I just saw this motorcycle this past weekend at Wheels through Time museum in Maggie Valley. I loved that guy growing up. There was nothing that man could not do….he was a true bad ass. What does it mean when your childhood death defying hero dies…

The River Fest Sculptures will be coming down soon and everyone who hasn’t gotten out to the Amboy dog park (i think officially the French Broad park) there at Amboy and Riverview should soon if they can. This year had some great sculptures and some that moved around and a new addition in the middle - such as the one on the left here. This one’s a new one from Brian Glaze done in aluminum.

There were also some great dance and performance events surrounding the sculptures and Robert Winkler did a wonderful job of coordinating the installation and events surrounding these. Since they’re technically “in a floodplain” the sculptors can only get a permit for several months at a time rather than make anything permanent.

Come see them before they go!

While sitting at the kitchen table and playing Hi Ho Cherry-O with a skinny 5 year old in a Spider Man outfit, I suddenly became aware that this simple little game was trying to tell me something:

The Kids win. And they should. They have it right.

I’m not an old man, really. I’m in reasonably good health. Mentally, I’m on the downslope, and that’s been happening for years. But - I’ve realized that the spinner always lands on the bad spaces. The bird, the dog, the dread spilled bucket.

9 cherries in my bucket? I spin to the spilled bucket space and they all go back on the tree.

And my son laughs. That’s the good part. I have a son who laughs at my cherries spilling out all over the place.

Much the same in life. My sons laughs. My daughter gives me hugs and kisses and thinks the world is a wonderful little place. Of course, she also thinks the world is just our little log cabin and her dollies and teddy bears and books and blankets. I wish her world would always be so small. I wish all our worlds were.

She doesn’t notice that my cherries are all over the place. They don’t see when things go bad and the phone only carries bad news. When the mailbox is an enemy. When you land on the bird and he carries away your only cherry. When the dog rips you off.

For them, they think life is landing on the good spaces and their bucket is always full.

My spirit is buoyed by their spirits. My bucket is filled by their buckets being filled.

So - to all the kids: May your bucket be full. May you have tasty treats to eat. May you laugh and be silly and ramble on and on and on. Keep the dog and the bird away from your life for as long as you can. And never let the world make you land on the tipped over bucket.

As so often happens, there are 2 sides to every story.

A while back, we posted some news about Artimus Pyle - and it was not a pretty story. But - today we got a couple of emails from someone on the other side of the story, so in fairness, we thought we’d post their side. We’re not going to comment, as that would make us look like we’re taking one side over the other - but we wanted to give equal time. So - here goes:

Thanks for trying to spread the news/truth regarding this nightmare. First of all, the original charges that were printed in the paper about Artimus are completely wrong!!! NOBODY EVER claimed he had “sex with a 4 year old and an 8 year old”, and the rumors of this continue to not only devistate Artimus, but his entire family!!! As professionals in the field (I have a master’s in clincal psychology and am currently finishing my doctorate), it is quite OBVIOUS that if someone had raped two young children, they would never get off with 8 years probation!!! So these rumors that have been spreading in the media regarding this allegation are completely ludicrous and absolutely detrimental.
Read the rest of this entry »

Well, word on the street is that “The Admiral” will open by the new year and that they’re nice people.  It’s the new place on Haywood Rd near image420.  It’s a dinky little place, but the forgotten side of West Asheville needs someplace where Lane could get a hearty breakfast.
 I just wonder if they’re gonna have seafood. 

I’ve just started playing with the guitar again, and Jonny makes me all wet.

Rock.

It’s raining. Finally.

The only problem is that it’s making me want to go back to bed more than usual. I’m sleepy. I’m grumpy. I woke up this morning and the kids all laughed quite heartily when my wife said “Look out! It’s Great Sleeping Bear.”

While I’m normally fine with a Berenstain Bears reference, this one got me off on the wrong foot. So what if I lumbered out of the bedroom, hair all crazy, howling like the ursus americanus, scratching my ass and ambling towards the coffee pot like it was a pick-a-nick basket left as a trap by Ranger Smith? And yes, it was a trap…

My wife accosted me and started talking about gifts and travel plans and reminded me that it’s that time now - CHRISTMAS. Oh, Lord, why? Why can’t I hibernate until January 15th or so? Why must I suffer through the joy? Why do I need to be a part of the “most wonderful time of the year?” I don’t wanna do no mistletoeing. No folks ho-ho-hoing.

The rain today marks the season of my discontent. Leave me alone. Let me sleep.

