Asheville - Flowers and Antiques ~

When visiting Asheville, North Carolina, about 4 hours from Raleigh,
 our favorite hotel is right in town. We can leave the car in the parking lot and 
walk to many interesting places, only having to drive if visiting Biltmore Estate
 and Village, or up a hillside to the fabulous historic Grove Park Inn, where we
 can enjoy a drink on the terrace with breathtaking views across the city toward the
 Blue Ridge Mountains.

This week we looked down from our window and directly below us found 

the historic Thomas Wolfe House, home of the American novelist. I told you more

 about this home in my post in the Fall of 2014 HERE.

Along the hotel's parking lot was a really wonderful mixed border of Summer

 blooming flowers. The coneflowers, grasses, and especially the tall pink

 Joe-pye weed caught my eye. . . . . .so of course you get photos here!

Attractive to butterflies, Joe-pye weed is a great addition to a wildflower

 or natural garden. Perhaps I will be able to tuck a few plants into my own

 wildlife habitat (yes, it's overgrown and in need of a serious makeover,

 but birds, butterflies, foxes and more love it!), in the coming season. 

This is a beautiful perennial with clouds of dusky pinkish-purple blooms,

the common one growing 5-7 feet which may require staking. There are however 

shorter, named varieties which I'll be looking for. They apparently prefer moist,

 well-drained soil in sun or with a bit of shade. These at the hotel were in full sun,

and seemed to be very healthy in the 95+ temperatures we had in Asheville.

It should be cut back to the base in Winter when it gets untidy.

Anyone ever grown this eye-catching plant with the odd name?

Never leave Asheville without a visit to my favorite antiques, vintage, book shop,

 home and garden venue, the ScreenDoor. 

Didn't make a purchase this time but took a few photos of items which caught my eye.

Didn't realize that dried magnolia sprigs could look so attractive with their

 two-colored leaves. My backyard neighbor's tree drops leaves on to my

 garden - perhaps I can sneak a few sprigs before they fall - they ARE hanging

 over the fence into my space!

Such unusual and charming handmade bird houses - I really wish I had

 brought one of these home with me. . . . . . . . 

. . . . . . .and I loved these illustrations with just one word. Kicking myself that

 I didn't buy one - but couldn't decide between RETURN or RESPOND.

 With such hot weather I think RETURN had the most cooling effect, but I love

RESPOND with the laundry drying in the fresh air too! 

Painted curtains - extraordinaire!

I love the idea of taking a painter's canvas drop cloth and turning it into 

beautiful art.  I'm certain this is what was used to make these amazing wall 
hangings . . . . .seen at Asheville's fabulous ScreenDoor Antiques.
I could have, should have, would have bought the 'curtains', 
if I had a place to hang them.

Antiques in Asheville. . . . .

If you're into antiques and vintage treasures, whatever you collect, whatever your 

passion for old, chipped, cracked and quirky may encompass, you just might find 

something special in Asheville, North Carolina.

Touring through the magnificent Biltmore House, stocked with priceless antiques 

and breathtaking treasures is definitely a must see when you're in town, but if you're 

on a decorating budget like me, trolling through some quite amazing depositories of 

old stuff, or other peoples' junk as a certain guy I know calls it - no names here - you 

just might find what you've been looking for. As you know, to those of us who see 

beauty in the old, it's called 'treasure hunting'.

Sharing here some things that caught my eye at my favorite places - ScreenDoor, 

Tobacco Barn,  and Oddfellows. Time was too short on this recent visit to stop 

at several more exciting places. . . . . but there's always next time!

You may recall that I love santos and have a couple from former trips to Asheville. . . . . didn't buy this time, but enjoyed looking.

More from Asheville . . . .

Yesterday morning. . . . . .

a wee bit of snow remaining in the distance and still the 

brilliant autumnal colors in the trees.

The Thomas Wolfe House next door to our downtown Asheville hotel.

Early 20th century American novelist Wolfe, author of Look Homeward, Angel, 

You Can't Go Home Again and several other well known books.

Weather perfect for wandering - warm sunshine, no wind, color everywhere.

Later, some antiques and interesting items discovered around Asheville.

North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains . . . . .

It's always such a pleasure to head to western North Carolina 

and spend time surrounded by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

We live about 250 miles east of Asheville. Today, the four hour drive 

across the state was close to perfect. Traffic was light, the day was cool and 

blustery with nonstop bright sunshine and, fortunately, there were still plenty of 

colorful leaves clinging to the trees despite an unusual early snowfall just a day ago. 

Patches of snow still awaiting the warming rays of the sun could be seen along the 

road and on the mountain tops in the distance. 

All these pics were taken through the window as we drove west.

I think you can understand the naming of this mountain range - it's truly 

a 'blue ridge' across the sky.

Are you a mountain person? Do you feel different when you are surrounded by hills, 

peaks and valleys? Do you, like me, think them majestic and magical?

Lanterns, light and smiling friends . . . . . . .

Sometimes our little part of this vast world needs some light.

Not a cold, bare incandescent bulb switched on at the wall.

A soft, warm gentle light from a candle carefully placed inside a lantern.

There are lanterns of every description available today, but don't you agree that the 

paper lantern is still the most beautiful?  With battery/remote control operated wax candles, 

even they are safe to light, and are especially wonderful for the garden.

Below is one of my all time favorite paintings.

This amazing artist was a southern girl from Louisville, Kentucky. 

She lived to be almost one hundred and completed her last painting at the 

grand age of ninety.

Helen M. Turner ~ American Impressionist ~ 1858-1958

Girl with Lantern

My corner of the world definitely requires brightness right now.

I'll share the shadows with you later, meanwhile I'm putting all that

behind me and heading to our beautiful North Carolina mountains tomorrow.

During our little break there we'll meet up with two of my longtime, dearest 

blogging friends. With their smiles, and the possibility of light snow in the forecast, 

I have a feeling the days will be bright, so I'll take my boots and leave my lanterns 

here at home!

I hope to have photos to share from Asheville later - you know it's my

favorite place to treasure hunt.