A long time to cover, so hang in there!

I am pretty sure it was in the high 90'sF today, but felt over 100F. One can get very tired of sitting inside in the air conditioned comfort, and the need to get out and move becomes imperative. What better thing to do than get the wax and polisher out? In THIS heat? Surely you jest!!!!NOPE!

Well, I had to do SOMETHING other than sit on the computer doing research for our upcoming adventures...more on that later!

Let's see....I am scratching my head! Today is the 13th of August, and as I count down the days (17 to go) until we lift off for parts to be later revealed, I can barely remember what has transpired in our lives since I last posted.

I'm sure the photo album will serve me well, per usual, and I will manage to jog the old memory. Here goes!
You heard how we liked to sit on the swing on the dock...well, it is always fascinating to see what comes past, and this tow was something unexpected. I learned to take my camera out there with me because there were so many times I missed the 'money' shot by having to race back down the 50ft of dock to retrieve it from my bag, and back.

 This rather nice Catamaran made it's slow way north.

 I was fascinated to watch the daily birth of these beautiful and possibly deadly Funghi in a pot with some sick Gerbers in it. Usually sour soil will produce these things. Rather beautiful, don't you think?

One of the things we have to do for our Hosts, is water their plants. This is one of my personal favorite things to do as I get to clean up fallen leaves and blossoms, tidy the plants, make sure they are in the best position for sun etc, and then I sweep, wash down and generally dust and tidy any outside space.
This lovely hibiscus is growing in a pot.

I have a favorite sun hat that I wear, and roll up and squish into all kinds of small spaces, and I sought to replicate it. I took my sewing machine down to Palm Coast and bought some interesting (being the operative) fabric on the way, from JoAnn's, and made a pattern from the favorite. This is the result, for better or worse. Worse, I think, in terms of colors, and I need to make some small changes to the pattern I made out of brown parcel paper, but generally speaking, it works! I haven't had the time or place to make another one since, but I was quite pleased with how this turned out.' I pinned a 'flower' to the side for fun, but I think I wont keep it there!

 The inside of the hat which is a 'one size fits all' kind. The drawstring works really well to keep the fit firm around the head.

Another day I came outside to find THIS funghi in another pot. Interesting! It didn't open up like the other one, preferring to stay as a bonnet.

The house across the road, which is for sale, and which I rather covet. It has an internal courtyard that looks lovely, from the outside.

 We walked later and later, each night, as the heat was still rather stifling at 7pm, just after our dinner. The light wasn't great, but that doesn't matter too much. We were rather taken by surprise by the numbers of wildlife of various sorts roaming around in the subdivision.
This is one of several 'lakes' nearby.

And this fella (or gal) was a regular on the far bank of that pond or lake, each evening. Some of the Gators were there first thing in the morning too, we found. This one is about 6-8ft long.

I have to say that we are intruding on their habitat, and that all this supposed 'progress' that is being made in these wildlife areas, is just another attempt by man to oust these creatures from their homes. No wonder they come out at night to spook us!!:)

With the heat and humidity comes the afternoon thunderstorms. We hurried inside after taking these photos from the dock. You do not want to be on or near the water when Lightning is around. Often there would be no rain, just clouds, which would be blown past us. Sometimes there was a quick and violently heavy downpour, and then bright sunshine and extreme humidity again.

 Some of the sunsets were stunning, after the rain.

One of the critters we find very curious, is the Armadillo. We disturbed a mother suckling her young, one evening, and I don't know which of us was more surprised. Everyone we have spoken to said they have never seen that before. Well, I guess we were lucky! Baby lay on it's side to suckle, and when the mother got over her shock of seeing us so close...literally no more than 5 feet away...she hot footed it into the garden leaving her poor baby very bewildered, and walking around in circles.

We didn't spend all day every day in the house, choosing to take a look around the area, often driving Hwy A1A  down the ocean road past Flagler, Ormond and Daytona Beach communities. Lots to see, and we find all kinds of funky places for a coffee on the way there or  back.

One day we went down to St Augustine for the day. We didn't have anything in mind other than to get out and find some lunch. We returned to a favorite bar where we knew we could get Fish and Chips, and we weren't disappointed.
A walk through the Historic District was inevitable, and of course a rather expensive Gelato there, for an afternoon 'snack'. This pretty scene was taken through a gate in the Historic District. It looks cool, but the heat was something awful, and we soon returned to the car, taking a tiki-tour around some nearby residential streets, just to see what the houses looked like, but their prices were beyond our budget.

