Picture of the day - August 6, 2007

Aerial view of South Holston Lake

Last Monday, my brother Glen and I accompanied our mom on her first airplane flight in celebration of her 80th birthday. We didn't travel a great distance - just a few miles in fact, but distance wasn't the goal... One of mom's lifelong dreams has been to take a ride among the clouds in an airplane, looking down upon the beautiful Mountain Empire landscape that she has called home for some 75 of her 80 years on planet earth. Well, on July 31, 2007 that dream became a reality as she climbed aboard a Cessna 172 and lifted off on her great flight adventure! There were four seats available on the flight, with mom, Glen and the pilot occupying three of them. This left one seat available, and since Cheria, Helen and Tonnie declined to use it I gladly hopped aboard with my trusty camera. I spent most of the short flight taking pictures of mom as she looked out the window in amazement and wonder, obviously having the time of her life as we cruised along at 3,000 feet, but I also managed to get several shots of the countryside below. When mom's little flight adventure was over, I came away with a number of images that were destined for our family photo albums, but I also ended up with a few decent landscape shots. Today's picture is an aerial view of South Holston Lake, located just a relative "stone's throw" from Bristol, Tennessee. I think the photo turned out pretty well considering that it was shot through a dirty airplane window on a fairly hazy morning. Glen and I have always loved to fly and mom had always wanted to, so it turned out to be a wonderful day for all of us. Mom was able to see one of her fondest dreams come true, and we were blessed to be right there with her among the clouds when it happened. What a day... and what a view!   Visit the POTD Archives for previous "Pictures Of The Day"!     Submit a photo of your own!            Why I publish the "Picture of the Day"