Blue Ridge blog

Gas Prices in Boone

Strange how small town rumors spread...a mania has hit Boone. Gotta get gas because (insert your favorite rumor here) :
1. There is no more gas in town.
2. Gas prices will hit over $4 USD tomorrow
3. My husband/wife/teacher/editor said to fill my tank cause there is a run on gas.
4. "I've heard, through the grapevine, that truckers are being rationed on the highways."
5. "It is a conspiracy by the gas companies...they are in it just to make a profit."
6. The government is diverting gas from our area to the hurricane relief areas.

I've heard every single one of these explanations for the longs lines at gas stations in town today. Never-the-less, we filled out tanks today, like everone else...just in case...Gas in Boone: $3.00/gal
what's it like near you?

Still waiting to hear from our friend in Mandeville. I know he is o.k. because I know him. He is the ultimate survivor.

The four of us sat around the dinner table tonight and discussed how we can immediately help our southern brothers/sisters. We are still in conversation but think we can wing housing some folks...until they can return to their more-or-less normal lives. We discussed throwing money at the situation, but concluded that we preferred serving in a more tangible, proactive way. We have room to house a family of 3. It'll be tight but reckon that it'll be much more comfortable than the Superdome. We are in the midst of working out the details ...

**Update on gas prices**
9/3/05 We have gas in Boone. Sometimes only regular is available and sometimes only Premium.
$3.15 = regular
$3.40 = premium

Let it be

I was on King St. yesterday, poised over top this leaf with my camera, when a passerby felt obliged to share his thoughts with me:

" You must not have many important things to do in your life," he said.

" No, I reckon not," I replied.

That was the extent of our conversation.

Boone Streetscape

I went downtown this afternoon. Remnants of Tropical depression Katrina poured down upon me and a buddy. We huddled beneath the awning of the Highway Robbery talking weather, town politics and other sordid and nonsensical musings. I took a shot of him. He likes to model for me. I'll share that with you tomorrow maybe.

I like to shoot streetscapes because even if it is a simple shot of of the day, perhaps tomorrow, next year or 50 years from now it will still be remembered as I saw it today. A glimpse in the day of the life of Boone. In light of Hurricane Katrina, I wanted to capture the Boonescape because I know now that a point in time is indeed fleeting.

I have a few minutes now that I'm going to browse the internet, looking at the work of photographers covering the mess down south. If you come across some excellent photography, I'd appreciate a clue in. Thanx. Covering a hurricane and the aftermath is not easy work for even the most skilled photojournalists. The least I can do is take some time to look.

**Update**
While looking for photos I came across a NY Times article on Katrina Bloggers. Two of the bloggers that I found and posted here early yesterday were mentioned in today's article. Don't get me wrong. I'm not patting myself on the back for posting links before the NYT can print 'em. My point is that once again bloggers offer an immediate voice/reaction to any given situation in the world. Now if you really want to understand some of the desperation that the folks down south experiencing, check out Nola Forums and read the neighborhood forums (in red, on the side). I'm just saying...

August Blooms

I combed around the Mast Farm Inn garden yesterday checking out the last of the August's blooms. I adore the Mexican Sunglowers that Wanda's sister, Kay, makes sure are included each year. That blue sky is the last we'll see for a couple of days....
Just found this blog . Jon Donley with the Times-Picayune is blogging Katrina while he is trapped with his collegues....

This site is giving out police scanner details..."12-15 foot waves on Lake Ponchartrain"...

I was born in East Baton Rouge Parish, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We lived briefly lived in Mandeville while my husband worked across Lake Ponchartrain in the 90's. My hurricane memories consist of: 1) Eating a praline on the levee of the Mississippi while my parents discussed the destruction of Camille. 2) My Dad talking about seeing the eye of Besty as she passed overhead (too bad he didn't take photos!) 3) Hurricane Hugo in NC--I had given birth 6 months prior and was pregnant again. Thus, I was in a complete stupor. I never heard all those trees fall in our forest.  4) Hurricane Ivan- Last year. Had to cover it for the newspaper. Flash floods are not easy nor fun to cover. This was probably the scariest assignment that I have ever covered. There were times when I knew that I was in danger.

So, I have combed a bit of the internet to find some bloggin' folks in La and Miss--Of course, I reckon that right now these folks are hunkered down and are not near a working computer at the moment. Consider them otherwise occupied. However, in the next couple of days, ya may want to stop by and see how they are doing and lend them your ear, your hand and/or your sympathies.

1. Harmony St. Charles
2. Metrobloggin New Orleans
3. Life in New Orleans
4. Paw Paw's House
5. Ole Blue the Heretic
6. Southern Fried Girl
7. Truth Laid Bear-An aggregate

And am I the only one stymied that the National Guard is combing fleeing folk's suitcases in order to make sure that they don't bring in alcohol into the SUPERDOME? Sheesh--If you tell me that I'm gonna be stuck with one hundred thousand people for god knows how many days and then tell me I can't even have a drink--then just shoot me? As if the Superdome has never been filled to the brim with drunks during a Saints game? Give me a break. Afterall, New Orleans is where the drink The Hurricane was invented--and for a very good reason.

