I hope everyone is having a great holiday weekend. We’ve been enjoying our lovely mountain views on drives with our car clubs. A recent drive took us through Pisgah Forest up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and west to Maggie Valley. Heading up from the ranger station, the street has trees over the road most of the way up into the mountains.

Up on the parkway, it is green everywhere. This part of summer has some rhododendrons in bloom, but I didn’t get any photos of them on the drive.

We stopped at Waterrock Knob for pictures of the mountains.

The views here are stunning on both sides of the overlook. It was cool this day, and the clouds were low. Looking west, low clouds obscure the horizon, clinging to the top of a distant mountain.

Looking east, this really interesting scene has a low cloud hanging in the valley between the mountains. Wildflowers bloom profusely on the edge of the grass next to the parking lot.

Back home, the clouds were hanging low in the valley, too.

Here’s a closer look. Although the rain is welcome to help with our drought conditions, it made the air even more humid. It is miserable to be outside this weekend.

On a happier note, tomorrow is National Fried Chicken Day! See my post for some fun stories and memories of one of my favorite foods.

Plans are underway for another Fall Fortnight! Mark your calendars for this one as we sew with fall themes and make a special Thanksgiving charity project. More on that in September. I am currently recruiting bloggers for two special blog hops, one sewing and one tablescapes. If you are interested in participating, let me know.

Back at the house, I managed to get a photo of the wren sitting on her nest. I think she was asleep. It is very dark inside the nest, but you can just make her out at the bottom of the opening. As soon as the camera clicked, she bolted off. We should have little ones any day now!

In the back, the gladiolas are beginning to bloom. These are a soft apricot color.

They usually bloom at the same time as the hostas. The hosta bed between the back of the garage and the retaining wall is doing well, mainly because the deer can’t get to it.

Pretty purple flowers bloom on long stalks.

They look great in a vase with the gladiolas, but I won’t be able to do that this year. The gladiolas are not as numerous as before, and I cannot get to them behind the fence. There is only one blooming in the front flower bed now. Plus the hosta bed out front has been eaten down to the nubs by the deer. All the flowers and most of the leaves are gone. This photo is from a few years ago.

I’ll have some sewing time this week, and I have two other projects underway before I can get back to Fleur Lumineuse. Lunch tomorrow with friends will be a treat. What are your plans for the week?

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