Gray Blue Attitude

Raindrops pounding the pavement on a chilly September day make my mood a little gray. It seems as though the wind is whispering and the rain is singing of cooler days the month is bringing.

Beauty and the Beast

As I was sitting at my desk working late in the day on a beautiful September afternoon, I heard sirens. They were on the periphery of my attention as a host of emergency personnel agencies are located nearby. Sirens are not uncommon.

The blaring sound kept up and I realized numerous police and fire vehicles were zooming down the road in front of the office where I work. I got up to look out the window to find my usual beautiful view had an ugly mark on it.

The state is in the process of making the road in front of the building into a four-lane from the two-lane it has been for countless years. It was sad to see the many old, thick-trunked hardwood trees being wrenched from the ground and ground into mulch.

To add insult to injury it seems a piece of heavy equipment being used to do so caught on fire, spewing noxious black smoke into the air.

The beauty of the day had been smacked by the beast of "progress."

Summer's Last Kiss

High Green Meadows

In Memoriam, Agnes MacRae Morton

It was the last weekend in August when I had the opportunity, nay, pure joy of traveling to the highlands of Watauga County, N.C.  I can think of nothing, save for the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, more beautiful than the meadows at the foot of Grandfather Mountain.

It was a clear Carolina Blue Sunday morning with low humidity (a rarity in late August).  As I strode through the soft green grass and clover, I felt the spirit of the Universe was there.  I found a lovely rock memoriam to Agnes MacRea Morton whose decision it was to hold the Scottish Highland Games in these green grasses every year.  The land on which the Scotch clansmen and various other folks gather is known as MacRae Meadow. 



Grandfather Mountain Keeps a Peaceful Watch Over the Meadow Below

Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain, which was previously owned by the late, great, Hugh Morton, stands a peaceful watch over the meadow.  Morton was a well known wildlife/nature photographer and philanthropist, and was known for his kindness in keeping all life on Grandfather Mountain in a proper eco-sytstem. And, on a perfect day such as the one I discovered the day I took these photos, I give a hearty salute to Mr. Morton  Thank you for the calmness. Thank you for the beauty.  Thank you for pure spirit.

   



The Letter

"Give me a ticket for an aeroplane. Ain't got time to take a fast train. Lonely days are gone, I'm a going home, my Baby just wrote me a letter."
From the song "The Letter "

Letter writing is all but an ancient art these days. Thanks to modern technology most folks catch up with each other via e-mail or Facebook.

I recently received a wonderful letter from a dear friend whose family had come for a visit back in June. In it she expressed how much she, her husband, and two young sons enjoyed visiting in our home and playing with our black Lab. She enclosed some photos she had taken that day. They were immediately posted on the fridge were they can be viewed every day. It's always a special joy to see anything arrive in the mail from this family. Despite the fact they don't live a great distance away, it's nice to know my friend actually took the time to write a personalized letter on behalf of her family.

E-mail is lightening quick but sometimes "snail mail" is better. It's a lovely thing to hear when the person who checks your mail box brings it into the house, holds up the card or letter and says "You've got mail."


Writing a letter - sometimes "snail mail" is better



Catching a Dog Nap

It's a dreary Saturday morning. Overhead clouds are heavy with the promise of rain. As I go about my morning tasks, my little dog has made a cozy nest out of one of his favorite fleece blankets. What sweet dreams doth visit him in slumber? Perhaps visions of chasing squirrels and chipmunks? Tossing a well-worn chew toy about? Or maybe his litter mates, three little black and white sisters, have come to play in his sleep.

Ah....to be so relaxed and oblivious! He's more than likely dreaming of sunnier days, as are we all in this particularly damp summer in the Carolina foothills.

Sleep well my sweet.

I'd Rather Be On Wilson's Creek



What Duck?  It  was here a minute ago!

That's what the famous bumper sticker says, right?  For those who've grown up and lived in and around Caldwell County, NC, you know what I'm talking about.  Raise your hands and let me hear you give a shout out. ("Hey, over here, I got my hand up," says one.  "Why hell, yeah," chimes another. "Got that right, count me in, too," exclaims yet another.) 

For years I've seen the bumper sticker plastered on the back of old pick up trucks, station wagons, and SUVs.  I don't know who originated it in the first place but it was a great idea.  Every time I get behind someone who has an "I'd Rather Be On Wilson's Creek" bumper sticker displayed I have to sigh and think to myself, "Yep, I'd rather be there, too.  Instead I'm stuck in workday traffic. Man, I bet that water is cold today.  Heck, it's cold every day!"

