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Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Nope, Not Napa!

Fundy Blue was close.  Dreaming nailed it.  I was in Asheville, North Carolina, visiting my brother Tom and sister-in-law Pat.  The photos in the previous post were taken overlooking Biltmore Vineyard.  Asheville has several vineyards and a booming beer business.  Who knew?

It was a sentimental journey.  My Mom passed away in 2004.  The day after Mom's funeral, I took her cat Callie home to Colorado as carry-on luggage.  Callie never made a sound on the long trip, not even as she bounced against my side as I ran through the Atlanta airport to make our connection.  In the days, weeks, months, years that followed, we comforted each other.  Callie passed away in November after a long illness.  I didn't share it on my blog.  It felt like the last tie to my mother was cut.  I just quietly moved her photo on my sidebar to the "Sadly Missed" column.  I wanted to return her ashes to Mom, so that's what I did.  Neighbor Chuck had a big show in Scottsdale, and our friend/horse sitter Rey stayed at his ranch.  This gave me the perfect time to make my trip - Rey would give Dave a hand in the barn while I was away.

Tom drove Pat and me to the little town in the very western corner of North Carolina where our parents retired.  We visited their grave, and I scattered Callie's ashes.  Next we drove past their home.  It lifted our spirits to see their beloved home looking well cared for.


The rest of the trip was filled with good food and great company.  We hit the galleries in Asheville so I could see Tom and Pat's work.  That was a thrill for me.  The Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful place, inside and out.  No photography is allowed inside, so the photos are from the Southern Highland Guild website.





Thank you so much, Tom and Pat, for taking such good care of me.  Thank you so much, Dave and Rey, for taking such good care of the ranch.  I came home to a ship-shape barn and home, with horses, dog Mickey, kitties and fish flourishing.  Yay.

12 comments:

Fundy Blue said...

Welcome back, Terry!
It sounds like you had a wonderful visit and homecoming.

What an awesome thing to do ~ to take Callie's ashes and sprinkle them over your parents' graves.

It's hard to feel like the last tie with your mom has been cut. I have found great comfort in recent weeks in reading my parents letters and looking at their photographs. These activities are filling me up with love.

I see that you are about to hit 4,000 visits on your revolving map! Congrats!

Enjoy being home!

Dreaming said...

I have tears and chill bumps. What a wonderful thing for you to do - reuniting your mom and Callie. So very touching! I am glad you were able to have closure.
It seems that there are vineyards all over the US - so that lovely view could be found in many places. I remembered that your brother lived there - so went with that! I love wandering through the Folk Art Center. We may even get back there in the next few weeks! Does your brother have work there?

in2paints said...

I'm so glad you were able to make that trip. So sorry to hear about Callie, but it is a truly beautiful thing, what you did for your mom and Callie.

I've been to Asheville a couple times and it is beautiful there... like being in another world!

A Normandy kitchen said...

Hello Terry,

What a touching post, such a sweet thing to do and so right. It must have been hard for you. They are still all around us when we need them.

Happy to see you got to spend some quality time with your brother and his wife. The folk art center looks wonderful!

Geography was never my strong point...

Best wishes,
Ivan

Mary Ann said...

What a wonderful thing for you to do, for your mom and dad, and for Callie.
Way to go!

Lori Skoog said...

I wondered where you really were! Sounds like everything worked out well on both ends of your trip. Sorry to read about Callie, but you sure did a sweet thing for your Mom.

Kate said...

I am sorry to hear about Callie but I am glad she is "home" with your mom.

thecrazysheeplady said...

Very sweet. Well done - trip and story.

Jim said...

What a wonderful journey that was Terry and to reunite the spirits of these sentient beings. I was very moved to read this. Callie looks like a wonderful cat and trust me she is thanking you for all that you did for her.
I concur with Ivan that you can call on either one when there is need. They are always with us.
Welcome back.

fromsophiesview said...

Callie and your Mom are together now, thanks to your loving nature, Terry. I suspect this journey was a very difficult one and applaud you for it. Seeing your parents home must make you feel emotional inside...I travel past my family home off and on when I drive to the Valley. It is very difficult when you know the home is so close, distance wise...however for you there are many miles. Take care of yourself and give some hugs to Mickey and the horses!
Ron

Alison said...

Ah, yes, there are few corners of the world more beautiful. Miss Chef and I both would like to be buried there. I hope the trip and the beauty brought you some peace.

Ruth said...

Aw that must have been a very hard thing to do.
Im glad you had a good trip.