Charming Chestnut Cove

Yesterday we took a hike through an area of the mountains a couple miles west of us called Chestnut Cove, and discovered it's charm.  It's similar to where our cabin is, but less populated (by that I mean no one as opposed to our few full time residents), especially as you continue to hike up the mountain.  It's been an absolutely dreary rainy day here today, keeping me stuck in the cabin and doing things like ironing (one of my least favorite chores) so I thought I'd share a few of the special treasures from that hike.

This is the rare Showy Orchis and is considered by many to be the prettiest of the orchids in the Smoky Mountains...we came across several patches of them, which is also very unusual because they usually grow in small groupings of only 4 or 5 stems...a stunning find!

This guy was moving like I feel today...slow and easy...I found the shell to be especially pretty with more detail than I usually see on them...

An old waterwheel and shed...we even came across the dilapidated flume higher in the mountain that used to carry the water to it...

Great Blue Lobelia...

An old well surrounded by Lobelia...

I've enjoyed my little rain-drenched-day getaway, I hope you did!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise