Vacation Album

My DH and I went to the mountains for a couple of days last week.  The following are the pages I made from the trip.  Enjoy!

Beech Mountain Pages

Page 1

Journaling reads:  Beech Mountain is a mountain in the North Carolina High Country and wholly in the Pisgah National Forest. Its elevation reaches 5,506 feet and generates feeder streams for the Elk River. Nestled on the top is the Town of Beech Mountain. ~Wikipedia

Elevation: 5,506′

Prominence: 1,440′

Mountain range: Blue Ridge Mountains

Coordinates: 36°11′02″N 81°52′53″W / 36.18389°N 81.88139°W

We are not beach people, but it is ironic that we ended up at a different kind of beach.....Beech Mountain.  Unbeknownst to me, I had reserved a place in ski country!  I guess we were able to rent the condo for “cheap” because it isn’t ski season!  However, the advertised price was almost half the actual charges after taxes and fees!  And it was on the 3rd floor, which was not good for my left knee!  But, all in all, it was a very nice place and plenty comfortable for what we had planned to do.....absolutely nothing but eat, sleep and play games and enjoy the cooler temperatures and lower humidity!  Check, check, check, and check!  The country is beautiful!  And the clouds from our “Pie in the Sky” view at the Pinnacle Inn Resort were just lovely!  Thank You, LORD, for our enjoyable time away!  July 3 - 6, 2023

Credits list:

I started off with the very first template in the set but actually only used the frames because I decided I wanted the whole map to be seen instead of blending it into the background with the template photo mask.  I picked the road color shown on the map and filled the background.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

The topography map is a Google Map screen capture

Page 2

Journaling reads:  We debated whether or not to ride the Goldwing or drive the car.  Of course, the determining factor was the weather.  Thunderstorms off and on were predicted.  The temperatures were high and the humidity was awful!  My body shuts down in extreme heat and humidity.  So with those variables in play, we opted to drive.  Thank You, LORD, for leading in that decision!  We would have been thoroughly soaked by the time we arrived to our destination!

When we left Winston at 12:45 on Monday, July 3rd, the temperature was 90.  When we arrived on top of Beech Mountain right at 4:00, the temperature was in the 60’s!  Just a slight difference!

Sometime between 3:30 and when we arrived at the condo at 4:00 it stopped raining.  I was glad we didn’t have to unload the car in the rain!  Especially since we were on the third floor!  Great height for looking out over the mountains but not so fun to climb with a bum knee!  Mark was sweet to take most of the load up the stairs!

Credits list:

I started off with the second template in the set.  I filled the background with a color picked from the main photo. I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with colors picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 3

Journaling reads:  Our home away was very clean and comfortable.  The host emailed the guard gate code and code for the entry door the day before our arrival.  The apartment was fully loaded with a full kitchen.  A stacked washer and dryer was in a closet in the kitchen.  There was a large dining/living area with the bedroom in a nook next to the bathroom.  We spent time out on the balcony playing games and taking in the view.  The host had provided books to read, games to play, and a tourist-type map of the area.

The bed was comfortable enough, but I did not sleep very much the first night.

Credits list:

I started off with the third template in the set.  I filled the background with the same color as the opposing page. I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with colors picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 4

Journaling reads:  Being at such a high elevation afforded a magnificent view of the clouds!  Sometimes it seemed you could reach out and touch them!  They floated right by!  So many layers of fluff!  Constantly changing!  And the shades of blue sky.....it was just marvelous!  You just had to be there!

Credits list:

I started off with the 4th template in the set.  I left the background white as a stark contrast against the color of the sky!  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the sky.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 5

Journaling reads:  Even the storm clouds moving their way across the mountains were a sight to behold!  And when the sun began to sink in the evening, the colors reflecting on the clouds was amazing!  Oh!  I just LOVE watching the clouds!  It always reminds me of a time in the future when the LORD Jesus will return in the clouds to gather His children out of this dark, drear, and evil world!

Stepping on the clouds we'll see Jesus, rise to meet Him in the air!

Stepping on the clouds He will greet us!  Oh, the joy together we'll share!

I'm gonna leave this world behind me; going where the devil cannot find me!

I'm going higher, higher, higher!  Stepping on the clouds!

Credits list:

I started off with the 5th template in the set.  I left the background white as a stark contrast against the color of the sky!  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the sky.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 6

Journaling reads:  You can see the ski lifts across the way from the condo we stayed in.

Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state park near Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet, it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian Mountains. ~Wikipedia

Tall peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains with a mile-high swinging bridge, museum & picnic areas.  ~Google

When I look at this profile of Grandfather Mountain I see the profile of Abraham Lincoln.  Am I the only one who sees it that way?

Credits list:

I started off with the 6th template in the set.  I left the background white as a stark contrast against the color of the sky!  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 7

Journaling reads:  No matter what route you took, you saw these arrows indicating a sharp curve in the road!  I found myself hanging on to the door to keep from swaying back and forth so much.....usually to no avail!  One trip down NC-194 gave me motion sickness!  We did NOT travel that portion of NC-194 again!

Credits list:

I started off with the 7th template in the set.  I left the background white as a stark contrast against the color of the sky!  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 8

Journaling reads:  Sunflowers, be they big or be they small I love them all!    Mostly the wild flowers were white or yellow so the pink clusters were a pretty contrast.  And, it’s always fun to watch the bees and other insects enjoying a meal from the nectar of the flowers!

