My Year in Pics

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Photos 23-29/365

29/365 ~ Key Memories
I remember when I was in the 5th grade, my parents bought me a used typewriter from a sale being held at some government agency. It was green and had keys just like these. I found it in their closet before Christmas and typed several letters and notes on it long before "Santa" had a chance to leave it under our tree. It's funny when I think back to all the things I loved as a child that I still love today. Even though I'm not the reporter I thought I would be, I still get to work at a newspaper ... too bad it's a newspaper in the 21st century and not one in the early 19th century when the pecking of these keys was a sure sound of a busy newsroom. Taken at Wedge Studio in the River Arts District, Asheville, NC

28/365 ~ Papaw's Daddy's Farm
This is the view from the back door of my great grandfather's home in Bethel. I remember this view from my childhood the most. I also remember the smell of fresh cow's milk sitting on the back porch chilling. I have a picture of my grandfather, whom I called "Papaw's Daddy," wearing a suit but in real life I only remember him in overalls. I was born on his 67th birthday - maybe that's why my favorite clothes are overalls!

27/365 ~ American Made
I'm not sure what kind of car this is but I'm hoping it's American made with that flag tucked into the hood so neatly. Taken near Laurel Park today.Note - found out later in the day that the car is owned by Chuck Freeman and it is a 1961 Comet.

26/365 ~ New Technology
Picture 3 of 365 was my old crown after falling out - Today I got its replacement! Who knew dental technology had come so far. Truly, this was amazing to watch Daina design my crown on this program called Cad Cap. My new crown is tooth colored instead of silver or gold - that was a happy surprise. I made this picture of the day because it really made my day to have a dentist appointment that didn't send me into orbit in pain. Dr. Meinhold and Daina have accomplished something NO other dentist has ever done for me.

25/365 ~ Just when I think the day is a waste because of all the rain, I spot this lonely tire swing at a farmhouse just off 191 in Mills River and it reminds me of this sweet poem:

THE TIRE SWING
A poem by Zach McClure
He gazed across, The wind-swept meadow
To a lone tree, Standing there
Its jagged, silhouette, Surrendered ‘neath
A sky more firey embered, Than his flaming hair
Which crowned him then, But it was neither tree nor sky
That stole his youthful eye.
It was the tire swing, Whispering, promising,
“With-me, you can fly!”
The boy lept across the meadow, Like a deer panting for water,
Till at last, He climbed aboard his dream.
His round, black, holed, Flying machine.
Then, holding tight, And bending to and fro
With all his might, Began to drive
Began to glide against, The sinking sun
Till it was night outside, Across the starry littered sky
Beneath the moon’s soft lullaby, Ascending ever higher
Make believing, He’s a flyer,
He smiles, As he tips a wing. He is an aviator. He is the sky king!
And all because of one, Old tire swing.

24/365 ~ St. John in the Wilderness, Flat Rock, NC:
When I first decided I wanted to take my hobby of photography to a more serious level (back in 2002) I went to talk with a man named Bill Logan. Mr. Logan was an older photographer who had interned under the great Ansel Adams. He gave me an assignment - "Go take pictures of churches and come back and see me in a week." So I did and this church was one of my first stops. I came back in with a shot like this of the shutters and the urns and he said, "You didn't take pictures of churches." I said, "You didn't want me to literally just take pictures of the buildings, did you?" He said, "Good Girl. I will take you on as a student. These are wonderful." He preceded to tell me that in all of his years taking photos at the church, he had never shot this grouping at this angle. I owe a lot to him for giving me the courage to keep shooting. I took the first photo on Ilford Delta 400 B/W film and developed them myself under his guidance. This time it was shot digitally and "developed" in Lightroom.

Church History: In 1836, twenty members of the summer colony formed themselves into a parish and the Barings deeded the church to the new Episcopal Bishop of Western North Carolina. This made it the oldest Episcopal church in that diocese. Since that time the church became known as St. John in the Wilderness for St. John the Baptist.

It is noteworthy that before Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, servants and white families worshiped side by side in the church pews. In fact the first wedding held in the church was that of two slaves. In addition an area was made available by the Barings for the graves of servants and later freedmen on the church burial ground.

So rapid was the growth of Flat Rock community in those early days that the length of the church was doubled in 1852. Much to the surprise of the people already buried up next to that east side. The church was simply extended over them.

23/365 ~ Birthday Boy Matthew - today is my son's 19th birthday. At lunch his dad corrected me to say he was 9 pounds, 5 ounces - whatever - I'm the one who was in all the pain and if I want to add 5 ounces to the story I will :) jk. He was a big baby but he was worth it. Happy Birthday, Matter

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Photos 15-22/365

This week was a big week for me as I was presented with the Ambassador of the Year award by the Chamber of Commerce! I also found a great farm in Mills River and luckily I remembered to keep my camera (and memory card) with me at all times. Enjoy Week Three:

Day 22 ~ 19 years ago today I was four and a half hours into sixteen and a half hours of labor that would soon produce a 9 pound, 10 ounce bouncing baby boy who would one day fill theses size 11.5 Nikes. Whew!!


Day 21 ~ A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1

Some days my job offers me a chance to meet some wonderful people who've led extraordinary lives. Yesterday was one of those days. This is Dana Carpenter, a resident at the Villas at Lake Pointe Landing and one of the most interesting people I've spent time with in a while. She showed me her home and told me her story and I just took it all in. When I asked if she had any advice for the younger generation, she replied, "Find your bliss," as she held her hand over her heart. She added, "Listen. Listen to your heavenly Father. He will lead you." Look for this beautiful lady's story in an upcoming ad for Lake Pointe Landing.

