Here to There (and back again)

Many of my posts do include some form of transportation being mentioned.

Earlier in the week I posted how The Old Depot is now an arts and crafts store, but here is it's original purpose, when trains carried families to Black Mountain from Asheville as well as points east and south.


I begin the October series of my submissions to Sepia Saturday with The Old Depot in Black Mountain, NC.

Sepia Saturday's meme for October is "From here to There."

I have a most enjoyable collection of photos and postcards, by Standaert and Standaert...on the Swannanoa Valley, and using the Black Mountain depot photo as their cover photo.  This river valley has many towns located in it, and Black Mountain is one of them.

The mountainous area of Black Mountain has probably more retreat centers and camps than any other area its size.  In the summertime, people come to town in their camp tee-shirts, or with an afternoon off from their scheduled activities to enjoy dinner or at least a coffee or ice-cream.

Whenever I think it's too hot or humid in summertime Black Mountain, I remember what it must be like in the majority of the south. Living with a glass of iced tea (or other favorite beverage) and rocking on a front porch is second only to staying in the water of a lake or pool or beach!  We've got the nicest breezes through the trees, coming up or down the mountain slopes.

Steam Engines still are around, and a tourist outing was held last year, and probably will be held again, of Engine No. 611.  Here's a glimpse of it.


Today's Quote:

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.

Omar Khayyam

Being a Mud Buddy

A new rose vase, designed and hand painted in glazes by yours truly.

There we are, every Saturday morning, for 6 months of the year.  We have at least two of us at the Tailgate Market of Black Mountain each week.  It's a great plan, where one of us just had a vacation in Iceland, and another just returned from France.  All the time we kept selling their pottery.

And it's a great place for us to see all the familiar faces, people who want organic and fresh foods every week, as well as gifts of pottery for themselves or family and friends.

There's one bear mug left still!

Each week I have a different selection of pottery to see.

There are some of these pots still available, though some have sold already.

And I'm just one of five of the Mud Buddy potters...so each of us has different wares available.  It's like a mini-pottery fair.

Now that the weather is cooling down, it's going to be a busy season for us.

The Black Mountain Tailgate Market will go until Nov. 19, when we have a big holiday market.

Please come by and see us sometime.

Today's quote:

We can all vow to make the world a better place one day at a time by being our true authentic selves Daily Om

 

If it's good for fish, it's good for cats

That's Panther-cat's thinking anyway.

 Late one night, Panther started yowling, and running around.  This is not her regular routine.

 So I went into the living room, where she'd been making all the noise, to look around

 Nothing seemed amiss, though I admit to not turning on the lights.

I had left the canister of fish food open, because I'd dropped the top into the tank, and left it out to dry overnight.  Panther had never gone on top of the tank before...but ah ha!

The next morning there was a half empty canister of fish food on its side on the floor, and nary a flake of fish food in front of it.

Now every morning when I feed the fish, Panther is there wanting some for herself.  I give her a couple of cat treats, and have started closing the various openings on the lid to the aquarium, (after the scene above where I thought she might start drinking the water that flowed right where her highest interest was.)

Old Depot

The Old Depot in Black Mountain, which functions as an arts and crafts venue these days.  Since all our train traffic is freight, and none stop in Black Mountain, there wasn't much call for a depot.  Some of these old buildings are saved in other guises.

And I just became a member of the association and have some of my pottery for sale on consignment there.

It's a nice little shop, full to the rafters.

And of course I'm not the only potter there! I see some of my friends' works as well!

Studio for clay

Yes, there's the Clay Studio of BMCA (Black Mountain Center for the Arts) There are classes at all levels, by 3 different teachers, and open studio for at least 2 hours every day of the week.

A lovely mural (it's great looking at night with the spots shining on it)

The downstairs entrance to the Center for the Arts, which has just utility space and one classroom, so go up by elevator or stairs to the working parts of the Center.

There are 2 levels of parking outside the Clay Studio...and at one end is a little pump house.  The Black Mountain Beautification Committee does a great job of landscaping this area.

I wonder what this ornamental vine is climbing that pole...

My lovely favorite Black Eyed Susans just have their black eyes left now.

Some Rosemary for remembrance!

Soon I'll show you some store owners who landscaped their window boxes!

Where did our young family live in the 60s-70s?

My husband and I arrived in Connecticut, where his parents lived.  I soon realized my mother-in-law was a sweet woman who wanted me to do things "her way." Thus it ever was with MIL's...which I hope I have not passed on to my daughters-in-law.

First we lived in a town house apartment in Hartford, CT - raising a one year old.

Woodland, used to be Dauntless Lane.  We had back corner that's partially hidden by trees, and in 1965 it was too!

Jean St, Thompsonville, CT - The first house we owned.  My second son was born when we lived here.

 The fenced back yard was great for kids to play in, and the woods behind the house are still there since 1967!

Hartford, CT

 I worked in the "boat" building downtown, when I was pregnant with my second son.  In his 30s he also worked there!  (He and I had both moved many times before then!)

Sunset St., Windsor, CT - Our second home was a Cape Cod.  Again, the house has been painted a few times in the 30+ years since we lived there, but looks very much the same.

I worked for about a year in the Art School at the University of Hartford, Connecticut

Chalet Apartments, Temple Terrace, FL  - We moved the family to Florida, after being really sick and tired of winter storms. I liked living in a luxury apartment with a pool, where we would frequently have happy hour.

Chalet Apartments (somewhat like this)

W. Jean St. Tampa, FL - our third home.  A four bedroom home, to which I added a pool.

 But...
soon we divorced and I didn't want to keep up the large house, so the kids and I moved to a mobile home which had a recreation building with a game room and a pool that someone else cleaned.

Fountainhead Mobile Homes, Tampa, FL -   I also bought a camper van, which provided my oldest 2 sons and myself a home away from home for a whole summer. (I was amazed a bank gave me a 5 year loan on it, the amount was one years' worth of my salary at the time.)

This very van but with a fiber glass raised roof...thus...

But wait, there's more!
Where did I move with my sons after our 10,000 mile summer of living in the van, without air conditioning?