Good Days, Bad Decisions and Pre-Dustination

I love days like today.  Weather...beautiful.  Bible study....wonderful.  Lunch...fun and delicious.  Whole Foods....dinner and peeled oranges.  Home...quiet and serene.  Heart...beating in time rather nicely....  Roy...on his way home...Dinner...made by the fine, fine folks of Whole Foods.  Maybe a little outdoor fireplace later this evening....Great way to end a day.

Last night Dena and I drove over near the hood to pick up an electric fireplace she had ordered.  I have never been in a Northern Tools store and it seemed even more manlier than an auto part store, Sears or Tractor Supply.  While we waited for them to bring the fireplace to the front of the store from the backroom, we read some of the funniest branding posters strategically placed high up all around the store to the best viewing..."It's not who wears the pants but who wears the belt."   Of course the picture is of a big ole tool belt.  Kept me entertained for sure.  The guys there were kind enough to load the fireplace in the back of Sequisha and we were off to Rancho De Five.  We picked up Roy on our way to Dena's cause that sucker was heavy the fireplace, not Dena.  As Roy and Dena were taking the fireplace out of the box and plugging it in, I stood there reading the instructions.  Uh, what's wrong with this picture?  The two process people are foregoing safety.  All those safety minutes that Roy sends me has had an effect on me.  We celebrated the newest addition to Dena's home with pizza. 

We had an insightful devotion given by one of the core group leaders this morning for leadership council.  Her words and thoughts and observations touched each one of us and we will have many more Genesis moments to see daily.  This study of Genesis is blowing me away.  Even chapter 14 filled with kings with hard to pronounce names and all kinds of "ites" being defeated is filled with such truth.  We see how Abram is growing in his relationship with the Lord and it is encouraging to know that Abram doesn't have to be the only one that gets to grow.  We all do.  Thank Eileen for encouraging us to see things from a Genesis perspective. 

Sunday afternoon we did a really stupid thing.  We went to HEB before game time.  It looked like the day before Christmas.  Lots of Texan jerseys on the aisles with full baskets.  We went there to get a couple of things that Kroger doesn't carry and I nearly was run into several times and not by Roy.  We finally got out of there and headed to the much calmer world of Sprouts.  Today, I stopped at Whole Foods after lunch with Peggy and Kathleen.  I love that they have peeled oranges and sometimes tangerines in their prepared fruit case.  I love oranges but hate peeling, de-stringing and de-seeding them.  Yes, first world problems to the tenth power.  Yes, with all the time I am saving I could devote much more time to prayer....I could....or I could play on FB.  Whatever!!!! 

On Sunday, after the bad decision of HEB, after watching the Texans, I went riding on my Trek.   Roy had already ridden for over an hour, but he graciously went with me for my short but meaningful ride around the neighborhood.   It has been quite some time since I have been able to do so.  Too hot and too hurt.  On Friday, our friend David dropped off some things for the garage sale.  He and Emily go to the same Dr that Roy and I go to.  He told me about his conversation with Dr. Riley and one of the things he repeated was her comment that as a Dr you have few opportunities to intervene and then help someone close to the grips of death.  Grips of death is my phrase and I am indebted to Dr. Riley for being so instrumental in my recovery.  You know, I know how close I was, had the death rattle going on in my chest and extreme fatigue and nausea but I heard and understood it so differently Friday.  God is so good!  I'm thankful. 

Well, I'd better begin the process of getting ready for Chris tomorrow.  Don't have a whole lot to predustinate, but enough to keep me busy. 

Sunday Morning

What a beautiful day for a garage sale!  It started out pretty darn chilly but I didn't complain.  I love this weather!  This was our first time to participate and it might be our only time.  We haven't had a garage sale since we lived in our townhouse in the hood.  After about an hour we were wheeling and dealing and slashing those prices just to get rid of everything.  We actually participated to be organized so that when it was all said and done, we could load up the leftovers and take them to Katy Christian Ministries.  Today's crowd was looking more for children's items and we had a few toys and they all sold.  Interesting, the picture I didn't like, even trying to hang it sideways to make it more abstract, didn't find a new home.  It went by the way of ministry.  And that was interesting too.  When we pulled up for the drop off, people were there going through everything and buying it on the spot.  I'd never seen that before but it has been some time since I have dropped off anything at Katy Christian Ministries.  One lady left what she bought and said she would come by later to pick it up.  We thought she meant before the noon cut-off.  So her things are outside our locked gate and here's hoping she remembers to come and pick them up. 

Holding a garage sale gives perspective to things.  It is kind of like going through a home to put things into an estate sale.  What might have meant a lot to someone usually doesn't translate into someone caring as much about it.  There are exceptions of course, but so many times when getting things ready for an estate sale you're thinking, what were they thinking?  So there you have it, your once beloved possessions selling for pennies on a dollar.  Or being passed up by many.   I remember right after my grandparents passed away my dad took what was left of their treasured possessions, many of them broken, torn or worn and sell them in a garage sale.  It was sad to see the physical things sit, not bought but it was endearing to remember what mattered, the love my grandparents had for each of their grandchildren and I knew they prayed for us every day. 

The water feature is higher than it has been in a long time.  We had several good downpours yesterday and last night.  The trees and grass looks so green.  There is standing water around us on streets and in culverts.  It's been a while since seeing that.  Maybe we will be out of this drought now. 

It is now Sunday morning.  We are taking yet again, another sabbatical day.  Last week were long days and short nights for Roy.  He needed rest.  Last night, we went out to dinner with our friends Ed and Jennifer.  We met them at Ray's Grill in Fulshear.  I love autumnal food, so I started out with the spiced butternut squash bisque.  It was a great start.  As good as the food was, the conversation and laughs were better. 

I'm ready to get out and enjoy this beautiful day.  These are the days that make memories for you to get through those hot summer months. 

What Does Garage Sales, Abram and Sarai Have in Common? Nothing, but That is My Friday

Tomorrow is the community wide Rancho De Five garage sale.  I worked a little on getting things together last night and will finish up this afternoon.  We don't have tons of stuff to sell but things we have enjoyed but time to offer them to others.  Like a too big of coffee table in my reading room, a rocking chair that really doesn't fit in the casita bedroom, lamps, pictures, and a few Vera Bradley bags.  We've added some home décor items too.  No books or clothes or stuff like that which is too labor intensive.  I just looked at the garage sale map and there aren't too many in our subdivision participating, so I have no clue if we will have any traffic at all.  Guess we will have to wait and see if the folks at Katy Christian Ministries will be blessed. 

