Asheville Fun

Let's do an Asheville list -- all the nice Asheville moments yesterday.

1. Mountain walk. Rained most of the time, but it was cool and beautiful.

No idea what this means,
but always little love signs
to find.

Mountain view. Cute little
homes along the road.

Tucked along the side of the road.
Planters for spring.

Way up the mountain -- decorated
for Marti Gras. Little whimsy. 

2. So many birds. Songs, chatter, loud voices in the quiet mountain. I saw a robin bathing in a puddle -- so pretty.

3. Our Paper Plant is in spring bloom. If you've never smelled this flower, it's incredible. Scents the entire street. 

4. New electronic trash cans along the mountain roads. Bear proof. This initiative was delayed because of the storm and it's back on track. Signs of Asheville's recovery. It's designed to discourage bears from coming off the mountain on trash day.

5. There's a home tour in my neighborhood -- totally forgot about it. We were asked to participate and declined. I wish I remembered because I would've gotten a ticket. 

My street was a steady stream of people walking. Checking out my fairy village rocks (a couple of people took pictures -- made me feel good). Checking out the LFL. Smelling the Paper Plant. 

It was community. It was appreciation for little things. Lovely.

6. Finished this book. I've tried to read this several times and had to try again after I got it in the bookclub Christmas exchange. I decided to force read it in Asheville since I had more time to read. Felt an obligation to the person who selected it to finish it.

It was amazing. I kept getting stuck at the first bit with all the failed attempts, but it takes off after those few chapters. Cried the entire ending -- tear jerker in the best way. It was a perfect read for this weekend and Asheville.

Quote from the author's note at the end. Quoting Jon Mooallem's TED talk.

"Storytelling matters now. Emotion matters. 

Our imagination has become an ecological force."

7. Decided to try a new lunch place. Googled plant forward with GF options. Wow -- it has incredible selections. Most of the menu is vegan and GF. Vegan is important because all the "cream" things were non-dairy. 

I drove since I was out at a shop, but it's walkable from the house. New favorite unleashed.

Lentil soup.
GF corn bread.
Warm oatmeal.
Citrus green tea.
Good cry finishing the book.
Tried to be discrete about it hah.

8. Got a GF pizza for dinner from a local pizza place -- it's small, but delicious. I haven't had it in a long time. While I was waiting, I went next door to Fresh Market --  my first time, and also, not my last. What a nice market for unusual things. Bit $$$ so not for everyday shopping, but great for special things. We have them in GA too. I think reasonably close to my house -- I'll have to check it out. 

00 version of a family favorite.
I haven't tried it yet.
Hope it doesn't just taste like
apple juice hah!

9. Checked out a new shop that's two store fronts -- one vintage, one boutique looking for a HBD gift for my aunt's birthday party. Didn't find anything, but they had painted rocks. I took a sneaky picture to try and copy the owl for the Snake Rock. 

The drive down this road yielded a lot of treasures. I hadn't made the connection these things were on the same road. Not all walkable -- it's about 6 miles of driving down that road to get to everything.

Lunch place.

Pizza place.

Shops.

Favorite plant store. 

Yep, stopped at the plant store, but didn't get any plants (I was tempted). Got a new pot and footers for outdoor planters though.

10. Almost forgot -- after the teahouse, I visited my favorite vintage store. Got a winter coat from 1950s -- picture when I wear it. Also, this broach. It's so pretty in the light.

The purple gets really iridescent 
in the light.

That's a wrap on Asheville. Waiting on sheets in the dryer and a final cleanup before I go. I'm trying to time a library pickup from my old library. I want to start the book tonight. It doesn't open until 1:30 today so I'm not rushing too much this morning. Might be tricky, but will save me a drive tomorrow and I pass close enough on the way home. That said, I forgot a wind storm is moving through -- maybe should get over the mountains before it really picks up. Eeek -- need to think about this now (we just got a big wind gust).

Have a good Sunday. Later gators.