When I was 69: Helen Bell

Showing posts with label Helen Bell. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

The rest of the Weaverville day trip

We stopped at "All Good Coffee" to split a vegan pumpkin chocolate chip muffin three ways, as well as our choices of drinks.

We then went to another gallery, where I found some cute earrings that matched the necklace I was wearing, fused glass in silver settings. The first photo on this post is outside their doorway. We had to read a lot of humorous cards, and purchase a few as well. Then it was time for lunch! Oh yes, the bakery called us!

Just the cakes...there are so many more pastries, one can just go crazy.

It was difficult to choose just which goodies to take home, as well as our lunch choices!

My "to go" slice of carrot cake, which has coconut in it.

We love chatting, while waiting for lunch to be served!

My tuna salad and African Chicken Peanut soup...I took home half of each for later. They had a combo of two sides for $8. What a deal!

Helen's noodles and kale salad.

Teresa chose the soup with a grilled cheese sandwich (Gruyere cheese) and took some soup home.

Teresa's adult daughter gave her heck because she didn't bring her some treats for her family (but Teresa did bring home treats for her own family for later!) Can't miss Well Bred Bakery in Weaverville, NC

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Open Yesterday's Pages, my blog about history, featured a woman aviatrix you probably never heard of, Beryl Markham.

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Today's quote:

Jackie Collins, novelist, said, "My philosophy for women is this: if you’re going to get married and have a fabulous marriage … then you’re going to have to do everything you’ve ever wanted to do before you get married."

Today's art:

Looking Glass Falls, by Christopher Guilkey, 2021

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My family sharing for today:

Cayenne, William and Michael, children of oldest son, Marty. 2013, Tampa FL

Cinnamon and her daughter, Cayenne, by the back of her head, and pet Severus. (Stuffed moose is not known to have a name.) Cinnamon is my continuing friend, the mother of Will and Cayenne, and now Marty's ex-wife. Riverview FL, Christmas 2023

Friday, October 23, 2020

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

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

A hawk and a friend by the river

Happy Earth Day everyone!

As I drove into the parking lot, slowly, I rolled down my window to try to capture the hawk that I'd just spooked and could still see on this deadwood.

Of course he took off as I clicked the second photo...maybe those are his wings kind of vibrating the foliage above the river.

I locked the car and walked around the Swannanoa River where it had flooded so badly last year in March. This year I don't think there were any bad floods. But there were still plenty of changes of its course which are yet to be reclaimed.

A I turned to go back to my car, there was suddenly a friend striding into the clearing.

Helen and I can have conversations of hours, but this time she was planning her lunch with a muffin and a coffee and a book by the river, so I said I'd text her. She offered to pick up some groceries for me when she shopped later that afternoon. I love this photo of her!

The Friends Meeting House is probably not having any meetings at this time, but it's gardens still have beauty. And thanks to Helen, I'm having fresh salads this week. Many many thanks!

Something to think about:

"Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can't go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does."

- Margaret Atwood (The Penelopiad)