My new favorite place is the Asheville Arboretum from which many pictures will come. Iciscles formed by recent ice becoming water and following gravity. One hour later they were all gone like they had never been at all.
Next is a picture of the front drive and I must find out about these wonderful red stick bushes. Wonder what they will look like when real spring arrives. The Tea Viburnum is already lifting pink bud toward the sky. So what does this have to do with snow-globes? In a book I am reading (The Blue Shoe / Anne Lamont) she described the february weather as being like living in a snow-globe. Sunny, warm, calm and lovely and then someone shakes it and there is snow and ice again. Seemed like a good description of the recent weather.
I believe I have a magic hat- really I do. It is a fairly unassuming ring of gold fleece. I spied it in a local consignment shop called Serendipity. It matched my winter coat and I needed a hat. I learned all the traditional warnings about lice etc. in used hats but I slid it on my big head. It fit perfectly and covered my ears without being tight. Within a few minutes 3 strangers in the store suggested I buy the hat. So I did. The first time I wore it I noticed other drivers smiling at me upon passing- more than usual even when I am singing aloud. At the dog walk strangers seemed particularly friendly. It was Thanksgiving day when I knew the hat was magic. Drivers still smiled, one stranger even honked and waved. (I did pull over to see if I had a tire going flat or something.) Everyone at the dog walk smiled at me, strangers made conversation and one couple even yelled a greeting across the ball field. The weather cooled and I did not get a chance to wear the hat for more than a week. I started to question my magic hat decision and think of other more rational reasons. Then I wore the hat again- the same phenomenon happened! What fun, I wish I could wear it everyday- does magic wear out?
This picture is taken just “down the road a piece.” Today is Thanksgiving and this is right in the spirit. Free greens, kale, mustard & turnips. I picked the new young kale leaves and they were so tender they were almost sweet.
Be thankful every day .
