Favorite tree, hands and looking out

It was a gloomy-ish weather day when I went to the tour of homes in Madison, Georgia several days ago.  Friend Barb couldn't go with me, as usual, so off I went.  I took a few photos - mostly quirky ones.  I think that little structure might have been a cover for a well at one time.  And I adore Ginkgo trees, with their fan-shaped leaves - especially when the leaves turn yellow in the fall.

Love the hand prints in the brick walkway of someone's home.  I wonder where those hands might be now and what they are doing.

This home was wonderful - full of furniture and things from all the countries they have lived in.  But the back yard held these four chairs just looking out at nature.  I imagined the family just sitting and chatting in the evening.

This flame colored tree caught my fancy, but the Ginkgo is still my favorite.

I hope the world is being kind to you today, my friend.  Have a wonderful weekend.

Shimmer and fog, music and art

- My favorite river view - the Hiwassee River in the Nantahala Forest.  (My photos always upload with the location Nantahala Forest - I love that.)  It was my last visit there until late spring 2017.  I was sitting on the back porch reading on Saturday afternoon and was loving how shimmery the river looked.

- Sunday morning - 9:30am (EDT) - fog over a farmer's fields. Click to enlarge to see the lovely light.  I was on a back road and paused briefly to snap this photo - it was too lovely not to capture.

- I was on my way to the John C. Campbell Folk School Fall Festival, where there is much pottery, artwork, basketry, jewelry, etc. for sale, as well as lots of music performances. I loved the woman on the right, playing so energetically with her family's band. 

- And I amused myself by photographing this section of cars.  If I panned to the right, you would see thousands more.  Since I got there early, I was able to park fairly close. At first I couldn't see my car, but remembered it was parked in front of a yellow one.  Once I spotted the yellow one, the long-time dent in the right fender of my car singled it out and off I went back to the river.

October is my favorite month, and right on schedule, the air turned a wee bit crisp.  This little weekend trip got the month started out just right.

Big rocker, why it's there and enjoying the ride

- How I managed to pass this over sized rocking chair, in the middle of nowhere, in northeast Georgia:  I was coming back from my festival trip late Sunday afternoon and took a detour road home that brought me to this rather desolate highway (GA-52) near Lula, Georgia.  I spotted this unusual sight, backed up and stopped to take the photos.  There was no explanation for it.  I love things like that.  (Of course.)

- But the wonders of Google gave me this:  "Just outside Lula, down a winding country road is a hard-to-miss attraction that keeps people in its seat.

Dwight Oliver, of Goldbrook Pumpkin Farm, said he originally built the giant rocking chair as a place for schoolchildren visiting the farm to gather for pictures.  The fifteen or so foot chair, he said, can hold thirty kids.

Oliver said he sees car tags from all over as people stop to take a look or get a picture of the orange-and-white chair.  Some folks have even sat in the chair waving at passers by as if they were sitting on their own front porch, he said.

And everyone around knows about the big chair on the corner of Persimmon Tree Road and Lula Road.  According to Oliver, the farm can't move the chair anywhere else, or "people won't know where we are."  After seven years, the chair is a permanent fixture."

- The oddest thing was that I realized later that my GPS took me this way, when there was a much more direct route home.  But I loved this long and winding road, with its farms and rolling country fields.  I guess GPS knew I'd like to see this giant rocker.  :)

Back road, good home and order (redux)

It's Random Photo Thursday and this is a post from August 2009 about a peaceful place.

- Taking a seldom used back road, impulsively turning into the driveway of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery. Stepping out of the car - a feeling of peace washes over me.

- As one of the brothers drives out, he patiently waits for the geese to move. He smiles with a twinkle in his eye as he goes by.

- Even the water tower has the mark of the order. They have a working farm, but supplement their income by selling handmade rosaries, fudge and bonsai trees.

Update - I went back by a few months ago to get one of the handmade rosaries. Father Anthony, who makes them, was in the shop and gave it the blessing of St. Benedict. He said the blessing was good for as long as he lives (said as a joke since he is extremely old.) :) The rosary is made with beads called Job's Tears and it is a treasure.

The road, welcoming stranger and worth it

- A glorious weather day. Could this be November? The photo is from the miles of countryside passed on a work road trip to visit the Covington, Georgia campus of DeKalb Technical College.

- I choose the wrong building in which to look for my client. I tap on the glass door of a woman who is intently typing to ask direction. Her face lights up with a huge smile, "How are you???" I ask if we have met and she says I just look so familiar. She walks outside with me and sends me in the right direction. I think we should all welcome strangers like that; I know it made my day.

- The oil change man sticks his head in the waiting room door and says, "You must do a lot of driving." Between work and family visits, I sure do. (The mileage since the last oil change gave it away.) If all work visits could be as pleasant as the one yesterday with all the nice technical school employees (and friend Rose) - then it is entirely worth it.

I hope you have a great weekend, my friends!

Rural living, tip and locked out

- My sister likens living in her sleepy little town in northern Florida to living in Mayberry. Last night she left a meeting with a group of women all going home in the same general direction. One of them called to say there was a horse in the middle of the road ahead that had gotten loose. Where exactly? she asked. Across from the goats. Ah! She knew exactly where that would be and decided that's what she loves about rural living.

- I thought about my sister yesterday while pumping gas. (She and her husband are in the petroleum distribution business.) She shared a tip not long ago when she was in the car with me. When paying at the pump by credit or debit card, always ask for a receipt. So many people are driving off without paying that you should have your proof of payment with you in the event you are misidentified as an offender and they send the police after your car.

- While trying to get into a building for my own meeting last night, I find I am locked out. So I sit on a nearby bench to wait and take a few moments to look at the fresh green leafy trees, birds checking out a nearby birdhouse and listening to church bells in the distance...

Back road, good home and order

- Taking a seldom used back road, impulsively turning into the driveway of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery. Stepping out of the car - a feeling of peace washes over me.

- As one of the brothers drives out, he patiently waits for the geese to move. He smiles with a twinkle in his eye as he goes by.

- Even the water tower has the mark of the order. They have a working farm, but supplement their income by selling handmade rosaries, fudge and bonsai trees.