Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Update from my Corner-

                                                    

my junk shop purchases

  I've been home since Thrusday... I had a good time up in the mountains---Indy and I enjoyed our hiking and junk shopping...I purchased that painting--by an amatuer painter Jim McPeak...I know the hard work that goes into it so I can appreciate the fact that this one ended up in a junk shop! I paid $8 for it---and see that little pitcher in the window--that was my other purchase--I love anything that has a native motiff on it and the colors were perfect to add to my collection- We saw some super birds at the duck pond or better known as Oak Grove lake- 


   




 Then we saw this beautiful blue eyed Double Crested Cormorant-diving for food and gliding so easily in the water...then he flew overhead with wings outstretched like a glider...

   Double Crested Cormorant

And a sleeping Canada Goose, 



 And the Pied Billed Grebe...been a while since Ive seen one of these guys...they dive to the bottom of the pond for food--they are small...about the size of an American Coot-

   




 I finished up a painting I was working on...call this Moon Enlightened Its a fantasy genre' a unicorn screaming at a very BIG full moon while he plays in a waterfall--

   



 And that wasnt enough to keep me busy so I wanted some tye dyed shirts and couldnt find any in my size...they had them for kids..(that should be telling me something) so I got 3 colors and did my own, just like we did when I was 16!! NOW onto my sox--haha.

   

Monday, April 12, 2010

IN Search of Waterfalls-



Yesterday we took a drive up to the Pisgah National Forest in NC. Its not that far in miles, but we took the scenic route and stopped alot to see things and I enjoyed stopping at this great Junk shop...the American Pickers got nothing on me...I know a bargain when I find one..lol this was a great stop I enjoyed browsing the stuff while Indy snoozed in the shade outside--

I made a couple of purchases and Ill save that for another time...cause our main objective here was to hike and to see some waterfalls...BUT along the way we had to stop and snap a shot of this lovely barn setting...
we saw 3 different waterfalls...this first one, I totally didnt find out the name of...it was next to this lady who was selling fresh boiled p-nuts from a little road side stand, sorry didnt get a photo of her-and I didnt ask the name of the waterfall--grr.
We traveled on and found this one....it's right on the road (hwy 276)
There were a lot of steps so I left Indy in the shade again and I went to take some photos...I didnt take my time as I had planned and the lighting is always tricky on brightly lit waterfalls...so this is not what I wanted but it will have to do! This is Looking Glass Falls..

after viewing this one we stopped at a quiet picnic table for a snack and then headed on...parked and took a mile hike to get to the next waterfalls at Moores Cove--my camera had a smudge right in the middle....
IT was an easy hike and Indy did really well even tho she has poor back leg strength...
We took our time and I didnt rush her and she stopped often to....

COOL OFF-lol she really loves the water...
The waterfall was quite spectacular and there were other visitors around..we enjoyed a rest before heading back.
Indy is a fun travel companion because she never complains, she makes the best of every situation!
Today I plan to take my bike over to the duck pond for a ride and to see how the ducks n geese are doing...Indy is gonna stay home today, Ill take her for a walk around the block...rest day for her!!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Travels Upstate-

Indy and I ran into this goose checking out his reflection in the water...when we went to Paris Mt. State Park for our walk today. Im upstate in Greenville, SC house/dog sitting for my sis again..she is in Sedona getting her batteries recharged for 6 days...so Im in a new location close to the mountains for a week...




Indy is a big mix of Lab and Chow. She is a sweetheart...but she weights in at 106 lbs...I didnt realize that her size makes most people afraid! Nearly everyone we passed I heard them mumble "what a big dog" as we went past...I never thought of Indy as anything but a sweetheart..but I can see how if you are not around dogs one her size could be scary...She never hurt a fly tho...


she likes to take a dip too...here she is checking out the kayaks

The she got a drink of water....





The spillway is pretty cool over the old damn that keeps Lake Placid in its banks,..

There is a beaver at work here too...he has moved his lodge farther up in the stream now and we didnt see him today...


This little girl was having a blast riding on the back of the paddle boat...and let me tell you that water is COLD..but people were swimming today---personally to me the water is not warm enough till labor day!

Indy disagrees with me...she was in and out of the water--and lay down in it, and just had a blast...Tomorrow I hope to drive up into the mountains and visit some waterfalls!!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Spring is Marching On...

WELL HERE IT IS....









...the now famous manure pile..
Its quite fantastic really---there is the fresh side then there is the completely composted side...
I got as big a load as my shoulders agreed to shovel and that amounted to 10 of my wheel barrow loads when I unloaded it. I also got some of the fresh stuff just for the straw..its easy to shake out the unwanted horse "apples"...Ive been told Im bi-polar with my visions of granduer---VISIONS of LUSH GREEN GRASS and plants is what Im hoping for I think you can figure out what this shot is all about--lol

I know this may seem like a not so hot blog topic but for me its like a gold mine--
This is one of my grandma's Irises...I dug them from her TN yard long ago...she passed away back in the 70's but her Irises are as beautiful as ever!!



I have brought 4 of my trailer loads in so far and I plan to get more...but it will have to wait Im headed off to dog sit for Indy---its going to be sort of strange without Spanky there. I do plan to take some side trips and hike to and photograph some waterfalls...I hope each will be gushing with water!! The weather promises to be awesome...

So I will catch up/update from Greenville I leave on Saturday!!

Hope all of you are having a great SPRING!!