This year I have now found my default outfit when I am too lazy to plan my wardrobe or have no clue what to wear.  Last year denim was my go to 'costume.'  This year's look is from Coldwater Creek.  It is a striped, now I have three different colors, one button sweater like jacket and I have black, cream and navy.  Got my bases covered on this but I am sure I will always default to the denim jacket with jeans or black pants.  It's the look of many over the age of 55.  Really, I am trying to put off the ubiquitous white pants of older women look.  Has anyone else ever noticed that football pants are really just capris for men?  Yes, I know that thought just came out of left field and now I have mixed my sports metaphors, guess I have game.  Oops, I did it again and now I have brought in Britney Spears to this whole mess of a paragraph.  End scene, end paragraph.....

 Studying the life of Abram and Sarai in Community Bible Study has been deep.  Even with the straight to the point questions in our homework, we have had such great discussion.  I wonder, while they were going to the land God would show them if Sarai tried to act as Abram's Siri?   There were several things I heard yesterday that I had never considered.  It has been especially interesting to read Genesis with this in mind, Moses.  He wrote the first five books.  So he is being divinely inspired, led by the Holy Spirit to tell these stories of Abram and Sarai.  So as he writes and puts in the details, there are a lot of details that aren't mentioned but would be so wonderful to know.  Guess we don't need to know the details, but you know what I mean.  This whole tell the Egyptians you're my sister thing....details...what was Sarai thinking?  Was she kept from the longing embrace of Pharaoh?   Was she thinking, at last a stop in this wild nomadic life for me to catch my breath and then deal with catching Pharaoh's eye.  What was Abram doing besides getting richer from the gifts bestowed upon him from Pharaoh?  What do you think Lot was doing in the midst of this?  Since we find out later he has a propensity to hang out with the wrong types, did he think he would get rich from them like his uncle did in Egypt?  Who knows, it is a mystery.  Something that our teaching director said yesterday along with some notes written in a Bible I used long ago, is coming to thought in my spirit.  God called Abram, he was to leave his father's family behind and go to a land.  Only Terah and Lot come along for the first part of the journey...Terah means delay in Hebrew and they all settled in Haran, which means parched.  Terah died, and Abram started out but again bringing Lot.  When Abram's and Lot's herdsmen began fighting amongst themselves, Abram suggests separating and he gives Lot first choice of the land.  Lineta said in her teaching time, that Lot was a distraction and by this way the Lord removed that distraction from Abram's life.  So here is what I am thinking... God called, Abram traveled with delay and distraction and settled in a parched place until delay died.  He traveled on and in God's "if I was God, I wouldn't have done it this way" Lot was removed to go about his way and God finally had Abram in the original state He had called him, left with none of his father's family and going to the place God was showing him. 

Well, I had better continue on in my garage sale journey and get everything assembled so when Roy gets home, we can get it all set up.  Happy weekend my friends!

Tuesday Thanksgiving

Be anxious for nothing, but I sit here tonight being anxious for the cooler weather tomorrow, with maybe a little rain thrown in for good measure.  It hasn't been too bad with oppressive heat but when the fall is your favorite season of the year....and you live in Rancho De Five, you know there are few of these days to enjoy.  And to add to this, I don't have anything official scheduled for tomorrow.

We had leadership council this morning.  The study of Genesis is really interesting.  We've had lively discussion.  After our meeting today I met Bev for lunch.  I love the extendomatic birthday, so we were celebrating mine today.  I don't get to see Bev as much as I used to, so today was a gift.  We did our usual five hour lunch....ok, not that long but we could do so easily.  Bev is an artist and I love her work.  Today, she blessed me with one of her beautiful hand made spun wool bowls.  She also knows my addiction to...I mean my love language of journals and gave me a unique one that I fell automatically in love with.  The best though, the very beautiful and Bev made and crafted card.  I will  treasure it and you know I'm not a big user of the word treasure, so you have to know how special it is and most appreciated as I am a lover of cards.

I also want to add an addendum to my post the other day about women's ministry.  The particular book I was reading brought that long ago and nearly forgotten memory to mind.  I don't want to leave the impression that I don't desire God to use me, because I do.  I love facilitating in CBS because I get to know and be involved with my group.  There were some tough roads last year for some of my core group and I counted it a privilege to walk out that journey with them, and I still do.  In that experience long ago I knew that ministry in a church because back then having a ministry on a world wide basis hadn't even been conceived for women, was not the direction God had for me.  I do know one on one in divine appointments or in regular daily life, with the people I do life with, God uses me.  When I was on staff at church there was one time I was thrown into a situation somewhat like the one I wrote about.  I met a young married woman for breakfast on the request of my boss.  It was stuff way over my head and understanding.  I listened, prayed and gave her the women's ministry number because I felt she would get the help and understanding she needed there and asked her if she and her husband would come in and see my boss.  At the time, our women's ministry director was not officing on campus and I always hoped and prayed that the young woman called and got the kind of help she needed.  She and I both knew I wasn't the person to help her.  I don't remember if she and her husband came to see Jason but most probably if they met with him it was off campus.  It was such a long time ago. 

It has taken some time and prayer and thought to finally realize what and where God's purpose for me lays or lies( I can't remember the grammar rule for correct usage.) 

All Over The Place Monday

This has been a rather quiet, relaxing day with the exception of the Nationwide Insurance man who came by to look at Sequisha's bumper boo boo.   That whole run in has not been one of the most pleasant experiences that is for sure.  Once again, even though this man has read the police report and the couple have claimed responsibility, he asked me yet again...now, exactly what happened?  Nothing they have told me on their part has been true so far but several have told me that they make it as difficult as possible hoping you will give up but they don't know Roy and how the tedious energizes and challenges him. 

I have started reading another book this week and I don't know why but the story is making me think about an instance that happened in the long ago and far away.  It was right after college, I was working at Pennzoil and volunteering at the church I attended at that time.  A woman who worked at the church asked me if I would like to have a "ministry" opportunity to help a particular woman who attended our church.  These were the fledgling days of the term, women's ministry.  In my naivety and willingness to be used for God's purposes, I said yes.  The woman and her husband lived in one of the newest and trendiest apartments back then and now going on thirty five years or so have become an apartment that is just another dump in the hood.   I arrived at her door prayed up and ready to go, but nothing prepared me for the oppressive spirit in that apartment and for the deep hurt and sadness that hung in the air because a husband's presence in another room forbid it to be spoken.  So long ago, I don't even remember her name, I remember praying with her and that prayer brought down the ire and hatred from that other room straight into the kitchen table where she and I sat.  It reminded me too much of words from my childhood,  anger and resentment spewing out in contemptuous actions and I was ever so relieved to escape but ever so sorrowful that the woman had to remain.  She had married a man she thought was a Christian but he revealed to her a couple of months after they had married, he had faked the whole Christian thing just to get her, conquer her and take away from her.  That whole thing cured me of any desire for ministry in an official capacity.  Later in early married years, I had the opportunity to do women's ministry but I turned down the majority of those invitations, knowing that this was not a capacity or gift I had.  When I worked part time at First for the Women's Director, I didn't even feel like it was women's ministry in an official capacity except that I made coffee, reserved rooms, made sure there was ice water, and did menial tasks that carried no weight or eternal consequences.  I was just making sure that our Director would be pleased and that complaints from the women in Bible study would be minimal due to anything I had a hand in.   I have not thought about that lady in a long time and it does astound me how instantly a story in a book of fiction can take you back to a harsh reality of long ago and the resolution of a young woman in that long ago reality not to be in that position again...officially and if I could help it, non professionally.  And I wonder if that woman was able to ever be free from that horrible, prison like existence? 

