Roan Mountain

Roan Mountain is not one single mountain but a high ridge about 5 miles long.
At the mountain top(Roan High Knob) one stands 6,285 feet high.
And that, my friends, is exactly where I stood yesterday! Closer to the sky than I have ever been with my feet firmly on the ground. It is a totally awesome view from the top of the mountain.

Roan Mountain, which is part of the Pisgah and the Cherokee National Forests, holds quite a rich history of its own. In the late 1800's General John T Wilder bought 7,000 acres along the top and sides of the mountain. Here he built a 20 room log inn near the summit of Roan High Knob. The log inn was eventually replaced by Cloudland Hotel which reportedly was quite luxurious for its time. The hotel operated for about 20 years but today there is next to no evidence that it even existed high atop this mountain. A marker at the spot of the once grand hotel asks passersby to 'try to imagine' ... I can't begin to imagine... What a vacation wonderland that would have been. No amusement rides necessary. Just cold springs, cool higher elevation temperatures, flora and fauna unlike anywhere else in the area and the peaceful beauty of Mother Nature at each glance.



At one point the Appalachian Trail crosses Roan Mountain. I encountered a couple of diligent Appalachian Trail hikers as they made their way south just as I was snapping this picture of the trail marker. They, I'm sure were taking in Mother Nature's wonder in their own chosen way but it seemed a shame to me that they hurried by at a rather quick pace. Maybe those who hike the trail do not need to stop and savor each and every moment like I do. Maybe they are so immersed in it that it becomes a part of them just naturally. For me, I need to stop and smell the proverbial roses every few steps along the way.

But, yesterday, it wasn't the smell of roses that wafted in the air. It was the scent of pine needles. Sun shining down through the canopy of trees created a dappled path underfoot. The buzzing of bees was LOUD! I mean really, really loud! It took me back to my childhood when a neighbor had bee hives. You could hear those honeybees buzzing for half a block away. But this was even louder than I remembered those bees sounding. I looked everywhere but saw none of the noisemakers. But I knew that they were nearby. There was no denying it.

Around a bend on the path at the top of Roan Mountain, I was greeted with a glorious sight. Rhododendrons (Rhododendron catawbiense to be exact) were in bloom everywhere I looked. I have never encountered such a natural garden in the middle of what I otherwise would call a forest. It was indescribable - overwhelming - amazing and it very much touched me to my core. I stood in awe of the blooms - hundreds of thousands of them - and soon realized that here was the location of those buzzing bees! Bumblebees!! Hundreds of thousands of them too, I am sure! On nearly every bloom that I could see there were at least one or two - sometimes three as in this shot. They were all very polite - each one claiming a spot but never trying to step into the other's. Their social skills are quite advanced I've decided. I watched the bumblebees for at least as long as I gazed at the incredible beauty of the flowers. Time stands still for me when I am in the midst of Mother Nature.

As I drove down narrow road leading off the mountain, I couldn't help but think that this place was definitely a creative's sanctuary. And, I made a vow to myself to return often - with pen and paper, or laptop, or recorder in hand -- and definitely with digicam -- so that I may soak up the beauty and wonder of the area and capture it in photos and in words. In these ways I hope to preserve my magical time on Roan Mountain long after my own memory fails me.

Appalachian Quilt Trail

Here in Northeastern Tennessee, there is a bit of history and creativity that is free for the viewing... The Appalachian Quilt Trail. Historic buildings (many of them old barns but there are a few general stores and covered bridges as well) proudly stand along roadsides in several of the surrounding counties adorned with painted images of old quilt patterns.

Now, I am an early American history buff. And, I love quilts! I have taken some very elementary quilting classes and have a whole closet full of materials that have been carefully coordinated for various quilting projects for one of these days when I get "round to it".... And, I love to explore the area each time I get a new job assignment.

So, add all of the above together and you have an outing (or in this case, quite a few outings) in the making.

Since the quilts are on private property and oft times along busy highways, it is not something one can do without time, patience and a sense of wonder.

There are over fifty quilts displayed on these old barns here in the five county region. I plan to make it my business to visit each and every one of them - and photograph them - before I leave this beautiful area of Northeast Tennessee.

Can it possibly be two months since last I posted?

Two months since the last post? !!! How can that be? I mean, seriously, I just took a "little break" and I was coming right back! Well...um... it appears as though a little break turned into a huge break -- and that is neither good for the writer nor the reader!

It is amazing to me that the momentum of posting can come to a screeching halt and all of a sudden I am weeks behind myself wondering how on earth I will ever catch up. I guess that the reality is that once I get so out of the routine, there is no catching up but there is always moving forward. And moving forward is exactly what I am planning to do here.

A lot has happened in the two months between my dandelion post and this one...
Perhaps the most important event was securing a 13 week contract in Johnson City TN at Johnson City Medical Center...which entailed a new job and a move to a new apartment in a matter of three days mid-May.

This new job has none of the trappings of the old job and all of the pleasure of what I have come to call a "dream assignment" - really! There is no such thing as mandatory overtime. The unit is well run and well staffed. The patient:nurse ratio is quite acceptable. There is not one thing I find difficult or discouraging about this assignment. And to think I could have been here several months ago instead of putting in my time in a place where the norm was four or five twelve hour shifts.

I actually have a life of my own outside of work now! And, the real plus is that I still have a reasonably close proximity to Caleb. My present location is only about 20 minutes east of the previous one so it is basically the same distance for me to go get or see Caleb.

And, of course, having Caleb time is a top priority - always!

Another "event" was that hubby dearest, Tim, was here for a week in May and has scheduled a flight for right after the July 4th holiday to come spend another week. After not being here from January to May it is nice to think that I'll actually get to see him in a relatively short space of time.

Altered art work, writing (of various sorts), Story Circle Network duties and delights, reading and my two sweet kitties continue to occupy my free time. And, with this present job there really and truly is free time. I remember for so many years saying "In my free time that I have none of" but now there IS that wonderful luxury and I am basking in it, believe you me! The one thing I neglected to put on the list of things to enjoy in that free time was this: to enjoy adding new posts to my blog! Neglected to do until today that is...

So, after what seems like a brief respite but in actuality has been far too long a break in blogging, I am back...
And as you will see in the next couple of posts, I am busy using my time off to explore and enjoy my new location.