Raining in the Mountains

Transylvania County averages more rain per year than any other county in NC.  In fact, parts of our county are designed as temperate rain forests.  We average nearly 80 inches of rain annually, even more in parts of the county.  We do have years of drought, but this year our rainfall is a bit above average.  For the past week we have had rain showers almost every afternoon.  They are scattered showers and come in bursts, leaving high humidity behind.  The rivers are up and the forests are lush with green.

"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

We have  a sunflower that blooms all year long.  Even in the rain.  It is a medallion made for us by one of our WI neighbors.  She is a periodontist and stained glass work is one of her hobbies.  She finds it relaxing and it helps maintain manual dexterity she needs for her occupation.  We find it beautiful and welcome especially on rainy days.

 The perpetually blooming flower

Wherever you are, I hope you are getting just the right amount of rain.  As the poet said, "let it rain."

Blooming in the Woods

Our woods are full of Mountain Laurel.  Some years they are fuller and more beautiful than other years, but they are always welcome.  Mountain Laurel, kalmia latifolia, grows wild all along the eastern states.  It is the state flower for Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Mountain Laurel in our front yard

The bear looks out at the laurel

 This one is visible from our guest bedroom window

Our community has restrictions on cutting down Mountain Laurel.  The wood has become very valuable as more and more companies build custom railings and fences from the branches.

This photo is from the Internet, but plenty of homes in our community have laurel railing

The Mountain Laurel is in the same family as the blueberry.  But it bears no fruit.  The flowers are enough for me.

His Choice

 

 

 

Last Monday I shared photographs of the vase I chose during our recent visit to Leftwich Pottery Open House.  It is only fitting that I also share the one my husband selected.

 

He chose a deep blue with bear cubs on it.  The piece is also done in the Wedgewood style with layers and layers of glaze.  There are four little cubs racing around the vase.

 

 

Simple in appearance but difficult in process

 

 

 

We both love this piece

We have an eclectic collection of art and pottery.  It would not fit into any decorator's theme.  And there's a simple reason for that.  We buy what we like, pieces that make us smile or move us for some reason.  And we have never regretted a single purchase.

Our artwork has meaning to us and gives us pleasure as we look at the various pieces around the house.  And isn't that what art is supposed to do?

If you didn't do so last week, click here to learn more about Rodney Leftwich.

New Art

 

 

We love to surround ourselves with North Carolina pottery.  And one of our favorite potters is Rodney Leftwich.  He is a wonderful man and skilled artisan.  You can find more about him here.

 

He is a member of the prestigious Southern Highland Craft Guild and his work is displayed and sold at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville.  He and his wife also display at various art shows.  Twice a year the Leftwich's open their studio for sales.

 

Rodney's talent is very diverse and each piece is unique.  During our last visit I found this vase and fell in love with it.  The cornstalks are not painted on.  Rather, this piece used crystalline glaze with a cameo technique (much like Wedgewood).  I love the rich earth tones.

 

 

 

I continue to be amazed at the tremendous skill and talent of the artisans who live among us.  We are fortunate indeed.

And So It Pours

 

 

 

Our part of NC did not see any effect from Andrea, but another front has decided to linger and pelt us with more rain that we need.  I wouldn't mind so much, but the last of our strawberries are lying in fields too wet to harvest.  Bummer!

 

It rained on and off all weekend and this morning is damp and foggy.  The sun came out for a few minutes yesterday and I ran out to take a picture of some Mountain Laurel.  We have it all over our woods and it is spectacular this year.  Alas, I took only two pictures and the sun disappeared and the rain started again.  Fortunately we have a screened porch and we can look out into the woods to see the laurel even in the rain.

 

This tall, skinny Mountain Laurel is in the front yard.

 

 

 

Here's a closer look at the bird sitting beneath the laurel.

We continue to have flash flood warnings with occasional rockslides and fallen trees.  We have a 60% chance of more rain today, then the odds drop to 30% for the rest of the week.

