Mountains, blog friends, and treasures........

 Thankfully Bob didn't need much cajoling to take me to the mountains this week! He loves such trips and enjoys meeting my blog friends who live or visit there. It's about a 4-1/2 drive west to Asheville and I just knew it would be fun. The weather was not the greatest and getting good mountain shots through showers and mist was hard. Although we've met up with the two Pennys before, it was our first meeting with Jane and her husband who were visiting from Chicago.

Walking through Biltmore Village to meet the group for lunch, I enjoyed the landscaping along the streets..............above, the Verbena bonariensis mixed with white daises was 'cottagey' and lovely, making me realize I need to try growing it again.

Surprised to see such beautiful cacti in this area - the prickly pear was covered in blooms and as you can see, the slug had already staked out a lunch spot!

No, we didn't meet for lunch at the local Biltmore McDonald's! Although, due to the strict building codes here it is an extremely elegant building, complete with a player piano, decorative signage, and plantings not usually seen at fast food joints!!!

Instead, a fun, tasty lunch shared at Asheville's Corner Kitchen in the charming Biltmore Village complex. Bob, and Jane's charming hubby, were able to chat at one end of this long farm table while we all enjoyed the food, exchanged some beautiful gifts, and talked up a storm.......literally!

Penny - The Comforts of Home, Jane - Blondie's Journals, Penny - Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen, and me.

Immediately after we took this photo the Amazon jungle style rain started.......not a gentle shower or light drizzle, a storm of falling cats and dogs type rain! The torrents fell like sheets of cold Winter rain, bouncing off everything in sight, filling the streets and turning them into rivers..........Asheville was flooded in minutes and we couldn't get to our car to catch up with 'the Pennys' who were on their way to the ScreenDoor for treasure hunting! Jane and The Husband were off to do other things - hopefully in a drier place.

Once at the ScreenDoor, where I squelched about in sopping sandals after running through the parking lot in torrents of rain, crashes of thunder and flashes of lightning, I still was able to fall in love with this French linen monogrammed sheet.....of course!  A bit beyond my budget sadly, but am still thinking of it.  The two Pennys loved it also.

 Interesting old wirework chair - would be lovely in the garden with a huge pot containing something with cobalt blue blooms

Another garden or porch chair with wonderful rusted paint shades.......and the painting is displayed perfectly here.

I coveted these paper roses fashioned into a simple wreath.................and even the unusual cracked mirror.  I did purchase a few similar roses and will show them in another post. Note also the simple but charming vintage book pages used for a bunting hanging above, now that would be easy to replicate. Crafting evening anyone?

More beautiful French style bottles.  One is nice but a collection of shapes and shades would be awesome in a sunny window.

Always a plethora of unusual chairs at the ScreenDoor, such as these which caught my eye. They'd need a brush with chalk paint and burlap or fine linen seats for my house, but are stunning. 

I even purchased my French bergère chair there a couple of years ago, stuffing it into the back seat of the Camry and oohing and aahing over it all the way home............even though it was dark wood and really hideous ugly green upholstery..........

.......but now looks like this after my painting effort and a local guy handy with linen and a sewing machine!

OK, I think you get the picture.........I had a wonderful road trip to Asheville to meet the great blogging gals and look forward already to doing it again perhaps over the Summer.