Blue Ridge blog

Lace-edged barn

While driving on Tom Jackson Rd yesterday I noticed the preponderance of Queen Anne's Lace in bloom. So, I stopped and snapped a photo or two. Folks around here also call it a Wild Carrot because when you pull up the root, it is indeed carrot-like. I think you can eat 'em, but I've never tried. My mother-in-law has a more descriptive term for Queen Anne's Lace. She calls it a 'good-for-nothing Chigger weed'. She claims that the pesky red chiggers love to co-habitate in the lacey area of the plant and just thinking about it makes her 'itch all over'.

I've found my thrill

I was sent to an assignment near a blueberry farm in the northeast section of Watauga County. Everyone was late. I feasted. My gluttony reminded me of the little girl named Sal in Blueberries for Sal that I read so often when I was young and which I often read to my own children. I just hoped that I didn't run into a bear .

The berries up here a big and sweet. It isn't a banner year, but I'll live. The blackberries and huckleberries will ripen in another week. Do you have any special berry recipes that you would care to share?

Happy Friday Ya'll

Taste the Secret Now! via Odd Girl

A Little Closer

As promised, here is a shot of the Blue Heron from a closer perspective. It was definitely stalking prey, but I never saw it catch a fish.

Pleasure!

I was gonna post a shot of the Blue Heron, but found this shot of Harley more inviting. If I was covered in fur like she is, I certainly would love to take a dip in the New River and would not worry about bringing a towel! It has been hot up here in the High Country...but remember that we are absolute wimps as far as the heat is concerned--so don't listen to my whining. At 80 degrees it is hot for us. We have no air conditioning which is just fine except for the 1 week a year that the temps rise above 85 degrees.

I'm already disgusted with all the political antics being played so early in the election game. Raise your hands if you are as well. I declare this blog a "politic-free" zone. Just pretty pictures and ostrich games here folks.

Sneak Preview

It is late now but my computer is buzzin' with anticipation. My eldest daughter called from camp today and wished just a couple of hours of 'mommy time'. Her cello camp is in town, so I signed the forms and we headed to the Greenway w/Harley in tow. It was 6:30pm and the light was summertime perfect. Harley played in the New River while I listened to all the exciting details of my daughter's first week and a half of camp. Everything was perfect. Then, from the right, I saw a huge blob float overhead and land a couple hundred yards upstream from us. I motioned to my daughter to keep quiet and follow me...we headed towards a bridge even further upstream and I captured this photo of a Great Blue Heron. The blamed heron has always been my nemisis. They smell me just as I get within range. This one didn't seem to care too much. He posed for me here and I have several shots much much closer...most of them in focus that I will publish later. I have often shared with my eldest that capturing a Blue Heron on film is one goal that I want to photographically accomplish....I was especially glad that she was there to see it happen.

P.S. Greg's a daddy! . Please go give him some support
and unsolicited advice.

Doc and friends

So I spent 2 hours yesterday in a little room of the old Cove Creek High School which it the home of the Doc and Merle Watson Folk Art Museum listening to Doc play for me and about 22 other people. The other gentleman in the photo is Joel Landsberg of The Kruger Brothers band who is in the lineup of people playing this weekend.
To get this shot, I crawled underneath the conference table and as you can imagine, had the best seat in the house. Doc didn't play his more popular songs like 'Shady Grove' but instead treated us to some humorous songs such as 'The Devil and My Wife', 'Don't Monkey around with my Widow When I'm Gone' and 'Freight Train Blues'.
It looks like I won't have an opportunity to listen to David Holt, Jeff Little, Wayne Henderson and friends play with Doc 'cause I just got assigned to cover the Highland Games on top of Grandfather Mountain. The games are a big deal, but come on...what would you like to do more, hear Doc sing or listen to hours of bagpipes while eating Haggis?
See Haggis recipe below:
1 Sheep's stomach, thoroughly cleaned
1 liver, heart and lights
1/2 lb beef fuet
1 onion
1 T salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne papper
1/2 tsp allspice
1 lb Oatmeal-slow cooking type
1 cup broth

Hangin' Around

Whew! I feel better now. The 4th of July weekend brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the High Country and I start feeling smooshed. They have spent their money, fueled our local economy and hopefully are safe and tucked back in their homestowns. The Town of Boone and Village of Blowing Rock had normal Rockwellian 4th of July parades...complete with soldiers on temporary leave from units in Iraq.

I rediscovered a music site called Magnatune. It is a wonderful little 'try before you buy' site. I have found all kinds of interesting little tunes from the complete Bach Cello Suites to Irish Goth Punk ditties. Go have some fun!

Little dude hummingbird hangs out on my clothes line these days keeping an eye on his stash of nectar on the deck. Me thinks the clothes pin adds a nice little perspective to the photo...happy Monday ya'll. It is finally sunny here and I have a date with Mr. Weedeater this afternoon. But first, I get to go to interview/shoot Doc Watson at the old Cove Creek School. Doc Days are next weekend and one of the perks of my job is to go listen to him flatpick alittle for the press. Tough job but somebody has to do it!

In memory of paradise...

It made me so sick today to see my favorite barn in the world completely and shamelessly bulldozed. Wormy chestnut planks crushed beneath heavy machinery... the newest victim of the Brookshire Rd. widening. The road is going to be blacktop soon and thousands of ASU students will make their way up the drive destined to live in the newest Megabuilders, Inc. (out of Greensboro, NC) megaplex of student living. I knew the road was going to be paved, I just didn't expect the barn to be sacrificed or done in such a callous and reckless manner. You can click on the thumbnail to see the pile of rubble. I can't bear to look at it anymore. Maybe I'm just being too sensitive.
In My 4th Post last October, I described the scene and have only photos to remember what was lost today.

Mystery Solved

Alan at Wondertouch was the first to point me in the direction of Hyalophora cecropia. I don't know if he is an expert, but this Kentucky silkmoth is definitely a kissin' cousin of my moth. Derek , I don't know what kind of weed the moth is perched upon, but it is not milkweed. Our milkweed will be blooming in another week or two and I will take some photos for you.