Merry Christmas to everyone! Whatever holiday you celebrate at this time of year, may it be filled with peace and love.

This young lady was watching the band that was playing down at the end of her street. At Bele Chere in Asheville.

Downtown Greenville, SC

One more from DC: a view of the new National Museum of the American Indian.

Here's the marathon in-progress. We're waiting for our friend Birgit to come by.

Just got back from Washington, DC, where we watched a friend run in the Marine Corps Marathon. Here's the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History.

In the backyard, Greenville, SC

A cool, drizzling afternoon in Carolina. A good time to document the fall flowers in the backyard.

Went for an overnight hike to North Lake in Paris Mountain State Park—30 minutes from my house in Greenville. Here's the lake, looking toward the dam.

Downtown Greenville, SC

I just happened to have a camera with me.

The trucks have returned to the little road behind the newspaper office.

Another view from our campsite in Middle Prong Wilderness.

On Saturday we took an overnight hike in Middle Prong Wilderness, off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here's how it looked behind the tent.

Saw something new at the bike races: handcycling. This guy was flying in the US Handcycling criterion—20 laps around downtown Greenville.

Early action in the USA Cycling Pro Championship Road Race, held Sunday in Greenville. Each of the four laps is 22.5 miles from downtown Greenville out to Paris Mountain, up and over the 2000-foot-high mountain, and then back to downtown. These guys are really tired after this day is over.

The scene at the USA Cycling Pro Championship Time Trial, today in Greenville. I believe that David Zabriskie won, for the fourth time in a row.

This one is for Carl Weese. My brother and sister and I passed it as we were walking around the old neighborhood.

A picture from the ballgame we never quite made it to. We did, however, have a very pleasant evening on the patio of the bar next door, where this was taken.

Asheville, NC held its annual Bele Chere festival this past weekend. Here's the scene on a hot, sunny Saturday afternoon in the North Carolina mountains.