunate and are counting our blessings. Many were not so fortunate.
More Plain Plane Stuff
Charlotte Douglas International Airport has for years had an Airport Overlook, and like the aviation museum it was closed and then relocated to accommodate expansion of the airport. The old overlook was a gravel parking lot, with a few benches and a port-a-potty or two (sometimes). The view of the airport was good and it was located close to the center runway.
The newly opened Airport Overlook is a wonderful spot. The views aren’t quite so good currently, but a new runway (to be called 1/19C since you can’t have two 18/36Cs!) is being built that will be about as close to the new overlook as the old one was to the center runway.
Besides a large paved parking lot, there is a huge children’s playground, picnic tables and park benches, an F-4 Phantom on display and (not yet open) real restrooms!
Kathy & I visited this past Saturday with our son and grandson. It was a humid morning, with a bit of fog hanging around, and I had fun photographing the planes taking off and creating condensation clouds around their wings as they passed through the moist air.
Tribute To A Miracle
The former Carolinas Historical Aviation Museum, located on the grounds of Charlotte Douglas International Airport, closed several years ago to make way for a runway expansion. It recently reopened as the rebranded ‘Sullenberger Aviation Museum.’
Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger III is the pilot credited with saving the lives of all passengers and crew aboard US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, when he ditched the plane, landing on the Hudson River after both engines were disabled by a bird strike. This event has been known as “The Miracle on the Hudson.“
Flight 1549 had just departed LaGuardia airport in New York City bound for Charlotte when the accident occurred. Since the plane was bound for Charlotte, a number of passengers were from Charlotte, including a number of high level officers of several area companies. Their influence allowed for the creation of the new organization and a campaign to have the salvaged aircraft brought to Charlotte as the centerpiece of the new museum.
Kathy & I visited the Sullenberger Aviation Museum shortly after it opened in early June along with our son and grandson. It is a very nicely done tribute to Flight 1549 as well as a showcase for the aircraft housed in the previous museum. In addition to the aircraft from Flight 1549, there are a number of military, corporate and civilian aircraft on display, as well as a number of hands-on spaces for kids both small and large. We enjoyed our time there and look forward to returning.
Spring Splendor At Biltmore
Last week, Kathy & I ventured to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville to take in the spring flowers in the gardens, check out the Renaissance Alive art presentation, and of course to eat and to buy wine. 😉
Biltmore is an easy 2 hour drive from Charlotte, suitable for a day trip but also a nice way for an easy overnight. We had reward points that allowed us to stay for free at a motel in nearby Biltmore Village, so we had the better part of two days. As Annual Passholders we didn’t have to pay extra for the visits, which can otherwise be a little pricey.
Even without visiting Biltmore House itself, the grounds and gardens are such a nice place to spend a day or part of the day. The gardens are extensive, and the Conservatory itself is larger than most homes. We concentrated mostly on the outside gardens, although as we were getting ready to leave, the sounds of a hammered dulcimer drew us inside for a listen.
A Few More Fuzzy Photos
Monte enjoyed my motion blur photo from a couple of days ago so I thought I would serve up a few more. Sometimes the camera moves, sometimes the subject moves.
Lots of motion blur here today as we await Ian’s arrival. It’s been rainy, breezy and chilly – a good day to work on photos and watch Formula 1 practice! Ian keeps angling further east of us, which is good for us but unfortunately not so good for someone else. Should be by us by morning, hopefully!
Mirror, Mirror….
More from our walking around town a few weekends ago. Perhaps channeling Kirk Tuck here with the pointy-uppy building shots. The clouds were pretty nice that morning.
A Photography Exhibit In Charlotte
One of the items on our agenda for our time in Charlotte was a photography show titled ‘Annemarie Schwarzenbach: Departure without Destination’ at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. (link)
Schwarzenbach was a Swiss writer, journalist and photographer with an interesting history. Her lifestyle would probably fit in pretty well today, but between that and her anti-Fascist campaigning made her an outcast forced her into exile. As a result she spent much of her time traveling the world, writing and photographing. Her work as a journalist, coupled with her upper-class background and her status as the wife of French diplomat Claude Clarac granted her extraordinary freedom of travel for the period.
The Bechtler exhibit represents work from her travels throughout the world, including the southeastern US in 1936-1938 and features archival material, film, and 200 photographs drawn from the approximately 7,000 photographs in the Schwarzenbach’s estate, which is held in the Swiss Literary Archives in Bern, Switzerland.
I had never heard of Schwarzenbach before learning about this show, and found it to a fascinating look at the world of her time. The show runs through 7/31/22.
Food For Thoughts
Sayings on the steps of the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte.
In Formation
I spotted these scooters lined up on a street corner in Charlotte, just waiting for customers. Nice of someone to arrange them so well! 😉
