Cataloochee

The main place to view elk is over a mountain that I can see from my house. It takes an hour to get there on twisty mountain roads, some not paved. We were blessed to see many, including one very young one. Lise’s friend Toke had good shots of it, but I don’t have one yet. I had them pose on a foot bridge over the main stream in Cataloochee Valley, a section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

We saw many clumps of butterflies fluttering on the ground. Lise had a good picture of one, and I had a slow motion video.

As we headed home, several elk crossed the road. They are not afraid of vehicles and are quite used to seeing humans in their car-cages. There are warning signs reminding us to stay in our cars and never approach any of these wild animals.

Lise noticed a big male getting up from his resting place under a tree. He grazed closer and closer to us. I’m glad I took this still photo, because my video only goes in painfully slow motion.

The next day we walked on Main Street in Waynesville. Here is a view Toke took from the car, showing the new sign that replaced a similar one that was gone for many years.

We wandered through Mast General store, one of my favorite places. I took one photo, this one in the candy section where Toke was putting his picks in a basket. Lise bought him a Southern cookbook for his collection.

Visiting Oconaluftee Indian Village

Daughter Lise, friend Toke, and I enjoyed the tour of outdoor exhibits showing how the Cherokee Indians lived and worked. Our guide was a young man who spoke very rapidly and had a good sense of humor. The people kept working as he spoke, but they answered questions if we wanted more detailed information.

I was interested in the making of pottery, since I’ve seen neighbor Shawn throw a pot on a wheel. These people shaped everything by hand because they didn’t have a wheel. Instead of using a kiln, they built a fire in the ground and turned the pieces each time they moved them closer to the fire. Finally, the items would actually be in the fire.

There were buildings showing what houses looked like in several different periods. This was the third time I’ve been to this village, and it was the first time I understood that some of the buildings were scaled down in size. Also, the canoe on display was a scale model. It appeared big enough for one person, but it was supposed to hold three, along with items they were trading.

There was a new part of the narrative that I had not heard before. Two recurring phrases were “before European contact” and “after European contact”. Obviously, nothing in history changed, but their presentation did. I don’t think Europeans were mentioned at all five or six years ago.

After that tour, another Indian man stood in the sacred area where there would be dancing. He explained the way the tribe was organized. It was a matriarchal society where the women had the final say in many things. If a woman decided to “divorce” her husband, she put all his belongings outside the home and told him to leave. He would have to go back to his group to live. Blood lines were traced through the women, not the men.

We heard thunder, and it began to rain. It was announced that the tribal dances would not be performed. We were sitting on wooden benches under a roof and weren’t getting wet, but they canceled because of the danger of lightning.

Driving back toward home, we stopped above Maggie Valley where the scenery was gorgeous. A bit further down the mountain, Lise exclaimed, “Look! Did you see that elk?” She turned around, and Toke was able to get a shot of the animal grazing beside the road.

We had a late lunch at Clyde’s as others were coming in for dinner. What a delightful day it had been!

Lise and Toke

Daughter Lise and her friend Toke (TOE kay) seemed to bounce back quickly after their long flight from Denmark. The next morning we walked at my usual time, and neighbor Logan caught up to us. He took a turn holding dog Kacey, who usually does not walk with us.

Logan was picked up by his parents when it was time for him to go to day camp. I took the official photo at the stop sign when Logan had already left us.

Lise lifted the dog up in the air when a car went by to keep her from lunging. That worked really well, although it was a workout for Lise.

The big event of the day was the removal of an evergreen tree that was attacking the Wicked Wisteria. Neighbor Joyce had approved, since it was on our shared property line. Lise, Toke, Kayce, and I watched from the back porch.

Below is a slide show that presents the big evergreen tree trying to swallow the pergola, half the tree removed, the dog exploring the new empty space, and the bare stump.

KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera

The second full day we drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway and ate barbecue on the way home. I wanted Toke to be sure to sample one of the special foods of the South, and he liked it. Mission accomplished!

Weekend Walk with Logan and Joyce

I began walking alone, but neighbor Logan (14) caught up with me at the big bend. By then he was overheated, so he hung his coat on a tree. Though the air was quite cool, the sun heated things up quickly.

Logan spotted a hawk that landed on a telephone wire. I wouldn’t have noticed. We watched it fly into a tree and continued walking. As he turned back to see if he could see the hawk, he said, “That’s Joyce coming toward us!”

She explained she quickly made her morning shake and brought it with her, hoping to catch up with us. The hawk had flown to a wire over Joyce’s head. I won’t bore you with the five shots Logan and I took, trying to catch the bird. I’ve already erased them. On the way back, Joyce was relieved when Logan retrieved his coat. She explained that when she worked for the state, she was warned that if she saw a piece of clothing hanging outside like that, she should be very careful. It seems it is often a signal that a drug dealer is nearby!

