Banner Elk is named for the Elk River and the Banner family, who established the first permanent settlement in 1848.
The Elk River and Shawneehaw Creek merge at Mill Pond. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Banner Elk and the surrounding towns, you won't be disappointed!
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
I'm always posting Harry Potter photos from Universal Orlando on Wednesdays but I thought I'd mix it up this week. I grew up with the Simpsons and was thrilled when I saw our animated neighbors finally get the credit they deserved on the world stage. I think Duff Dry really represents the future of Springfield but Universal did a great job anchoring the town with a tribute to the one and only Jebediah Springfield in order to keep everybody grounded.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7..
You are almost always in the middle of a forest when you are on Beech Mountain. The town of Beech Mountain is the highest town east of the Colorado Rockies but it's real claim to fame is the Land of Oz. A formerly abandoned amusement park, dedicated to Dorothy & friends, is perched at the very top of the mountain. A yellow brick road even winds through the mountain pasture as you near the peak. As you gain altitude, the trees begin to take on an otherworldly feel as they start growing at odd angles to combat the wind. These trees wrap around the side of Oz at the very peak of the mountain.
The Wizard of Oz — and the flying monkeys in particular — always scared me to death but if you are a fan of the books and movies, you should come to Beech Mountain for a visit. The park opens back up for a giant Oz festival once a year (it was last weekend) and the it is open on select weekends over the summer. Even better, you can arrange for a private tour any time of the year and have it all to yourself! If you want to visit Oz and the highest town east of the Rockies, book a few nights at Slopeside, which is just a few hundred feet from the chairlift that takes you straight to the top of the mountain and the Land of Oz.
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
We went to the Greek festival in Charlotte this weekend and I finally found a Greek beer that wasn't too bad! I'm not sure if I'll ever see Fix again but I'll be keeping an eye out for it the next time I'm in a greek restaurant. So long Mythos! Actually, never mind. I just learned that Fix was sold to Carlsberg (Mythos' owner) in 2014. Maybe that means we'll start seeing Fix served up alongside Mythos at our favorite Greek restaurants!
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
One of my favorite pavilions in Epcot's World Showcase is Morocco. I've posted several photos from this particular courtyard in the past. It is supposed to be an example of a "typical" upper-class Moroccan home and it is beautiful. I've always dreamed of living in a home with an internal courtyard. Even without a courtyard home, at least I can still hang out in this one for some shade and a little rest and recovery time whenever I'm lucky enough to visit Epcot.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
We made a run to the Mast General Store in Boone for a few things and parked in front of the Speakeasy Tattoo Company. I don't know much about tattoos but I do know that if you are going to carry a design around for the rest of your life, it probably can't hurt to pick a parlor that is rocking a sweet design of their own.
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
I'm not sure what you call the visual distortion that can make the sun appear to change shape and get pulled into the sea but I never get tired of seeing it. This sunset was on a cruise to the Bahamas.
Surprisingly, this photograph was taken through a somewhat dirty porthole window. I used a fairly low aperture of 1.4 in order to blur out the dry salt on the outside of the window and focus on the horizon. As a bonus, the sea has a nice gradual blur as it gets closer.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
Developed in 1958, the de Havilland C-7A Caribou was known for its short takeoff and landing capabilities (STOL). Able to deliver 26 paratroopers or three tons of equipment over or on to short, improvised airstrips, the Caribou was developed just in time for the unique requirements of jungle warfare in Southeast Asia.
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
True to the story, the Leaky Cauldron at Universal Studios serves as the gateway to Diagon Alley and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Set among typical British storefronts and a Tube stop, we actually walked right past the corridor leading into Diagon Alley when we first arrived. As everything in the WWoHP, Universal Orlando did a great job setting the stage for the adventure.
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.
I took this photograph at the beginning of summer on Memorial Day. It seems fitting to post it as summer unofficially comes to a close with Labor Day. I hope you had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to the cooler weather and all of the festivals that fall bring our way!
This photograph was captured with a Sony NEX-7.