We got up to Linville yesterday with plenty of snow still around. There were some bear tracks that Jim had discovered that were right behind the house and went down by the creek. You could see the claw marks in the snow on some of the tracks. After getting unpacked and settled we hit those trails on the ATV's. There are several miles of old logging trails up and down the mountain. The trails were still covered with snow making for a different experience than the last trip. We saw plenty of other tracks around the trails, some of which I think were bobcats. I would love to see a bear or a bobcat on this trip and get some decent shots of those creatures in the wild.
After our group trip around a portion of the trails I set out to get some sunset pics up on the ridge and some around the house and cabin. It was an amazing sunset with the bare tress, snow and a few clouds to add some texture.....see I told you I was a sunset junkie. Jim made his famous Moravian Spice Scallops for dinner. Along with sauteed spinach and mashed cauliflower, it was outstanding as usual. After dinner we settled in for a relaxing New Years Eve, far removed from the ones we all used to have. We all used to be out at the various music clubs around Raleigh. Whether my old band had a gig or we were seeing a friends band play, relaxing isn't a word I would use to describe the New Years Eve's of the past. I can say one thing with absolute certainty though, I felt better when I woke this morning than I used to on New Years Day.
It's been an overcast and rainy day so far and we're all just relaxing, reading by the fire....and laughing at Stella and Kanah doing their thing. I've been editing photos and now making this post, a perfect lazy start to the new year. Having said that, rain or not, I'm about to hop on an ATV and hit trails.....
