Blue Ridge blog:

I must admit that I almost quit my blog several times lately. I've struggled with finding words, stories, and images. I've lost my blog bearings, if you will...I've felt boring or perhaps that everything has already been photographed or written before, so why bother..

Bad attitude.

But then I remembered that for the past 5 years, this space has been my much needed refuge as well as a memory sanctuary. Oh, I should have counted the number of times I've combed my archives in search of a certain photo only to read the words beneath which cleared out the cobwebs in my mind, only to punctuate a few bitter but mostly sweet times of my life.

Bonus: I've met some life long friends blogging. Folks like me.

So for if no other reason, this blog will live on. I don't have my children constantly around me to fuel stories, but I do have a husband, a dog and perhaps a goat and a hedgehog in my future:)

If you are one of the few people who still check in here every so often (Hi Mom and Dad), I truly appreciate your dedication.

So on with the show...

Ode to Joy!

This is the first day in ten we've had a full day of running water. We experienced a comedy of well and drainage issues caused by years of neglected shoddy plumbing patches punctuated by record lengths of frigid temperatures. Most days I was matter-of-fact about the situation, other times I wept like a school girl at my plight. I mean, I have to wash my hair, y'all, or I get quite bitchy.

In any case, my husband and I spent a good portion of our Saturday plumbing and de-icing and all is finally well with our well.
I have clean panties!!!

AND..

Today marks the first day since the week before Christmas that I could make it up our drive without engaging 4-wheel drive.

BIG BONUS...

I took a long walk in the woods with Annie. Both daughters will grace us with their presence for dinner tomorrow evening. I'm anticipating being a mother to a goat, and as shallow as it may seem, the show "24" comes on this evening.

ABOUT THE PHOTO...

Tis a Bethel barn. Photo taken on the side of the road. The clouds were amazing so I exposed the photo for them then worked up the image up in Photoshop.

So here we have landed in the year twenty ten.

I could whine about how cold it is here in the Blue Ridge Mountains but a quick look at The Weather Channel's map shows others farther north are suffering far worse. Yesterday I bundled up, packed my Nikon and Annie into the Jeep, and went for a ride around Valle Crucis. The wind was fierce, though the sun was reflected through the glistening veil of blowing snow. I visited the Taylor Farm where I gave the outdoor residents, Mr.Horse and Mr. Donkey a bit of camera love. Poor Mr. Donkey quickly became my favorite as Mr. Horse repeatedly nipped and head butted his rival out of the way. That, and when I was on my knees taking Mr. Donkey's photo, the horse bit my hat off and I'm a sucker for taking the side of the under dog.