A peaceful, soul healing day at Lake Jocassee.

Posted on September 30, 2019 by luckyotter

Lake Jocassee, Devils Fork State Park, Salem, SC

Nature is the best therapist, and is so much cheaper.

First, the backstory (and why I needed this day and others like it).

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I haven’t really discussed it much on this blog, but since her marriage in January, my daughter and her husband have been struggling with opioid/opiate addiction (at the moment, they are both in recovery), but for my daughter, her addiction is complicated by out of control mood swings. She has no official diagnosis, but her rapid and intense mood swings that range from deep and debilitating depressions that make her sleep for days, to manic episodes where she can’t sleep at all and flies into rages easily seems to indicate bipolar disorder (which does run in my family, and my son has it too, but his is more under control because of coping skills he’s learned, and his may be less severe than hers).

She lost her Medicaid when she turned twenty six in April, and now has no insurance until she can get on her husband’s insurance through his job. As a result, the only mental “help” she has been able to receive is awful, really almost worse than getting no help at all. Her current doctor is impatient with her, charges her way more than she can afford (forcing her to ration her psychiatric medications) and makes her come in every week for her scripts, even though that costs her more than if she came every two weeks, which would make so much more sense. It’s also hard for her to get to the doctor because she has no car. She hasn’t seen a talk therapist yet because of the money/car issue, and also because she has an aversion to talk therapy for some reason. Even the prospect of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) puts her off. Her husband is trying to get her to give it a chance, since it has helped him.

She was attending a 12 step meeting, but the man who was driving her to the meeting (also a member) started to take advantage of her sexually, so she stopped going. I don’t blame her. I would have too.

As for me, this year has been extremely stressful, and my daughter’s mental illness and addiction is breaking my heart. I love my daughter dearly but since she started taking opioids, it’s as if something in her brain broke, and even though she is clean now, she seems to have lost any ability she once had had to regulate her emotions, and has become paranoid about her environment and the people around her. Her episodes of rage seem always directed at me, although I know it’s not really about me at all. Still, it’s hard not to take the attacks personally.

I know with the opioids, the recovery process takes a long time, but patience isn’t my strong point, and I’ve realized I have no choice but to distance myself from her. I need to take care of myself. There’s really nothing I can do for her except pray for her healing and I can’t be of any help to her at all if I’m crazy myself — and between her issues and the awful political situation (which hopefully may be nearing its end but I’m not holding my breath), I am almost there.

I’ve gone on longer about that than I intended about my daughter, but that’s the main reason I haven’t been blogging very much this year, in case any of you wondered. I’m just preoccupied and worried to the point where it’s not healthy. I’ve been attending Al Anon meetings when I can, although I haven’t found a group I really feel at home in yet. I’ve been spending less time at home, because frankly, I never know what I’m coming home to (my daughter and hubby currently live with me). I’m looking into downsizing and moving to a smaller apartment or even a room in someone else’s home. I need to escape. They are adults and can take care of themselves here. I’m not going to kick them out. I prefer to move out myself, but the prospect of a move is causing me a lot of stress too. It all just seems overwhelming.

Get to the point already! You said this was about your day trip to the Lake!

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Oh, yes. Of course. Sorry I took so long to get to the point!

No matter what’s going on at home or in my personal life, I can always escape, and natural places always have a healing effect on me. Bodies of water, in particular, soothe my soul and put me at peace, making it easier to cope with life for a while.

Back in June, I became interested in Scuba diving and had been researching places where I might go to get certification, and that’s how I found out about Lake Jocassee, which is located in Salem, South Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s the main attraction of Devils Fork State Park. Jocassee is formed by the confluence of four rivers that flow into it from the Appalachians. The lake actually has a fascinating history, which you can read about here.

Jocassee Valley in the early 1970s, before it was flooded by the State of South Carolina and Duke Energy to create Lake Jocassee

The reason Lake Jocassee is so popular with Scuba divers is because of its clarity and depth. It’s a large lake, which goes as deep as 300 feet and is not dark and murky like most lakes. It also lacks that funky, swampy “lake” smell.

The day couldn’t have been more perfect. It may be early fall, but the day felt like the middle of July: hot, sunny, and perfect for swimming. The lake water was every bit as clear as I’d been told and had seen in pictures. I was definitely not disappointed!

You can get a good idea of the water’s clarity here.

The drive was very pleasant, only a little over one hour from my home, and it was just a short walk down to the small sandy beach. When I waded out into the water, I was delighted that the bottom remained sandy, and wasn’t at all gunky with mud and the usual slimy stuff that’s usually found at the bottom of lakes. There were a few twigs, small rocks, and a little plant matter here and there, but it was definitely mostly sand, which I could dig my toes into and almost feel like I was at the ocean. I could also still see the bottom even when I waded out so far the water was above my head!

