What a Difference a Year Makes!

As has been stated before, some might say ad nauseam, I love having a blog! You should try it. 

Except more work goes into it than you might imagine, especially as I get older. Of course you see the finished product and for the most part, it looks pretty good. It's meant to. But still I make mistakes and before you even see it I have made many more. Seems as if my typing skills are diminishing lately yet I keep writing and taking photographs because I love them both so much. When it comes to either remembering things, or confirming my suspicions, the blog is invaluable. 

So what prompted that lengthy intro? The heat and more specifically the lack of rain! Undoubtedly the cause for it to be 90 degrees today with nary a cloud in the sky! I do love that Carolina blue, but enough is enough! We need rain. Unlike this post that was written one week after we arrived at the cottage. Not only did I write about the rain that June, but I also wrote how we would not be here more than three months. Shows you what I knew! The second post after our arrival begins with this line: "Do I start with the rain? Lots of steady rain this week, although it did not keep us from adventuring." I even wrote, get this, "that we lit a fire one afternoon." 

Let's just say that it is keeping me guessing! The mosquitos have abated only slightly, however I have discovered that if I immediately rub the bites down with an alcohol wipe, that seems to help.  I was chatting with Daniel, our next door neighbor, and he mentioned the mosquitoes to which I replied, "tell me more." Turns out that once the TVA fills the river with water, essentially making a long lake, the little tributaries fill and the water sits there breeding, yup, mosquitoes. Being just a few blocks from the river has both advantages and disadvantages. Just like everything else, right? The heat and bugs have cut down on my walking, but I did see this the other day.

I've forgotten the name of these puffy pink flowers but they sure look pretty, especially when a cute little sparrow rests on one the branches. 

Not far from there I heard the distinctive call of a Cardinal prompting me to look over my head. I never saw the face of the bird, but with all that green, I thought it made for an interesting photograph.

I started to write that I was seeing far fewer birds and while it is mostly true, one can almost always count on seeing a Mourning Dove, one of the most prevalent North American birds.

One day last week we played pickleball in nearby Andrews because they were doing work on our courts. As has been stated many times before, I love the drive there.

Have you ever wondered why they are called the Blue Ridge Mountains as a whole? It has to do with a hydrocarbon called isoprene. Look at me sounding all scientific! Actually, I learned about it from this website which should you care to learn more, you can click on the provided link. Sounds pretty fancy to me. That same article says the Cherokee Indians had something to do with the name as well.  The folks playing pickleball in Andrews were quite nice and one day soon we will have to return. I really should have posted this picture shouldn't I?

And to think all of the above will change color in a few months. For a Florida gal, that is simply amazing.

Speaking of blue, the hydrangeas are starting to change, is maybe the best way I can put it. Next year I will be able to go back in time and see what happened when I begin to worry about them! 

Maybe it has to do with the heat? Surely I don't know. Some look like the above, and increasingly others, are looking like this.

How interesting is that? I'll answer that question! Pretty darn interesting. The climbing hydrangea has nary a bloom nor does another hydrangea plant that is closer to the backyard. Then again, maybe it is biding its' time? Our neighbor Sandy has all manner of good things growing in her yard. These pink ones, against her house, are beautiful.

As is her Oak Hydrangea.

They began as sort of a creamy white, but as time goes on, it looks like they are changing color as well. 

Another lovely display she has is about four stands of lavender.

Seemingly it changes color too.

Let's have a look around our place now, starting with the Japanese Maple tree along with the Rose of Sharon in the foreground.

More on those pretty pink flowers that look like mini-hibiscus, in my next post but I will say that they are very prolific bloomers and having three such trees is a massive blessing. 

I have neglected to tell you that at the Senior Games banquet I won one of the door prizes and chose this lovely basket with begonias, coleus, and who knows what the pretty little  green disc-shaped plant is.

It is kind of crazy to think that Bruce has won three things since we have been here, and now I have won something as well. Perhaps it is the lack of competition? :)

I picked up a Peach begonia at the farmer's market and is it ever pretty and smells delightful.

