Thursday, October 29, 2020
Shangri-La
Shangri-La...a "place of complete bliss, delight, and peace". That's the name of this little fairy tale land in the North Carolina country between Hillsborough and Yanceyville. Henry Warren, a retired tobacco farmer, spent the last years of his life constructing his own "place of bliss" out of stones he excavated from his Caswell County farm, and when he passed away in 1977 he had constructed a village of 27 buildings including a hotel, church, and theater. If you're in the area, it's well worth the detour.
A stone marker in front of Shangri-La bears an inscription taken from the poem, "The House By the Side of the Road" by Sam Walter Foss:
"Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to man."
Monday, October 5, 2020
Sunday, September 13, 2020
A Tiny Grave
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| The gravesite of Mary Caldonia Craig in the Old Smithville Cemetery in Southport, NC. In the sprawling cemetery of towering granite headstones, you could easily overlook it. Simple and unobtrusive, the marker on the gravesite of Mary Caldonia Craig is a compelling reminder of her short life. "Our Baby". In a short span of only eight days on this earth, something afflicted Mary Caldonia Craig and she couldn't overcome it. In 1893, the medical profession had no means to battle illnesses that today are easily dispatched with a round of medication. The loss of a baby was an all-too-often occurrence. Life is fragile, and we sometimes bear unimaginable heartbreak on our journey. Losing a child is every parent's worst nightmare. The Craig family, their friends, and their community carried on - they had no choice. There were perhaps other children to care for, jobs to attend to, other people depending on them; life goes on despite our miseries. People go through the motions, even when they are saturated in grief and agony. It's a part of the human experience, one shared throughout the ages. Little Mary Caldonia Craig passed from this world on April 15, 1893, only eight days after she arrived. Her grieving family placed this memorial to her with the poignant inscription, "Our Baby". And those of us that see it today, nearly 130 years later, know this: Mary Caldonia Craig's life "was but a vapor", but she was here, and she mattered. |
Sunday, September 6, 2020
Fall Foliage, Lingering Wildflowers
They were Lilliputian; dainty, and fragile. They swayed in the slightest breeze, making it difficult for me to focus my camera; making it almost impossible to take a picture that would do them justice. Masses of wildflowers were nestled in foliage beginning to take on a fall complexion, and the sight was as pleasing as the cooler air that welcomed us to Carvers Creek State Forest this morning.
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| Partridge Pea |
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| Widow's Tears |
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| Goldenrod |
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| Prairie Sumac |
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| Meadow Beauty |
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| Maypop |
(I identified the wildflowers using the "Picture This" app for plants.)
Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Too early for fall? I think not.
I'm gathering plants to make a fall container for my patio. On a trip to Lowe's this morning I found a beautiful ornamental grass and some bronze mums. I'm so ready for the (slightly) cooler temps that Weather.com predicts for next week. Let the fall decorating commence!
Friday, August 28, 2020
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
This Morning on the Back Porch...
My back porch was a welcome haven for me this morning, peaceful and cool. Also enjoying my humble backyard garden were tiny insects going about their work, and they provided the chance for me to work on my macro photography. The task is to create the "perfect storm" of subject, lighting, and camera settings. In the meantime, half the fun is the journey! (There's an app called "Picture Insect" that works like a charm to identify the insects you encounter.)
Though totally unaware of it, a Pearl Crescent (aka, Phaon Crescent) patiently posed for me on a hydrangea leaf.......another new fig leaf has emerged overnight...
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