Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

Henry David Thoreau

Saturday Morning in Cades Cove

Saturday July 21, 2018                                                                     Most Recent Posts:
Cades Cove                                                                                        Middle Prong Trail and Falls
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tennessee                            Alum Cave Hike With Nancy & Bill



Saturday morning is one of the days when the park service closes the Cades Cove auto loop to motor vehicles and turns it over to walkers and bikers and runners.  I start out at about 7:30 walking down the road and enjoying the views of the high valley surrounded by mountains.



The low lying clouds and fog are lifting and they are great to watch


This morning turns out to be a morning for the birds.  This goldfinch and his friends are all over the seeds from these grasses in the fields.

IMG_8738


I spy a pewee on one of the fences in the woods.

IMG_8743


Looks like this Eastern Bluebird is resting on a sign along the road with a morsel in his bill.



I wonder if this juvenile Blue Bird is the intended recipient of the morsel.  He looks rather large to be depending on his parents to provide his food.




I was very lucky to get this yellow throated warbler who flitted all around the tree before I finally got a decent picture of him.  Wonderful seeing all these birds.   This is the reason I walk.  I wouldn’t see any of them if I were in a car or even on a bike or running.

IMG_8760-yellow throated warbler



But we did bike it on our last trip here in 2011 and if you like biking and can do 11 miles of up and down, there isn’t a prettier bike path anywhere I don’t think.

IMG_8765




I love the folds in these mountains.




Since both Downy and Hairy woodpeckers are frequent and permanent residents in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I’m not positive who this is but I’m guessing it’s a Downy based on the bill.


IMG_8773-female downy


The orange butterfly plant stands out starkly in the field.



We’ve had a LOT of rain here nearly every afternoon and the water on Sparks Lane, which is one of the cross overs for those who don’t want to do the entire loop,  is running over the road.  With this in mind I’ve actually worn my hiking boots rather than walking shoes which would be fine for road walking.

IMG_8786


IMG_8790


There are actually ripples as it moves across the road.  Turns out it’s a little deeper even than I want to go in hiking boots since it will cover the whole top of the boot.  That would be OK if I was on a trail and had to, but there are no rocks to hop over here and since I have a choice I turn around and head back.

IMG_8791



I continue on the main loop road and decide to walk up the quarter mile lane to the John Oliver House. 

John and Lucretia (now that’s a name you don’t hear any more) Oliver arrived in Cades Cove in 1818, one of the first European Settlers to arrive.  Their home is one of the oldest structures in the park.  Members of the Oliver Family lived here until removal.

This photograph is on the information board.  It was taken in 1957.


The park has done a wonderful job of maintaining the house.  Notice the foundation in the next two pictures.

IMG_8811


It’s a one room cabin with a loft and only two windows.  Most of the air conditioning came from having both the front and the back doors open to any breeze.  I can look right through the house.

IMG_8812


It’s so dark inside that I had to use  my flash.   I think the little door on the right is for firewood storage under the stairs.



Steep stairs to the loft.


Notice the front door hinge and handle.



I think these hinges are so clever.  You never have to oil them.

IMG_8822


A throw bolt door lock only requires a hole to shove it into.  A bit harder to break into than our modern doors.

IMG_8823


These foundations just amaze me.  The whole house sits on rocks.

IMG_8840


IMG_8841


  The Rich Mountain Trail leads through the John Oliver property.  I may hike some of it on another day.


IMG_8839
 

Here’s the view from the back porch over the field I’m going to walk through as I leave rather than take the lane through the woods that I used to get here.  I can imagine sitting in a rocker on this porch stringing beans and loving the view.

IMG_8833


There are a couple of paths mowed through the field to make the hiking more tick free.  I take the path that seems to have less standing water.

IMG_8848


Back on the road, it’s nearly time to go return if I don’t want to be sharing the road with a line of incoming cars all moving at a snale’s pace.  I so appreciate the quiet with no motors.  I can hear the wind, the birds, things that get drowned out in our hectic automotive filled lives.

IMG_8868


I pass some birds of a feather.  I see them every time I come.  Still haven’t seen the gobbler.  He must be around somewhere.

IMG_8877


The last bird I see is perhaps not the same one I saw earlier but the Eastern Wood Pewee looks me in the eye and then turns his back to me and over his shoulder seems to say good bye.

IMG_8881-Eastern Wood Pewee


IMG_8887

Cades Cove is a wonderful place to spend a Saturday morning.  It’s a unique spot in this fantastic National Park.

16 comments:

  1. Thanks for identifying those little birds you took great pics of. I never got a good pic of our little hyperactive birds before they left for the season. That is nice of the park service to give the roads to the people for a day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really nice job get the birds while they are sitting still. What a great place and yes nice of them to not allow motorized vehicle on this day. They did a great job saving the cabin, people knew how to build cabins with next to nothing to work with

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is an absolutely wonderful little cabin. My ancestors could have lived there, and I can imagine doing so as well. Family goes back to Cherokee, the town.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have so many wonderful memories of the Great Smoky Mountains including Cade’s Cove.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh, I love this, Sherry. So peaceful. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a fabulous place for an early morning walk. Thanks for taking me back on that beautiful loop road. Loved all the birds you encountered & the amazing carpentry of John Oliver and his ability to use a pile of rocks as a foundation. I don't see how that can remain stable, but the Park Service seems to have figured it out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. nice warbler picture - those are difficult to get...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Another great post on the park:) We spent a lot of time there when I was working in DC. It is time for us to go back again!

    ReplyDelete
  9. That is so cool that they close the loop road so that hikers and bikers can enjoy it in peace. We would love to bike that loop. But I agree, walking allows for seeing much more, especially birds and flowers and butterflies and other little beauties. I think you identified the Downy Woodpecker correctly. Beautiful bird photos and interesting perspective with the split rail fence!

    ReplyDelete
  10. It always amazes me the incredible engineering the builders of old homes and barns used in constructing them. They used what was sourced around them and they did it all by hand. :c)

    ReplyDelete
  11. A delightful place, just my size. Yet it is difficult to imagine the house sitting on piles of rocks.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love that you know all the names of the cute birdies. That juvenile blue is beautiful! Wonderful little cabin - thanks for sharing all the interesting construction! Can't imagine trusting those stacked rocks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Walking and hiking complements the drive that you took a few days earlier. And you had another perspective of the beautiful sceneries and capture some birdies along the way. It must have been a very peaceful and serene hike.

    ReplyDelete
  14. We really loved Cades Cove when we were there for the RV Dreams rally years ago now. Lovely birds!

    ReplyDelete
  15. The bird pictures are fabulous!! What a neat cabin and beautiful mountain views!

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are the best part of this blog for me.
I LOVE hearing from you!