Do-Little Days

The posts so far have mostly been about events or activities.  Many of my days are actually spent "doing" very little.  Those are the best of days!  

Almost every day, I'm awake before the sun is up. I love eating breakfast at the bay window while watching to see if sunrise will be in black and white or color. 

Yesterday was definitely black and white - the first foggy morning I've seen here where the mountain was peeking through the clouds.

But most mornings have been gloriously colorful!  I've taken dozens of sunrise photos.

There is no television or radio reception, very limited cell phone signal, and slow/low capacity internet access.  But there is a wonderful little nook beside the kitchen where I can use my laptop (on a self-imposed limited basis) and have a beautiful view at the same time.  One morning, I saw two young deer headed up the mountain from this window, and on another I saw what I think was a ground hog.  

One of the things I've enjoyed on the do-little days is taking time to prepare a wonderful vegan, gluten-free, organic meal for myself.  And then I eat the same thing for days because I made so much!

Spring Salad with Chickpeas and Dried Cherries

I enjoy walking around the "yard" and looking for unusual tiny bits of nature, or trying to capture a unique photo.  Sometimes I sit on the porch;  sometimes I sit on a rock.

On a high-traffic day, I might hear a pickup truck going up or down the road four times. It is the truth that I have seen ONLY pickup trucks on the gravel road in front of the house.  My only reason for looking is to see if the truck is red or blue.

It's blue.

I enjoy reading in the quiet. For the sake of "place" I am trying to get through Thomas Wolfe's first book, since he's the local literary celebrity.  It is a weirdly captivating read!

Then there's painting....what a treat!  I actually have four paintings going at once, but it is very different to be painting outside a "class" setting.  Feels like riding a bike without training wheels.

Naps.  Naps are delicious.  Now that the smell is gone, I'm back to napping on the sofa whenever I feel like it.

The house has beautiful old chestnut wood floors.

As the day ends, I'm usually back out on the porch, since it is not so dominated by bees and wasps by then.  I enjoy just listening to the evening calls of the birds and the babbling of the brook, while watching the light change from day back into night.  And then I climb in bed very grateful for the gift of another do-little day.

Two Day Stink-Out

The dead animal smell officially became too much for me to endure any longer as of noon on Monday! In desperation, I contacted the property manager to let her know someone needed to come do something.  I left the house and she sent a maintenance guy up late in the afternoon who said he couldn't smell anything!  Seriously?!?  The guy must have no olfactories.  

I endured another night and left the house again on Tuesday, and the property manager herself came up to check it out.  Bless her heart, SHE found the source!  Apparently a family of mice had nested in a rolled up carpet in the attic.  And then with the rain we've been having and a new leak that had developed in the roof, the smell was being enhanced with moisture and heat.  So my new hero, Leah of Appalachian Vacations, dragged the whole mess out and bleached out the attic.  And the nose-dead maintenance guy is supposed to come back next time it rains to see about the leak.  The smell isn't completely gone yet, but it is MUCH better, and I'm hopeful that a couple more days of open windows will take care of it.

So while I needed to be away from the house, I took the opportunity to do a couple of other things that were much more pleasant....photos below.

On Monday when I left the house, I had no plan - just had to get away from the smell.  So I drove out a different route away from the house and ended up in Waynesville, NC.  It was a cute and quaint little restored mountain town/Main Street USA kind of place.  My most fantastic experience was of the chocolate shop there - salted caramel dark chocolate, key lime white chocolate, and jalapeno dark chocolate! There was public art throughout the revitalized area, most of it made from recycled materials.  The guys above were my favorites;  they were huge!  I think the standing "musician" is about 10 feet tall.

On Tuesday, I had a plan.  I spent the day in Asheville, with a quick stop at Barnes & Noble, and then on to The Botanical Gardens at Asheville.  It is a very small, 10 acre, urban preserve adjacent to the campus of UNC Asheville.  But they have over 600 native plant species, so it was a great opportunity to see some of the wildflowers and native trees in bloom.  My southern heart LOVES dogwood trees, and I was happy to see many in bloom at the Garden.

There were several "oddities" at the Garden, and none had explanations I could see.  This was a huge rock face along one of the paths.  I am beyond amazed at the curving of the layers of rock!  I can't imagine what kind of force caused that.

