Black Mountain's Tornado last Thursday early morning

 Update on storms early Thursday morning in Black Mountain:

"... tornadoes were confirmed in Western North Carolina from Wednesday's severe weather outbreak ... and an EF 0 tornado in Black Mountain. The Black Mountain tornado had maximum winds of 85 mph, and a path of 2.47 miles. It brought down a communications tower at the Black Mountain Fire Department and uprooted several trees near the Black Mountain Golf Course. "

SOURCE: WLOS TV NEWS

Friends had trees down on the street where I used to live, and I know the big 300 year old tree was down across US 70 on the east side of town. So it apparently was 1/2 to 3/4 mile away from me. Thank goodness. 

300 year old White Oak tree down (over power lines) on US 70 Black Mountain 5.9.24 photo by Aja Mooney at 7:15 am.

Nobody was hurt, but at least one home was damaged severely. It is the house that always has the most Christmas lights each year, and the occupants had taken shelter elsewhere. 

Christmas House, E. Cotton Av. Black Mountain Dec 2023

Christmas House after Thursday 5.9.24 tornado EF-0 hit.

Owners Brian and Lisa Jennings posted on Facebook:

We have had many requests to share how our community can support us, so here are a few things that we could use:

(1) Most importantly - we will need somewhere to live for the next year or more as we rebuild. We have one dog and one cat and are looking for a pet friendly furnished house to rent in Black Mountain, ideally somewhere close to our neighborhood.

(2) We need bins and boxes to pack up our lives for storage and a new rental.

(3) While we are fortunate to have homeowners insurance, there are many incidental costs that we know we will incur before the end of this. If folks feel they would like to donate you can find me on Venmo at LisaJenningsBMT. Anything above what we need to get back on our feet will be reinvested into Christmas lights when it’s all said and done.

And so our neighbors need help. I will be doing some of the last part of their request.

This is how so many other neighborhoods have been affected by recent storms.

PS. A map came up on FB at around 8:30 pm tonight. "The May 7 tornado that tracked through Black Mountain"

Yesterday, today and tomorrow

 

Main Street (now State St.) looking east on US Highway 70 Black Mountain NC (date?)

Today:

Looking east on State St. 2024

State St. looking west from corner of Montreat Rd. (NC 9) 2023

Tomorrow:

 I  will return in a few days from visiting family out of state, and resume working on clay again.

Sharing with Tuesday's Treasures

Today's quote:

We’re built to live simultaneously in love and loss, bitter and sweet.

SUSAN CAIN

Last market for 2023

My friends drove over an hour to purchase their wreathes from Urban Farm Girl. I was really tempted. The dried flowers were wonderful in wreathes! Friends also wanted to reconnect with friends here!

Though I didn't get involved in the pie tasting, I did support the market by purchasing a nice yellow tee shirt with a sunflower on it.

The Mudbuddies had to keep holding the legs of their pop-up when wind gusts would blow through. Everyone was well tied down, with so many tents it was good.

I supported Girl Scouts and a local cheese vendor, as well as one selling Elderberry syrup.

My lunch at the Black Mountain Bistro consisted of seafood chowder and a half chicken salad sandwich, a few diet cokes, and some home-made chips. There were some salads also among our lunch choices. And there were some Berry Pie deserts as well as one Bistro Bites...little brownie bites, heated with ice cream on top. I didn't look at it while my friend ate it.

The good friends sitting across from me. I had two shy friends sitting next to me. It was great to be with them all again...all Mudbuddies through the years. 

Today's quote:

One does not ask of one who suffers: What is your country and what is your religion? One merely says: You suffer, that is enough for me. -Louis Pasteur, chemist and bacteriologist (1822-1895)

I met this cute spaniel on my way into the market...there were a few dogs, a few strollers, and a few younger people. But I kept seeing my friends, most of whom I must admit are qualified to be called elders.

What's wrong with this post?

"Postcard Tuesday: This early 2000s postcard features ox teams traveling down South Main Street in Black Mountain. Transportation has always played a large role in the Swannanoa Valley's history. The earliest known trail through the Swannanoa Valley was the “Sualinunnahi.” We believe that the “Sualinunnahi” referred to a road that led to Native peoples of the Valley further south and east, possibly Saraw or Catawba Natives. After the American Revolution, the Cherokee were forced to cede their lands, and portions of the Sualinunnahi pathway were adapted by settlers to become a wagon road. In 1827, the Buncombe Turnpike was completed, creating the first safe transmountain wagon road that allowed travel from Tennesse - North Carolina - South Carolina. In North Carolina, the Buncombe Turnpike crossed over the Blue Ridge Mountains and through the French Broad River Valley. Today Interstate 40 runs through the Swannanoa Valley connecting the Eastern United States to the western side of the Blue Ridge Mountains and beyond, providing one of the vital west to east transportation links for goods and travelers."

As posted on Facebook June 13, 2023 by Swannanoa Valley Museum & History Center

First... that post card date is wrong wrong wrong.

Ox carts on Main St. went out before the turn of the 19th century to the 20th definitely. And I'd dare to say this photo wasn't taken after 1890.

Second. The Buncombe Turnpike was not what you think of for turnpikes these days. It originally a drovers road for pigs and turkeys going to markets in South Carolina; it never went up the Swannanoa River Valley. Yes there must have been a trail going over the "Old Fort Ridge" as we call it today, between Black Mountain and Old Fort NC. 

