Atlanta to Asheville, NC -- well, to Fletcher, NC really. Excellent to be in mountains. I was enjoying the heights and the total difference from flat, flat So Florida until I came to my brother's driveway.

Almost vertical and not paved to speak of, ruts and gullies and going straight up. Little car, four cylinders, has buckets of charm and cuteness, but not much hill climbing gumption. I missed the driveway, took a wrong turn and found myself in real trouble, ditch on one side, mountain dropping off the other, road blocked by small backhoe and smaller but very fierce beagle, can't go ahead, can't turn around, WON'T back up. Nuh uh, not back down the mountain. How did damsels in distress function before cell phones? Brother showed up, as did backhoe-and-beagle owner, bailed me out in no time. Men seem to be fearless with cars.

Lovely lovely brother (Jack), lovely lovely brother's wife (Barb), lovely lovely house on the mountaintop. Barb has hummingbird feeders out front and back, and the little hummer guys sip at the sugar water, and chase each other without stopping. Attempts to snap a shot of hummingbirds total failures, they move FAST!

We talked and ate, ate and talked. Is there a theme developing here?