Spring is sprunging!

From another year, Lilies of the Valley.

And today I saw this!
A Bradford Pear has decided it's spring.

And this! (With all the lawn care spreading chemicals around, it's a very strong dandelion to come up in our grass!)

Visiting the Doctor's Office in the Time of Covid-19

A recent follow-up-visit with the Dr. changed my meds...he added a new one that should have side-effects - meaning more bathroom visits than I already have. Ugh.

But my blood pressure has sometimes been a bit high, and he thinks this diuretic will help the med I'm already taking for it.

After checking in (not having to sign in at least) I used the hand sanitizer at the front counter since I'd just opened the door to the office with my hands.  I noticed they weren't providing masks any more for the waiting room.

I was interested to see if there was any difference in the medical procedures because of the corono virus epidemic.  Yes, the Dr. didn't shake hands, and I said I didn't want to either.  I said I liked the idea of one person bowing to the other, and the other (whoever had been bowed to) would then curtsey. I like the idea of bowing, and said as much, saying the Japanese had a good thing there. Come to find out, my Dr. had spent 4 years there.

He then typed for a good 5 minutes to update my chart. Apparently it doesn't get updated sometimes...this was from my visit a month ago.

When my blood pressure had just been taken (earlier) I asked the nurse if they had test kits. No need to ask for what. After he said yes, I asked him how many.

Fifteen.

I said "I hope you don't have to use them all."

But I thought, you serve about 100 (at least) elderly people, and I think the Dr. goes to a local nursing home also. That's nowhere near enough! I didn't say anything. I do hope the tests just gather dust on a shelf for years to come.

The nurse did ask if I had a frequent cough or a fever. I said I had chronic cough due to bronchiectasis, but am not sick. I even found myself coughing into my sleeve later while the doctor was there, and he commended me for an elbow cough. But apparently (and we didn't discuss this) a sleeve can also carry the moisture and spread it, so using a tissue which is immediately thrown in the trash is recommended for sneezing and coughing. Didn't do that though.

I used my sleeves to open the doors to leave the office...both from inside the exam area and to get out the front door. Then came home and scrubbed my hands with soap and water before coming to this keyboard. I think it will be hardest to clean of all! But nobody else will have access to it, anyway.

Incidentally, I just attended a meeting and wore my mask, since I'm prone to coughing. Then I wore it at grocery store to get some fruit and yogurt. I was the only one. I've also told friends I don't plan on coming to church for a while. I usually have to leave because of my chronic cough already...and I don't want to sit there coughing into a mask. I'm glad the sermons are recorded these days.

Stay safe everyone. Wash your hands, disinfect those knobs that others touch.

A message of safety

It's now March 11, 2020. I've watched (and sometimes intentionally not watched) my local news stations, (and some national/international media on the web) and figure the Covid-19 virus is probably traveling into my home territory about now. It was 50 miles away last night. Anyone driving along might have stopped for gas, or at lunch where I was also visiting. Opening a door in a restaurant, or pumping my gas would have been adequate for me to have the virus on my hands.

I hope I haven't been infected. I am going to be urging most of my friends to stay away from crowded places. My friend and I had lunch yesterday, and she told of how her dentist had coughed several times into her elbow (the dentist's) while working on her mouth. We both felt a bit fragile, me especially since I already have a susceptible breathing system, a compromised immune system I think the doctor called it. I can catch pneumonia easily.

I'm not stockpiling any supplies, though I think I've got at least 2 weeks worth of groceries, medicines, and toilet paper. Since when do people hoard that? Strange times.

I am planning several day trips with a friend next week...and may cancel if the virus is more prevalent in our area. Both would be visiting a public forum where a lot of people pass through. I just delivered a ceramic piece for an art show in a small local gallery, and picked up one from the last show. I was around about 10 people doing so. Door knobs, papers to sign with community pens, talking with each other, sharing our breaths. I did not rush to wash my hands. Indeed, I even picked up my hush puppies with those same hands and ate them a short while later. My bad.

My lunch buddy from yesterday and I decided not to meet for lunch for the next couple of weeks...unless we do so in each other's homes.

On a more positive note, the Bradford Pear trees are beginning to blossom. The inevitability of spring is finally here.

But the news as of yesterday was that 40 colleges had closed their campuses, only continuing on-line classes. I hadn't watched the evening news yet when I wrote this...but it will certainly be giving more numbers.

I hope a certain heightened awareness will help us each look to more diligent practices. I should have washed my hands before eating.

I do wish that my family that is planning a trip for spring break will be safe. I can't say I want them to cancel it, because they have been looking forward to it as "the last chance to do this together" before the oldest girl starts college. Apparently they all have a lot of plans during the summer, so spring break was the choice. Every time I voice my anxiety about them, my lunching friend reminds me that they are all in excellent health, and children seem to have less trouble with this virus, and they are indeed, rather athletic.

