Hearts All Around, pt.4

It's here, the day of love! Let's start out with a 'heart' I discovered on my bathroom counter:
My ponytail holder, doesn't it look cute?







Next, some pretty heart-shaped leaves growing amongst moss in the Smokies......







Finally, some tasty Brittania heart biscuits I picked up at the Indian grocery. They're rather like a slightly sweet pretzel.



We're back into the mountains again today, I'll certainly be on the lookout for more hearts.....
Happy Valentine's Day!

Hearts All Around, pt.3

I do a fair amount of cooking and while whipping up a batch of shami kebabs I noticed a bit of red spice shaped *exactly* like a heart stuck on the side of the mixing bowl. How sweet! The rest looks kinda gross this close up.... but it tastes good :-)

Hearts All Around, pt.2

Valentine's Day is creeping closer......
Another heart specimen in a dead tree trunk in the Sugarlands area of Great Smoky Mtns Nat'l Park. This one is a sort of country-style, elongated heart.

It was a good day for spotting hearts in the mountains!

Hearts All Around, pt.1

Last year I began seeing natural "hearts" in many places prior to Valentine's Day, so this year I kept my eyes peeled again for interesting ones to pop up. Time for this year's installment!
Up first:


A lovely knot hole in the Sugarlands area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Hearts All Around - Part 5

Ok, here it is, the last installment of the Valentine Series! I've had great fun discovering heart-shaped designs and I'll probably keep looking for them.
These two images are my favorite.
First up: A 1931 topographic map section of Cades Cove in the Smoky Mtn's Nat'l Park. Note the heart shaped contour line to the west of Whistling Gap. Cool! I discovered this a few weeks ago while doing trail research and actually it is what inspired me to begin this little project.

And finally: You may think this is a stretch, but it looks like a little heart to me! A heart with a little face. Although I could be influenced by the superluv I have for him, and what could be more appropriate on Valentine's Day than that :-)
He's sitting on my shoulder supervising as I type.
Click the photo to see it larger.

I hope you've enjoyed the series, thanks for following!

Hearts All Around - Part 4

It's finally here, Valentine's Day! Drab and dreary outside today, but the online world is all lovey and hearty and warm. Perfect time to share the rest of my Valentine Series.
First up is a divinely beautiful specimen I spotted while we were hiking the Meigs Mountain Trail in the Smokies. This curled bit of wild grapevine was unbelievable!



Next, a formation found in the melting ice on our driveway. This one I've highlighted so you can see it better. You can probably spot other shapes in there, it's like a Rorschach ink blot. Don't get all pervy!

I'll post the fifth and final installment of the Valentine Series later today. I'm saving my favorite heart finds for last!

Hearts All Around - Part 3

This installment of the Valentine Series was really a pleasant surprise! Look what I discovered in my bag of bay leaves while cooking last night:
The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, they say.
I'm inclined to believe it is partially true, since little makes my husband happier than a fresh home cooked meal.

Hearts All Around - Part 2

Second installment in the Valentine Series is a little beauty I observed along the Spruce Fir Trail the day I lost my glove (see Monday's post).
A tree had fallen across the trail and rangers sawed it apart to clear the path. A unique formation was revealed!