It's not yet April, but we're getting a gentle spring shower as I write. I'm happy, even though cloudy dark weather makes me feel like fungus most times. I'm happy because lawns will be perking up, especially after the poor man's nitrogen we got in the big snow a while back.
More importantly, the farmers and gardeners will be in better shape this year than the dry spring last year. I'm looking forward to the first day of Foothills Farmers Market this year: April 25th, on Court Square. I'm a strong supporter of shopping local, and that is definitely true when it comes to vegetables, greens and fruit. And don't forget eggs and meat!
It's going to be the same day as the Art On The Square festival sponsored by Buffalo Creek Gallery and Uptown Shelby, not to mention the Merry Go Round Festival at City Park. I hope everyone is going to be out enjoying spring and all the activity.
Since I will be out working with Art On The Square I'll be up early enough on that Saturday to get an early selection at Foothills Farmers Market. There might some tomato plants for pots and it will be good to have fresh eggs again! And I hope everyone comes out to see the opening and our new logo for the Foothills Farmers Market. I just got two designs from our helper and comes down to either a Red Belly Tractor or a vintage red pickup, both with vegetables and flowers. Nice choice!!!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Finding a muse
It's not easy to stay inspired, but there's the classical idea of the muse, a person or even mythical creature who might drive us to write verses of poetry. Well, I'm no poet, but there seems to be no shortage of sights or turn of events that can make me want to write.
Last night, while walking my willful Golden Retriever along Washington Street, I noticed that workmen were busy polishing the concrete floor on the new exhibition and event section of the Don Gibson theatre. Knowing they are trying hard to keep to the original schedule for a fall completion and opening, I'm impressed when people work extraordinary hours to make things happen.
It is going to be lots of long hours, by both workers and volunteers, that make the Don Gibson open its doors this fall. That and contributions both large and small will make it possible for us to celebrate the distinctive musical heritage of Shelby and Cleveland County.
But we will need to start celebrating this music in some other places too: Schools where the children learn everything from marching band tunes to symphonic masterpieces for Carnegie Hall. Community buildings, dance halls, playgrounds and fellowship halls all over the county can be producing the next Gibson or Scruggs for a new generation.
We're working up to a summer of Alive After Five concerts, Art of Sound festival performances, and many other things just as the Don Gibson Theatre will be going through final completion. Let's all nurture this creative vein here, be a muse, or just go listen to some music!
Last night, while walking my willful Golden Retriever along Washington Street, I noticed that workmen were busy polishing the concrete floor on the new exhibition and event section of the Don Gibson theatre. Knowing they are trying hard to keep to the original schedule for a fall completion and opening, I'm impressed when people work extraordinary hours to make things happen.
It is going to be lots of long hours, by both workers and volunteers, that make the Don Gibson open its doors this fall. That and contributions both large and small will make it possible for us to celebrate the distinctive musical heritage of Shelby and Cleveland County.
But we will need to start celebrating this music in some other places too: Schools where the children learn everything from marching band tunes to symphonic masterpieces for Carnegie Hall. Community buildings, dance halls, playgrounds and fellowship halls all over the county can be producing the next Gibson or Scruggs for a new generation.
We're working up to a summer of Alive After Five concerts, Art of Sound festival performances, and many other things just as the Don Gibson Theatre will be going through final completion. Let's all nurture this creative vein here, be a muse, or just go listen to some music!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Trees and Worry
Nothing freshens up the way we look at our environment quite the same way as a change of scene. I jut returned from a few days out of town. One of the first things I noticed upon getting the car out of the garage at the airport was the Bradford Pears. Everywhere! Luckily there were few to none to be seen when I got back here to Shelby. Those are the trees that look great for about 7 to 10 days in the spring, if there's no freeze, and for about 10 days of blazing foliage in October. The rest of the time they are busy splitting and falling apart.
And nothing challenges the way a self avowed tree hugger feels about trees like having a big tree limb fall on a man's car. A few days after the snow and ice, a good sized limb fell from the top of a Live Oak and scratched up the back of my car. No structural damage, thankfully, but it will require some paint and work. Now, having a limb fall out still doesn't put the Live Oaks in the same category as Bradford Pears in my eyes.
