Digital Photograph - First Signs of Fall

Trees starting to turn

I spotted these trees starting to turn
colors along a pond up in the mountains
this weekend. Look at all the dead trees
along the shore. Most of this is caused by
acid rain. Out forests here in North Carolina are really taking a beating.
 I think we need international
standards for monitoring power stations, factories, mines and refineries.
We need to protect our planet.
Clean air and water are essential.
We need these trees to help cool
the planet. They provide food,
shelter and homes
for many birds an animals.

Digital Photograph - Coneflower

Coneflower

Digital Photograph - The Mountains

The Mountains this Morning

Digital Photograph - North Carolina Red Barn

Red Barn In North Carolina

Spotted this barn not too far from my house.
It was a dreadfully hot day. You could
feel the heat when you moved. One of
those days that takes your breath away
when you walk outside.
It reminded me of barns I use to
draw when I was a kid. The windows
all different sizes...

Digital Photograph - Look Closer at that North Carolina Red Barn

A Furry Watchguard

 

 

When I first spotted this barn I thought "Oh nice barn." I got out and did my thing taking pictures. Then I noticed that there was something in the doorway. Zooming in - looking closer - I found this guy. Seating in the doorway enjoying a bit of a breeze, king of all he surveys, watchguarding his home. Sometimes it is good to look a little closer at things.

Digital Photographs - Local Grafitti

This is happy Grafitti

 

Love the bike and bright colors

 

Like the bike

I am trying to get out and take some

pictures every week. I like to get up

really early before everyone starts

their day. The mountains have this

mist over them moving about. It

makes everything feel mysterious

and clean in a strange way. I

found these on the West side of

town near a bridge and railway

tressel. I like the happy colors

and the bike them they have going

for them. It looks like a place kids

would hang out on hot summer nights.
 

 

Some Summer Freebies - Sisters

Joy



My favorites



They look so much alike.

 

They are so sweet!

 

Gorgeous!

 

It has been awhile I know. This summer has been crazy busy. My sister moved from Colorado to Tennessee the past few weeks. So in her honor I thought we would do sisters. I drove over to see her and drop number 4 son off to help her do a little painting, unpacking, and put together things for her. A little aunt and nephew bonding time. I took advantage of the trip and took a lot of pictures on the way home. Hope you enjoy these!

Digital Photograph - Tennessee Barn

A Tennessee Red Barn

Spotted this scene outside of Nashville

on the way home from my sisters. I love

how they paint their barn doors white.

Just fell in love with the whole scene.

Digital Photograph - A Tennessee Creek

A Tennessee Creek

Tennessee is such a pretty state.
All sorts of things to see and do.
I have spent most of August helping
people move stuff - two of my boys
and my sister. I have also been
getting rid of a lot of my extra
"stuff". The little break to my
sisters was just what I needed. I
miss the road. Although it feels
so good to be nesting.

Digital Photograph - Birds on a Wire

Birds on a Wire

Stopping at a light in a small town in

Tennessee at the end of the day. I

looked up and low and behold saw

this flock of Starlings coming in to

roost at the four corners of this

intersection. What a sight!

I immediately pulled in to the corner

gas station and began to take pictures.

It was amazing. Of course everyone at

the light wondered what I was doing.

They began to honk their horns. The

birds would take off and fly back.

It was like a mini ballet. 

Truly amazing. I then realized that

this was a sign that fall was about to

begin. Summer was ending. Beginnings

are nice...

Digital Photograph - Curing Tobacco

Curing Tobacco

Thought I would share one of the sights you see all around the South. Curing tobacco in the barn. The barns are tall and narrow.

The tobacco leaves are wrapped on sticks

so that the leaf hangs down. There are

several leaves on a stick. The sticks

are then places in slots along the

inside of the barn or on a contraption

that looks like scaffolding. 

This farmer is fire curing his crop. 

The barn is wrapped in plastic to keep

the heat in and cure the tobacco. There

is a fire box or stove in the barn. It

can take from three days to several

weeks to cure the crop. You can see the

smoke and steam coming out of the top

of the barn. This method of curing

gives you low sugar and high nicotine.

This tobacco is used mainly for pipe

smoking, chewing tobacco and snuff.

