Mo*Bee's Blog #5: Carolina Views

Mo*Bee's Blog #5: "Carolina Views"

I just recently attended the opening night of “Carolina Views,”a gallery show, that was a mix of different artwork and photography at Tryon Painters and Sculptors. The name Carolina Views led me to believe this was going to be an art show with only landscapes. I'm not a huge fan of landscapes but, since I was personally invited by Grace Lertora, president of the Tryon Painters and Sculptors, I decided to come and am glad I did.

Tryon Painters and Sculptors

I prefer weird art, the weirder the better because it forces me to have to think about what I'm looking at. When I see a landscape, I know what I'm looking at. A tree is a tree, a mountain is a mountain and so on. While they are pretty to look at, there's no mystery for me and I prefer it in any art. Even though I am not a big fan of landscapes, I am again and again impressed with people's talents to do landscapes. While the Carolina Views art show does contain a number of incredibly beautiful landscapes, it also has a nice sprinkling of different art.

I met three of the artists there that night. First was Blaine Owens; he was the man who took home first prize for the People's choice award. His photograph entitled “Local Lawn Service” pictured six goats standing at the barn in which they live. (Of course, this won! Who doesn't love goats! Pictures of goats are like pictures of puppies they just make you smile.)

Blaine Owens

I spoke to Blaine; he is a photographer out of Greenville, South Carolina. He said these goats live about 30 minutes away from his house and one day he just decided to stop and take their picture. While that was obviously a good decision for him because not only did he get a great shot he also made the decision to enter it into a show at Tryon Painters and Sculptors. This good decision led to winning the People's choice award that night. (All this makes me wonder if Blaine has read my blog number four about being lucky?)

Next, I met Allyson Tierney Jones. She was a lot of fun to talk to. She told me that when she was about 14, a neighbor who was an artist gave her a Japanese ink stone and an ink stick set for her to work with. This simple act sparked curiosity in Allyson and set her on the path where her artwork now comes from. She gave me her Facebook address, www.facebook.com/ATJArtworks; you should take a minute and check it out since she has some really cool stuff. I really like her samurai wallets.

Allyson's work includes the top two paintings to her left.

I'll hold off a minute from introducing you to the third artist I met that night, because I want to finish up this blog by telling you something about her painting. So next, I'll show you the second and third place winners in the People's choice award. “In the Mood,” a painting by Kate Thayer took home second place, and, coming in third, was a painting entitled “Pond at the Blue Wall” by Lori Heckelman. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to all the other artists who participated for putting on such a fantastic gallery show.

"In the Mood" by Kate Thayer

"Pond at the Blue Wall" by Lori Heckelman

After arriving at the show, I started strolling through the gallery admiring each beautiful piece of work on display and thinking how lucky I am to live in a place with such a high concentration of talented artists. And about that time I came up on a painting that made me stop in my tracks. (Here is the one I waited to tell you about....) There on the wall hung a painting that forced the biggest smile to come across my face. A feeling of happiness settled upon me. And for a moment I was taken back in time to my childhood. The painting I was looking at was a painting of the Waverly Inn. Below is a photo of that painting with the artist who painted it, Maxine Tatreau out of Hendersonville, North Carolina.

"The Waverly Inn" standing below her painting is Maxine Tatreau

To most people, The Waverly Inn is a bed and breakfast located in Hendersonville, North Carolina. But for many, many years, from my earliest childhood all the way up until my late 20s, the Waverly Inn was the chosen spot where my grandmother would take us kids to watch any parade that happened to be going on in Hendersonville. Well, not really the Waverly Inn, but the sidewalk directly in front of the Waverly Inn.

We would always arrive at least an hour early, if not earlier, to ensure that we got the same spot every time. That hour would always start off the same way. My grandmother would tell us,"now you kids listen up, any time you see an American flag come down that street in front of us, you are all to stand up and put your hand on your heart as is it goes by. I don't care how big that flag is or how little. (This meant even when the homeless-looking man who was pushing the shopping cart filled with all kinds of plastic blowup animals, squirt guns, and things that whirled and twirled, and usually small flags on little wooden sticks.) From the time you see that flag coming until it has passed you by, you best be on your feet with your hand on your heart.”

I loved my grandmother with all my being. One of the reasons I loved her was that, when she told you to do something, she also told you why you should be doing it, or at least her reason of why you should be doing it. When I was young, most of what she said to me made no sense whatsoever. I just thought my Nanny's crazy; I don't know what she's talking about, but I love her anyway. As an adult I look back on all the things she told me and I appreciate every gold nugget of knowledge that she shared with me. Everything from "never ever get a balloon mortgage, only get a fixed rate mortgage, nothing else, fixed rate, do you understand me?” (She started telling me about mortgages when I was probably only 10 years old.) She would say” I know balloon sounds fun. But it's not when it comes to a mortgage. You remember that, you hear.”

