Earth Magic

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Monday, January 29, 2007

Andy Griffith's Homeplace

You might have been expecting a log cabin deep in the woods of Mayberry. In fact, this nondescript house near Northern Hospital in Mount Airy is where Andy grew up. Legend has it that in '57 or '58, Andy had dreams of making a name for himself as a musician in Hollywood. He went to some trusted... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Left Alone

It stood before me, its little leaves lifeless but still clinging to the branches. They trembled in the breeze and made slight chattering sounds. The other trees looked on, ramose and naked. It started as a sapling. I had felled its close neighbor, an ailing red maple whose trunk was rotten and... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Expectations and Disappointment

We like to think we love without expectations. We like to think we emulate the great masters. We find ourselves disappointed by those we love. We find ourselves teeming with hidden expectations. Our children serve as second chances oftentimes. We try to correct ourselves through them, or see missed... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

What is God?

I set about to disprove that God existed, in all my discontent and despair. What I discovered was that I was afraid of a being, with whom I was at war and who I knew would ultimately prevail. This being was a part of me, that I believed existed outside of me. My anger and fear were proof of this... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, January 19, 2007

My Exhausting Hobby

Here is my woodpile. This is about 4 cords of wood. I'll probably sell most of it. There is about 400 dollars' worth here. Behind it is the stump grinder. It makes good money, too. Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Our Home

We are expecting snow today. I am assuming that the red cloud near the chimney is the flash refracting off the smoke. Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Self-Sacrifice

Moon wrote an interesting post on selfless service. To many, giving without receiving is merely an abstraction, an idea bandied about in ornate buildings among highly idealistic people. The problem with selflessness as an ideal is that it contains an objective, which is the self seeking an outcome.... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

A Dream Vacation Home

Many people are moving to the Blue Ridge from Florida. More and more, you see people building, developing, and needing things done. Much work has come my way from people moving here and getting started in the comfort and serenity of the mountains. My wife and I always loved this place. Behind this... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Fifty Mile Views

I took this picture this morning, from a road that winds up the precipitous Eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I am at 3000 feet sea level. My home sits in this valley, at about 1480 ft. The climb takes less than five miles and ascends more than 1500 feet. The views from the top are quite... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, January 8, 2007

The Legacy

The hardest thing for me to realize now is that my unwanted traits- the dark side of my personality- are being handed down to another generation. In a way, I am very grateful for having a family whose real purpose appears to be to show me myself. I am naturally impatient. It comes from being highly... Sign in to see full entry.

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