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There were also small waves! The lake is pretty large (not so large you can’t see across it though), but I don’t think it’s large enough to have any real wave or tidal action like the Great Lakes do; the waves might have been caused by the breeze or the boats in the distance. In any case, it was relaxing listening to them lap rhythmically onto the sand.

Dog and kids having a romp in the lake.

For me, Lake Jocassee is a perfect merging of what I love about the Blue Ridge Mountains and love about the beach. While the mountains in upstate South Carolina are not as high or impressive as the ones in North Carolina, they are less intimidating and still make for lovely views and are a perfect frame for this crystal clear lake. But at the same time, I also got a real “beach” feel here, unlike any other lake I’ve ever been to.

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When I wasn’t in the water, I watched the view from my beach chair and just soaked in the sun, watched kids and dogs play in the water, and read. I think I stayed about three hours, until late afternoon, when it began to cloud up a bit. I decided then was a good time to head home. I left feeling refreshed, relaxed, and better able to handle the challenges I’ve been dealing with.

On the way home, I passed by Table Rock, also in the upstate of South Carolina, and pulled over on the side of the road to take a few quick pictures.

Table Rock, Table Rock State Park, Pickens, SC

I also got a little color.

I’ll definitely be going back to Lake Jocassee. It’s on my growing list of “happy places.”

Enjoy the photos!

Fishing in a central Florida swamp.

Posted on August 25, 2019 by luckyotter

Sunset reflecting on distant clouds.

I took a much needed break to see my son in Florida for a few days this week.

I made a vow that this time I would put my camera away and actually just enjoy our time instead of constantly brandishing my phone to get dozens of “must have” pictures, most which I never bother posting or ever looking at again anyway. I mean, how many more beach pictures do I (or you?) really need? Yes, the Gulf Coast beaches are stunning (especially at sunset) and I’m a sucker for beach pictures of any type anyway, but I successfully resisted the temptation to snap photos this time. There are plenty of beach and sunset pictures on this blog already.

However, I did cave when we went fishing on our last day (Friday), because we were in a stunningly beautiful wetland area in an inland town called Inverness.

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Yes, you would be correct to assume it was beastly hot and almost unbearably humid, as you might expect such an area in Florida to be in August, but we still had so much fun. It was surprisingly un-buggy (probably due to all the dragonflies around who catch the mosquitoes), and the fish were definitely biting!

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First, we drove to a brackish lake to catch the small bait fish (I caught five but had to throw two back because they were too large to use as bait fish), then on to the wetlands to do the real fishing! My son (who purchased his fishing license at Walmart that morning), my daughter, and a friend all caught a few rather large freshwater bass (they were thrown back except for two, which will be eaten later, though not by me). I caught no bass, but had a blast taking pictures of the scenery (we stayed past sunset) and everyone else’s catches.

Enjoy the photos. (The above photos were taken at the lake where we caught the bait; the ones below were taken at the actual fishing site about a mile away, as was the one at the top of this post which was taken near sunset).

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I love her slightly disgusted expression. But she was thrilled about catching her first fish ever.

That’s Spanish moss dripping from the trees, and in the background you can see a makeshift swing hanging from a branch. I guess people actually swim here. Yuck. I sure wouldn’t.

The same view as above just before sunset.

The water was like a mirror.

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Here you can actually see a bit of the small bait fish inside the bass’ mouth.

A day in Chimney Rock, NC

Posted on June 24, 2019 by luckyotter

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Today was my birthday!

For the past two years, I’ve been going to Chimney Rock on my birthday. It’s a perfect way to spend that day.

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Chimney Rock is a little village right next to Lake Lure. It’s full of cute shops, restaurants, and all kinds of natural wonders: Chimney Rock itself, which I passed on because it involves taking an elevator through a mountain, a wonderful rocky creek that has places where you can wade and even swim, and the whimsical Bridge of Flowers, which has been there since 2013.

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My daughter (who is clean 49 days now!), her hubby, and I walked through the town, stopped for ice cream, and spent about an hour by the creek, sitting on the rocks and wading in the water. Most of these pictures (except the one of DD playing in the creek) are of the Bridge of Flowers, which has every type of plant, aromatic herb, succulent, and flower you can imagine, and tons of artistic and whimsical touches, such as “secret gardens” with brightly painted benches, handmade birdhouses, “doors to nowhere” and old windows repainted in creative ways, colorful gates, paving stones, and lots of other creative touches. It’s maintained by the community, all volunteers.

