About Jackson County, NC

Another photo from one of my many visits to Sylva Vista. I am intrigued by the legend and artwork of the Green Man and like to capture the images whenever they move me. Green Man, for me, reminds me that we all must act as guardians for nature and our planet. Our role is to act as mentors and role models to others, be visible as we treat the world as kindly and ethically as we wish to be treated. Ahhhh, the Golden Rule again...

Green Man by Seraphina Crow

Green Man
Of the forest,
Hidden by the trees.
Even in the winter
You are the one
We never see.
I know that you are wise
In your evergreen guise.
Truly natures spirit
and a spirit
Never dies.

With this post, I will be going over 200,000 ActiveRain points. I can’t believe it. When I first joined AR less than a year ago, I thought it would take YEARS to earn even 100,000 points let alone 200,000 points.

What do those points mean anyway? After almost one year of consistent posting these points represent one of the most fulfilling years I’ve ever enjoyed from a creative viewpoint, allowing me an outlet to pursue photography and writing in a manageable way. The points reflect encouragement and support from my own peers and surprisingly from the public also. They are a measure of involvement. They indicate how much I have learned to do in a relatively short period of time. They aren’t just numbers they are reminders…reminders of all of the people I’ve encountered and gotten to know in a very real sort of way, while letting them get to know me in probably the most open way I‘ve ever let people into my life.

For anyone reading this who is at the beginning of their association with ActiveRain and still trying to figure out the points and what they mean…the sooner you understand that the points mean something different to everyone and you will only get out of this experience what you put in, the better the ActiveRain experience will be for you. Be intentional about your posts and even more intentional about your comments. At least be intentional if you want the points to mean something about you and to you.

So, thank you to everyone for your encouragement over the past year and for helping me get to this point. Right now, I’m going over 200,000 points and wondering where I’ll be a year from now.

Happy Valentines Day to you all. Have a great day and I hope you enjoy these photos from my series "Monica’s Gift". Hot off the snowy press, so to speak! Today the chime is weathering the bit of snow falling here in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina.

When I was walking on the other side of Scott’s Creek in Dillsboro the other day appreciating the 60 plus degree weather, I was thinking…no way this is winter. It’s not really spring since the breeze is still slightly cool and it IS February. But…look at the flowers blooming in February. This is unheard of. Why can’t I create a new season? I guess I can…as far as I know there aren’t any season police to stop me.

I’m declaring that this is the season of “Sprinter”.

There is a new labor force in Dillsboro, NC and they are doing some land clearing in a very green and efficient manner. Our mountainous terrain is well known for dense undergrowth that is hard to get to in order to keep it under control. Sometimes the property is so steep there is no way for a human to stand on it to mow or weed eat.

Who you gonna call? Brush busters? Nope, try goat rental companies like Well’s Farm Goats in Horseshoe, NC. I don’t know if that is where these particular goats are from but Well’s has worked in other areas of Jackson County getting land cleared.

The Office Manager and I were walking in Dillsboro yesterday and passed by the goat crew. They were very curious about us and quite accommodating for an impromptu photo op. These goats are nimble and thorough. I managed to get one photo of a goat walking along an upended power pole. Nothing seems to bother them as far as briars or brambles, I can’t imagine how tough their mouths must be.

This was so much more fun to watch than weed eaters or mowers and then sounds were much more amusing. I’ll take bleats over gas powered engines any day.

I don’t know how long the goat labor force will be in Dillsboro but I hope it will be for a while.