The Long Trip Down

These are the
Appalachian
Mountains lower
than where we live
(where most of my
photos are from;
or higher....) These shots
were taken from the
highway as we were
heading east/so.east.
The town we live in
is at 3333 feet
(which is higher
than these photos.)
It is easy to 'forget'
how high we are
situated until we
leave! There is an
8 percent steep
grade down out
of the mountains
that goes on for miles.

Interestingly enough,
with the higher
elevations~~ comes
cooler temperatures
and 'wild' mountain
weather. It was a
FULL 20 degrees
colder at our home
(up high) than out
of the mountain range
and several counties
down and to our
east(south/east.)

I must away!

I must 'away'
for the
weekend.
I take my
leave
with this.














And... for some good news,
check out the blog
Pwoje Espwa - Hope in Haiti
below. Fr. Marc finally got
some much needed
supplies delivered to
his orphanage.
What good news.

Photo: Spring Flocking
(last year) :)

I must admit

I *still*
like
playing around
in the dark;
"L's
"U's"
and
"Check
Marks."

(Blame it
on the
moon :) )

These are
lights seen
from our
hilltop at
night
down
in the
valley
below
where
we
live.

The Back Side of the Mountain

I had to stop the car
today for the lovely
sunny blue sky...
and what looked
like a large bird
(cloud) swooping
in over the top of
the back side of
the mountain
we live on.
Cool, eh?
Today was sunny,
crisp and cold;
overall~ a very
good day. I had
some time today
to do one of my
most favorite things...
time to dote on
my children:)

Food for thought (today.)

March 3~
Dear Reader,
Not much interests me (these days) in the way of writing or thought. But this did.

"They get bogged down in satisfying others’ often divergent criteria rather than enjoying the process and looking inside themselves for answers. Giving them space to reflect on their project and its meaning for them rekindles their self-belief and often reveals possibilities to them; ideas can surface that enable them to produce work that surprises themselves. Often too, the difference between a seemingly ordinary work and an extraordinary work is a small sideways step. ...Recognising that can only happen when people are able to tap into their ~own~ deep resources (1)."

I think that this (quote) refers
to all of life...
Why is it so darn easy...to forget who we are?
I must remember
this
one
thing :)

Thought I'd share~this thought.
I found it helpful and enlightening.
I think oftentimes
(particularly if you are
'raised' to color in between
the lines~ like I was...)
that the small sidestep
(the author is referring to)
is often mistaken for a misstep.
But its really not.
What are your thoughts (on this?)
And thanks for dropping by.
:)

[(punctuation and italics mine;)...
(1) Quote by David McGrail; " David
is a designer 'with a passion for
calligraphy’ (his words exactly),"
living and working in Dublin, Ireland;
referring to his students at Dun
Laoghaire College of Art; taken
from an interview published
@ calligraffiablog.]

Oh Yeah!

Top:
More winter white;
~today's~ apparel :)
Middle pic:
I love my boots :)
I'm already on the
watch for another
pair for next year!
Bottom pic:
Winter foliage:)

Snowed in

One More

Rocks...
are a BIG
thing
here...
:) :) :)

Things that are big here...

Nature looms large
in the high country.
Some greenery amid
the winter grays and
the whites of the day;
March 1.
Trees and rocks are
big here~
(of course...i left out
the mountains...
~this~ time),
and...peoples hearts
are (also) big...
accordingly :)

Winter

Nearby Scenery

Wintry views on
today's road trip.
Bottom:
Taken at
just about
5000 feet
of the mountains
to our east.
It's a gray day!
There were
light flurries
in the higher
elevations
and we are
again expecting
snow... :)

W-w-w-whoa!

Intrepid.


...16 degrees,
and 64 mph
wind
gusts today.
It is brutal out...
punishing.
I am bundled
beyond recognition.
The wind is howling
in the highest tree tops
causing even the dog
to look up.
The house creaks.
Mini twisters form
on the road with
swirling snow in spirals...
Overhead, the trees knock
and bump together
like chattering teeth.
I take refuge on the
back side of the
mountain
today.
Lakhi
doesn't
seem
to mind.

They say

'They say'
on the
Appalachian
trail
what today
proves
to be true:
"Just when
you get used
to
the weather
being
one way~~
it changes."
Top: The
puff ball
tree is back :):)
(snow filled
little
cups~
like hands...)
Top of
the mornin'
to 'ya!

Lichen

Top Photos: Appalachian
winter lichen. I have several trees that i can see from my own window
~they stand out so green amid the wintry gray all around. See the pale green colors and the gray hues?...a beautiful miniature world of its own living on our tallest trees :)





Bottom photo: a gray day...

A Winter Sky Offering...

Saturated
winter
morning
skies.
Today
is cloudy.
I like the
purple
hued
borders;
a study
in
winter
strata~
black
gray
blue
purple
white.
:)

We
~again~
are
expecting
snow.