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Escaping to Deep Creek, Bryson City, NC

Posted on May 24, 2019 by luckyotter

Everything is terrible right now.

Future history books will not be kind.

I need to escape into the woods.

I need to feel the rush of cold mountain streams.

This is what I plan to be doing this Memorial Day weekend.

There’s always time for joy.

Pictures from Tampa and Clearwater (4/20/19 – 4/28/19)

Posted on May 6, 2019 by luckyotter

I took fewer photos than I have on earlier trips to see my son in Florida, but that was fine because I actually got more time to spend with him, and I just wanted to enjoy our time together.

Here are the pictures I did take during my week there. We both had a fantastic time.

Tampa River Walk, Tampa. I took these on April 20, the first night I was there, after the 12 hour long car ride. These were taken just before, during, and just after sunset. I was sore from the car ride but still managed to walk quite a bit. It was definitely worth it!

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I’m the one in the gray sneakers.

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Clearwater Beach

Sign greeting me in my hotel room. The beachy decor was adorable.

The surf was rough on this day (4/24) due to storms in the area, so there were few people swimming, and there was a rip current warning. The waves were very high for the Gulf.

I will never get enough of those Clearwater sunsets:

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Anclote Key sandbar (via boat ride from Tarpon Springs):

The photo doesn’t do this justice. Anclote Key is a state park and camping area, accessible only by boat, about 4 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico. It is very remote. The sand is as white as snow, and is almost blinding in the sun. The many tidal pools are filled with shells and hermit crabs.

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My son took these two photos of the seabirds at Anclote. This post wouldn’t be complete without them.

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Dessert at Hellenas Greek Bakery, Tarpon Springs.

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My backyard just got a lot bigger and more interesting.

Posted on May 4, 2019 by luckyotter

Pioneer plants and grasses are beginning to overtake the bare ground the removal of the blackberry brambles left in its wake.

I’ve been living in this 1908 farmhouse since 2012 (yes, it’s really 111 years old!). Until earlier this year, the backyard sloped down rather steeply and seemed to end with a very thick, overgrown patch of blackberry bushes, that alas, never produced any edible blackberries (grrrr!) and had become an unmanageable tangle of brambles that had become invasive and made the grass at the base of the slope very difficult to mow.

Another view.

It all started with a lost septic tank.

When our septic system needed to be pumped last fall no one knew where the septic tank was at first. It hadn’t been pumped in at least ten years! In fact, when I moved in I mistakenly thought we were on the city sewer system, but when I began getting strange odors coming from the sinks, bathtub and toilet, and finally some kind of brown sludge coming up through the drains, I made an emergency call to my landlord and he arranged for the system to be pumped. But first they’d need to look for it, because even he couldn’t remember where it was located.

Lots of snakelike roots and hanging vines.

Well, they finally found it. It was located under the blackberry brambles, so all of them had to be removed, leaving a large, mudpit shot through with thick roots that gave the entire back of my yard the appearance of a giant snake pit. But I was shocked at how much more space there was too. The land behind the brambles went back pretty far, down into a ditch far below that may or may not contain a small stream. It turns out, all that land belongs to this property.

There’s a fallen tree that goes way off into the distance, though it’s hard to see the other end.

I did nothing to clean up the area, other than toss some grass seed on the dried mud. Now it’s May and nature is taking over again. New plants and tufts of tall grass are growing lushly and there are even pioneer trees and shrubs beginning to take over the once bare soil and cover the sinuous roots.

Thinking like my cat.

My imagination went a little crazy. I thought about my tuxedo cat Sheldon quietly slithering into the natural nooks and crannies in the trees and shrubs, and all the secret cat trails he has probably discovered, where he finds heaven knows what. I imagined being a cat, and in my mind’s eye I saw trails leading off into the dark woods beyond, even though there don’t appear to be any there right now. Maybe we can bushwack some of the shrubs and vines and make a trail, even though in all likelihood any trail we create would lead to nowhere more interesting than the newish housing development there behind the trees, much of which can be seen in winter when the trees are bare.

I always have loved the golden light of late afternoon and early evening.

An abandoned school in Ruskin, Florida: a detour.

I was reminded of Easter Day this year. It was my first full day in Florida after arriving there the night before. We had gone to visit my son’s partner Josh’s family in a place called Ruskin, which is just south of Tampa.

There’s not much going on in Ruskin, Florida, but across the road from Josh’s mom’s comfortable doublewide where we spent the entire day eating a motley assortment of potluck dishes as though it were Thanksgiving (and getting just as sleepy later), are several trails that go off into the woods for quite a long distance, but all wind up in the same place: an old abandoned school that burned down sometime in the 1970s.