Speaking again of critters. This is Mating Season for all kinds...including Manatee. These 6 were very active, as much as Manatee can be active, being rather slow moving critters. The small boat gave up on the spectacle which I failed to adequately document, but these will have to do. They galolloped around in the middle of the channel and Waz and I flagged down speeding boats, so that they wouldn't all get run over. No wonder so many of them are killed by motor boats.

 Who knows what is going on under the water.

Now, this tree is of interest because there was a letter from the Home Owners Assoc. to say that the tree needed to be more than 6ft above the sidewalk. I had asked the gardener to cut the tree UP , but he failed to return on the allotted day, so Waz and I cut it:) Looks great! BUT...We decided that we wouldn't like to live in a Gated Community like this, as you have to PAY to submit a proposal to change your house color...and if you are planning to build a new home, you pay $2,000 to the 'committee' to approve your plans, including but not limited to, the shrubs you plan to plant...there is an approved list!...the house color and colors of any trim, and so much more....just too much 'stuff'. Some people really like living in places that have these kinds of restrictions, but not us.

So...We get around! :)

Having finished the five weeks house sit in Palm Coast, we loaded up our car and came home...for the night. We left again early in the morning for a weekend away in Asheville, North Carolina. We had been invited to a Birthday weekend, but  we would  be staying with someone I had be an online friend with for the past 14+ years! Yes, that long, and then we met for the first time in real life when we turned up at their front door. WONDERFUL! Susan and her husband Michael seemed like old friends by the end of the weekend.
On the way there, we stopped for the night in Columbia, the Capital of South Carolina. Cutting our trip in half was a good idea. We haven't been inland in Sth. Carolina...or North, for that matter...but...this is a 'typical of the Government-type city', with lovely restaurants, fabulous Galleries...where I managed to find something special for my sister and her husband for a house-warming gift...yay!
We enjoyed a lunch at this interesting pub, down a side road off the main drag.  I forget what we ate...maybe a burger of some description...who knows...forgettable, obviously! The décor was certainly more interesting than the food!

 I always love Public Artwork, and this told the story of the region, on the side of an otherwise boring brick wall.

 We walked for a while after our lunch, before getting into the car and finding our Hampton Inn Hotel, just out of the city center, therefore $30 less, per night! Hmmm...

On our return for dinner, we walked for a while, looking in shop windows, around the block, and discovered this restaurant which was full, by the time we walked in the door...full to overflowing, actually. We didn't want to sit and wait for 25 mins, so kept walking. The restaurant is inside the old Railway Station.

 We didn't find the building, but it's peeking over the tree-tops was rather lovely.

Waz is a Carrot Cake lover, and we saw this in a Café...and had to take a photo. We thought the cakes all looked like they may taste the same. We declined the coffee and cake in favor of more walking!

Onwards and upwards...literally....from Columbia, SC to Hendersonville, North Carolina. We had met some folks on our big Loop, in 2014, who lived then in Hendersonville, supposedly in the Piedmont, the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains, just 22 miles outside of the city of Asheville. they had told us that we just HAD to go and visit the place. Here we were!
This is a tidy town full of retired Floridians. People from other places GO to Florida to retire, but this is where Floridians retire! Out of all that heat!
The main street of the Historic District was like so many...hanging baskets, outdoor seating, plenty of Antique shops, cafes, and ice-cream shops...and an Old Fashioned Bakery (we went inside to find out what made it old fashioned!) where the cream puffs had custard in them, and some of the 'cream' was a bit suspect to us. Whipped cream is whipped cream, if you follow me! Not something with 6 ingredients!

 The Crape Myrtle up here at this elevation was something amazing! Look at the size of those blossoms! They are about 10 times larger than what we see locally in Jacksonville.

I really wanted this rocking chair...love the styling! and it was SO comfy! Oooops! Nowhere to put it on the boat:(

 There wasn't a lot of traffic, but the place was lovely and neat and tidy.

Onwards to Asheville. We had plans to meet Susan and Michael around 4pm. This meant we had time to park in Asheville and find a coffee and have a good walk around.
Asheville is very Art Deco...The buildings are really interesting. I think this is the City Hall.

 I was told what this building is, but can't remember...how typical of me! Waz has the memory, and even he can't remember, lol.

