Bits and Pieces

Our lives feel scattered because of the gasoline supply problems. There are times when NONE of the gas stations in our area has any gas of any octane. The feeling is similar to times when a winter storm has been forecast. The pantry and freezer are full and you don't want to leave home for fear you might not be able to get back. There is no need for you to leave the house so you should settle in and be comfortable. Yet there is a pervasive uneasiness that comes with it all.

So my thoughts are scattered, and in keeping with scattered bits and pieces of our lives, I will share a couple of photographs that otherwise might not "fit."

This is our Democratic Headquarters for Transylvania County. The Headquarters is located next door to "El Burro Loco." I'm not certain who leased the property first, but found I it rather amusing.

El Burro Loco? Como no?

The other photograph I found amusing is one of our birdfeeders. A group of goldfinches were clustered around. The only other bird is a lone titmouse who seems to feel right at home.

Hey, who invited the titmouse?

Lipstick on a Pig

WAIT A MINUTE, FOLKS. I'M NOT ABOUT TO GO THERE!!!


When we moved away from North Carolina in the early 1980s, we received a gift from one of our friends. It was a photgraph that had been on the cover of a recent magazine and featured two pigs in a loving gaze. The caption of the picture was, "North Carolina Hogs are Beautiful." We loved the picture and for years it was found hanging in our bathroom. Keep in mind this is an actual photograph, not digitally enhanced. The pigs were so beautiful, no lipstick was needed.

At that time, hogs were beautiful and pig farming in North Carolina was beautiful with small farmers taking great care of their stock. That is not the case any longer. Pig farming is no longer beautiful as huge corporate operations have squeezed out the small farmer by a variety of nefarious means. The land, air, and ground water are increasingly polluted by these large farms. The animals are treated inhumanely and no one seems to care much about any of it as long as their pork is cheaper as a result.

So our pig picture has been given a place in the attic. We don't feel right advertising North Carolina hogs anymore.






Pig farming is only one little example of how we have gone so wrong here in the U.S. In our attempt to buy more and buy more cheaply, we have failed to notice what this has done to our economy and our neighbors. Giant corporations control most of the food we consume, and there is only a small place remaining for the small farmer.

So, please...buy from the local farmer whenever you can. Stay away from big box stores. Think global, but shop local.

Premature Panic at the Pumps

When you live in the mountains, you rarely let your gas tank get less than half full. In the rural areas, there may be miles and miles between gas stations.

On Tuesday, I stopped by to fill up. As I was walking into the station to pay for my gas, an elderly man said, "You got here at the right time. They are getting ready to raise the prices by fifty cents per gallon." Rather perplexed, I continued to the station and paid for the gas.

I was fully aware of the impending hurricane, and most people expected a temporary reduction in gasoline supplies as a result. Apparently, the news spread panic in the mountains. Almost every place I went that day, I heard at least one person advising, "You better get gas today." As a result of the premature panic, people flocked to the gas stations in huge numbers. I received three calls from neighbors advising me to get gas.

Adding to the panic was the local news station, advising that some stations were running low on gasoline and that prices were rising to almost $5.00/gallon for regular.

Photo from The Watauga Democrat

Phot0 from The Asheville Citizen-Times

I went to the grocery store on Friday. As I drove by the gas station near the store, I noticed large signs that read: Temporarily Out of Gas. When I was checking out, I overheard the bagger saying the station had sold out of regular gas on Wednesday and sold out of premiums by Thursday. Similar stories were heard from other stations in the area.

-----It is of note that there had been NO interruption of gasoline supplies at that point. The panic by consumers had dramatically increased the demand and created the shortage. There is no doubt that gasoline supplies will be interrupted for a week or so because of the hurricane. But in the mountains of North Carolina, the gasoline shortage (and price increases) began far earlier than necessary.

-----So, what's the purpose of this story? It demonstrates that panic among the public can create havoc and unnecessary cost. There are abundant stories of "price gouging." Hundreds of calls were made to the Attorney General's office. It is not likely that anything will come of the complaints. While I am not sure what constitutes price gouging, the stations raised their prices in response to an increased demand. The supply was not interrupted, it simply was insufficient to meet the demands for gas.

-----There is little doubt that supplies are now truly decreased. Prices will remain high. We will all adjust our driving habits wherever possible. And in several weeks, the supplies will return to normal and life will go one as usual. Each time the price of gasoline rises, it returns to a higher "normal" level. And we become accustomed to that. Three dollars per gallon seems a good price when you have been paying almost four dollars a gallon. What will it take for us to make changes in our lives? I wish I knew.

Fridays are Golden

Lucy and Ellie went to the doctor this week. No, they weren't sick. It was time for their annual physicals. We moved to the mountains two years ago, and well before we sought new doctors for ourselves we looked for a veterinarian for our girls. We have always taken our dogs for annual physicals.

So their physicals were due again this week. When we called for the appointment, the assistant misunderstood and thought we only wanted to come in for their immunizations. "No," I told her, "we want them to see the doctor as well." Apparently, it is rather unusual in this area for people to bring their dogs to see the doctor when there isn't a problem.

