Blue Ridge blog

My Driveway this morning

Portrait of a Horse

The morning started slowly. I bagged a couple of apples and carrots to take to work with me. On my way, I stopped to say hello to one of my buddies. I shared an apple with him. When he saw that I wasn't going to give him anymore breakfast, he sauntered off to find his buddies. Then, he turned around like he had forgotten his manners and said 'Thank you.'

Cello Trio

I was fortunate to witness my daughter (far left) practicing with her camp buddies the other day. The middle cellist is from somewhere in Florida and the cellist on the right is from Paris. I asked my daughter how in the world the French girl found this camp in Boone, North Carolina. She shrugged her shoulders and said that since the girl doesn't speak a lick of English--she hasn't been able to ascertain that yet. "But we have a good time together anyway."

Music--an international language

Note: I applied a watercolor filter upon the original image.

I'm on a quest today. Hopefully I will share my treasure with you later :-)

The remnants of Hurricane Dennis hover over our mountains this morning. I'm feeling like I live in a rain forest--which is not a bad thing. It just makes me want to sleep.

More later...

It is now later. I have been blog browsing and just finished reading Tom's The Way Forward column on the North Carolina Hog Farming Industry and BBQ. I barely got through it because I was trying to hold back my gagging reflex. I wasn't about to toss my cookies because of Tom's words (afterall, he is a wise man) , but because it brought back a horrible memory of something ridiculously unexplainable that I did a several days ago.
I share this with you now and it is hard for me to do so. But I will as long as you don't laugh at me.
Warning--My story is gross...

A Little Church in Foscoe

Remnants of tropical storm Cindy clear the peaks of Grandfather Mountain. Yesterday I took this photo on my way back home from shooting The Bear 5 mile race up to the top of Grandfather. I really wanted to run the race this year, but I'm not confident that I'm ready. Next year. Tomorrow I wake up bright and early to hunt the brave souls running in the Grandfather Mountain Marathon . I can assure you that I will not attempt to run in that race. Not next year, nor the year after...

I am relieved get word that my British Blog Buddies Helen  and Jon are ok.

Obligatory Summer Flower

I photographed the morning sun striking a Queen Anne's Lace on the side of Tom Jackson Rd in the Big Hill community. By the looks of the Weather Channel, it doesn't look like we will see the sun much in the next couple of days.

I am irritable for no good reason.

I woke up to Mr. Man screaming at what I suspect was another male cat. I leapt out of bed so that I could shoo away the intruder and perhaps avoid another costly vet bill. Rude awakening.

I just called home and youngest daughter is still asleep. It is not yet noon, but almost. Betcha she hasn't even seen the 'Love letter/Do List' that I left her early this morning.

Eldest daughter just called from camp to say 'I love you' and/but I need money (again).

And, the Laundry Fairy has not appeared at my house in several days...I need her to wave her magic wand over the can't-get-much-bigger pile of clothes growing in the hallway.

Oh well...I suppose I should be grateful that it is not snowing right now. But I better run check...

Grapevine and Rhododendron

Our native Rhodies are in full bloom this week. It is a magnificent sight to walk through the woods and see the light of the flowers contrasting against the dark of the evergreen leaves. I tried to walk up to our upper trail yesterday, but the stinging nettle was so thick that I couldn't get through. Gotta find my machete this afternoon and play like I'm going through the jungle....

Knock Knock

     Go ahead and admit that you are jealous because I am eating Starburst Candy for breakfast. Hmmm, love that fruity watermelon flavor. Makes me just want to save all my wrappers so I can make fascinating jewelry . But while I'm on the subject of high quality breakfast foods, I want to share with you what I saw yesterday. And I swear, every word of this is true...
     After dropping my daughter at the job site at 7am, I drove to the the Hess/Wilco gas station on Hwy 421 in Perkinsville for a cup of coffee. The parking lot was crowded with pickup trucks all burdened with ladder racks and orange coolers. Apparently I had come at the peak construction worker morning rush hour. I witnessed several grown men filling different coolers with ice. I thought to myself, " Yep, it is gonna be a hot one for these guys. They'll need plenty of ice water." I went inside and filled my mug with coffee. I stood in line to pay and noticed the guy in front of me was purchasing a 12 pack of beer. Then I saw a dude in front of him was also buying a 12 pack of beer. And, the 5 other guys in front of him were  purchasing beer. The guy in front of me asked the girl at the register out on a date for that evening. She however declined his offer. It was then that I had a 'Duh' moment.  I realized that the coolers with ice were for their beer. The big orange coolers with a spout were for their water.
      So later yesterday around 4:15 in the afternoon. I returned to the same station. I wanted water. My timing was impeccable. It was construction worker evening rush hour. As I reached into the cooler for some Dasani  bottled water a construction worker beside me was reaching for...what? A 12 pack of beer, of course. I stood in line behind 8 construction workers all with their beer tucked carefully underneath their arms. Some needed a little bit of Slim Jim excitement in the afternoon. A different gal running the register was asked out by yet another Romeo. I was floored when she said 'Yes." How romantic. I was engrossed in watching this particular sub-culture and wished that I had my camera with me. I may go back. I was so tuned in to what they were all doing that when I returned to my Jeep and opened my water found that I had bought this flavored water instead. Ick! I would have rather had a beer.

I took this photo of a swallow peeking out her house in Valle Crucis Park.