I like that another friend mentioned on line that bringing your own pen when signing in at a doctor's office would be a good idea, then using sanitizer after handling the clip board.

I still have a face mask that I carry for times when my cough (not a catching one, but one I've had for years) is noisy around other people. But I also feel I'd rather avoid being around other people as much as possible. It's a matter of personal choice, and being safe rather than sorry.

Along the hill

So I'm perched on the side of a steep hill. Nothing like a mountain. But it's called Blue Ridge Road.

The drainage of course seeks the easiest way down the hill when it rains. So the roadway is embraced by two ditches that often wash out a bit.

Looking out my windows and reading on my laptop various things, I realized some work was going on at the roadway. The growl and beep beep repeated itself. I had to go stand on the balcony to see, for I'd missed most of the action. Sometimes blogs are that interesting to read in the mornings!

The backhoe, or whatever it's called, was scraping and piling some big rocks that would be hard to move with just water, even when the ditch is full. A while later a broom-laden street sweeper came along and made a cloud of dust. I've driven on the road since then, and the pavement is still pretty bad next to the ditches, but both sides have been adequately refurbished for spring rains.

Why I sit looking out windows

 I like how the clouds bringing rain always come from over the ridge to the south.

The rain had fallen for a while, so a blue sky was visible for a few minutes, and an unusual swath of sunshine on the far side of the valley...but not to last!

Below is my panoramic shot from the iPhone...it squeezes the apartment building pretty badly, but there are all the trees and mountains I see daily...with a bit of reflection from the window of my kitchen light across the tree on the right end.

I can read emails, make comments on blogs, and occasionally get up and take a photo through the window. As you may have noticed, very few of our residents go out. I was surprised at that. Or maybe I'm looking at the screen when they do go down the long walkways.  Of course a few minutes after taking these photos, I got up and went to do my physical therapy exercises on the floor. They are helping so much, but getting back up from the floor is still one of the hardest moves to do! (And no, I shant be sharing any photos of me there!)

Rainy day is good for laundry

In two hours I've finished the wash and dry, and folded everything. Then packed them into that little green and purple cart that stands to the far right where my dirties were being washed in 2 loads nearby. I covered the cart with the clean stuff so the rain wouldn't get them wet again!

I use a public laundromat, and since retirement gives me my own time, I just read a book or do solitaire while waiting. This Black Mountain Laundry keeps itself very clean, and I try to go mornings during the week when few college students or moms with kids are there. Just precautions because I'm susceptible to catching various breathing problems, not to mention, I often have some coughing fits myself and get looks. This week I did my waiting for loads to finish in the car right outside the windows, so could see the machines and not share any germs. With the Corvid-19 virus on the news every night, I'm being extra careful.

Then I met a friend for lunch at Pepperoni's Pizza right next door, where my mushroom pizza and salad hit the right spot for all the work I'd just done. Lifting the cart up out of car and then pulling it over my 5 steps into my apartment were the work that might have burned a few calories!

The B&B close to me

It's set back from the road, up on a tall hill, overlooking both Old US 70, and the newer US 70, and the railroad running from east to west and back. Many trees are on the slope up to the old building, but they were cleared out a bit a few years ago, so you can now see the building from the road. For many years it was wild looking land, and only some brave folks would go up the gravel road to see it.

This sign shows a favorite gathering place, the Dynamite Coffee Shop with its red roof. It lies very close to the junction of the 2 US 70 highways. I live in the other direction a couple hundred feet also off Old US 70. This was the first time I drove up the steep driveway to take some photos.

Here's the link to their own internet site.

And I wanted to find out a bit of the history of the building, so I'm quoting from their web-page.

Originally designed as a stagecoach stop, the inn was built circa 1830 and for more than 100 years it underwent several transformations. At the turn of the 20th century it operated for several years as the Franklin Humanitarian Home (a TB sanatorium).

Notably, in 1940, as the famed Black Mountain College approached its zenith, the property was purchased by Mary Aleshire and Daisey Erb. Mrs. Aleshire was the manager of the Norton Art Gallery in Palm Beach, Florida. She artfully restored and updated the historic property. In 1942, the house was opened as the Oak Knoll Art Studio, which served primarily as a summer artist's retreat for Mrs. Aleshire and her many famous guest; Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Norman Rockwell, Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan and Joan Sutherland among them.

In 1965, wishing to preserve the house, and prevent commercial development the Aleshires sold the house to their caretaker Jim Reid.

The house was purchased again in 1989 and lovingly restored by its current owners, who transformed it into the Black Mountain Inn. Since then, we have been privileged to return this wonderful inn to the tradition of welcoming guests to the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains.