I'm excited!  Just got an email from one of my tennis friends who will be playing out here in Rancho De Five next Monday for league.  After her match, we are going out to lunch.  Cris was my first tennis partner. 

We did make it out into the rain yesterday morning and went to a neighborhood church.  I loved the service but it's not a viable choice for us but we would go back in a minute for those times we over sleep because we'd still be able to make it to an 11:00 service.  We sat with my CBS friend and her family.  The drive home was still rainy but we knew we had delicious leftovers from the night before at home.  Later in the evening we met some friends for dinner at 3 Olives.  Good food and atmosphere and on the way home we stopped and got an iPad for me.  All in all not a bad Sunday. 

Praise be, the heart monitor sending device finally arrived on Friday.  I read through the directions and I am waiting for my tech to check out everything that needs to be done.  Maybe I should watch the DVD that came with the instructions.  When I travel, I'm supposed to pack and take this thing on trips.  Yuck!!!  My incision is starting to heal nicely.  It looked rather raw up until about a week ago. 

I am finishing this post with my iPad.  Yes, I finally joined in with a tablet.  We had bought a new lap top several months ago but I didn't like Windows 8 and the lap top wasn't touch screen.  So here we are.

Happiness on the Prairie

This week I continued to walk in my journal and paper addicted ways.  Oh and add books to that addiction list too.  Thankfully, no pens or pencils were bought this week.  On the way home Wednesday from Brenham and also killing time for Consuela to leave, I stopped at Mimosa Rose.  It is a very cute local shop that carries all kinds of things wonderful.  They were having a 50% off sale on some journals and tablets, not the iPad type.  So, I had to add a few more to my growing collection and if I am not careful I might have to rent a storage unit just to store all my paper products and office supplies.  I will be sitting pretty if there is a shortage of office supplies.  It is also in my will that all these things will go to CourtneyS in the case of my untimely demise.  We share the lurve. 

When Roy and I were in Blowing Rock, we went to a little shop that Dena and I had discovered on our visit.  That little shop is crammed in the most and best way, with jewelry, cards, journals and  little things that one didn't know that one needed.  I came across Sugarboo products in that shop and I fell for all the products displayed.  Fell, but didn't buy them all.  There is a difference. 

I just finished up the second book I've read this week on the Vanderbilts.  That was purely coincidence.  One of the memoirs I picked up at Malapropos in Asheville was next on the stack and I had no idea that the woman writing this was on a long line of Vandy descendants.  Don't think I want to read anything on them for a while.  The stories are just too sad but truthfully even in the high times and being flush with cash, the story is lamentable.  I'm tempted to read Lee Smith's newest, Guests on Earth.  It takes place in Asheville and has a little to do with Zelda Fitzgerald.  Her life and ending is equally lamentable.  Need to read something a little more lively. 

After my haircut yesterday, I met Emily for lunch at Las Alamedas.  We had a great time catching up and I got to give her a few Biltmore goodies.  Before we met I ran into Coldwater Creek for one of their usual ubiquitous sales.  I did find some cute things that were an additional 60% off. 

Emily and David came over for dinner tonight.  Such fun with such wonderful friends.  We did part of the meal and they did part of the meal.  It is a win win, especially since we'll all have leftovers for Sunday lunch or dinner.  We were happy, happy, happy because our teams had won, Texas, Baylor, U of H, and LSU.  There was lots of joy when Emily was here because like she said, no one thought Texas was going to beat OU. 

Sunday evening we are going out with a young couple for dinner.  I met the wife in Community Bible Study and she is really eager to please the Lord and has such a humble spirit.  They asked us to meet them and we are really excited about what the Lord is doing.  Some of our life experiences being used to God's glory.  And the plus, we are meeting them at a restaurant that we've wanted to try. 

Sunday, we are going to a Methodist Church out this way.  One of my friends from CBS attends there and I have loved what she's been posting on FB about her church.   Then Roy saw a friend I used to play softball with and he played racquetball tournaments with, Patty.  Second Baptist was at HEB taking food donations for Katy Christian Ministries. 

Rancho De Five got a little rain yesterday and we are hoping for more rain on Sunday.  Of course we will try not to be those people who stay home if it is raining but since I have talked with my friend about church, there is an accountability to show up. 

A Day in the Country

Wednesday I traveled up the road a piece to Brenham.  Now this is where I love living out west.  The drive is entertaining and I saw several things I would like Roy to come back and take pictures of.  A ride in the country, does the soul good and so does the town square in Bellville because there are some shops that I need to visit.  My goal for the next trip is to make it straight to Mimi's without any mistakes.  This summer Beth and I traversed this way with a couple of wrong turns because Siri isn't really very clear in her directions.  This time I did not miss the turn but foolishly thought there was a feeder road but you have to get back on 290 to make her exit.  Mimi and I had a wonderful day.  We were celebrating her birthday.  We ate lunch at the Funky Art Café and the food is delicious and eclectic.  That's a great combo.  The plus is how cleverly creative the décor and atmosphere is.  After a little discussion, we opted for birthday dessert elsewhere.  So that meant it was time for a little shopping.  Found some items that really needed to come home with me.  We set out to find the Garden Market Café and Bakery.  My friend Cassi had told me about it and we were so glad we stopped.  We had a warm cinnamon roll for dessert.  Ah, yes and it was goooooood!  

 

 

 

The tree in these pictures is over 350 years old.  There for a quick moment my love of climbing trees from my childhood nearly overtook me.  Really, look at the easy access!  But, I didn't want to get stuck in a tree and the fire department have to come and rescue me. 

Very fun day with a very fun friend. 

Attending the Prodigal Church

I keep thinking about the chapel we saw at Montreat College, The Chapel of the Prodigal. 

Really, it would be the type of church you wouldn't have to attend every Sunday because if you did, you wouldn't be the prodigal.  When you come back to the chapel, a large party is thrown to celebrate your return.  Talk about some awesome potlucks!  As I have been thinking this through, I wonder if the older brother and his attitude helped the younger brother become The Prodigal?  Sometimes life with a know it all, judgmental, bitter, jealous, insecure, tit for tat type of person can help fuel the desire to go out and do some riotous living.  But I digress....

