Community and Friendship and Family

Delivered my rocks to the other snake rock. I hope others start adding soon. People are leaving this one alone ... thankfully, finally, hopefully.

These are big rocks -- look tiny from the picture.

Our Friday friend was very surprised and we had a nice meeting and birthday celebration. The mayor joined us again and we got lots of scoop on our town.

People took the flowers home and the hit was the little basil jars. The coffee shop owner gave me some cut herbs from his basket. Everything felt like friendship and community. 

Found this little lovely in the garden. Thank you, friend-of-the-garden. Eat those pesky pests.

Our grandson's school had a spring hat parade. Usually the events are run like a well oil machine. Not yesterday. Oh boy. Lots of chaos and too much time standing in the sun. But he was adorable and to see his little face when he saw us -- just the best feeling. He came back to our house to play while his parents finished working.

We went to dinner and I ate way too much rich food. My stomach is a mess this morning. Fitful dreams about having a stomach ache. I hope things calm down. 

I have a big day today. 

First up, a new friend. She came over to rock paint with our friend who lost her husband. We've had a couple things canceled related to the death so I've only had that one day with her. She invited me to a Garden Faire and breakfast this morning. It'll feel good to talk to her. (And, of course, fun to go to the garden event.) We have gardening in common and we both have a young grandson (from a child with the same name). She's incredibly nice, quite soft spoken, and we have a number of friends in common. We've met over the years in larger group settings, but never spent much time together.

Then a quick turnaround to head to the official birthday party from the Friday friend. Also a new friend. She's turning 70. I like that my friend group is age expanding -- both directions. Japanese flower arranging and dumpling making, her treat. She even has GF options for a few of us -- so sweet. And, of course, I love that it starts at 2 o'clock. It'll be the rest of the day, but I should be home by early evening. She's had a horrible loss a little over a year ago -- her husband was piloting her family to a baseball game and the plane crashed. This is her first big birthday since the loss and it's a hard one. She's choosing this milestone birthday as a jumping off point to get back to loving life. She's grieved very hard and still does (of course), but she said she wants more joy again.

Today has a strange little back theme of loss amiss beautiful things. Yin and yang of living. 

Best get moving. Early breakfast with parking woes means I need a bunch of extra time. 

Have a good day. Later gators.

I'm No Farmer

Backbreaker day yesterday.

The "standing" farm job that wasn't. There was other work to be done -- harder than picking ... planting. My body is broken -- hah, I'm no farmer. Recovery stats in the tank. Oura ring ... "what happened?"

Happily, today IS a physical recovery day. Yesterday was all work. Today is all play. The push to get everything finished was worth it.

I had to do a first-thing run to Trader Joe's to get flowers for a surprise birthday celebration today. (Pictures loading annoyingly backwards, as usual.)

Flowers I kept in the background.
Rocks heading out today.

Flowers and herbs for today

My kind of cart -- a little
lavender for the porch too.

I got to spend a couple of hours with my grandson and doing it again today. So sweet -- but my back!!

Then watered all the houseplants. Oddly, another strain on my back, but glad to have that finished. I almost pushed it to today (thanks, Yesterday ME for hooking Today ME up).

Today is another full day, but a gentler full. 

Less rushed, less physical. 

More fun, than productive.

I'm looking forward to it.

Short and sweet this morning. Have to paint my nails -- gardening took it out of them. I rarely wear gloves because it's too hard on dexterity. 

Have a great start to the spring weekend. Later gators.

Home Sweet Home .. and Garden

Yep, sleep was off last night. Asheville became "Asheville" because of the healing legend of the mountain air. Maybe it's true ... seems to be for me.

It's good to be home though. 

This is THE week -- summer garden gets planted. 

Grow room goes down. 

Plant life gets loads easier.

But first -- WORK.

In and out to finish hardening everything. 

Sun, shade, take a break inside ... start again. 

I finished the tomatoes, but the peppers, herbs, and flowers are still in process. 

It's mostly fun plant work though (minus watering my indoor plants ... sorry, my loves, it's never fun).

This time of year my indoor plants are the neglected step-children. 

I'm volunteering in the green house at the farm today. I have to do a minimum of 4 hours of volunteering with the program and this year I'm trying to get those hours upright and early -- standing at table with seedlings, rather than on my knees harvesting. I'll get a sneak peak at the plants for summer pickup. 

Saturday I'm going to the Master Gardener plant sale with a friend. 

Might visit the farm stand where I used to live to pickup some herbs -- some mine didn't make it.

Sunday is plant-the-garden day.

So exciting!! 🥦🌿

Fingers crossed the pests stay clear.

I painted a couple of rocks for the "other" snake rock. Just sprayed them this morning. I'm excited to add to it. I'll do a couple more for my snake rock next week.

The next 3 days are full (with rushed mornings) -- but lots and lots of good full AND lots of variety. Hitting a number of FS things each day. 

Things that I intentionally worked toward. 

Life feels better when it's intentional. 

Good for me to remember. 