Another beautifully unusual sight - the exposed roots of a huge tree growing beside Reed Creek that runs through the property. I'm always amazed to see what is usually unseen about trees, and I have a whole philosophy about people that is related.

And I have a grande latte for anyone who can explain this unusual thing to me!  There were a couple of shrubs that had leaves that looked like this.  No other blooms or anything else unusual.  It was like these little bud things were supposed to grow from the underside of the leaves and pierce through to the top side.  Maybe it was a "gall" or disease or something?  Freaky looking!  I wanted to stop back at the education building and ask someone, but they had closed by the time I left.

This eye-catching "structure" was along one of the paths right next to some of the campus dorms.  I have a feeling it is one of those student-inspired ongoing projects that just sort of happens.  It looked like a ceremonial shelter of some kind, but I imagine the students find all sorts of uses for it.

Okay, back to more normal things.  This is a Yellow Lady Slipper - first one I've seen here.  I'm still looking for a Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

Part of the Garden is meadow-like.  This was a beautiful section filled with wildflowers that are very common in the area.

Again, another lovely place to spend an afternoon safely walking in and among nature.  It was great to experience the warmth and humidity of spring without the unpleasant odors!  And mindfully meandering the paths and trails once again restored my soul. 

Vaca in Vaca

You know Picture in Picture on TVs, right?  Sunday I had a little Vacation in Vacation!  Baseball is in my blood, and I spent a few blissful hours in the sun watching the Asheville Tourists, single A farm team for the Colorado Rockies, at McCormick Field.  It never matters who is playing - it's all about the experience for me!  (But the Tourists were playing the Lexington Legends, a Houston Astros affiliate, for the record.)

First of all, I started the day in a habitual way.  But I had to drive 29 miles to get my Sunday morning "fix"!  Just makes it all the sweeter.  I got up early to get ahead of the bikers that were sure to be racing through the mountains on a beautiful day.  Then I knocked around at a Target store for a few things I needed and ate lunch at a great local spot, Tupelo Honey Cafe.  All southern cooking, and as much local and organic as possible.  Yum.

McCormick Field sits in the side of a hill near downtown Asheville, and has been there since 1924.  The stands were rebuilt back in the 90's, but the field itself is the same.  It seats about 3,500, I think...about 1/3 the size of Harbor Park in Norfolk.  The stadium has won some "most beautiful ballpark" awards lately - I would agree!

This is the new mascot this year.  Inexplicably, they've also hung on to the previous mascot, Ted E. Tourist.  In the very early days, the team was known as the Moonshiners for the area's infamous product back in the day.  But as sensibilities increased, I supposed sensitivities did as well, and the name was changed to Tourists (after the 2nd largest income-producer in the county.) And the new mascot's name is...

Gotta love it, right?

A lot is made over the fact that the scoreboard reads "Visitors" and "Tourists".  Is it really all that funny?  I don't know.  But sadly, the home team Tourists played rather poorly on this day.  I left after singing The Song at the seventh inning stretch, and the score was 18-8 at that point.

Has-been mascot Ted E. Tourist can be seen here, along with a shot of about 1/2 of the seating.  There are three options: box seats that are real seats with arms, bleacher seats that are benches with backs, and general admission, which are just benches.  I went first class with the box seats, but moved back to the bleacher seats that were in the shade after the 3rd inning.  The setting and view afforded vast opportunities for anthropological inquiry...better than a local Wal Mart!

The not-to-be-missed item on the menu?  Deep Fried Moon Pies.  Moon Pies fried in funnel cake batter.  I definitely did NOT try one, but saw fans buying and eating them.  Overall, it was a lovely way to spend a Sunday, and I turned toward my cozy cottage with a smile on my face and the love of the game in my heart!

NC Arboretum

On Thursday, 4/14, I spent a lovely, sunny afternoon at the Arboretum.  My Norfolk Botanical Garden membership got me in "free"!  The gardens weren't in full bloom yet by any means, but there were plenty of beautiful things to see.  I think I took 75 pictures(!), but because the internet access I have is very slow, I'm drastically limiting the number I upload - that could be a good thing.  The Quilt Garden (above) is maintained all through the blooming season, in honor of the NC traditions of quilting.  There was an overlook for viewing, and I'm sure it is breathtaking once the flowers are all filled in.