Day 20 ~ So yesterday this award was presented to me at the Ambassador's meeting and then promptly taken away from me so they could give it back to me tonight as a substitution for the bigger one - Ambassador of the Year - which should be here soon according to Mitsy. Thank you to Mitsy for trusting me to be an Ambassador. I love it!!

Here's my part in the article in our paper (by Leigh Kelley) ~ The Chamber of Commerce/United Community Bank Ambassador of the Year Award went to Paula Roberts with the Times-News. The award recognizes ambassadors for each quarter of the year and an ambassador of the year. Quarterly selection and yearly recipients are based on the number of points an ambassador earns through attending and assisting with chamber-related functions and activities.

Roberts, who has been with the Times-News Advertising Department for five years, said she was “honored” to serve as an ambassador for the Chamber.

“Having lived in Western North Carolina all my life, I was honored to be asked to be an ambassador for our local Chamber this past July,” she said. “I love volunteering for the United Way and I thought the ambassador role would offer more opportunities for me to volunteer. Being the Ambassador of the Year is like an extension of my job and falls directly in line with my desire to promote business and industry in Hendersonville.”

Day 19 ~ Ryland Novak, Skateboarder

I met Ryland and his mom, Cindy, when I spontaneously decided to check out the skateboard park at Patton on my way home today. I've never been to it and thought I might be able to get some shots. I wasn't the only one there and I kept getting in a fellow camera clubber's way so I only got a few shots but I can't wait to go back.

Ryland and his mom were super sweet to let me take his picture. He and I share a strong dislike of excema and we bonded quickly. His mom is a scrapbooker, too, as I noticed on her FB wall. Today I met someone new. Two someone news! It was a good day.

Day 18 ~ Mills River Farmhouse caught my eye from the road. I must have snapped about 30 pictures before the Sheriff's Deputy kindly tooted his horn to get me out of the middle of the road ... oopsy.

Day 17 ~ Main Street Project - according to an article by John Harbin, dated January 5, 2011, in the Times-News, "The project, which covers six blocks, will be completed over the next four years. Two blocks will be finished each year from January through April until all the sidewalks from First to Sixth avenues have been finished. In the final year, workers will repave all of Main Street and install new crosswalks, again from January through April.

The project began Monday and was approved by City Council last year. In addition to resurfacing the sidewalks, repairs in the renovation project include removing and replacing large portions of sidewalk, replacing old and failing street lamps, removing remaining overhead wires, replacing diseased or damaged trees, removing and replacing sub-standard storm drainage system, abandoning a 75-year-old water line, repaving the street and parking bays, installing new high-visibility brick pattern crosswalks and realigning sidewalk ramps with the crosswalks."

Day 16 ~ Pink Tag Sale. Lucky me got to go shopping in Greenville on Saturday and there were lots of clearance items. I got two new sweaters, two pair of dress pants, and one pair of pink jeans.

Day 15 ~ First Phở - our first time trying Phở. We've watched Anthony Bourdain eating it too many times not to try it once we found the restaurant in Greenville. It's called Phở 99 and it was delicious!

Phở (Vietnamese pronunciation: [fə̃ː] is a Vietnamese noodle soup, usually served with beef (pho bo) or chicken (pho ga). The soup includes noodles made from rice and is often served with basil, lime, bean sprouts, and peppers that are added to the soup by the consumer.

The origin of phở is uncertain, and is mostly culled from oral histories. While a distinctly Vietnamese dish, phở has French and Chinese influences. Still, the consensus among academics, diners and restaurateurs is that it originated about a century ago in northern Vietnam.

The specific place of origin appears to be southwest of Hanoi in Nam Dinh province, then a substantial textile market, where cooks sought to please both Vietnamese (local rice noodles - originally of Chinese origin) and French tastes (cattle before the French arrival being beasts of burden, not frequently sources of beef). It was originally sold by venders from large boxes, until the first phở restaurant was opened in the 1920s in Hanoi.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Photos 8-14/365

This week I had lots of fun with all of the snow in our area and with a bunch of old trains I found. Hope you enjoy Week 2:

Day 14: Hendersonville Train Depot - original yellow color this building was started in 1902 and at it's peak as many as 600 campers at a time would go through its gates on their way to the many camps in our area.

Day 13: Dunlop Farm off Hillgirt Street behind our apartment; four days after the snow and it's still pretty thick around here.

Day 12: Times-News boxes await their daily papers - it's been rough on the carriers this week. If you haven't gotten a paper, please be understanding. The roads in the middle of the night just aren't safe and really, should they be risking their lives when you can get the news online atwww.blueridgenow.com? (Yes, that was a shameless plug!)

Day 11: Red Barn Farm: A trip to Brevard was welcomed as it gave me a chance to take this awesome red barn's picture. This is just up the road from where I grew up on Hwy 280 in Mills River.
Day 10: Snow Bunnies - love it when Joanna and Xyla visit - especially when Xyla is cold and asks for tot cocolate (hot chocolate)

Day 9: Stuck inside so I may my girls be my models - they do it so well!
Day 8: Black Ice - an icicle hanging from my awning

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Photos 1-7/365

Day 7: Move in day at WCU for Matthew

Day 6: Hendersonville Fire Department taking wreath off City Hall

Day 5: Just a hint of perfume - one of my Christmas presents from Frank

Day 4: Going Home

Day 3: My 35 year old crown came out - guess where my income taxes will be spent?

Day 2: Shadow Dancing

Day One: 11:11 pm on 1/1/11