More pottery and flowers

You take the high road, and I'll take the low road...through that inviting doorway!

 A milkweed, which attracted us, as well as some butterflies

 Helen discovered that the petals on the flowers open downward.

Helen's Flower, I had to tease her about it, but it wasn't in bloom.  "Double Trouble" being an alternate (but not Latin) name...and Sneezeweed I could sure do without.  It's a good thing she's got a sense of humor.

And Chimney Rock State Park is again framed by one of the decorative pieces of doorways.

Another lemniscate with blue plum over white satin...

Chimney Rock State Park just reopened...though some of the trails and parking lots are still being repaired...and the elevator is still not working.  So you must be able to climb a bunch of steps to the lookout.  And the route we usually take from Black Mountain is also closed due to a landslide which will take a few weeks to be repaired (US 9 south to Bat Cave) so go through Hendersonville and take US 74 east to Bat Cave, and then Chimney Rock (and next to Lake Lure.)

Lake Lure before Memorial Day

 Sun and clouds played games over the mountains which overlook Lake Lure, the beach is in the foreground, not open yet on May 23 when we visited.

 Chimney Rock in shadow above the Inn and Spa,

And the sun hit it again!

As we ate lunch we had a light show of shadows cast on the mountains

And then a rain shower came right down the valley toward us! So we drove home, and missed most of the rain at that time.

After all the fun and anticipation of holiday festivities on May 28, Memorial Day, I look back from here in June now, and shake my head as to how the flash floods changed so much of the beautiful things we saw in this area of Western North Carolina.  It is sobering, that the mountains and rivers survive under us poor little ants (people) who move around enjoying the environment and avoiding flash floods, and boiling drinking water until pipes are repaired days after the flooding...well, I just think of how fragile my life is.  If our civilization is this fragile, the water pipes, the roads...just think of my own little life!  I spent the day being very grateful, and grabbing some of the joys of this life.

The other side of the gorge

The Rocky Broad River flows eastward from areas like Etoah and Brevard, through a narrows where nice swimming can be had, then past Chimney Rock and into Lake Lure.  The gorge it flows through has this high escarpment on both sides, and some folks know of the trails on the northern side.  I don't.  Since I no longer can hike, I'm only a little interested in where trails are.

The Rocky Broad River flows under the new highway bridge next to the old one, now Flower Bridge. 

Chimney Rock keeps an eye on a Pink sculptural pelican.

But I love vistas...even if mine now are from the ground up (or the roads that traverse the edges of mountains.)

Looking over the balustrade of the old bridge at the channel of the Rocky Broad River going into Lake Lure.  And then came tropical storm Alberto's rains at the end of May...

As you may have noticed, on May 29-31 there was flash flooding, or catastrophic flooding, depending on where you were, along the very same river...leaving a lot of mud, and closing off many roads.  Here's the entrance to the Chimney Rock State Park, which is closed of course.  But it should be cleared off soon, and the waters have receded and the sun has come back out again! (I need to go see how the gardens have fared!

The mountain overlooking the gorge opposite Chimney Rock (out of picture on left side)...with the Flower Bridge in foreground.

 this is a curly leaf willow, which was a nice friend giving shade.

I have no idea how much of the garden was damaged by the flood waters...but I can imagine that it doesn't look like any of these pictures now.  I hope it can be brought back to beauty soon.