 

Why have I been giving this some thought?  No, I am too old and too tired for riotous living and we're not eating pig pods or anything like that.  Heck, I don't even know of a fatted calf in the general area.  But, yesterday something got my attention that surprised me.  Our church is participating with some researchers from Germany  who have commissioned a survey that church attenders and members can answer if feeling so inclined to help with the research.  Yesterday, I saw the link for it and decided to participate.  I couldn't even finish the thing because I was seeing in black and white the new truth of our lives.  As I went through the questions I realized the usual answers I would have given for attendance would be weekly and more than weekly but my answers were more like monthly or occasionally.  No Wednesday nights since health issues have kept me out of choir.  No Bible study attendance during the week because I participate in CBS and honestly nothing offered during the week even interests me remotely to make the drive back in.  We don't use the fitness and recreation center, haven't gone on a mission trip in a while and pretty much shut down attending events.  As I continued to answer the survey the thought in the back of my mind was, I am still recovering from being on staff and having to be at the church at least six days a week, but that excuse isn't even valid anymore.  In January it will be six years since I left my position due to health reasons.  Slowly but surely this year we've even stopped attending Life Bible Study which is just a culturally and relevant name for Sunday School.  Oh it's biblical too.   And it has been easier than I thought to become 'those people' who only come to a church service.  No one has called or checked up on us and I am not saying that because that's what I want, phone calls or a personal touch, no way.  It's easier to miss cause no one is calling making us feel somewhat guilty about our choice to stay home.  I kept on answering the survey and realized we had also become every other week church attenders.  Dang, we have just missed a whole month of Sundays.  Yet, my walk with the Lord seems stronger than ever.  I've never had clearer vision on what God has equipped me to do.  I'm loving the freedom of not having to look over my shoulder to see if I have invariably hurt someone's feelings or made someone mad in the lack of or in ministry choices. 

 

 

That is when I stopped taking the survey.  I didn't stop because the facts on the screen were so overwhelmingly truthful, that I vowed right then and there to get back at church, find something to do that fits in my giftings and re-right the ship.  No, it made me even more aware that we might just need to find a neighborhood church to be active and involved again.  Roy has had that mindset for quite some time but I have been resisting that whole idea.  We had fun visiting different churches this summer and maybe we need to extend that habit.  Although, it felt good to be at our for right now home church to see friends and catch up in between visiting.  Thankfully, some of our closest friends from church live nearby so we wouldn't have to give up seeing them.  Truthfully, we haven't heard a lot of people say, come visit, we love our church out here.  We've researched and haven't found what we might be looking for.  Some churches are too out there for us oldies and there are some churches that are still doing church like the 60's.  No, not for us.  We have thought all along we would not make a hasty decision and just be like Abraham, let God lead us and go to a place we don't know.    It would be great if our church had a Katy campus.  This area is growing like wildfire because of the energy corridor.  On the Rancho De Five website, they've announced that Second is adding another campus farther west than the west campus they have right now and that would be located just down the street from us.  It might be worth waiting for.  The other obvious choice would be to go to BCF and believe me, that has been a consideration, but once again, it is not our neighborhood church and that is what Roy would really like to do, go to a neighborhood church.  Maybe BCF will have a Katy campus soon.  Or maybe I can hope the Presbyterians open up a Chapel of the Prodigal out here in the Rancho area. 

 

 



A Little Catch Up

I wrote about Roy's water shoes a few posts back, but I didn't tell the story of my shoes.  When we were at the Mast General Store in Asheville, I found a cute pair of shoes that would be perfect to wear with jeans once open toe season is over.  It is a fact that open toe season is year round here but you get the jest of what I am writing.  They only had the shoes in my size for the color that while so cute, weren't very practical color wise.  Last Sunday as I was deleting emails, I saw Rue La La featuring Keen shoes and they had both pairs of shoes that I had admired, in my size and for half the price.  All of the sudden the practical and impractical could be had for the price of one pair in Asheville.  How beautiful are the feet of them that bring good news and my feet will be cute. 

Also, I forgot to tell you about Edward.  Several years ago Dena and I met Edward in the Biltmore dinning room at breakfast.  In the center of the room were several snobby types, all ladies, and he was trying to do what they had requested to their satisfaction.  Believe me, I don't think anyone could satisfy these ladies demands.  We caught his eye and gave him that 'I can't believe these people look.'  He had also seen us praying that morning before our meal.  We saw him every morning at breakfast that week.  Through the years we look for Edward whether I am with Roy or with Dena.  He has been promoted so he is not always out on the floor.  The first Monday of our trip, we just happened to be seated at a table that were getting their food off the menu and here came Edward.  He was serving them and he looked up and saw me smiling at him.  Man, he started smiling back and mouthing, I will be over there in a minute.  It was perfect!  Love how that little divine appointment got to work out. 

Our first brunch day of the new study year was yesterday in leadership council and it was quite delicious.  Our discussion of Genesis 10 and 11 was good too.  I was telling Dena about it and in her own personal reading and studying, the end of chapter 11 jumped out at her too.  One of the transformational thoughts in the homework added besides who is your Terah that is causing you to settle and am I someone else's Terah and I am causing them to settle.  In all the years of reading about Abram, I don't think I ever picked up on the Terah/Haran calling and settling. 

As soon as brunch was over I headed home to wait for the plumbers.  The hot water was rather tepid and we thought maybe the hot water heater was going out.  Although, it seemed a little early for that kind of thing to happen.  Just the pilot light had gone out and these nice gentlemen did not even charge me for coming out and lighting it once again. 

Today, I am going out to Brenham to visit Mimi and take her out for her birthday.  Looks to be a beautiful day.  So thankful that Chris comes today.  We had to skip a rotation of cleaning when we went to Asheville. 

What's Holding You Back?

Roy has just informed me that San Francisco's offense is on the field....Matt Schaub.  Pick Six, the best way to start a game.

