Gifts of Nature

Harvest Moon in the Morning

(Lake Lure - September 23)  These early autumn days are full of gifts—cool mornings, a harvest moon sailing across the sky, migrating birds winging through the trees in flocks, even a clear view of Jupiter in the night sky. These wonderful days are reminders of how sweet life can be when we just take the time to appreciate what’s around us.

Red Sunrise

Our early morning walks are made even more pleasurable than usual by spectacular sunrises. For the past two days, the rising sun has appeared as the reddest possible red, rising above the lake. A perfectly round circle, it brings to mind the sun on the Japanese flag. It’s hard for the camera to capture the color as the eye sees it, but we’ve tried.

We’re seeing more than one flock of wild turkeys moving through the woods around us, both morning and evening. Yesterday afternoon, a group of them were feeding on the bank below our driveway when Mike took Annie out for a walk. She lit out after the turkeys, following them up our road around a curve and deeper into the woods than she has ever gone.

Since she’s almost 14 years old, she doesn’t have the keenest eyesight or hearing, so getting her to come back to us was a challenge. Somehow she had managed to get down a slope and below a terraced bank too steep and high for her little Shih-Tzu legs to climb.

Turkey Chase

Eventually we got her attention and encouraged her to move along the terrace below the bank until it came out on a neighbor’s land close enough to our house for her to get back home. Because the grass there was higher than her head, she attempted to leap over it like a jackrabbit rather than run through it as she could have done. Oh, to have had a video camera to capture that.

Invigorated by her adventure, she raced to our front door, ran inside and barked loudly for a treat to reward her bravery. As soon as she scarfed the treat, she collapsed for a long nap.

Bugling Bull

Mike and I drove over to the Cataloochee Valley for an evening visit with the elk there. The Valley is in the North Carolina part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, accessed by a gravel road that winds up and over a ridge for about 7 miles in the forest. There’s a beautiful valley that includes an area for campers, as well as the area where visitors can see the elk from a roadway that runs through the valley.

Over the past 9 years, the National Park Service has reintroduced elk into North Carolina. They once lived here, but were hunted out of the state in the 1700s. These reintroduced elk have successfully adapted to the area and we learned yesterday that the 25 calves born last spring all survived. Apparently their primary predators, the coyotes, have been diminished by hunters, making survival of the young elk more probable.

Scram, Kid!

Cataloochee’s elk gather in a series of meadows. Visitors can watch them from the road that runs through there. There are volunteers to offer information and advice about viewing these magnificent animals. The best advice, especially now during rutting (mating) season, is to stay close to a vehicle in case one of the bulls decides to charge. One of the bulls we saw is, we were told, quite aggressive during rutting season and can be “mean.”

The bulls weigh hundreds of pounds, one older one topping out at about 1,000 pounds. They vie for the attentions of the cows, each bull attempting to keep his harem rounded up and keep other bulls away. They bugle with a variety of sounds, some to gather the females, some to warn other bulls away.

Bullheaded Elk

The bulls also lock their antlers as they challenge for the females. The antlers fall off in March each and new ones grow. The bulls we saw yesterday had hugs racks of antlers on their heads, all grown there in just a few months. One of the volunteers told me that elk antlers are now being studied in cancer research because of their rapid regenerative qualities.

As we watched and took pictures, we noted that the bulls would chase the calves, perhaps to discourage their nursing the objects of his affections, or maybe just to show dominance. We were amused that the bulls kept approaching the females, only to have the cows move away from them. Apparently more deodorant or mouthwash will be needed for success with these women.

Cows and Kids

One female elk wandered across the road to nosh on some low-hanging trees. When the bull that deemed himself her master spotted her over there, he, too, crossed the road and herded her back to their part of the meadow. It was interesting to watch their behavior and almost as interesting to watch the spectators. When that bull came toward the road, people went scurrying behind their cars in a hurry.

We stayed until dusk and drove home with the harvest moon overhead. It was a day filled with images that we will enjoy for a long time to come.

If you’re interested in seeing the elk at Cataloochee, they are about an hour west of Asheville. The link below will give directions and lots more information about elk.

www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/elk.htm

All photos by Mike Lumpkin

Inspiration and Heroes

Blue Ridge Butterfly

What got me started thinking about inspiration and heroes happened over the past weekend. In just one short weekend, I had the pleasure of meeting and being in the company of a number of impressive people in a beautiful part of the country. It was refreshing and, without question, inspiring. More about the weekend later, but first a few words about some people who inspire me and why I think of these as people as heroes.

As defined by Merriam Webster, inspiration is the act or power of moving the intellect or emotions. A hero, according to another source might be someone who exhibits any or all of the following traits: courage, honesty, selflessness, bravery and the will to try.

