Water Memories Part 1

Photo Journal Entry #7


Peace...silent except for the low murmuring of voices in the distance. The loudest sound is the creek rushing by on its merry way down the mountain. I listen and think while seated on the rock. Its bulk divides the creek below into two, staying the water's progress with its immensity. It's a pleasant feeling to be still and watch the water flowing past. The miniature waterfall at the foot of the rock chatters the loudest as the deep water speeds over its small height. I can be at peace here and let my mind wander.

Until next time!

First Memories Part 4

Photo Journal Entry #6


The first time I went ever went walking along the path to the gate I saw these steps and wondered where they led. I like following paths all over the place, and the more secretive and grown over the more it piques my curiosity. I eventually did follow this path. It merely led to the Montreat Conference Center, but it was still fun to follow it. I love how much stone is used around Montreat and that's part of what gives this staircase a secretive, grown over air.

Until next time!

First Memories Part 3

Photo Journal Entry #5


A shot of the chapel of the prodigal's cross against the sky is something I've always wanted to get. However, the mountains are in the way if one tries to take a picture from the front, so I didn't figure out how to achieve this until last week when I was walking back from my statistics class in the Science building. I looked up as I walked out and saw the cross silhouetted against the blue, cloud filled sky. It was the perfect shot and I actually had my camera with me.

The Chapel is a major building for me because of my involvement in the music department. I've practiced and performed on the piano inside. I've gone to countless concerts. I've even seen a wedding being held there (I distinctly remember that it was a cold windy day and the bride, for some strange reason, had a strapless dress on. I remember thinking that she must be freezing!).

The Chapel draws my eyes every time I walk by the library or the dorms. It's very beautiful and of course the Prodigal son fresco inside is an attraction that draws people from all over. I love just being inside because it's so quiet. I can be alone with my thoughts inside.

Until next time!

Forcast for Lookout: Cloudy!

My Place Journal
Entry #2

Clouds again are the fascination today. They slide in quick succession over the mountain ridges like children sliding down a playground slide. I wish they would engulf us in their misty veil but, alas, the wind blows in an ill direction for that to occur. Instead they continue sliding down faster and dissolve into nothingness at the bottom.

It rained earlier today, drenching the trail with a deluge of water. The muddy puddles lay in our path like obstacles on an obstacle course, forcing us to hop and jump to cross them. I do not mind them, for without the rain there would be no low hanging clouds sliding down the range opposite to amuse me. Because of the water, many more fungi have sprouted up. The red-capped mushroom I found last time has appeared elsewhere along the trail, not in so large a form, however, but all still bear the red cap.

My roommate, Lynsi, came with me this time, and we had a pleasant walk up. It was she who thought to bring water and I am most grateful that she did. I forgot to do so last time. Now she lies below me on a rock plateau jutting out from the rocky top, reading a book I lent her—The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley—which is one of my favorite books from my childhood. I must have read it and its partner when I was 11 or 12. I still love it to this day and I am most happy to pass along my love to her.

Still the clouds keep rolling past, stemming, it seems, from an endless supply, and endlessly dissolving into nothing.

Until next time!

Curiosity Killed the Swan?

An interesting event happened today while I was journaling by Lake Susan this afternoon during class. Here is an excerpt from my journal detailing the event.

"On a funny side note, the swans just came up a minute or two ago and one of them attempted to take a bite out of this journal. It got the pages opposite damp from the water on its beak. I've never had them do that before. I again took pictures of them when they were in such close proximity to me."


The swan on the left is the one that bit my journal several times. The other came up and was nice enough to chase the first off.

Until next time!

First Memories Part 2

Photo Journal Entry #4

The library is a main attraction on campus. The building is rather centrally located and its lawn serves as the study room for many when the weather holds. Up until last semester, the front lawn was composed of grassy areas and cracked, pitted concrete sidewalks. Several huge trees towered over the lawn providing shade. Now the lawn is changed. Due to the zealous landscaping effort over the summer, two of the huge trees are gone. Only one remains along with a younger, smaller tree. The creviced concrete is gone as well, replaced by a curving path set with large pieces of slate and smaller pebbles. The effect is certainly prettier, but a lot less direct which annoys many, including myself. The best feature though, is the new flower beds. This beautiful cone flower is one of the many flowers that decorate the beds. The new rocking chairs on the front porch are the perfect spot to watch bees buzzing around the flowers and admire the new lawn.

Until next time!