On a positive note; everything is lush and green and we definitely don't have to water anything, not even the herbs on the deck.

Something to Smile About

Imagine the harbor is your bathtub.  And imagine your little boats and toys in the tub along with your little rubber ducky.  That's the conception of Dutch artist Florentijin who designed a giant rubber ducky to send to harbors around the world to bring messages of peace and harmony.  The following photographs are from the AP.

Rubber Ducky in the Hong Kong Harbor

The ducky is fifty-four feet high

What a sight it must be

Appropriately named "Spreading Joy Around the World," the sculpture has continued its journey for a couple of years.  How can it not make you smile?  Art comes in many forms and I just love this one.

The ubiquitous little yellow ducky has also found its home in many upscale bed and breakfasts.  Along with the luxurious soaps and sponges, the rubber ducky often sits right alongside on the shelf over the large deep bathtub.

We need rubber duckies here in Western NC right now.  Our already soaked earth received more than four inches of rain this weekend.  The rivers are already out of their banks, flooding fields and closing highways.  And we are under flood warnings until Wednesday.  Today dawned bright and sunny, giving us hope that the rains are finished for awhile.  The farmers are suffering so we hope things will dry out soon.  On a purely selfish note:  I want my fresh strawberries to be large and sweet next month.  It may not happen with so much moisture and mold.  Oh well, there will always be fresh tomatoes won't there?

Bear on a Truck

We knew we needed a bear.  The real ones occasionally wander by, but we wanted one that would stay with us.  There are tons of bear options here in the mountains.  There are several chainsaw carvers, resin bears, concrete bears and wooden bears.  We didn't know what kind of bear we wanted but were sure we would know it when we saw it.  A new neighbor a couple of blocks away had several beautiful bears.  We asked where they got them.  They gave us the name of the carver.

Last spring we visited the carver near Cashiers.  We stopped and looked at the artist's work and chatted with him about what we wanted.  He assured us that he could make one for us.  In August the carver called to say the bear was carved and drying at his home.  Then he would treat the wood and stain it.

Two weeks ago the carver called to tell us the bear was ready.  He delivered it to our house on a huge truck.

The bear on a truck

We did not get the bear from nearby Uncle Buck (here).  We wanted a brown black bear and wanted a bit more detail in the carving.  So where did our bear come from?

The Bear's Den, of course.

The bear is sitting on a stump.  Both the bear and the stump were carved from a single, very large log.  The heavy piece was moved from the truck to our yard.  And we love him.

I think he likes our yard.

We are pleased with our new bear, visible from several rooms in the house.  He was never intended to look real, but we didn't want a "Disney" bear either.  Isn't it great to commission something and get exactly what you wanted?  We definitely have an eclectic art collection in our yards.  But beauty is still in the eye of the beholder and we think all of our tacky stuff is beautiful.

He Watches the Earth and Animals

He was born in the twelfth century in Italy.  The son of a wealthy merchant in Assisi, he had a vision in his early 20s.  At that time he abandoned his money and all his worldly things and lived his life in poverty and service to others.  Born Giovanni Francesco di Bernardone, he later became known as Francis of Assisi.  He respected all plant and animal life, valued the worth of every person and was declared a Saint only a few years after his death.  His achievements are far too numerous to list here, but his life was an inspiring one which everyone should research and learn from.  St. Francis of Assisi is considered the patron saint of animals.

We left our (very heavy) statue of St. Francis behind when we moved back to North Carolina.  And for six years we have looked at various statutes but didn't find one that quite suited us.  Far too many were so cluttered with Disneyesque animals that one expected Snow White rather than St. Francis.

For several years we had only our Carruth Studio St. Francis mounted amongst the leaves of a vine circling one of our trees.

On a recent visit to the Biltmore Estate we happened to browse one of the gift shops.  There, among other statues and fountains we found "our" St. Francis.  The statue's simplicity was the main attraction.  So we bought him and brought him home.

