There is something about that moment when we're driving along and the mountains suddenly jut into view that gets me every time, no matter where we are or which mountains lie ahead. I start breathing a little easier, smiling a little wider and have to resist the urge (or not) to belt out "Oh, what a beautiful morning!" for the remainder of the approach. Jeff said it well as the Blue Ridge Mountains rose up before us a few weeks ago: "There's nothing dramatic about the Blue Ridge, but they're pretty and you don't feel like they're trying to kill you all the time." So true. They aren't the Rockies. They aren't the Andes or the Himalayas. But they are comfortable and beautiful in their own below-the-tree-line-type way. Plus they really are quite blue. (See the last photo for evidence.) In October we spent a weekend in the Montreat area of North Carolina. This time we headed about an hour and 45 minutes north of Montreat for a week in the Grandfather Mountain area between Boone, Banner Elk and Blowing Rock. We stayed in a residential town called Seven Devils, perched on its own mountain. Our little cabin sat along a ridge at the top of Seven Devils at 3,655 feet, an altitude that is no joke on the scale of the Blue Ridge. (But when we thought of our place in Colorado, which sits at 9,200 feet in mountain valley, we had to laugh a little at the lack of intensity here in North Carolina. And then be grateful it's not -20 degrees, so the little ones could play outside.) I wasn't sure how exciting the non-snowy winter mountain landscape would be to photograph, but the rising sun—and believe me, we were awake to witness every sunrise thanks to a couple of ear infections—sent me running for my camera each morning to capture its perfection. And then, of course, little things would start to catch my eye here and there...but only after we'd hit up our favorite coffee shop in these parts, Mountain Grounds Coffee & Tea Co. (We also fueled up along the way with takeout from Bella's and Valle de Bravo Mexican Grill.) I decided to split my photos from this trip into two posts. This post covers the more classic mountain scenes, while the next focuses on a little valley community called Valle Crucis, which we fell in love with. Above: Sunrise view from the cabin with clouds above and below. (Grandfather Mountain to the right). Below: Another perfect sunrise with the moon still high in the sky. We didn't get to hike much on this trip due to weather and illness, but we squeezed in one hike along the Beacon Heights Trail, which required little effort but gave a big reward in the form of the view. If you've got more time and aren't hiking with a 2-year-old, check out the classic Profile Trail, which takes you up Grandfather Mountain to Calloway Peak. My ladies and me. Winter foliage. Most of the trees in this area are covered by green lichen (below, bottom left) which creates a stunning effect even when the trees are leafless. I developed a crush on this old barn next to the road leading up to the cabin. Another crush: Saddle Up Ranch, nestled along a steep section of switchbacks in Seven Devils. (I've got a thing for beautiful ranches, despite my ever-so-slight fear of cattle and horses.) Having the Blue Ridge Parkway at your fingertips comes in handy when you're trying to get a girl or two to take a car nap. Check back for scenes and a few travel tips from Valle Crucis. Click here to view more of our adventures.
0 Comments
We're always up for an adventure, but I have to admit that sometimes we arrive home from and trip with kids and wonder whether it was worth the herculean effort of packing the piles of essential gear, driving or flying with beings who just want to run around or be snuggled instead of sit belted in, and surviving the sleepless nights that a change in setting almost guarantee. Our recent trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, however, was well worth all of the above. We spent a long weekend admiring the changing leaves and inhaling the fresh Appalachian air of Black Mountain and Montreat, NC, with two of my three sisters and their families. Our tiny lady travel companions included the following: Our girls, Nora and Cricket. The lovely sisters, Cousin L and Cousin P. And sweet Cousin I. We rented one giant house together in Montreat, which—despite the secular nature of our trip—is actually a little town built around a religious conference center. With a killer playground. And hiking trails. And free paddle boats. What could be more exciting for a group of five girls (all under 4 years and four under 2 years) and their haggard parents? Attempting to eat at a restaurant with all the girls was a comedy of errors. Thankfully The Morning Glory Cafe and The Artisan provided us with delicious breakfasts, and everyone there managed to laugh instead of cry when our chaotic group approached. You can only imagine the complexity of the six parents' coffee orders... While the others caused trouble at the playground, Meg and I, with Nora snuggled into the Ergo, snuck away for a hike up the Lookout Trail to Rattlesnake Mountain. It was a low-key trail with spectacular views. They don't call this range the Blue Ridge for nothing. Below, clockwise: P and Nora admire each other. Cricket and Dad take a walk to check out the leaves. The colorful driveway to our rental house. Half of us take a spin on a paddle boat (also known to some as: “Tiny boat! Tiny boat!). Below, clockwise: P helps push the stroller. Cricket runs around the playground wearing a stunning ponytail (thanks, Meg!). Five girls descend upon a mountain house as Jeff looks on, beer in hand. Nora and I hike the Lookout Trail.