Another day I bought three huge tomatoes from a woman and it is safe to say that they were some of the best I have eaten in a long time. Oh my word! I need cottage cheese, a favorite of mine with sliced tomatoes. Except, duh, I went grocery shopping this morning and did not buy any. What was I thinking?

More begonias that sit beside the front door and are blooming like mad.

I know that I should not, but I am already worried about them dying in the winter! That's another thing Daniel told me....winter can be hard. He confirmed that last winter was somewhat out of the ordinary in its' mildness. Hmmm...

The above is a squirrel over at Sandy's house and I'm including it because I wanted to mention that over at our place I have seen a squirrel climbing the brick! 

Back to the Japanese Maple tree in our yard. On Saturday, while Bruce was busy re-building a ramp for a woman in need, 

along with about three other men I want to add, I planted some impatiens under that tree. I kept watching things and before long I saw a Robin find a worm in the yard and fly into the tree. This is on the other side of the tree if you have a good memory and the story sounds familiar.

Two things to note:

1. the underside of the leaves are greenish.

2. that is some kind of latex bandage paper near the bottom of the nest. Where that came from is a mystery to me.

Our favorite wine bar, Fairy Cross Bottle Shop, celebrated one year in business last week. Look who we saw tat the celebration. I'll give you a hint....we rented her cottage!

In that one year it has become many folks favorite hang-out, including ours. Sort of like a pub is to towns all over England, a place for folks to hang out. Those who go there regularly are not going to be among folks who move back to where they came from because they are lonely! Saturday night, after Bruce had worked so hard in the heat, we went back and found all sorts of friends already there. 

Some of whom were celebrating opening a new ladies boutique that day. Our Orlando friend, Gayle, introduced us, from afar to Gene and Lisa who don't go out in public without hats. Plus, she sells them in her shop. I've yet to visit the new boutique, but I plan on doing so soon.

We had Laura, John, and Anna Claire over for dinner on Friday night, during which time I neglected to take any photographs, except for when we had adjourned to the porch for our blueberry cobbler. From our porch, sunsets are now part of our evenings once again. Yup, another red sky at night. 

Downstairs Bruces has been very busy today while I am writing this. I can't wait to show you what he has finally done for himself! 

Living in Murphy has been full of surprises and that is a good thing in my book. We had gone to Tractor Supply, a place I'd only heard of before we came here, and shall I add, a place that I never imagined shopping in? Anyway, as we were heading back to the car, look what we saw.

It looks like it is pretty old, but it also looks like it is in very good shape. Somewhat like our home, right? I said to Anna Claire, imagine how many people have been in these rooms during 99 years? She's only lived in new houses before, so she was intrigued. I showed her some potential paint colors, seeing as she is so artistic, and I value her opinion. Although nothing has changed in that department yet, it cannot be ruled out in the future. 

Indeed, what a difference a year makes!

your friend,

Gail

Suddenly it is May

 My word, I have no idea where to start. 

Firstly, there are a lot of birds in our new yard, so much so that their songs fill the air from morning until night. And here's something--last night was our first one in the house on Campbell Street and it was one to remember because storms raged throughout the night, including a tornado in the next town! Fortunately we had no damage but others are without power or water along with downed trees/limbs. 

We closed on the house last Friday, the 3rd of May at a downtown law office. We met our realtor Donna there and David Cowan, the attorney who is in practice with his dad. It was all so easy and sweet if you want to know how it is in a small town.

The transaction was complete when he had his assistant come in the room with a check for $50 as a thank you for using their services. Unreal! Immediately we drove the two blocks where Donna took our first photo, probably soon to be many photos, on the front steps. Looked okay on a tiny phone, but not so much in this space but you get the idea!

As is our wont, we immediately went to work, moving things trip by trip from the cottage.

We both agreed that we have accumulated more than we thought! Our time at the cottage was so special that I have to admit, more than once I was teary eyed while packing. We just so love Laura and John and the family. The deer!   

I was really feeling nostalgic when the closet, once packed looked like this. Those would be my pickleball shoes that we left there because I participated in ladies doubles yesterday, late morning when it was hot as the dickens. Let's just say that Lori and I improved with each successive game! 

