When you think of sunrise in the Smokies – or even just the Appalachian mountains more generally – what comes to mind?  For me it’s the layers.  Our beautiful foothills stretching out to the highest peaks, made all the better of course, with some fog to help with separation between those layers.  It somehow just never gets old to me.  Throw in a beautiful sky at sunrise and I’m happy as can be.

I was having lunch yesterday with my parents a couple of their neighbors, one of whom is from the Midwest.  We were commenting on how many trees there are here, relative to what you find out in the plains, as well as our awesome rolling hills.  The conversation was a great reminder of how lucky I am to live here in the Smokies, and was inspiration that I need to get out more.  Is it funny how we can get swept up in the day to day, and forget to step outside and enjoy the nature around us.

More next week!

–Dan Thompson