First Memories Part 1

Photo Journal Entry #3


A mossy, grass covered, stone bridge with a seat midway was the first thing I remember liking at Montreat. After first sighting, it took me a while to find it again, tucked away in the woody area beyond McGregor. I thought at first that it would be a good place to study, but I actually have never gone there to study. I went once and ventured beyond to explore the woody area, but I didn't stay on the bridge. The setting is just beautiful at first glance and seems to speak of peace and stillness. A quiet pulsed with the steady stream of the creek under the bridge. This may be misleading because many cars pass by but it's still a little place unto itself.

Until next time!

Frozen Memories Part 2

Photo Journal Entry #2



Again, I love the water when it is frozen. The creek also partially froze last winter when the lake froze. The thing is, the swans and the ducks were forced to retreat to the creek for sanctuary because it alone was unfrozen. The running water kept the ice thin or non existent. It was amusing to watch the swans attempting to walk on the ice. They kept slipping and cracking it. It was here that I wrote my poem about the swans struggling with the ice:

“Cracking, breaking,
The ice gives way beneath me,
I glide away through frigid water”

Until next time!

Nature or My Place Journal (complete with pictures!)

Another project, this time to write a weekly journal about "my place". I think I've decided to do the top of Lookout Mountain and here is the result from my hike today.

Clouds shrouded the mountains this morning in a thick vapor. Mountaintops obscured by low hanging clouds gave the impression of mystery, helped along, of course, by the thinner mists blurring ground level walkways. It was one moment where I sorely wished to have my camera on hand to capture the beauty.

However, now as I sit atop lookout, the skies have cleared. Clouds scurrying along higher in the atmosphere not troubling the mountaintops with their veils. The only remnants are the shadows which turn the mountainsides into patchwork quilts of green and yellow hues.

Even though the clouds remain, the sun burns fiercely when allowed a chance. However the same wind which carries the clouds swiftly along, gently dries the sweat on my body, cooling my hot skin. I do wish it would blow more constantly, but I am grateful for what I can have. These are the last few days of warmer weather. Even now, mornings hint of colder weather to come. So I shall enjoy this time while may. Perhaps I can again come when snow lies draped across this stony seat where I sit. In all my two years of living here, I have never troubled to make the hike when there was snow. Ah, there are too many ideas and events that revolve around snowtime in the mountains! How shall I ever try them all? It's no use, I must try, or I'll regret not doing so.

The hike up passed pleasantly and contained several surprises. Upon starting my ascent, a brilliant, red capped mushroom stretched up from the earth.

A purple, spiky pinecone in the early stages of development pricked my head from its leafy perch.

Fungi of many colors bloomed along the muddy trail, delighting in the cloudbursts of the past several days.

Close to the top, a small toad lept out from its cover to sit beside my foot. The mountains are alive with color. A last hurrah before the bareness of late autumn and later winter sets in.

However, it is time to return to the pinpoint valley of Montreat. At the beginning descent, I shall have to hobble for my entire right leg has fallen asleep! T'isn't the first time that this has occurred, but the sensation is still strange

Until next time!

A New Year and New Projects

"Fairytales are not written to tell children that dragons exist. Children know full well that dragons exist. Fairytales are written to show children that sometimes dragons can be
defeated." - G. K. Chesterton

Again I come back when school has begun. It's a new year with new faces. I've felt the loss of those whose graduated. The empty feeling is still there, but it was most pronounced on the first day of school. I wandered around in a daze, missing friends and wondering what in the world to do with myself. I was completely unsettled. Here it is the 2nd week of school and the figurative dust has settled almost. Though the literal dust is currently being stirred up quite a bit. The road outside of the dorm has been torn apart down to the dirt for repaving. However the rain has kept the dust clouds at bay, without arriving at the extremity of mud.

With the start of the new school also comes the flurry of new writing projects. I hardly touched anything over the summer, but now I must write for school and to gear up for NaNoWriMo. This year I again have a creative writing course--Outdoor and Nature Writing. And so I have more projects to share here. The first of such is my photo journal entitled "My Montreat". It is a collection of 10 photos and entries illustrating memories I've made around Montreat. So here is the first entry.