I still have the refrigerator to clean at the cottage, but for the most part we are moved out. Bittersweet would be a good way to describe our feelings right about now. 

Last Saturday it was raining, but still our friends Cobby and Diane met us with their truck at the nearby antique marketplace to transport the dresser we bought to use as a buffet. Bruce worried like mad that the raindrops would damage it, but all's well that ends well.

I may have mentioned that the living room at the cottage looked like a lamp store? Or did I? Anyway we had seven lamps clustered on the floor, mostly bought at TJ Maxx or Homegoods, and above are two of them. Generally,as you well know, I am more of a colored lamp person, but we bought what we could find. I've yet to even show you how pretty that drive to Cleveland, TN was. Hopefully I will get there once we are more settled.

It must have been Friday after the closing that we went straight to Walmart for any number of things.

Excuse me a moment, I must go down to the basement to get something out of the dryer as it keeps reminding me to do so. Amazing that I can hear it in the new office upstairs but it has been relentless. 

The fact that I typed the above sentence is almost unimaginable, or so I would have thought a year ago! The porch cushions were in there for drying after last night's monsoon. The big rugs we bought are now drenched! Hank came over Sunday afternoon for a visit, bringing us a housewarming gift of an azalea. Unlike the azaleas at home, here they are absolutely laden with blooms unlike anything I have seen outside of Vancouver. He is doing so well here and is brimming with enthusiasm for this little town he's called home for two years now.

Tomorrow will be a hard day for him as it would have been Carol's birthday, although as the years pass it becomes easier.

Bruce had a fellow come change the locks on Monday,

and while he was still here, the furniture arrived, minus the dining room, which is still in transit.

Before they walked in the living room looked like this:

After delivery it looked like this:

Can you even believe that Japanese Maple out front? It is glorious and a haven for birds.

Now we were ready for company! Mark and Mary Beth arrived, followed soon thereafter by John and Laura. Bruce insisted John try out his new chairs! which are in what we are calling the parlor, adjacent to the living room. Lots and lots of small rooms my friends.

We have been absolutely saved by the previous owners who have left all manner of small tables. Seriously, maybe ten? We did pay for them, but we very much got more than we paid for. The little table between the chairs has a cupboard and a marble top. Perfect! While Bruce was touring John and Laura, Mark and Mary Beth rested in the new "thrones" after just returning from five weeks away the night before. It was very sweet of them to make that effort! 

I'm giving advance warning that their will undoubtedly be plenty of house photos in the near future and that is because it seems as if the light is very nice inside.

I was a little leery of the size of the kitchen, but I've cooked dinner two nights now and it is working just fine. I figured if I could prepare meals at a picnic table I could do so most anywhere. Plus, the refrigerator is nearly new and takes magnets! Hurray! Art work was also left in every room.

We are leaving the cottage just when the irises are blooming alongside the front steps.

And for the first time ever, there were Rose-Breasted Grosbeak at the feeder.  In spite of one not looking like the others, it is the female version that has the brown coloring. 

Honestly I was flabbergasted because before last week I'd never seen one in my life! During our time away in Florida, most of my small birds took off to parts unknown. It was a sad moment when Bruce put the screen back up! When I got up to check on the dryer, passing through the long hallway,  I could see birds on the front porch! Where the feeders will go here is ytbd. One thing is with the super old glass, I won't be taking photos through the window because it is, while crystal clear, a bit wavy.

The good news is we have peonies! Two bushes. Along with a lilac tree, hydrangeas, hostas, and a whole host of goodies that I know nothing about, including the fact that the peonies are SO fragrant. 

Slightly droopy after the storm, but still hanging in there! We have met most of the neighbors and the first thing each and every one of them have said is how much they love the neighborhood. 

Bruce is already a regular at Lowes where he bought the lumber to make the shelf that is holding all manner of shop supplies. 

