I happened to catch the sun behind this lily yesterday. It was a beautiful morning and the name of the lily, Golden Splendor, seemed especially appropriate at that time.

We were supposed to get some rain yesterday (Sunday), but it went around us as often happens. The rain was supposed to bring cooler temperatures -- I hope the cooler temperatures will come anyway.

Since we didn't get the rain, I had to settle for a waterfall to bring me some relief. This little drop is just above Baker Falls here in Tennessee.

This is Hurricane Falls in Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia. This picture was taken from an observation deck at the bottom of 570 steps leading into the gorge. Fortunately I think this picture is worth the effort needed to climb back up all those steps!

The latest rose to bloom in our garden is Granada, a red-orange-yellow beauty with a delightful fragrance. Granada is a new rose in our garden this year.

The picture above was taken from a suspension bridge over Hurricane Falls in Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia. The perspective is a little strange since we're looking down the falls, but the water is clear and sparkling -- something that is definitely needed with all the hot weather we've been having.

Betsy and I celebrated our eighth anniversary on Tuesday. That afternoon we hiked to Panther Falls near the town of Tallulah Falls, Georgia. We had a very enjoyable hike through the forest and when we arrived at the falls we had it all to ourselves. Two waterfall collectors couldn't ask for a better anniversary present.

One of the roses we got last year is First Prize, which has a beautiful color, nice fragrance and huge blossoms. I wish you could be here to see this wonderful rose in person.

This picture was taken in our garden earlier this month. About Face is an interesting rose because each petal is darker on the outside and lighter on the inside. The colors seem to change as the buds open, making a very beautiful bush.

I need a cool image to get through the hot weather we've been having. The picture above was made last March when my Beautiful Bride and I spent a couple of days at Serenity Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Apricot Nectar is another rose in a garden. We got it last year and we like its soft color and mild fragrance.

It was a very hot and humid day again up here on the Plateau and I needed another waterfall to feel cooler. This is the base of Fall Creek Falls here in Tennessee.

This is another of our roses. We got Paradise in 2007 and Betsy and I like its form and color. Paradise has a fairly strong fragrance, which is yet another reason to like it.

It got hot working out in the yard Sunday afternoon, so I wanted something to make me nice and cool. A waterfall fits that bill. Jestice Creek Falls is on Mt. Magazine in Arkansas. This picture was taken in March of this year.

This is another of the roses we got last year. Dream Come True was a 2008 All-America Rose Selection and the fragrance is almost as wonderful as the colors.

Betsy and I were putting away the bird feeders yesterday evening just before it got dark. We were on the deck behind the house when we both noticed the most incredible fragrance -- the lilies are in bloom. The lily above, Treffer, is one of those lilies we are now enjoying.

I grew up in northwestern Indiana where Chicago was 'The City'. I never thought of Chicago as being particularly peaceful, but this rose, Chicago Peace, is definitely beautiful.

I've mentioned that Fall Creek Falls here in Tennessee is a special place for Betsy and me. Fall Creek Falls was the very first waterfall we saw together. In May of this year we found another Fall Creek Falls. This Fall Creek Falls is near Westminster, South Carolina.

I took this picture of clouds over Cane Creek Gulf (Canyon) in Tennessee's Fall Creek Falls State Park when we visited there in April of this year.

The picture above was taken at our house about a week ago. It shows the larger of our two rose beds as well as some of the roses in containers along our driveway. The picture does a pretty good of showing what the roses look like -- it's too bad you have no way to enjoy the fragrance.

This beauty is another of our roses. We got Tahitian Sunset last year and thoroughly enjoy the color and fragrance. It has quickly become one of our favorites.

Many people have been to Niagara Falls and have seen, enjoyed and pictured the falls. But not as many people have seen what happens to all that water after it goes over one of the falls. The picture above is of the rapids in the Niagara River downstream from the Rainbow Bridge.

The Glade is beautiful just about any time of the day or any season of the year. This picture was taken in the early morning on the fairway of the fourteenth hole of the Druid Hills Golf Course. It's one of my favorite spots, especially when the fog is still in the valley below.

Another rose that's new in our garden this year is Bewitched. It has a pretty cotton-candy-pink color and a nice fragrance. It also has beautiful full blooms, which both Betsy and I enjoy very much.

One of our favorite waterfalls is Serenity Falls, near Cosby, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Serenity Falls is not a large waterfall, but Betsy and I stayed in a cabin at the base of the falls and had a wonderful time. We plan on going back.

Strike It Rich is another rose we've had in our garden for a couple of years. It gets its name from the golden color of the buds, which turn more yellow as they age. Looking at it certainly makes us feel rich.

The rose above is another from our garden. We got Sheer Magic in 2007 and we enjoy both the coloration and the light fragrance. As is often the case with bicolor roses, the colors change as the blossom ages.

Lake Nickajack is one of the lakes formed on the Tennessee River by a TVA dam. This picture was taken at a rest area on I-26 near Chattanooga, Tennessee. The rest area is on an island in the lake.