“...Look at all the beautiful flowers of the field. They don’t work or toil, and yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was robed in beauty like one of these!”  Matthew 6:28 (Passion Translation)

I tried to look up the names of these flowers but didn’t have very good success.  The large blended photo might be African Bush Daisy, however, they really were not growing on a bush.

The yellow clusters may be a wild parsnip.

The pink flower is a Spirea.

The field of flowers I’m going to call daisies, as that seems to be what most of them are a type of.

Credits list:

I started off with the 8th template in the set.  I picked a color from the main photo to use in the background.  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 9

Journaling reads:  It was fun to watch the deer come out of the woods and fields to eat the green plants around the guard shack.  They are semi-tame as they made no attempt to escape when people staying at the resort stopped to take pictures as they came through the gate.

It’s hard to tell from this single picture how big this raven was!  HUGE!

The dark-eyed juncos are always fun to watch!

Credits list:

I started off with the 9th template in the set.  I left the background.  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 10

Journaling reads:  Besides all of the sites to see in the Boone area of North Carolina, you really could stay at the resort and find plenty to do.  There is a pool, hot tub, gym, arcade inside.  Outside there is shuffle board, putt-putt golf, frisbee baskets, tennis courts, basketball hoops, deck with gazebo shelter and grill and picnic tables.  You could even walk down the hill to shopping and eating.

Credits list:

I started off with the 10th template in the set.  I picked a color from the sky to use in the background.  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 11

Journaling reads:  Something for everyone to do.  There were lots of families at the resort.

Credits list:

I started off with the 11th template in the set.  I picked a color from the sky to use in the background.  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 12

Journaling reads:  Mark enjoys fixing things!  If he thinks he might be able to fix it rather than having to replace it he will try!  And that carries over to vacation.  The screws were loose in the stools so he got some tools from the car and worked on tightening them, checking all four stools.  The first day we were there, the screen door to the balcony came off the track.  He fixed that, too, as best as he could.  I told him I should tell the host he owed us $90 instead of us paying him $90 for cleaning after we left!

Getting ready to eat our pizza.  Happy faces!

Credits list:

I started off with the 12th template in the set.  I picked a color from the photos to use in the background.  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 13

Journaling reads:  Yes, the brick-fired pizza was good!  Mark said he’s had better onion rings, but they were good.  We didn’t eat out too much because everything was so expensive.  We bought ham and bread for breakfasts/lunches and also got some frozen dinners for our suppers.

We played Qwirkle and we played a game of Rummikub but decided it is so much easier to play Rummikub on the app.  There is no app for Qwirkle, unfortunately!

The wall hangings were ski decorations.  Perfect area for skiing, for sure!

Credits list:

I started off with the 13th template in the set.  I picked a color from the photos to use in the background.  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 14

Journaling reads:  Sunrise was to be at 6:14:57 a.m. the morning we were head- ing home.  So we set the alarm for 6:00 so I could wake up a bit before I focused on getting a sunrise picture.  Ummm.....that didn’t happen!  We did see the deer enjoying breakfast.  You can barely see a couple of them at the top right in the bottom framed photo.

It was about 6:45 when we left the resort and it was still pretty foggy.  We didn’t see the sun start shining through until we got closer to the valley.

Credits list:

I started off with the 14th template in the set.  I picked a color from the photos to use in the background.  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Page 15

Journaling reads:  Like anytime you go on vacation, the time for leaving for home is bittersweet.  For me, I was looking forward to being back in my own bed!

The name of the apartment we rented is “Pie in the Sky”.  I’ve heard that phrase but wondered what it could mean for the apartment.  “Britannica Dictionary definition of PIE IN THE SKY. [noncount] : something good that someone says will happen but that seems impossible or unlikely : a very unlikely or unrealistic goal, plan, etc.”  I’m thinking it probably means if you stay here, you’ve found your PIE IN THE SKY!  It was a nice stay.  I choose to say my PIE IN THE SKY will definitely happen and will be realized when I finally reach my promised heavenly home!

We stopped at Cagney’s Kitchen in Wilkesboro on the way home for breakfast.

We saw a bear cross the road and head up the bank into the woods as we drove down Beech Mountain!

The sun finally broke through the morning fog and clouds as we got closer to the valley!

Leaving the mountains behind.

Credits list:

I started off with the 15th template in the set.  I picked a color from the photos to use in the background.  I used the mask, stains and frames from the template, filling them with color picked from the photos.

WaterColor Template Album No 2 by Anna Aspnes

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photos are mine

Doe, a Deer

Done for the July Big Photo Challenge found here:  https://oscraps.com/community/threads/july-challenge-6-big-photo.37913/ 

Journaling reads:  No matter how often you see them, and no matter if you have had problems with them eating your plants, there is just something about seeing deer that takes your breath away.  They are so graceful.  You just want to watch them and take their picture.

While we were in the mountains, the set- ting for the resort was conducive to deer being present.  You could tell that they were used to people being around because as people drove through the guard gate and drove right up next to them to take a picture of them with their phones, the deer just kept eating.  They didn’t even run when someone walked up to take a picture.

I thought the deer in front was a doe.  However, I am seeing the beginnings of antlers above its eyes since I have enlarged the photo.  And, if you look closely, the bigger deer has one entire antler miss- ing on the side next to the building.  So, I guess I need to refer to these guys as bucks instead of does!

Pinnacle Inn Resort, 7/4/23

Credits list:

I began with the first template from Anna and colored the stains with colors picked from the photo.  The leaves and berries in the corners are from Lorie’s kit.

WaterColor Template Album No. 9 by Anna Aspnes

Drifting Snow Dreams by Lorie Davison

Fonts are Mistral and Arial Narrow

Photo is mine