A town full of artists, writers and farmers sounds like our kind of place, so it's surprising that it took us this long to visit historic Hillsborough, NC. (We actually picked up our marriage license at the courthouse there several years ago but were too engrossed in the moment to explore.) Inspired by Design Mom's Love the Place You Live series and desperate to find a new, family-friendly activity, we loaded up our entourage last Saturday morning and headed to Hillsborough. Our first stop was the Eno River Farmers Market, where we bought delicious herbed goat cheese and a handful of dahlias the size of my head. We also happened upon a bluegrass band, which serenaded the girls with "You are my sunshine." What luck! From the farmers market, we wandered down to the Riverwalk, a dirt path that winds through a park and along the Eno River. There was a lot of leaf crunching to be done along the path. Then we walked a block to the main drag and stopped into Weaver Street Market, a local coop, for some coffee, bread—to enjoy with our goat cheese—and pumpkin scones. Yum. The few blocks making up the downtown area are filled with galleries, a yarn store, a chocolate shop, several restaurants, an old-timey hardware store and the sweet little Purple Crow Books, where I could spend every Saturday morning of my life. The prominent fire station was an exciting bonus for the toddler among us. As I mentioned in my last Love the Place You Live post, we're starting to get antsy about whether to stay in North Carolina or make a big move before the girls are school aged. This decision is a difficult one; my mountain-loving heart belongs in the Rockies, my husband's surfer heart belongs at the beach and someone has to make a living along the way. But this little outing got us thinking...Perhaps we actually belong in quiet, artsy, idyllic Hillsborough? P.S. Here’s one last photo in case you're doubting my claim to have bought dahlias the size of my head or wondering what kind of gear it requires to spend a morning out with two under 2 years.
Remember last month when I posted that I was craving a more rural life? And the last few weeks when I posted here and here on feeling sentimental about my homeland of Minnesota? Well those trips and photos and write-ups have gotten me thinking about where it really is I want my kids to consider home. Sometimes I'm intimidated by the idea of choosing that place for them. After all, they only get one childhood—no do-overs, no backsies. Perhaps we should move them to the mountains? Or perhaps to the beach? Or perhaps we should stay here in Raleigh, an area that is comfortable if a bit bland? This weekend, we declared we would take a break from feeling antsy and anxious about our next steps. So at the invitation of my niece, Iris, and inspired by Design Mom's Love the Place You Live series, we headed to the Eno River State Park in Durham, NC, for a hike with the little ones. And I'm so glad we did. It is days like these, places like these, that remind me why we live here—why we call it home. Sure our area isn't the most exciting spot, but it has all our girls need to explore, to learn to appreciate the world around them, to laugh, to run and to hold hands with their mom and dad when the terrain is too tough to handle on their own. Plus the weather here in the fall is perfection. Who knows where we'll end up in the future, but for now, we’re home. Above: Cricket hiking with Dad. Below: In addition to Jeff and my sister, Meg, and brother-in-law, Christo, my hiking companions included Nora (left), Iris (middle) and Cricket (right). (Thanks to Christo for taking the photo on the right.) Below: We hiked down to the river—and by hiked, I mean some of us walked while others ran, galloped, skipped, tripped, fell and ambled off into the forest—collecting rocks along the way to throw into the water. Some of us have better aim than others, so some of the rocks landed in the water while other rocks landed on members of our party. (Oops.) Below: Tearing around the inside of this old cabin was a huge hit with the toddlers. The only challenge was to avoid the copperhead that guards the place. Below left: A park ranger informed us this bridge and the one at Grandfather Mountain are the only suspension bridges in the state. Below right: Orange fungi. Below: This metal cover, which made great sounds when stomped upon, was a favorite park feature among the toddlers. P.S. I cringe at posting iPhone photos, but sometimes you just can't carry a DSLR and two kids at the same time. That said, I do love some Instagramming. You can follow my Instagrams here: @jsoplop.
