Always Sunny at Our House

We knew we wanted a large metal scupture for our fireplace in the great room.

We didn't know what we wanted but we knew we would recognize it when we saw it.  Our daughter and I were taking some trips around and about and we saw some beautiful work done by Grace Cathey from nearby Haywood County.  We decided to visit her with photographs of the fireplace and get some ideas.

Our house is an eclectic grouping of things we like.  Antiques sit right along contemporary or modern pieces.  We have no "theme;" we collect what we love.  The more we talked with Grace, the more convinced we became that a large brass sun would be the perfect art work for our fireplace.  She made some drawings and we selected one we liked.  There was only one stipulation...the eyes had to be just right.

[NOTE:  This requirement comes from my hating a very large stain glass window in our church.  Jesus is about fourteen feet high.  He is lovely except for his eyes.  HIS EYES ARE REALLY CREEPY!  I call it "Creepy Jesus."]

Grace assured us the eyes would look upon us kindly or she would redo them as often as necessary.

My very clever and handy husband make a mock-up with cardboard and newspaper to determine the size of the sculpture.

We commissioned the sun in July and were assured we would have it by late autumn.  Alas, our artist received a big request from the NC Arboretum so our sun took a backseat.

Finally, the sun was completed this spring and now hangs cheerfully looking down at us.  We moved the mantle clock and decided to go with large pillar candles since they didn't detract from the sun.

We just love it.  And the eyes are not creepy at all.

So now, even on the worst winter days, we will have sunshine in our home.  Here is a link to Grace's Website.

Fridays are Golden

Ellie had a birthday Tuesday.  It was quite appropriate that her birthday fell on the first day of Summer because she has indeed brought so much sunshine into our lives.  She was born at Dichi Goldens (here).  After saying good-bye to our second English Springer Spaniel we decided a Golden Retriever would be quite suitable for our lifestyle.  One of the best decisions we ever made.

Ellie's first day in her new home.

Ellie is the kindest and most gentle dog you can imagine.

 She is an expert at finding the weakness of soft toys and quickly rips out the filling.

 She is so beautiful running in the wind with her gorgeous coat flying in the breeze.

 She loves to go hiking, especially on trails where she can be off lead.

Ellie loves tennis balls and often carries one or more with her.  This is one of my favorite photographs of Ellie.  She is not allowed into the hallway leading to my study.  I took this picture of her standing near the entrance of the hall while I was sitting at my desk.  She was silently begging me to come on out of there and play with her.

 The halcyon days are over.  Lucy arrived on the scene.  Ellie is extremely patient with Lucy.  Many people are surprised to learn that Ellie is the alpha in spite of her tolerance for Lucy's antics.

 Another of my favorite photographs.  Ellie leading the way on a brisk November day.  Ellie is two and a half and Lucy is four months old in this photograph.

We don't celebrate dog birthdays at our house.  But on those days you can be sure there is a lot of reflection about how much our dogs mean to us.  And some extra hugs for sure.

Ellie and I share a very special bond.  Sometimes she walks up and puts her head gently in my lap.  Other times she "talks" to me, wanting me to get down on the floor with her.  Truth be told, she would really love to be a lap dog if only we allowed her on furniture.  We share some wonderful times together.

The late Will Rogers once said, "If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." 

That's exactly the way I feel.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND, EVERYONE!

And What Generation Was That?

A large sign appeared outside Bryson City in nearby Swain County.  Placed there by the Swain County Health Department, the sign displayed information about the services available to the citizens.  The department used $992 in federal funding to pay for this sign and one other advertising the services provided.  Three separate services were listed at the bottom of the sign, including the costs:  Adult Physical Exams $45.00, Family Planning at Low or No Cost, and FREE Condoms.

Can you guess which advertised service created a controversy?

Photograph from The Asheville Citizen-Times

Did you guess "FREE Condoms?"  You are absolutely right!  For the record...the Swain County Health Department has provided free condoms for more than thirty years.

This is serious business, folks.  It appears that many citizens assume advertising free condoms promotes sexual activity among teens.  [Last year a Swain County health report indicated that more than half the high school students in the county have had sex.  From 2004 through 2008, Swain County had the thirteenth highest rate of teen births among North Carolina's one hundred counties.]

Not to worry...the Swain County Board of Commissioners met and all of them condemned the portion of the sign related to condoms.  County Commissioner David Monteith says the sign "sends the wrong message."  He was further quoted as saying, "I come from a generation where you don't have sex until you get married." [ Hmmm...I wonder just what generation that might have been.]

In a very literal cover-up, the sign has now been altered and the section about condoms is a blank spot.  Commissioner Monteith was very pleased.  "As a Christian, I totally oppose sex before marriage and it was a shame to see something with Swain County's name on it advertising that."  The commissioner said he had received calls from parents who were embarrassed when they drove past the sign with their children.  (Oh, heaven forbid you might seize it as an opportunity to share your own views with your children!!!)

The Swain County Health Department will continue its practice of providing free condoms.  They will continue their practice of informing all recipients of the free condoms that the only sure way to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases is abstinence.

Thank goodness the health departments provide free condoms...for the poor who cannot afford other methods of birth control, for gays, and straights, for sexually active teens and even the elderly.

