Creek bridge

A bridge across a creek is made rustic, but if you look close, you'll see it needs some repair.

The repair was made, and I'm including this post as part of Friday Fences.  Come on over to see more pretty fences.

Craft school Penland

Penland Craft Center, opening again in the spring.

Lake Tomahawk

Where tobacco was once king in the Carolinas, now recreation areas ban it.  I even saw this sign at the library, so perhaps all Buncombe County properties are doing so.

I posted some other pictures of Black Mountain and the Swannanoa River over on other my blog "When I Was 69".  There are so many of them, I can't get them all onto this blog!

Blue Ridge overpass

One of the familiar overpasses of the Blue Ridge Parkway, this one over US 70 in East Asheville.  The next right goes to the Folk Art Center.

Dry water?

From under "Dry Falls" near Highlands, NC.

It's a myth, you can't really stay dry under these falls, at least when they are really working.

Crafts for sale here

The Allenstand Crafts Shop in the Folk Art Center, for which I had to obtain permission to take this photo.  Holiday season 2011.

Black Mountain reflections

A cold sunny day lets signs in shops across the street be reflected in the Ice Cream/Fudge shop.  Since it was Sunday, many of the shops were closed, but not Kilwins!  The Cherry Steet Kids toy store (sign reflected) was closed, as well as Knit Shop, Song of the Wood, etc.  We have a pretty conservative business ownership that doesn't work on Sundays, I think.  Many tourists (as well as locals) are disappointed.

 This posting is being shared at Weekend Reflections.  Come over to see more photos all over the world.

The color of snow

January 2011 had lots of snow in my front yard. 
We have a little bit forecast tomorrow, but it's due to melt pretty quickly.

You all who live up in the real snow country, I know how tired of it you can get...but I just would like one or two days looking like this.

This is being sent to Friday Fences.

Wintertime walks

Snow along Flat Creek, Montreat, January, 2011

View of Black Mountains

View from picnic area on Mt. Mitchell, 2010

Yes, summertime will be coming as we turn through the seasons again.

Original Center of Town

Have you ever seen a "center point" of a town?  The red sign on the lip of this monument says it's not an ashtray.  Notice how some friendly visitors have decided to use the rocks to chip away the monument.

Black Mountain, NC became incorporated in 1893, with one mile in all directions.

The way I learned math, if you go one mile out in all directions, that makes a circle two miles in diameter.  I wonder if that's true.  Somehow I think the "men" who did this survey made a square instead.  I've always been a trouble maker.

My Amaryillis

Amaryillis brings luxuriant color in January 

This is my Macro Monday entry.  Many beautiful photos to browse through.

Greenway in Black Mountain

Along the Greenway that takes you from Cotton St. to the Primary School, right next to Flat Creek.

I'll have pictures from the other end of the Greenway coming soon!

White Sunday, Hooker Falls

Hooker Falls, Jan 2011

Colors of winter

Sunset at Zen Center near Asheville, NC

Winter's pale reflections on clouds and snow.

This post is added to the meme, Weekend Reflections.  Come on over to see other photos from around the world!

Out in the woods

A retreat cabin and wishing well at a Zen Center near Asheville

This is my first entry to a meme called Friday's Fences.  Come on over to see other interesting pictures!

Clay Studio party

Clay Club visiting the BMCA Clay Studio

Enter the arts

Downstairs entrance to the Black Mountain Center for the Arts (summertime)

Answer to yesterday's question:
6,683 feet (2,037 m)
Why should you care?  It's the highest peak east of the Rocky Mountains.

Almost to highest peak

Parking lot at Mt. Mitchell State Park - didn't make it to the peak on this trip in 2010

How high is Mt. Mitchell? 

Dreaming of picnics

Picnic at Craggy Gardens picnic area, summer 2011

Dawn Wilson, Bill Altork and Tim Perry

White Sunday, Saw-whet Owl

Inside the Mt. Mitchell State Park exhibition room, 2010

Sorry to disappoint any naturalists who expected a photo of the live bird.

Cozy

A small community of condos off Cotton Rd, very close to the Greenway in Black Mountain.  Our new Greenway will be featured here again soon.

Asheville view

Looking east towards Asheville, with a bridge over the French Broad River in foreground

This is the funniest short cut, or maybe long cut would be more descriptive, of getting to Westgate Shopping Center, coming from the River Arts District.  Have you ever done this hairpin up and down excursion? 

Creekside view

High water on Flat Creek, Montreat, NC

compared to another shot at same place...several months ago

I'm entering this week's water scene in Weekend Reflections.

Penland School of Crafts

Penland Clay studios and kiln shed, winter 2012

This is one of the primo schools of crafts in the country, located between Burnsville and Spruce-Pine and Bakersville, about an hour north of Asheville, NC.  Check out their web site if you'd like to spend some time feeding your creative inner self.  http://www.penland.org/

Rainy day

Rainy winter days are great for visiting galleries, here's Crimson Laurel Gallery (from the parking lot) in Bakersville, NC

http://www.crimsonlaurelgallery.com/
They have a great web page, and are well worth the hour drive from Black Mountain or Asheville.
A great thing to do on a rainy day.

And no, they have no idea I'm posting this, so I don't receive anything (discount, ad fees, etc) for saying any of this.

Hoarfrost visit

The strange low shroud of clouds on Dec 27, 2012, left a gorgeous picture (see below)

Rare hoarfrost has descended on the topmost trees around Asheville, NC.

Brightness in the season

You know this flower, all over the place for the holidays, giving a nice spark to the grey winter days.  Can you spell it without looking it up?  Poinsettia?

White Sunday

Winter at the cottage, 2010

Black Mountain Saturday

Gazebo at Lake Tomahawk is accessible for the person who is sitting in an electric scooter. (Copyright by Barbara Rogers)

Here's a contribution for the "Weekend Reflections" meme.   Well, I would if I could...for some reason the link isn't working, so I'm not giving my picture to that meme yet.  I'll keep looking later, and maybe it will be fixed.  Nothing I can do about it at this point.

Stones

wonderful wall of stone at Brevard College, Brevard, NC

As you drive around western North Carolina, you may see a few houses built out of this beautiful stone as well.  (I'll have to go take some pictures for you, won't I?)

A Bride

Drive under "Bridal Falls" near Highlands, NC

Winter creek

Winter sometimes provides gorgeous walks for me, 2011

The First

Clockwise from top left, View from Blue Ridge Parkway, Snow going into Montreat, Light tree Lake Tomahawk, View from BMCA Clay Studio, State Street in downtown Black Mountain (copyright Barbara Rogers)

Rabbit Rabbit...which is supposed to mean something for good luck.  I may not know the tradition, but I'm a tradition junkie already, borrowing many other people's traditions whenever I am so inclined.  Native Americans, Mexicans, Irish, Celts, Norse, Romans, Greeks, Egyptian, Jews, Christians, Pagans, North Carolinians and so on.

Here is our first blog posting of one picture of Western North Carolina, around Black Mountain.  I cheated and made a collage.  I'll try harder to meet my own discipline.  I'm really enjoying browsing through my photo collection to see what to share here.

Hope you'll enjoy this.