My son and a friend after gorging on potluck Easter dishes all day.

No one knows if the fire was an accident or arson, or if anyone died in the fire, but seeing the darkened red brick and yellowed concrete walls of the old school (there are only three walls left standing and two of them are crumbling) suddenly emerge out from the junglelike brush and Floridian forest plants, was a rather spooky (but cool) experience.

I didn’t take photos, because my son was taking better photos on his more expensive and much better camera. It was nice to have my hands free so I could swat the hundreds of mosquitoes that swarmed around me and were happily dining on both my arms and my hands. I finally resorted to waving my arms around wildly to ward off the clouds of mosquitoes, but the next day both my arms were covered in itchy red welts. I’m glad I had the presence of mind to wear long pants and sneakers, rather than shorts and flip flops, like two of the people who accompanied us did.

Although I didn’t take pictures of the school ruins, a friend of my son’s did — on Christmas Day of all times. My son was along for that hike too. There’s also a video of his friend jumping (and almost falling into) a creek, but I’ll spare you that. I guess that’s what people do in Florida on Christmas – they go hiking and hunt for old ruins in the woods. We made the same hike on Easter. That seems significant. So here are four photographs of what they saw on their Christmas hike, and that’s pretty much the same thing we saw on our Easter hike.

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Back at home.

So, getting back to my newly opened up backyard. It’s kind of ugly still, and there probably aren’t any interesting old ruins from decades ago, but it has promise. There’s more there to explore, and over time, it will become more eyecatching as the patchy almost bare ground becomes covered with new plants and flowers. I might toss some wildflower seed down there to help it along.

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Looking back up the hill at the burned out hulk of the apartment building that partially burned down in late January and killed a woman who was trapped inside (I posted about this and included a video of the fire I took on my phone that got used on the local news).

I’m sorry that I have no “before” pictures of the blackberry brambles that were blocking our access to anything beyond (and hiding our septic system), but frankly, they weren’t that attractive anyway.

This is the ugliest angle of my house. This was taken looking back up the hill at its backside, which is devoid of shutters, has old ladders and other junk propped up against it, and the grass is way overdue for a mow. Still, I liked the juxtaposition of the stark white against the deep green and blue sky.

At the dog park.

Posted on March 10, 2019 by luckyotter

The weather was pretty today (the first true springlike day we’ve had) and my daughter wanted to take my ex’s dog, Dexter, to the dog park.

As you can see, we’ve had lots and lots of rain. The dog park was basically a mud pit, but it seemed like every dog in town was there, and they were having the time of their lives, especially this hilarious guy digging in a mud puddle and barking at it.

Exploring Asheville’s Grove Park Inn, my son’s unexpected visit, and more.

Posted on February 18, 2019 by luckyotter

Looking up at the front of the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC

I had a pretty exciting (and hectic) weekend. My son came up from Tampa with a friend of his (Rudy) in tow. I really wasn’t prepared for the visit, since he announced it just three days before their arrival. He had to take Rudy to the airport in Atlanta and decided to come up to NC to visit his mom and newly married sister (and new brother in law), since we are not that far away from Atlanta.

Friday night after I got home from work they were already at the house. We ate at the new Galactic Pizza near my home (their Italian food and especially their pizza is amazing). The space theme decor is super cool as well.

Inside of Galactic Pizza, Asheville

Closeup of the laminated outer space theme bar counter

The next day was pretty quiet, since my daughter and her husband both had to work, so my son and his friend went out to visit some of my son’s old friends from school, and I had a chance to clean up the house and do a little shopping. Saturday night was Game Night. They had brought two friends back with them to the house. All seven of us crammed into the small living room, ate a huge bucket of Bojangles’ chicken, and played some online games (you have to download an app to play) and they were pretty fun, but after awhile I developed an intense headache and felt tired so I went to bed early while they continued to play more games deep into the night. I was really feeling my age that night!

Sunday we had the best time. We got up pretty early, and after a quick breakfast and some coffee, decided to head to the mall. My son bought his partner some gifts, and I splurged and bought myself this adorable Betsey Johnson pink flamingo suitcase that was on sale (it was the last one left so I *had* to have it!). I needed some new luggage anyway, and since I’m taking my yearly trip to Florida in two months (I can’t wait), the pink flamingo motif was perfect. I’ll probably get the smaller matching case later, which would be perfect for smaller items and cosmetics, but I’ll probably order that online and get a cheaper price than I could at a store (and it was out of stock).

I also stopped in Hallmark while my daughter and her husband were busy and bought them this as a late wedding present (they got married several weeks back, but I never got around to writing a post about it). I think it looks like them a lot. Both of them were touched.

