Another day of rain and overcast skies and temps in the 50s (is this really the South?). We touched base with our Air BNB host Michelle and got to pat Minnie, the white terrier who clearly runs the place. Michelle recommended Over Easy for breakfast, so we set out to sample its offerings. The cafe—sort of a bohemian diner—lived up to our host’s praise. John had a croissant sandwich (excellent) and I ate a very tasty cheddar and mushroom omelet. The sides, however, were the best: cheesy grits for John and a side of fruit (with fresh figs, raspberries, and apples) and a heavenly southern biscuit with strawberry jam for me.
After breakfast, we stood in line with about 100 others (John was probably the youngest there) to see the biennial craft show held in Asheville. Such a wide diversity of talent greeted us! One crafter described how she hammered the design in the gleaming bronze and copper utensils she made. Another covered pinecones, leaves, even a wasp nest with colorful acrylic to craft tiny bowls of extraordinary beauty.
John admired the handcrafted brooms being marketed to new homeowners, who were urged to “make a clean sweep.” One husband couldn’t resist asking if his wife could take one for a test drive. Ha! Ha!
Another husband stood in the back and handed his wife his credit card each time she returned from a scouting foray. When I asked him if he was the money man, he offered to give me the credit card, too. “Might as well take it,” he said. I declined, but maybe I should have pursued it . . .
A woman displaying gorgeous quilts for sale curtly told John not to take photos but said he could view her website if he wanted to see her work. Perhaps she feared other quilters would steal her ideas, but I would think they could do that online as well as by taking photos.
John took some shots of tables and vessels fashioned from wood, thinking his friend Ernie might be interested in making some of his own; one table created from a redwood stump must have been five feet across.
We returned to our home away from home to collect our belongings and say good-bye to Michelle and Asheville. I left behind my blue earrings that I wear almost every day. Don’t ask me how, but I did. Michelle later emailed me to say she found them and would be happy to mail them to me in Saco. That’s another thing I love about Air BNB (besides the price). The people are so nice.
Then began our long slog to Montgomery, six hours of highway driving. John and I shared the burden so it wasn’t too bad, except going through Atlanta. I had the joy of driving through that zoo of zigzagging traffic. A couple lanes over traffic suddenly stopped as one car rear-ended another and set off a chain reaction that involved at least five cars and forced everyone near them to a standstill. No injuries, but lots of damage and hassle. I and every other driver around them suddenly sat up straighter and paid even closer attention to the cars around us, thankful that we weren’t among the unlucky ones.
We gained an hour after we drove into Alabama, which is on Central Time. Curiously, though, the change didn’t occur until we were about one mile into the state. A clock on a tower along the highway just as we entered the state recorded Eastern Standard Time. A short while later, a road sign announced the changeover to Central Time. I would think that might be a little confusing for people making plans with neighbors who lived a mile away in another time zone.
When we finally arrived in Montgomery, we found the hotel next to a lovely pond, frequented by ducks and white herons. Eight of the elegant birds perched on trees on the far end of the pond, nestled in for the night. The manager told us the beautiful white birds are a symbol of good luck. He said they frequent ponds only if other birds are there. That is why members of his staff raise ducks to place on the pond. Apparently, the presence of the ducks indicate to the herons that the area is safe and they will then stay there themselves. A message that perhaps we must create a safe place within ourselves where beauty can reside.
As we watched from the shore, a blazing red sunset swept the sky. No time to retrieve the camera, so we just let it sweep over us and enjoyed the moment.
Weather forecast for tomorrow: Abundant sunshine, 83 degrees. Cheers!