We were those people this morning.  Up early, dressed, ready for church and the rain came down and we stayed home.  You can thank us for the rain because we took Sequisha to be detailed and cleaned Saturday afternoon.  I think I also have PTSD from all the rain driving I had to do on our trip.  I did take the morning time and read through our Genesis homework and scripture.  Genesis keeps coming alive to my heart and spirit.  I think the end of Chapter 11 with these words have gotten me to ponder and think on these things, "One day Terah took his son Abram, his daughter in law Sarai and his grandson Lot and moved away from Ur of the Chaldeans.  He was headed for the land of Canaan, but they stopped at Haran and settled there.  Terah lived for 205 years and died while still in Haran."  Terah means delay in Hebrew and Haran means parched.  Haran is also the place where caravans left for Canaan, leaving the Euphrates to strike across the desert.  We find out later that the Lord told Abram to leave his family and go to the land which I am about to show you.  But, there is Terah and Lot in Haran at the launching point to going to Canaan but there is that dang desert.  Oops, Abram...  Joshua 24:2 lets us know that Terah was sometimes an idol worshipper and he wasn't true to following the Lord God Almighty.   How many times have I heard in my spirit what to do or where to go and I am dragging my Terah or delay along with me?  Delayed in a Haran parched place looking at the desert that has to be crossed to get where I am supposed to go.  Abram didn't start for Canaan until after Terah died and Abram still took Lot when he left...  Lot's of trouble. Sorry, I'm not fully awake.  Wayne Styles has a great devotion on this subject today.  Not so much on Abram but on letting the little things keep you from what you need to do.  I don't know if Terah was a little thing to Abram or not but it seems like he kept them from moving on.  Was it the desert?  Was it too far?  Did they not have enough provision?  Was it the fear of the unknown and Haran or being parched was a known?  This morning, yes I started this last night, I am looking and praying about those little things that I have allowed to hold me back.  In what parched place have I settled?

Yesterday afternoon we decided to trim back the Mexican Heather, trim the hedge and pull out some flowers around one of the trees.  I got to work and it wasn't ten minutes and I thought it might be a trip to the ER for me.  I have come a long way and doing better all the time, but it might have been a tad warm for me to get into this kind of work.  Roy sent me in the house and I collapsed on the couch and fell asleep for over two hours.  He told me later, I didn't want to disturb you because you were either dead or asleep.  I didn't want to wake you in case you were alive.  Later at evening, I did help him pull weeds from the back flowerbed and clean out the bird bath. 

This week I have had a couple of heart episodes but I know what triggered them, stress about a situation and heat from the great out of doors.  And guess what are the two main triggers for a rapid, out of rhythm heartbeat is for me?  Stress and heat.  Go figure....

I finished one of the books I bought at Malapropos Bookstore in Asheville, Fortune's Children.  It is the story of the generations of the Vanderbilt's beginning with the Commodore and ending with the last Mrs. Vanderbilt who lived in the Gilded Age and died in the 1960's.  No, this book isn't available at any of the Biltmore gift shops.   It is an interesting and heartbreaking read.  Most of the Vanderbilt men didn't live past their 50's and only a few lived into their 60's.  The women fared better in life span but not always with a fortune.  The story is how the vast fortune of being the richest family in America slowly came apart leaving quite a few bankrupt and penniless Vanderbilt's in their old age.  Only two families one of them being George V's(he built Biltmore) and a sister had sustainable income from their properties.  Their farms made the upkeep of the property self sustaining.   Being social outcasts from high society and the work and vast sums of money that Alva Vanderbilt put toward challenging and finally being accepted by Mrs. Astor is phenomenal.  Lots of disinheriting, laziness, workaholics, lack of visionary's in later generations, and plain old wastefulness was the undoing in about three generations.  In between these stories are a few tidbits of gossip.  The book was published in 1989 and reissued in 2002 and it is written by a Vanderbilt. 

Well, the easing into the day portion is now coming to a close.  There are things that need to be done around here and a couple of errands that need to be run. 

Quiet Saturday Thoughts

It is a quiet morning out here on the prairie.  We are waiting for those cooler temps to arrive.  It has been fall for over a month in the house and it would be so appreciated by many for it to look like fall outside.  Roy was up early going to Bible study and then taking Sequisha in for a little check up.  Not only does Sequisha have a boo boo on her bumper, her battery was running low.  Ugh!  You kind of know how long a battery will last and she was coming up to that time.  I noticed the other day she didn't start up like normal.  When Roy looked at her Thursday night, the engine would not turn over but he assured me on Friday when he got home, the engine would start.  And it did.  He drove over to Christian Brothers Auto and they changed out the battery.  This morning he wants Toyota to check out the electrical system to make sure it was only the battery and not the alternator.  And Roy just called and Sequisha is in good shape. 

Since I wasn't able to get to Target Thursday afternoon, I tagged along with Dena Thursday night.  Of course one needs fortification for Target shopping so we started off with some Mexican food.  Then we split up to do our shopping and we both were finished at the same time.  I picked up some pictures I had printed off my iPhone using the app Kick Send.  The quality is good.  We rarely have pictures made anymore but I needed some for our family prayer guide for Community Bible Study.  We use the pictures, label them and then add on the back what we need prayer for.  We will trade them like baseball cards in leadership.  I think that is a pretty neat idea.  Don't be surprised if Buddy shows up in the pictures.  I am going to work on that today so it will be ready for Tuesday's meeting.  Got my fancy scrapbook paper and tape ready to doll this thing up. 

Looking back on last week, I think we have found the right amount of time to stay at the Biltmore.  There are so many little towns and sights around the Asheville area that we haven't even began to explore.  On Saturday, we left a little before 8:00 am hoping to get close to I 10 and  spending the night.  We did something we have never done before, drove straight through.  Getting back that hour in Alabama helps.  We got home at 11:45 pm.  It was hard to drive those last hundred miles but it was worth it to sleep in our own bed.  I am so glad we traveled last week and not this week.  Battery and now tropical storm Karen.  The rain would be worse than what we went through.

On Sunday we started unpacking but also getting things ready for Mary Madeline's stay with us.  I had done a lot of it before we left.  Roy and I grabbed some much needed Tex Mex for lunch and he ran to the grocery store afterwards while I continued doing laundry. 

Mary Madeline got here around 5:00.  She was a sight for sore eyes.  We have been friends for forty years and she has had a tremendous influence on my life.  I think everyone who knows Mary Madeline would say that.  Later in the evening Dena came over so that they could meet one another.  I love when friends meet friends.  It's so fun!  They both have a heart for studying the Bible chronologically so I have wanted them to meet for several years. We had a great evening of laughs and conversation that sometimes Roy felt brave enough to join in but would retreat to his study when he had enough girl talk.  Mary Madeline and I stayed up late and talked and our conversation picked up right where it left off on Monday morning.  We eased into the day.  Later in the afternoon I took her to the airport so she could return home to her family who missed her mightily. 

Driving home from the airport the joy of having life long friends just about took me over.  The joy of having long time friends nearly overwhelmed me and by overwhelmed, I mean it in the good way.  I am so thankful for the good friends that the Lord has knitted my heart with and I love how fun and easy it is to make friends in Community Bible Study.  You really never know where and when you'll find a friend. 