Live Oaks generally look great year round. But what this proved to me is that what looks like green and healthy tree branches can actually be dead and dried up limbs and leaves. We have a serious challenge in Uptown after years of drought, and we may see more of our beautiful and valued trees fall in the next couple of years as a result of the stress.
I hope that is not sounding too alarmist to anyone reading this, but I do think we need to start directing a lot of concern toward the health of trees and shrubs in our midst. They aren't frills. They keep heating and cooling bills down, keep the sidewalks shady enough for children and elderly alike to enjoy, and they sometimes hide a mess of sins like an overdue paint job on second story window frames.
Start thinking about the street side trees in Shelby and what is important to you about them. And if you are ever in a position to plant a new tree, whether at a school, church or in Uptown Shelby, remember it needs care and water to grow into a glorious asset for everyone to enjoy!
And nothing challenges the way a self avowed tree hugger feels about trees like having a big tree limb fall on a man's car. A few days after the snow and ice, a good sized limb fell from the top of a Live Oak and scratched up the back of my car. No structural damage, thankfully, but it will require some paint and work. Now, having a limb fall out still doesn't put the Live Oaks in the same category as Bradford Pears in my eyes.
Live Oaks generally look great year round. But what this proved to me is that what looks like green and healthy tree branches can actually be dead and dried up limbs and leaves. We have a serious challenge in Uptown after years of drought, and we may see more of our beautiful and valued trees fall in the next couple of years as a result of the stress.
I hope that is not sounding too alarmist to anyone reading this, but I do think we need to start directing a lot of concern toward the health of trees and shrubs in our midst. They aren't frills. They keep heating and cooling bills down, keep the sidewalks shady enough for children and elderly alike to enjoy, and they sometimes hide a mess of sins like an overdue paint job on second story window frames.
Start thinking about the street side trees in Shelby and what is important to you about them. And if you are ever in a position to plant a new tree, whether at a school, church or in Uptown Shelby, remember it needs care and water to grow into a glorious asset for everyone to enjoy!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Is Winter Finally Broken?
Oh, I hope this is the last freeze of any magnitude for us this year. I must admit that I didn't believe the forecasters. Especially that we could get so much snow. So my first winter in Shelby has been a good deal more extreme than I was expecting!
Monday I just walked in to work. Three blocks is not that bad, even though it would have been nicer if I hadn't donated the rubber boots and dress shoe coverups to Good Will before leaving Mount Airy. But it was beautiful, and Monday was great in the way it slowed everyone down or kept us inside more. It gave me the luxury to have a longer and more detailed meeting than otherwise possible most days.
I saw only a couple of big branches broken by heavy snow. With the leaves on the live oaks, that was pretty remarkable. And I only heard about two or three people slipping and almost falling on ice. If anyone did crash, you have my sympathy. Over 15 years of living in New England usually saw me slipping and hurting some part of me at least three or four times a year.
Though most businesses were closed on Monday there was a crush of all sorts of people in The Shelby Cafe. It was warm and fragrant inside, and even the new guy in town saw a few familiar faces as we all seemed to enjoy closeness of the place when it was so radically cold and icy outside.
Bring on the spring. Even a little March wind. But I hope this is our once in five years taste of snow. I'm ready for 7000 colored Easter Eggs on Court Square.
Monday I just walked in to work. Three blocks is not that bad, even though it would have been nicer if I hadn't donated the rubber boots and dress shoe coverups to Good Will before leaving Mount Airy. But it was beautiful, and Monday was great in the way it slowed everyone down or kept us inside more. It gave me the luxury to have a longer and more detailed meeting than otherwise possible most days.
I saw only a couple of big branches broken by heavy snow. With the leaves on the live oaks, that was pretty remarkable. And I only heard about two or three people slipping and almost falling on ice. If anyone did crash, you have my sympathy. Over 15 years of living in New England usually saw me slipping and hurting some part of me at least three or four times a year.
Though most businesses were closed on Monday there was a crush of all sorts of people in The Shelby Cafe. It was warm and fragrant inside, and even the new guy in town saw a few familiar faces as we all seemed to enjoy closeness of the place when it was so radically cold and icy outside.
Bring on the spring. Even a little March wind. But I hope this is our once in five years taste of snow. I'm ready for 7000 colored Easter Eggs on Court Square.
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