slowly she turned

Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. I am 3/4 of the way through! I may even finish this in time for Christmas!

Although we had to vacate our rooms by 9:30 a.m., my classmates cleaned up the studio and we trickled out until it was just Edwina and I, working on my tapestry and her on a potholder loom, at 10:30 a.m.

I met April and Carolyn at the Switzerland Cafe. Yes, the food was incredible. April and I had smoked trout BLTs on croissants. Carolyn is vegetarian and they had plenty of choices. The desserts looked great, but we were too full to sample any. I stopped next door at the general store and picked up a six-pack of Lazy Hiker Wesser Evil porter (yum!), some stinky cheese (uh, yum?) and a fresh baked warm loaf of bread that Sandy and I want more of – guess we’ve got several reasons to go back!

Since I had the whole afternoon to drive by myself home and the weather seemed decent enough, I decided to take the Blue Ridge Parkway back and stop several times along the way.

Then I stopped at Linville Falls. My leg was healed enough that I felt like I could do most of the moderate hike of about one mile. There were a lot of people and dogs on the trail and it was hard to get clear shots. I didn’t hike to the upper falls.

I stopped at Stack Rock Overlook and the Tanawha Trail, which is also part of the MST, Mountains to Sea Trail. I didn’t go far because I was a bit nervous about the steep trail and my tendency toward vertigo these days.

I found later where the trails were that gave you an overview of the Linn Cove Viaduct, but I decided to stop at the Linn Cove Viaduct parking area, where the trail took you UNDER the bridge. That was a more manageable walk anyway, and I found an interesting little area to explore.

Wild turkeys crossed the road. When I neared the intersection to go to the Moses Cone Manor, a car flashed its lights at me. Around the curve, I saw why. A doe was nibbling on something on the road and was not frightened of the cars. I stopped beside her and she was near enough that I could have reached out and touched her. Instead I scared her out of the road. I hope that she stayed away.

After this, I resisted most of my urges to pull over at every overlook. But here’s one last one.

I pulled off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Old Hwy 421, then sailed downhill to my home in the Piedmont Triad. It was only a little longer drive than taking I-40 from Marion, and much, much more pleasant.

Now I want to go back. I love my street here in Greensboro, but I long to live in the mountains.