Big Stone Gap fire

Remember my road trip last Sat?  To the Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap, VA.  

I'm now Wendy Welch's friend on FaceBook, and yesterday evening she posted lots of pictures from her second story windows of the fire across the street.  I thought she had a blog as well, but am not finding it.  So here's her FB site. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tales-of-The-Lonesome-Pine-LLC/166114776736491

All photos are Wendy's.

March 3, about 8 pm under control

March 4, this morning, back flaming again

About half an hour ago, she posted a picture that the fire had restarted, and then was again under control.  It's a chemical loaded building, being a NAPA Auto Parts store.  The apartment building didn't make it last night, but the ABC store has so far been protected.  There are lots of comments from people concerned about the chemical run off.

March 4, back under control.

So sorry to see, and hear about this fire kitty-corner from a lovely business, which is closed for today.  I know they are smelling lots of smoky fumes, and hope everyone in the Bookstore and Cafe are ok.  Thanks Wendy, for sharing with us.

Going out of town

...there's this assumption often (and often totally off the mark) that the out of town person knows something/has something to offer, different or better than the locals.

The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap, VA

So I got to go out of town yesterday, and proved it's a small world.  One of the women who bought one of my mugs comes here to Black Mountain frequently, and knows a couple of potters that are friends of mine, and who make beautiful works...so I was very grateful that she liked my work also.

Here are some of the photos that spread out my day.  Meeting the owners of The Tales of the Lonesome Pine Bookstore, as well as a lot of their friends and customers, as well as the chef who prepares fabulous food for the Second Story Cafe...it was all wonderful fun.

And did I sell pottery?  More than I expected!

 

That's the advantage of having so much to look forward to, besides sales, that they indeed become just a secondary aspect of everything that's happening.

Elizabeth Cooperstein took some mug shots...ha ha.

While I snuck in some book shots... and Wendy Welch shots, and cat shots...and friends...and so on.

My books for the day, and some pottery which didn't all come home with me.

Pause here, because this lovely lady hiding in the mystery book room is waiting to be adopted.

But 18 year old Nicki is the shop-cat!

I hope someone enjoys candlelit baths!

The wall of fame, thanks to Wendy's book

Erin and I had some good talks

Helen found a niche where she could read and not be bothered about pottery sales

And I came home to find I'd missed photofraphing several important members of their community...so I'll have to go back again and make sure to include Jack, Wendy's husband, and Hollie who creates fantastic food for the Second Story Cafe.