Cold,Gray Day at Carvins Cove

Such days have a certain raw beauty for me...

What the Day May Bring...

I read this poem aloud this morning though I barely needed to look at the printed page...I've loved poetry since the day my third grade teacher, Mrs. Gray, introduced me to Carl Sandburg. As I reflect on the sudden, but not completely unexpected, death of a relative today I ponder this poem yet again.

Because I could not stop for Death (712)

by Emily Dickinson
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
Or rather – He passed us –
The Dews drew quivering and chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –
Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –

Building Character....

I've heard it happens to most everyone at least once....

Waking up to

A brand new day...

Mount Airy, NC aka Mayberry

I have loved the Andy Griffith show since I was a child - I wanted to marry him when I was a kid, heck, I'd still like to marry the Andy on the show. The local CBS station has shown Andy Griffth reruns for years and they dare not cancel it. TV lore has it that Andy Griffith based the show on his childhood in Mount Airy, NC though he has denied that over the years. No matter, a couple of weeks ago I took a bus trip to Mount Airy, NC to enjoy the fall colors and delight in all things "Andy".
A huge granite quarry is located in Mount Airy as evidenced by the many granite buildings in the town...

Painted sign ...
"Barney's" car and yes, that was a mighty comfortable tour bus...

Wally's Service Station stuffed with all sorts of Mayberry memorobilia and ice cold Nehi sodas...
Cinema on Main Street..
Source of any John Deere item you could ever desire..

Arcade and wedding chapel???

Snappy Lunch - Home of the Famous Pork Chop Sandwich and no, I did not have one for lunch..
The barber looked much like the Floyd on the show...
Maid's quarters in an historic home we toured...

Rustic, outdoor decor...

Granite home lovingly restored...what a fun day.

Outer Banks

Bikes awaiting riders at the Inn at Corolla Light..

One of the many fantasy horses dotting the Northern Outer Banks...

Dusk in Corolla...

Produce market along the way...

Bridge near Pea Island...

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse...

Visitors Center near Orcacoke Ferry...

On Orcacoke Beach...

Orcacoke church...

One of the many family cemeteries in Orcacoke...

Oyster shell walkways...

Home on Howard Street...

A suitable end to a quick pictorial tour of Outer Banks. I will return...

Birthday at Virginia Beach

Nursing the aftermath of a few too many jagermeisters, I traveled to Virginia Beach on my birthday for the first day of our shore vacation. Arrived around 5p, we were late to visit the annual Neptune festival - but I was able to snap a few photos...>

The next morning we headed south to Corolla...

Birthday Eve

On September 27 I spent the day at the annual NoSo Knit...

And the night at the Mountain Lake Octoberfest indulging in too many jagermeisters and otherwise having great foolish fun...


The next day we headed out for a shore vacation...

Outer Banks - Day 4

Outer Banks - Day 3

On to Ocracoke Island...

Outer Banks - Day 2

The rare opportunity to see the wild horses of Corolla...

Outer Banks - Day 1

Autumn's Arrival...

Chilly, rainy weather to nurse a cold by...the stacks of books, a warm grandmother made quilt and a cup of hot tea are my companions today...

I did complete this mint green baby sweater today in time for the annual NoSoKnit extravaganza...

The Past Ten Days or so...

Sunset at Smith Mountain Lake...

Produce on the Roanoke City Market...

A child's sweater I found on the side of the street in my neighborhood...

Two little friends enjoying the annual Greek festival...

A building in some disrepair...

Behind a house that reminds me just a bit of Grey Gardens...

A walkway across Williamson Road I use as I walk/run ~4 miles around the neighborhood...

Diner with a hot car parked out front...
Trees throughout my neighborhood...
Black walnuts I found on my way to class at the community college ...

Remove the outer shell...
Crack open the shells carefully removing the nuts...
My black walnut harvest...
And work on the motion assignment for photography class...