On Broadway in Black Mountain

 

The blue awnings are well known as the biggest retailer in town, Tyson's furniture. I waited for my lunch in Cousins Cuban Cafe, and looking out the window saw someone lucky enough to get that parking spot.

Also across the street are a couple of tiny little stores.

I went to Cousins Cuban Cafe, and was surprised to see a couple of friends eating in the cafe. I was among many who wanted to take my food to-go.

It's always the right time for espresso. I take mine decaf after 12 thank you!

People were spaced maybe 6 feet apart...but not from the people who were at the table with them!

I let a couple of friends go ahead of me, then waited quite a while for my lunch...and by 12:15 pm there were enough people in line that they were telling folks it would be a 30 min. wait to get their orders filled.  A few of them left.

Across the street is Berliner Kendl German Restaurant. Then down the street you can see the mural of our native-born singer, Roberta Flack on the wall of Black Mountain Brewing...a micro brewery.

Today's Quote:

When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy. - Rumi

More on Cherry St.

 

The reflection is showing us not only myself, but the whitish building with all the windows...that's My Father's Pizza. A very popular local restaurant.

I thought about going in to Periwinkles, but will do it another day.

And my Sepia Saturday post is over on "Living in Black Mountain."

Today's quote:

This is not a time of mere change. This is a time of transformation, and transformation comes not out of scarcity but out of the context of possibility, responsibility, and sufficiency.

LYNNE TWIST

Soon to move, Seven Sisters Gallery

 

There is quite a lot of artistic and functional pottery in Seven Sisters.

I'm a sucker for beautiful cards...which I'd rather buy here, as well as preferring to support local artists!

I was informed Seven Sisters will be moving over to Broadway during Feb. I'll miss them being in this site (since I moved here in 2007). But they say it will be a larger location.

Seven Sisters on Cherry St. The Veranda Restaurant is located where the green awning is. Great lunches there, usually crowded, so I haven't visited since COVID. Maybe they're limiting how many can sit.

The former Doncaster store will be the new location of Seven Sisters Gallery on Broadway.

Today's quote:

I will not play at tug o' war. / I'd rather play at hug o' war, / Where everyone hugs instead of tugs. -Shel Silverstein, writer (25 Sep 1930-1999

Two places I won't be visiting again soon.

 

I may have mentioned the last time I went to pick up a to-go dinner at the Trail Head I was dismayed by all the people not wearing masks at the bar, where you pick up your to-go dinners. Not going back till this plague is over!

I was more interested in the new store right next door...something about an Oak, but I didn't get a good shot of their sign...enjoyed their pretty windows though!

Another store with lots of candles, soaps, herbs and scented things...which I am highly allergic to, so I looked quickly and then left.

 

I got a kick out of garden markers made by old silverware. One says "Seas the Day."

Today's quote:

A harbor, even if it is a little harbor, is a good thing, since adventurers come into it as well as go out, and the life in it grows strong, because it takes something from the world, and has something to give in return. -Sarah Orne Jewett, poet and novelist (3 Sep 1849-1909) 

In Black Mountain

 Rainy day wandering around town...supposedly less tourists...you'd think, wouldn't you?

There I am holding the phone camera until I can see the name of this pretty store, full of pretties which I didn't need!

I remembered my walking around after lunch many months ago with Margaret...we stopped in this shop. Today I found something to take home with me!

It's one of those scarf things that you wear kind of over other clothes. I don't know what you'd call it, but pretty!

Another little shop on Cherry St, which I skipped on this wander...

I turned left, and headed west (left) on State Street...skipping all those stores to the right!

I avoid Kilwins like the plague...wait, we're all avoiding the plague, does that mean ice cream and fudge should be ok? I don't think so.

Before COVID-19 the Methodist Church would have a free lunch on Wed. (for donations). They've had to stop doing that.

Today's quote:

Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion. Rumi

Lake Tomahawk snow scenes - Chapter 2 of 2

 

The little doggies still needed to go for walks. But I only saw their footprints. Glad I had on boots with the paths being so wet!

My exercise for the day was sweeping snow off the car before I could go out. 

My favorite from today...will use as header, for a while.

Today's quote:

Understand this, I mean to arrive at the truth. The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it. -Agatha Christie, author (15 Sep 1890-1976) 

Light Snow at Lake Tomahawk, Chapter 1 of 2

 

It wasn't deep, and roads were clear. How beautiful it was!

Today's quote:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

- The Road Not Taken, a poem by Robert Frost

Snow patterns from here

 

Different kind of bushes collect snow differently...looking down from my balcony.

If we don't try to make sense of the patterns, the shapes and design are kind of nice.

Even a tiny balcony offers an interesting set of straight lines against curved sidewalks.

My glimpse of Blue Ridge Road (where you might see a yellow line) at least showed me that roads were clear to drive on...which I did a bit later.

I love when snow is captured on the many branches outside my windows...as well as a bit on the grass.

_________________

I have also been thinking of what changes I have experienced as I now live through Post-Trump-Trauma time...not only just having hope that many of the horrible things he did have been reversed...and not only to have his Impeachment Trial in the Senate (which is about to begin as I write this).

I now no longer have to hide from the news, with the daily expectation when watching my news broadcasts that I'd be shocked by yet another something that was absolutely false coming out of his (the orange one's) mouth.

I can enjoy listening to the Press Secretary answering questions with sane answers.

I can also let myself be angry with all those people who believed in him and his tricky manipulations.  For now I'm really pissed that they supported him and made the rest of us live for 4 years with our only hopes being expressed in "persisting" or "resisting" the non-governance that was happening.  I can also know that McConnell will continue to be an irritation for me! But he may perhaps be willing to make deals for the things he wants, and compromise sometimes.

Today's quote

And lest we forget...

"To Donald from John Pavlovitz:

By saying the irresponsible, mean-spirited, ignorant things you’ve said so freely and so frequently, you’ve given other like-minded people license to do the same: unapologetically admitting who they always were but were previously fearful of declaring.

You became the flag they could proudly wave in defiant hatred of so many.

You’ve made bigotry, misogyny, and racism socially acceptable again and that has been a kind of twisted gift because it’s allowed me to really see people; not as they pretend to be on the surface—but in the very depths of their wounded, weaponized hearts.

For years your supporters would tell me that they loved you because you “spoke your mind”. That was never the real story. The truth is, they loved you because you’ve spoken their minds.

You voiced their phantom oppressions, gave credence to their hollow grievances, justified their inherited prejudices, validated their ignorant phobias, and made their fringe ideologies go mainstream.

You normalized their contempt for humanity."

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