My late grandfather’s Massey Ferguson during late-day light in the barn. —Callie Coltrain of Ayden, a student at Pitt Community College, The family’s electric cooperative is Tideland EMC.
Every time I drive by this place at the airport in Hickory, it looks different, depending on the weather. —Cheryl Travis, Hildebran, Rutherford EMC
Laurel Knob in Ashe County at sunset on October 7, 2013. Grandfather Mountain is framed by trees. —Mike Acquesta, Todd, Blue Ridge Electric
This is my daughter Taylor at the horse rescue barn where we volunteer. The rescue horse Carrick has stolen her heart. —Donna Cavanaugh, Raleigh, Wake EMC
Our photography class ventured to historic Murray’s Mill, Catawba County, where even on a damp, chilly October day the landscape is breathtaking. I would encourage anyone to take a day to explore this historic site. I display this photo upside down, with the water reflection up, to challenge the viewer’s perception. —Nathan Young, Lenoir, Blue Ridge Electric
When the hay bales are out in the fields, I go a different way to work just to look at them. Nothing says “country” like a back road, a sunrise and a hay field. —Courtney Webb, Wadesboro, Pee Dee EMC
In July 2012, the top of a tree fell in the front yard. We had someone with a tractor come over to help push it into the woods. When he started pushing it, hundreds of honeybees swarmed out and started stinging him. He jumped off the tractor and ran across the yard to get away. I called Andrew Simpson, a local Harnett County beekeeper, to see if he wanted to come out and get the wild hive. He showed up soon after, smoked the area and searched for the queen. Here is Mr. Simpson in his search for the queen bee. He eventually found the queen and put her in the bee box with some of the honeycomb. Immediately, the other bees followed her pheromones and climbed right in after her. —Jeffery Davidson, Lillington, South River EMC
This is my son at Aw Shucks Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Monroe. We were waiting for the wagon ride and saw this cute pumpkin. Totally unprompted, he cut his eyes at the pumpkin. —Carrie Leavitt, Wadesboro, Pee Dee EMC
My son Raylan Respess at 17 months enjoys a Sunday stroll in Rolling Pines (Plymouth) after church. Raylan already has a great appreciation of the outdoors of eastern North Carolina and aspires to be a fifth generation farmer at CKC farms in Terra Ceia. —Amy Respess, Pantego, Tideland EMC
This is the Iron Mike statue at Fort Bragg. —Mary Dassau, Hope Mills, Lumbee River EMC
This is my nephew Ashton. We were taking some pictures that could be used to promote our Native American heritage. He’s a natural. —Tony Barton, Maxton, Lumbee River EMC
My husband and I were outside preparing to take out our old windows and replace them with new energy-efficient ones. I noticed that we were being watched. Our cat Axle is a very strict supervisor on home projects. —Erin Clark, Wade, South River EMC
This is a row of “Granddaddy Jones” sunflowers at sunset on our farm in Efland. These sunflowers are an heirloom variety that have been in our family for four generations. —Howard McAdams, Efland, Piedmont EMC
On a walk with my 10-year-old son one night on the beach at Topsail Island, he was dying to look for crabs. I am not sure what exactly he was going to do with them, but it seemed pretty important. So off we went with lantern in hand. The sand crabs scurried about like ghosts in the lantern light. We came across one that had given up running and hid in a footprint. It was an opportunity to teach my son the proper way to safely pick up a crab from behind, followed by how to release said crab from one’s index finger. —Mike Bitzenhofer, Wake Forest, Wake EMC
On the first Saturday of the month, from May to October, Pilot Mountain hosts its Hot Nights, Hot Cars Cruise-In. People travel for miles to attend this summer event. One evening, I decided to take my camera. We were surprised by a torrential downpour, but the rain left a wonderful opportunity for a picture of a pretty Chevrolet Bel Air. —Tiffany Bledsoe, Siloam, Surry-Yadkin EMC
Our horse Prince looks like he is smiling at us, but he was really yawning. —Geoff Moore, Locust, Union Power Cooperative
I took this picture of the Oak Island Lighthouse after sunset on Nov. 10, 2012. I was particularly moved by the way the light reflects on the calm waters. What a magnificent way to end the day. It was a fall weekend retreat shared with some of my most cherished friends and family. —Donna Banks, Roseboro, South River EMC
I recently found a love for sunflowers, so despite my lack of a green thumb I planted one pack of sunflower seeds beside the porch at my house. Surprisingly, six of the most gorgeous sunflowers that I have ever seen grew to be about seven feet tall. I was walking out of my house one morning and saw this butterfly out of the corner of my eye. I was able to capture the shot and still make it to work on time. —Laura Bowden, Wade, South River EMC
My boys play with these tree frogs in the pool, and the frogs get so tired from swimming they stop jumping. So the boys roll them around on these little skateboards. —Frank Ellison, Clemmons, Brunswick EMC
This was on my way to work one crisp January morning along Hwy. 501 south, just outside of Person County. It’s truly a blessing to see and share God’s beauty. —Floyd A. Adams, Timberlake, Piedmont EMC
John Deere tractors have been part of country life for many years. I love this shot because the tractor has been used in the family for so long and has helped farm the fields where my grandparents live. —Erin Dempsey, Lilesville, Pee Dee EMC
On the Cape Fear River in Wilmington, with the Battleship NC in the background. The tall ship Prince William from the Tall Ships Adventures was docked on the riverfront. The bow formed such pretty angles with the lines in the foreground. —Janice Kivett, Leland, Brunswick EMC
A sunny summer day near Carolina Hemlock Campground in Burnsville. —Lindsay Richardson, Kinston, Tri-County EMC
On a hot day in September of this year, my 2-year-old Bridget was playing in the cool stream water at Millbridge Nature Park in Rolesville. —Anne Puetzer, Rolesville, Wake EMC
A Watauga County sunset. —Mark McGinnis, Hickory
One of my photo students at Auldern Academy, Alexis McCowan, took this photo of an abandoned house recently. Alexis is a 10th grader and is 15 years old. She named it “The Abandoned Window.” —Doug Deaton, Siler City, Central EMC
A picnic shelter and Mt. Mitchell. —James Simmons, Spartanburg, S.C., Rutherford EMC
Here is the top of the carousel and ceiling at Pullen Park in Raleigh. The carousel actually moves pretty fast. My children love it. —Melissa Hildebrand, Wake Forest, Wake EMC
Early one morning my husband and I were going across Hwy. 105 in Burke County, and we pulled over to view clouds that looked like an ocean of white-capped waves. God blesses us with beautiful scenes all around us. —Elizabeth Allman, Morganton, Rutherford EMC
I have the privilege of commuting on NC Hwy. 12 to work every day and always keep an eye out for things to take pictures of along the way. I found this shell the other day but didn’t know what it was. It turns out it is a paper nautilus, very rare and not usually this big. —Zack Johnson, Kill Devil Hills
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