Frozen Memories
Entry #1



Lake Susan, a favorite spot among Montreatians. Many do their homework under these trees as they stare across the lake watching the swans. I myself have never done this, in fact, I don't visit the lake much. However, last winter I was drawn to it because of one simple reason--it was frozen over. I haven't seen a frozen lake since I was little so the sight was fascinating. Still it took me until the next day to actually walk down the lake's edge and by that time it was already melting. But, curious as I can be, I still walked on the ice. I and my friend (who was with me at the time) weren't foolish enough to venture onto the sun bathed portion of the ice which was already melting, but we stayed in the shade under these trees. Here the lake was shallow enough for the water to be frozen solid. It was fun attempting to skate on the lumpy ice. I did my best not to go sprawling. However, our fun ended when a man across the street at the conference center told us to get off. We were obedient and left. I do hope, though, that the lake freezes over again this winter. If it does, I'll be sure to visit immediately for another bout of "ice skating".

Until next time!

Frozen Over

The area my school is in has been experiencing some very cold weather due to that arctic air mass that has come our way. Temperatures have been below freezing, even during the day, and the lake has been frozen over for two or more days! I know it's very solid because I went for a walk on it today, though I wasn't stupid enough to walk out to the middle where the sun had been shining on it all day. And what do I think of all this? I love it! Bring the cold weather on! All I want in return is snow and we've gotten some accumulation, but nowhere near enough in my opinion. I shall try to upload a picture of the lake as soon as possible, that is, if the lake remains frozen till I have a chance to walk down there with camera in hand. The rising temperatures have me worried that the lake might deice itself soon.

Anyways, my walk on the lake coincided with my first day of classes. Yes, the break is finally over and we have to do homework again. However, it is good to be back with my friends even though I don't much like the homework aspect of it. Today was nice though because all my classes didn't meet so I had most of the day to myself. Of course, most of that time was spent convincing myself to start working on the homework I've already been assigned. I can't wait till tomorrow though because that is when my poetry class starts. Both my English classes are on the same days. That is going to make things interesting when exam time rolls around.

I am pleased to announce that my dana did wonderfully during classes today when I used it to take notes and keep track of my schedule. It most certainly lightens my load when it comes to all the things I stuff into my backpack.

Until next time!

School is over and 14 Days till Christmas! (that's a fortnight you know)

Ah, it feels so good to be done at long last! Exams are over and an extremely long Christmas break awaits me before I have to face the dreaded spring semester. Now I can focus more on finishing Kaja Colony Crisis and writing the first draft of the new novel. However, I shall also endeavor to design more costumes, update my costume website (Door in the Sky) and work more on my own personal author's site. So much to do and so little time!

Today it rained again, however it was more interesting this time. Instead of light, steady rain it either poured heavily or didn't rain at all. As I went outside several times today I made a point of looking at the creek. It was very nice to actually see water in there. Granted it was muddy, but there was enough water to blast away all the leaves clogging the creek bed and that much water is a rare sight. A still picture does not quite do it justice, but I did take a few videos. I shall include a picture that I took, and I hope to get a video working soon so I can post it up here.

The Christmas picture for today is quite appropriate in that it is the wreath on the ground level door to the staircase. This was one of the last few things I saw before I left campus. Why I like this picture of it (I took quite a few) is because due to some odd reason, the picture looks like it's framed or has had some effect added to it.

Until next time!

15 Days till Christmas!

Today was a quite relaxed day thankfully. Nothing to do except filling out a take home test. Right...I'm gonna be up all night again due to my well developed habit of procrastinating. Lovely. The rain today didn't help much. A light, steady rain all day with cloudy gray skies does not do much for motivating one to do anything but nap.


Anyways, the picture for today is off the cute little village set up in the other girls' dorm. Unfortunately there weren't any people set out with it and the lights inside weren't working. Oh well.



Until next time!

16 Days till Christmas!

And juries are over! I didn't get to practice this morning like I wanted to though so juries did not go as well as they could have. Oh well. It's over now. My other exam today was fun. I can't wait to see what the professor says about my essay. He asked us to explain how music has changed through history in regards to conservatives and progressives and I spun a very nice story, I mean essay, for him. I hope he gets a kick out of it at least.

The picture for today is of a lovely glass angel from another nativity scene. It's a very beautful thing to look at when the light is shining through it. The angel is strumming it's lute, accompanying the other angels in their chorus of "Glory to God in the Highest!".




Until next time!

17 Days till Christmas!

And exams have started. Today I was examined in what I know of Paradise Lost. Though I be a writer, I do not appreciate that book at all. I am fond of direct and terse sentences. Paradise Lost is the exact opposite of that. However, it is over, thank goodness. Now the most terrifying part of exam week lies before me...juries. I have to get up and play in front of my professors to show that yes I did learn something from my piano lessons this semester. I shudder just to think about it. However it must be done if I want to pass the course.


