A great little lake gem

 Let me tell you about this great little lake gem that I stubbled upon called Lake Junaluska. This lake has a little humor, but more about that later. Anyway, we were looking for a middle point to meet our daughter for a mini-vacation. We live in Nashville and she is in Richmond.  For us, this was about a five hour drive and a six hour drive for her. You have probably have never heard of Lake Junaluska. It sounds like it is located in Alaska, however it is not. It is located in North Carolina, near the Great Smokey Mountains. It is a beautiful small, man made lake, about 200 acres. It's ringed with well maintained homes, mostly built in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. It's almost like you have stepped back to an earlier time.

There are a few bed & breakfasts, inns and hotels around the lake that are reasonablely priced. The lake is a conference and spritual center. You can just feel the serenity and calmness in these photo. 

I saw a lot of folks canoing, and kayaking, which you can rent. While I was on one of the small walkways, I saw a couple fishing and asked "how is the fishing going?" They said they had already caught two small fish in about a half an hour. Looks like a great place for kids to fish.   

When you walk around the lake there are some interesting stops. One neat stop was the gift shop, which was better than average. 

This is a view of North Eaglenest Mountain. The mountain is 5,075 ft high and use to be named Mount Junaluska after a chief that lived in the area. I actually like Mount Junaluska as a better name.

Early mornings are spectaculer! There is a 3.5 mile trail that goes around the lake and has some beautiful views of the lake and mountains. On a few mornings, I got up and jogged around the lake. A wonderful time to run. Early mornings and evenings are called the golden hour by photographers because the lighting is perfect. Mornings and evenings did not disappiont.

We stayed at the Lambuth Inn. It was a nice surpise for a hotel that was built in 1921. The room was up-to-date, clean and quite. The view was amazing. The hotel is in the National Register of Historic Places. The landscaping and view points around the hotel were well done. We enjoyed our stay here.

One of the fun things to do is cross the dam to go sightseeing, It's a narrow, one lane bridge. You must look to the other side to ensure that no other car is coimg before you proceed. If a car is coming, you wait until the other car has passed. Traveling across the bridge is an interesting and fun experience because of it's nearness and height. 

I will say that there are very few eating places around the lake, but very near is Waynesville. There are some excellent choices in Waynesville. One evening we ate at "Bogart's", a long proven restaurant, which was established in 1977. A great place to eat, everyone in our party loved their meal. The next night we stop by "The Sweet Onion", another great choice. It's located in downtown Waynesville. The wait time was long at one hour, but the food did not disappoint.  

Interestingly, there's some humor around Lake Junaluska. Take a look at this big puppy dog. His name is Bushy. What a perfect name. Also, while riding around Lake Shore Drive, you will notice a small plaque hanging above the entry of most homes that face the lake. Most folks name their homes. Some of the names are pretty clever.

I would have never stayed at Lake Junaluska if I didn't stubble upon it. I will say, it was a most pleasant experience and will stay here again. Hey, paddle over to website to see my Lake, River, and Bay Maps. I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes  maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com. 

   

Treasured Lake Memory

 I was working on a map of the Tennessee River the other day for a customer. It included the section of the river that shows Danville TN. As I was working on the map, I felt something different about this map. However, I just couldn't pin point why this map was special. I didn't finish the map that day and put it aside. 

The next day, when I started back on the map, It Hit Me, I've been here before! It was with my dad and a fishing buddy. I was twevle years old. It was early spring and we were in a bass boat fishing along the railroad tussel that extendes across the water near the Danville Ferry. We were fishing and a very funny thing happened that day! 

As I was casting out, my bait flew off my hook and splat on the side of my dad's head, right above his ear. I watched the nature bait slowly slide down, stop and curl around his ear. It was so funny, but I wasn't sure if I should laugh. However, my dad and his fishing buddy busted out laughing. It was so funny when he reached up and flung the bait into the water. It was a cool memory and it all strated with a "Treasured Map".  Remember: "Get away from the big screen and get on a be stream..." Paddle over to my website site, LeoLakes.com to see some beautiful Lake, River and Bay maps. 

Decor maps of California Lakes

Ohhhh, Triplets! Decor maps of Pardee Reservoir, Camanche Lake, and New Hogan Lake all located in California.

They're not identical, but they are custom. They will warm a lake house like a crackling fire on a cold night. In fact, here's the comment."They were delivered and Love them so much, Thank You. Take care and I really appreciate your talents."......Frame your favorite place LeoLakes.com

Paddle over to my website, I do Lake Decor Maps... Interestingly, I often get comments about the fish in the waters of all my maps. Folks love to tell me about fishing and love the jumping fish that I show on my maps. Also, they say the children really enjoy hunting for the tiny mermaid and are thrilled when they spot her in the waters. Oh yeah, some folks tell me that mermaid and fish move, but I'm not sure that I believe that. However, if you look closely you may find her and the fish jumping around. 

Add caption

Most folks add a star to a special place on the lake such as a lake house or where they caught that "Trophy Fish". Check-out below, a customer wanted to add the place, weight and fish type of a trophy that he caught.

I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately eight years. Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.co

Leo Lakes Treasured Maps

PHOTOSHOT....These Beautiful Canadian Models, Loren, Eleanor, and Olivia are doing a photoshoot at LeoLakes Studio. If you look closely, they fly over every Leo Lake Treasured Map. 

These maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over three hundred maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized lake, river or bay maps, too. If you would like to see more and read about my treasured maps go to LeoLakes.com. There's a hidden mermaid in every maps!

Check us out at click here: LeoLakes.com

My magic lure........

When I was a young fisherman about 9 or 10 years old, I had a lucky lure that bordered on magic. When nothing was biting, it was my go to lure because it would always produce a fish, not necessarily a big fish or a prized fish, but a fish every time. This made a kid feel good and feel like a wizard fisherman.

You just don't know how lucky this lure is. Think about this, most kids end up losing their lures to trees, underwater logs or rocks, but not this lure. I still have this lure after 50 years. Do you still have a lure after 50 years? Now that's a lucky lure! In fact, it's such a lucky lure that I had to paint it in one of my fishing art pictures. 

Little did I realized it when I painted this picture, but I painted it as being lost, as shown by it being all tangled up on a stick. I guess the humor in my painting is the loss of my "lucky lure", which is not really lost, but is my most beloved, lucky, magic lure. 

Oh yeah, I do beautiful canvas lake maps of beloved lake LeoLakes.com. I've been doing lake, river and bay maps for approximately seven years.Over the years, I have experimented with different elements of map art in order to provide the best and most unique map on the market. Most folks add a star to a special place on the lake such as a lake house or where they caught that big fish.  

Folks will be drawn to the map like a crackling fire on a cold winter night.  I try very hard to make my maps special by adding interest to the maps. LeoLakes.com

Also, each framed map or map over 16x32, comes with a certificate of authenticity, lake poem, and interesting facts abut the map. 

I have hundreds of maps on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalized vintage style lake maps, too. Lake maps will add beauty to your Lake House Decor! Find out more interesting facts about my treasured maps by going to LeoLakes.com.