So, they saw their doctor (whom we adore) who examined them thoroughly and pronounced both of them in excellent condition. They had gained a little bit of weight which is not surprising. We've had a hot summer and they haven't done as much trail running. But the doctor advised us not to be concerned; that each of them was "within a pound of perfection."

Although we have a nice trail in our backyard, our dogs get their best exercise on a little-used trail in our community. Almost every day during fall, winter, and early spring we hike and they run the trail. We don't take them there during the summer, because there are copperheads around. We have boots and stay on the trail---the girls do not. If they are going to get bitten, we want it to be in our yard and not so far away from the house.

Here they were last winter:




Lucy is a sprinter. She takes off like a rocket and does not pace herself at all. As a result, she is exhausted by the time we get into the car. Sometimes we even have to stop for a breather on the trail.

Ellie is a marathoner. She paces herself quite well, running along at a steady clip. She could keep going for a long while.

Here's what they have done most of the summer. Lying around in an air-conditioned house. We take them for two long walks every day and let them run on our little trail, but it's nothing like the REAL trail.

The total bill for the exams, including lab testing and two immunizations each, was over $250.00. Why, you may ask, would anyone pay that much for two healthy dogs to be seen? We are not veterinarians and the health of our dogs is very important to us. We see our own physicians yearly, why would we not do the same for our dogs?

-----Veterinarians may be the most under-appreciated doctors around except in times of crisis. We saw two different ones to talk with them before we selected one for our dogs. We feel blessed to have a veterinarian who is so capable and reasonable. If you have a good veterinarian you are lucky indeed, and so are your animals. Let him or her know how much you appreciate their wonderful care.

On this Friday, we are having some rain. For that we are extremely grateful. (Although I really did want to go to the fair today.) We are grateful for our healthy dogs and wonderful veterinarian and so many other blessings in life. Spend a few minutes this weekend to think about the things for which you are grateful. And have a wonderful, fun-filled and safe weekend.

Art is Good for the Soul

Last week my husband and I went to our favorite potter to purchase a birthday gift for my best friend. I found the piece I wanted to buy for her immediately.

As we browsed around the shop, a large vase caught our eyes. We looked at it, thought about it, and it was clear we both loved it. But it was a bit pricey, and we really didn't need it, so we decided not to purchase it.

That evening we talked about the vase, where it might fit, and just how much we liked it. The next day, my husband went down to the potter and purchased it.



This shot gives you a better idea of size.

There have been so many times in our married lives when we wouldn't think of such a spur-of-the-moment purchase like this. We always lived well below our means, never feeling the need for a lot of "things." We were the last family in the neighborhood to get a large color television, the last to get a VCR, and the last to get a DVD player. Except for our first cars and our houses, we never bought anything we couldn't pay for right then. So, it's nice to be in a position to have our future secure financially, and to be able to purchase some lovely art work just because we love it.

Oh...what did I get for my friend? It is a two-foot-tall woman holding a bowl.

When I put her on this little table to take the photograph, the last of the evening sun was shining through the windows. She looked so lovely there, I hated to pack her up for shipping. Looking at the photograph now, I just might have to make another trip to the potter and commission one for us.

Finches Still Yellow

The color change of the Goldfinches is one of my favorite indications of the changing seasons. When we lived in Wisconsin, I welcomed the spring change, but hated to see the bright yellow begin to fade in the fall. That meant another long gray winter was approaching. Now that we are in NC with sunshine most days even during the winter, I don't mind the color changes at all.

Our Goldfinches have not yet begun to get their winter plumage. This little guy was particularly bright. He sat on the top of the hook as if he were playing "King of the Hill," daring anyone else to try to take his place.



He flew down to the little birdbath we have mounted over the deck railing. Here he prepares to take a bath.


This year I actually look forward to the winter plumage of the birds and the fall migration. While we definitely have cold winter weather, it is nothing like the gray and bitter cold of WI. I think my Seasonal Affective Disorder has been cured by our wonderful mountain winters. And the lovely birds that will winter with us here.

Pileated Update

For quite some time now, we have anxiously watched and waited for our female juvenile Pileated Woodpecker (whom we call Hannah) to fly to the suet feeder. It looked promising for a while, with Hannah flying to the deck rail and sitting on the post, looking up at the suet. But she never took off toward the feeder.

Now, it seems apparent that she does not plan to eat our suet as her parents do. She regularly flies to the tree with her mother, but she makes no attempt to go for the suet. The mother is no longer feeding her, and Hannah sometimes remains on the tree long after her mother has flown into the woods.



She often clings to the tree and preens herself.

[The "yellow" in this and the next picture came from a flower on our deck. I had to shoot the flower to get the picture of Hannah. Sorry I don't have a sophisticated photo editing program.]


And sometimes she takes a look at the feeder as if she may be interested. But she no longer flies to the railing, and we have not seen her fly to the suet.

Soon we may not be able to note the difference between Hannah and her mother. She is fully as large as her mother now, and her eyes and topknotch are the only things we can use to differentiate between them. She obviously does not need our suet (neither do her parents, for that matter), but I really wish she would have a snack there now and then. At least, I hope she will continue to rest on our tree. We do so enjoy watching them.