Flowers in December are so appreciated.
I have enjoyed a sunny afternoon under a quarter moon.
Wandering beneath the Mistle Toe.
Relishing the first bloom on ‘White by the Gate.’
Bending down to see the faces of the Paper White Narcissus thrown out years ago.
We may not have much snow in the south, but I love blooms in December.
FLOW
My answers usually come from nature. People puzzle me. Nature nurtures me.
Last week the angst level was high with no peace in sight. I was afraid. My path was uncertain.
While the sane folks were cleaning out the lonely house, the crazy person took to the woods.
My camera leads me places I do not go ordinarily. That’s its magic.
I was wandering around with no purpose really. Taking photos of various finds.
The sane people came to check on me. We were together when we discovered the tree.
We three had not been in the woods together at the farm for decades.
There we were; the son, the daughter and me, standing around a big, old beech tree.
Looking at the initials of our four children. JA, AA, LB and AB.
They had been carved long ago by their grandfather. The one who left us.
My peace came from that tree. The angst drained out with my tears.
I have made peace with what was, what is and what will be.
All because of a tree and our Pawpaw thinking of our children as he wandered around in his woods years ago.
FLOW
Mr. Flower and I decided to take a trip up the mountains to buy apples this afternoon.
We traveled on one of Mr. Flower’s favorite curvy roads, Brushy Mountain Road.
We spotted a new sign along the way. It was for an apple distillery, Holman Distillery.
We pulled off the road and down a gravel drive to find a large barn-like building.
The establishment was run by a UNC graduate with a chemistry degree.
It would have been inexcusable to just leave after my taking a few photos.
We were obliged by Tarheel decorum to stay for a tasting.
It would have been rude to take up the man’s time without buying anything.
I should have taken notes on how he made his delicious grenadine. The secret was orange peels.
We did eventually make it up the mountain to get apples.
I love to find folks who follow their dreams, don’t you?
https://www.holmandistillery.com/
FLOW
One leaf.
One fisherman.
One heron.
One boathouse.
One Island.
One plane.
One FLOW
I was fortunate to return to the little town of Belmont for the last night of ‘Moonlight on Main.’
The entire park had been transformed by white and blue lights with the moon glowing in the background.
There was a stage set up for performances of various songs under the heading ‘Music of the Night.’
Folks were busy enjoying the twinkling park and glowing moon.
Families started to gather on the hill above the stage in anticipation of the performance.
It was a magical scene, lit by the light of the moon.
FLOW in the GLOW
Fall has its own decor. It includes dried hay and corn stalks, yellow and orange mums, pumpkins and gourds.
It sounds so simple, but it takes skill to conjure up a seasonal mood from such simple ingredients.
I always applaud such skill. Let’s look at some lovely examples.
This says it all. They know it’s fall.
This is a bounty of fall beauty. Eclectic excellence.
Symmetry and synergy!
Even the hay maze is dreamy.
The folks at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden know how to do fall.
Hooray Halloween!
Flow
Belmont, North Carolina has its own harvest moon this month.
They have installed an inflatable moon downtown in Stowe Park.
The moon is an exact replica of the actual moon which is lit up at night.
The whole town has decorated in the ‘Moon Glow’ theme.
I may have to head back down there one evening just to see this moon lighted.
FLOW
Sometimes I take things for granted.
I am guilty of this when it comes to fall here in North Carolina.
Of course the leaves turn colors in October.
Of course it is gorgeous.
I forget what an unusual treat it is until I notice the ten-fold increase in traffic in the mountains.
Then I see what everyone else sees with new eyes.
The cold comes. The green goes into the tree and the other colors are left out in the leaves.
I hope I will remember this lesson about other things.
I live in a beautiful place surrounded by kind folks. I am lucky.
FLOW
I purchased an hibiscus combo pot earlier in the summer.
The colors would be a surprise. It thought this would be fun, anticipating the combination of blooms.
I was pleased with the results. Two ended up being the same type, but were a gorgeous double peach colored.
There was also a stunning red.
The last to bloom was a vibrant pink.
I have loved watching this plant on our deck. It has put on quite a colorful show.
That’s why I call it the ‘Hibiscus Circus.’
FLOW
floweralley 