Parkway Rhodies

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Bob and I love to travel about and see new places. With the economy so bad, we try to take day trips, so every Saturday we decide where to go, while we have breakfast out...

Our Saturday trip this week took us to Floyd, Virginia.

We followed the 'Crooked Road---Virginia's Music Trail', and wound up in this great little town.

( Go to: crookedroad.org )

There is a Country Store here with the best food, and on friday nights there is music , in fact the whole street packs up with people listening to music or playing the guitar or banjo or fiddle, etc.!!

Check out:Floydcountrystore.com

Hers Bob checking out the menu of 'Cafe del Sol'..

The sidewalks are made so you can sit and listen, or sit and play...

The many shops lining the streets are eclectic, and reminded me of Key West in Florida, Eureka Springs in Arkansas, Cape Cod in Massachusetts or even coastal Maine. Very artsy and almost hippie-ish with 'Winter Sun' clothing, tie dyed shirts and crafts of local people...

I had to take a picture of this little nook, I felt like I was in Key West again!!

Made me homesick for the Keys!

The reason we started this journey was to see the Rhodedendrons on the Parkway...

In the 4 years(well, almost) we have been here, we always miss seeing them in bloom!

I took alot of pictures of them, and there are white and pink ones...


We met some really nice folks in Floyd Virginia, and we are going to get back there for a Friday night music take-in...

The Blue Ridge Parkway leads to all sorts of wonderful places, and so does the Crooked Road, so take a little ride if your local, or a long ride if you aren't!

You won't be disappointed! Bring your camera!

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Family and friends

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This is one of the last pictures I took of my Mom when she last visited me in the Keys.
She was headed out for a walk...
My Mom is a pip, still....

Mom is coming to stay with me for a few months. She will be here for Christmas. Another tree to share with her. I'm lucky. She has some health issues now, but mainly she has trouble with her mind. Dementia is a word applied to her condition.She says shes 'flaky'.
Why is Christmas the time when you hear bad news?
I just got an e-mail from a friend back north. Her husband, an old friend, has been diagnosed with lung cancer, and the Doctors have given him a year to year and a half to live.
I can't say I was surprised, as he was and is a heavy smoker.
But it still is sad to know another friend is leaving.

I ran into an old friend, a girl I haven't seen in forty years.She lives in Hardy. I can't beleive I recognized her, but to me she looked the same. Just older. We will connect soon, as she said her number is in the book, and I checked. It is.

A somewhat new friend, Becky ( Ms. Peevish Pen) took me to Salem to the 'Curio Cottage', a great little shop filled with treasures from the past, and the present, and books and authors and flute makers/ players and wonderful cooks, and potters. Peggy Schifflett owns this little gem, and she is an author. She and I were discussing her book 'Mom's Family Pie', and we talked about aprons, and I love aprons, and I have several. They have a place in my heart as well as hers and they are filled with memories of family.
Becky and another author, Ibby Greer, who I also felt I have known for years but just met, chatted about Ibby's husbands book, and Ibby read a few poems from her book"Paper Faces" which I immediately loved. I knew several places mentioned in her poems.
Seems I have met more people through Becky that I feel a kindred spirit with, and for that, Becky, Thank you.
I wonder what I would do with my life if I were told exactly how much time I had left.
I have so many books in front of me I want to read. I have so many craft projects I want to do. I have so many places I want to visit, and I guess I have so many people yet to meet.
I am going to see my Grandson tomorrow. Chubby little hugs will feel so good.

I e-mailed back the only thing I knew to say to my friends..
That I love him, and if I can be there to listen if they need it, I am.
Otherwise, all I have to offer is love and friendship.
Its enough for me, maybe it will be for him and his wife.
Life is short..
Love deeply and tell family and friends what they mean to you...
I hope my friends and family know they are my life.

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