After the mall run, my daughter left for work and her husband left with her, and so my son, his friend and I decided to go exploring the world famous Grove Park Inn (purchased by Omni Hotels and now officially referred to as he Omni Grove Park Inn) The hotel was built on he side of Sunset Mountain (part of the Blue Ridge) and completed in 1912. It was built in the popular and beautiful Arts and Crafts architectural style that was fashionable at the time (and has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years). Its red shingle roof has an organic look to it, and the facade is constructed of stone found right here in the mountains. It has been added to over the years, with an additional wing added, but it all fits together seamlessly and the hotel has become enormous! You can easily get lost in it.

Looking down from the hotel (it is built into the side of a mountain)

Looking up from the bottom. Yes, there are actual waterfalls, and these are natural features, not manmade.

Many notables of both the past and present have visited the hotel, and adorning the hallways are photos of the various famous visitors. There are several excellent (but expensive) restaurants, and beautiful architectural detailing everywhere.

One of the most impressive things about the Inn is the huge stone lobby with its vintage rocking chairs and sofas, and especially its two gigantic fireplaces on either end. There are outside porches extending from the lobby, and the views are breathtaking, overlooking the nearby mountain ranges. You feel like you are in the sky.

There is a vintage 1913 (?) Ford Model T (?) in the lobby. Someone correct me on this if they know the exact model and year. I forgot to take down that information.

You can get an idea of the view from these pictures. I wish the day was less cloudy/foggy (and cold!), but it was still lovely.

And here is the three of us:

The hotel also may be haunted! There is the famous legend of the Pink Lady, who was staying at the Inn in 1920, and died from a fall to the Palm Court from the balcony in the central part of the Inn (the floors above the main lobby). Her room number was 545, and to this day, people are either drawn to that particular room because of its macabre history, or they avoid it! None of us encountered the Pink Lady or any other ghost that day (yes, we did walk past Room 545!)

Scale model of Grove Park Inn displayed in one of the hallways

Another famous thing about the Grove Park Inn is the annual Gingerbread House Competition, which takes place every Christmas season. It’s a fairly new event, which started as a tiny competition for local people in the late 1990s, but has now become a huge sensation that people from all over the world travel to see. Everything in the Gingerbread Houses must be edible, although it doesn’t need to all be of Gingerbread.

Here are two views of last year’s winner. This construction includes (edible) gears that actually move!

The best part came last. We descended all the stone stairs down the mountainside (seen above in some of the photos) and at the very bottom is the Grove Park Inn’s Spa, which is actually built into the rock itself. It’s basically contained within an underground cave system, and as you walk along the stone tunnels leading to the Spa, there are waterfalls here and there, trickling water collected in small pools along the rough stone walls, and even a few actual geodes embedded into the rock. (It was too dark to get a good photo of those). As you approach the Spa itself, you can smell the scents from inside. We didn’t go inside, as we didn’t have a pass and hadn’t paid for a day at the Spa (how I would have loved that!), but what we saw was still impressive.

I do have one good picture of one of the tunnels leading to the Spa. Beneath that is a photo from Omni Hotels’ website, showing the Grove Park Inn Spa’s underground pool (which is manmade but might as well be a natural feature).

The underground pool at the Spa. (credit: Omnihotels.com)

One day I’m spending a day here. It’s on my bucket list.

This morning my son left to return to Florida. I’m off work today so I’m spending the rest of the day working on my blog, something I’ve been sadly neglecting. This is my first post.

Hypercube.

Posted on February 4, 2019 by luckyotter

This is the coolest thing I ever saw. They’re not for sale yet, but they will be soon. I want one, but I’m sure they’re beyond my budget. As high tech as they look, they’re really not. It’s just a cube with all six panels contructed of a one sided mirror which is a one way window on the other side, and then lined with LED light strips.

Pictures from Myrtle Beach.

Posted on August 26, 2018 by luckyotter

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I spent three days at Myrtle Beach and unlike last year, the weather was perfect every day! I would have loved to spend an extra day since the day dawned so gorgeous on the morning we left, but I don’t think my sunburned skin could have taken any more!

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We didn’t do much, mostly just lazed on the beach, took long walks, and ambled along the boardwalk, but relaxation is what a vacay is all about, not staying busy every second.

I just love the ocean. It’s so soothing to my body and soul.

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Myrtle Beach sunset.

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Since Myrtle Beach is on the Atlantic Ocean, if you get up early enough, you can catch incredible sunrises. The second morning we were able to do just that. These photos were each taken about five minutes apart:

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