The West Side (of the Estate) Story

Since I still have balance problems, I've not gone on any of the Segway tours with Roy to the other side of the acreage on the Biltmore Estate .  I enjoyed Roy's pictures and thought that was that.  Friday morning we both found out about the tour on the west side of the estate, me in the shuttle to the house and Roy rolling on the river.  There were openings for the tour at 3:30.  We have heard this guide that did the west side tour before on the legacy of the land tour.  He is well informed and quite interesting.  These are some of Roy's pictures from the tour.  Most of the vineyards, sheep and cattle are over there.  They are experimenting with producing canola oil to use as bio-diesel fuel and the fields and the huge storage tanks for that are over there as well.  

 

 

 

 

It is harvest time and they have been a little short handed, so they've teasingly have offered the tour groups a chance of hands on experience. 

 

This is the guard donkey for the sheep.  Donkey's make great protectors of sheep and chickens.  Their kicks can injure coyotes and foxes.  The donkey's braying sounds the alarm that there is trouble.  Hey, the donkey is kind of like Lassie.  It is so interesting to watch the interaction between the sheep and donkey.  Another donkey cannot be put in there with them because the donkeys together will ignore the sheep or chickens they are supposed to be watching over.

 

 

The sheep on the Biltmore Estate do not need to be sheared.  This is a cost productive move for sheep that are raised more for meat than for sweaters. 

 

 

From this vantage point on the other side you can get a nice view and photo op of the Biltmore House.  Love how Roy got the cow into the action.

 

 

 

Yes, another donkey sheep picture.

 

 

Very old barn from one of the original 8 farms on the land.  They are in the process of restoring the barn.

This home is from the 1800's and the wine master lives there.  They have updated it to the 21st century though. 

 

 

This view almost makes you think you are in Europe.

 

 

 

These geese have stopped migrating and now stay here year round.  These geese know a good thing when they see it. 

 

This is an apple picked on a nearby farm and grapes that Roy found on the ground in the vineyard.  He's no fool...if he picked from the vine, they would have forced him into grape harvesting labor. 

Didn't Get a Billy Greet While We Explored Montreat

 Thursday morning was overcast and the skies hinted at rain.  It is a difficult thing to decide if the rain is going to be just in the mountains or affect those of down in the valley, valley so low...  We decided to take a chance and first go to the information center on the Blue Ridge Highway since it is so close to Asheville.  The weather held while we toured the center and saw how the highway was built and then of course topped off the educational opportunity with some information center shopping.  We left there and went about five minutes down the highway to the Highlands Folk Art Center.  Wow!  It was so interesting and creative.  The upstairs was the gallery of beautiful artesian paintings, pottery, wood and husk dolls indigenous to the area and all kinds of other things.  The downstairs had a huge store where one of a kind items were being sold.  OK, not everything was one of a kind, but you know what I mean.  We found several items that needed to come home with us including a beautifully hand cut and crafted train.  Roy loves him some tractors and some trains, so we got it for his study.  I even found a beautiful drawing of sheep. 

Since the skies were just overcast we headed on down the Interstate a bit to Black Mountain.  It is such a cute little town with an absolutely delightful downtown.  Roy took a lot of pictures, but I will spare you.  While he took pictures, I looked around several antique shops.  We had seen an old time hardware store on Main Street, so we headed that way and were so happy we did.  It had other things besides hardware.   Lots of retro games along side digital ones. 

 A garden walkway to another part of downtown.

 

 

 

Roy loved the glass bottle soda water display.  This is one of several shelves.  Lots of old time board games too. 

 

 

After we spent time looking around in Black Mountain we headed toward Montreat.  I so wish I could find Dottie Laas and tell her I finally got to Montreat and they didn't kick me out because I am Baptist.  It is a Presbyterian retreat center and Billy Graham's home.  Word must have gotten out that we were there because he came and greeted us by the Coke Machine...uh...no, that didn't happen.  Well, the Diet Coke thing happened but not the Billy Graham thing.  A side note, Roy has discovered CheerWine.  No he didn't go all alcoholicie or anything, but it is made in North Carolina.  Kind of like how Dr Pepper used to be in Texas.   Back to Montreat, it is beautiful!  The stone buildings, the beautiful southern styled homes and the beginnings of fall colors on the foliage.   

 

 

 

 

This is the entrance.  Beautiful stonework. 

 

I am so glad I didn't see Roy doing this, but he leaned over the falls to take this picture. 

 

 

 

 

I believe I have found my new church home...Church of the Prodigal.  Although sometimes in the big picture prodigals can become the older brother.  I still stand by my reasoning that I would identify more with the fatted calf.  Hmmm....I wonder if Sunday after church they serve fatted calf along with some fatted fried chicken, fatted green beans and fatted biscuits?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time on the road, off the estate.  Since we had just kind of snacked for lunch, we came back to the Inn and had dinner on the Veranda.  That's fancy talk for porch.  The sun was just starting to hide behind the mountains as we sat in the rocking chairs and ate dinner.  Truly one of my favorite places to eat at the Inn. 

The time was drawing closer to our last day....we kept it kind of open like we had on Monday with the exception that instead of doing the Segway like he did on Monday, he did the river rafting on the French Broad River on Friday.  I rafted on the shuttle over to the house where I did some last minute shopping.  I am enamored with the whole loose tea thing, so I got a cute pink and white teapot.  All the Vanderbilt brands were a little too pricey for my liking.  Then I got some sugar cube tongs, little tiny spoons and tea infusers that sit on top of the cup. 

After Roy's rafting trip, we decided to go on the tour of the west side of the estate in the afternoon.  I am so happy that we had done most of our packing, condensing of bags and repacking Thursday night. 

For the Beauty of the Earth

 

 

For the beauty of the earth,

for the beauty of the skies,

for the love which from our birth

over and around us lies,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our grateful hymn of praise.

 

 

For the beauty of each hour

of the day and of the night,

hill and vale, and tree and flower,

sun and moon, and stars of light, Lord of all…

 

 

 

 

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our grateful hymn of praise.

 

For the joy of human love,

brother, sister, parent, child,

friends on earth, and friends above,

Pleasures pure and undefiled, Lord of all…

Lord of all, to thee we raise

this our grateful hymn of praise.