Here's another one we heard a lot. “Things you are going to need the rest of your life like toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste, shampoo, only buy it when it's on sale!  And when it's on sale, stock up!” She would say, "you know you're going to need it. You know your going to use it.  So there's no reason you should ever pay full price for any of those things".

My grandmother was intent on making sure that she did not waste the money that she had worked so hard to earn. She was so intent that one time she called me and said, "they make you buy this concrete vault that your casket goes in when they bury you. They're going out to the graveyard on such and such date to go ahead and put it in the ground. I need you to take me out there so I can see them put it in the ground because Lord knows I'm not going to know if they did it on the day that I'm going to use it.” This is the only thing I can think of that my grandmother asked me to do for her that I refused to do. I told her I would not stand beside her at what was to be her future grave site. I did look however, years later on the day that we laid her to rest, and I made sure that that stupid concrete vault was there just because I knew she would have wanted me to.

Oh and here's one of my all-time favorites. When you see a penny (or any money) on the ground you always pick it up. It doesn't matter which side is up. You pick it up. Then she would ask me, “do you know why you pick it up?”

And I would say, “yes, because a penny saved is a penny earned.”

She would say, “No! That's bull. If you save every bit of money that you find on the ground your entire life, you might end up with five bucks. You go and pick that money up to remind yourself to not be so lazy that you won't even pick up free money.”

To this very day, I still love this rule. To Candice, and a few of my close friends who know about it, this rule has turned into a game of who can get to that money first. Now you'll understand what's going on if you see Candice and I in a grocery store and all of a sudden we take off running, nearly knock each other down picking something up off the ground. Then while holding it in the air and jumping up and down yelling, "I win, I win". It's a great game; you should try it. Or, better yet, if you see me and some friends coming, throw a few coins on the ground. Then you better get out of the way or your likely to get tackled.

Okay, on with our flag instructions:  Nanny would tell us, "You stand and you put your hand on your heart when that flag is passing in front of you no matter what. No matter if you're the only person anywhere around that's doing it. You stand up. You put your hand on your heart because that is how you show your respect to the men and women who have joined the military, and to the one's who have gone off to war, some being injured, badly crippled and some even dying. Each one of them did this so you could enjoy the freedoms that you enjoy. So, no matter how old you get, it doesn't matter to me even if you don't like what our government is doing right then, it's not about that. This is about each and every one of those soldiers and showing respect for the sacrifices that they have made so that you can enjoy all the things you have.”

So, to this very day, any time I see a flag come past me, I stand and I put my hand on my heart. I think no matter who the president is, or which party the president comes from, no matter if I approve of what our government is doing or not, to me, it's not about that. It's about taking a moment to show respect for every person. Each person who has ever been brave enough to step forward and be willing to lay down his or her life in order to protect me and my way of life.  I am more than glad to give you that moment of respect each and every time it comes.

Allow me to take a minute and salute these soldiers.

My Grandfather

My Brother

My Father

                                                       

Because we had gotten there so early, the police department had not yet closed down the road for the parade. And once we were given our flag instructions, we got our second set of instructions, "do not be playing and jumping all around and end up in that road. If you get hit by a car and we have to go the hospital, everyone will miss the parade!”

I remember one day, when I was maybe around six years old, during that hour long wait for the parade to start, I was standing next to the lawn chair that I had picked out to sit in once the parade started. With my back to the road, looking at the huge white house with the big inviting front porch which had white rocking chairs and little tables next to them with vases of fresh cut flowers.

I remember asking my grandmother, "Hey, Nanny can we go sit on that porch in those rocking chairs?”

She said,  "oh no, honey. We can't go sit on that porch. That's a business.” She explained, “that's the Waverly Inn. It's a place where rich people can pay and go spend the night and in the morning they'll fix them the best breakfast they've ever had in their life.”

I thought about that for a long while. I pictured in my mind what the rooms would look like inside; I pictured rich people sitting around in the parlor laughing and chatting while having tea.

And after a long silence I told my grandmother, "Nanny, I'm going to stay at the Waverly Inn when I grow up.”

My grandmother smiled a big smile and said, "I have no doubt about that, and in the morning they're going to fix you the best breakfast you've ever had in your life.” We both just laughed and then she said, “now turn around and get ready! I see a flag coming.”

Candice and I on parade day.
 (In top right corner you can see a little of one of the windows in the church across the street from the Waverly Inn.)

Nanny and Candice on parade day.

Now jump forward about 40 years. I am attending the Taste of Hendersonville fundraiser. A Taste

of Hendersonville is an event loaded with local eatery booths allowing attendees the chance to sample the many flavors Hendersonville restaurants, grocers, and caterers have to offer. A taste of Hendersonville is put on by Interfaith Assistance Ministry. Here is a little snippet about them.