Hope your week is going well. Later gators. 

Until Next Time, Asheville

Another super day in Asheville. 

We hiked a short, but steep trail to the top of Mount Pisgah. 

A few technical parts, but it was okay ... phew.

Ate a really delicious lunch at the Inn.

Picture perfect hiking weather.

Incredible day -- start to finish.

Excellent food.

Pisgah Inn with views

You can sit outside
enjoying the mountain views.

We passed a family on the way down. They were leaving Easter eggs with candy. So fun. We took one because it's nice to participate and I bet they were excited for people to find them.

Took Duke on a long walk in town. Also walked to get food for dinner and something for today since we're leaving before anything opens. (Hubby needs to be home for a dentist appointment.) 

Here were a few Asheville notes along the way.

This was a top Asheville trip. I need to remember some of the reasons why. Of course, the weather was a big factor, but it was more than that. Expanding WHAT we do is important. I have a list of hiking trails to try. Asheville is about being outside and if it's all rain, the fun gets dicy though. I'm also reluctant to solo hike a trail I don't know. Anyway, something to notice -- especially traveling with hubby. 

One last note before I start packing up ... woke up to these numbers. 57 degrees with the windows open. 21% humidity. It's the WHY of such incredible sleep. I'll miss this tonight.

See you from GA tomorrow. Back to all-things-garden. Fingers crossed the grow room survived.

Have a good one. Later gators.

Asheville is Perfectly Asheville

Asheville sleep is so often my best sleep. 

Maybe the mountain air? 

Windows open? 

I slept like a log and my recovery stats were great. 

You can't dial up nicer spring weather. Cool, crisp, no yellow pollen. Sunny blue skies. Warm in the sunshine, but still a cool breeze. 

We took an easy hike yesterday. Hubby isn't in hiking form right now -- so slow and short 4 miles, but it was pretty. Duke had a great time.

Beaver?? Probably not,
but I'm in looking mode.

Hollow log up close

Hollow log from a distance

Water diverted from damn.
Beavers?

I was able to slip in a quick teahouse visit and a walk around town.

We had an early dinner with my sister and BIL. Fun to see them.

Another glowing sunset from my bedroom window.

Looks liked painted stripes.

Actually brighter in-person.

We're doing a little exploration today.

Expanding our Asheville repertoire. 

Checking out a few mountain trails and having lunch at the mountain top inn.

Tuesday hike and lunch, Asheville addition.

More on this tomorrow. 

Hope you have a good day. Later gators.

Asheville Monday

It was a quiet day. 

Drove to Asheville in the rain.

Front blew over and blue skies for the afternoon.

Here's a little spring in our yard.

The angel broke in a storm
and now it looks creepy
and old. I like it better this way.

A few bushes in bloom.

Wind chimes hidden in the tree.

Our fireplace and original
stone wall. Little garden
where they meet. 

Base of my favorite tree.
HUGE hickory that shades
the patio all summer.

I sat outside in a rocking chair and read this book while hubby watched a game.

Easy read.

Twilight knockoff.

Watched the first episode of season 2 of Your Friends and Neighbors on Apple.

Upstairs to read about beavers (yep, -- Eager Beavers).

We have beavers and their tree work on a local hiking trail -- I wanted to learn about them.

This was the sunset outside my bedroom window.

Slept with the windows open. 

It's FREEZING in the bedroom in the best way.

I slept well.

Woke to birds singing.

Not a bad way to wake up.

Today is a Peloton workout.

Brunch.

Maybe the teahouse?!?! Might not have time ... dang.

Nature walk with hubby and Duke.

Dinner with my sister and family. 

A mini-vacation.

No stress.

No volunteering.

No chores.

Have a good Monday. 

Later gators.

Rainy Easter Drive to Asheville

We had a super family day. 

So much fun with our grandson! He's a delight. He loved the egg hunt and especially the 2 "egg" cars he found in 2 of the eggs. Clear winner (no surprise that was his favorite).

We went to the park and played on the slides, blew bubbles, played ball. The fun kept going that meant NO nap. Eeek. 

He loved the bed, but it's not going to hold up well. It's already warping from him climbing in and out. Maybe I need to reinforce the sides a bit. Problem for another day.

Combination of no nap and a lot of fun, meant he cried when it was time to leave in the evening. It's somehow sweet that he's sad to leave. Probably not so much us as playtime with different toys, but I'll take it. We made it all better by giving him the "egg" cars to hold on the way home.

We're leaving for Asheville this morning. FINALLY going. I need to squeeze in a bunch of plants into a packed car and I have a feeling that won't go well in hubby's eye, but it is what it is. I grew these babies from seeds and I'm not letting a few days away take them out.

We have fun plans waiting for us in Asheville and beautiful weather once the rain pulls out today.

Today is a rainy travel day and nothing else. Everything will be closed for Easter. Arriving in time for hubby to watch sports so I'm going to get a chunk of reading time. Rushed morning and fully chill day.

Have a good day and Happy Easter if you celebrate. Later gators.