 More outdoor art...my favorite kind! kids doing typical things. This young girl is having a drink from the fountain.

 Interesting balustrade on the deck.

 Old time trolleys. The center of town is a mix of old and new.

 A seat in the shade. How lovely is this! Seat backs are large Ginko leaves.

We were pretty hot and sticky by the time we arrived at Susan and Michael's 5 acre parcel just 5 minutes from the center of Asheville. They arrived 6 years ago from New York, having come down for many years to sell the NC pottery they collect. Their home is a wonderful Craftsman style building with amazing features. I didn't take any photos...not kosher! but I can tell you that they have impeccable style and their choice of Mission furniture is right up my alley! I love it! They had commissioned several American Oak furniture pieces from Amish craftsmen, and the quality is superb. Their collections of Glassware (think Tiffany!), North Carolina pottery and enough other 'things' to start a curiosity shop! We were in heaven!:)

We were delighted to see their daily visitors, Ebenezer and his two lady friends...He obviously moved his head just as I took the photo! sorry! These wild turkey are everywhere at this elevation, which is about 3,500ft above sea level. The trees are DIVINE! You can see how Asheville is the center of the Fall Colors industry, and industry it sure is. The Fall colors of the largely Maple varieties all through the mountains here (Great Smokeys), are a huge draw card. This city appears to be busy year round, though. Good for businesses in the city center, but we wonder how our friends live with the huge crowds everywhere!

 The back of Susan and Michael's 'log and stone' home. That window is elliptical, which is quite something, the house having been built in 1935. Where that dark pile of sawdust is on the left, is where they had a huge English Oak removed 6 months ago, and the Rhododendrons in front of the window are showing signs of sunburn. The whole back of the house used to be lovely and cool in summer, and now they are complaining of the heat, with no shade there. We made the suggestion of a shade sail, which we had on our house in NZ. Works a treat to keep the sun and heat out. Yes, that is cloud through the trees. It is remarkable to have such a large property in the middle of suburbia, and we can absolutely see why they are so happy here.

 The cupola on top of the Garage apartment, taken from the back deck. Leaves were just starting to turn color when we were there.

 Ebenezer came running when Michael called the cats for their dinner....hoping for some of the same, I can guess! The back deck needs replacing or repairing. What doesn't on an older home.

 I would have claimed this studio at the end of the garden for my own. Lovely and light with so many windows.

On Saturday we wandered around the city center with the market there and music, of course. We found an ice-cream shop without a gazillion people lining up, thankfully, and enjoyed walking around looking at everything going on.

 We always visit art galleries and craft shops...this one caught my eye, obviously...I love bird houses.

 And I love quirky furniture. Maybe one day I will repurpose furniture in a creative way...maybe not this creative, but you get the idea! I didn't want someone to see me photographing the artwork! hence the poor quality of photo.

 I also love funky clocks! I would have bought them both, but I have nowhere to put them right now, and besides, I know where they are!

We met our friends at Chimney Rock, about an hour's drive ...um...some direction...but first, our GPS took us up a dead end mountain road. Good thing it did, because we saw some lovely views, interesting sights and met some nice folks who told us where to go in the RIGHT direction! At least the road was in first rate condition!

 We were very taken by this seemingly isolated farm house across the gully.

 Chimney Rock with the flag on top. it is a bit of a mission to get up there...but we didn't. It costs money all over the place...to park, to get the shuttle, to get onto the rock ...you get the idea. Our friends did all of the above, and we met them in town for lunch. They got held up, so we had lunch on our own, meeting them for their meal, and having a cup of coffee to keep them company.

 The view from on top, as per one of the posters we found.

 The town of Chimney Rock was jam packed. All the restaurants were overflowing and we ended up outside in the heat, albeit under cover, overlooking the river, which runs behind the shops.

After lunch we went further into the unknown to Lake Lure. Our friend used to come to these parts as a child on vacation, and wanted us all to see where she spent such happy times. Lightning forced the evacuation of the swimming area in front of the Hotel.

 The 'mountains' are lovely, rocky in parts and fully wooded in others. I can imagine this place in the fall...it must be stupendous!

 The beach is patrolled, and roped off from the rest of the lake. There are changing rooms and bathrooms off to the right of the photo. It was amazing to see the long line of folks wanting to get inside when the downpour started.

 There is a Marina on the other side of the lake, filled with pleasure craft of the smaller kind, and plenty of Pontoon boats. I joke that I will get one in my old age! lol

 THIS is a pontoon boat, if you can see it!

