Sunrise!

"Morning has broken..."

Travels

(On) Traveling

(an assignment)

I once strolled on the beaches of Florida’s gulf coast. I was a sun gazer. I raised my son near the Florida Keys.  He was little then and woke up after a long car ride to being set down at night on the shore smack dab in the warm waves of the Atlantic. We swam in the oh so warm waters of Bahia Honda and bathed ourselves in sun and in sand. We delighted in the sea creatures of all kinds-the blue octopus and the large human colored turtle that popped up to the surface and made me jump. Nate was small then and full of the bajeebers! He was a handful. When he traveled, I traveled.

Natalie’s birth lead us back to the other coast. She was tiny then-just 8 weeks old and a real live beautiful baby. My days were filled with the upkeep of all things pertaining to our lives. Traveling to shop, traveling to transport, and happy then just to be home. School consumed our lives (on all levels…) And when they traveled, I traveled.

As a girl I often traveled alone, on my bike, on roller skates around a 3 block radius, and farther as I got older—to the skate park in the deep cold of winter. I once traveled across Lake Michigan on the Milwaukee Clipper with my Aunt. When I tell her now, this is how and when I ‘got the traveling bug’ she says “I don’t remember that.”

I once traveled across the Atlantic to Paris. Vive la France! I did a short term Mission trip. I sat with friends in Barcelona and waved a teary good-by to a friend from a train (much like in the movies…) I remember that she made a puppet dance and wave with a Kleenex that she had in her hand. Her name was Sara Silva. She was Portuguese. I never saw her again. Shortly after this, in 88, I was filled with romantic notions and the passionate hope of a young woman in love. And he was hoping I would come back. Keith and I (my husband) have traveled together now for almost 25 years. We are traveling companions, I would say. We love to travel. We travel mostly on the weekends, now.

After years and years of stifling hot sun (enough to bake the brain) we catapulted ourselves from the Florida heat, sun and sand to the leafed out green Appalachian Mountains (that we now call home.) This might have been our biggest and our best trek yet—traveling from sea level to about 4000 feet! 

I have always loved to travel and for many years even thrived on it! I couldn’t stay put. I mean I wouldn’t stay put. After a few years in one spot I would again get restless and have the pressing need to move on, to see new things and to reorient myself. I suppose that in order to live I must learn some new things. And I’m happier for it. But I would say that as the years turn, there are now some days in my safe and secluded mountain home that my travels are confined to my dreaming, as I gaze at the red sun rising in the east over the treed mountain ridge.  

Yes, there are days now, in which my own children travel farther (and faster) from the nest than I do [as in daughter # 1's case (Jasper) as she is basking herself in the sun on the sand of Kauai, as I write this. Well done, here, my brave fellow traveler! Bravo sweet Jasper and family--now she is an adventurer!) ]

Our other fledgling fellow travelers (children) are still around us enough to report their travels back to us (which they gladly do, I am happy to say.) ‘Me and Father’ are on and off (but mostly on) keeping a watchful eye and a keen ear. You never know when there might be a rescue maneuver called for, and at that time we will be prepared to launch (or not, as in my case.) But launch we will nonetheless.

lg

:-)

Winter Storm

This is the look of our surroundings... 

(for you)

of the snowfall that accumulated here overnight. 

Come on along! :-)

What awesome beauty to behold awaits you. 

The snow seems to makes all things new.

It is a balmy 27 degrees outside (so don't be too terribly chilled on your journey.)

[We are supposed to get winds up to 40 mph (!) later today so 

I am most  happy and relieved :-) to capture the stillness and quiet beauty 

of the woods for you before the violent winds come... 

(which I will not be out in~ mind you!)]

:-) 

The captions for the photos are as follows:

(from the top) 

Pristine Driveway Unaltered

The Way Down the Big Hill

Look to the Left

Snow-snow-snow (on tree)

Logging Path View

The Way Back Home

Running

Ginger Looks Back

Snowball

No Mountains to Be Found

Fence Line

Wooded Panorama 

lg!

(...snowed in until the plow comes.)

Grandfather in February

This is nearby Grandfather Mountain as seen this past weekend. 

We actually had a clear, sunny day so I got a photo of the mountain that 

I thought was 'blog worthy' for you! Enjoy!

Can you see the features of Grandfather's face lying down?

lg!

You can...

...locate me here, please, this week...at Vintage Doll.

Thank you!

:-)

Spring Promise

The silver stream of a broad moonlight ray 

kissed my cheek last night, as I laid upon my 

pillow. It crept in gently, first caressing the bed 

and then easing itself to my right ear 

where it whispered promises 

of bright red springtime

flowers with their sunny

button middles.


© Karen Powell

(lg) :)

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