Rainy Days and Wednesday, I Get Around

This trip had the element of rain or the threat of rain throughout the week.  On Friday and Saturday's drives, we hit a lot of hard, can hardly see in front of you type rain.  On Friday we stopped in at LSU in Baton Rouge.  Roy is an alumni and hadn't visited the campus since 1983 or so.  Siri was giving us wrong directions once we were on campus, but all the ways around the campus came back to Roy.  We stopped at Tiger Stadium, better known as Death Valley and walked a little through the campus.  It was a busy football weekend with Auburn being the weekend's opponents.  We found the bookstore and as we perused all things Tiger related, the heavens opened with a brief but heavy downpour.  By the time we had purchased a few things, the rain had stopped and we were able to walk back to the car and then head out to Brook Haven, MS.  It rained practically the whole time on that portion of the trip and we were so happy to be able to stop.  We were so worn out by the stress of LSU traffic and parking and heavy rain that we opted to eat dinner in our room.  Roy walked to the nearby Krystal's hamburger place.  I had a salad and chili and it wasn't too bad.  It rained all night and it was still raining on Saturday morning.  We were encouraged that the rain had lightened up and hoped for an uneventful drive to Chattanooga with a stop at Dreamland in Birmingham.  No, the rain was moving ahead of us and by the time we were at Jackson, the drive was intense and focused.  Trucks should have bigger lights on the back and silver trucks blend in with the gray rain.  By the time we stopped at Chicky for a bathroom break and ice tea in Meridian, the rain had lightened up a tad but we were not out of the rain until we drew close to Birmingham.  Our stop at Dreamland was just that, dreamy.  No, it was all ribs and sauce, with a few new t-shirts added to the collection.  Oh and banana pudding.  The waiter that had served Dena and me in May was our waiter again.  Dena and I didn't know his name but we called him sunshine.  After the rush because it was all things UAB football and Crimson Tide, Sunshine came to our booth and asked if I had been there several months ago with a friend...yes.  His name is Robert and we had a delightful conversation.  Before leaving we not only loaded up on cute t-shirts but we loaded up on BBQ sauce.  The drive to Chattanooga was uneventful but we arrived a little later than we had hoped for.  I was kind of feeling guilty because I wasn't going to call our niece who goes to UT-Chattanooga.  Turned out that she was with her mom and they were visiting our niece who goes to Rhoades College in Memphis.  It was reenactment weekend in Chattanooga.  We had a southern bell and a union solider boy eating breakfast by us on Sunday morning.  As we began on the back roads of Tennessee and North Carolina, the sun broke through the clouds.  Roy and I were able to participate in a beautiful church atmosphere right there in Sequisha.  We stopped in Waynesville and then headed for some Mexican food in Asheville before going to check in at the Biltmore.  It seems ironic that after the traffic and chaos at LSU and the torrential blinding storms that we would be rear-ended as we checked in at the entrance of the peaceful estate.  If you are staying at the Inn you stop for the card that you place in your windshield for the duration of your stay.  As I was following the directions of the gate keeper, I heard a horrible, horrible noise.  I looked at the panicked expression on his face and said, did I run over one of the cones?  No, a car had just turned into our back bumper.  Roy was in his element, getting info and taking pictures of the cars.  The couple that hit us were very nice but when the man  driving who only has vision in one eye said he didn't see us....I had to stifle a giggle.  At first his wife kind of had an attitude but when she realized they were fully at fault and all the gatehouse people were stating the obvious of what happened, she relented and became very pleasant to talk with.  The Biltmore Estate police had to come and investigate the accident.  He did us a huge favor and wrote up the report and took statements from us.  So glad that no one was hurt, just surprised.  I hoped that this wasn't a foretelling of the week ahead and it wasn't.  Roy and I checked in at the Inn and we had a lovely view overlooking the terrace and the Biltmore House in the distance. 

Wednesday was our next rain filled day.  We eased into the day with breakfast and then reading in the library.  Since it wasn't too heavy of a rain, we felt good about venturing to downtown Asheville.  There is an indie bookstore there that I love, not as much as Square Books in Oxford, but I totally enjoy browsing through.  Roy was smart because he got a cup of coffee and sat in the coffee bar while I spent a lot of time going through the rows of books.  I love buying regional authors on trips and I had a huge selection both in fiction and non fiction.  Let's just say that by the end of our time there, we walked out with two shopping bags full of books.  All of them were mine with the exception of one book Roy found.   We went to Mast General Store in Asheville since it is located downtown and then headed back to the Inn.  It was beginning to dry out but it didn't matter because we had a reservation for high tea at 4:00.  Believe me, it is only the rain and Roy's love for me that got him to be a somewhat willing participant.  He kept saying these are great appetizers and I didn't have the heart to tell him then that this was it.  I think he was very happy with the location of our table...in the corner.  We sat near the pianist who on cue, just as I was going to ask him if he could play the Rachmaninoff music used in the movie Somewhere in Time, he began playing it.  Loved that all his sheet music was on his iPad. 

The forecast for Thursday had been for partly cloudy skies but throughout the day on Wednesday the rain chances began increasing.  Fortunately those showers never developed and we were able to get back out in the countryside on Thursday.  More about that later. 

A Pleasant Tuesday on Vacay

Part of the fun of our trip was Roy's choices with the Biltmore's Outdoor Center.  He did the Segway on the west side of the estate, river rafted the French Broad River and we both went on the shuttle tour of the west side.  Since he hadn't planned on the river rafting trip we had to find some water shoes or some cheap tennis shoes for him.  This sounds like it would be a rather easy thing, but Roy wears a size 14 in sporting shoes and he has a narrow foot.  I wasn't exactly excited about the hunt.  I Googled to see if there was an Academy store nearby...no.  There was a Dick's Sporting Goods and several sure to be expensive outdoor recreation stores. 

On Tuesday we left the estate and went to Linville Falls.  When Dena and I were there in May, I barely could get across the bridge and just a little way up the trail.  Last week I hiked with Roy to the Falls but realized that I shouldn't probably try to go to the overlook with him.  I was content to sit on a rock and do some people watching.  I was a little ashamed that 70 and 80 year olds were passing us at breakneck speed on the trail and they jumped and maneuvered the descent to the overlook like it was a short line at Luby's.  It was a God thing that Roy picked up the wrong back pack when we left the Inn.  Instead of having his camera and lenses, he had his Kindle and lap top.  So iPhone pics had to suffice thus ending our visit to Linville Falls rather quickly....well quicker than if he had his camera.  As we came back across the bridge over the stream, there was an elderly lady in a wheel chair with drawing pad and pencils in hand sitting there on the bridge.  She looked to have a careful eye for detail as she studied the trees with their branches bending down toward the water.  Was she taking in all the water covered rocks with brilliant sunlight making them reflect such a beautiful array of colors?  I could hardly wait to walk by and sneak a peek at her artwork.  As we walked by trying not to disturb her concentration, I had the biggest let down, sort of like the Texan football game last weekend.  She was drawing stick figures and straight lines.  Dang, she's as good of an artist as I am.  Stick figures are my specialty. 