Holding a single bird in his hands, he personifies our perceptions about this saint.

And so he stands in our yard reminding us to live more simply and love all animals.

What on earth are these two up to?

I suppose it's only fair that they sniff around the vines of our other St. Francis.

Tomorrow is our Election Day.  I usually prefer to vote on the day itself but this year I voted early.  There was a vote I needed to make and I didn't dare risk not making it to the polls.

But It's Way Too Early

Daisy spends all her time outside along with several other pottery friends.  Even she is amazed.  But she doesn't seem at all concerned.  In fact, that is Daisy's most endearing feature.  No matter what the weather and no matter what the mood she still looks up at me with her happy friendly smile.

Why is Daisy amazed?  Because we have had too long a spell of above-normal temperatures.  While Daisy cannot be fooled by the weather, some of my favorite plants can.

Daisy makes me smile no matter what mood I am in.

The Lenten Roses are several weeks early around here.

We planted camellias knowing full well that we are on the cusp of their growing area.  Some years we see gorgeous blossoms and some years we see buds that get cold, turn brown, and drop off.  This week is far too soon for the camellias to have a chance.

 This bud is ready to burst forth.

 The limbs are heavy and full of buds.

 And we have some open blossoms!

So I will enjoy our flowers albeit a little early and I suspect for a shorter while.  The lengthy warm weather is a minor inconvenience to my plants.  It can be devastating to farmers and their fields and orchards.  Apple trees may blossom out only to be killed by a heavy freeze.  So, as much I have really enjoyed the warmer weather, we really need to get back to normal temperatures.  And soon.

Decorations

Our house was a bustle of activity over the holidays.  Our last guest left early yesterday morning and now the house seems quiet and empty...even more so as we take down the Christmas decorations.

We don't do a lot of outdoor decorating...just wreaths and bows here and there.  But I do love to drive around and enjoy the outdoor decorations at other houses.  I cannot believe the number of inflatable decorations that one can buy these days.  When the stores open for after-Christmas sales, the inflatables are grabbed up quickly.  We even saw one in which Santa was on a ladder and a little puppy had pulled down his pants as he climbed up.  (Boxers for Santa, by the way.)  But there are still people who put out lots of light displays and those are the ones I love best.

Our daughter loves the outdoor decorations as much as I do, so we drove around aimlessly looking at houses.  One in particular drew our attention.

The gecko takes time off his regular job.

 The yard was filled with figures and lights.

 Elmo greeted us but we didn't tickle him.

 And a pink pig dresses up with reindeer antlers.

We saw the display in daylight.  Of course, we drove back that evening to see everything in lights.

 We were not disappointed.

I love decorations that people have in their yards year round.  I have seen cement figures of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and all sorts of animals.  The most popular around here seem to be the two frogs sitting beneath the umbrella, the little boy and girl kissing platonically, and a fair number of little boys peeing.  While I might not want all of these things in my yard, I just love the fact that other people do.  Art is truly in the eye of the beholder and people might look at the things we have in our yard and vow they would never put that in their own yards.  I like that.



I wish we were all as tolerant of other people's beliefs as we are of their taste in art.

Another Short Trip

There are many places in and around our county that call us to visit often.  One such place is the North Carolina Arboretum in nearby Buncombe County.  Well known throughout western NC, the Arboretum is home to a wonderful display of Bonsai trees.  During our most recent visit we saw that most of the deciduous trees had already lost their leaves.  My favorite Bonsai displays are the ones that mimic the flora in various places in the mountains.

This one represents the trees on Mount Mitchell, the highest peak East of the Rocky Mountains.

 This is a Trident Maple.  A few colored leaves remain but the little tree is mostly bare.

 In the summer, this Roan Mountain Bonsai is filled with gorgeous rhododendron blossoms.

