Last week I started a series on the images I’ve taken since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lock down, and this week we continue that. During much of the lock down period, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was also closed, and if you have been around my blog much at all, you’ll know that’s a place I frequent. While the rest of the park was closed, two roads remained open that pass through park boundaries, and one of those – thank goodness! – was the Foothills Parkway. At least I had *somewhere* to go for a much needed break! During this time I took the time to explore the newest section of the Parkway (known locally as the “missing link” section) some, and discovered the scene above while doing so. A couple of the overlooks have some nice patches of mountain laurel growing below them, and on this particular morning I happened to catch them in bloom. As a photography subject, I absolutely love mountain laurel because of how unique the bloom looks. To me, they really stand out among the other flowering plants.
More next week!
–Dan Thompson