Inside the rick house at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky. One of the loveliest smells in the world! Processed using “Denoise” in Adobe Lightroom Classic.
As in Murphy’s Law….
Kathy & I returned Sunday from a few days in Bardstown, Kentucky. We met our friends Jim & Lisa there, and spent a few days exploring distilleries and horse country.
This morning we needed to go to the grocery store. As we are in the beginning stages of what looks to be a week long monsoon, we went prepared. Raincoats and umbrellas, leaving the sunglasses at home. As it turned out, no rain, and the sun was peeking through the clouds as we left the store. Perfect!
When we returned home I decided to leave the car in the driveway, hoping for a “free car wash” to dispel the layer of dust we had accumulated over the week. Several hours later, no rain. Finally we got a nice heavy shower, just enough to wash off the loose crud. Good for a few more days!
Dogwood in the gardens of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Flowers in the Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
A gardeners work is never done. The Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
Gardening tools. The Walled Garden of the Biltmore Estate
View of the Biltmore House from a path in the gardens
Trellis along the South Terrace of the Biltmore House
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Italian Garden at the Biltmore Estate
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
Hammered Dulcimer player at the Conservatory in the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
Hammered Dulcimer player at the Conservatory in the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
The Conservatory. In the gardens of the Biltmore Estate.
Biltmore Village in Asheville, North Carolina
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.
Triangular. Abandoned train trestle supports in Staunton, Virginia
A few weekends ago, Kathy & I visited Staunton, VA to meet up with our friends Jim & Lisa, who drove down from Pennsylvania. We like to find interesting towns to visit for a few days when we have a chance to meet up. Last summer we met in Lewisburg, WV, and we’re planning a trip to Kentucky for later this year.
Staunton (pronounced STON-ton) is a pleasant and vibrant town located along I-81 just north of Roanoke and is about halfway between Jim & Lisa’s home in Pennsylvania and our home in Charlotte. In addition to a nice downtown with good restaurants and interesting shops, Staunton is home to the American Shakespeare Center, the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Mary Baldwin University. Oh, and the Camera Heritage Museum.
We spent a few days walking around the town, saw a play at American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse, had some good meals and visited some interesting shops. We were there on St. Patrick’s Day and enjoyed a dinner at a restaurant with a live Celtic band.
Triangular. Abandoned train trestle supports in Staunton, Virginia
One afternoon we were walking around town, and at some point came across these old railroad trestle supports. I don’t remember the words, but Jim asked me if I thought they would make a good photograph. I had seen them but hadn’t responded to them yet, so Jim’s question woke me up. Yes, they were quite interesting, and as it turned out I was able to make a few photographs that prove the point.
Just like with the photos of Bill’s tree in my last post, sometimes it is someone else’s eyes that discover the photo, and my job is to do something with it. Looks like I may have to make another print! 😉
Triangular. Abandoned train trestle supports in Staunton, Virginia
After our visit to Maker’s Mark, Kathy & I drove to Lebanon, KY for some lunch. Lebanon also happens to be the home of Limestone Branch Distillery, another of our favorites. It was on the way back to our motel and it was open, so of course we needed to stop. And tour. And taste. And buy! 😉
Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky
Limestone Branch likes to say that they are currently the only distillery owned and operated by someone named Beam. Stephen & Paul Beam opened Limestone Branch in 2012, and while the distillery is fairly new in bourbon terms, they are producing some old-timey bourbon using old-timey recipes. The distillery traces its roots back to Jacob Beam in 1795, is best known for producing Yellowstone bourbon from the original mash bill. Yes, the bourbon is named after the National Park. And while it is not affiliated with the TV series, they are not minding the free publicity. 😉
Samples! Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky
The place is not very big, and there are no picturesque acres of rickhouses on the property like the big boys, but what they lack in size they make up for in enthusiasm.
Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyLimestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyLimestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyLimestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyLimestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyLimestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyLimestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyWorlds Smallest Rickhouse! Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KentuckyThieving it straight from the barrel! Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky
Like most of us, I’m always on the lookout for interesting shadows. Here are a few from our recent visit to Biltmore.
Connected or disconnected? Biltmore House
One of the things that fascinates me about photography is that often the best photographs are the ones that require the least “work.” In terms of both effort and of processing.
Exterior lamp. Biltmore HouseLamp. Biltmore HouseGrain cradle shadows on the wall of the Village Hotel at BiltmoreCeiling light fixture in the hallway of the Village Hotel at Biltmore House and GardensTrails around Bass Lake on the Biltmore Estate.