Saturday In the Park

I wandered into the cafeteria of Valle Crucis Elementary school this morning. By the time I arrived, more than 100 people had already found their seats at the 21st annual Valle Crucis Park auction. A huge amount of goodies were up for bid. Proceeds from the sale go into a general fund for park maintenance. The item I really wanted to take home was a basket full of produce grown in the Pressley's garden. Rich ripe tomatoes, corn and zuchinni overflowing the flower adorned basket...mmm

I want, but can't have.

I did get to see friends-- Wanda, Brenda, Coach Ford and Joan. I managed to snag an interview with the park's new & old directors for a story in the paper . I've written several stories lately--only because I happen upon a tale that needed to be told. I despise writing. It is not easy for me. If only I could write like she can write. Though I did write this without too much trauma to my verbal senses.

I took Harley for a walk in the park this afternoon. It is peaceful and quiet at the park. I can write in my head there and not worry about nouns and verbs agreeing with each other.

Wanna smooch?

I found this little gal/fellow on the side of my house. I wanted to take many more photos of it, but soon after this shot, I changed positions and came nose to nose with a huge garden spider. That experience completely ruined the photographic session. I was done.

Tonight I shoot football. I am disgusted with the Nikon D70 right now because it is not reactive enough for me to shoot sports--especially in low light situations. There is nothing more frustrating than pressing the shutter button only to suffer a delayed reaction. I have been saving my pennies for a pro camera like the Nikon D2x. But I dunno, Canon is tempting me as well. Any thoughts?

In reaction to the crocodile tears freely flowing from my daughter's eyes my husbands looks at me and winks," tsk, tsk.tsk...if only she could run as fast as she drives..."

Not funny, but yes, it really is.

So Eldest got her first speeding ticket today.

I met her at the front door as she was draggin' butt up the stairs with cello, gym bag and backpack in tow...I knew by the look on her face that something was kinda sorta wrong.

"How was your day," I asked.

"o.K. I reckon," she replied. ( Insert a heavy dramatic sigh here )

"Fess up!" I demanded.

And she did to the tune of one hundred and and twenty-five bucks. That's what it cost to go 14 mph over the speed limit on the campus of Appalachian State University. Ouch. And that is before adding the extra costs of insurance. Yikes! She's gonna hate that.
Eldest hoped that tears would buy her a slight reprieve or at the best of all possible worlds, a 'daddy bail out.' Nope. Still, she snuggled in my arms and said, 'I love you."
I replied, "I love you too sweetheart. This isn't the end of the world but, I'm not buying you out of this one. Consider this yet another one of those stinky life lessons that you hate me to nag you about."

I'm all about Tough Love ;-)

Insert a 'glad it wasn't me that got the ticket this time' smile.

Growing

I've driven past this barn side a million times. It is the tobacco barn right beside the Mast General Store. For the life of me I can't figure out what that round thing in the window is, nor what function the cord falling out of the window serves. Nevertheless, I am always drawn to this scene so I finally stopped and photographed it.

After breaking numerous promises to her earlier this week, I finally took Harley for a walk in fields just beyond Valle Crucis Park. She forgives me so easily and sometimes this only makes me feel worse...

The girls are meshing into the new school year routine. This week I have seen more than a glimmer of maturity and growth in both of them which reassures me that they will soon be well-adjusted enough to handle the more tumultuous ebbs and flows of life. Youngest is a survivor of a frenetic freshman year of social disorder. She now ignores most lines of demarcation set by cliques and easily transitions between groups of friends. Eldest, who survived several disappointments in her first two years of High School, has learned to bounce back with grace and dignity. She goes through the appropriate motions of being in high school but is ready to take life to the next level. Part of me wants to plea with her--"Savor these days. Go to football games and dances." --but then doing so would make me a hypocrite because 24 years ago I was more than ready to be set free.

 

My Mountain

     My mountain is in the middle of this photo. Or maybe its easier to see it as the second to last hump. I went ahead and made this a grayscale photo because, well, it was a gray day and color seemed to me superfluous.
     I feel brain right now. A combo of late night working and early morning working has made me grumpy. But, before I check out of this post I have to say that...oh heck, I'm going to save those words for later. I can't do my thoughts justice right now. I'm pathetic.
    
     Thanx Sally for your help with my kid yesterday!

**Update**
Our office hottie, Jonathan Maness , is leaving to follow his life-long dream of making it big in Nashville.  He sat on the other side of the cubbie from me and I was always thrilled and delighted whenever he had a free moment to pick up his guitar and sing a song. When he left today he said to me, "I've started a blog because you told me to." If you get a chance, please give him a bit of encouragement. It is a tough world out there.