In Praise of the Depot

I was on my way home from work last Friday evening, and I decided to drive through the sleepy, but hip, town of Marshall for the hell of it. After a short, but good, visit with a friend, I drove by the Depot and to my gleeful surprise, a rainbow was gracing the sky above it. (sorry you can't really see the rainbow...)


I stopped to photo-document the beautiful site, and then I thought to myself, "Self, why not go inside and enjoy the ambience for a few minutes?' I did, and had a nice little talk with Mr. Boone, who is officially on "The Depot Committee." We talked about trees and music and mutual friends and mutual friends' crazy ass sons and land and such. I sat and listened to some music played by a band that was led by a feller from off Spillcorn who can't read or write and listens to tapes to memorize the old classic country songs (according to Mr. Boone).

I was at the same time happy and delighted that such a great thing goes on for free and sad that there are virtually no young people interested in such good clean fun.

Reminder

Just want to make sure everyone remembers that my sister, Jenna Nagle, is the absolute most coolest biatch on the whole planet. In case anyone needs more proof than just my word, here are some pictures of her mustering up some bad ass find motor skills to help me FOR FREE in the garden at the Mountain Magnolia. She sorted all of my seeds from this year and last year according to which need planting before and after the last frost date. Then we planted cilantro and calendula together.
P.S. She is turning 30 next week- here's to many many more!

Four Twenty, Dude

Ha Ha- I got your attention. Now perhaps I can convince you to view my pictures from my most lovely hike I had yesterday with D.O. and R.G. We hiked way up on the mountain in the woods and it saved my day. Thank god for the woods and everything wild.


lovely fungusofsomesort


presence of ancient lichen helps protect forest from clear cutting



lovely lousewort



lovely bellwort



dutchman's breeches

Answer: The day they moved the Hot Springs Caboose; Question: WHAT IS TAX DAY 2009?

Associated pwess
Hot Springs, NC

The "sleepy" little town of Hot Springs, North Carolina celebrated an "old holiday" with a new twist. Instead of loitering around the post office complaining about politics and how Uncle Sam can "kiss their ass," the townspeople of the infamous "AT trail town" rallied for a different, and rather unique, occasion. The town's old red caboose "welcome center" was physically picked up and moved to make room for a bigger "Welcome Center" with restrooms. Regardless of their occupations, locals, transplants and through-hikers alike stopped whatever they were doing to line the streets and intently watch the relocation of the caboose.



"That thing's been here forever. Why do they gotta move it?" complained one transplant.
KG, local hardware store owner and town native had other thoughts on the matter: "That caboose has been there since about 1988," he commented.

Whatever the "moving in date" was of the red caboose, all residents are certain of its moving out date. It was TAX DAY, 2009.

The caboose was relocated to the grounds of the Hot Springs Spa and Resort.
Town associate Dana Nagle laments, "It won't be quite so easy to stand on top of the thing when it's down there (the spa)." Nagle is concerned that the owners of the resort might be a bit "conservative" with granting access to the caboose, as they were with the town's most prolific stinging nettles patch. The patch, which is located at the spot locals call "The Sand Bar," used to have public access, but about 5 years ago the owners decided to keep everyone out. A locked gate and No Tresspassing signs warn off would-be bass fisherman and herb foragers.
"If we let one person in, we would have to let everyone in," Nagle was told when she asked permission to enter and harvest nettles.

Did the caboose moving operation take all day? Fortunately, Hot Springs residents were able to return to work with the excitement behind them by about 11:00 am.
Eat your heart out, Uncle Sam!

This is crap

I have never used this blog to complain, but they say you gotta try everything once. So here goes: I have a friggin' spring cold, and it sucks. It sucks because it took me all day to accomplish one thing. It sucks because I can't spend Easter with my sister if I might get her sick. It sucks because I am so friggin careful about not catching cooties out in public. For example, I use the hand sanitizer at the exit of Greenlife, I wash my hands before and after each friggin breath (practically) and I take a damn bucket bath with soap EVERY NIGHT, even if it is crap outside. I have been sneezing all friggin day, and my throat is not right. THIS IS CRAP. This is ZEBRA BUTT.

White Nite Release Party Report

Moonie brought "Fanny" to the release party

Baby Nate sports a "Free the Beast" sticker

White Nite Shrine

White Nite before his release

White Nite's new home


One week ago today was the White Nite Release Party. Weather was "iffy," and I made the call Sunday morning to go ahead with it, on account of so much planning and a special White Nite cake being prepared and such. I spent the morning, which was beautiful and sunny, getting ready- building a fire, setting up chairs, fixing food, setting up the White Nite shrine. As soon as the party began at noon the clouds and cold wind blew in. Oh well. People still came from far and wide. All I could do for the first 3 hours was laugh, at the bazaarness of so many people sitting outside an old Airstream, freezing their butts off- all for a mouse to be let go in a critter infested delapadated house. I laughed and laughed. The shrine was really nice- people brought food gifts for White Nite, and we also honored Shorty and Starling Gentry, the namesakes of Starling Gentry Rd, and the people who once lived in the old house (White Nite's new home). At 2:00 as planned, we all pilgrimmaged away from the warm fire up to the old house for a short speech and the release. It was grand. People were such troopers. I could only laugh. After the release, I forced everyone to do a cake walk, and then most of the Asheville people left, bless their hearts. I think they were cold. Most of the non Asheville guests stayed a while, and we beefed up the fire and braved the wind and some cold drizzle and had a brilliant time chatting and drinking beer or mead, and snacking on whatever (Cheeseballs with MSG were a "fav". ) All in all, it was a good day, in spite of the nasty weather, and I am so grateful to know such persons, who would spend a cold Sunday early spring afternoon participating in such frivolry. God bless America.