The Wilson's Creek area, located in the northwestern section of Caldwell County in the Grandfather district of Pisgah National Forest, was once used by the Cherokee Indians as a summer hunting grounds.  It's not uncommon to see a wild turkey or two crossing the road there as well as deer and other glorious woodland critters.  It's a beautiful retreat on a hot  day. But, beware, it's highly prone to flooding when the storms of summer come up suddenly. And, while it doesn't appear to be so in these photos, the creek can turn deadly during the rainy season. 

The family dog, Levi, is a two-year-old Labrador currently in duck retrieval training with his master. On a recent hot Sunday morning we took to the creek well . . . like a duck takes to the water.  At this spot the water was deep on the far side and shallow along the sandy beach on the other.  It was an excellent place for Levi to get his ya-yas out and for us to enjoy a cold, refreshing dip as well. 

On a day like this one it's not hard to see why the locals proclaim they would, indeed, rather be on Wilson's Creek!


Levi in duck retreival mode with Master Dave



Bye-bye Bonnet

So long and fare thee well to one of the best sun hats of all time. You can't just put any old hat on any old (or young) head. Anyone who wears a hat on a regular basis will tell you it's got to perch properly on your noggin and, in my mind, make you feel jaunty. 

I used to refer to this one as my floppy hippie hat because it was reminiscent of something you'd see in a film clip from Woodstock.  At any rate it got me through the hottest days of June and July before the brim began to unravel. 

It's gone to the hippie hat graveyard now, along with other old gems such as my embroidered bell-bottom blue jeans, love beads, and incense burner. 

Bye-bye lovely bonnet. I'll miss you and the good times I had while you were sitting on my head!

Lunch on the Run is No Fun!

Eating lunch on the run is quite a challenge when errands are to be done. Gulping down a burger and Coke takes some talent that's no joke!  

Through the ATM drive lane I go. Doh! Was that a plop? If it's mustard I hope it's just a tiny drop 'cause I  don't want to look like a pig who's rolled in slop.

Will I get from point A to B?  It's anyone's guess... Mercy me!!!

They Can't Drive 55!

These beauties were just a few that participated in the Tarheel BMW Club of America's recent High Performance Driving School at the Virginia International Raceway (VIR) near Danville, VA.

The Raceway is listed as one of the top 6 in the nation and demands tolerance, patience and speed for ultimate driving performance. 

Although the temperature was in the double digits for this event which took place the last weekend in June (actual track temperature was gauged at 140 degrees),  everyone particpating appeared to be calm . . . cool . . . collected.

VIR offers diverse events throughout the year.  Be sure to check out its web site for more information!




 

One Way Stairway

This relic of a stairway draped in a cascade of red flowers is a colorful indicator for those with southbound destinations in the little town of Morganton, NC.  This is the side entrance to a local photographer's studio housed in an old movie theater.  Architectural accents on the building are visually engaging and the Carolina blue sky offers a lovely backdrop for what would otherwise be an ordinary set of stairs.

"Breathe Deep the Gathering Gloom"




Taken on Main St. in lovely Hudson N.C. 5:45 p.m. May 29, 2012

Breath deep the gathering gloom
Watch lights fade from every room
Bedsitter people look back and lament
Another day's useless energy spent
From poem "Late Lament"
Graeme Edge, drummer for the Moody Blues

After a day spent sweltering in a stuffy office, it was a great relief to be turned out into the late afternoon breeze that would follow me as I traversed home some 22 miles from west to northeast.  These clouds began as stacks of high, fluffy white clouds earlier in the day and turned ominous as the afternoon began to wane.  Remarkably, not a drop of rain fell in this general area at the time this photo was snapped with my Apple Iphone camera.  At this writing I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance as the day has nearly reached its end.  This doth portend a dark and stormy night and perhaps not the first in a long string of them as the heat of summer has kicked in somewhat earlier than usual. Arrrrghhhhh!

 

The Verdant Life Beyond My Door




Green trees of May just steps from the front door

 

 Into the Wood

By Moi

Into the wood I wandered late in the day

to watch the birds and squirrels at play.

The rich aroma of dark soil wafting on the breeze

offered me a sweet, calm release.

Dappled sunlight twinkling on twigs and vines

was all I needed to free my mind.

Ahh...to breathe and feel the energy in this place

is nothing more than God's own gentle embrace.

Let No Man Set Assunder



Chapel of Rest Historic N.C. Landmark



                    Nuptials performed at Lovely Chapel

Saturday April 28, 2012 was the date of the most beautiful, simple little wedding I've yet to attend.  My hair stylist and her fiance were joined as man and wife here at this quaint landmark in the beautiful North Carolina countryside known as Happy Valley.  It was overcast and comfortably cool all day, yet not a single drop of rain fell. 

P.S.  I don't know who the woman in the photo is. She was a member of the gentle congregation in attendance.