Celebrating an Anniversary

We began the celebration of our 56th wedding anniversary on grandson David’s day off. The list of restaurants we brought up included local ones and some in Asheville. David came up with the winner, one that had slipped our minds. He remembered that when his brother was here, we went to Square Root in Brevard on a day he was working. We promised him we’d go again so that he could experience it. We found that it had reopened with 50% capacity seating and took a chance. The drive on a small road over the mountain took a long time, so the lunch rush was over when we arrived. What a treat we had!

For the foodies: we had an eggplant and portobello sandwich, a hot ham and fig sandwich, and planked salmon with succotash and rice.

Salmon with succotash and rice

The ending was spectacular. We split a slice of key lime pie and a piece of cake they called a chocolate tower. I was hurrying to take a quick photo, and David turned the plates to show the desserts to advantage. The pie had a most intense lime flavor, enough to make us roll our eyes with delight. Words wouldn’t do the chocolate justice. Never mind justice, we should have asked for mercy after savoring the cake. It was sinfully good!!

Just desserts

Taking a different route home, John urged David and me to get out by a mountain stream. With David’s help, I got down the rather steep bank. If the video works for you, you’ll hear the roar of the stream and see the water rushing under roots of a tree. The roots had grown over big rocks for a solid base, but there was no earth around half the roots.

Unearthly roots

In case you can’t see it, below is a still photo of David as he tried to get a video looking upstream.

David with skeletal roots

Nearer home, we went to the water’s edge at a local swimming hole. Children were jumping off a big rock into deep water, while adults lounged in camp chairs. David and his mother Kate swam downstream from there last year. This might be a good place for them to swim when she comes this year.

Streams are Back On

For weeks we had a bit of rain every day, but that wasn’t enough to keep the little streams full. The two closest to our house are not even called streams on maps. They are labeled Park Branch, blending into one stream somewhere behind Shawn and Bob’s house. Two days ago I could hardly hear them as I stood on the road above. Today, after tons of rain yesterday, they were audibly back on duty. I planned to take a photo or so on my return. Jonathan Creek was a muddy torrent, covering all the boulders that are visible on a normal summer day. Photographs were the last thing on my mind as I walked home, because the mist was hitting my skin, suspiciously like fine rain. I retreated to the front porch to read the limp newspaper.