Smoke and

Mirrors? 

Slept through, though sirens did wake me a bit, early morning fire behind a nearby motel...Tues. morning around 8 am. There were some long-term units right behind the motel.

A distant shot across the town of Black Mountain picked up the smoke from the fire as the sun rises across the face of the mountains. I live somewhere behind the plume of smoke.

Drove by after lunch, and there was a puddle of water on the parking lot...all that was left to see from this big smoke. 

I heard from FB that engines came from Swannanoa (next community west on US 70) as well as both Black Mountain stations. I'm glad there didn't seem to be any structural damage. The end of that building (in the back) has a double garage door. There's a big dumpster right about where the fire looks like it happened. Maybe they're taking whatever burned and putting it in the dumpster. Anyway, it looks like there wasn't much happening.

Lunch today I skipped eating the Sweedish meatballs, had just the sticky brown rice, mushy chopped  broccoli, a dinner roll with butter, and the canned peaches. I came home and ate some Havarti cheese and crackers to get my protein for that meal!

No further errands or exercise today. Got winded easily so slowed to the turtle crawl which lets me at least get where I'm going without being out of breath.

Stopped in the library and picked up "Killers of the Flower Moon." Some cheerful reading to look forward to. But my friend said the book was much better than the movie.

 Today's quote:

To this day I believe we are here on Earth to live, grow, and do what we can to make this world a better place for all people to enjoy freedom.

ROSA PARKS

Gone

These two have passed.

Teresa was a dear friend from the many years we shared creative space in the community clay studio. I've read a bit, and she shared just a little about her life, which touched the lives of others all over the world. I was shocked to hear that we'd lost her in her physical form...but feel that her life will continue in the ways she influenced others.

The deserted shopping mall is somewhere off of I-95 in either South Carolina or Georgia. There was a gas station open (behind me in this photo) and I was shocked to see another skeleton from COVID.

Please forgive me for adding a few words.

Sharing with Wordless Wednesday.

More of my simple life

  

Next weekend is our celebration of Imbolc, or Brigit's Day. Feb. 1 or 2.

The various vitamins and prescriptions I take - the ones upside down are duplicates waiting till I finish another bottle.

Last full moon of 2023 as seen from space.

The best salmon (fresh caught Atlantic) I've fixed... baked 10 minutes with the foil closed, then 4 minutes with it open...just some garlic powder, pepper and maple syrup drizzled over them, at 450 in toaster oven.

My place setting for lunch Friday, Jan. 26, 2024 at the Lakeview Center, courtesy of Council on Aging. Roast pork, brussels sprouts, baked sweet potato, biscuit with apple butter, banana and beverage. We use a name card because often we're sitting with new people. I enjoyed hearing about a couple who go on cruises ever year while enjoying this lunch. I bring my own fork, knife and spoon, and cup. That cuts back on single use plastic just a bit.

Today's quote:

When you turn the corner / And you run into yourself / Then you know that you have turned / All the corners that are left.

-Langston Hughes, poet and novelist (1902-1967)

At her prime.

 

Such glorious blooms on two stalks. This dear old plant deserves someone who will take better care of her than I have. I feel guilty, not having repotted her as I intended.

Sharing with Floral Friday Fotos.

Today's quote:

 Historian Barbara Tuchman said, "War is the unfolding of miscalculations."

Time off

 

Won't be at lunch this week at the Lakeview Center. Working on healing a cold. May be scattering on posting or reading blog posts.

Thanks, Bansky!

Some background on the dam at Lake Tomahawk

The Lake Tomahawk dam as of 1936.

But let's look at more recent history (according to Barbara) of the Lake Tomahawk dam.

 This is how the dam looked when I moved here in 2007. Posted in 2013. I was pleased that the trees' roots helped stabilize the earthen dam.

This plaque was on the dam at that time, showing it had been there since 1933-34. Just 80 years before I took these photos in August, 2013.

The valve controlling release of water through big culvert pipes under the dam...and now that I think about it, perhaps the tree roots might have been interfering with them.

By the following winter, you could see a good crop of mistletoe in the branches of these old trees.