The car this trip was about two-thirds full of tools and that brings me much joy to see him in his element once more. Seven years ago when he divested himself of so many tools in order for us to move to Vancouver it was painful so all these years later we are in the process of healing that wound. Speaking of wounds, Bruce is suffering from an seeming out of the clear blue, onset of carpal tunnel syndrome which has made some of what we've been doing very painful indeed. He left me to either walk home or get a ride yesterday in order to go to the doctor in nearby Blairsville, hoping to get some relief. They ordered a nerve conduction procedure which does not thrill him in the least. We shall see what comes next! Turns out Linda drove me home with Nancy accompanying us to see the house. After the tour you can probably already guess where we spent our time visiting. If you assumed I meant the porch you did good.

A few other things worth noting: both of us are going to probably be losing weight what with all of the steps needed to navigate the house between all three levels. For those worried, both of us are being very mindful of our limitations and are keeping safety at the forefront of our minds. Were we crazy to do this at our age? Maybe but so far it has been fun! Secondly it cannot be stated often enough how grateful we are for both the opportunity to own this historic house AND how clean and tidy they left everything!! When Linda was here yesterday, as she cleans houses when not playing pickleball, she remarked on how perfect they left everything. We agree! Plus, they left us this gorgeous tree!

Just when you thought I had fallen off the face of the earth, here I am, once again sitting at my iMac, using fantastic wifi, I might add, writing stories about life whatever it may bring. So far so good!!

I remain,

your friend, 

Gail

A Week Ago Tuesday

Lord willing and the creek don't rise, last Tuesday was a life-changing day for your favorite couple. Well, maybe not your favorite, but if you are reading this, you at least put us in your top ten don't you? While our son David urged me to keep quiet, you absolutely know that is not in my nature, so I am going to tell you a little story that began with this photograph.

During the early months of our stay in Murphy, Thursday was pretty much always our field trip day, however, that practice has changed, in part because we have toured around a bunch and in part because we are more involved with the everyday life of the community. As I sat down to write this I was sure I had the sequence of events in my mind and some of them I do, however, the exact reason I was out driving the car by myself is now clouded in my memory. Obviously that is unimportant, but you know how it is, you want to remember stuff!! Nevertheless, I do know that I was out driving to see all the flowers I could see. The above caught my eye on Campbell Street, a charming street of older homes in downtown Murphy that we drive by nearly every day. I just loved the way the flowers cascaded down the wall and the fact that they were purple was a bonus, another sight I could share with our purple-loving friend Mary at home.

Fast forward to Sunday and while standing in front of the church, I spotted a "For Sale" sign in the front yard, telling Bruce, oh my goodness, that neat house is for sale. Now when we came up here in May to view Charlotte's Cottage I will be honest with you, I never imagined that we would want to move here, but by golly, that is exactly what happened! Except we were spoiled because the cottage is so close to town and we have based our experiences on that fact. The church, the pickleball courts, the gym and grocery store are all so close, not to mention the wine shop! Bruce had talked to a realtor months ago, but after viewing countless houses online, all of them either too far away (in our view), ugly, too small and the list goes on. We were content to stay in the cottage until they had to kick us out, which John assured us that they had no intention of doing.

Until I saw the house on Campbell Street.

While I saw the sign in person, it was not listed online, so I put it out of my mind for two days until I sat down to write my last blog post and decided to check if it were listed. Hell yes it was, one hour earlier! Once I was able to see what the inside looked like, after Bruce saw the photos, he agreed to call the realtor and within the hour we were touring what we hope to be our last home. That sounds weird, but let's face the facts, we are most definitely not getting any younger. We will still have the condo should we need a winter break, but more likely be lonesome for our family!

Walking in the front door from the charming porch,  it was love at first sight. The floors are amazing, the rooms the size to be expected in a 100 year old home, and there is the beginnings of a shop in the basement, so what is not to like? In Orlando we have always admired houses in this style, but the price tag always kept us at bay. Murphy is way more affordable, that's for sure. 

According to Bill, the 86 year old owner, the purple Thrift used to continue the length of the wall. I bet that was super pretty. He told me that although his wife wanted him to replant he decided not to bother and really who can blame him at his age? Having said that, he seems to be doing remarkably well and is selling because his wife of 63 years died in December and his kids don't want him using the stairs while living alone and really, in their opinion it is just too much of a house for him. The realtor told us it was called Thrift, but when Laura saw it she insisted it was Phlox. Hmmm....apparently there is some real controversy on the subject answered here. 

