Bats in the Attic and Pollyworld.

 

I am in love with this place--Pollyworld Antique Shop, 

and the sweet, gracious, eager to help owner, Polly Chester. We travel 
to this wonderful old antique store in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia 
about once every 3 months or so. All the antique 
(and just plain old) items are most reasonably priced. 
Sadly, the owner is moving from this 

old store location and relocating this summer. 

I can't imagine a better place! And I am glad to bring you 

these photos before the place, as it is now, exists no more.

:-(

As you can see by my photos, you can find just about 

ANYTHING and everything you might want here

(and I didn't photograph the entire place!) :-) It is a wonderful, 

dreamy place filled to the brim and running over with old time treasures...

The lighting, especially in the barn-like upstairs, is perfect for photo making.

I don't know why, but I feel more 'at home' here, 

on the creaky old wooden floors surrounded by wood well 

worn with use and with age than any other type of place 

(except maybe on a mountain top.) 

:-)

I grew up 'rummaging' with my Mother. It's a good thing...to do. 

I'll admit that I even don't mind the sometimes musty smell 

of this and that, the damp feeling the place has in the winter, 

and the oppressively hot feeling that exists (in the upstairs) 

in the summer of Pollyworld. 

My need to surround myself with vintage, antique items and 

old buildings of all kinds  must go way back to my days 

(as a child) spent with my family on summer vacations 

spent in an old time farm house built in the same era.

One hot summer night, as kids, we sat on the grass outside 

and were both horrified and (surely) amazed to watch 

bat after bat pour out of the attic of another well 

loved farm house that was once in my family. 

That was that. 

Bottom photo: My found treasure at Pollyworld 

(this time)--a  (vintage) small white pipe cleaner dog.

Enjoy!

lg!

Please find me here (today)

...at my other blogspot location called:

"Vintage Doll" 

:-)

A First in my Lifetime...

-10 degrees in the far western 

North Carolina Appalachian 

mountains this A.M. folks...

simply unbelievable! 

(Glad I was able to get this pic, too!)

Stay warm and dry everyone!

lg!

Snowy Wood

Snowy wood 

blustery hill 

windswept faces 

shiver still 

on cold bare mountain 

Appalachian wood 

cozy fire 

life is good

Iced Tree

Ice

We are expecting an icy Monday. 

This is a sampling of what occurs here from two weeks 

before Christmas... 

(this was at about 4800 feet.)  The top two photos are 

recent and the others are a smattering of ice from previous winters...

Needless to say, I have a lot of ice shots. In fact, I have an "Ice and Fog" folder :-)

It gets icy here!!!

I am thinking that I will have more icy 'finger' pics (which I particularly love) 

for you before this winter relents!

I am not yet crying "Relent!" "Relent!" 

but I most assuredly will, I imagine. :-)

We 'have to' venture out on Monday. Often we wait for the salt/sand/plow

but I might not be able to. (The plow is my new BFF  currently.)  

As always, I will keep you posted as to our ice escapades...

(Stay warm and dry where you are.) 

lg

Winter Snow Begins

Early this A.M.

I love 'catching' the snow in the early morning light before car and footprints disturb. I do see some kind of a little footprint rather spaced out to the left coming up the driveway. On the other side, evidence of a little cat's visit could be found sneaking up the side and stopping at the garage side door. Ahhh. Winter. Everything looks so white...and clean! 

Begin (2014)

2014

What dreams lay on the horizon?

What thoughts lay deep in prayer?

Spend time contemplating

just how you will go-

Captain of your own fate.

Chart your course.

(Steady.)

(In your mind's eye) set your gaze upon a star to guide

as ‘friend.’

Photo Roll of 2013

"Big Red"

   "Son of Big Red" (...a painting in acrylic by K. Annie Powell.)

    "Big Red" himself has most likely passed on by now, some 15 years later.

Old Man (Manatee) Big Red

The mammoth creature began to pass under the pontoon boat after surfacing on our side. Almost shaking, I hurry to put on the rest of my gear as I ready myself for the water. Plunging into the water near the back of the boat in the nick of time, I proceed to make my way forward toward the huge sea creature. Fighting against the current, to my amazement, I am able to come up behind the surely 15 (but feels like 20) foot beast! I slowly take in the huge girth of his massive paddle-like tail, noticing prop marks and some portions that are missing. I have found that this is a way to identify these creatures without mistake; by the (more often than not) man made marks on their tails and on their backs. This always makes me sad, of course, but I am glad to see how they have thrived in spite of the mark man makes.