In 2015 the trees were cut down on the dam

Drained the lake in March 2015

Earth movers, and vibrating machines to tamp down the soil into the holes left by the roots.

Man in center with his back to us was using vibrating machine to fill in hole left by tree roots.

New walkway on dam, and permanent bench, as this photo shows in 2018 (to present.)

But there will be yet some new changes coming soon. I'll try to capture them. When it's below freezing it's a bit hard to get me out and about!!

Today's quote:

Don’t plan it all. Let life surprise you a little.

JULIA ALVAREZ

A lunch treat that's sometimes crowded

 I've been visiting the Veranda at least since 2014, when I first blogged about it. When the tourist season is in full swing, there are lines of people waiting to get in. But it has a pretty fast turnover, and interesting things to look at while waiting.

I had another post about it in 2019...you could look at lots of deserts in that glass top cooler.

However during COVID I think it may not have continued having dine-in meals. Just look how close together everyone is!

The entrance reflected that it was a cool but sunny day.

They've added some art both on the windows and on boards inside giving different information.

Last week it looked better, more spacious with less of the waiting area with goodies, and more room for tables by removing the cooler where deserts used to be displayed.

My candid shot of my friends...not very flattering. But the other pew bench is now on the opposite wall giving more tables. They still sell those pretty umbrellas which are hanging above the register counter.

As an established luncheon site in Black Mountain, we just wondered why we don't go there more often!

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Weather catch-up. Yesterday, Sunday morning at 8 am was 6 degrees, but later it got above freezing. And Mon. promises a warming trend!

A word for today:

idiolatry noun: Self worship.

Coldest day of the year (so far)

 It was 10 degrees F when I woke at 7. High is expected to be  18. Yesterday's snowfall left a bit of snow, but wherever it melted probably is a problem today.

Dawn showed where snow had stuck, and where it was clear still. But there are warnings of black ice on some roads.

I stuck the phone through the blinds to have it next to the glass, but there are blinds reflections going across! That's Blue Ridge Rd. going down the hill behind that apartment building. Hope there's no ice on it. Bad ditches on each side, no fun to slide into, as they're full of huge rocks. Anyway, I won't be the one driving when I  go out...I hope. My friend did say she might be coming down with a cold, so wasn't sure she could go to the party for another friend today. We shall see!

It's pill sorting day here where I live. Get out all the little vials, and the vitamins, and put one day's dose in each compartment for morning and night. So glad I don't have more during the day to take!

Today's quote:

On stage, I make love to 25,000 different people, then I go home alone. -Janis Joplin, singer-songwriter (1943-1970)

Saturday critters from on-line

 These aren't my photos, but I wanted to share some of the animals I've saved.

If you've seen them before, I apologize, and know that I just love to save cute photos of various animals.

See Canada Geese aren't all bad!

Today's quote:

Surrender should be seen as a great strength and comes when we let go of trying to attain the impossible.

Garage apartment with view of Lake Tomahawk

 The garage apartment is finished which overlooks the dam of Lake Tomahawk..

Here's how I saw it in 2019.

It apparently is connected to that steep slope roofed wing of the house to the left, How did I miss coming by and taking any updates for so long?

I've never seen that raised roof above a lower level on the ends like that. Interesting construction.

Today's quote:

Quiet time each day is so important, but many are so out of practice that it’s almost unnerving to be in stillness.

Our Lake Tomahawk goes yo-yo-ing along

 

The afternoon of Jan 10, after Jan. 9 rain/snow storm.

Noon on Jan. 11, 2024 back down to barely any water. Draining in order to work on the dam (again.)

Jan 11, 2024 There's a spring which comes into the lake from somewhere above the parking lot and Laurel Circle. The other source of water comes down the little creek by the golf course and under the bridge on the north side of the lake. (And out of all the saved photos, I can't find any of that little creek!)

Friend Bob Nagan (on Facebook) posted this photo of the island on the left, and little streams of water going around it. Jan 13.

This mucky bottom may not ever get completely dry. I remember the last time they worked on the dam,  to remove all the trees, in 2015.

I'll share those old photos soon.

Today's quote:

Take the time today to really notice and appreciate the beauty that surrounds you.