Blue Ridge blog

Dutch Creek redux....

Sometimes I forget that Dutch Creek doesn't end at the Mast General Store Annex, but instead parallels the Valle Crucis Park meandering on a journey through the Valle until it empties into the Watauga River. I don't recommend this adventure because not only is it private property, but even in winter, the flood plain/field is filled with ankle-twisting holes and skin tearing thorns. I did not come out my recent trek unscathed. And, I shudder to think of the snakes that slither through this marshy area home in spring. Stick to the banks of the nearby Watauga River where it is just a scenic and safe. The Valle Crucis park offers public access.
 I am likely the only person in the High Country (besides the skiers) hoping for a extra large dump of snow early next week. Yet I am specific. I want heavy snow followed by a day of blue skies and warm temperatures as it is the weather combination which yields the most sought after images. <Keeping my fingers crossed>
*And I hope to see you through the viewfinder at the double-header Appalachian basketball game this afternoon.

Jealous of John Doe

John Doe, the Mayor of Valle Crucis, catches an early morning nap.
It is a blah blah drizzly day in the mountains.  I collected my mail from the Post Office at the Mast General Store and because I hadn't held audience with the Mayor of late, I inquired of his whereabouts. I was directed towards racks of red long johns, where tucked away in a safe corner of a dressing room, the mighty mutt snoozed, barely recognizant of my intrusion into his kingdom and lazy enough not to dignify my presence with any sort of reaction.
I am envious of John Doe's powers.
If I were in his paws, I would demand a winter's nap as well.

A mid-January wish...

I've been listening to a bit of The Wailers lately wishing their hot reggae beat might warm my January thickened blood or at least transport me to warmer Caribbean climes via audible osmosis. This need for warm sun on my face got my attention as I was shooting a church on 421 W of Boone yesterday morning. According to The Weather Channel the temperature was nine degrees but it felt like zero. Indeed.

But others have it snowier and colder than me. Amy in New Hampshire posted on the trouble with humans and winter. Apparently Jimmy Buffet's concept of changes in lattitude and changes in attitude isn't far off the mark. I think both Amy and I wish we could visit Beth at her Longleaf Preserve in Florida.  And by the way, congratulations to Beth for her recently published work, "Tenderness," in Brevity Magazine. And look, there is another High Country photoblog called Appalachian Encounters. That is all the bits and pieces I have for you right now. Gonna go light up those gas logs...

Upstream then down...

I'm not sure if it was the snow day, the inaugural coverage, or the hour long spin class, but after I came home last night I was too exhausted to upload these images to the blog. Now it is 5:30 a.m. and I am wide awake and wish I could roll over for just a couple more hours of shut eye.
On Monday I took advantage of my day off to crawl around the fields beyond the Mast Store. I delighted in discovering a little bridge crossing Dutch Creek, presumably for the purpose of allowing access to fertile ground on the yonder side. But for me, it offers a fresh perspective on the Valle. The top image is of the Taylor Farm further up Dutch Creek Rd. The second images is the backside of Dutch Creek Trails.
Yawn. Perhaps there is some blessed shuteye time in my nearest future...

Snowy distractions

I am obsessed with falling snow. Often I stand amid a flaky chaos, hypnotized, as snow tumbles to its eventual destination. Sometimes when I am out in a storm I feel my world is a Dreamswork creation (think Polar Express) and I fixate on an individual snowflake way up in the sky and follow it's journey until it becomes part of the blend.  The other day, when it was way too cold, I stood outside my office and watched as the sun was a backlight to a blizzard. This snowy abstract is the playful result of using a rather small aperture and long-ish shutter speed.

On cold and bloody limbs...

Like most folks in the eastern half of the country, I am shivering while the heater greedily cranks through my money hoping to keep our shelter at the barely comfortable 63 degrees. Our home motto this winter is: Wear more. Save more.

I did spend quite a bit of time outdoors today. And survived. There was a pleasant snow squall that hit Boone around mid-day which provided me the opportunity to stalk my favorite campus haunts. Unfortunately, the 'new' of snow has long worn off even the most naive freshman from off the mountain, so there were no delighted expressions captured. But the snow did dance as it was backlit by a muted sun, like fairy dust, so I was fulfilled.

The above photo is of Grandfather Mountain (distant left) and Hanging Rock (peak on right) from the parking lot of Caldwell Community college. It was so freakin' cold out there as the temperature plunged during the late afternoon. I could have explored this more, but my fingers just could not tolerate the wind.

I was gifted a deer ham yesterday. I've been eating more vegan than normal lately, but this was such a bloody nice present (literally and figuratively) that I've decided to make much of the meat into jerky. I've been researching different recipes and thought I might be entertained this weekend by creating a jerky tasting. I mean, why not? I'll let you know how it goes....

Oh, and you should have seen the looks I got while walking through campus carrying the bloody limb in a garbage sack. It was horror movie perfect.

From the Watauga River Bridge on Broadstone Rd...

Let us just pretend I took this photo today. After all, it is snowing tonight and I imagine this will be the same scene on the Watauga River tomorrow morning. This photo was taken last week some time from the bridge near Charles Church's farm on Broadstone Rd. It is always a bit dicey to crawl out on an icy bridge and trust traffic won't brake and slam right into me. I always figure that if'n I die taking a photo, then well, it is as it should be...ya know? Just dust in the wind:)

Chill, I ain't gonna steal your squeal...

I am sparing you the most excellent shot right up this little piggie's muddy nostrils. It is a good tight shot, I'm telling you. Upon the advice of a friend, I went the Goodnight Brothers farm in Valle Crucis to see how much this second pair of organically fed pigs are doing. They're just fine. They adore their sloppy surroundings and trust me, when you get this close to their sweet little piggy faces, it is impossible to smell the difference from all other swine, especially from some of my ex-boyfriends. Sorry pigs, you deserve better analogies:) Just saying...

St. John's Church

I love snow. So much so, that I texted my boss to say I would be late and stay late because of the weather...but in a good photographic way. My boss is accepting and oh-so-cool with his suffering of my eccentricities. In the end, I hope to deliver the goods and that's what ultimately matters.

I wondered down the The River Road and then looped back to connect with Herb Thomas to make photos of St. John's Church. And here you are...

A quick snow photo. More later...

I've been out all morning shooting snow, but I wanted to put up at least one image. One of my haunts today was on the Watauga River Rd. and areas west of Valle Crucis. I will post more later...