Life in the Little City

I had to schedule this time to write. I suspect real writers schedule it daily, rather than once every few months. Well, I am a triple Pisces, read: fluid. So much to do, so little time. It’s enough to make a girl believe in reincarnation…we need more than one lifetime to do it.

Speaking of mortality, I had my fifty fuckin’ third (and that says everything about how I feel about b’days) on Wednesday, the Ides of March. I’m pleased so many people remembered me and either called or wrote kind words.

I guess I’ve found a substitute for the Bean Street (I still mourn for those special mornings). I’ve driven out of the city toward Candler on Smokey Park Highway. It’s the Port City Java. The good thing is that as I drive, I am surrounded by the mountains all around. In the morning haze the subtle colors of blues and greens stir something deep inside. I’m never sure what it is: maybe a reminder of the early years of my life driving in East Tennessee to visit my grandparents in a similar landscape.

Even though there is still a nip in the air, I sense a whiff of spring. Inside, the barista’s enjoy their job, offering me a sample of “evil” chocolate cake. I figure since its Sunday morning in the south, this is as good time as ever to be evil. Fortunately, there are a few other heathens sitting around reading the paper or tapping on their computers while early instrumental jazz plays in the background.

I wonder if anyone has ever toured the country, experiencing and writing about “coffee culture?” If so, let me know. I’d like to read the book. If not, maybe I’ll do it someday. Add that to my list of things I’d like to do. Hey, I could combine that with my desire to RV travel around the US.

Meanwhile, back at the farm. Progress is slowly happening, especially in my lower 40 – the area closest to my house. Beds are ready, as is a small patio from the rounds of two mature trees I had to take down. I’m ready to plant some greenery. I plan on having some colorful herbs like lavendar and sage around the patio. I need to put in a few foundation shrubs and the landscapers (the Dirty Hoe) have suggested Carolina Allspice. I also plan on have another small bed of lettuce, chives, and edible flowers in the front too.

Today, Mary is coming over to help me build raised beds for the back yard using 2x6x8, which we had cut for 3x5 beds. I am planning 6 beds this year. I’ve made a list of veggies that I regularly eat and am trying to time it so that I can have a “meal” from my harvest – veggies for salads, and/or veggies for stir fry of steaming. I did put in some garlic bulbs last fall and those are coming up right on schedule.

I had high hopes of raising some of my own seedlings. I haven’t had much luck; in fact I think all of them have died in the last few days. I think the reason is because I haven’t been consistent in where they stay or in how much heat they get. Think I need to do more research.

I also have one very difficult problem to solve. I have a groundhog that lives in my 95-year-old neighbor’s back yard. It is filled with kudzu because, obviously, she doesn’t do yard work any more. He took all my tot choy and bok choy last fall. I’ve done a ton of research on the Internet and didn’t find any good solution to the problem. There seem to be all kinds of products to keep dogs, rabbits, and the like out of your garden. But, for groundhogs – not really.

I attended the Organic Growers School last week with one real goal in mind – to learn how to persuade Mr. G to not eat my garden. The local agricultural extension office was presenting on beginning gardening. During the question/answer period and her answer was “shoot him.” Of course, I told her that was out of the question. Someone in the back of the room suggested a trap that I could buy at Lowe’s and that is what I am doing. I really wish there were some way to reason with him – I’d be willing to share my garden. But he’s very greedy and eats everything down to a nub in the ground. So today, I have to set the trap and then find him a new home in the country. I just hope he doesn’t have a wife and kids.

On a different subject, I’d like to quickly answer a few questions from anonymous posting from my last blog: yes I am happy here. The weather is mild – didn’t stay very cold for very long at all this winter. Did get snow, but it only last a day or so at most. There is a influx of retiree’s moving here, so the health care fields seems to be a good place to find work. I would think your husband would find a job easily. I think that a legal secretary would also. Seem to be lots of lawyers everywhere nowadays. The air is mostly clear, the mountains are beautiful and there are lots of non-traditional as well as southern tradition spiritual practices. Someone told me that there were about 23 sanghas in the area, as well as a multitude of churches and synagogues. Lots of world-class entertainment passes through Asheville. It is a university town and the local community college offers a lot in way of continuing classes. There is even the Blue Ridge Mountain Schoolhouse that features class on shamanism and the like. It’s big on mountain bluegrass – Asheville has a distinct culture to explore – from the older Appalachian natives, to the new agers, back to the land types, and aging hippies. You rarely see a suit in Asheville. If you are used to an urban lifestyle, choose to live close to town. It’s got a lively downtown in the spring summer and fall, seven nights a week. If you live further out, you are less likely to take advantage of it. And I think that is one of the most compelling reasons to live here. A lively small city surrounded by the big great outdoors. You are already out use to living in the outskirts, then you’ll appreciate the surrounding beauty. There is so much more I can say about Asheville – it’s progressive, even if there is a serious Christian radical right willing to hold a rally downtown against gay marriage. At the same time, the local newspaper prints announcements of same gender unions; a local ski resort fired two women who published their announcement. There was an opposing rally to the Radical Right by local women’s groups. And there are regular Peace Marches and anti Bush gatherings.

Personally, I can’t find anything I don’t like about Asheville. It’s that I just sometimes miss my old life in the Big Apple.