A Frosty Walk

We were meant to go on a field trip today however, the weather is abysmal, so we are staying in until we head to Cobby and Diane's house for dinner this evening. Although it is not cold, only 60 degrees or so, it is rainy, foggy, and dark as I type this just before noon time. Because I generally get so far behind in posting I thought to myself, "let's write a blog post today in an attempt to stay more current."

Onward... 

Here's something super fun to report: if you read my last post, because it was only a few days ago, perhaps you remember that I closed the essay with the idea that maybe our luck was turning as far as visits from Northern Cardinals. Lo and behold, leaving the bedroom where my computer is located, I walked into the living room and headed right to the window as is my wont. Lookee what I saw!

What you might also notice is the sea of sunflower seeds upon which Mrs. Cardinal rests her tiny feet. The area no longer looks like that because Mr. Peck did some raking yesterday afternoon to tidy the area as best as one can when one is feeding thirty or more birds at a time! 

Yesterday afternoon's walk was dreary but I didn't mind because I always see interesting things no matter the weather. But that was yesterday and what I am going to put down for posterity is a walk on a much, much colder day! 

Everything I see is a novelty including the frost on the plants and in this case is it really frost, or big ice crystals?

Frankly I have no idea what to call it, but I know I can't call it Kosher salt even though it looks just like it!

During the summer when the river water is deep it is not that appealing to me because it looks almost dirty. Well, that notion has been dispelled during the winter when they lower the level and it is clear to see, (no pun intended) that the water is indeed, crystal clear.

One of the days last week the temperature remained freezing or below, so maybe it shouldn't have, but when I walked it still surprised me to see the ice in various places on the river. 

Isn't the rock formation cool? I wish I'd paid more attention in my Historical Geology class at Valencia and I would have at least a vague idea of what I am looking at! Oh how I hated that class! Without the help of my classmates, some 30 or more years my junior, I would have never survived it.

I decided that cold day to head over to where I was lucky enough to see the bluebird couple several weeks ago. Let's look at them again from that fateful day because I sure have not seen them again! That's the thing about all of my bird photographs, they are unique even if the same type of bird is pictured. Anyway, remember these cuties?

Missing in action folks, missing in action. Much to my sorrow I might add! 

So because I went a different route the river was different on this stretch where it is still the Valley River as it heads to join up with the Hiwassee River.

Looking at these photos is a balm for this ugly day! There was even a mini ice chunk? That doesn't sound right but what else can I call it?

Plus the water color was so pretty that day, almost an emerald green. Oh the joy of nature!

Like shattered glass! Another day, maybe the next, I walked on the other side of the river and came across this:

I can't tell you how much I like the cold and sunny days! Layer, layer, layer is how we roll around here.

I found this really fascinating. What is this?

Northern friends, do chime in please!

Generally when I sit down to write a post I scan through my recent photos and put together a remembrance of life as we have lived it. I drag the photos to my desktop and then construct the narrative around them. As I type this post there are about thirty on the desktop that for whatever reason have not made it into the blog. One such photo is from when we drove home from Asheville in December and just past Franklin you come across a great scene with rocks on either side of the road. Here is the one I took that day.

There are pictures floating around on Facebook of this scene last week, after the big snow and that ice is amazing! And now I can get at least one more photo off the desktop!

Another thing I am really liking about winter is the dried plant material. 

And to think that this will all be replaced by new tiny flowers in two months or so! For the curious, this is not sepia, it is the actual colors that I found.

It is a wondrous thing that I can take these frosty walks. It is also fun to go somewhere in the car and on Saturday we went to Hayesville and enjoyed lunch at Black Dog Tavern. It won't surprise you to learn that we sat at the bar and the folks to our left were from Florida! Actually that is a little surprising as most Floridians have headed home. During the summer in the parking lots every other car has a Florida license plate but now ours is an anomaly.  Two autumns ago, on our way from Helen to Murphy for the first time we stopped there for lunch and I remembered it being very tasty. Saturday did not disappoint. The best onion rings Bruce can remember having for a long while and enough for two more servings at home!

I had an excellent chili along with something they call Cowboy bites. 

Has anyone else noticed how expensive it is to get onion rings in a restaurant lately? Bruce is a fan so we pay attention and what we noticed here is that they were reasonable for what they served! On our way back to Murphy, Bruce pulled into the driveway off the highway in order for me to finally get a shot of the decorated barn we have only seen before as we zoomed by.

Perhaps we can do the same when the leaves turn impossibly green again. Here's a reminder of green trees that has also been on my desktop for ages. 

Talk about miracles! Oh my gosh! The photos are tiny for my old eyes, so I really had no idea what I was dragging over, but man am I glad this was the one! I remember nearly gasping at the sight of this beauty. Impossibly green indeed!

Why we chose to not go to the Andrews chili contest is a mystery but we did not want to miss a bluegrass band at the newly opened Cherokee Cellars owned by two former Murphy Bulldogs who have prospered. Should you have forgotten, the Bulldogs are the mascot of Murphy High School!

The band drove over from Asheville and were very entertaining indeed.

Unrelated to any of the above, I do have good news to report about David and his blood clot. After months and months now, it seems to have finally resolved so we are all breathing a sigh of relief. 

Other good news is that the check finally arrived on day seven. Good grief what a hassle. Here is something ironic in this whole saga. I sent Nancy a check the day to pay for her costs after she sent our package. You know, regular mail for .68 cents? Guess who got their mail first? Should you have guessed Nancy, you are a smart cookie indeed.

In keeping with the frosty theme, last week this made me very happy. 

Now if only we could get more snow!

Thank goodness for great shows on PBS! We just finished a six part series called Funny Woman and it was so good we were sad when it was over. If you are able, do check it out! 

That's all from rainy Murphy folks! 

your friend,

Gail