Pat

One of my first heroes was my sister, Pat, or Patsy as we called her in childhood. She selflessly took me under her wing when we were young and has been my constant supporter since. She was a passionate and courageous soldier on the front lines of the women’s rights movement. Despite personal tragedies that might have overwhelmed any of us, she endures.  She invests in her beliefs, including donating time, labor and money to community service.  She is fearless in pursuit of the rights of others, a champion of those who cannot speak for themselves, an animal lover who doesn't just rely on words, but takes action.  She is a good neighbor, a loyal friend and someone who is respected, even by those who disagree with her.  I have admired her from childhood and know how fortunate I am that she's my sister.

Willie Mae

I see the face of my mother-in-law, Willie Mae, when I think of someone whose selfless service to others comes to mind. She is a person who always finds a way to help others, caring for those who need her assistance, whether it’s a ride to the doctor or grocery store or even managing their households when they have no family nearby. She is famous for her chocolate cakes and many hurts have been soothed by not just her sweets, but her sweet concern in times of trouble.  Stoic in the face of illnesses, she treats any personal challenge as a minor setback.  Her time is taken up with thoughts of others.  She has a boundless capacity for love, doesn’t know a stranger and has been relied on by family, friends, church and workplaces through a long and productive life. Many might call themselves Christian, but it is more than words to her.  She lives out her beliefs faithfully. 

There are, of course, so many I’ve been lucky enough to know. My brother-in-law, George, faced cancer with courage, his spirit never truly defeated by a vicious illness that took his life. There’s my friend Elaine’s husband, Tony, also a warrior in the fight against cancer, who spent his last months on earth preparing those who loved him for the time when he would not be there in person. These two men used every last breaths of their lives demonstrating courage and love. Their will to keep trying, to keep living as fully as possible all the way through, is a legacy that inspires all who knew them.

In this trying time when there is much around us that is discouraging, many voices spewing pessimism and distrust, even hatred, it is good to reflect on that which inspires us to a higher plane. There are so many stories of people who find the beauty in life and fight for that, so many incidences of passion and courage and hope. And that takes me back to the weekend where my musings about inspiration and heroes began.

Blowing Rock Lake

The locations for our weekend experience were near Blowing Rock, NC, and along the route between that special aerie on the Blue Ridge and Charlotte. Saturday was fogged in until late in the day and our Audubon group wandered through the gentle rain sheltered by the overhang of maple trees. Leading the “birders” was the Audubon North Carolina’s inspiring Curtis Smalling, a man who knows more about birds than many of us know about ourselves, knowledge he delights in sharing with others. I don’t aspire to know birds just by their calls, but I’m motivated by Curtis’s passion and will hear those calls with greater joy because of it.

So we heard a lot about what his study of sapsuckers has taught him. His storytelling ability is mesmerizing and we got not only lots of great bird lore, but a history lesson from Curtis about the Moses Cone National Park. Even in the fog, it’s an extraordinary place, originally designed to be the mountain estate of North Carolina’s “Denim King.” Now the park, left to the nation by Cone’s widow, Bertha, provides paths enjoyed by runners, walkers, birders, horseback riders, dog-lovers and all comers in a wooded setting where hydrangea bushes abound around a lake.

Situated on the brow of Flat Top Mountain, the Cone mansion now houses the art of the Southern Highlands Craft Guild. The home’s gracious rooms are filled with paintings and pottery, books and wood crafts, music, quilted pieces and blown and stained glass. I found myself circling through the rooms again and again, fascinated and moved by the many ways in which people express their creativity. I left having purchased just one book, a history of the estate, and the determination that I will be there again soon. There is nothing more inspiring to me than being in the presence of creativity.

During the weekend we saw presentations from several Audubon staffers, one joining us from Vermont to share some of that state’s conservation successes. These are people with passion, not just for birds, but for the environment we share with birds. These are people who have found the work that illumines their lives, and challenges they meet with joy and excitement. They motivate those of us who share their concerns to do what we can to make a difference.

On our way back to Charlotte we stopped at a restaurant for lunch and our server, Olivia, shared her story. When I asked if people often comment on her beautiful eyes, she said they do sometimes, but that personal compliments are very much appreciated because of what she has been through in recent times.

The mother of two children, she was laid off from her job in the furniture business in recent times and decided to seize the opportunity by going to college while working, earning two degrees. At the same time, she lost 114 pounds by diligently exercising and changing her eating habits. She painted a wonderful picture of setting up a cross-country skiing machine in her small living room so that she could work out. “It’s pretty gaudy,” she said, “and takes up too much room in our little house, but it’s helped me accomplish my goals.”

Her achievements and her pride in finding success were truly an inspiration. We’re all experiencing the impact of difficult economic times. She has turned a negative into a positive. She likes her work and her boss told me that he relies on her to train other staff members. We finished our conversation with Olivia sharing a long-term dream to build a home “smack in the middle” of five acres in the country that her family has passed down to her through three generations. If I never see her again, I will think of her when I take my walks these cool mornings and I’ll go a little farther for Olivia.

Fall Leaves

I’ll remember for a long time the hours spent this weekend on the Blue Ridge Parkway itself, built 75 years ago by people who carved the “roadway in the sky” across formidable mountaintops. They built bridges, viaducts, tunnels and the roadway itself and their legacy remains one of the wonders of our country. I never travel the Parkway without feeling such gratitude for those who had the idea and those who brought that idea to fruition. There is inspiration all along its stone-bordered miles.