The hap-happiest season of all? My ass.

by Tony Kiss

published November 21, 2007 11:07 am

Asheville – Long may it wave – a design by Jack Moon of Fairview has won a contest to pick an unofficial city flag.

His banner, featuring a view of both the city’s skyline and mountains, wound up with the most votes in the contest, which was sponsored by Asheville Pizza and Brewing and radio station WWNC-AM/570. More than 27,000 online votes were cast in the contest to determine six finalists, with another 2,000 or so choosing the winner, Asheville Pizza co-owner Mike Rangel said.

Moon wins a $500 cash prize and $200 in food from the pizzeria. Rangel plans to put the flag into production, and offer it for sale. He dreamed up the idea in hopes that area residents would raise the flag at out-of-town festivals and concerts to promote the city.

We have all seen this….

Now try this…

1 whole chicken or turkey
1 large lemon, cut into halves
sprig of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
butter or olive oil, whichever you prefer

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Rub butter or oil over the skin of the chicken/turkey until it is completely coated.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you prefer.

Take a knife and gently separate the skin from the breast meat;

Slide lemon halves under the skin with the peel side up, one on
each side. This way the juice from the lemon will release into the breasts.

Place sprig of rosemary into the chicken/turkey.

Cover and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove cover and continue
to roast until juices run clear, basting every 15-20 minutes.

If you’ve followed these steps correctly…

Stolen From The Times-Union
Artimus Pyle, a former drummer for legendary rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, was arrested Monday afternoon on a charge of failure of a sex offender to properly register, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office announced today.

good old days Arrest Photo

The 59-year-old, whose real name is Thomas Delmer Pyle, lives in Asheville, N.C., according to the Sheriff’s Office. He remains in the St. Johns County jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Pyle pleaded guilty in 1993 in Duval County on charges of attempted capital sexual battery by an adult on a victim younger than 12 and principal to lewd and lascivious on a child younger than 16. He was sentenced to eight years of probation and designated as a sex offender. He was arrested in 1992 after two girls — 4- and 8-year-old sisters — told investigators Pyle had sex with them.

He is accused of renewing his driver’s license last month in Florida and listing a St. Johns County address. Because of his requirement to register as a sex offender in Florida, the records automatically forwarded to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement sex offender database.

During routine maintenance of the Sheriff’s Office Offender Watch program, it was discovered Pyle had not registered in person properly as required by Florida law, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Detective Kevin Kier attempted to verify the address given on his driver’s license and discovered he had not lived there for many years.

Attempts were made to locate sex offender registrations in other states, but the Sheriff’s Office said Pyle had not registered since 2001. Kier determined he had moved to Asheville. North Carolina authorities said Pyle advised them that he resided in Florida.

He was advised to register as a sex offender in his current state of residency, but he has since failed to change his address and register in person as required by Florida law, the Sheriff’s Office said. Pyle was arrested Monday when he came to the Sheriff’s Office to speak with the detective.

A group of antiwar protesters did an impromptu march of their own during the 2007 Asheville Holiday Parade. The group included the president of the Asheville chapter of IVAW. In front of thousands of onlookers awaiting the parade, the group marched for a little over a block before they were stopped by the police. They collected over 150 signatures for impeachment and received positive response from the crowd.

This is screwed up….more people voted for this than the Election…

Stolen from CITIZEN-TIMES.com

ASHEVILLE — A little more than 12,000 Asheville voters turned out for the Nov. 6 City Council elections, a 22-year low. But more than twice that many online votes have been cast in a contest to choose an unofficial city flag.Six designs made it to the finals, with a winner to be announced Tuesday.

OAS_AD(’ArticleFlex_1′); The voting was conducted by the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co. restaurant/brewery and radio station WWNC-570 AM. More than 27,000 online votes have been cast.

It’s uncertain where voters are living — that hasn’t been monitored, said Brian Hall, director of news talk programming at Clear Channel Asheville, which owns WWNC.

But flag entries came from as far away as France, The Netherlands and California, he said.

Voting continues online until midday Tuesday at www.ashevillepizza.com and www.wwnc.com. Read the rest of this entry »

Two Warren Wilson College students dressed as polar bears were arrested while blockading the entrance to Duke Energy’s headquarters in downtown Charlotte. The students are demanding that the company stop its plans to build the new Cliffside coal-fired power plant, and are joined by concerned citizens dressed as Santa Claus and his Elves. Santa’s Elves presented Duke with a Christmas wish list of clean air, sustainable energy, and energy efficiency initiatives. “The bad kids get coal in their stockings, and we’re here to say that we don’t want any new coal,” said Keith Glendinning, a local resident. http://asheville.indymedia.org/articl…