My stepdaughter Marla and a friend are visiting for few days, and I was invited along for an afternoon of traveling around the area "tourist style". I have lived in this area since 1981, and love the rural beauty around here. We began at a local restaurant for a very late lunch, or very early dinner, and ate outdoors on an open deck. The weather today was rare for early August- mid 70's, and partly cloudy, beautiful for a lunch outdoors with a different view from our deck at home.
This beautiful gazebo or pavilion was visible from the deck where we were eating. After we finished, we walked the grounds to check out it along with the other beautiful surroundings.
Here was a view from the back yard area behind the restaurant. There were some really great big old trees to frame the mountains in the distance here.
Here is one of the really interesting old trees. The branch structure is really neat…
In our wanderings, we checked out this really great old abandoned house partially covered in vines. The decorative door seemed to not fit with the really simple block structure.
Another view of the front of the house with things growing on the roof and even a little tree growing next to the chimney!
This door was in the end of the house going into the second story. Another interesting door.
I am not sure why, but I have been really fascinated with old abandoned houses and especially old barns.
Here is a local old tobacco barn that I have seen while passing by on the road, usually too fast to grab a photo. This is a shot from the road.
Here is a photo of the barn from a closer vantage point. I love the pattern the boards along the sides make… Not knowing anything about tobacco barns, it looks like it may be where the sides could be opened up for ventilation.
Here is a planting of ferns and ivy that are looking very lush this summer. We traveled on a lot of back roads, checking out the views… It was a nice "vacation day" seeing the sights with others who spend most of their time in cities. Sometimes it is hard to think of where I live as a vacation destination, but it is a very beautiful area and I am blessed to get to see bits of it every day.
Final photo for today… a bunch of flower photos "twirled" in the computer and printed out onto cotton fabric. These are being cut up for an idea I have for a new piece…. More to follow….
I am a former textile artist and new pattern designer with a degree in horticulture, wishing to share my love of nature, flowers and gardens with everyone through my photos, sunprinted fabrics, and now pattern designs. Chronic Lyme Disease has caused major changes to the direction my life. I have to limit the amount of time spent digging in my gardens, and quilting has become more difficult. I discovered pattern design as a way to get art back into my life. I now use my gardens and photos to inspire designs that can be used on fabrics and print on demand items.
