Our first drive with the MINI club was this weekend. Everyone was excited to get together again and drive our mountain roads. Even with it still being winter, with no leaves or flowers yet, the countryside is still beautiful. It had been raining up to half an hour before our meeting time, and the skies were still overcast. We started out at a local grocery store parking lot to meet and have our driver’s meeting.

Then we were off. No rain fell on us during the drive. It was overcast most of the way to the interim stop. Since we were leading, there were no cars in front of us for photos on the road. I did get one in the mirror.

Beginning in Mills River, we motored around Henderson county going south and west. We went past many old barn and meadows.

The road curved around this one.

We drove through DuPont Forest. The trees are pretty bare, but you can see lots of rhododendrons. These are lovely in springtime.

We stopped at Cedar Mountain Outpost after about an hour of driving around the back roads. This is a great spot for coffee and baked goods.

We stayed about 45 minutes, just socializing and enjoying the day. Then it was back on the road again. This scene was interesting, with the fog in the valley between the ridges, and the mountain peak showing above, with the cows grazing in the meadow.

Winding our way through the forested back roads, more rhododendrons line the road.

There was a long section next to a waterway, but this was the only half decent photo, and it is blurry. The sight of water gently flowing over rocks is lovely to see again. Yet, the memory of the flooding is ever present, lots of trees down that may never be removed.

Arriving at our destination, Grand Olde Station has a lovely view of Lake Toxaway.

The food here is amazing. My Sweet Babboo had a pork barbecue sandwich on a brioche bun with poppy and sesame seeds.

I had a Station Burger which is ground brisket, chuck, & short rib, smoked gouda cheese, roasted garlic aioli, mixed greens, tomato and seasoned applewood smoked bacon on a brioche bun with poppy and sesame seeds. Yum!!

Seeing all the MINIs parked together is fun.

Back home, there is a hint of spring on the way. One little clump of daffodils is preparing to bloom.

Tulips are coming up in the front flowerbed. I need to fill this bed in this year with more perennials. I dug up and gave away the irises as they quit blooming. I still want to plant some forsythia, and haven’t done it yet.

I finished the Great Bird Count with my last checklist last Monday. This male bluebird came by when the feeder was almost empty. I asked My Sweet Babboo to fill it up again so I could count more birds.

This female bluebird shared the seed with a goldfinch, still in his winter drab.

Here, the female bluebird shares the bounty with a chickadee and a goldfinch.

At one point, I counted 14 goldfinches. I love it when I can report a lot of one species, but they have to be seen all at the same time to count them. They were spread out, and I caught 4 in this picture. Six more were behind the railings or off to the side.

Four more were on the feeder, apparently having a chat with a titmouse who was just trying to get a spot for a morsel from the tray.

I’m pretty sure there are two red bellied woodpeckers here, but I could only report one as I didn’t see them together. I don’t know who is with him, I don’t recognize the species from the backside, LOL! But if I had to guess, I’d say it was likely another goldfinch.

This week I will have just a bit of time to catch up on the Quilt of Valor, then I can do a bit more practice with the thread painting. The class was fun, and I’ll share more of that with you next week.

What are your plans for the week?

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