The Bonsai exhibit is one of the things they are most known for.  The displays are just being brought out of their winter indoor home back into the outdoors, so not all were available for viewing.  They are displayed on shelves that are about the size of a park bench, for reference.  This was one of my favorites; I believe the title was "Rest Awhile" - kind of appropriate!  On another one, there were miniature azaleas in bloom, and I had the rare treat to see a hummingbird moth feeding there!  Extraordinary creature!

Throughout the Arboretum there is a permanent outdoor art collection, primarily metals.  This is one of the stream garden gates by David Brewin and Joseph Miller, both NC artists.  One of my favorite sculptures was "Oh Great Spirit", a large Cherokee Indian lifting his hands in prayer by Neil Bannister Scruggs.  There is an "Art Walk" brochure to guide visitors to see all the amazing art throughout the garden.

Beside the porch on the education center, I just happened to see this gorgeous maple with the sun shining through it - breathtaking!

One of my primary reasons for visiting the Arboretum was to be able to walk safely in the woods.  They have about 8 miles of trails through natural forest areas, and many of them go beside a beautiful stream.  Some also connect to Pisgah National Forest trails. This is Bent Creek Road,  which was lovely, quiet, and easy.

And although it was definitely not a wilderness experience, the beauty, quiet, and surrounding nature allowed for contemplative walking and thinning my thoughts.  (Wesley Branch Trail)

I'd like to close by sharing one more photo - a little wild iris growing along the trail - coupled with a poem by Mary Oliver, with thanks to Emma for introducing me to her!

"Praying"

It doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try

to make them elaborate, this isn't

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.

 

This is mountain weather!

Cool, drizzle, cloudy, windy...that's what I'm thinking when I think mountain weather!  Yesterday was one of those kind of days, and I loved it!  This photo doesn't do it justice, but the clouds hung over the mountains all day, and I even heard, saw, and felt  a dead tree going down with a wind gust.

Nothing to complain about here!  When weather keeps me inside, there is this...comfy chair, beautiful view, and a fire in the wood stove.  That and the time and space to rest, reflect, and renew...bountiful blessings!

Watching Spring Arrive

What a gift - to have time to sit and watch spring arrive!  I can see a difference from sun up to sun down each day in how much green comes into the view.  Other changes are arriving with the green:  I'm hearing more bird songs; I saw some sort of large animal tracks in the muddy part of the driveway (deer, I hope); and the carpenter bees, wasps, and mosquitoes have arrived!  

The driveway leading down to the gravel road

Where I spend as much time as the insects will allow!  (If you look closely, there is a wasp on the little green table to the left of the chair.)

 

Sunrise

Let the sun rise,

Let the birds sing,

Let there be light, let there be morning.

I don't know how I made it till now.

Let there be light, let there be morning.

Let there be light.

....song by The Perishers

Nature at its finest

Friday, 4/8 - After a couple of days in civilization, today was spent more "being" and less "doing".  And it was infused with nature in special ways.

First, I had to beat a wasp to death, or so I thought, when he was inside the window instead of outside.  Since I was eating breakfast, I decided to remove the remains after I finished eating.  But then the thing started crawling around again!  So I scooped it up on a piece of paper and released it outside. Tougher than a cockroach!

Then I had to murder a spider in the bathtub.

And then I found this "giant", well at least rather large, frog in the garage when I went to take out wood stove ashes. (see photo below) I coaxed it outside with a stick; it seemed sluggish, thank goodness.  When I went back out later to see if it was still there and determine if I had injured it, there it sat, right by the door.  I also saw it later this evening, in fact, I almost stepped on it when walking around back of the house.  I think it's waiting for another opportunity to come inside.

Lastly, I do believe something has crawled up in the wall or the fireplace and died.  Pee-u-eeee!!  I went online to look for all the ways to get rid of the smell, and am currently using all of them:  coffee grounds, charcoal briquettes,  vinegar, baking soda, candles, and aerosol spray.  I can still smell it!  Apparently time cures all smells, so I hope I can wait it out! 

