Trudy and Daisy are adjusting well. They love the new yard and are enjoying all of the new smells. We understand there is a river path close, our son showed us how to get there yesterday where we can walk the dogs and Trudy can play in the water. We can't wait.
Yesterday when we were with the kids we decided to drive up the mountain to Spruce Pine. They were having a blacksmith show there and I wanted to see what Spruce Pine was like. It's been nearly 20 years but some of first beads were made from Spruce Pine Batch. I still have that strand of beads. It was the cullet used in the glass furnaces of Al Young in Michigan. We made beads in a class taught by Toby Upton and occasionally Al when Toby was absent with pulls from the furnace that were leftover from glass blowing. Maybe it was prophetic that I ended up here in some way.
This area of NC was always some mythical place to me. It's where Penland (it's such a great art school) is located - where that huge castle called The Biltmore is - where Spruce Pine Batch was/ is still made. I remember it was my first introduction to glass cullet and I was shocked to think that glass could come in 50# bags that were stacked like potatoes. Whew, young and dumb!
I was a lot more romantically inclined back then but I find the mountains and the towns tucked in between them very magical. Whether it's the artist in me or the youngster resurfacing for a long overdue play date, it doesn't make any difference. It's rejuvenating and there are so many things to discover.
The Blacksmith show was fun. I don't think I've ever seen so many portable furnaces in one spot. It seemed like every booth had a demo going on. Children were aided in hammering on red hot metal - huge anvils were everywhere. I felt star-struck, talkative with strangers, light-headed, and giddy.
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| Live Demo at the Blacksmith's Festival |
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| Spruce Pine downtown (the constant live demo is under the tent) but there were at least four others we saw along the street. |
