Well dressing and dressing well are two different things. I was not dressed well when I saw what might have been a well dressing. In the Peak District in England people had a ritual for giving thanks for good water. They decorated wells with flowers and pictures made with blossoms. That was the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw Jonathan Creek decorated with red roses along the bank. Could a group have gathered here for such a purpose?
Not likely! If there had been a ritual, it would have been called, “Taking the easy way out.” Those roses had bloomed continuously since June at the firehouse. I told myself to keep watch, because I wanted to know when the bushes were pruned. I walked within three feet of the rose hedge and didn’t notice the ugly sticks where the roses had been. I did the math (putting two and two together) when I stood at the edge of the creek and saw where the bushes had been dumped. Shame on the whackee!
Below is a photo I took of the repaving job at the firestation a year ago. The rose bushes are there around the flagpole.
There was a more lively scene not far from the stop sign. A young deer ran down the mountain and leaped over a fence onto the road. I was very excited, because we had been wanting to see wildlife in our neighborhood. So far we’ve seen a dead skunk on the road, a live one near our garden shed, and wild turkeys scurrying into the woods. This deer ran back toward the fence, decided the road was easier, and headed up again where there was no fence. I would have needed a body cam to catch that fleeting action.
Sorrell’s, the gas station/cafe, was busy today. I had to pick my way through the moving vehicles, hoping the drivers were paying attention. A man backed a truck out just before I reached him, and he stopped and rolled down his window. He said, “Y’all walk here all the time, don’t you? You do it for your health?”
I said we did. He said he lost 41 pounds since summer, not by dieting and not by exercising. In his mountain accent, he said, “I used to sit in front of the TV and eat right before going to bed. I didn’t sleep well, and I didn’t feel very good when I got up. Now I don’t eat anything after 6. Worked well for me.”
“I’ve seen y’all walking on the road. I swing way on the other side of the road when I go by you. Anybody ever come too close? Some people try to hit walkers because they don’t think they should be there.”
I told him I had one narrow escape, but it was because the driver was probably texting. We wished each other well before going our separate ways.
Back nearer home I saw two people with a dog each. It was neighbor Bob and his daughter Courtney. She is heading home today, back to the coast. During Hurricane Matthew a tree fell on their rented house, leaving a hole in the roof. The landlord repaired the inside without touching the roof! I presume this long, dry spell has been a good thing for her and her husband.
There was a small thing on the road that looked like a cat’s toy mouse. I’m glad it wasn’t moving, because it was a vole, a dead one. It had not been run over and had no visible wounds. It just lay there upside down, dressed in its velvety gray coat.
Mehrling Muse 
I wonder if the poor vole was prey dropped from a great height? Have a wonderful weekend Anne.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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That is a good guess, David. I resisted the urge to nudge it with my toe. If I had taken a photo of it, someone might have been able to identify it for me. It could have been a shrew.
xxx Voluminous Hugs xxx
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That sounds like an interesting walk!
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We walk the same route six days a week. The difference was that I walked alone this time. John and I talk the walk, and I don’t notice much when I’m either talking or listening. I’m sure if I paid attention to him AND the surroundings, my feet wouldn’t move. Multitasking is dangerous for me!
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LOL. I understand on the multitasking. I find it difficult to sing and clap at the same time. For some reason I end up clapping opposite everyone else.
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I love your neighborhood Anne. Have a nice weekend.
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I’m so happy you have visited the neighborhood with me, Arlene. There are lovely people and beautiful views here.
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Today was eventful! That’s awesome to take in the surroundings.
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We’ll see how it is on Day 2. John had a sudden invitation to play trains in Tennessee, and that’s why I’m walking alone for three days. The last time he was away, I noticed lots of things on the first day and not much thereafter.
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I’m sure if you look hard enough you will find excitement on day 2….treasures are around every corner when we look for them.
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Yes, but I might not see the treasures. If my mind gets going, I might forget the only way home.
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Haha! I do that too! When I hike alone in the woods I take pictures of landmarks incase I forget I have a breadcrumb trail to follow back!
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Breadcrumbs???? Aren’t you afraid the witch will imprison you like Hansel and Gretel?????
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In the woods of the mountains, yes. Stumble upon the wrong cabin and someone might try to eat me! 😯
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Anne, thanks for sharing. I got a kick out of the trucker and your conversation. He sounds like quite a character. I thought WE lived in a small town. Yours is even more interesting. Love it! 🙂
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There are lots of characters around here. One time a waitress from the cafe was taking her break outside and chatted with me. That was the only time we ever talked, and it was probably two years ago. She grew up in the same town as my SIL. Waynesville is larger than the town I grew up in, but we are about five miles out of town. There are six houses on our deadend street. On one side of our house is a cow pasture, and at the back is one for horses. The creek walk crosses a four lane divided highway that is a connection from Waynesville to the interstate. It’s odd to be out in the country, yet very close to big highways.
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What a great picture of your area. Thanks, Anne. I read to my husband last night your conversation with that trucker guy. So different from around here. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Your location sounds very similar to a place we used to live in Alvarado, Tx. We lived on a dead end street that was a mile long. It deadended to a horse ranch/pasture and we used to have to keep our old dog (who has since passed away) out of the pasture because he wanted to eat the horse droppings-we figured out it’s because they are sweet from the feed they are given. Gross!! We had wild turkeys on our property and the back two acres were dense woods and underbrush. We enjoyed it there and I used to walk every day out to the main road and back. The people up the road had goats and before long, so did we. We left them with the new owners when we moved to Crowley. Now we’ve come full circle and live back in North Richland Hills, a suburb of Ft Worth.
I read your next post and I’m so glad you dared to say it out loud. You ARE a writer! A good one. Own it!!
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It’s great to know a bit of your history. Thanks for your encouragement. It means a lot.
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