slowly she turned

Wednesday-Thursday, Sept. 11-12

A gorgeous day beckoned, and we decided to go to the Switzerland Cafe for lunch. However, it was closed, so we checked out their general store and the awesome book/coffee/gift shop next door, Little Switzerland Books & Beans. This is the kind of bookstore I’ve always dreamed of having – an old house with lots of levels of used and old books, unusual gifts, and coffee and baked goods. I’m going to make it a point to go there every time I’m nearby.

This little block of goodness is at the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hwy 226A, an extremely twisty road that I took the first couple of times I drove up here. Apparently it is a rite of passage for motorcyclists.

We ended up going to lunch at a Mexican restaurant on the outskirts of Spruce Pine, Puerto Nuevo. I am not a huge fan of Mexican, only because I’m a little burned out from eating too much of it, BUT this place was outstanding. Best fish tacos I’ve ever eaten and a salsa bar with six kinds of salsa. There was mole on the menu, which is unusual for American Mexican restaurants. Another place to which I would definitely return.

Meanwhile, back at the lovely Wildacres Retreat, I made great progress with my tapestry, jumping past my left brain’s objections had made that stopped me cold for so long. I have a group show coming up in mid-October (more about that later this week) and an opportunity to be in a group show in a local gallery in November-December, so my other major project was to get some of my small work mounted on canvases. Edwina suggested that I paint the canvases with an acrylic wash first, so I did that. As much as anything, this week was valuable due to being able to spread out, get focused, and get feedback.

I had taken a tumble the first day on campus and strained a muscle in my thigh, so I didn’t get in the walking that I hoped to do while here. I was breaking in my new hiking boots for my big trip to Scotland, which is very, very soon. But this was a gorgeous place to relax and heal.

I took a long break to photograph the wildflowers along the path from the lodge to the studio.

Holly talked about Gypsy Hollingsworth, who was her first weaving teacher, and showed a couple of her weavings. (This is April holding one up.) She was an amazing character and artist and benefactor to other artists. I wish I had met her!