Thursday, March 14, 2013

Take a walk on the wild side


   

 
Each year my gardening friend Les Parks sponsors a Winter Walk-Off.

The object is to head out from home on my own two feet to find photo ops that might be of interest to folks across the country or around the globe.

I didn’t participate last year because I didn’t know Les then, and I had just started my blog.

So to commemorate the first anniversary of The Dirt Diaries, I am going to throw my trowel in the ring!

Of course the prizes are tempting -- $100,000  and a trip to Hawaii. (If only.) But the best part is having a chance show off my little corner of the world.


Right now everything is looking very green in the mountains of western North Carolina.

Nothing is blooming yet, so the evergreens and mosses have their moment in the sun before wildflowers, rhododendrons and mountain laurels steal the spotlight.



 

My first stop is a neighbor's yard where beautiful ferns appear to be growing out of a rock. 

These ferns are unlike the Christmas and hay-scented varieties I have on my property. I intend to ask if I can transplant a few if I ever see Raul.


I found this moss covered log around the bend. The colors seem to change depending on the time of day, but I always find it beautiful.




  About a half-mile away I discovered this small waterfall. I could hear the sound of water rushing from the road and decided to find the source. (No worries about bears or snakes off the beaten path in March.)

 There are dozens of these little falls within three miles of my house, but most of them are not photographer-friendly. Too many fallen branches and tangled vines to get a clear shot. Someone suggested I take some ropes with me and tie back the offending branches. I am still laughing.


 
I call this place The Gingerbread House. I've wandered by it most every day for the past two years. I have yet to see a living soul there. 

One day I must go up and give the house a hug. I know it is lonely.
 






  

The first time I walked past this black bear, he gave me quite a start. He lives in a driveway about 200 feet from the road. 

I saw a moving van there once but no other signs of life since. 

Still, Yogi stands ready to frighten unsuspecting passersby whenever he can.



 
 Another neighbor loves birdhouses just like me.







 
A family of turkeys has moved in across the main road.





Almost home again. Before rounding the bend I see one of my favorite landmarks – whale rock. I always think I see his eye and smile. 


So, welcome to my world. I hope you've enjoyed your visit.

I'll be back soon with postings on my new roses, sickly impatiens, terrariums and much more.

In the meantime, be sure to let us know if there is anything we can do to make your mountain holiday more enjoyable.

Moonshine, shower caps and bear repellent are available at the front desk.















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16 comments :

Les said...

Thanks for joining in Lynn. I love the little waterfall and the moss covered log. In fact, I love everything about your part of the world, no matter the season.

Lynn Hunt said...

Thank you Les. You are invited to visit any time!

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

Love the gingerbread house - and that mossy log. Hope you get your ferns, they look really pretty.

Lynn Hunt said...

Thanks for stopping by, Janet! We are planting a mound in front of the house all in ferns so I want to see if those will be able to tolerate the sun. They are that luscious green year-round.

HELENE said...

Thanks for letting me have a walk with you, refreshingly different from East London where I live now, and surprisingly similar to central Norway where I am from, and where I lived to I was 35 years old. We had no turkeys roaming in Norway but we did occasionally have a Yogi visiting. The real ones are pretty scary, especially when you get out in the morning and see their huge paw prints right across your yard. Never met one though! I have used fox repellent, to deter foxes from digging in my London garden, didn’t work much though, but never heard of bear repellent. I have had moonshine (in Norway, many years ago), but feel no need to repeat the experience – and what was the shower caps for?
Oh, by the way, I use strings in my garden to tie up straggly plants before photographing them, carefully avoiding getting the strings in the picture. Maybe the advice wasn’t so silly after all, if you could manage to do it in a safe manner?
Hope you have a great day, take care, Helene.

Teresa / The Garden Diary said...

I love taking this walk with you. Makes me feel like I was really there. So many interesting and beautiful things to see. Tomorrow is my day off and I plan to get in touch with the lay of my land too! Happy Spring.

Lynn Hunt said...

Hi Helene! I'm glad you enjoyed the tour. You are right about the bear visits -- two "teenage" bears climbed up to our deck last year and scared me silly!

I was just kidding about the moonshine, bear repellent and shower caps. When you stay at hotels here they always say certain things (like shower caps) are at the front desk so I was making a little joke!

Like you I had a taste of moonshine many years ago and that was enough (:

Thanks again for stopping by and have a beautiful spring!

Lynn Hunt said...

Happy Spring to you, Teresa! I'm glad you enjoyed the walk. In a couple of weeks the landscape here will change completely and then it will be time for our roses!!

Shenandoah Kepler said...

Thank you for your beautiful photos and advice. We are always learning something new from you. We are still down in Florida until April when we will return to Maryland, so we live vicariously through winter with your blog. Thanks for sharing!

Lynn Hunt said...

Hi Shenandoah! So glad I could send a blast of cool mountain air your way! I was hoping we'd have a big snow one day but it didn't happen for us. Now I am over it and ready for spring. My new roses start arriving in a couple of weeks.

Have a safe journey back to MD and keep in touch!

Charlie@Seattle Trekker said...

I thoroughly enjoyed our walk around the neighborhood. Thank you for the pictures and a wonderful experience.

Lynn Hunt said...

Thank you for stopping by, Charlie! I hope you will visit again soon.

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Wow Lynn, lots of folks came by to visit for your walk through your neighborhood. I love your falls, so pretty and the sounds of the water rushing down the rocks is probably soothing.
Nice to see the turkey family just meandering across the road.

Lynn Hunt said...

Janet, it was so fun to have all those visitors from around the globe. I'm glad they enjoyed the tour -- I love showing folks the waterfalls. Soon I'll just be able to hear them since trees will be leafing out and the snakes will be back. Hope to discover more next winter! (Falls, not snakes!)

Pam/Digging said...

What beautiful scenery you enjoy in your "neck of the woods!" Love that waterfall in the first picture -- I visited the Blue Ridge Mountains many times during my childhood in upstate S.C. Thanks for sharing!

Lynn Hunt said...

Hi Pam, I'm so glad you enjoyed taking a tour of my little corner of the world. Please come back again!

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