Author: Flower Roberts

Accommodating Fear Again

| Flower Roberts

I write about FEAR because it has been and will continue to be a part of my life. My family and I have experienced an inordinate amount of uncertainty and emergencies. The fear is always here, but we do not cower and stop because of it. We do not give it power.

Our family members have learned to pack fear in a bag with the needed supplies and get on with our lives. If you have read our book or blog, Seizure Mama and Rose, you know exactly what I mean. Fear is the uninvited guest at each event and the elephant in every room.

I have my own new fears now that I am being brave with my two new hips. The presence of fear requires the presence of bravery. My new fear is that old-lady worry of “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” Only my version does not occur in my kitchen. I fear falling on a mountain trail by myself. Please do not bother to”muther me” by telling me not to go. Keep your fear for someone who needs it, I have plenty.

I have been using a trekking pole at Evergreen Island. The trail is flat and open. I love walking there, but I need more nature than that.

I have a new gadget to try on the trails. I will share how it performs in the coming weeks. I was lying in bed inventing this and decided to google search.for a walking stick with a seat. Someone beat me to this invention. I love that its name is ‘Ta-Da’ because that’s what I yell when I do hard things or fall down and get up.

TA-DA hanging on its handy hanger.

So this is my new weapon against fear of falling in the forest. I can use the seat to sit on when my hips hurt, also. This accomodation lets me continue to do what I love by removing the fear barrier. Sometimes it is better to accommodate fear than fight it.

Sit with handle forward. No leaning. Very sturdy.

FLOW

Lovin’ a Lichen

| Flower Roberts

I have always had a fondness for fungi. Lichens are a mix of fungi and algae that  grow on rocks and trees.

My favorite forms of these little hybrid beings are the fruticose kind. These are shrubby and sometimes pendulent.

Fruticose lichen


This beauty was on a fallen stick beside a trail I hiked this afternoon.

Flat foliose form on the right of fruticose.

I love how its growth cascades off the former branch it was growing on.

May be Usnea strigosa lichen?  You tell me.

Lovely color and form!
I am lovin’ this little lichen!

FLOW

Thinking Pink

| Flower Roberts

My mama’s birthday is next week. She would have been 94 years old. Her favorite color was pink, so I am in the habit of looking for pink gifts in January.

Pink shimmer snowflake.

I was stopped in my tracks by this lovely pink snowflake in front of a shop named The Funky Tulip. 

Charming

It is a great day for swinging in a pink swing. It is almost 60° on the mountain!

Lured to the window by sparkling pink.

I was drawn closer by the display pink decorations in the window.

Of course I had no choice but to pop inside. Pink and sparkle together gets my undivided attention.

Sweet box

I found more pink furniture and items inside.

Pink!!!

If you love pink, this is your kind of place. There were other colors too but I ignored them.

Dreamy dress. If I were thin!


I will keep thinking pink this month as I remember my mama.

Flower

Evergreen Island Alone

| Flower Roberts

I made myself go to one of my favorite places today.

Going there used to be a reward for getting my chores done.

But today I went with my clothes still in the dryer and unfolded towels in a basket.

I had not swept the floors either.

Why the switch from going as a reward to being forced to go?

FEAR

That foe is still here.

So I went to Evergreen Island to prove that I could.

Alone

Unsure but determined

Who will make me go if I don’t?

I heard the fear voice whispering…

later, tomorrow, when you have time, when there is no pain, when your new stick gets here…

I heard that whispering all afternoon until I wanted to scream.

I grabbed my trek pole, camera and keys and marched myself to the car.

If I fall, I fall.

If it hurts, it hurts.

Fear has kept me from Evergreen Island for many months.

But I got there today!

Do not listen to that whispering voice.

Ignore that fear!

Listen to your heart.

FLOW

The Wolf Moon and the Spirit Orb

| Flower Roberts

Coyotes howled in the valley as I took these photos. A green spirit orb appeared.


This has happened before, the night of my daughter’s college graduation.
Believe what you wish.

FLOW

Wolf Moon and Green Spirit Orb

New Color for the New Year

| Flower Roberts

The pair of Storytellers’ Chairs have returned to the mountain fully restored and ready for more. I have been busy saving the stories as well. Legacy isn’t just about  things.