These barns and the ritual of curing

your own are slowly falling away. I

find it all rather sad.

Quote #22 - Moving...

Four Letter Words - Move

Along the Road...

A trio of birdhouse surrounded by ornamental grasses.



Absolutely love this mailbox stand. The old cobbler's piece holding the mail box and then the three blue transformer pieces.



Spotted this lovely along a winding road. I love that they painted the mail box with their house and barn, then stenciled the post with flowers.

Thought I would share some of the things I have been seeing along the road. Unfortunately, I have not been traveling very much this month/July. I have been unpacking, going through things, hanging pictures, making shelving, etc. I do try to get out some every couple of days, just because I need to clear my head. Soon I can think about some trips.

I do try to see my boys every week or so and a trip down to the river calms my soul. I hope you enjoy these pictures. I love the birdhouse one. The way they painted each house a different color. Very clever. The mailboxes are sweet. Now that I have a house I am hanging bird feeders, repainting my birdhouses and should probably think about personalizing my mailbox. Hmmm it might have to wait awhile.

Some long overdue freebies for you...

Two beautiful sisters. Friends for life.

Wow I love the little dress. I think this is a baby boy because he has such a dark dress. I love the curlies in this chair.

What darling twins! The blanket is great.

I just want to squeeze them they look so cute.

Her lace dress is exquisite and the chair is wonderful.

I have not blogged in a few weeks. I have been way busy with house, family, and friends. I have gotten through almost half of my boxes, hung some pictures, 3 out of 4 storage units emptied, dealt with various crisis, life keeps moving on.

I really have needed a break. A break from anything. So, blogging was the one thing I knew everyone would understand if I took a break from. I have really missed everyone. I have missed your comments and checking in on your blogs. Hope all are well, having a great summer, traveling and vacationing in cool places, re nourishing yourselves. 

Here are some freebies for you. I just love these children. The love and care their mother's have given them is everywhere. From their beautiful clothes, to the way they have styled their hair, to the look in their eyes. Hope you can use them in your art or just enjoy them.

Digital Photograph - the gray barn

the gray barn

I ran across this beauty on the way to

have dinner up in the mountains with

my boys. I like to take the back roads.

They are so much more interesting.

I saw this sitting down in the back

of a little meadow. I headed right

for it. It was a big ole girl.

I love the yellow cross in the window.

I wonder what they are going to do with

it. Maybe it is something different and

just this view of it makes it a cross?

Hmmmm the "wonderings" never cease.

The other thing that I have noticed

about some of the barns up here is the

way they have the wood going in certain

ways. This barn is a good example of this.

Lot's more barn pictures to share in the

future. Hope you are all having a great

summer.

Digital Photograph - The River



The River

The river calms my mind and heart. When

the outside world gets rather crazy

or my everyday world a little over

whelming. I find myself heading

for the river.

The past few weeks it has been full of

rain and mud. It is almost a chestnut

brown in places. It is running fast

and dangerous. It is impossible to see

the rocks and boulders that lie beneath

it.

There are days my thoughts and feelings

run like the river. Fast and quick.

Flowing as if they will never stop.

Yet,as I watch the water everything

that was bothering me flows away,

my focus comes back and a part of

me begins to sing.



Digital Photograph - Queen Anne's Lace

Queen Anne's Lace

Bursting. Yes, this flower is bursting

with flowers. Just a few hours before

it burst forth with blooms.  Each head

is bursting with flowers.  Just the sight

of it makes me swoon.

It has been a rough week here in the

United States. Two set of sisters killed

by one of their husbands or boyfriends.

One sister pregnant, several of the

sisters mothers. Two cousins first

thought drowned now thought to be

abducted. Questions about one

of the father's and his associates.

Then, a fun night out at the movies

turns into a nightmare. 12 dead,

58 wounded, a nation in shock and

mourning.

Which brings me back to flowers. Flowers

for funerals, flowers for hospital

rooms, flowers to say "I love you", 

"I am thinking of you", "I hurt

for you", "I am sorry","Thank You", 

"Congratulations". Flowers to cheer

us up, to give us hope, to remind us

that there will be beauty again.

Quote # 21 - Pray

Four Letter Words - Pray

Quote #20 - Prayer