The picture for today is quite apt. It's an advent calendar which is practically the offline version of what I am doing here on this blog. Tis fun!




Until next time!

18 Days till Christmas!

It's inching closer and closer than ever. And so is the end of the semester! I'm very glad to be done with this semester in a few days. Then I'll be able to rest and relax and write for almost 6 whole weeks. What a lovely idea!

My two things for today are not both Christamsy. The first is my video that me and friend made a while back. A Fairy Mistake is the title of it. Enjoy!

Click here for the video.

As for the second item, tis the usual Christmas picture. This time of the Christmas tree set up outside the elevator door at ground level in my dorm. Tis nice to wait for the elevator beside a tree decorated with such pretty ornaments.

Until next time!

19 Days to Christmas!

Tonight was the big performance for my college choir. We gave an hour long (or so) concert that was pretty well attended. I also played my christmas piece. I hate the fact that I cannot perform on the piano without my hands invariably starting to shake. At least my knees did not join them this time. When they do, it makes it very hard to sustain constant pressure on the pedal so I end up halfpedalling whether I want to or not. But it is a fact of life that my hands shake when playing and that makes me miss the keys and thus play the wrong notes or no notes at all when there should be one or more played. Ah well, at least the performance is done. Now all I have to worry about are juries on monday. I am signed up at 4:45 pm which will allow me some time to practice before my jury on monday. Of course, my task for tomorrow is to make sure I have the pieces down and the correct one memorized. I hate juries and that is most certainly a fact that will not change soon.

Now, the picture for tonight is of a friend's wreath that she placed on the door to her room. Tis a lovely thing and caught my attention. And it also makes a lovely picture. Enjoy!

Until next time!

22 days till Christmas!

Christmas is closer than ever and I've got two christmas themed things for you to see and hear. First off, the thing to hear. My music professor introduced us to a rather interesting christmas song this morning. His choir in graduate school had sung it. It is called A Musicological Journey Through the Twelve Days of Christmas. Each part is sung in a different musical period style. It is hilarious! This is the only free version I found on the internet. (Note: It's from Rhapsody so you have to download the player to play the song but it's worth the effort. Really!)See how many different pieces you recognize playing in the background.

Click here for the song.

And now for the second thing which is a picture of the star on a friend's mini Christmas tree. Stars are so prevalent in our day's culture, but why? Simple, it was a star that guided the wise men to where the child Jesus was and so a star is always associated with Christmas.

Until next time!

Q is out! (And only 23 days till Christmas)

The Q, the school literary magazine of which I am an editor, is finally out. It was printed before break, but I was in charge of distribution today. I stuffed the mailboxes, which was interesting to do as I got to see all the other mail in there, and put piles of the magazine in various other places on campus. Only took less than an hour to complete the whole process as there weren't that many copies printed.

Now, onto my picture countdown till Christmas. This time, I thought we could do with a picture of Mary holding Jesus from the nativity scene set up in the school's library. Very pretty set up it is.

Until next time!

The End has Come!

The end of NaNoWriMo that is. And I made it at 50,046 words! I dragged my poor tired fingers over the finish line late last night shattering my record of 6k words in a day. The new record is 10,623 words in a little over 5 hours writing. I'm very exhausted from all the late nights but also very proud of myself. Now, my goal for next year is to not only write a 50k word novel in one month, but also to finish sooner and write more. Perhaps 60k would be a nice even goal. I'm glad it's over though. I'm still very busy, but now my task is to catch up on all the homework I ignored over the month. Nice thing is, I'll be out of school next week. Then I'll attempt to finish writing the first draft of Kaja Colony Crisis. Oh yes, it is not done yet. I haven't even reached the climax scene and there is quite a bit left after that. Another 10k may wait for me to write it. However right now I must turn my attention to writing a paper due tonight and finishing my one act play. The latter is going to require a lot of work to get done and I've only got 3 more days to finish it completely and rehearse it. The problem of finding 3 actors still remains and is causing a lot of trouble.

Another aha moment hit me for the new novel I'd planned. I was reading a pep talk for NaNo and the person called us writers fools and dreamers. I now have the perfect name for my allegorical writer. They shall be called Dreamer. The name fool will also be applied, but by others and it won't be their real name.

Now I'm going to try something new for the countdown till christmas. I'm going to try to post one picture a day that has something to do with Christmas or the season. So to start us off, here's a picture of my little artificial Christmas tree that I set up in my dorm room today.




Until next time!