Mosaic Monday - Atalaya

By January of each year G and I get to needing some healing for our souls so we take a trip to the sea. It’s almost never good weather, usually it’s cold and raining but it’s not sunbathing and swimming that we need. Neither of us really has much business baking in the sun; our Celtic heritage makes us prime subjects for skin cancer. It’s the sand, the sound of the serf, the cry of gulls and the smell of fresh fish frying that works healing on us. We both need to be close to the soil but we’re not mountain people, we’re coastal people. Mountain people are good folk and have the same love of the land that we do but, it’s a different land and a different kind of connection.

So each year we take a trip to Myrtle Beach. I’m not keen on Myrtle Beach because it’s a party beach, nothing but hotel after hotel, lots of chain restaurants, T-shirt shops… you get the picture. But it’s the closest to us and at that time of year the rates are cheap. We did manage to find a hotel that has a heated swimming pool and a Jacuzzi.

But this year we did a little exploring and found a couple of state parks that offer the kind of things we’re looking for such as fishing, and rental cabins under the pines with ocean views. G and I hope to go back again next year but we’re thinking of waiting a little later in the season so that we can do some fishing.


We also found and interesting old ruins called Atalaya. The mosaic above is made up of pictures I took during our visit to Atalaya. There are from left to right

1. path to the beach
2. stairway to the roof (it’s closed to visitors)
3. me
4. brick wall
5. ironwork (inside view)
6. courtyard gate
7. G
8. ironwork (outside view)
9. faucet in the kitchen
10. pelican
11. park rangers house (my dream home)
12. walkway into the courtyard

Find more mosaics each Monday at Little Red House.

Spencer Transporation Musem

I've always loved trains, especially the old steam engines like they used in the black & white movies of the 40's and 50's. There is just something so romantic and yet at the same time adventurous about them.

I’ve always wanted to take a trip on a train. Not just a ride from point A to B but a real trip where you get to sleep on the train. I’m sure I probably wouldn’t get much sleeping done but that’s not really my goal. I just want to experience that whole private berth, dining car, viewing car adventure.

Recently it seems that trains are gaining in popularity again, what with gas shortages and the bad economy trains are a much more economical way of movie goods and necessities from one place to another. And of course they’re showing up in movies more often again. The Harry Potter movies have the most wonderful steam engine of all time in them; big, red and shiny with all those moving pictures in the different cars.

So you can probably imagine how excited I was when my oldest daughter T told me she was dating a train engineer. I was almost scared to hope that the relationship would work out for fear of disappointment that I wouldn’t get to know more about trains and possibly get to ride a few. But things have worked out and he’s now our son-in-law and father of our new grandson.

This past weekend his company had a picnic/cookout for all their employees and the employees family members at the Spencer Transportation Museum. The museum has exhibits about all forms of transportation in NC; cars, planes, trains, hot air ballon, and even this sweety. I would love to have one of these, I would hang a basket off the handlebars to use for flowers in the summer, in the winter I would use it under the Christmas tree and put vintage toys in the basket. (hint to family)

We took a short ride in one of the trains as well. G even got to ride in the cab of the engine although I didn’t get a picture because my battery died. Another photography lesson learned.

I’m hoping we can go back this fall when it’s a bit cooler to visit the museum again because there were lots of things we didn’t get to see.

So if you’re ever in this neck of the woods and looking for something the whole family can enjoy you ought to consider the Spencer Transportation Museum.

Wouldn't an old meter like this be the coolest lawn art, I think so.

The Lady on the Hill

Biltmore House (castle).

Biltmore Estate is one of the most beautiful estates in America. The house is truly a castle and the gardens are amazing. The descendants of George Vanderbilt have worked hard to maintain the house and grounds and are constantly restoring and preserving them. They have generously opened the estate to general public. No doubt it was a smart move on their behalf because it enables them to hold on to the estate but the fact is that many beautiful estates have not been so lucky. Many don’t have such savvy owners who cared or were willing to work as hard at keeping their families legacy intact. And you can rest assured that keeping and estate like Biltmore thriving is a full time job.

Can you imagine the time and effort

that went into the detail of just one window?

This spring there is the added bonus of 4 new rooms in the house, actually the house should more rightly be called the castle because it truly is a castle. In fact it’s bigger than some European castles. Unfortunately the owners of Biltmore house will not allow photos to be taken of the inside so I don’t have any of those to share but you can see some on their website. I have to tell you though that the website doesn’t do the rooms justice, they are much more beautiful in real life.

What a lovely place to just sit and enjoy the gardens.

In the 13 years that G and I have lived in NC we’ve visited Biltmore Estate often. Mere words cannot describe Biltmore, it’s is awe inspiring, stunning, majestic, overwhelmingly beautiful and yet none of those words truly describe or define Biltmore. Whatever your interest Biltmore something for you, be it homes of the rich and famous, architecture, art, craftsmanship, food and wine, gardens and much, much more. Its beauty and majesty draw people from all over the world and one visit is never enough.

At one point in history gargoyles were believed

to frighten away evil spirits.

There are many aspects of the house and grounds that draw me back over and over again but the one thing that always wins out are the gardens. Biltmore owners and staff put together stunning shows season after season and no two are the same. Frederick Law Olmstead designed the Biltmore gardens and grounds. He is considered the father and founder of American Landscape Architecture. He is also the designer of Central Park and Boston’s Emerald Necklace to name just a few of his many accomplishments. Olmstead designed an easy marriage between the causal and the formal garden styles for Biltmore so that there is something for every garden taste.

Looking towards the conservatory,

which is larger than most average American homes.

Our past visits have been mostly in the fall. The only thing that can hold a candle to Biltmore in the fall would be the Blue Ridge Parkway. But this year I wanted to go in the spring to see the tulips. I had seen pictures on their website and heard my gardening friends wax poetic over the beauty of the walled garden in spring. I wasn’t disappointed. The pictures don’t do the wall garden justice and much to my pleasure this year they featured black tulips. For me there is something intriguing about black flowers and most especially black tulips.

Pink and black;

one of my favorite color combinations

The stauary is amazing and something

I never tire of photographing.

Probably my favorite photo.

This little glass terririum was inside the conservatory.

It's a miniture world all it's on with little gazebo, creek and bridge.


Love this juniper; wanted one of these
for ages now.


G and me sitting amoung the tulips

just outside the winery.



Gate leading to the deer park. I'll have to explore this on our next trip.

Tweetsie Railroad

Yesterday G and I decided to take a day trip up to the mountains. We've lived here in NC for 11 yrs. now and there are still places we haven't visited either because we didn't have the time or the money. Yesterday we had some of both so we decided to visit Tweetsie Railroad. It's a small amusement park with an "Old West" theme. There's a coal powered train that circles the park, you can actually see the cinders falling through the air like snowflakes as the train chugs down the track. The cars are open air so you can see everything around you. It as a beautiful cool day, perfect for being outside.

Before the train pulls away from the station there is a 'shoot out' in the street.

A little way down the tracks there's a "train robbery". The acting is so corny that you have to laugh.

Later G and I spent some time on the rides. There were no crowds so we were able to stay on some of them for 5-6 times around.

You would never guess who ended up in the local pokey. Don't worry, I bailed him out with some cotton candy.

It was a great day!