“He must be about 15 feet long,” I think! I am frightfully careful not to disturb him as I slowly float and make my way further up along his very broad back and belly. His girth is huge! I am amazed to see that I cannot see around him from the top! This is an old creature--an ancient creature. All along his back I see prolific growing seaweed (or long flowing hair-like plants) up to three inches long or more moving to and fro in the water’s current. This carpet of plant life on his (her) back ranges in color from deep red to orange, and even a bit of yellow and bright lime green pop out here and there! His back was simply a wild mosaic of color!

I squeal in delight of discovery and pat his back as if to say “You are so old. I know you are old and I love you. You delight me!” I can sense that this valiant creature that has survived the likes of man and years of travel through currents of water. I squeal to him. He hears me, for the sound travels. As I carefully but deliberately pat his back but a few times, plumes of sand and dirt expand and then rise up and up. He is a great moving magic carpet made of algae and plant life. How old is he (she?) What a dream to come along the path of this remarkable sea creature and to (even) touch such a beast. It was like making the acquaintance of a huge well-aged under water elephant. It was like being in the presence of great wisdom. I was astonished. It becomes quiet in my soul as I marvel in the presence of this great creature.

The memory of this mammoth old man manatee sea creature that we bumped into in the Crystal River (most likely the oldest manatee there, I am assuming) stands out in my mind as the most wildly amazing moment in the cold crystal water that I could have had that day. The encounter still conjures up in my imagination many questions about the creature’s whereabouts, his age (was it a “she?”) and the like, even to this day! I have met many a manatee in the river, big manatees and small, gray colored ones, and even one pale white in color, but not a single one have I met that was even nearly as old and as super huge—as this magnificent creature. It was a dream I will remember for the rest of my life, to meet this particular manatee I have thus named “Big Red” or “Big Red Magic Carpet.”

White Women Don’t Wear Ponytails

    (Photo: Cold Sunrise)

White Women Don’t Wear Ponytails

I want to be astonished

I want to be amazed

I want to stand at the edge of a cliff and yell out through my lungs almost half crazed.

I want to sail across the ocean.

I want to soar up in my balloon.

I want to play a guitar and a flute while I stand tranquil on the back side of the moon.

I want to sail as an eagle, over the mountains so high.

It’s a wonder what a good night’s sleep will do…I feel at least 10 foot high. 

I want to bridge any gaping holes

between countries or peoples or friends

I want to be like the Rock of Gibraltar

a person solid on whom people depend.

I want to make art and parties

and maybe marry the two

upon a yacht that I run ’round the Cape ’cross the Atlantic

and then on over (at last) to you…

Maybe up then to cold Alaskan waters…

and maybe down then and back again

trekking the globe like a traveler light

with a map and a compass and gin

I want to do all things today

happy and chocked full of life

and when I rest I will lay me down

as an Appalachian women-mother-wife.

I want to jet up through the sky

in an aero plane full of my friends

and then drop down through blankets of thermal warmed water

in scuba where I risk the bends

When I awoke this morning

my hair stood straight up near the top part of my head

from a tossin’ and a turnin’ all night in my dreams

as an undercover spy or as a teacher or as a heroine in a country foreign again

White women like me over 50 don’t wear ponytails

piled up high on the top of their heads

but today I’m gonna do my ballet turns in my sweats

with my hair pinned up high just the way I woke up with it in my bed.

[A sort of “Walter Mitty” I suppose I am  

of women throughout time

who dream dreams of misadventure

and seek their fortune, love and pleasure

in fancy made up games along the way

This I offer up-a hearty “salute”

to all of my secret sisters

who like me find themselves seeking

behind the curtain peeking

a glimpse...

of the secret life within.]

Icy Appalachian Tree Pickin'

Hello! :-)

These are recent pics (...just about 2 weeks before Christmas) of our trip to get a Christmas tree from a tree farm on nearby Rich Mountain, NC. It was quite a day! We traveled from 4000 feet to about 4800 feet and found an icy winter wonderland waiting (at the top!) 

Sweet blessings to all my friends!

~louvregirl! 

:-)