Good morning!!!!

[LouNY]

Morning all;
Not a bad day out here for mid January. Cool about 30F a bit of snow forecast, hopefully the driveway will get froze up so it's better plowing.
Going to be a pain this spring doing the yard cleanup a considerable amount of branches all over the yard, too wet to do much on it now and once it gets froze much of the debris will be froze to it. Oh well, that's the way it goes.
Looks like we may get some winter temps this next week;

At least the mud will not be too bad.
Everyone stay warm and get well.

 

[two_bit_score]

-16F this morning, less wind though. Dog didn't stay out long. I don't know the term for this sunrise, but there is an extra light shaft poking up. More pronounced than the pic shows. Cool looking.
View attachment 846648

Beautiful Picture with the light!

 

[two_bit_score]

When we lived in Texas we could drive on the beach. Looks like they are fenced off from doing that
Pretty

No the beaches in Texas are public and that is protected by the Open Beaches Act since 1959. Peple often park their car on the beach at night and wake up in the water the next morning.

 

[wngsprd]

We're blessed to have so many of our country's most beautiful and special places preserved as national parks, monuments, etc. Sorry to hear about The Great Smoky Mountains' recent changes. I spent many days backpacking there a few decades ago. So beautiful.

A bit of interesting history about The Great Smokys...back in the 1920s it was challenging Shenandoah's lead to become the first/only National Park in the eastern mountains. Unlike many western parks that were created from federal lands, Shenandoah's proponents were having to raise funds to purchase private lands...contributions from everyone from school kids to businesses, as well as state government contributions. The Smoky's were raising funds, too...but then John D Rockefeller made a multi-million dollar contribution and they got to the goal first. Fortunately, both parks were established.

A big difference was that the deal North Carolina insisted on with the federal govt was that there would never be a fee to enter their park, it would be free for all...still is. Whereas, Shenandoah charges $30 for an entrance pass, or $55 for an annual pass. For us seniors, the lifetime "America the Beautiful Senior Pass" is a one-time $80 purchase, good for all national parks about 2,000 other fed lands.

Now the National Park Service is underfunded, so looking for ways to increase revenue. The Smokys decided that the deal NC originally established would have to be honored, so no entrance fee...but came up with the idea that it didn't apply to parking fees...so that's their new "creative" revenue source. Sort of a "come in free, but don't stop, or you pay." The GSNP is the most visited NP in the USA.

Shenandoah NP has no parking fees, but a steep entrance fee, especially for a young working family wanting to take their kids to the outdoors. Just this week, SNP instituted a new fee...limited to backpackers...used to be free to backcountry camp, now a $15 pass must be bought online for your trip...applies to AT thru-hikers, too.

This is in addition to the hundreds of volunteers who maintain trails, purchase adjoining lands to preserve, etc through various hiking clubs and non-profits such as the Shenandoah National Park Association, and the Shenandoah National Park Trust.

 

[KilroyJC]

We're blessed to have so many of our country's most beautiful and special places preserved as national parks, monuments, etc. Sorry to hear about The Great Smoky Mountains' recent changes. I spent many days backpacking there a few decades ago. So beautiful.

A bit of interesting history about The Great Smokys...back in the 1920s it was challenging Shenandoah's lead to become the first/only National Park in the eastern mountains. Unlike many western parks that were created from federal lands, Shenandoah's proponents were having to raise funds to purchase private lands...contributions from everyone from school kids to businesses, as well as state government contributions. The Smoky's were raising funds, too...but then John D Rockefeller made a multi-million dollar contribution and they got to the goal first. Fortunately, both parks were established.

A big difference was that the deal North Carolina insisted on with the federal govt was that there would never be a fee to enter their park, it would be free for all...still is. Whereas, Shenandoah charges $30 for an entrance pass, or $55 for an annual pass. For us seniors, the lifetime "America the Beautiful Senior Pass" is a one-time $80 purchase, good for all national parks about 2,000 other fed lands.

Now the National Park Service is underfunded, so looking for ways to increase revenue. The Smokys decided that the deal NC originally established would have to be honored, so no entrance fee...but came up with the idea that it didn't apply to parking fees...so that's their new "creative" revenue source. Sort of a "come in free, but don't stop, or you pay." The GSNP is the most visited NP in the USA.

Shenandoah NP has no parking fees, but a steep entrance fee, especially for a young working family wanting to take their kids to the outdoors. Just this week, SNP instituted a new fee...limited to backpackers...used to be free to backcountry camp, now a $15 pass must be bought online for your trip...applies to AT thru-hikers, too.

This is in addition to the hundreds of volunteers who maintain trails, purchase adjoining lands to preserve, etc through various hiking clubs and non-profits such as the Shenandoah National Park Association, and the Shenandoah National Park Trust.

Soooo tempting to start typing but I will be good…

 

[daugen]

That is a lot of plants
Was that tree seedlings or vegetables?

all veggies, all grown for local food pantry, about two acres

thinking if I do this again, will transition to flowers

 

[Buppies]

Amazing wood work mpham

 

[Buppies]

Gstrom99 amazing picture thanks for sharing

 

[pennwalk]

5 minutes ago the sky was blue and the sun was out. Now the sky is full of big white flakes. Interesting weather.

 

[two_bit_score]

5 minutes ago the sky was blue and the sun was out. Now the sky is full of big white flakes. Interesting weather.

Sounds like Texas weather. We have 4 seasons in one day here sometimes.