In Which My Life Resembles a Sci-Fi Flick

This blog was briefly going to be called "Holler Back," based on a conversation I had with a real estate agent while trying to find a house down here.  I'd gone so far as to put a header together before I decided on something a bit more me (both snails and whales are things which make me smile, always).  After this past week, however, I found myself contemplating yet another name change.  Something like "Adventures in Moths Flying Into My Eyes" or "Invasion of the Bat-Sized Bugs."  But more on that in a moment.  First, photos:

This little dude paid us a visit last week, and again yesterday.  He's sweet as blueberry pie and I think must live somewhere close.  He came in, escaped the sun for a spell, drank some of Vista's water, and then went on his merry way.  Yesterday, with Vista at the vet, he stopped by, accepted a few treats, and then went off to get into some trouble with another little friend.  I don't know his name, but I call him Speck.

Photo from the square dance.  I'm on the left, and the lovely redhead next to me is Renee, another VISTA.  Tamar took this photo with my camera.

The second band which played for us at the square dance.  They were all instructors at Allegheny Echoes.  The second fellow from the left, on the fiddle, is Chance McCoy.  We heard him play Friday at the Instructors Concert, and I picked up his CD.  He's amazingly talented (but I should note that EVERYONE we heard at the concert was!).

Photo from the concert.  It was standing room only when we got there!  This was the last band of the night, who called themselves the Big Brothers.  I wish I could find out more about them!  The thing I love about bluegrass is that everyone is always having a fantastic time.  It was probably a good thing I was in the back, since I could not keep still in my seat with all that music playing.

Which brings us back to the bugs.  I've been hit by moths while watching tv, reading in bed, and--in one particularly hilarious instance--in the midst of washing my face.  But this guy?  Totally took the cake.  After the concert Friday night, Tamar and Jerry spent the night with us.  I was in another room when I heard Tamar call out to me.  "Kelly, there's a moth the size of a bat in here."  I laughed.  We'd had moths, sure, and even some big ones.  But bat-sized?  Then I walked into the living room.

Yeah.  This doesn't even accurately do it justice, since my hand was held back to keep from scaring it off.  I am pleased to say that by using a salad bowl and a Netflix envelope, this fellow was successfully relocated outside of the house.  Which would have been the end of our bug adventures except that the next night, Emily discovered a beastie at least as large as this guy in her room.  I hesitate to call it a moth, because while it had wings, it also had PINCERS ON ITS FACE.  My unholy horror aside, it was also successfully relocated.

And here's your moment of zen.  Vista at the Hillsboro Little Levels Heritage Fair on Saturday.  She was about the only dog there, and being as quiet and sweet as she is, was approached constantly by people looking to give her love all day.  Good times for a pup.

In Which The Grass Is So, So Blue

Yesterday, my friend Tamar sent me an e-mail inviting me over the mountain into Greenbrier County for a concert.  Hmm, I thought, that's a hell of a drive, especially if I end up coming home after dark.  Then she dropped two very special words: "Free" and "Bluegrass."

So I went to Lewisburg last night to watch the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys perform on the lawn outside Carnegie Hall.  Tamar brought along a fantastic picnic dinner and a bottle of spiked limeade, so of course fun was had by all.  Jerry, another VISTA, tagged along with Tamar, and a bunch of folks from the Pocahontas County Ultimate Frisbee group were there, too.  I ran into a fellow from my group at PSO, which made the whole evening perfect.

Jerry and Tamar

Emily triumphs over watermelon.

Tamar shows off her pretty, pretty zoom lens.

Boone was there, too, and after an initial freak-out, calmed down and enjoyed the evening.

The band was fantastic, the food was fantastic, and of course, the company was the best.  A great time was had by all.  After the concert and conversation wrapped up, I followed Tamar back to her apartment, where I was gifted with a lettuce plant for my trouble.  I had bought a CD from the band, and it took me all 18 tracks to get back over Droop Mountain in the dark.  If you've ever tried to thread a needle, that's a bit what it was like.  Threading a needle with my car.

I've been told that Carnegie Hall does 5 free concerts like this one over the summer--something to keep an eye out for!