Blue Ridge Dreaming

Confused

I think my fledgling apple trees are confused: they're blooming.

See?

 

What's up with that?

Recent events

Have you heard about this? Our region is out of gas. Our little town certainly, but now as far and as big as Asheville. Are you experiencing anything like this where you are?

They've even canceled classes at the community colleges for the rest of the week. It's the craziest thing I've ever seen.

Today I had a bit of cabin fever, tired of sticking at home to conserve what little gas I have. Itching to get out. So we took my mom's car (the one with the most gas in it) and went to the park, and Sonic, and the post office, and the antique store next to the post office, and then we indulged in a visit to the local independent bookstore (on the next block over from the post office). On our way home, we spotted a tanker truck making a delivery at a Shell station and were able to pull in right behind another guy at the pump. Immediately a line formed behind us, snaking down the road at least a half-mile. And we only needed about 5 gallons. Of course my car was at home with less than a half of a tank, but I couldn't have made it home and back before the line was hours long. Forget it. Classes are canceled tomorrow, we'll just keep my car parked.

The whole situation seems nutty. I cannot imagine how small business owners are surviving. Oh my and all the businesses and towns around here that live and die with tourists in the fall. What will they do?

On the up side, however, the weather is just about perfection: upper 60's temps, blue sky, sun. Fall.

Wordless Wednesday: An encounter

     

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday.

Click here for more Blue Ridge Dreaming Wordless Wednesday.

Click here for more Mountain Mama WW.

Monday morning in my fall garden

   

Because I wanted to have something else for you to look at

...instead of the just a solicitation to vote for me,  here is a shot of my typical view. I don't think I'll ever tire of it.

Voting is open

For the BlogAsheville Blog awards. If you're so inclined, please head over and vote for me.

Thanks!

Scroll down for today's Wordless Wednesday.

Wordless Wednesday: The last of the summer harvest

 

Click here for more Wordess Wednesday.

Click here for more Blue Ridge Dreaming's Wordless Wednesday.

Click here for more Mountain Mama's Wordless Wednesday.

Who'da thunk it? or, It's an honor just to be nominated...

So nominations for this year's BlogAsheville Blog awards came out today. And guess who has been nominated in, like, three categories?

Best Art/Photos: Blue Ridge Dreaming

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition: Mountain Mama

Best Writing: Mountain Mama

Wow. I'm kind of speechless. Thank you.

If you like what you see here, maybe you could vote for me...

or for my friend, Beth, who was also nominated (deservingly) in Best Writing.

Wordless Wednesday

     

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday.

Dad's house: an update

 

Things are moving along nicely on Dad's house. The rain from whatever-tropical-storm-that-was didn't hurt it (except wash away some of the driveway).

Here's what's been done recently:

Framing completed.

Windows in. Screens here and stacked in the garage. Doors on (except garage door).

Porch on and completed.

Roofing (shingles on).

Soffits and fascia in place.

Hardiplank siding on. There will be vinyl shakes on the dormers on the side and on the front of the porch. Those will be placed after the Hardiplank is painted.

The siding will be painted by the weekend, I think.

Wiring and plumbing in. Tubs/shower installed. Phone and cable jack placement decided.

Backfill done (partly--still more to be done) behind the basement wall.

There is still much of the major work to be done: more backfill and leveling of the back yard area, back deck built, more site prep for the septic, more site work on the (steep steep) driveway, better sediment control (we didn't pass inspection on this, something which makes the environmentalists in us cringe). Not to mention all of the interior work.

But it's really taking shape and we can now envision the finished project much more easily.

And, of course, we're already wearing a familiar path up to Grandpa's house (for girls and dogs).