We lamented the fact that it was so late in the fall that none of the bonsai exhibits were in bloom.  The day was absolutely gorgeous with bright sunshine and streams of clouds in the blue sky.  (Yes, Carolina blue sky.)  It was so nice that we passed on the greenhouse, preferring to be out in the wonderful weather.  The day following our trip, the Asheville newspaper had an article about all the bonsai that were in full bloom in the greenhouse.

Art work and water features are all along the paths at the Arboretum.  There is one sculpture that pulls me toward it like a magnet every time we visit.  The bronze is more than twelve feet tall and I love every inch of it.  I have taken dozens of photographs of this lovely piece of art.

Wonderfully titled, "Oh Great Spirit"

 A closer look at the face.  You might notice that behind the sculpture on this side the trees have leaves.  On the other side the trees were bare.  It's about the sunshine.

Much ado is made in mountain counties about whether or not one is "native" or a "transplant," the latter being a rather derogatory term for someone who doesn't understand mountain ways.  There are even automobile tags that read NATIVE.  I am always tempted to carry a photograph of this sculpture and show it to the next person who feel compelled to tell me he or she is native.  I will show him or her this photograph and say, "Goodness, you don't LOOK Cherokee!"

I grew up in Watauga County in higher mountains than Transylvania with more rugged country roads and harsh winters.  But since I moved to Transylvania County five years ago the residents do not consider me a native.

Author Vicki Lane (here) wrote spot-on about how the locals view newcomers.  She included the anecdote in one of her Elizabeth Goodweather books.  (here)  She has lived in a nearby mountain county for many years.  Her son was born here.  Someone once mentioned that Vicki was not a native and she replied that her son was born here so at least he is a native.  The response she got was, "Cat might have kittens in the oven but it don't make'em biscuits."

One of my friends has a typical New York accent.  We were having lunch and someone asked her, "You ain't from around here are you?"  My friend replied, "Well I wasn't born here but I got here as quick as I could."



Very near the Arboretum is the Asheville Farmer's Market.  Several warehouse buildings chock full of fresh produce, jams and jellies, nuts, etc.  It's almost a requirement that you visit there if you are in the vicinity.

Not on a Clothesline Art Show

The annual "Clothesline Art Show" in our community is held every Autumn.  It began as an exhibit for water colors, sketches and other drawings.  These works of art were attached to clotheslines and people would walk past them to look and to buy.

There are so many artists living here that the show expanded to include artisans of any medium.  So the clothesline is no longer used and the artists display their works on tables or easels.  But it seems everyone liked the name so the event is still called "Clothesline Art Show."

Last Saturday artists living within our community set up their works.

All of these are oil paintings.

These watercolors were spread out on easels.

This artist specializes in painting or drawing animals.

Hand knits are always good sellers.  A gourd artist is in the back.

My neighbors exhibited and sold some of her pottery.

Still more art to enjoy.

It was a great way to spend the morning.  They even had a food vendor with sandwiches, hot dogs and beverages.  We enoyed looking at all the art work even if we didn't find anthing to purchase.  Saturday was a weather perfect day and being out there was great.

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.

Dog Paintings

Several readers commented on the banner that I recently placed on my blog.  It is a painting of Lucy and I promised to provide more information.

Our children (our daughter, our son, and our daughter-in-law) gave us a surprise Christmas gift this year.  Two paintings; one of Ellie and one of Lucy.  They are amusing and whimsical and particularly the one of Lucy captures her spirit.  As an added bonus, the paintings were framed beautifully and now hang in our den.

Lucy's impish nature shines through.

Ellie looks a bit more serious than she is in reality, but this is definitely Ellie.

The artist is Rachael Rossman and she has painted the animals of such celebrities as Martha Stewart, Neil Gaiman, and The Pioneer Woman.  We are in good company, not that we are name-droppers.  You can link to Rachel's blog here and take a look at more of her work.

Our children are surprisingly good at selecting gifts that we love.  And we especially love this one.  Thanks, kids.