So I find myself, once again, as I do so often these days, feeling such gratitude for the opportunities that come my way. I am grateful, too, for all those I meet who encourage me to keep learning, keep exploring and living my life with purpose and happiness. They are my heroes and they inspire me.

Most photos by Mike Lumpkin

Weddings on My Mind

Michael & Heather

So, having just spent a long weekend in Las Vegas to celebrate our son’s marriage to his dearly loved Heather, I have weddings on my mind. Theirs was a fun affair with only an occasional inclusion of tradition. She did wear a white dress and her father walked her down the aisle, but “Elvis” did the honors and there was so much laughter that there was no room for tears.

The happy couple wore their grins throughout. The guests wore their Vegas-style sunglasses. We all sang with Elvis, laughed with the wedding pair and felt both the sincerity of their vows of love and the spirit of joy in which their “official” lives together began.

Whatever form the ceremony takes, the essence of weddings is the profession of love and a commitment to each other. The traditional vows that reference sickness and health, poverty and wealth were, I suppose, originally designed to remind the couple that life ahead is not without its ups and downs, and to underscore the depth of the commitment that is being made.

Best Man & Groom

Whatever is said in those few minutes when promises are made, the truth of any marriage lies in the years that follow. It is then that we discover how truly demanding it can be to keep our love uppermost in mind and heart when the pressures of work and family heat up. It is then that we learn how rewarding it can be to find compromise that works for both, solutions to problems that might seem overwhelming.

What struck me about the weekend’s wedding was the determination of both people to make this leap of faith and the happiness that flooded their faces as they did so. They are neither too young nor too inexperienced to misunderstand what they are doing or to measure the odds without caution. They know each other well and accept each other as they are.

Surrounded by their friends and family, Michael and Heather looked into each other’s eyes and made their promises. In the spirit of that commitment, I love an old Scottish blessing recalled below and wish it comes true for them.

May the best you've ever seen

Be the worst you'll ever see.

May the mouse never leave your pantry

With a tear-drop in his eye.

May you always keep healthy and hearty

Until you're old enough to die.

May you always be just as happy

As we wish you now to be.

Here's to the Promise of Weddings

Michael and Heather

On Sunday, September 5, 2010, our son Michael will exchange wedding vows with his dear Heather and their life as husband and wife will begin. As it happens, that day will be the 28th anniversary of the day Mike and I were married under our oak tree in Chattanooga. As they make their wedding promises to each other, we can only wish them the happiness we’ve known in these years together.

There is something almost magical about two people finding in each other the person to whom they can make a commitment to become partners in life. It starts with a spark of attraction that grows into love. It is strengthened by time and shared experience, the good times and those not so good, the joys and the sorrows. It is solidified in the acceptance of one another, foible by foible, asset by asset.

So many writers more gifted than I have written about love and marriage. I wouldn’t begin to assume that my thoughts are as lyrical or as wise as many of those. I do believe in the bond that is forged between two people as a contract of the heart, entered into hopefully and lived out day-by-day.

I believe that two people begin as individuals, different from one another, and embark on a discovery of where their mutual interests may take them together. It seems clear to me, despite some who say they become “as one,” that the healthier relationships allow them to remain the individuals that they are in a process of learning what each will embrace in the other and how each will look to the other to balance assets and backstop weaknesses. I believe that the two individuals will learn to fight for the independence of each while creating a partnership that respects both.

It seems to me that a key lesson learned in relationships is acceptance of fallibility, both in oneself and in one’s partner. I wouldn’t expect of anyone acceptance of that which is inherently wrong, if it exists, but only acceptance of what is inherently human. Coupled with acceptance is forgiveness, again both of oneself and one’s partner. That fallibility which we all share must be forgiven if we are to move forward together, allowing ourselves to love and support our partners.

What I have learned in marriage is that I will never understand how it works, but that I know I value my marriage and I want it to work. At my core is my desire to live a happy life, to appreciate the blessings of being alive. My desire in marriage is to allow that happiness for myself and my husband, as much as possible. Fate will deliver us enough pain and sadness; we don’t need to create it for ourselves. Our ability to weather the difficult times will be strengthened by our awareness of the good in our lives and the way in which we cherish that goodness.

What I have found in my 28 years with Mike is the challenge of his fine mind, the comfort of his good heart and the joy that comes from two souls finding common ground in laughter and gratitude. Someone commented to us not long ago that they are surprised that we still thank each other for so many small things each day. I think we have learned that no day can be taken for granted, that no act of love and caring, however insignificant it might seem, should go unappreciated.

As Michael and Heather begin their married life together, I wish for them laughter and love, tears and joy, all the wonders of human emotion harnessed in a common direction with their commitment to one another. As I look at the bond they have already forged, I see good years ahead together, side by side, one enriching the other’s experience of life. I love them dearly and look forward to watching their future unfold.