Continual Change Part 1

Looking East into NC, Flame Azaleas give this photo a center piece of color

 Over looking the mountains of TN and NC, Roan Mountain is situated on the border of both states. The middle of June is a perfect time to go as the native Catawba Rhododendron, the Flame Azaleas, the Blueberries and Blackberries are all in bloom atop several hill tops which comprise the entirety of the mountain. A trail stretching from the parking lot to the end will take you up three rises and down two in a six mile round trip which can be tailored to a distance to your liking. As the trail climbs to the top of the first rise, your afforded a wall of blooms from the Rhododendron which quickly yields to the Fir tree forest on the north flanks of the mountain. Coming out of the medieval looking forest back into the grasses, the top is within reach which gives you a 360 degree view of the NC and TN mountains on each side of Roan Mtn. Infographic signs on the west and east sides of the crest, lend you a description of the mountain peaks you can see from the 5,800 ft elevation. On the East side, looking into TN, the highest peak in VA is visible on the edge of the horizon. On the west side, the highest peak in NC and East of the Mississippi River, Mt. Mitchel is visible. 

The views are spectacular and so worth a full day on the mountain. It was icing on the cake with so many blooming plants. It was like we stepped into a fantasy world. The hiking continued as we dropped down to the small saddle between the first and second peaks. An easy descent and onto a steep climb to the next peak. It was definitely a lot steeper than the first as you climb on mostly exposed rocks and gravels to the top. At the top we could see the trail continue on the the next much taller peak. From the first peak, closest to the parking lot, the second peak seams to be joined to the third as if there was no downhill grade between them, only a continued up hill but from the second peaks top, you see there's another drop and a steep ascent onto the next and final peak. The trails are well maintained, wide and easy but as we had spent hours already taking pictures and soaking in the scenery, we decided to turn around.

The third peak will have to wait for another day which I fully intend on coming back, soon. With the full unobstructed view of the western horizon, I'd love to go back at sunset and capture the orange sky against the Appalachian Mountains below.  The second part of Roan Mountain, where the gardens were was closed for renovations. So if you go, prepare for parking issues. Go early, or go late to get a spot near the trail entrance. I'd say a weekday would be a good time as well. You must go though as this was one of my favorite places so far to visit in East TN. 

Let's switch gears just a bit and let's dive into the world of stress that I've been under lately. I needed the day out in nature as I had one of the biggest mental implosions last week. So far from last year at this time we have had our kitchen remodeled, the flooring redone (by me), the plumbing redone in the entire house due to a leak, electrical redone during the kitchen renovation, the bathroom remodeled completely which was pushed forward because of the plumbing, entrance doors to the house replaced, walls repainted and more to come like replacing the carpet in the bedrooms to the flooring I'm laying down plus siding for the outside. Oh yeah and our AC unit went out last week too. So that was replaced. Plus water heater issues kept popping up until it finally got fixed a couple months ago. 

So it has been a year of trials and tribulations and I pretty much lost my ever loving mind last week as my job hasn't been to kind to me either. Hence the photography side work and trying to break out into that business. 

Recap, kitchen remodel, electrical remodel with it, water heater issues, water issues, flooring in the entire house, job issues, well you get the gist. It's worse than a roller coaster after eating greasy food. Something was bound to blow and I did. It was a feeling of being so out of control like a passenger on a sinking ship. You know the ship is going to slip beneath the water and you just wait till it does. There's no stopping it or doing anything about it. It felt like my life was collapsing into a black hole with no escape.

I'm better now but I'm telling you the way I felt was scary dark. I couldn't function, I couldn't deal with one more thing. I couldn't even make a choice of what I wanted for dinner because my decision making functions had shut down completely. It was bad. Yet here I am on the other side, hoping something like that never happens again.

The plumbing is on hold so we have no shower or sink in the bathroom, just a toilet that I put back in. We have air now, good thing, as we are in the 90's for the foreseeable future. The doors are being installed, hopefully tomorrow and with them, the flooring and trim can be finished. That is, until we tear up the carpet in the bedrooms. It's all slowly coming together like our lives in Christ. 

I see my failures and my problems and I see the opportunities God puts me through to purge those from inside of me. 

It's a painful process but a necessary one as He is trying to transform us into His likeness and when we think everything is good to go, that's when it falls apart and your seeing a side of yourself you never knew. Until we are exposed to all of life's challenges, we cannot see certain things within us. 

Update: All the above text was written weeks ago. Why you ask? As I wrote this another huge development hit and my world was turned upside down even more. Frankly, I didn't even have time to think about this post, which I considered partially done, till now which is weeks after i wrote it. Instead of deleting and rewriting, I thought I'd continue the saga on tomorrow's post to catch you all up. So consider this part 1. Stay tuned for part 2. My life has changed yet again. 

To God be the Glory