Vicki Lane's Blog, page 515

Writing from the Vortex

I'm over at Jungle Red today, explaining how living in a New Age vortex has led to creeping woo-woo in my writing. Please stop by.

Willa's Wordless Wedneday

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The River Road

After reading in Asheville on Sunday, I returned home along the River Road.

[image error] This is the road the drovers would have followed before the coming of the railroad.

When we moved to Madison County in '75, this narrow, winding road was the only way in.

On one side the river, on the other, rocky cliffs... When the 'new road' was built about twenty-five years ago, the river road was deserted except for cyclists and folks who liked to take their time.
Sunday afternoon around five. The sun was low and the light was lovely.
I must have stopped six or seven times to catch the sparkle of sun on the water.
I even took one picture through a chain link fence that was too high to reach over.
A lonely barn on a hill above the river...
Lovely, long afternoon shadows . . . Dark trunks against bright water and bright leaves against dark trunks . . . [image error] The beautiful French Broad River like a sheet of beaten silver . . . [image error] And leaves like golden coins. [image error] A perfect day for a Sunday drive. . . 

Along the River Road

[image error] After reading in Asheville on Sunday, I returned home along the river road.   [image error] This is the route the drovers would have traveled and at this time of year.
[image error] When we moved to Madison County in '75, this narrow, winding road was the only way in from Asheville.
[image error]  On one side the French Broad river, on the other rocky cliffs. [image error] When the 'new road' was built about twenty years ago, the river road was deserted except for cyclists and those of us who like to slow down now and then.
[image error] Sunday afternoon around five. The sun was low and the light was lovely.
[image error]
I must have stopped six or seven times to catch the sparkle of sun on the water.
[image error] And one lonely barn on a hill high above the river.
[image error] Lovely, long late afternoon shadows . . .
[image error] Dark trunks against bright water and bright leaves against dark trunk.
[image error] The beautiful French Broad, like a sheet of silver. . .
[image error] Leaves like golden coins . . . [image error] What a perfect Sunday drive! [image error]

All Hallows' Eve

Listen . . . do you hearWailing in the darkling wood?Only wind, you say?
Fool! Hurry inside,Bolt the door, and wait for morn.This one night is theirs....
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Down the Road

This is just to sayIt was a pleasure to seeSo many nice folksWho had waited patiently For the rest of the story.
Yesterday began with spitting snow but turned glorious as I drove to Sylva amid some of the most beautiful fall colors-- whole hillsides of red, valleys of orange and yellow -- and no time to stop for pictures, alas!
Then it was back to Madison County and another reading at the library and back home in the clear cold night. Another event in Asheville tomorrow...

Looking Ahead

Eddie wants to remind you that Halloween is drawing near. He has his costume (El Gato de la Muerte)-- how about you?  And I want to remind my friends in the area that I'll be in Sylva today at 2 and at the Marshall library at 6:30. Then on Sunday, I'll be at Malaprop's in Asheville at 3.  The info is over there on the side.
Look for me next week at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville, Accent on Books in Asheville, and at the Mars Hill Library.
And later in the month there's an interesting event called EAT YOUR WORDS at Avenue M in Asheville. Check it out!

While I Was Taking Pictures...

Dear friends -- I'm in quite a time crunch, with events for the new book as well as some teaching commitments that are taking much of my time. I will be around to visit as soon as possible...























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...Willa entertained herself.

While I Was Takining Pictures...

Dear friends -- I'm in quite a time crunch, with events for the new book as well as some teaching commitments that are taking much of my time. I will be around to visit as soon as possible...























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...Willa entertained herself.

Emily Carr - The Forest Lover

The Forest Lover is another book from Susan Vreeland that gives us an in-depth look at an artist's life. Emily Carr (1871- 1945) was inspired by the forests and the native culture of British Columbia.  At a time when potlatches were banned by missionaries and totem poles were sold to collectors or chopped up for firewood, Carr set out to document what remained.  
Vreeland's book is the story of Emily Carr's obsession with painting and of the difficulties she faced. (Provincial and Victorian, British Columbia was slow to accept this bold, impressionistic art.)
It's also the sad story (once again) of the treatment of the indigenous peoples at the hands of the government and the missionaries. It' s ironic to think that Christians banned the potlatch, in which wealthy people gave away their worldly goods to less fortunate tribe members.
Many of Carr's paintings remind me of Georgia O'Keefe's work. If you read the book, be sure to check out Vreeland's website where images of Carr's paintings are paired with the appropriate passages from The Forest Lover. Boy, the internet is great for this sort of thing!