The house just spoke to us, and so we took the plunge, putting in a contract two hours later. Some drama ensued the next morning, but all is well that ends well. The sale was never in question though. Our realtor Donna set up the home inspection for Saturday and we met Robert at the house. He did an incredibly thorough inspection for $500 dollars, in case you are wondering, telling us that he has been doing inspections for 10 years and he could not believe the shape the house is in. Neither could we!! Bill Sr. was a Navy guy and immediately I thought to myself, no wonder the house is ship-shape.

Looks like we will be walking lots of places in the future including church which is barely visible as a large brick structure, pictured on the right through the trees. I took this from the driveway.

And now we wait. 

Bill Sr. is moving into an apartment that is still under construction, so it won't be until at least early May until we can move in. In the meantime, let us together enjoy nature, the likes of which are just fantastic at this time of year. The weather is still chilly, in fact there is a light rain falling as I type. Bruce, along with another man from church,  is repairing a door frame for a woman in need. 

I have so many pretty picture to share, so let's get to it, beginning with this one of some boxwood and daffodils. Aren't they so lovely? Playing a little with light and shadows on this one.

Holy cow these deer in the orchard out front. That is some smoke from the controlled burn in the background.

They've begun lightening up for the summer. That is one thing we will very much miss in our new home. No deer! Boo hoo, but we do know where to find them should we need a fix! Did I tell you that we saw a coyote crossing the street on our way to the cottage one late afternoon? It's been so fun seeing all of the wildlife right outside our door. As to my birdies, I will never have the same opportunity for bird watching as I have enjoyed here just outside the window. 

The bluebirds have most definitely begun their nest building and shoo off all the other birds who want to steal their home.

The flowering fruit trees....

have been so much fun to photograph, not to mention appreciate their beauty. 

This tree has slowly filled with blossoms and what a sight to behold. 

Just this morning I watched the male Cardinal feeding the female so I'm imaging there will be more baby birds than just the bluebirds. That is one thing about still being here awhile, hopefully we will witness the babies. Here's Mrs. Cardinal in a tree that I photographed last week. Wait until you see what it looks like now when next I write. Gorgeous is what it looks like!

We did just open our third 50 pound bag of seed yesterday afternoon. Taking a peek outside just now and it's a frenzy out there folks. The Goldfinch are rapidly changing which will also be featured in my next post. 

Look at this! Talk about changing fast, one day they were all white and the next this.

Since I took the above they are all clothed in a lovely shade of spring green. 

With Easter being celebrated this Sunday, I am so reminded of the resurrection and how grateful I am to live in such a beautiful world. I took this at Mark and Mary Beth's house and it was the first butterfly I have seen since last Autumn.

More beauty to follow, 

daffodils are mostly fading, but not before I took this one.

There are Robins galore at the park.

and loads of blooming trees as well.

Mostly I have been walking in the afternoon when the park is crowded, but on the morning I took the above, it was very cold and empty which suited me just fine. 

One of the really neat things about the Valley River Picklers is how they are so generous. Oh, by the way, Mr. Peck was not only a success with the county commissioners, but at the suggestion of the park manager, went to the city for the remaining funds and both parties said YES! Amazing, right? You would think we were residents? Oh wait, very soon we will be turning in a beautiful life in a frantic city to life in a very quiet small town. Anyway, with donations from the group, a pavillion with bathroom and storage room was built and the man who spearheaded the construction aspect needs knee surgery. While he has insurance, being out of work for many weeks without income is no fun. The group rallied and had a tournament with a donation as an entry fee. Over $5,000 was raised which should be a big help.

The group has welcomed us with open arms making our transition to a new residence all the sweeter. 

Look!! 

That is a male Goldfinch and a Pine Sisken on the right. The transformation of the Goldfinch is absolutely remarkable. Will we be able to transform ourselves to small town mountain people? What do you think?

your friend,

Gail