P.P.S. Stay tuned for Nora's 4-month portraits in my next post. It's nearly impossible to write about Minnesota without referencing water. It is, after all, the land of 10,000 lakes, and there is a certain lake culture here I have yet to find elsewhere. (During the long winter, that lake culture transforms into a culture of ice and snow, of skiing and sledding and skating. And hot chocolate.) Earlier this month, we spent a week in my hometown of Minneapolis. (See my previous Minneapolis posts here and here.) Whenever I venture home, I'm drawn back to the water, typically to the string of lakes in the middle of the city--Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake—connected by walking and biking trails. My mom grew up on Lake Harriet, so it has extra significance for me. I'm forever imagining her as a little girl, fishing, sailing or just wandering around the lake on a summer day. My best friend, Rachel, recently wrote a piece about Minneapolis on her fantastic baking blog, Sweet Tarte. (Check it out. Seriously, your taste buds will thank you.) I couldn't agree with her more on how difficult it is to write a travel post about your hometown. I'll admit I have no idea where the hot spots are these days. But I'll share with you a few of my favorite places, all of which involve water, baked goods or biking, often in some combination. Above: SUP with pup. Stand-up paddle boarding has made its way to Lake Harriet. Below: Canoes at Lake Harriet. Below left: Each morning of our trip, my parents watched the girls for an hour or two so Jeff and I could head out to a quiet breakfast. One of my favorite summer foodie activities is sitting at the Sebastian Joe's patio in Linden Hills with either ice cream or coffee in hand. Some days we brought over cinnamon rolls from the neighboring Great Harvest Bread Co. (my first place of employment as a 16-year-old!) or bread, cheese and pastries from nearby Turtle Bread Company to enjoy with our coffee. On a cooler morning, we strayed from Sebastian Joe's to try out Rustica Bakery on Sweet Tarte's recommendation. What Rustica lacked in ambiance, they made up for in pastries and coffee. Oh my, I think they might make the best mocha in the city. The greenway system in Minneapolis is quite extensive, connecting suburbs, lakes and urban areas for bikers, runners and walkers. One morning we hopped on the Cedar Lake Trail from my parents' place and biked down to and around Lake Calhoun. For avid bikers like us, this trail offers a pleasant way to see the city. Below right: Have you heard of the Lake Harriet elf door? Leave a letter for the elf inside the tree and he'll write back. It's magical. Below: Across the street from Lake Harriet, Lyndale Park Rose Gardens boasts a huge variety of roses, two fountains—which were quite popular with Cricket—and lots of room to run or throw down a picnic blanket. Below left: Cricket blows dandelions with Dad at the rose gardens. Below right: Running fast! Below: Beautiful weeds along a bike path off Blake Road in Hopkins. Below left: Each year on the Saturday after Labor Day, the neighborhood where I grew up, Interlachen Park, hosts a festival of garage sales. It's no ordinary garage sale. It's paradise for DIY-ers and thrifters alike. As kids, we'd set up a lemonade stand, then run around the neighborhood buying junk with our proceeds. I hadn't witnessed garage sale day in about 12 years and couldn't resist introducing my family to the phenomenon. Even I was amazed at how extensive the event is! Below right: Cricket dashes around the playground at my alma mater. P.S. I'd like to share a photo lighting tip with you. If you're new to photography and begin researching the best times to be out and about taking photos, you'll undoubtedly come across advice to shoot during the "golden hours," which are an hour or two after sunrise and before sunset. The light during these times will create beautiful effects. But if you're like me, you're almost always stuck inside at those hours feeding kids, getting them ready for the day or starting the bedtime routine. Many of our most memorable moments take place outside the golden hours in the blaring sun. Don't let these moments pass by without documentation simply because the lighting isn't quite perfect! Breaking the rules can make photos more interesting anyway.
We spent last week in my homeland of Minneapolis, witnessing the brilliant summer gardens in my parents’ yard fade into the drying flowers and brittle leaves of fall. A steady breeze drifted through screened doors and windows, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of Midwestern autumn, and the quality of afternoon light seemed to shift before our eyes—yet another confirmation of summer’s swift end. In my next post, I’ll fill you in on my favorite activities around town. But first I'd like to share a few images from my parents’ place. Eight years ago, they moved one mile away from my childhood home, but this “new” house has already earned sentimental status in my book. It was this house—which feels like a tree house—that greeted my husband and both our daughters when I brought each of them to Minneapolis for the first time. We joke that my parents’ plot of land and the narrow, adjacent swath of woods should be declared one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. It teems with wildlife—great-horned owls, hawks, coyote, fox, deer, raccoon and on and on. Above: Dragonfly silhouette. Below: This summer a wild turkey mother declared the area home, settling in to raise her nine babies. By the time we arrived, the babies had grown to adult size. The mother (below left) was identifiable only by her behavior; she was ever vigilant, neck high, eyes scanning for danger. Cricket took immediately to the turkeys, spending much of each day searching for them. They never stuck around long once located...Cricket always shrieked with joy and sent them waddling off to the woods, herded by their mama. Below: When not turkey hunting, Cricket enjoyed throwing rocks off what we refer to as the “romantic foot bridge” and skipping down the winding garden paths. (You can find Cricket's 21-month portraits, taken on this trip, here.) Below: Hosta along the front walk. Above: Turtlehead flowers. Below: Black-eyed susan. Above: At first I was disappointed when this hawk swooped onto a branch next to the deck during Cricket's nap time, knowing she would have loved to watch it. But then I realized it was tearing a baby bunny to shreds, which made me glad my chica was snoozing.
