My vote and Linville Falls Chapter 3 and Friday tunes

 A note to VOTE!

I did early voting last Tuesday. The line outside the early voting site at our library was spaced well, and moved people right along. There were plexi screens as we talked with the people who had laptops to take our names and then print the appropriate ballots. Yes paper. There were 10 standing booths and 2 sitting ones. And a poll worker went around after each booth was used and sprayed disinfectant to clean it. We put our marked ballots into a big automatic machine, and didn't receive a sticker this year, because the poll worker said it was a hands off voting. Thanks to all the poll workers that are coping with pandemic needs! I have high hopes that Biden-Harris will take North Carolina's electoral votes this time!

Governor Cooper just extended our Stage 3 COVID status due to the recent increase in cases in North Carolina.

Our selfie of the day included a bit of horsing around on the part of Helen...giving me rabbit ears no less. When I shared it to Facebook, lots of people enjoyed our shenanigans. I took off my mask, but Helen thought hers too pretty to remove for a photo. There were only a few people in the crowd not wearing masks, thank goodness.

The viewing area was a bit smaller than 2 years ago...a fence has been put up to keep folks from going closer to the falls for a photo. But one guy climbed over it to get his photos.

In case you're tired of looking at waterfalls...here's a bit of something different!

take a break and listen to 5 minutes of classical guitar music...AnnaVidovic plays Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tarrega

This is what "retired Helen" looks like...wind in her hair, and she closes her eyes when a camera is pointed in her direction! There was also a great spray of mountain water as it splashed over the rocks. Fortunately we could smell it through our masks! So that tells me that particles of exhaled moisture from coughs and sneezes might also pass through our masks. Get that 6 foot distance!

I'm so glad we took this trip on Thursday, while the sun was shining and there were still a few leaves in color on the trees. Sorry if I've posted some of these photos more than once...I tried to cull out ones that were of the same view...not very effectively I'm afraid.

Today's quote:

Every time we talk to someone, there comes back to us a map
 of expectation as to how we should respond...

We share a confusion:
we are often given direction.

We share a pain;
we are often given instruction.

We share a desire;
we are often given a plan.

The power of these unspoken maps should not be underestimated.
For the endless gravities of expectation we move in and out of
govern most of our thinking and summons most of our energy
in denying them or complying with them.

In actuality, underneath all the plans, pressures, and expectations,
underneath all the subtle guidance and nudging, the next step
is truly unknown...

Thus, our spiritual charge is to maintain the wonder of the
singular explorer that each of us is...

The freshest step has always come when we are brave
enough to land at the end of what little we know,
breathing in new air, in reaction to no one, in wonder at
what is...

Mark Nepo

From: The Book of Awakening