February picnic

 

This was the day we planned to sit outside and eat by the lake. Cool 60s and wet showers. No thanks.

Next day, early morning windy showers! 

Then an unplanned sunny and 65 F, we just happened to run into each other, then sat in the gazebo to eat! It was very windy, but we enjoyed being able to be outside. So did the Canada Geese. I sadly had to avoid being in the sun thanks to antibiotic, and was pretty darn short of breath getting to and from car. Would I say yes again, of course!

This is the shot before I cropped it for the header pic, showing yes indeed, there were daffodils blooming in Feb. in my neighbors garden.

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A nearby construction (destruction of old trees fist) site. Here is planned to be the "main entrance" to Montreat College Black Mountain campus.

Last week...

You can just make out the "one lane bridge" sign on the right...which goes over the famously flooded Swannanoa River. The building down the road in the distance is the derelict one that will not be torn down before the new interstate entrance is built...I-40 is just beyond that!

This entrance is about 25 feet from the railroad crossing...which is where a traffic light exists on US 70. Blue Ridge Rd. is about to become a major thoroughfare.

This last week, showing some of the trees which have been cut, waiting to be hauled.

As you can see, the new main entrance on this plan is on the far left of the campus. Currently it is in a small neighborhood on the far right of the campus. 

All those dark grey areas are parking lots. And see the little blue stream bed of the Swannanoa River...just waiting to flood that new road. Fortunately there's a big hill that the actual campus sits on, so all the buildings are unlikely to be in a flood plane.  On the number 26 area are 4 baseball fields, part of Veterans Park...which was flooded badly in Sept. 2024.

I wasn't asked a thing regarding the increased traffic on our 2 lane road, where we already have to take turns to cross the one lane bridge. Just really looking forward to all the college kids zooming around in a year or so. The plans for an exit/entrance onto I-40 have been approved, so maybe they'll build a new bridge too.

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OK, ready with snow equipment and winter clothing again this week!

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The truth isn't always beauty, but the hunger for it is.

 -Nadine Gordimer, novelist, Nobel laureate (1923-2014)