Cherokee NC and Blue Ridge Parkway

We just returned from a trip to Cherokee N.C.
We have now travelled the Parkway end to end, from Virginia where the Skyline Drive connects, to the end in Cherokee N.C.
http://cherokeenorthcarolina.com
It was our 12th anniversary so we took a couple days to travel the Parkway and stay in Cherokee, where we honey-mooned. My sister-in-law Jan was here and took care of the critters for us. Thanks Jan!
Cherokee is a spiritual place. The hills that surround the flowing waters were hide outs for the Cherokee people. Those who escaped the government's removal of Indians to reservations, are the very people who now live in the area. The Indian people and the land both pull at my heart strings.
The whole atmosphere of Cherokee, is calming and stirring for me, odd for both as they are opposites. I am a Gemini. Maybe that explains that. I also have some Indian blood, although not Cherokee. Maybe it is that, but I beleive it is the spiritual nature of all native Americans that moves me.
This board explains the statue that comes next in the photo's.



The Cherokee Veteran's Park is a tribute to all Cherokee people who have served in the military. The Bears are everywhere throughout Cherokee. I know there are seven clans, but I am not sure if that has something to do with these bears. I think they are symbolic of other things, as there were more than seven.

This is the 'Fair' bear...they are all painted back, front and sides.

The pottery bear....

Eagle Dance bear...

This is a shot of the river just outside our hotel patio door.

A glass of wine and some cheese and crackers started our unwind process...

We travel the Parkway as much as possible, and as always the tunnels cut through the mountains, awe me.

My thoughts...

We sailed a sea of mountains, skimmed the crests, dipped into the hollows.

The shades of blues and greens and browns, the colors of the earth, sea, sky and mountains.

The sunlight played tag with our truck as we wound our way through the endless miles of forests and sky held in place by this man made trail.

The winds nears the peaks, bent the stubby, lichen covered evergreens.

The clouds scudding up and over looked like smoke and felt as wet as rain.

The descending rock walls spewed the top-gathered water, and sent it cascading down around us, delighting our senses and making us eager for the next waterfall.

The forests were decorated in spring..magnolia, dogwood and azealia lit up the pale green of the new leaves, and the brown forest floor was littered with trillium and violets.

A partridge in the road slowed us to a crawl as it took its time to the edge, slow enough to study but too fast to get the camera. The deer popped their heads up as we rode past...we felt like the animals in the zoo, and they the people lookers.

If you have the chance, travel the Blue Ridge Parkway. Each season is spectacular.

http://BlueRidgeParkway.org

It is well worth the time it takes to meander the miles. If you are in a hurry, however, don't bother. You will get annoyed by the lookie-lou's like me !

If you are paying attention, you might recognize the mistake I made with this picture...

Any idea???