Interfaith Assistance Ministry
OUR MISSION - To provide emergency relief to Henderson County Residents who are in financial crisis by offering food, clothing, funds, guidance and referrals in an atmosphere of compassion and respect. OUR MOTTO - "We are the hands that distribute what the heart of the community provides .... offering a hand up, not a handout."

I love going to this event because it contains two of my favorite things wrapped up in one evening: helping out people in the community and eating really good food. On this particular evening, while I am strolling through all the offerings available in their silent auction, what do I come up on?… No it can't be… Oh but it is… A one night stay, at where else?… The Waverly Inn! I quickly grab a pen and write down my bid trying to ensure that I have made it high enough to win this valued prize. After placing my bid, I was so nervous and excited, I could hardly eat my food. I constantly got up from the table and scurried back over to the silent auction table where I would check my bid and up it to gain the lead, once again, over the other people at this event who would also like to stay one night at the Waverly Inn. For the people like me who would have to leave before the silent auction winners were to be announced, they would be notified by phone the following day.

By the next day my excitement level had reached a whole new high. Each time my phone rang I felt like the kid in Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory. With every phone call it was like being given a new bar of chocolate with the hopes of a golden ticket inside. And at last, around lunch, who do I get a phone call from? None other than a board member from Interfaith Assistance Ministry.

"Hello Ms. Owen this is blah blah blah with Interfaith Assistance Ministry, I am very pleased to let you know that you have won.... the luggage set that you bid on at last night's charity fundraiser.” And while my heart sank, I was still happy that I was getting the luggage that I wanted for an upcoming trip. And right when I was trying to muster up a way so that disappointment would not show in my voice, the person on the other end of the phone said,”oh, and you also won.... a one night stay at the Waverly Inn!"

Shut up, shut up, shut up, no I didn't! I thought my heart would jump out of my chest. Wow, just think, after all these years I am going to be staying at the Waverly Inn. As fast as I hang up the phone, I call Kelly who's at work. “Kelly, I won the one night stay at the Waverly Inn! Do you want to go with me?” While I am excited to be getting to go to the Waverly Inn because of the story I told you of my grandmother, I know that Kelly is the biggest fan of breakfast that breakfast has ever known. It's her favorite meal. I have seen on more than one occasion Kelly eat an entire Denny's grand slam, then finish off all the eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, toast that everyone else at the table couldn't finish off. Kelly probably weighs 110 pounds soaking wet, but when it comes to breakfast she could out eat Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. Needless to say, I didn't have to beg her to come along on this adventure. I called and made the reservation and the day finally came. I packed a piece of that newly won luggage and off I went.

The inside of the house was as beautiful as I had pictured it! With its dark hardwood floors, poster beds, well-chosen artwork in every room. Oh… and there it was, the parlor. They served wine and cheese in the parlor that evening. Kelly and I went there to meet the owners and the other guests who were staying there that evening. I told the owners and the other guests the story about my grandmother and I pointed to the place on the sidewalk where for all those years and all those parades I had sat and dreamed about one day getting to stay at the Waverly Inn. I told them how my grandmother had told me, that for her, saluting the flag didn't have so much to do with the government, but how it had everything to do with each individual soldier.

I also said that I know now that when she told me rich people stayed at the Waverly Inn, she meant people who were rich in other ways, that didn't necessarily have anything to do with money. Even though she is no longer with me, she still taught me this. I wasn't staying at the Waverly Inn because I had become a head of a big bank or a big wig on wall street and I paid with money I had stolen from others. I was staying at the Waverly Inn because I had gone to a fundraiser to help people in my community. I was staying at the Waverly Inn because I have been blessed enough in my life to not only have all the things I need, but also to have enough that I could help people in my community. So to know that I was staying at the Waverly Inn because I had done something to help someone else out, nothing could have made me feel richer. It made me happy to know that my grandmother would have approved at the way I ended up at the Waverly Inn.

My stay at the Waverly Inn was everything I had hoped for. What my grandmother had told me was true. In the morning, they fixed me the best breakfast I had ever had in my entire life!

If you were to ask me to show you a “Carolina View”. I'd probably show you the one below taken from a white rocker on the front porch of the Waverly Inn looking out at the spot where a lifetime of lessons were learned and cherished memories were made. I probably learned more on this little stretch of road, year after year, in that hour or so before each parade, than I did in all my years at school. I know I learned more about what is important.

"My Carolina View"

P.S. The owners of The Waverly Inn told me at breakfast that morning that someone had offered to extend my stay for another night if I would like. I, of course, took them up on that. In my mind, I know that the extra night was compliments of the owners, but I am going to chose to think that it was a gift from my Nanny.

Go to Mo*Bee's Facebook then show and tell me about your “Carolina View”.

Until next time,

Dee
A.K.A.  Mo*Bee

CLICK HERE!