On a related subject, North Carolina's 2012 budget cuts all State and Federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

A Really Big Baby Bird

For more than a week now, we have known that one of our Pileated Woodpecker pairs has a fledgling.  The pattern repeats itself every year.  The parent will come to the suet feeder, grab a beakful of food and fly into the trees.  At first, the parent leaves the baby deeper in the woods.  Eventually, they bring the fledgling to a tree near the suet.  They will feed it there for several days and then the little one is on its own.

We call this the "launching tree."  All of our woodpeckers bring their young ones here in the last step before they have to find their own food.

And here is the baby!  She is a really big baby and actually seems larger than the parent.  Guess it's all that baby fat.

She pokes at the tree while she waits.  Good start.

Mom comes back with food, taking great care to position herself in a way that prohibits my getting a good photograph.  Much to my frustration, they sometimes move completely behind the tree.

You have to take my word for it.  Mom is feeding the big baby.

Compare the sizes.  Mom is on the right.

Once again, the mom is feeding the little one.  Trust me.

Both birds rest after the third feeding.  Baby is hard to see below the mom and moving to the other side of the tree.

Within a few days, the baby will feed herself.  We will watch like anxious parents ourselves as she makes her first attempts to get to the suet feeder.  She will be amazed the first time Mom leaves her on the launching tree and flies right past her without giving her anything to eat.  She will watch and finally decide to try it solo.  We watch anxiously until she finally makes it over to get some food.  The mother must be watching as well, because if the baby doesn't make any attempt to feed herself, then Mom will come back and give her a bite, hoping that the next time will be more successful.

Here's hoping I am on the deck with my camera.

Fridays are Golden

You know what?  I've run out of words to describe the way Lucy uses Ellie for a pillow.  So I'll let these photographs speak for themselves.  Little Princess Lucy's expressions show that she doesn't see any problem.

The thought for the week is joy.  Mark Twain said that "...to get the full value of joy you must have somebody to divide it with."  Do something joyful and divide your joy with someone else.  And share in the joy of others.

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND JOYFUL WEEKEND EVERYONE!

Even More Fun Than the Migration

Every spring and fall we look forward to the migration and glimpses of birds that don't settle here.  After the migration we enjoy watching the courtship displays among our resident birds.  But best of all are the fledglings.  When they first hatch, the woods are filled with their constant chatter.  As they leave the nests we often glimpse their parents feeding them.  Finally they try to find food on their own.  We have little titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, downys, and goldfinches coming to the feeders.  They are very funny to watch as they peck away at anything they find to determine if it is a food source.

Down by the lake, the Barn Swallows have hatched and are ready to leave the nest.  As the birds grow the nests become more and more crowded.

These three are almost ready to go.

Oh, make that four!  Don't you love their little clownish pouty mouths?

Guess who will be fed first?

Yeah me, lady.  You wanna make something of it?

The brood from this nest has fledged so the swallows will repair the nest and lay another set of eggs.

We are fortunate indeed to witness the life of the birds in our area.  Almost makes up for missing the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks who seemed to have passed us by on their way north.

A Major Festival

Always held during Memorial Day weekend, the White Squirrel Festival  brings the town folk and visitors together.  While we are known as the "Land of the Waterfalls," we are also famous for our white squirrels.  White squirrels (not albino) make up 37% of the gray squirrel population in town.  You can read more about them here.  The White Squirrel Festival is the second largest festival of the year, exceeded only by the Halloween Festival.  (We are, of course in Transylvania County.)

The streets are closed off and various vendors set up tents and booths along the street.  Many free games are set up for the children and the festival is always entertaining.  We almost always find some crafts that we must have.

A view from Main Street

 While there are various white squirrel runs and other games to play, the White Squirrel Derby tops them all.  There are many divisions for the soap-box derbies and many people have worked all year on their cars.  Various businesses enter the special derby for shop owners.

Looking down Jailhouse Hill where the cars will race.  No matter that the jail is no longer in the courthouse, we still call it Jailhouse Hill.

 You can purchase almost anything with a white squirrel on it.  Or simply purchase a stuffed toy.

A parking lot is set up for skateboarding.  This very agile three-year-old plans to take his scooter down one of the ramps.  He is not old enough to be in the area and I'm not sure who was supposed to watch him.  It was hard for me not to tell the little guy he probably shouldn't do that.   He fell on the way down, got up to see if anyone saw him.  Then he went to the ramp again.  I stopped watching.

One area had dozens of hula hoops and everyone seemed to have her own style.  I say "her" because I did not see one adult male pick up a hula hoop. 

I must confess that I do not particularly like people dressed in animal costumes.  I don't like the mascots for college ball games, I don't like costume parties, and I especially don't like clowns.  So you can imagine this costume head freaked me out.

It's amazing that I could hold the camera still long enough for a photograph. 

 I fear that some children might have nightmares after seeing this freaky head on the table.



That's more like it.  (Although in truth I didn't want to get anywhere near it.)

(This photograph from 2010 in "Mountain Express)

You may notice the people in the photograph have squirrel tails, ears, and whiskers.  They lost the record they won in 2010 for the most people dancing in white squirrel costumes this year.  Perhaps we should have stayed longer and participated.  Or maybe not.

Another weekend of small-town fun in the mountains.