Hi Everyone!
Welcome to
my July newsletter. Summer is here and I have a few goodies to send your way.
- Photo of the Month: Clingman's Dome Sunset
- Computer Help: Free AVG 9.0
- Computer Help: Windows 7
- Photography News: SIDE STREET ARTISTS - Nov 21
PHOTO OF THE MONTH:
Clingman's Dome Sunset
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
North Carolina
Clingman's Dome, one of my favorite spots in the Smokies, is located on the Tennessee and North Carolina state line, within the borders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and is the tallest mountain in the park, and the second highest in east of the Mississippi River. Like most peaks in the Great Smoky Mountains, Clingman's Dome climbs prominently above the surrounding terrain, rising nearly 5,000 feet (1,525 meters) from base-to-summit.
After a little huffing and puffing to gain about 550 feet in elevation in just a half mile hike, you are rewarded with a 360 degree, panoramic view of four states. Sunset on the top is both chilling and lovely. The wind howls, and in November, it’s a cold wind indeed, but that seems a small price for the lush colors and occasional ocean of fog that covers the lower peaks below.
Reputedly known as "kuwahi" (the mulberry place) by the Cherokee, the mountain was originally dubbed "Smoky Dome" by local Scots-Irish inhabitants. In 1859, the mountain was renamed for Thomas Lanier Clingman (1812-1897), who extensively explored the area in the 1850's and spent many more years promoting it.
Clingman was also a lawyer, a member of the U.S. Congress (house and senate), and a brigadier general for the Confederate States of America. The mountain was named for Clingman due to an argument between the senator and a professor at the University of North Carolina named Elisha Mitchell, over which mountain was actually the highest in the region. Mitchell contended that a peak by the name of Black Dome (now known as Mount Mitchell) was the highest, while Clingman asserted that Smoky Dome was the true highest peak. In fact, it was later proven that Smoky Dome was 39 feet shorter than Black Dome. Mitchell’s victory was short-lived – he later fell to his death at nearby Mitchell Falls in 1857, having returned to verify his earlier measurements.
Most of the high peaks in this area shared a confusing trail of names in the late 19th century, with Mt. Gibbs bearing the name of Mt. Mitchell, and Clingman's Dome (Peak) also once bearing the name of Mt. Mitchell. Years later, Mt. Gibbs became Clingman's Peak and even later, after its elevation was verified and the "tallest peak" crown was bestowed, Mt. Mitchell was officially named Mt. Mitchell and Clingman's Peak became Clingman's Dome, except not as Mt. Gibbs, but for a peak in the Smokies. Confused yet? No kidding.
To see more of my photos from recent trips to the Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains, click HERE.
Many of my readers are also my computer clients, and you know that I have long recommended AVG Antivirus software. Not only is it free, but it's reliable and not too bulky. It does it's job quietly and efficiently.
Beginning December 1, AVG will no longer provide updates for version 8.5 and below, instead replacing them with version 9.0. This is a normal upgrade in the fast-moving world of virus and spyware protection.
For those of you who still have an older version on your computers, you'll need to replace it with version 9. Either give me a call for an appointment to help you with this, or you can try to install the free version yourself from the AVG web site at:
Be sure you choose the free version, and during installation, be sure to choose a "CUSTOM INSTALL" so you can UNCHECK the box that wants to install the Yahoo Toolbar. If you have problems after attempting to do the installation yourself, please give the kind folks over at Action One Computers (498-2855) a call. They're experts at unraveling such problems, as well as checking your computer for viruses and spyware.
Many of you have been hanging on to your older Windows XP computers because of my warnings about Microsoft's very glitchy Windows Vista operating system. Well, wait no more! Windows 7 was released on October 22, and it's a much better operating system.
I've been using a "release candidate" version of it since May, and while it's had it's ups and downs, that has had more to do with me and the large, RAM-intensive software I use, than the software. Overall, I really like Windows 7. It's a huge improvement over Vista.
As always, if you're not desperate for a new computer, it might be wise to wait 4 or 6 months for Windows 7 to "mature" a little bit. If you do decide to buy, be sure to get a computer with plenty of RAM. You'll need it with Windows 7.
Side Street Artists is kicking off the 2009-2010 season with our first art fair on Saturday, November 21 from 10 am to 4 pm! Our art fairs are held monthly, November-April, on Saturdays at the Bonita Shores Club just off Bonita Beach Road. For more information about this show, including examples of ALL our artist's work and show location maps, be sure to visit the Side Street Artists web site.
This month, I'm proud to say there will be 20+ outstanding local artists at the show, including the artists listed below (click on any name to learn more):
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For myself, I hope to have some of the new photographs I've introduced you to this summer, including the one above, ready for the show.
Again, this show is Saturday, November 21, from 10 am - 4 pm at the Bonita Shores Club just off Bonita Beach Road. For more information about this show, including examples of ALL our artist's work and show location maps, be sure to visit the Side Street Artists web site.
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I'm always looking for new topics to cover that interest YOU, the reader! If you have ideas, just click to send me an email, or give me a call at (239) 498-0480.
Well, that wraps up
another issue of my newsletter. Until next month,
thanks for reading!
M.E.
Parker
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