Butterflies and Mountains

A winning combination for sure. Who does not like butterflies or mountains??? Not me! In fact I love them and this past Friday I got a chance to see plenty of both. Earlier in the week I had a health issue that kept me from being as active as I like to be, but nothing to worry about. More like a nuisance. 

By Friday I was rip roaring to head to the Liber's house for what D'Anna called a lake day. We left the house at 9:30 and got home at around 8pm so it was as advertised. Forecasted rain never materialized, much to our relief. Within a few minutes of getting there my camera saw action as there were so many butterflies on both her huge phlox bushes and a large butterfly bush. I cannot remember seeing so many butterflies at one time unless it has been a butterfly attraction. Honestly I was in butterfly heaven!

I took an obscene amount of photographs because what if the next shot was even better than the last? Bruce got into the act as well.

Here is a funny little story: Knowing that my friend has had a lot on her mind of late, when I did go out for a walk one afternoon last week,

just over the bridge I came across a Tiger Swallowtail on a flower and snapped this shot to send to her.

Little did I know that she was running a butterfly sanctuary at her home and could take all the photos she wanted!

On that same walk I did come across some pretty cool mushrooms brought on by recent rains.

Have I mentioned before that while the iPhone is a whiz at identifying birds and plants, mushrooms seem to have it stymied. I've yet to take a mushroom picture and get an identification, so perhaps one of you knows what type of mushroom was under a tree along the river in abundance?

Before we get back to the lake day I do have a few photos of interest, or at least they are to me. I was standing on the front walkway, studying the Mourning dove's nest when this little critter flew in. 

Insects are usually identified as was the one above as a Swamp cicada. Now you know! Me too.

Much to our dismay, our baby doves have grown up and left us but not without siblings to come. How about both parents on the nest with the new batch?

We shall see what happens next. The backyard bunny continues to entertain us. Still much smaller, she seems to come every morning and evening to munch on the weeds. 

The little cotton tail shows when she is on her haunches.

As you may recall, the house came with all sorts of art work, most of which has been fine, but not necessarily what we would pick leaving us with no choice but to fined new pieces, a task that is easier said than done. While Bruce was changing this essential lightbulb that had burned out, it does show off one of the latest pieces from the downtown antique store. I have named her Dixie and she replaces a huge wooden pineapple from the Philippines which was fine but, well, you already know my thoughts.

Her sassy look is watching over us as we exit to the basement or the back porch. That was a very challenging lightbulb change, so hopefully the advertised nine year life span is correct!

Ask me if I have any cowboy decor in my house aside from Dixie. I suspect you know the answer to that!

Alrighty now, back to our lake day and the multitude of beautiful things to see.

More butterfly goodness.

What were once white hydrangeas are now pink.

I love seeing birds at feeders, but when they land way up in a tree, especially when I have a zoom lens in my hand, it is magical.

Nantahala Lake is a few miles from their home so with the boat already on the trailer we took off and went to the beautiful water. First stop once we were on our way was for lunch at the terrific restaurant on the lake. The approach is beautiful!

Duh, I did not need to tell you that because you can see it with your own two eyes! 

We sat on the upstairs porch admiring that huge willow tree all while eating. Back to the boat, after heading down some steps,

it is lovely to behold. And to think that in only a month or so it will looks completely different!

Before we actually got to the restaurant we watched folks jumping into the water near the dam that makes the lake possible. As is the case with all of the nearby lakes, they have been created by the TVA.

I love seeing the mountains from the car,

and I love seeing them from a boat!

I am just taking a moment here to acknowledge how incredibly lucky and blessed we have been since moving here, to not only be a witness to seasons that will before we know it will change this scenery drastically, but to meet so many wonderful new friends. To tell you the truth, I hardly know what to say.

Returning to the story, David was driving us to a fishing spot that he knew about and had Bruce very excited as it has been a very long time since he was able to fish. Before we got there though, David noticed some folks waving for help and so he helped them by towing their boat quite a distance to their home dock. After that, we got on our way,

and look who is fishing off the back end of the boat? 

No fish were caught, but fun was had. Whoops, I almost forgot! D'Anna and I went swimming. Initially it was chilly ,but before long we were comfortable as can be. Time to head back to the boat ramp, and look what I saw!

Once back at their home, we sat for awhile on the front porch enjoying the multitude of hummingbirds coming to the feeders. The humans enjoyed some refreshments as well! 😊

Whoa Nelly, the drive home...

was fantastic with those low clouds hanging in the mountains.  

On Fridays it has become our custom to play pickleball but on that Friday we went boating instead, meaning we had to miss Karen and Rich who were visiting from Orlando. Staying in a nearby town they are not afraid of driving, so returned to Murphy on Saturday and we went to the annual Bloody Mary contest at the farmer's market where they were celebrating all things tomato. But under the big tent, restaurants vied for first place. Case in point. the new Gordon Ramsey restaurant at the casino.

They definitely went all out, including a skewer with a slider, tomatoes and a jumbo shrimp! We asked a passerby to take our photo before they went back to their sight-seeing.

So much green in this post!! We will all enjoy it while we can. Bruce and I popped over to the market and I want you to get a look at the variety of jellies!

I tried the one made with Rose of Sharon and it was pretty good. I am finding it so hard to imagine how she does it. By the way, our Rose of Sharon trees are on round two of blooms, and it is just delightful to witness.

Before I close this uplifting post, I have some sad news to report. As you know, we work twice a month at our church's free lunch where Bruce washes dishes and I greet the folks as they arrive. This last Thursday a woman arrived who usually has two friends with her, one of whom I had the hardest time learning her name. Finally I had the name Angela etched in my mind and asked if she was coming? Imagine my shock when Emma told me she had died over the previous weekend, her husband having found her dead in her bed. Gosh that hurt. Emma was devastated as she, along with another woman, had gone out to lunch together on Friday and she was just fine until she wasn't on Saturday afternoon. After a year of seeing these folks bi-monthly, it is easy to get attached. 😢

After that sad report I want to end this on a positive note, staying in step with my title.

Butterflies, mountains, friends, water, clouds, trees, cicadas, rabbits, holy cow, it's a wonderful world out there my dear ones.

your friend,

Gail