Artful Ceramic Critters

 Anya Stasenko and Slava Leontiev

Sharing with Saturday's Critters

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Buddhist Walk for Peace 2026

Before and after

 

Saturday morning, Jan 31, snowing still after the first 8 hours or so. It stopped in another 7 hours. But there was no visual evidence of the ridge on the other side of the valley!

Sunday morning, the mountain on the other side of the valley is visible, and sun has come out again! It was only 7 F degrees however.

And then it started to melt, of course. By Tuesday it got above 40 in the afternoon.

Before: A neighbor across the holler seems to have not cleaned out his chimney, but the billows of smoke did finally die back. I worried that the whole house might go up.

After.

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Bridge seen in the distance in the lower shot is the Blue Ridge Parkway. Skyline Inn in Little Switzerland has been in operation since the 1940s. See my blog post which included older photos. 

June 2024, some of the foundations of lower buildings

June 2024 the hotel continues operation, but the floods and landslides of Hurricane Helene closed it at the end of September 24. The hotel is open again now.

View of the Blue Ridge Parkway from Little Switzerland NC. Sharing with Skywatch Friday

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Bridge in Swannanoa NC - the second shot from floods of Hurricane Helene

Downtown Swannanoa...the pillars are on the Short Sleeves Coffee Shop today. The next building behind it was once a bank.

The Short Sleeves building also served as a gas station at one time. This location and was not damaged by the floods from Hurricane Helene.

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The Flat Iron Building in Asheville NC

Flat Iron Building in center, Nov, 2023

Flat Iron Building (on r) and Wall Street, Asheville NC Jan 31, 2026

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Sharing with Sepia Saturday

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Saturday Jan 31, 2026

Jan 31, 2026 The Mustang Sallie's Krew of the Gasparilla Parade, Tampa FL. Cold and windy in the 40s F. My son was on safety crew in bright yellow vest in front of the building on the float. Hillsborough Bay looks frigid in the background of Bayshore Blvd.

Flowers keep my living room smelling so good!

 No, not floral scents.

But I just came into the room, and a few hours earlier I'd lightly watered them all. I try to do it a couple of times a week.

There was a wet earthy smell. So delightful.

All the plants were pulled from windowsills, while curtains and blinds were closed at night against the cold (7 degrees Saturday night) but sunshine Sunday morning meant opening to the light! Then back closed up that night too. But Monday there was sunshine, none on Tuesday or Wednesday, and Thursday was rain/snow to start the day.

The orange Kalanchoe is having more trouble blooming in the winter.

I just love this orchid...here's one branch of blooms...

The other branch also is full of blooms.

This purple/white orchid bloomed ages ago, and has lost a few of it's blooms, but somehow is still holding a few out to enjoy!

Three pink Kalanchoe plants are in the bigger pot...but the ones that have been behind the curtains have turned white. So I just rotated the planter, to see if the sun gives them pinkness.

Sadly, none of the flowers I'm growing have scents. With my allergies, that's probably for the best.

Sharing with Floral Friday Fotos!

And Thankful Thursday!

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Walk for Peace

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I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.

MAYA ANGELOU

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"Please join me and many others in making the six compassionate vows of: 

environmental sustainability, 

gender equality, 

socioeconomic justice, 

participatory governance, 

cultural tolerance, 

nonviolence and peace."

Barb Rogers

(Thanks, Robertson Work for stating this first.)

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Sharing with Thankful Thursday

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In case you don't already read Jay Kuo's newsletters..."The Status Kuo." Here's a very moving piece he published to Substack yesterday about the Shadow Congressional Hearings about ICE.

Wednesday

 

Loving living in Black Mountain, here the Dripolator Coffee Shop on State St.

Downtown Black Mountain on Jan 31, 2026 with Trailhead Restaurant open on right.

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Sharing with Wordless Wednesday

Encampment of Gypsies with Caravans, August 1888 Van Gogh

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Keepers of the Flame A Call to Action for Curators, Historians, Archivists, and Cultural Workers

by Scot Nakagawa Feb 3   It's a newsletter. ---------------------- On considering systems changes I've posted some of the steps that were taken by intelligent people in the past over on Opening Yesterday's Pages.  I posted about Eleanor Roosevelt and the UN Declaration of Human Rights. ------------------------- The chocolate chip banana nut bread. Yes, I cut it too soon and the chocolate chips smeared all around...it's very very sweet!