We all departed in the rain, with our friends going back to their Airbnb booked vacation rental, and us to Asheville.
We went out for dinner with Susan and Michael to a lovely Indian restaurant, where we had the most incredible meal. Waz was in heaven! This was our first Indian food in 3 yrs!  It was so much fun to get to know Susan and Michael better, and we got along famously. They took us on a tiki tour of some nice real estate and then to Grove Park Inn. This amazing building is built of local granite. It just happened that there was a Rolls Royce get-together there for the weekend and we learned that there were in excess of 200 Rolls in the garage! They had come from all over the country...even California!

 The original Hotel is on the left...the main building, obviously. There are two new wings. The one we are standing in and the one opposite.
The stairs lead down to the Spa (think glass pyramid over the top) with outdoor swimming pool, overlooking the Golf Course.

 We missed the lovely colors of sunset, but you can see the Great Smokey Mountains in the background. Downtown Asheveille is on the far left, background.

Bored yet??
Sorry, this blog has a lot of catching up to do!! and No, I cant put it into another  blog post...I'm on a roll!

This gorgeous Grandfather Clock is the original made especially for Mr Grove, the Pharmaceutical Magnate who started life as a Pharmacist making Quinine palatable. He made it so palatable that he amassed a large fortune and decided to build this stunning edifice now owned and managed by Wyndam Hotels. The place is filled with Mission style furniture. Fabulous!

 Oh Look! A Birdhouse.!

 These rocks weigh literally tons. These are the Fireplace surrounds.

 Some of the lovely baskets on display.

 And...of course there is a coffee shop/ice-cream shop where you can also get CAKES!

We just looked!

 Some of the pretties in the garages...ROLLERS!

..Oops...just a few more pics of this lovely place. That is the Spa and pool down there, and beyond, the Golf Course.

 All the furniture was custom made in NC for the Hotel. This is all Mission Furniture built by Roycroft. The Grove Park Inn opened in 1913 at the height of the American Arts and Crafts movement. It was called the Finest Resort Hotel in the World, when first built. Today the Inn has the largest collection of Arts and Crafts furniture in the country.

 We didn't eat in the dining room, but I did invade the space to take the photo:)

 We went back on Monday morning to take some daytime photos!

Every year there is a Gingerbread House Competition of some magnitude. This lovely 'house' won 2nd place last year.

 Yep..it is all Gingerbread ...well, and frosting!

The bespoke carpets (wool, of course) in the Hotel were things of true beauty. All the patterns are Art Deco.

As you can see, we were totally enamoured of the Grove Park Inn, and all it contained. I have a gazillion other photos, but I wont bore you with the rest:)

So, Monday noon we made a lovely salad lunch for Susan and Michael and decided to hit the road. We had a good 8 hr trip ahead of us and Waz was not doing well in the Allergy dept.
Our hosts were fabulous, and we so enjoyed meeting them after so many years of internet correspondence. Our children are all adults now, but we had that in common for all those years.
Upon leaving their beautiful property, I looked up and saw this lovely scene. Two of these trees are Maples, and the one on the left is turning color already. Not long before Fall colors will be everywhere.

We decided to drive down the middle of the state of Georgia. We hadn't realized what a large State it is!
We spent the night in Athens, Ga, at a Hampton Inn (of course), arriving at rush hour...good idea that!! NOT!, and in a downpour!
Up at our usual time, we partook of the Free breakfast, with Waz making his usual Waffles. I had the scrambled eggs and something resembling a sausage. Back on the road we enjoyed the almost car free and certainly truck free roads on these secondary highways. Long stretches of highway where we couldn't see another car. Delightful to be driving in these conditions, seriously, after our busy highway experience getting there.
Driving through small town Georgia was an education, and we vow to return to some of the Antique shops (or what passed for them) on the roadside in the middle of nowhere, to see what delights we could find therein.

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig! Back on the boat and other things to think about. We have a boat to prepare for us to leave it, our boat caretakers to get in touch with and bags to pack, even though we have a couple of weeks to go before take-off....I will leave that for the next blog, because I have sunburned eyelids from waxing the boat, this weekend, and I need to go and put something cool on them. Sun glasses and a hat were no match for the reflection of the heat and sun on the white boat. it was BRUTAL out there today...and yesterday, because I was doing the same thing then!
Night night.