In the 1960’s the chairs were a plush green. They sat in my grandparents’ livingroom overlooking Hibriten Mountain. My maternal grandfather was the main storyteller.

Grannypaw in green

In the 1980’s the chairs were covered in a rosy velvet. They were in my parents’ home in Charlotte.

Daddy in rosy Hong Kong

Now, they are a lovely blue and sitting in the family room of my parents’ dreamhouse in the mountains of North Carolina.

New blue and the Zebra, too.

You may recognize the Zebra table nearby.
Having these important family heirlooms restored and placed here makes me feel like more time circles have been completed.


I have fond memories of times with the former owners of these chairs. I miss my precious relatives who are no longer living. I especially miss my mama, Dottie Ann/ Kiki and her younger brother Uncle Jim both of whom we lost in 2025.

Uncle Jim and Dottie Ann/ Kiki/ Mama

These family pieces being restored and ready for more years with our family brings me both peace and joy.

Many thanks to Blue Ridge Upholstery in Vilas, North Carolina for doing such an excellent job for us.

Good as new in blue

READY FOR 2026!


FLOW

Lights in the Darkness

| Flower Roberts

I appreciate holiday lights when the nights are looooooong.

Sleigh and horse

I love these because they are beside a lake which reflects the colors.

Stagecoach and horses


This resort’s lake has ducks and swans that call it home. I was glad to catch a duck in a photo.

Sleigh, reindeer and a duck

We saw both the real swans silently swimming this afternoon.

Blurry Swans


It is important to focus on lights in darkness. Just as it is crucial to look for hope during periods of sadness.

Soldier guarding the gate


Look for the light!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

FLOW in the glow

The Gift of Support

| Flower Roberts

Sometimes we must make decisions that our people do not understand. The need inside is so strong that the pulls from outside must be ignored.
That is where I have been for the past year and a half. I know I belong on the mountain, despite the challenges.

My family gifted me a battery port and solar panel to keep me connected even during power outages.


This is the best give of all. Maybe they cannot understand my decision, but they support my decision.

FLOW ready for snow

Kitchen Sinking Christmas Lighting

| Flower Roberts

One of our family traditions is to ride around town looking at Christmas lighting and decorations. We found a new favorite this year.

We visited the known hotspots along the main streets. There are two streets with rows of giant, blow-up Santas with an occasional snowman. There is a neighborhood of assorted lighted balls hanging from the trees. We even found a street of blow-up nutcrackers in town.

We visited the usual yard near us with dozens of the old-type of plastic lighted figures. (I have posted on this one before.) The choir on the bleachers was missing this year, but the snowmen, ceramic look-alike trees, toy soldiers, teddy bears, angels and a nativity scene were present in the presentation.

My husband and son found our new favorite while looking for something else. That is how life works!

This neighborhood was developed in the hundreds of acres of nature that surrounded our home for decades. I was glad to see the sparsely populated development in the previous woodlands getting into the holiday spirit.

Several of the yards were over-the-top lit up. There was even a lighted herd of deer where a real herd probably bedded down back in the day. They had a good assortment of Santas and snowmen and lights of all colors strung across roofs and trees. Just when we were getting to the deadend of the road, we spotted a bright glow on a hill.

Wowza! The over-the-top yards got topped by the most ecclectic grouping of lighted figures ever. These folks did not stop with tradition!

There was a gingerbread house with two dancing cookies.

The tree in the middle of the yard held colorful lighted ornaments. There were several angels. The gold one had flapping wings. The lighted mailbox’s door opened and closed. There were cute teddybears here and there.

The giant word JOY was behind the tree and Merry Christmas was down in front. Big lighted candles and snowflakes were scattered about. These images were fancy versions of the expected holiday decor.

This should have been more than enough cheer to spread, but these folks were not done yet. They had more to say this holiday.

Front and center of the glowing menagerie stood the three stand-outs of the ensemble. A golden Statue of Liberty glistening beautifully was noticed first.

Beside Lady Liberty was the silver Eiffel Tower, and beside it was a big, glowing Ferris Wheel.

WOWZA!

There is a story here. I hope I get to hear it before I leave town. I will let you know if/ when I do. It is going to be difficult to stay away until I know what inspired such a display.

Merry Christmas readers. I hope you each have an over-the-top holiday with events full of twinkling lights and dancing cookies and liberty.

FLOW