Needing Hope, Finding Hope

Made my trash/recycling run today. 

My normal route was closed due to bridge repair. 

So I took the long way around, along a route that I hadn't traveled since ... you know. 

And I cried. You'd think I'd be used to seeing the effects of water violently reshaping our land, but I'm not. 

I'm not viewing pictures of some faraway war-torn land. I'm seeing, in real time, with my own two eyes, the evidence of Helene's war on the High Country of North Carolina. It's personal, and I'm gutted. 

I see dried mud along the crudely-carved riverbanks of a river that looks to be twice as wide as it used to be. I see the decaying trunks of uprooted trees. I see the flotsam and jetsam of people's lives: a car bumper here, some other object mangled beyond identification there. 

And I see where homes were, the evidence that they were ever there existing only in my memory. 

I dried my tears and went about the business of sorting my discards, then turned to retrace my route along the ravaged river's edge. 

I turned west to go back home, and as I drove higher, away from the valley, I saw golden clouds above a high ridge, the beginnings of a sunset. 

Was that color gold? Not really. I don't know what that color was. 

And then I came home, to see this color. Is it pink? Is it rose? I don't know what that color is. 

But as that pinkish hue is the most prominent color, even in a darkening sky dotted with darkish clouds, I have decided that it, and the earlier-seen goldish hue, are the colors of Hope.

A Month After Helene and the Thousand Year Flood

It's been a little over a month since Helene came to visit.

Thought about posting “Before and After” pictures representative of the vast damage done in this area. But I have deliberately not taken/shared pictures of what I’ve been seeing, because … I dunno … wanting to respect others’ privacy and help preserve their dignity?

Y’know, I had NO idea as to the severity of the storm at first. Didn’t lose ability to communicate until about 8:30am after the storm. It was still drizzling rain, so I didn’t venture out until that afternoon (Friday, 9/27) and then only in my yard to do a little cleanup. It wasn’t until Saturday, when I still had no power, no water, no cell service, and things still seemed oddly quiet, that I went out for a walk.

And then I saw all the broken trees and downed power lines and was unable to walk certain streets. Didn’t take long at all to realize how incredibly fortunate I’d been.

But you know what? Most of the people you run into say pretty much the same thing: “We were spared. We were lucky. We’re counting our blessings.” Doesn’t matter if they lost power for a week or if they’re still without power. They may still be bailing water out of a nearby stream to flush their toilets. They may have had a tree sitting on the roof or on a car. They may still be crossing a stream on a temporary footbridge to get groceries/supplies. They are still saying, “Others had it so much worse.”

Damage this widespread is going to take a long time to repair. It’s only natural to suffer occasional frustrations and express impatience … and maybe sometimes to feel a little bit of envy for others who’ve been able to get back on their feet a little more quickly. But over and over I see patience and resilience, and hear expressions of gratitude for the many Helpers, both from within our area and “from off.”

Babysitting Ripley

Today's gig: Babysitting Ripley while cousin Sally, accompanied by her husband Judson, is off to Asheville for a medical appointment.

We are safe with our warming fire. And I am grateful for the utility workers and road crews who are working out in this cold to bring safety and warmth to WNC. I'm grateful for those who donate money and supplies and volunteer time to relief stations dotted across the region. I'm grateful for agencies -federal and private alike - who persevere in the face of misinformation, suspicion, and criticism to provide assistance to those struggling in the aftermath of Helene.

Things are getting better ... one day at a time.

Three Weeks After

Twenty days after Helene. Nature can bring devastation, but it more often gives us beauty. And I am grateful.

The Snow Capped Black Mountains,

captured yesterday by photographer Thomas Mabry

Exciting News for FamJam!

I'm so excited! FamJam has been named one of the best folk music festivals in Florida!

This is a tribute to the hard-working Celtic Heritage team: Rob Adolph, Andrew Evans, Dawn Evans, Aubrey Gray, Rita Kochensparger, Matt Miller, Sarah Royce, Colin Shoemaker, Tam Smalling, Morgan Summers; the musicians, athletes, and re-enactors who've contributed their gifts over the years; the food and merch vendors; the Florida Sand Music Ranch; and the FamJam Family who've returned, year after year, infusing the festival with their collective loving spirit to give FamJam a special vibe that is unique in the festival world.

To read more about it, visit this link:

https://themusicallysound.com/the-best-8-folk-music-festivals-in-florida/?fbclid=IwAR3TRxbIXtHuC0IwhPe4Hn7X5iAcAaUh9vxaT4hpB7KtPpVvXm2AcDR0qvs

My Dream Super Bowl

Apologies to anyone who's still got a team in the NFL playoffs picture, but I'm rooting for a Packers v Chiefs Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is less about football than show, anyway, right? This one could be the funnest one yet!

These two accomplished, beautiful women have lots of fans, for sure, but their haters spend even more time criticizing than their fans spend praising. (It's like their fans have a life, or something.)

I can only imagine the massive sound of heads exploding all at once. Would be messy, but it'd be fun.

(Apologies also to Jonathan Owens and Travis Kelce and to their respective teams: If they do make it to the Super Bowl, they'll have earned it. And I sincerely hope that their accomplishments won't be overshadowed by the mere presence of their famous SOs. It's ... happened so many times before ... 😐 )

MLK