SPRING HAS DONE SPRUNG

The warmer weather is here to stay, and the greening has long been underway on our mountain.  While the trees are a bit behind, the wildflower profusion is glorious, but I'm afraid with my bum legs right now it's hard to get out my trail into the woods for more and better photographs.  As of early June I'll be Bionic Man with two new full metal knees and able to explore more...they say.  Yay!

Each year I realize I post the same flowers, but this is for those not here right now, as well as any new residents.  I went to shoot some pics of Squirrel Corn at the Big Curve, but wouldn't you know the first pic I tried to take the camera said "battery exhausted".  Grrrrrrr.  So I'll post some others later for those that want to know what they are looking at.

Cut-Leaved Toothwort

Birds Eye Violet

Dwarf Larkspur

FIddlehead Fern

Large Flowering Bellwort

Large Flowering Trillium

Smooth Violet

Star Chickweed

Wake Robin Trillium (white varietal, of course)

Bob

COMMUNITY WATCH

At the base of Staymon you'll see a tan GMC Envoy with a badly cracked windshield, some body damage, and no tag.  It's mine.  Nationwide is sending someone to pick it up today, supposedly, since they totaled it as a result of those high winds two Saturdays ago. (Ah, gotta love the way insurance works...or not.)

But I thought this would be a good time to remind our newer residents that we have what I think is a good community watch program - and it's nothing more than each of us being vigilant when we see things, vehicles, people out of place.  It's always wise to keep a pen and paper handy to write down tag numbers and/or descriptions, time stamps, etc. should you need to contact the sheriff's office, board members, etc.

The Haywood County Sheriff's office makes an effort to pass through every now and then, and were hugely helpful when we had to deal with our infestation of nefarious motorcycle thugs last year.  Keep their number handy and put it in your phone if you haven't already done so:

Haywood Sheriff:  828-452-6666

Looks like we're done with any more freezing temps.  Time to enjoy the greening of our wonderful mountainside!

Bob

UPCOMING WEATHER

Here's the dope on what's ahead:

Any chances for light snow will be Friday night, now, not Thursday night.  Saturday and Sunday mornings will be freezes in the mid 20s, give or take a couple of degrees. Any snow accumulations should be above 3500', and for ACA I'd imagine at worst it would be a dusting on non-road surfaces only.  Both models I use are going 0-1".  I can't imagine there will be any road issues...unless it's downed trees across the road...

More strong winds will move in for about a 60-hour period starting today.  During this time, there will be some periods where winds could gust up to 40mph.  Our protection in ACA is more from S and SW winds, but these will be NW winds and will be felt more.  May your houses and cars not meet my car's fate from the last wind event early Sunday morning.

I'll be away through this period and won't have my computer, but if I see something interesting I'll use my phone and add it to the comments.  Happy Spring, Y'all!


Bob

SEVERE WINDS LAST NIGHT

Eegads, it was ferocious between 2a and 3a last night.  Especially considering we were fairly protected being on the NE face of the ridge, it was as loud as I've heard it in many years.  Unfortunately, the roulette wheel wasn't kind to my Envoy as a large limb from very high up landed squarely on my roof, windshield, and hood.

On a more positive note, it's a gorgeous cloudless day as I type, albeit cool.  The Bloodroot by my house was soaking up the sunshine today, once we got rid of our 29 degree low chill.

Bloodroot

Too, still looking for a rain-snow-mix-to-snow close to daybreak Friday.  Any snows this time of year don't hang around long, so at this time I'm not anticipating road troubles.  I'll post more by Wednesday night.


Bob