Joyce went home, and Logan had breakfast with me. We played several games of Boggle in which he trounced me, as usual. We were cool enough on the porch with the overhead fan whirling above us.

Kacey spent a lot of time on the front porch, finding lots to bark about. When she finally came in, she flopped on the cooling mat. I loved the way she casually displayed her tail.

A Snake in the Road

I came to an abrupt halt when I saw a snake in the road. I told myself to be ready to jump back if it moved. What kind of snake is it? No, first things first. Is it alive or dead? It’s in the road and most likely dead. Good grief! It’s a stick!

Coleus Plant in the Birdbath

Daylight was ending, and I hurried to re-pot a few plants. I should have done it that morning while officially gardening, but I thought I could sneak in a few chores that my saner self wouldn’t notice. The old plants had been sacrificed, and their upper stems were in water to root. As I carried out the discarded bits, I saw that one looked quite good. Passing by a birdbath on the ground, I tossed it in so the roots were in water and the leaves hanging onto the edge for dear life. You’ll know how late it was, because I never considered taking a photo of this strange thing.

The next day I planted it near others outside the back porch. The morning sun might be a bit much for them, but they have shade all afternoon. I suspect watering will be a crucial component of their care. I didn’t think about the stage of life these plants are in. Basically, they are now in a nursing home where they will have the basics to sustain life. Old age has ravaged them. Perhaps they will rally to put on a good show, but cold winter weather will kill them. I intend to see that they have the best care I can provide as long as they are alive.

Proof We had a Party

Six of us gathered for the neighborhood celebration of the Fourth of July. It was hot enough that we voted to eat inside instead of on the porch. The others kindly posed for a photo at the table, but I knew something was not right and couldn’t see to fix it. I thought I took two shots and discovered later that I’d shot two miserable little videos. Please give me credit for not prolonging the agony for the best neighbors in the world. Later I took one black frame and added light to it several times. I will laugh whenever I see this, because it was the first time I used the new replacement camera. It’s obvious I need to practice.

It was delightful, as always, to be with this group of special people. We found lots to talk about, and conversation never lagged. The food we contributed was delicious.

To somehow make the occasion official, I took a selfie after everyone left. It took several tries to get the lighting somewhat acceptable.

Happy July Fourth to those who celebrate it!

Emergency Gardening

Kacey was on the back porch with me when she suddenly began to gag. I immediately hooked her to the line and let her outside. She rushed to eat as much grass as she could, so I presumed she was trying to make herself vomit. I sat on the steps watching her and making soothing sounds. Looking inside, I thought there was part of a shoelace there, but there are no rogue shoelaces in this house. The limp thing was a stem from a coleus plant. I’ve read lists of plants that are harmful to children and animals, but I couldn’t remember any of them at that moment. Kacey seemed fine, so we went to bed and had a good night’s sleep.

After walking this morning, I went into emergency gardening mode. I cut the larger plants and put them in water to root on the railing where the dog couldn’t get to them. The lower parts I planted outside, again where she wouldn’t be able to reach them. When I knew the emergency was over, I consulted Alexa. She told me that some coleus plants are harmful to cats, dogs, and horses.

Setting the Record Straight

Neighbor Cindy corrected me in the kindest possible way, but I jumped to the wrong conclusion. She is not mentally defective like I am, being unable to talk and cook at the same time. Shortness of breath limits her, not lack of brain power. She can’t talk if she walks too fast. We will be kindred spirits in that way, because I couldn’t talk either if I went faster than a snail.

I have my brother to thank for amplification about doing things ahead of time or fast. He reminded me that I practiced the piano in double time, something he wouldn’t have remembered if Mother hadn’t laughed about it through the years. My piano teacher wrote a list of pieces for me to practice before my next lesson. Beside each, she noted the number of times I should play it every day. I took that literally and never shirked on the repeats, but I played every piece as fast as I possibly could. Bob said I did an hour’s practice in 30 minutes. Guilty as charged!!

I’ve Outdone Myself!

If husband John were alive, he would be laughing. He was well aware of my penchant for doing things early. He would dig up the old college tales and tell you that I finished term papers the week after they were assigned. According to him, other students despised me for not struggling at the last minute.

Let that old myth live on, but I’ve bested myself this time. I ordered a new camera to replace the one that died while daughter Kate was here. The very next day I downloaded the manual for it and began to read it, although it won’t get here for another week. Laugh if you must, but I want to be ready to use it by the time daughter Lise and her friend Toke (TOE-kay) arrive.

If there are any of you who are always on time for meetings and usually prepare for deadlines early, please raise your hand. There has got to be a group like me around the world. If a true confession is not your style, just say you are raising awareness for a friend. EARLY BIRDS UNITE!!