Fall Equals Anticipation

It is time for Fall, the leaves are starting to change color and some have made their way to the ground. School is back in session, Christmas decorations are coming into the stores (way too early for that in my opinion), more turkeys are in the grocery stores, Fall apples are waiting in decorated paper bags, apple cider (I love apple cider) is available, and the days are getting shorter. The signs tell me that soon I should be able to pull out my scarves, jackets, and wear my really cool socks; I really do have some great decorated and handmade socks. I also have some amazing handmade moccasins. It makes me happy to wear these clothes!

Fall has always been my favorite season. It feels like there is anticipation in the air. A sort of, “get ready cause it’s coming” kind of feel. I’m not always sure what is coming, but something new is just around the river bend. 2018 has been a year of challenges for my family; because of those challenges, I know 2019 will bring with it some big changes and new directions for us. Yep, anticipation, I will have new stories brewing in October, stewing in November, and sitting on simmer in December so they can be ready for 2019.

What are you anticipating this Fall?

I Saw Big Foot!!

My husband and I went to the first annual Big Foot Festival in Marion, NC. It’s a small town but A LOT of people showed up for this festival, which was great for the economy. Steven and I went because the advertisements made it look like fun and, well, I wanted a big foot tee-shirt. It seems Marion underestimated the number of people they would get at this festival. It was hot, people where shoulder to shoulder, pretty much everyone sold out of big foot tee shirts, and they needed more bathroom access. But, we had a good time. My date (my husband) was great company, we laughed as we walked from vendor to vendor on the closed-off street, we met some very interesting people, and we even saw a couple of Big Foots (or is it Big Feet?). We are actually planning on going back next year. I think there might be a story in there somewhere. 

By the way, I got my big foot tee shirt, I ordered it online!
https://www.romanticasheville.com/bigfoot-festival

Florence, the Hurricane

What a weekend this has been. Hurricane Florence hit the North Carolina Coast and, so far, there is no telling how much damage was done. Here in Charlotte and the surrounding area, there was a lot of flooding. I've seen pictures of roadways, parks, backyards, and fields all turned into temporary lakes. The effects last, schools and libraries are closed and will remain closed through Monday.

For my husband and I, Florence was an inconvenience. We secured all of my yard art, took plants from the front steps, and tied down the city trash cans. Inside we gathered items in case we had to leave the house quickly; medications, journals, my instruments and most used puppets, electronics, and important work papers.

Our intention was to batten down and wait out the storm in our house, and we did. The power did go out early on Sunday, but that really wasn't a big deal. It was a good thing we stayed because otherwise, we would have had a flooded downstairs. Our gutters were not functioning well, even though they were cleaned out a month ago. I spotted a large pool of water forming against the house. So, Steven and I went out in our raincoats and began to dig waterways and tributaries for the build-up to escape. A creek had already developed on our side yard so we just created a different path of least resistance. We let the pooled water join in the flow (no pun intended). We really got wet, but no big deal; we had dry clothes in the house. The power stayed out until after dark. We emptied a good share of the refrigerator into coolers and lit candles for light.

Florence weakened in strength far more than any meteorologist expected. The impact could have been so much worse. However, this storm for many was a really big deal!

Now is the time to check in with your neighbors. Let's look around and see what we can do for one another. It may not be much but all those little bits can certainly turn into a lot. Everyone who has a challenge has a story to tell. Let's listen to one another.

Bottle Trees

I have wanted a bottle tree for years. My husband promised me one for my birthday in February and on Labor Day weekend, I finally got one from a local craft festival. It is not big, but that is just fine.  I'll need another one, I would guess, in the not too distant future. 

Bottle trees are just that, trees that you put bottles on. They can be made of wood, metal, or really any material. They look pretty in any garden. Traditionally you put blue bottles on the tree, however, if you use lots of different colors it makes them look like stained glass in your yard. Bottle trees entered this country with enslaved Africans. The decorated trees became part of Southern Appalachian culture and have become folk art. You can see them all over the US now. 

I can hear you asking, "But why would people want bottle trees in the first place". They do serve a purpose. Blue is really the color you want because both the sky and the water are blue; the blue brings them together. The bottles are hung upside down and are appealing to evil imps and spirits who try to get in your house at night. The bottle tree is put near your home to catch those imps and spirits. Once in the bottle, it is difficult for them to get out. When the sun comes up and shines on the bottle the evil spirits fade away with the sun's rays. Blue paint on a door, a porch ceiling, or around window sills keeps out evil too, but that's another story for another time. 

Bottle trees are quite popular with storytellers, but then why wouldn't they be? They tell such a great story! I love my bottle tree and it makes me smile.  If it keeps evil away, well then, that gives me one more reason to get another one (like I really need a reason).

Dreaming About Tomatoes

I was dreaming about ripe tomatoes growing in my back yard last night. It really is not so far-fetched, because I have tomato plants growing in my raised beds. The beds are unique because I made them out of an old travel car topper. I disconnected the top from the bottom, drilled some big holes for drainage and to give the worms access (don't cringe, you need the worms), filled it with dirt from the "giant's grave" (you'll have to go back to my earlier blog post about that), and my tomatoes are thriving.

Last year, my tomatoes did great but something got at them before I had a chance to harvest them. This year, my daughter's in-laws gave me four plants for an Illinois tomato (thanks Diane and Chuck) . The plants are growing well in my raised bed and have produced several green tomatoes. One day this week I am going to put some chicken wire around them in an effort to protect them from the birds and creatures that want to keep them for themselves.

The tomatoes I planted last year were heirlooms (Cherokee purple, yellow tomatoes, beefsteak) and some of the half-eaten fruit fell back into the bed and left seeds which have now started to germinate. I have loads and loads of baby tomato plants now, but I don't know what kind they are. I have to wait for them to grow and produce fruit before I know... but I do know for sure they are tomatoes.

That is how my stories work, too — there are all sorts of seeds of thought that I write down on paper and I have to wait for those seeds to germinate and grow to know what I've got. Sometimes I know what I have, but I still have to let it grow and produce fruit before it is ready to go on stage and be shared. Once the story is shared, there is potential for others to grab some of the seeds and they can grow their own stories.

I dreamed about tomatoes last night. What seeds of story are you growing?