1. Nature

Chestnut Top Trail

I hiked 1/2 mile up the Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies today. What an abundance of Spring wildflowers I saw!
The "Doctrine of Signatures" is the idea that God has marked everything He created with a sign (signature). The sign was an indication of the purpose for the creation of the item. The Doctrine states that, by observation, one can determine from the color of the flowers or roots, the shape of the leaves, the place of growing, or other signatures, what the plant's purpose was in God's plan. This idea gained popularity during the 1600's and continued to be used for medicinal cures in Europe and Appalachia into the 1930's and beyond. Though the idea has largely fallen out of favor in the face of modern medicine and science there are still people who practice this although finding a D.S. healer is harder these days. When you see plant and flower names which contain "wort" as part of the name it is a holdover from the past and the Doctrine of Signatures. Wort is an Anglo-Saxon word which means "plant" or "flower".
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  • Favorite Spring Green Coming Back into the Trees
across The Wye on Little River.
Townsend, TN
GSMNP 2007

    Favorite Spring Green Coming Back into the Trees across The Wye on Little River. Townsend, TN GSMNP 2007

  • The Wye is the local swimming hole in Townsend.
Two little girls playing in the water.
March 2007
GSMNP

    The Wye is the local swimming hole in Townsend. Two little girls playing in the water. March 2007 GSMNP

  • Meigs Mountain viewed from The Wye
March 2007
GSMNP

    Meigs Mountain viewed from The Wye March 2007 GSMNP

  • Returning of the trees to green
Roadside view of the forest in the  Smokies
Along the side of Chestnut Top
GSMNP March 2007

    Returning of the trees to green Roadside view of the forest in the Smokies Along the side of Chestnut Top GSMNP March 2007

  • View of LIttle River from Chestnut Top Trail 
March 07 GSMNP

    View of LIttle River from Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GSMNP

  • View of Roundtop from the Chestnut Top Trail
GSMNP March 07

    View of Roundtop from the Chestnut Top Trail GSMNP March 07

  • Beaked Violets Carpet the slopes along
Chestnut Top Trail 
March 2007 GSMNP

    Beaked Violets Carpet the slopes along Chestnut Top Trail March 2007 GSMNP

  • The leaves of Adam and Eve Orchids
Along Chestnut Top Trail 
March 07
GSMNP

    The leaves of Adam and Eve Orchids Along Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GSMNP

  • Alumroot Leaves. Plant was not yet in bloom.
March 07 GSMNP 
Chestnut Top Trail

    Alumroot Leaves. Plant was not yet in bloom. March 07 GSMNP Chestnut Top Trail

  • Cluster of Beaked Violets 
Chestnut Top Trail
GSMNP March 07

    Cluster of Beaked Violets Chestnut Top Trail GSMNP March 07

  • Dwarf Cinquefoil 
Chestnut Top Trail 
GSMNP March 07

    Dwarf Cinquefoil Chestnut Top Trail GSMNP March 07

  • Deep Dark Richness of Chestnut Top
GMSNP March 2007

    Deep Dark Richness of Chestnut Top GMSNP March 2007

  • Looking back over my shoulder on the Chestnut Top Trail 
March 07
GSMNP

    Looking back over my shoulder on the Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GSMNP

  • False Solomons Seal along Chestnut Top Trl
March 07
GSMNP

    False Solomons Seal along Chestnut Top Trl March 07 GSMNP

  • Great Chickweed
Chestnut Top Trail 
March 07
GSMNP

    Great Chickweed Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GSMNP

  • Fire Pinks along Chestnut Top Trail
March 07 
GSMNP

    Fire Pinks along Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GSMNP

  • Meadow Parsnip
Chestnut Top Trail
March 07
GSMNP

    Meadow Parsnip Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GSMNP

  • Nodding Mandarin
Chestnut Top Trail
March 07
GMSNP

    Nodding Mandarin Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GMSNP

  • PInk and Green Haze of Redbuds and Springtime
March 07
Along the Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies

    PInk and Green Haze of Redbuds and Springtime March 07 Along the Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies

  • Bumblebee on a Redbud Blossom
Townsend Wye
March 07
GSMNP

    Bumblebee on a Redbud Blossom Townsend Wye March 07 GSMNP

  • Purple Phacelia
Chestnut Top Trail
GSMNP
March 07

    Purple Phacelia Chestnut Top Trail GSMNP March 07

  • Close-up of Shagbark Hickory
Chestnut Top Trail March 07
GMSNP

    Close-up of Shagbark Hickory Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GMSNP

  • Shagbark Hickory Soars into the Blue
Chestnut Top Trail March 07
GSMNP

    Shagbark Hickory Soars into the Blue Chestnut Top Trail March 07 GSMNP

  • Sidehilling up the gentle grade of Chestnut Top
GSMNP March 07

    Sidehilling up the gentle grade of Chestnut Top GSMNP March 07

  • Spring Beauties
Chestnut Top Trail
GSMNP March 07

    Spring Beauties Chestnut Top Trail GSMNP March 07

  • Squawroot Emerging along the Chestnut Top Trail
GSMNP March 07

    Squawroot Emerging along the Chestnut Top Trail GSMNP March 07

  • Large Leaf Toothwort
Chestnut Top Trail 
GSMNP March 07

    Large Leaf Toothwort Chestnut Top Trail GSMNP March 07

  • Sweet White Violets
Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies
March 2007

    Sweet White Violets Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies March 2007

  • Trillium Leuteum
Remind me of lit candles!
Chestnut Top Trl March 07
GSMNP

    Trillium Leuteum Remind me of lit candles! Chestnut Top Trl March 07 GSMNP

  • White Wakerobin or Trillium Erectum
This variety can be deep maroon, cream, or white.
The purplish pink ovary is helpful in identifying it is Wake Robin.
Chestnut Top Trail 
GSMNP March 07

    White Wakerobin or Trillium Erectum This variety can be deep maroon, cream, or white. The purplish pink ovary is helpful in identifying it is Wake Robin. Chestnut Top Trail GSMNP March 07

  • White Dogwood Blossoms and Spring Green Mist
Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies
March 2007

    White Dogwood Blossoms and Spring Green Mist Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies March 2007

  • Wooly Blue Violets
Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies
March 2007

    Wooly Blue Violets Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies March 2007

  • Wild Stonecrop in Bloom
Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies
March 07

    Wild Stonecrop in Bloom Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies March 07

  • Wood Betony or Lousewort
Chestnut Top Trail  in the Smokies
March 2007

    Wood Betony or Lousewort Chestnut Top Trail in the Smokies March 2007

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