Fishing trawler “Cape Point” in the marina at Southport, North Carolina
I don’t do much to promote my work these days, and never really have, actually. I did assignment work for a couple of magazines and I had photos with a local stock agent at one time, but both of those went away as microstock took over. Since then it has been completely hit or miss. Now, I mostly give prints away to friends and family, but once in a while I get an inquiry from an art consultant, magazine or website wanting to purchase a print or license an image. Mostly by accident, I’ve actually sold some photos that now hang in pretty interesting places.
A few weeks ago I received an email from a partner in a new restaurant (now open) out on the coast of North Carolina. It’s called Salt 64 and is located in Oak Island. Turns out the chef is the former chef at a restaurant we’re familiar with in Mooresville, NC. And he is friends with a friend who runs a frame shop and gallery there. Small world.
So Erika (the partner) found this photo of mine on my website through a search, and wanted to know about buying a print of it for the restaurant. She said that she was decorating the restaurant with local photography, that the boat “Cape Point” is owned by a cousin of the chef, and she wanted to surprise him with the photo. So I had a print made and shipped to her. She loves it and so does the chef!
I asked her to pay me in food, so Kathy & I are going to head out to the coast in a few weeks with plans to stop by Salt 64 for dinner one night! Can’t wait to see my photo hanging on the wall!
By the way, not to give away trade secrets, but when I got the request for a print, I went back and re-processed the photo to make it more print-worthy. I had done some very basic work on the original version, but decided to use some of the tools in my Lightroom toolbox to kick it up a notch or two. I often do that anyway with photos I plan to print, but this one just hadn’t hit my radar. While the old version was pretty nice, the new one is really nice, I think!
No, Pittsburgh is not on the way home from West Virginia! Kathy recently reconnected with a childhood friend, who lives part of the year in Pittsburgh. We cruised with them in March and visited them in Florida, so we decided that a detour north before heading south was worthwhile.
Tom and Howard at ‘Over The Bar’ restaurant at North Park in Pittsburgh
When I found out we were going to be in the area, I contacted fellow photographer and blogger Howard Grill and made arrangements to meet for breakfast at a park near where we were staying. We met there on Saturday morning, had a lovely visit and spent some time exploring the lakeside. By the time I got my camera out the light had gotten harsh, but there were still some interesting reflections.
North Park Lake in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaNorth Park Lake in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
After our breakfast, we headed to our friends’ home and took a jaunt into town to visit The Frick. The Frick Pittsburgh is an art museum which is the legacy of Helen Clay Frick, daughter of industrialist Henry Clay Frick and his wife Adelaide Howard Childs Frick. The family home was called Clayton, which is on the site of the museum, from 1883 to 1905.
‘Romare Bearden: Artist as Activist and Visionary’ Exhibition at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh‘Romare Bearden: Artist as Activist and Visionary’ Exhibition at The Frick Museum in PittsburghSLAY: Artemisia Gentileschi & Kehinde Wiley Exhibition at The Frick Museum in PittsburghThe Car & Carriage Museum at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh1898 Panhard et Levassor. The Car & Carriage Museum at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh1940 American Bantam Convertible Coupe. The Car & Carriage Museum at The Frick Museum in PittsburghThe Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in PittsburghThe Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in PittsburghThe Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in PittsburghClayton, former home of the Frick family. The Frick Museum in PittsburghThe Greenhouse at The Frick Museum in PittsburghVisitor Center at The Frick Museum in Pittsburgh
I’ve still got a few photos to process, but have completed the best ones. As I typically do, I have created an Adobe Portfolio gallery of selected photos from this trip at My Adobe Portfolio page.
Smooth Ambler Distillery near Lewisburg, West Virginia
The primary purpose of our recent road trip was to meet up with our friends Jim & Lisa in Lewisburg, West Virginia. We had each visited Lewisburg previously, although not together. And because it is roughly halfway between our home in NC and Jim & Lisa’s in PA, it was a good place to get together for a few days. We had a blast wandering the shops of the town, and we visited the Smooth Ambler distillery. Kathy & I are distillery veterans, so we needed to show Jim & Lisa the finer points. 😉
Smooth Ambler Distillery near Lewisburg, West VirginiaSmooth Ambler Distillery near Lewisburg, West Virginia
Surprisingly, although I carried my camera around just about everywhere, I took very few photos with it. I actually took more photos with my phone, because it was simpler to hand off to someone and to share. We were just having too much fun to pay attention to photos!
