Blue Ridge blog

Appalachian State football 2010

It was yet another gorgeous day in Boone....

The dude gets my "Fan of the Week" award for his creative Block A on his back. If he shaves an old school Yosef smoking a pipe, then he'll be my real hero.

  

 You know me all too well to know that I don't skip any Appalachian State home games. And Saturday's game against the Jacksonville Dolphins was no exception. The boys did not disappoint as they turned it on in the 2nd half beating the Dolphins into submission 45-14. However, my sweetest moment of the game was looking through my lens finder to see a familiar blonde cutie waving at me. The last photo is of my daughter, enjoying her senior year as an App State student.

The More game photos here.

 

What great brightness do we see?

I confided with a co-worker today how every time I hear Pomp and Circumstance, I weep happy tears. I can't help it. Must be my girl hormones...
And I was delighted to see who all is back in town, safe and sound. Check it out. From right to left are Tavaris Washington, Jacques Roman, Armanti Edwards and Josh Jackson.
See how they smile. These student/football athletes, along with Daniel Finnerty, who graduated in an earlier ceremony this morning, found a way to leave yesterday's "The Best Game We Ever Lost" aside and celebrate the here and now--their college graduation. Like the other hundreds of Appalachian State University students who walked in today's ceremony, this has been a major life goal for these young adults the past four or so  years. Chancellor Peacock went out of his way to recognize Armanti Edwards when his name was announced because Edwards has attracted national attention to our university. However Peacock made it crystal clear that although Armanti may be the current face of fame of Appalachian, there is no doubt that there are many other contributors in the newest class of graduates of the Appalachian family who will also make their mark on this world.
Indeed, I believe this to be true.

The Graduate, Armanti Edwards.

 

And smart Wataugan, Jenny Mixter speaks at graduation. She graduates Magna Cum Laude with a degree in the College of Fine and Applied Arts in Exercise Science.

Congrats Jenny:) Go Get 'em.

A Tea Party in Boone, NC

I rushed home after work this evening only to be caught up in the rush hour traffic jam caused by the closing of King St. As I inched passed the Hardee's on Blowing Rock Rd., I  ran into Boone's own Tax Day Tea Party.
If you know me at all, you know I can't resist a protest. I grabbed my camera and ran into the crowd. I saw plenty of familiar and friendly faces.
This is a small town, after all.
An 8 foot trailer was the speaking platform and I estimate there was anywhere from 200-250, maybe more...folks gathered around. There were plenty of children present and the crowd was engaged, yet calm. If observers from some other opposition camp were there, they were not apparent and were respectful of the group's freedom of speech.
As we were all reminded by 8 years of the anti-Bush administration bumper stickers: "Dissent is the highest form of patriotism" and "If you aren't outraged, then you aren't paying attention."
So it is now time for the other side to biatch. And they did.
But not with drums and patchoulli. ( y'all know I am allergic to patchoulli, right?)
Instead they spoke via placards with quotes from Jefferson and other constitutional designers.
I did not witness extreme Right Wing extremists/terrorists in the crowd nor did I see any ACORN representatives taking names to hand over to Obama.
What I saw was everyday Wataugans pretty darn irritated with what they consider irresponsible government spending from not only the current administration and congress, but from those that preceded it...

P.S. I have a small photo album on my sidebar.

Welcome to Daniel Boone country

The town is beginning to slowly fill up. Apartment leases started on the first of the month so returning ASU students are taking up residence to squeeze out the last few drops of summer before classes begin on the 25th. And I am delighted to have the kids back. The campus is lonely without 'em. Besides,  it makes for better photos if I have real live student bodies to work with. My only request to the students: Please try to have at least one walk across campus without talking on the cell phone. Just asking...

This is the sign I always looked for when returning to the mountain from off. The billboard was browner and folksier back then. There were 4 signs I remember welcoming people to good ole "Daniel Boone country- elevation 3333." The one I was most excited to see was on King Street, a ways beyond the 105 extension. There are only two signs now in existence. One is poking through a stack of weeds on Hwy. 421 right before you get to the 105 Bypass intersection coming into town from Sugar Grove, and this one, which is tucked in the State Farm Insurance parking lot on Hwy. 105. I was afraid one day I would drive by and find it gone so I slunk around shrubbery to recapture the memory. Anybody else know where the last one was? Could it have been on Blowing Rock Rd coming into town from Blowing Rock? I also like how the words on the sign appear to be cut using a wood burner.

Finally, thanks to all of you for your kind words after the loss of Mister Man. It means a lot.

Boone's 4th of July Parade...a celebration of the blessed ordinary.

Three-legged races, decorated bikes, watermelon spittin' and a parade entertained folks taking the day off of work to celebrate the 4th of July. Sometimes, nothing smacks me back to appreciating reality better than the wholesome normal.

I love me some Boone Independence Day Parade. I even like watching the politicians:)

I made a photo album of the event. Give it a look see if'n ya take a mind to.