Well, I had to do SOMEthing!

So I walked around the "yard" a little.  This is a better shot of the brook/stream/creek that is always audible and just across the gravel road from the house.  It's like having wonderful, natural white noise all the time!  I can only hear birds when they come pretty close to the house - that's how "bold" the brook is!

And I got out my paint and set up in one of the upstairs bedrooms that has pretty good light.  I had to rearrange the furniture a bit, and re-purpose a dresser for a painting table, but I think it's going to work out great!  Sure felt good to play in the paints!

Then I found a few wildflowers blooming around the house.  This little guy is a Bloodroot, a member of the poppy family, according to the identification guide in the house.  There are other tiny flowers here and there, and I can't wait to see what else opens up as spring arrives at 3K feet above "stress level".

I spent Wednesday and Thursday touring Asheville! I highly recommend the Gray Line tour at the Visitor Center for anyone who visits.  The ticket was for two days - hop on/hop off, so I took full advantage, and I learned a lot of cool stuff about the city.  This house is the oldest frame house in the county, and I just loved its cheerfulness.

This old Woolworth building still has the original soda fountain in operation!  Unfortunately, that made the whole building smell like frying bacon.  The building is now housing various booths of local art of all kinds for sale.  There is a busker in the right of the photo, and there were many others around town.  Other cool places I visited:  Laughing Seed for an awesome lunch, Chocolate Fetish for...chocolate, Mast General Store, Malaprop's Bookstore, and lots of other little nooks and crannies.  Favorite t-shirt slogans:  "Asheville - Altitude Affects Attitude" & "Asheville - Where Normal is Weird"

Is this how you do nothing?

I've been practicing doing nothing as much as possible, but I'm not skilled yet! See captions below each photo.

Saturday morning, 4/2, I woke up to a dusting of snow that surprised me. It melted as soon as the sun came up, but was delightful for a little while.  This view is looking off the south end of the front porch just where the gravel road ends and turns to a dirt road. 

This is the "long view" looking off the north end of the front porch.  I realize that I'm going to get to see spring arrive here, and this view will be more obstructed once that happens.  In my quiet mind, I'm drawing all sorts of metaphors there!

It only took one day to find my favorite spot for breakfast!  This is the bay window in the dining area - the first place the sun hits when it rises over the mountain in front of the house.  This little "junior size" rocking chair is just right for me! 

Saturday night, 4/2, I built a fire in the wood stove - my first time ever!  It was wonderful as long as I sat pretty close to it.  Are these things supposed to heat the whole house? Fortunately, there is also central heat here.  The house is so immaculately clean that even the inside of this stove was spotless - before my fire, anyway.

Sunday, 4/3 - Aside from being Charles' 24th birthday, it was the day I needed to brave the curvy roads again and go get more groceries.   It took 1.5 hours each way to get to Earth Fare (much like Whole Foods) on the north side of Asheville!  I tried the "other" route to the city which takes longer but has a less dangerous road.  I passed through Hot Springs - a major stop off for Appalachian Trial through-hikers.  Interesting people hanging out there, but I didn't stop this time.  It's the closest post office (takes about 30 minutes to get there) and supposedly has a small grocery store.  Otherwise, it's going to be about an hour to the closest real grocery store!  I tried to stock up for at least two weeks worth on this trip. And then I enjoyed taking artsy photos of the produce I bought!

Monday, 4/4 - Finally a little color with the sunrise!  It takes the sun about an hour past official sunrise time to peek over the mountain.  Maybe I just wasn't up early enough before today.  This is the first day it's been warm enough to sit out on the front porch, and I'm considering it an honor to be the person opening up the windows for the first time this spring to help the house shake the winter doldrums. 

I love the way the bare trees look - always have!  This is the mountain/hill right in front of the house, and I am amused by how the distant trees look like fringe.  This place is so far off the beaten path, I startle a little if I hear anything other than the brook out front or the refrigerator running!

So happy to see the colors!  The view right now is otherwise pretty much shades of gray bark, green moss, and brown decaying leaves.  Not that those aren't beautiful in their own right, but the variety sure was nice this morning.