But the drovers I have read about in the history of Western North Carolina were headed from Tennessee to the South Carolina markets...so the Buncombe Turnpike may have followed along what is now I-26 toward the Saluda Pass...between Hendersonville NC and Columbus SC, or down the route of US 25 to Greenville SC. Markets were maybe as far away as the coast in Charleston. I'm no expert, but anyone going over the Old Fort Pass would still need to go over the southern most passes of the mountains.

The phrasing leads one to think that I-40 was built where the Buncombe Turnpike had run. It says, "In North Carolina, the Buncombe Turnpike crossed over the Blue Ridge Mountains and through the French Broad River Valley. Today Interstate 40 runs through the Swannanoa Valley..."

Third: I'm surprised a museum would put out this information that seems so misleading. It was posted by the Swannanoa History Museum on FaceBook.

and Fourth: I could be mistaken...

Today's other quote:

Prayers are tools not for doing or getting, but for being and becoming.

EUGENE H. PETERSON

Trains and Black Mountain NC

Hi for Saturday again.

Today's weather report (what's actually happened in the last 24 hours) - very chilly wind...though the sun did put in an appearance. Then back below freezeing overnight.

Sepia Saturday this week suggests something to do with trains!

Georgia O'Keeffe has the same thought that I do...have I any trains hidden in all my stashes of sepia toned photos? Any trains at all?

Here's an interesting Sepia Saturday that I shared last August, loading hospitalized patients on a train.

So here's a post from a few years ago, when I worked as a docent at our History Museum.

Black Mountain was a train town...which brought many visitors here in the past. No more though. The Interstate highway is the best way to get here now.

Unfortunately some young visitors moved things around yesterday while i was downstairs talking to others...so the train got all it's cars taken off the tracks. It's probably fixable by someone with a steady hand and eye.

It is lots of fun when it's treated well...has bells, whistles and some phrases too.

All Aboard!!

As I've been feeling less than par. I decided to repost from some older posts. I like having flowers to look at in January...so that's the topic I'll be using for myself. 

Today's quote:

Sometimes we purposefully, though unconsciously, cut ourselves off from the flow and the embrace of humanity so we can avoid dealing with painful issues.

Shopping in Black Mountain then and now

 

That's a new store to me "Mountain Men."

I was driving through town one night and got stopped at a light, so I took this photo.

Here's a view from waaay back of the same area. State Street.

1954. The buildings and stores probably weren't airconditioned. So, awnings helped keep the temperature down a degree or two. I'm sure there were lots of fans. The light pole is still in the same place, so you can figure out the stores above are past Knight Drugs.

And here's a wonderful article to get you caught up with the Pure and Proper Restaurant in the Valley Echo, thanks to Fred McCormick. I need to meet this guy, his little (weekly? semi weekly?) paper is fabulous!

The Pure and Proper in Black Mountain.

My post last week about it's new opening and menu...HERE.

Today's quote:

Conscience is a man's compass, and though the needle sometimes deviates, though one often perceives irregularities when directing one's course by it, one must still try to follow its direction.

 -Vincent van Gogh, painter (1853-1890)

Welcome to Black Mountain

 

I think my friend Mary Soyenova made all these welcome signs. But this is the season to decorate around them by the Beautification Committee. Many thanks for their volunteer work!

This sign is at the light when you exit I-40 going east...Black Mountain shops are to the left up NC 9.

Another welcome where the shopping district starts, just after crossing the tracks...going north now on NC-9.

This welcome is for people coming off I-40 going west...the first exit for Black Mountain. I don't think there's any sign for people who go to the second exit into Black Mountain. Ha ha. This sign is on US 70 which is the main road through Black Mountain.

Linking to Tom's Signs2

Today's quote:

Every increased possession loads us with new weariness.

 -John Ruskin, author, art critic, and social reformer (1819-1900)

Parades

 There was a parade here...which I missed. 

I saw the ones on TV for Thanksgiving. None of the balloons that flew above the parade was recognizable except Snoopy.

I haven't watched a cartoon show, nor an animated movie for several years.

Anyway here're photos from our other photographers to let you know Black Mountain had a parade last Saturday Dec, 3,

This is a different parade than the one on Halloween with pets dressed alike with their owners!

 Today's quote:

I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.

-Thomas Edison, inventor (1847-1931)

Driving through town

 A fun juxtaposition of a sweet sign (Hey Hey Cupcakes) and a earth moving vehicle being carted behind a flat-bed truck, making it look as if it's flying

.

Everybody stops in the center of town, no matter which way you're going, it's just standard to expect about 2-3 minutes wait, or sometimes up to 6 minutes as the lights cycle through and pedestrians eventually get their chance to cross US 70 or NC 9, aka State St. and Montreat Rd.

When I got to my admittedly favorite restaurant with an order waiting for my take-out, there was this extraordinary vehicle parked there. I dare say it is a patron, rather than someone who works there! It's nice to think that people who run around in this money-absorbing gas-guzzler eat much the same food that I do.

The weather was just beautiful, our first day of fall. Here's the hidden Welcome to Black Mountain sign, with beautiful flowers at least!

I had stimulated my appetite by walking around Lake Tomahawk earlier with a friend. More on that in another post.