Appalachian 55-Richmond 35

It is 2 a.m.
Holy Moly. App won the semi-finals.
The Choo Choo awaits us for the third time.
I escaped the mob, barely. Experience is my friend.
Night games are hard to shoot. My bad.
But, App goes for three.
Final score: 55-35.
Works fo me.
Go Apps!

Truth is:
Both field goals were tumbled by exuberant students. No injuries this time. Richmond fans are are zealous and polite. They had a great but small cheering section. The Richmond team should demand their fans travel better. It is a quality team that deserves more fan participation. What? 6 hours is too hard to drive? Seriously. In comparison, App fans went to Michigan in much better numbers than the Spiders did for this playoff game. Attendance numbers for this home game were over 24k. It was Appalachian Black and Golden. As I left The Rock tonight, there were thousands in line at the ticket booths. The Rock will be driving to Chattanooga.
I'm posting a few photos, but it is late... much more later.

In the meantime, Armanti Edwards rocked THE ROCk. He broke records.

Tidyings of comfort and a bit 'Wanda-ful' joy...

I'm not sure exactly which of the many things I would like to share with you more, so I'll talk about my walk about with the cat and about one of my secret desires...

I went on my first walk around the woods without Harley. It was a successful step. The tears have long ceased, but as the saying goes, "old habits die hard," and so it goes with every move I make in or around the house. I find myself looking for her. For example, I accidently called for her when I got out of my car this week. "Here Har Star," I yelled. I caught myself, but then out came the cat to greet me. I think Mister Man is missing Harley more than me. He always loved the dog who tolerated him, but never reciprocated the feelings.
I've doted on Mister Man because of his loss of warm fur in which to rub, snuggle. And it's fair to say we lean on each other more now than ever. I took Mister Man with me on my first walk in the woods. In the past he would join Harley and me on our jaunts, but would be skittish and hang back as if to be the first one to tell the adults we were into mischief. Now Mister Man wants to walk between my legs. Out of frustration and necessity, I pick him up and and carry him the rest of the way, which is probably what he wanted all along...
We are o.k.
And now, about my secret desire...
Sit down because this is tough for me to admit.
I confess. I've always wanted to be a Cabbage Queen.
You heard me. I wanna be an over 40 princess who wears a DRESS and puts on a red wig topped by a tiara. I wanna be a 'Wanda' who supports zero tolerance of the beating of women and children. I could wield one heck of a dangerous cruciferous veggie if'n someone raised a hand at a child. But I have to work and I'm not connected to that particular community of women.
Me=Sad Face.
I reckon I'll just have to remain an in the closet 'Cabbage Queen.

Note: Mom, whatever you do, don't google 'Cabbage Queen' and see how the Urban Dictionary defines it. Don't do it. I warn you. It's nasty.
You're gonna do it anyway now. I know you...

The photos? Number 1 is from my walk through the woods with Mister Man. You can see our road. Number 2 (below) is of the Cabbage Queens of Boone in Saturday's Christmas parade.

P.S. Hey Mom, ASU won again. They played Eastern Washington University--which is kinda, sorta near where your little hitchhiker was picked up. Anyhoo, I made a photo album of the game. See my sidebar.

Much love,
Me

Boone, North Carolina as seen from Howard's Knob

This photo is actually 2 shots I quickly grabbed before the inaugural running of the Knob on Friday at dusk. The photos were stitched together in Photoshop. Primarily what is seen is Appalachian State University and downtown Boone. To the far left is the Holmes Convocation Center (ASU basketball!!) all the way to the Wendy's intersection. The building on the far right is the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center. The nice man who lives in the black house at the top of Howard's Knob allowed me access.....
(click on photo for larger view, I hope)

The South Fork of the New River in Boone, NC

This is my current favorite view from Brookshire Park in Boone. I stole a few minutes from work late yesterday afternoon to whirl the track with my camera keeping me company. I've noticed the leaves that a couple of weeks ago that were so ready to paint the town green have shown a bit more restraint the second time spring makes it mountain debut.

The windmill on Howard's Knob c. 1983

This was the view of Howard's Knob during my college days at Appalachian State University. I dug these little gems out the other evening. Back then I used a pitiful Kodak 110 film camera. Here is a link to the Wiki which has a fantastic shot of the windmill which was taken down in 1983. In 1980, the Boone windmill was written up in Time Magazine and which referred to it as the not only the world's largest windmill, but the noisiest as well. I remember the windmill as my Boone compass/landmark. As I drove down old 421, there would be no mistaking which ridge was Howard's Knob. The majority of the time I remember the blades of the windmill locked. When ASU students weren't flocking down 321 towards The Rock for a drink at Holly's Tavern, Clyde's, or Mother Fletchers, they would head up to Howard's Knob to gander at the trailer sized office attached to the windmill. There was a fence built around the structure to prevent folks from 'riding' the blades. Dennis Scanlon, a professor at ASU has put together a PDF file which describes the Mountain Ridge Protection Act of 1983 as well other helpful info about wind and windmills in North Carolina.