The General Lewis Inn in Lewisburg, West VirginiaFlowers along Washington Street in Lewisburg, West VirginiaShops along Washington Street in Lewisburg, West VirginiaVW Bus on Washington Street in Lewisburg, West VirginiaPay phone on Washington Street in Lewisburg, West VirginiaTom and Jim in downtown Lewisburg, West VirginiaKathy and Lisa in downtown Lewisburg, West VirginiaThe New River Gorge Bridge is a steel arch bridge 3,030 feet (924 m) long over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville, West Virginia. With an arch 1,700 feet long, the New River Gorge Bridge was the world’s longest single-span arch bridge for 26 years and is now the fifth longest. The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet above the New River, making the bridge one of the highest vehicular bridges in the world. It is the third highest in the United States. When completed in 1977, it was the world’s highest bridge carrying a regular roadway, a title it held until the 2001 opening of the Liuguanghe Bridge in China.The New River Gorge Bridge is a steel arch bridge 3,030 feet (924 m) long over the New River Gorge near Fayetteville, West Virginia. With an arch 1,700 feet long, the New River Gorge Bridge was the world’s longest single-span arch bridge for 26 years and is now the fifth longest. The roadway of the New River Gorge Bridge is 876 feet above the New River, making the bridge one of the highest vehicular bridges in the world. It is the third highest in the United States. When completed in 1977, it was the world’s highest bridge carrying a regular roadway, a title it held until the 2001 opening of the Liuguanghe Bridge in China.
Last light on Sharp Top peak at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
We decided to break up our trip northward with a stop at Peaks of Otter Lodge, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Roanoke, VA. We’ve stayed there before, and have enjoyed the lodge, with its lakefront location, decent restaurant and overall quiet vibe. Our previous attempt to stay there was thwarted by the remnants of a hurricane, which forced us to change plans and cancel our reservation.
View of Peaks of Otter Lodge across Peaks of Otter LakePeaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
We headed north on the Parkway, enjoying the sunshine, cooler weather and lovely clouds. As we approached the lodge, however, it became apparent that a storm had recently passed through the area. Leaves and twigs littered the road and everything was wet. Water falling off the trees made it seem like it was still raining.
Our room (with no power) at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
We arrived at the lodge with high hopes, only to be told that the lodge was without power because of the storm. And due to the somewhat remote mountain location, there was no guaranty when or if the power would be restored. Not to worry, though, right?
Hiking trail at Peaks of Otter, on the Blue Ridge ParkwayPeaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
Soon afterward we decided to make drinks. We always travel prepared, so all we needed was ice. But of course the ice machines are powered by electricity, so while there was probably plenty of ice in the hopper, it wouldn’t dispense. So I took my trusty ice bucket to the lodge to get it filled. Fortunately they still had plenty of ice, so all was not lost.
Sunset over Peaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in VirginiaSunset over Peaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
But…between the time we checked in and when I returned to the lodge for ice, a decision had been made that the bar and restaurant would not be opening for dinner. So much for the nice dinner. Faced with the prospect of a cold chicken salad wrap from the lodge or driving into the nearest town for dinner, we opted for the cooked dinner in town. But first…drinks! Yay for ice!
Sunset over Peaks of Otter Lake, at Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
The lodge is located at a high enough elevation that even though the rooms have air conditioning, it is seldom needed. So it was no problem for us to sleep there. And since sunset was late at this time of year and we had our tablets fully charged with books pre-loaded, it was easy for us to pass the time. Did I mention that there is no cell service at the lodge? And with no wifi, we were really “off the grid.”
“Polly Woods Ordinary” mountain cabin located at Peaks of Otter, on the Blue Ridge Parkway
So it was a little bit like camping, except that we were in a bed in a room with a roof and a door. And as it turned out, even though there was still no power in the morning, somehow there was hot water for a shower! Ultimately the biggest hardship was that we were unable to get coffee or tea. But we lived to tell about it and to head on to our next destination, Lewisburg, West Virginia. More to come!
February 2007: Tree in silhouette at twilight, The Saddle Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia
A frequent stop on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia is an overlook called “The Saddle.” So named because it sits on a ridge with a eastern view toward a deep valley and a western view toward Buffalo Mountain.
September 2016: Sunset at The Saddle Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan Virginia
We’ve visited The Saddle probably dozens of times over the years, occasionally getting a nice sunset there. The view toward the east would probably make for an interesting sunrise, but in all our trips there we haven’t been close enough for a morning visit. I may need to remedy that at some point!
There is a tree next to the parking lot that I have photographed over the years. I was interested, and a bit disappointed, to see that it is for all intents and purposes, past its useful life. The decline was pretty obvious over the years, but is very apparent now. I suppose it is just a matter of time before a big wind, or a chainsaw, carries it off.
July 2022: Tree at The Saddle Overlook, Blue Ridge Parkway near Meadows of Dan Virginia