I think when they say "prevent commercial development" they were referring to something besides a B&B...maybe?

The following photos are all from their web site.

Toenail Smith's funeral

FaceBook posted:

June 27, 2019 · 

This photograph - taken February 5, 1949 - shows members of Camp 970, Woodmen of the World saluting John "Toenail" A. Smith's grave after his funeral. The Woodmen were pallbearers and conducted graveside rights that day at Piney Grove Cemetery in Swannanoa. According to Gene Mills, in his book Another Time, Another Place: Growing Up in Swannanoa, Toenail ran a combination hardware and candy store. Mills wrote, "His store was on the corner of the busiest part of [downtown Swannanoa]. Any way you were going...you had to pass Toenail's store first. Toenail had a steel post in front of his store, and every day he would be leaning on this post. He would greet everybody that came by with a 'yes suh,' nothing else, not good morning or good day, and you always felt like it was an imposition for him to go in the store and sell you some candy, but he had the best candy of anyone...and we forgave his peculiarities and always went back for more." In 1940, as a 79-year-old, Toenail was still working. His daughter, Nellie Wilkins, lived with him and worked as a clerk at his store. Do you know how he got the nickname Toenail? Let us know in the comments below.

Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center The photograph's donor told us: "Dad told me that Toenail had the nickname because at one time he had a problem with his toe. Perhaps the nail was injured or something, Dad does not know. What he does know is that because of the discomfort, John cut off the top end of his shoe so that it did not hurt his toe. As you know, John stood at the steel post and saw everyone passing. There John stood with the toe cut out of the top of his shoe and someone called him "Toenail". The name caught on and was repeated enough until John had the full fledged nickname, "Toenail". I asked Dad if Toenail minded the name. I know I would! But Dad says he never seemed to mind and that he thinks the man liked it. Dad said Toenail and his daughter lived above their hardware store. I asked him why Toenail was always outside. He said that the store was dimly lit inside, Toenail tended to be outside in the light and because he used to watch and greet people or cars passing."

Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center Bert Brown just called to tell us that he had heard that Toenail got his nickname from a visor that he always wore that was shaped like a toenail (as most visors are).

See this post about Piney Grove Cemetery. Sharing with Sepia Saturday this week.

Doing work still

A renovated building, just as you approach downtown Black Mountain, crossing the railroad tracks, has been under construction for months.

On the left stands the Old Ice House which used to be a photographer's studio and is now moving toward being a restaurant.

On a rainy day, some construction crew members were slowly moving about in the North Carolina mud.

Next door (behind the piles of gravel and dirt, stands the forlorn tea house which many Black Mountain residents used to visit. Dobra Tea building is no longer in any business, and there are plans for a condo/shop building in that footprint.  The white railed balcony to the right offers outdoor seating in the summertime for Veranda Cafe, a popular lunchtime restaurant.

At the next street light, we see the Tyson Furniture store on the right, our little Town Square with the old fashioned clock, and behind it the fire station and police department. Most of our stores will be found by turning left at this light onto State Street, aka US 70. My home is just a mile or so to the left, or going west from this intersection.

Some views of Cheshire

A kind of Faux English Village setting, with various condos and homes, and a few shops and restaurants, on Highway 9 just as it begins to climb out of Black Mountain.

 Not in Cheshire, but on Hwy 9 as it leaves Black Mountain, a favorite bar-b-que place.

Our biggest (and locally owned) Ingles grocery store with a couple of fast food restaurants closer to the highway.

Along Lakey Creek

 When visiting my eye doctor, as I drove away, there's the typical mobile home near the road. In the mountains many people these days choose to live along the roads that wind along creeks.

 There's the ruin of an old cabin next to Lakey Creek.

This old chimney has stood many years. I wish I knew the stories of the families who lived here.
It's nice that with all the development on the hill above the creek, that it's still there. Up the hill is a big building of doctors' offices, and then the YMCA gym, and now there's going to be some new condos.

On Tanbark Ridge

A Blue Ridge Parkway bridge crossing US 70 in East Asheville. This is the closest entrance to the parkway that I take for easy drives to see pretty views.

First overlook stop gives a view to the southwest. Somewhere over there is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park...probably not the blue mountains in this view looking over the top of Asheville.

 A pano shot of the next overlook, view toward the east.

 Looking straight down shows that the crews have cut back all the undergrowth from last year, so spring views will be pretty good.

 Strange that this shot came out so blue...must have been cloudy or something. At this low level there are lots of homes that back up to the Parkway.

 Down the hill there was suddenly some smoke. There's a house barely visible to the right side of smoky area.

 Fortunately the smoke stopped pretty quickly, before I called the fire department!

I love these beautiful mountains. In the winter you can see the shapes of the slopes in the shadows cast by clouds.