We drove a short ways on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Blowing Rock.  My prayer is always Lord, please help me find a parking place where I don't have to parallel park Sequisha.  The Lord answered my prayer.  Roy and I ate lunch at the same place Dena and I had found only Roy thought it was more like ladies lunch.  I could see why he thought that because it must have been southern ladies who lunch day at the outdoor bistro.  Make that older, refined, southern senior citizens women.  There were tables of southern gentlewomen in counts of 6 or 7 and there was a smattering of twosomes.  The accents were flying high that afternoon.  These women were dressed in their best designer named clothes.  Perfect coifs and manicures.  Etiquette and good manners coming out the yahzoo.   From the top of their heads to the tips of their comfort shoes....yes comfort shoes...with socks...complementing their Chanel, Ralph Lauren (the equestrian look was well represented) and Michael Kors clothing.  SAS shoes, Keen, Merrill and Clark seemed to be the shoes of choice.  I didn't feel one bit left out or under dressed in my black cargo capris, LSU t-shirt and tennis shoes. 

We looked around in a few shops.  The best one is the one that Dena and I loved.  I helped the local economy.  At a produce stand, I saw scuppernong grapes.  There is a reference to The Bad Seed right there. 

After Blowing Rock, we drove up to Boone.  We are returning to Boone on our next trip.  There were so many cute shops in the downtown area.  We had come to Boone for two reasons; Roy wanted to see Appalachian State (they beat Michigan a few years ago) and to go to Mast General store to look for water shoes.  The only parking we could find had a thirty minute limit, so we would have to be quick.  We went upstairs to look at shoes, Roy went off to the right but I made a bee line straight ahead to find a pair of size 14 water shoes marked down 75%.  He tried them on, they would do and we were out the door with time to spare.  It was a divine shopping appointment!  We were praising God for the shoes and for the fact we wouldn't have to give a lot of precious vacation time searching for shoes. 

There was a lot of road closures and construction in Blowing Rock, so we looked for another route to head back to Asheville.  Word to the wise, if you see the route and the sign says Scenic North Carolina, turn around.  Take your chances with backed up traffic.  Oh scenic highway, started out so nice, just a few curves in the road but quickly it became blind switchback curves and lots of 20mph driving, on a narrow road with big trucks coming at you.  At times I would glimpse at the beauty but if we were going to arrive alive at the Inn, I pretty much kept my eyes on the road.  I was a little nervous because I did not want to be on that road at dusk.  We finally came to the main highway we needed and slightly curving roads were a welcomed sight. 

This last part of the day was disturbing and rather strange.  On our way we had seen a Dairy Queen  and on our return, we decided to stop and get some ice cream.  The Dairy Queen was attached to a Stuckey's.  First things first, we went to the bathroom.  As we went toward the DQ it felt like a huge step back in time.  It has been eons since being in a Stuckey's and I saw the pecan logs and all the other souvenirs that are usually found in a Stuckey's.  But along with the Stuckey staples were so many politically incorrect items, Aunt Jemima salt and pepper shakers, plates.  You could buy various sizes of Confederate flags.  I think I saw some white sheets for sale as well....no not really but it wouldn't have surprised me.  The people working there were downright scary and would rather cut you than serve you.  We took our ice cream and headed out the door quickly only to be greeted by two rough looking rednecks.  They were beside their Dixie truck with a hot mama sitting in the front seat.  Soon a couple of other trucks pulled up and we didn't waste any time getting out of there.  I don't know if Stuckey's was around in the 30's, 40's and 50's but it certainly did feel like we had stepped into a time warp.  A not good time warp. 

So, that was our Tuesday.  Lots of fun, lots of shopping with a little bit of scared and unbelief thrown in. 

Returning Again and Again

I'm asked all the time why we return again and again to the Inn on the Biltmore Estate.  For years we teased my parents because they went to Branson twice a year and went to the same shows they had seen before and maybe just maybe if they were feeling a bit adventurous they would add an additional show.  If they liked it, the show was added to their rotation.  We go to Biltmore but rarely do the same thing twice except for maybe enjoying the stay and marveling at the pastoral beauty of manicured fields and being surprised each morning by the fog or mist and even perhaps a clear view.  We searched for black bear sightings because this fall the bear have been out and more visible.  We did see deer, wild turkeys, the fattest squirrels ever, geese that don't leave the estate because they've found a good thing and chipmunks.   The sheep herd had a few new little lambs and the cows, well, they were just cows. 

This particular stay has quickly become one of my favorites.  The end of September isn't a busy time, so there isn't a sense of rushing.  This trip had an additional element of me actually feeling good.  It has been quite some time that I was able to participate and thoroughly enjoy walks both on the estate and on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Since the temperatures overnight had dropped into the  50's, most mornings one of the big fireplaces in the library would be lit and the comfy couch and chairs beckoned.   On Tuesday, after breakfast, Roy and I sat in front of the fire and read.  I had brought several books but I was trying to finish up Heartbreak Café, so it was my choice of the morning.  The story takes place in Mississippi, but the main character needs to have some time away and as she sets out of town, she decides Asheville will be her destination.  So, on Tuesday I began to read the part I just wrote about.  Timing is everything and it meant so much to read about her thoughts concerning the Blue Ridge Mountains and the breath taking scenery.  The author voiced what I have been unable to put into words when asked why we return year after year when there is so many other places to see. 

"People talk about the majesty of the Rockies, but there's no beauty on earth like the Blue Ridge.  The Rockies are young mountains, high and hard and angular and bare.  These are soft with age, dusted with snow like powdered sugar and wreathed into mist.  Trustworthy mountains, un changed and unchangeable.  Blue and purple and dark green and gray, folded together in layers.  I could feel their steadiness, a comfort like old flannel, as if they were embracing me, drawing me in and welcoming me home. 

I knew better, at least in my mind....The thought gave me no pleasure.  So for now, for just a little while, I'd let the mountains enclose me, let myself pretend I belonged.  Pretend I was coming home."

The atmosphere encourages slowing down, noticing life and taking a deep breath.  It seems that almost everyone employed by the estate is content and happy doing their job.  Their responses to often asked questions that they are probably asked ten times a day, are gracious, respectful and a hint of freshness, like they had never answered that question before.  The bonus is learning how the estate is primed to be self-sustaining or getting to go to the west side or hearing in the behind the scenes tours those tid bits that inform and entertain.  Many of the guides were not natives of North Carolina, but had visited many times on vacation and when they retired, they headed to Asheville to enjoy the beauty and to be employed by the estate. 

At home more often than not arising early is not a joyful experience but there, we woke up and headed right into the day.  There was so much we wanted to see and do.  Wednesday was the only rainy day and it afforded the opportunity to go downtown to Malapropos, an independent bookstore and to Mast General Store.  I would be embarrassed to tell you how many new books came home with me and how many new t-shirts have been added to my collection. 

So, we returned home refreshed and rested.  We are contemplating a return Christmas visit but after this week, we might have been ruined to go in any of the busy seasons.