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. 

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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 

Treasures of Texas and the seasons

Traces of Texas:

 I have posted about the fabulous Hexagon Hotel in Minerals Wells a couple of times, but never this photo. The hotel was built in 1895 by David G. Galbraith — the inventor of the paper clip and co-developer of acetate synthetic fiber. The twelve-sided hotel was clad in clapboard and set atop a solid stone foundation. Two English stonemasons handled all the stonework, likely including construction of the nearby DC power plant.

Inside, the rooms were hexagon-shaped, with each pair sharing a bathroom. The top floor served as a reading room, which was a popular amenity of the era, especially because whatever breeze their was could move through it easily when the windows were opened. The whole hotel was designed with exceptional ventilation. Its unique “honeycomb” structure was a marvel of comfort in the days before air-conditioning. The hotel officially opened for business in December, 1897.

Behind and to the left of the main building stood the hotel’s powerhouse — a stone structure that generated electricity for lights and ceiling fans (for an extra fee) in every guest room. The first floor also housed a steam laundry and ice house, while the second floor contained the hotel’s dining room.

From Traces of Texas FB page.

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Another photo and story from the same FB site.

Traces of Texas reader Chelle graciously sent in this nifty 1940s photo of a waitress from LouAnn's in Dallas making a takeout delivery to a very special customer. LouAnn's was a legendary place from 1939-1970. Ann Bovis was the owner and she was quite a character. She opened it up as a restaurant, but it quickly evolved into a club. Ray Charles, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Lawrence Welk, Guy Lombardo --- all of the big acts of the 40s and 50s played there.

Said Ann in 1977:

“At first, it was the older crowd.They’d bring their kids in here and park them in booths with another couple and go out on the porch and dance. Then SMU found us. Before long we had to expand the dance floor.

In 1940 we had an elaborate 110 speaker sound system installed by RCA for $10,000. They were so excited by such a big sale that they threw in a free TV set, but it wasn’t much good because there was no TV station here until eight years later. By that time the set wore out from people fiddling with it.

“Mothers and fathers would call here all the time and ask me to go out and look to see if their son or daughter was here, without it being obvious as to what I was doing. I don’t care what the Liquor Control Board said, those kids were a lot better off down there with me than in some beer joint. Goodness knows we were doing everything we could. The girls would hide sloe gin in their girdles or between their legs. If the kids were from a good family, I’d just take the bottle away from them. A lot of the 16-year-old girls couldn’t even get permission to date unless the boy agreed to take them to Louann’s."

The above citations are from a 1977 interview in D magazine. Ann Bovis died in 1993.

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Emergence Magazine has recently posted a very nice essay about changing seasons. The author, Holly Hayworth, apparently grew up near where I now live, speaking of the French Broad River of Southern Appalachia.

A Circling Story is an excellent read with a cup of your favorite beverage...as I enjoyed it myself.

Old winter, changes and breathing technique

 2012

Hoarfrost visit

The strange low shroud of clouds on Dec 27, 2012, left a gorgeous picture (see below)

Rare hoarfrost has descended on the topmost trees around Asheville, NC.

Last year's skimpy snow.

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Silence fell

like a hammer
made of feathers.
It left holes in the shape
of the sound of the sea.
Terry Pratchett

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Gratefulness is there from the very beginning, because it is always a loving listening to whatever comes your way, and if you lovingly listen to it, you are grateful for it.

Br. David Steindl-Rast ------------------  This Word for the Day really made me pause, as I'm bemoaning all the changes that I don't expect that I have to deal with. OK, lovingly listen to them...what a concept! (And so far I'm angry at a customer service reps that won't answer my question in order for me to make an expensive and irreversible decision as to how much my insurance (yes it's mine!) will pay, either in a ballpark or percentage. I gave the CSR a "0" on the survey, and she said she was sending me an email, but so far (45 minutes of setting up a new "secure" mailbox system) it hasn't worked. I think she did that because of the "0" but I told her I was going to do that. ---------------- So how about an old medical guru's method of breath control for anxiety, or falling asleep? Asleep in 60 seconds, Dr. Andrew Weil. Yes - Thankful thursday!!

Flat Creek Crossing project

Earlier I posted about funds coming to help the Flat Creek banks where the creek flows in Black Mountain. HERE.

But this week I see there are will be big changes to the sweet almost forgotten trails just inside the gate of Montreat NC.

"On Aug. 23, the project was awarded a $255,923 grant from the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation Accessible Parks Grant fund.

"...when completed, the Flat Creek Crossing project will involve a small park that will feature a paved hard surface path that will go from the parking lot to the water’s edge. The handrail will feature braille describing the park and the path will feature a curb meant to help those who use canes and walkers to have a guided path to and from the creek. An interactive sensory garden will be put in place beside the trail. A picnic area with wheelchair-accessible tables will be made available at the end of the trail by the creek. 

See Black Mountain News article describing the ground-breaking ceremonies with lots of important people (politicians) representing all those who came together to fund and approve this project.

"The timeline for the project includes starting work preparing the site this fall, and that work will last until spring 2025. Completing the project could take another year due to having to halt construction because of fish spawning season, Montreat’s busiest time of year during the summer, and weather."

Located just inside the Montreat Gate on NC Hwy 9, Montreat Rd.

Here are some photos I took of my favorite spot by the creek, where trees predominate, but there's a gravel trail which follows it for a ways.

