Monday, July 25, 2011

Misty Monday - Cool Mountain Air

Mists in the Balsam Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina  © Doug Hickok


Mists in the mountains, Mother Nature's natural air conditioning, are a sure way to alleviate the heat of midsummer. On our recent road trip, we drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway, through its highest elevation, near Richland Balsam mountain (6410 ft.), where we encountered lowering clouds of cooling mist and rain. These mists enveloped the ridges of the spruce-fir forest, moving in and out of the trees like apparitions. The sight of these ancient mountains shrouded by clouds never ceases to amaze me, to leave me in awe of an event seemingly as timeless as the earth itself. The refreshment from the sweltering heat was so invigorating that it lifted our spirits. We danced a jig, ate some granola bars, and called it a good moment to be alive.

My daughter was kind enough to hold an umbrella over my head while I snapped this image of fog in the firs.
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28 comments:

  1. Luis GomezJuly 25, 2011 at 12:25 AM

    Doug what a gorgeous image! Beautiful.

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  2. GinnieJuly 25, 2011 at 2:40 AM

    YAY for the mists, YAY for the refreshing coolness, YAY for the dancing jig and granola bars, YAY for the daughter!!! :)

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  3. Hilda R.BJuly 25, 2011 at 3:01 AM

    Beautiful blue coulor. Great work!

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  4. UnknownJuly 25, 2011 at 5:10 AM

    Wow, I can feel it! Fantastic colors!

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  5. cieldequimperJuly 25, 2011 at 5:54 AM

    One needs one's patient assistants.

    This is like a magical, mystical forest. I'm half expecting to see King Arthur.

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  6. Marie LCJuly 25, 2011 at 6:10 AM

    I like very much the mystic side of this photo and the tones of blue and green in perfect harmony. It is very attractive.

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  7. brattcatJuly 25, 2011 at 7:46 AM

    give that daughter of yours an extra granola bar. this is a wondrous image.

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  8. ChristopherJuly 25, 2011 at 8:03 AM

    So beautiful--the mist creates such wonderful layering in the shot and I couldn't agree more about its refreshing characteristics. Great shot Doug!

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  9. London CallerJuly 25, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    So misty and mystic.
    I thought I saw a flying lemur (see bottom right)! Ha!

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  10. RobJuly 25, 2011 at 10:49 AM

    A joy to view the balsam forest and it's heavy fresh sweet scent.

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  11. donJuly 25, 2011 at 10:51 AM

    The reduced visibility back across the image makes this one spectacular to me. Fine capture of this atmospheric condition.

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  12. A.BarlowJuly 25, 2011 at 11:25 AM

    Love this shot man. I have an odd passion about fog. So mysterious and such.

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  13. Xurde RadíoJuly 25, 2011 at 12:53 PM

    Amazing landscape, mist gives the image an essence of mystery.

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  14. Ignacio SantanaJuly 25, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    Muy buena, Doug!!!...tiene profundidad y transmite sensación de paz mezclada con aires de leyenda.

    Buen trabajo...un abrazo!!! ;)

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  15. OlgaJuly 25, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    Such a picture can induce only one reaction - wow! It's so beautiful, mysterious, and well-captured.

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  16. AnonymousJuly 25, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    A refreshing image!
    I like it!

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  17. T. BecqueJuly 25, 2011 at 2:58 PM

    Really gorgeous. I was thinking what a great tinge of blue before I read your description that it was in the Blude Ridge Parkway!

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  18. UnknownJuly 25, 2011 at 3:54 PM

    great picture. I feel like I am in the forest. thank you for this emotion. hugs

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  19. harryJuly 25, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    The cool blue mixing with and obscuring the evergreen foilage makes an attractive image, especially on these hot summer days we are suffering through.

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  20. franzJuly 25, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    so glad to see we share the same aspects of beauty on earth, doug! mist in the smokies, mist in the alps - equally grand, equally photogenic! a glorious capture of the less appreciated facets of nature!

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  21. OKJuly 25, 2011 at 8:42 PM

    beautiful setting, love the layers.

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  22. DESPITE STRAIGHT LINESJuly 25, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    Exactly how I feel when in the presence of Mother nature's natural wonders back home in BC. This is a killer frame that breally captures the layers through the mist, the stunning beauty of those majestic giants and the peacefulness of that vast wilderness.

    Away from people, up close and personal with Mother nature, a jig, granola bars and the feeling that this moment is so very special..... it does not get much better.

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  23. Lisa July 26, 2011 at 12:31 AM

    This is so gorgeous. Very peaceful

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  24. fabrizioJuly 26, 2011 at 1:36 AM

    terrific atmosphere catching, really nice different levels in presentation

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  25. yzJuly 26, 2011 at 10:36 AM

    i can almost feel the cool air

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  26. Tammie LeeJuly 26, 2011 at 10:41 AM

    sounds like a good time
    fond memories
    and dreamy place to be

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  27. Martina EgliJuly 27, 2011 at 9:03 AM

    That is a wonderful landscape, I love how you managed to capture the beauty of the fog and those beautiful cold hues. Bravo!

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  28. rianJuly 31, 2011 at 11:32 PM

    i just like how it fades to blue like that.. well done.. :)

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