Tuesday, March 09, 2010

White-haired boy




We had a very decent day weather-wise yesterday. It was sunny nearly all day and the temps were approaching 68° (20°C), good enough that I sat on the porch for more than an hour with my shirt off while a gentle breeze quietly tugged at my gray chest hairs. I rolled my pants legs up as far as I could and stretched out in my chair like a blue-belly lizard, but the air became too fresh after awhile and I was forced to re-shirt. All-in-all, it was a wonderful afternoon. I should have been working on income taxes, but it is supposed to rain the remainder of the week and that kind of gloom is perfect for doing taxes. At least the temperatures are to stay mild until the weekend.
----
I wonder why my head hair is white, my chest hair is gray, and my leg hair is still brown? You will have to use your imagination concerning the color of the hair in my arm pits! You thought I was going to say something else, didn't you? Naughty-naughty children!
----
If anyone is planning to visit Cades Cove in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park this spring, be aware that the most important part for day trippers—the loop road—will be closed until May 21. It and other park roads have deteriorated to the point where the Forest Service is having to resurface and make repairs. Some advice: if and when you do decide to visit there, don't do it on weekends during warm weather; traffic can be bumper-to-bumper. If you go on weekdays, prepare to stay a few days and take in as much of the area as you can; there is nothing else like it in the world as you step back more than 200 years into colonial America.
----
The above photo takes me back in time to 1962, and is of a tobacco curing barn on a large farm. Helping build the structure was the first job I ever had on public works. My main contribution was nailing on the ventilation pickets you see above the white front. I learned to curse in all of the Tongues of Babel* before that day was done as my fingers on my left hand were beaten to a pulp with my misdirected hammer blows. I dropped my hammer so many times and had to climb down to retrieve it and then climb back up that my legs were almost too sore to use the next morning, which thankfully was a Saturday and I didn't have to work. The rest of the crew enjoyed my misadventures to the nth degree, but I think my boss was ready to can me for not getting a lot done. The $1 per hour I was making was big money to a poor country boy. I figured I better get some kind of documentary photo of the place because it is coming into disrepair and the owners are not showing an inclination to fix it. The shot is "soft" because I was shooting through the Escape's windshield.
----
Tuesday is one of those days who's sole purpose seems to be fill in between Monday and Friday. Never the less, we should make the best of it; have a great day!
----
*Book of Genesis, Chapter 11, verses 1-9, Hebrew Bible.
----

4 comments:

Tammy said...

There is nothing quite like the first real warm sun spot in the spring to lighten the spirits and fortify the skin w/ some Vitamin D. Lovely photo.

Anonymous said...

Hi Tammy,

Yesterday was especially good after such a long, cold winter. Today, the robins have been singing their heats out and all is good in the world.

Hope you are getting some better weather and can get out into your garden. Seems like Florida is getting a lot of rain this year.

Mark said...

Yesterday was very nice. With the rain that is on its way I bet the leaves will start coming to life in the next few days.

I like the shot through the window.

I will be one of those weekend travlers through Cades Cove. I'll have to plan it so that I get there early in the morning. Maybe I'll go camp someplace nearby.

Anonymous said...

You should see red maples in bloom (Pollen!) very soon and weeping willow's along streams will be leafing.

There is a camp ground at the entrance and visitors center, and there are several more close by, I think. We got there about 10am on a Saturday and most of the critters had already bedded down for the day; all except people.

Thanks, Mark

Blog Archive