The architecture I've noticed

 Before I begin this post, I want to share a kind of important blog that was posted yesterday by Debby at Life's Funny Like That.  Some good information, both her personal experience and her review of the Weisel book, "Night."

Court of Lions, Alhambra Spain

Hypostyle hall, Great Mosque at Córdoba, Spain, begun 786 and enlarged during the 9th and 10th centuries.

The columns and two-tiered arches in the original section of the Great Mosque of Córdoba building. The columns and capitals are spolia from earlier structures.  Its hypostyle hall, reused columns, double tiered arches, alternating red and light voussoirs, horseshoe arches, and elaborate mihrab zone produced a visual identity specific to al Andalus. 

A Google earth view of the apartments which I have applied for in Durango CO. The one which is open is on the other side of the building, overlooking the town.

The western face of the apartment building overlooks the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge steam train rides, as well as views of the mountains beyond.

Cliff Palace - making a home where it's safest - then leaving when it's not.

It all depends upon what your goal in life is...I guess.

by Eva-Živa Blažková, ‘Sovereignty’

My grandson, Michael's home when they first purchased it in Florida.

How practical can you get, building a sod home with a place for the cow to graze on the roof, while growing watermelon which is featured with the family and the horses! No date.

Have a great Sunday!

Big wonderful old trees!

 Well, the best laid plans, and all that...

Yesterday an interesting offer came my way. Did I mention before that I had applications in for several apartments near my son, not just one? Well, the first one had been offered, and I showed you photos of it Wednesday. And I had all intentions of moving there.

Until!

Another apartment came available, and it's in Durango. And it's my very first choice in Durango. And so I said yes yes yes!

I have to be approved again, so that process which took so long with this first apartment in Cortez has prepared me to do everything possible the right way. I will spend hours and hours as my own administrative assistant (a job I held many times in my working life!) And hopefully things will come together, with the same move in date, just a few miles closer to where I now live. And unfortunately a few miles further from my son in Cortez.

But it's right downtown in Durango! A block away from the main street...and the railroad. That will make me feel like home, since the railroad ran a block away here in NC. (Though it seldom does now!)

How do you like those trees? Better, eh? I don't think my apartment will face this direction, but rather out over the town, and probably a view of the mountains beyond. 

--------------

Now back to my prepared post!

Almost a goodbye luncheon...

Puff pastry topped my chicken pot pie...so good!

And who says you can't have a side of mashed potatoes with brown onion gravy? I certainly had it!

Teresa had the garlic white wine pasta dish with veggies and parmesan. She had a side of green beans.

I can't believe I didn't take photos of our deserts! The main thing I go to the Pisgah Inn for is their French Silk Pie. 

We spent a long time trying to connect these mountains indicated in the chart with what we were seeing.

Our conclusion was that the chart wasn't to scale. We would finally just count the peeks from one that was recognizable. 

Probably the pointed one is funnel top.

This was probably my last time to visit the Pisgah Inn. But Teresa and Helen and I have another day trip planned at the end of the month, including another fun restaurant to enjoy!

Sharing with Thankful Thursday 

The trees are not there

 

This is the photo that shows with the rental information. Love the trees. Love the lawns.

Sure it's not all that private, but thinking how great that shade would feel.

It's a senior apartment complex.

Google Earth views as of 2003. Not very shady. Cute little fences for privacy. No shade.

It doesn't even look as if they've planted any new trees. It must have been quite a big venture taking out all those old trees. Makes me sad.

Well, with drought conditions, I guess this makes sense. The trees in the background? There's a RV park on the next property...so they can camp beneath trees still. 

These are the apartments where I'll probably be moving. The homes across the street do have trees, so I can take early morning walks and enjoy their neighborhood. That's the plan! It's located within walking distance of a grocery store, and various restaurants only a long block away.

I have been spoiled by living in a virtual forest in North Carolina. I will take lots of photos before I move! But having dry air to breathe means I will most willingly give up the humidity of these trees.

Last Monday we drove to Pisgah Mountain for lunch. Here are the beginnings of that trip to enjoy the trees and acclimate myself to higher elevations, my new home will be more than a mile high at 6191 Feet! 

Leaving Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway you can stop and see the French Broad River.

I will probably use my shot of the river as a header photo later on.

Before even arriving at the restaurant I was glad to have brought the portable oxygen generator (concentrator? whatever it's called!) I was coughing up a storm, and really out of breath at the restaurant, which they say is at 5000 feet. But Pisgah Mountain, right up the hill, is supposed to be 5721 feet, and it didn't look that much taller. who knows! Maybe that wasn't the actual mountain top...

More about lunch in a bit...

In the hood

 

At the base of these ancient maples are a wonderful patch of lilies of the valley (the closest group is blooming.) Behind it is a small azalea white azalea bush.

The closer maples haven't fully fluffed with leaves quite yet This is from my balcony on the south facing side of the apartment. 

When I look out my north  facing front door, I can see the balconies (yes very small!) on the next building. My apartment is also on the upper level of my building. A clever design for these steep slopes.

Again from my front door, looking down the walkway between the buildings.

My brain continues to lag - there are two pieces of something I need to put together for breathing treatment...I pick up the wrong one, don't go so far as to try to connect it, but notice that there wasn't any selective thought ahead of the action, and complete it.

It's like the internet Sunday morning. Slow as molasses. Sometimes I select my choices, key in my own desires, and wait about 4-6 seconds to see if it will happen.

For my brain, it's not a matter of too many users, but this one has reverted to maybe 8 years old. Or earlier.

I am enjoying some rather abstract ideas, so I'm not back totally to concrete operational thinking. Like today I realized that God is a metaphor much as we anthropomorphize so many things around us...the animals with names, plants, and in my case, even my car.

But do I trust myself to drive that car?

Maybe later. But I'm quickly running out of toilet tissue. Needs must.

----------------

What if I stopped now? Usually this is where I’d share some wise sayings, or editorial comments. But I can let things go…just watch me!

Flowers are welcoming at the office

 

The office at my apartment complex

New Zeeland Impatients are doing very well ...

The original house (2 stories) has been turned into the office and "Club house." There are also 2 apartments above the office.

One of many butterfly bushes on our grounds...but there are just a few bees here today

The wrap around porch has hanging planters of flowers in the summertime.

And a couple of begonia planters by the door to the office.

And I'm sad to have just heard that Roger Galtry, our maintenance man since I've lived here, has quit to work somewhere with higher salary. I'll miss him.

Trees in the apartment complex

 There's a disease affecting all dogwoods, slowly. This red blossomed one has lost a portion of it's limbs.

and Thursday with some sunshine...

 Parking under trees in springtime means lots of pollen dust on cars, and the little seedpods too.

The red dogwood is valiantly trying to produce blooms.

And later in the month...

I'm still getting benefit from these simple Qi Gong exercises.  Just thought I'd share them again. I just need to remember that my old muscles take time learning new movements, or I have really sore back and ribs the next day! But that shows it's working!

And a quote for you:

This magnificent refuge is inside you.
Enter.
Shatter the darkness that shrouds the doorway...
Be bold.  Be humble.
Put away the incense and forget
the incantations they taught you.
Ask no permission from the authorities.
Close your eyes and follow your breath
to the still place that leads to the
invisible path that leads you
home.

St. Teresa of Avila