Below: The same dragonfly that starred in the first photo above. Have you ever visited Terrain in Glen Mills, PA? It's a must! Whenever we're in the Philadelphia area, we stop by to wander their nursery, browse their shop and partake in a delicious meal packed with local fruits and vegetables.
Terrain gives me such garden envy. And it always manages to inspire me to start a new project. I just bumped preparing a new bed for an organic vegetable and cut-flower garden to the top of our to-do list. Most of my focus on creating a tranquil environment for our family has remained inside the house, but now that the girls are mobile (well, one is running and one is rolling), it's time to identify more ways to use and enjoy our yard together. I can't wait to see both of them out there next summer watering the plants and watching them grow—or at least entertaining themselves while I tinker in the garden. Above: On this visit, Terrain surprised us with an adorable soda stand in the middle of the nursery. Below: A few more shots from Terrain's outdoor space. As I mentioned before, I was camera-less and Instagrammed this trip. (For more photos from our trip, see my posts on farm life outside Philadelphia here and a wedding weekend in New York here.) Lately I've been craving a more rural life—perhaps a few quiet, private acres; a vegetable patch; a sprawling lawn for the girls and their dogs. Something close to good restaurants. Close to good schools. Far from traffic. Ahh, I feel relaxed just imagining it... I'm not sure if or when we'll be able to make it all happen, but in the meantime we enjoyed that slice of life at both a friend's farm and my in-laws' place on our recent trip to the Philadelphia area. (See New York photos from the trip here.) I thought Cricket would get a kick out of the animals, flowers and vegetables at the farm, but she fell asleep in the car on the way and slept through the entire visit. Luckily, I got a full tour. I was camera-less but Instagrammed my way around. Above: Barn with sunflowers. Below top left: Popcorn! Below top right: More sunflowers. Below bottom left: Guinea hens. Below bottom right: Peppers. Below top left: Zinnias in the cut-flower bed. Below top right: Eggplant flower. Below bottom left: Hot, hot peppers. Below bottom right: Frizzle chicken. My in-laws have a stunning yard, too. Immediately behind the house lies a pool surrounded by flower beds. Beyond that, leafy trees and raspberry bushes speckle an acre of lawn. Below top left: My little swimmer girl. Below top right: Peaches at Linvilla Orchards, where we also visited horses, goats and chickens and bought fresh apple cider donuts. Yum. Below bottom left: Purple cone flowers. Below bottom right: Bleeding hearts, which remind me of my yard growing up. P.S. Happy 50th blog post to me!
A few weeks ago, we undertook a week-long voyage north to attend a friend's wedding and visit family. We flew to Philadelphia (two plane seats, four people, lots of nail biting), dropped Cricket with Jeff's parents, drove up to New York/Connecticut with Nora for the wedding (for about 18 hours), then drove back to Philadelphia for the remainder of the week. With the ridiculous amount of gear required to transport two babies via air, I decided to leave my DSLR at home for the first time in a long, long time and Instagram my way through the week. Despite the lack of sophisticated equipment, I'm sure I snapped more photos than I would have had I been trying to use my camera. It's bulky, requiring two hands, which I didn't have to spare. Here are a few shots from the beautiful wedding weekend. I'll share photos from Philadelphia in my next posts, including a few of a friend's farm and my in-laws' gorgeous garden. Above: Manhattan drive-by. Below: Wedding and reception at the Larchmont Yacht Club, Larchmont, NY. Thanks to Jeff for taking the photo of Nora and me. Below: George Washington Bridge.
Welcome to the second installment of photos from our recent trip to Corolla, NC. (See the first installment here.) Above: Enjoying beach time with Cricket and Nora's cousins (and some baby jelly fish). Below: My sister-in-law has four kids. They're all independent souls, so it's tough to get a shot of them together. Luckily, they happened to parallel play just long enough for me to capture this one. I love how they're all happily doing their own thing. Below let: Heading over the dunes to the beach with Dad. Below right: Cricket digs while Dad fetches her a bucket of water (after she commanded him to do so). Below: Feeding turtles at the neighborhood pond was a big hit. Below top: Cricket's new turtle friends. Below bottom: This sweet little man scored a pair of cowboy boots for his birthday! I love the boot-pajama combo. P.S. The beach was way too hot for Nora, so she spent most of the vacation in the house. To make up for the lack of photos of her here, she'll be the star of my next post.
|
My new book is out! Click to learn more about it.Hello thereI'm Julia Soplop, writer and photographer. I believe there is something profound in bearing witness to moments of joy and pain in others’ lives. My husband, three girls and I live outside of Chapel Hill, NC. You can read more about me here.
Snag my new photo curriculum for kids!Categories
All
Popular posts |