The view, along the way and watching

More scenes from sisters weekend in North Carolina... Click on the photos to enlarge.

- The view from the fishing hole.

- A flower along the way.

- A weathered bunny watches from a flower bed.

Potential firewood, puddles and chocolate = good

Photo by TS, taken with iPhone

- Niece's husband posts this picture on facebook of a fallen tree with the caption "Irene comes to Tudor City." Tudor City is the neighborhood in which they live in New York City. An uprooted tree is not really a good thing, but his friend's comment made me laugh, "Dude i hope this was not your favourite tree!"

- The little film posted on facebook of their toddler daughter running around in circles in the rain. Soaking wet and delighted with the puddles.

- All things from the internet today. A headline posted on The Atlantic, "Good News at Last: Chocolate Is Good for You! Maybe" The article by Marion Nestle can be read here. Her conclusion: "a little chocolate is delightful. A lot is not. As in all matters pertaining to diet, everything in moderation." But somehow I still think that is a bit of good news. :)

Sold, home and sweets

- Traveling down to visit my family in south Georgia / north Florida and making my usual stop at Stripling's General Store on the way. Two nice men ask if I will try their barbecue sauce. It's their family business, always sold at Stripling's, etc. I know how hard it is to sell things, so I buy a bottle (and it is tasty.) I only notice the logo after arriving at mom's. :) The "butt" in the title refers to the part of the pig most commonly used for pulled pork. You can read about the company and see that crazy logo better here.

- Arriving at the assisted living facility and sweet Velma hugs me and says, "I didn't know you were coming home this weekend!" I hadn't been thinking of this as home, but home is where my mom is, I think.

- At church on Sunday morning, brother-in-law passes pieces of butterscotch candy down to me and niece Amanda. He always has individually wrapped candy to give to kids at church and I am happy to be thought of as one. :)

First time, another dragonfly and peace

- After a late afternoon appointment at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, walking down to the lake because I never had before. I love the boat house nestled in the corner there.

- An electric blue dragonfly flies up to greet me on the way to the lake, buzzes about for a bit and flies away. It's dragonfly week.

- Earlier in the afternoon, joining hands with a dear, dear client and friend for a moment of prayer and walking away feeling refreshed and at peace.

I hope you have a happy and peaceful weekend, my friends!

Like magic, dragonfly and unexpected

- When my sister was at the river house in July, the neighbor next door (who is a master gardener), invited them over for the opening of the Evening Primroses. Apparently they open just once a year, at night. Neighbors from around the river bend neighborhood gathered and watched, and one by one, blossoms unfurled. Like magic. The brown stuff above is them, in a photo taken last weekend. My sister says next door neighbor must be letting them go to seed.

- A dragonfly buzzes around my car as I wait for a traffic light to change. I wonder if they are good luck - I've always loved them. So a Google search says that in Japan dragonflies are symbols of courage, strength, and happiness. Perfect.

- Receiving a friend card in the mail on the same day that things weren't going well and delighting in the bookmark with the chefs hat on it inside. I'll think of her every time I use it.

Sisters who can cook, friends and divine music

- Sisters who can cook converged for a weekend of making pretty good food. This was the beginnings of the pesto that became a challenge because of that aging blender, but we figured it out.

- A donkey and his friend wander about in a field near my sister's house within the Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina. These two were always together every time we passed that way.

- A group called "The Dismembered Tennesseans" sing and play at the John C. Campbell Folk School, with the mountain range in the background. I ask my mother on the phone what that name means to her and she says, "They've lost limbs?" My thought exactly! But it just means that of a group that has been together since the 1940s, members have gone and new ones came in. The fiddler on the left is retired from the group, but made an appearance this night. And their music was divine.

Empty flower pot, filling it up and needs a name

My sister lives in a gated community in which peacefulness abounds except for one lady who is all about the rules. One day she walked around with a clipboard and cited people for beauty infractions, including one neighbor who had an empty flower pot in her back yard. The photo below shows what happened when neighbors cheerfully pitched in to fill it up. :) And the flower pot lady wrote a poem about it. Delightful.


I am a little green pot living in a corner yard
And you would think that life for me would not be hard.
We were surprised to find out one day, when walking by
A neighbor saw me empty and she was so horrified.
She reported my condition to the powers here that be
And told them that my emptiness was horrible to see!!!

My owner told some neighbors and some friends of my sad plight.
And something almost magical happened in the night.
When she awoke one morning out the window she did see
A bright sunflower flower stake was placed inside of me.
And when she thanked her neighbors, her friends, she was surprised
When other lovely treasures appeared in my inside.

And now when people see me, they smile at me and know
That I'm a very happy pot our neighbors helped to grow.
My owner loves me so much that now she says she'll never
Move my treasures from inside (her neighbors are so clever).
She's sending you a picture to show what I've become
And wants to find a name for me, can you help her think of some?

- by MBG

Surely we can think of something for a name! Any suggestions? :)