Today's Quote:

Prophets do not come from cities, promising riches and store clothes. They have always come from the wilderness, stinking of goats and running with lice and telling of a different sort of treasure.
- Andrew Lyttle

The best laid plans...

 You've all probably "been here, done that!" I call it being de-committed. There's probably a verb for that, but I couldn't think of it.

Dr. appointment was scheduled by my Care Coordinator for my regular Dr. The system is that I talk by phone with CC. When something comes up that may need a personal visit, I get an appointment. Well, Mon. morning at 8:10 was all that was available.

However, things didn't come together as planned.

I got up, stood in my bedroom looking at clothes laid out, sipping hot coffee, trying to decide why I wasn't moving. My feet were firmly planted in place as I could look out the window, turn to put the coffee on top of the dresser, and just stand there. It was an odd moment.

Then the phone buzzed, and it was the Dr. office. I answered to find out the Dr. couldn't make my appointment at 8:10. Could I change to Wed. at same time? I said sure. I changed my phone calendar appropriately after hanging up.

Continued with a sigh of relief, having a free morning once again.

But...and always there are things still hanging on one to consider, aren't there! I had volunteered for a job much bigger than I thought myself capable of performing. 

Ah ha. I did have a bit of wisdom with this age. I looked around me, and saw how much I am behind in doing things I really want to have done. So I wrote an email, after thinking about it another half hour, trying to decide if anyone else would have good advice on my decision. No. I was it. I was in charge of Barbara. The email I sent said I couldn't volunteer to do that task, and I hoped I could find something that fit better for my abilities at 81. I know that doesn't mean I'm incapacitated...but it's a slippery slope here, and I keep having more medical problems, and sporadic good health in between. Are there more days fighting physical problems than being able to do what I wanted to do? Sometimes I wonder...but as of today, at this minute, it's kind of equally balanced.

I then took another big step and backed out of the wonderful environmental group where I have little to contribute, but my laptop to run zoom on. Nope. I need to just not do this. A commitment was again de-committed!

Three big changes all on Monday before breakfast.

So I sat watching the sun bathing the ridge and the branches outside my window...and the strange bird fluffing itself up then just sitting (napping?) for several minutes outside the window. Sorry, this is all a phone camera could do, and I think it was a robin. 15 minutes later it was still there. Why I wondered? By the time I got the laptop open to write the emails, it had gone.

Lunch today is still planned at the Lakeview Senior Center, and then studio time working on clay. I have several images in my imagination to build as dinosaurs, er dragons!.

But I have noticed another new thing about this elder. I'm having trouble typing regular words...the spelling just isn't coming out right unless I change it several times. Oh no. Am I having TIA's? That's kind of what I expect will next happen to me.

OK, not to be a debby downer...because after all, I have gratitude for a wonderful day (getting into high 60s) and a good lunch prepared by others, clay studio, driving a safe car, listening to the Grateful Dead (thanks Tom the Backroads Traveler).  Here's a wonderful track if you like them...( 2:35 long!)

December 31, 1989 - Oakland Coliseum - Oakland, CA

Today's quote:

I find it difficult to feel responsible for the suffering of others. That's why I find war so hard to bear. It's the same with animals: I feel the less harm I do, the lighter my heart. I love a light heart. And when I know I'm causing suffering, I feel the heaviness of it. It's a physical pain. So it's self-interest that I don't want to cause harm. -Alice Walker, author (b. 9 Feb 1944)

Changes at the lake

 

Not yet, these daffodils say. But I'll keep an eye on them.

When I arrived to walk around Lake Tomahawk the other day, the parking lot was closed and work was being done by earth movers (bobcats?) and a dump-truck.

Sorry these photos aren't clear.

And by the time we'd walked all around the lake, after parking in the other parking lot by the tennis courts...all the bushes had been removed.

What's going on, we said. These were pretty bushes. And birds liked nesting in them.

Next day we arrived just as it started to rain. This is what's left where the bushes used to be...

The good news was finding this tree had lots of buds on it.

My guess is they've spread some grass seed. The geese seemed to like it.

The bad news was the cold wind off the lake dissuaded us from getting all the way around even though we had umbrellas and were dressed pretty warmly. So we only got about 2/3 exercises...going one third of the way, then going right back where we started from. It was really nice to head away from the wind on the way back and be warmer.

Quote for today:

The fingers of your thoughts are molding your face ceaselessly. - Charles Reznikoff, poet (31 Aug 1894-1976) 

Exciting times

I think whatever is going to happen in the next few months will indeed show the better side of humanity. And possibly the worst side as well.  After all, the Yin/Yang, Tai Chi symbol shows how right in the heart of the biggest area of light is the tiny beginning of darkness, and in the heart of darkness is the little glimmer of light.

 Yes, I brought home a new geranium...with lots of buds on it. Flowers are for sale at our nursery in Black Mountain, NC. And I bought some potting soil too.

 These little coleus (colei?) will need to be transplanted in the next week!

 I can barely say the name of this new hanging plant... a lot of different colors.

And just look what's happening on the rose bushes! These weren't trimmed back in the winter, but it doesn't seem to bother them at all.

I don't like the way red (and yellow also) just blasts away in digital photos.

Today's Quote:

1. “The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into the shadows.”

2. “Cruelty is easy, cheap and rampant.”

quotes from Casandra Brene' Brown, I'll bring some more soon.