A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Saturday the Mister and I went for a ride. This is unusual for us as we try to conserve gas and, frankly, our time is always so full we don't give ourselves this kind of treat. Would you like to come along??

This is Little Wilson Creek.
It runs into the New River.
Notice the ice still on the creek!
It has been so cold here that we still have ice
although the temperatures have risen to the 40s! 

Can you see the little house perched on the rocks?
We decided that the house was probably lived in the last time
this car ran. It is a late 1950s Plymouth.
It still has the interior, although it has been
home to a number of critters! 

This is the view from near Whitetop, VA.
It is easy to see why this is called "The Blue Ridge"
because of the blueness of the mountains.
To orient yourself, imagine you are standing in VA and looking
"down" toward NC. The New River runs through
the little "valley" in the center of the picture. 

We couldn't help ourselves with this one!
This part of the world has a lot of huge, smooth rocks.
Can you see how this one was chiseled out
to permit the road to come through?? Isn't it marvelous?

I hope you have enjoyed your little ride through the mountains today! Come back and visit again, won't you? 

Catch That Car!

Last week, before John left, we ran out for errands and dinner. When we got home, it was snowing and we had a little sleet.

Now, understand, I drive a Forester, so I wasn't too concerned about the condition of the driveway or parking my car. Heck, you just put the transmission in low and she'll pull about any hill. So, we pulled up, I put on the parking brake, shut her down, and we got out.

And watched the car slide down the driveway....

Even I Am Tired of IT

Snow.

Again.

Measurable amounts.

Up to three inches on top of the ice and snow we already have on the ground from THREE WEEKS AGO.

This makes our third week that temperatures haven't gotten above freezing. While I adore winter -- heck, I have three totes of handknits that I can't wait to wear each year --- it has grown tedious.

It can quit now.

The chickens can't get out of their house; Miss Turkey is tired of snow; the ducks have worn a path around the duck house. The goats, well, even they are cross.

I keep trying to remind myself:

For lo, the winter is past; the rains are over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth.

Hold that thought, won't you? I have to grab another pair of socks. Brrr....

We Dodged an Ice Bullet

This morning, despite forecasts of a heavy ice storm, we had very little. So, in buoyant optimism we set out for Boone to see the new "Sherlock Holmes" movie. Above is what we encountered when we arrived.

Power lines, tree limbs, ice, and all kinds of debris filled the streets. Ice crashed on the car as we drove under once rich canopies of pine trees. The sparkle was nearly blinding. And, yet, it was lovely beyond words.

In spite of the flocks of flatlanders up to ski, the ridiculous traffic waits, and the cacophiny of noise, the day was just lovely. Crisp. Bright. Dazzling. Breathtaking. There was a time when I wanted to live in Boone more than anywhere. While those days are long past (their zoning stinks -- the mountain tops are overrun with million dollar "log cabins"), there is something about the height of the mountains and the crispness of the air that still gives my heart a flutter. What is it about a university town that gives it a certain energy?

And the movie was out of this world fun!