A Solitary Blossom at Fancy Gap

By the spring, clogged with soggy leaves and fallen branches, surrounded on this slope of storm down trees and scattered car piecesOne flower shines in pinkish bloom, one resilient Rhododendron, queen of the holler. I descend to this hidden spot, grown over since my youth, beyond remnants of a homestead, some forgot. Clearing debris from the […]

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The Quest for Blooming Rhododendron near Roanoke, part 2: Stars, returns, and moments of esctasy

Roanoke, Virginia was initially called Big Lick, when it became a settler community in the 1800s, from the salt marshes by the river that would attract wildlife. The Warrior’s Path, and then the Great Wagon Road, came through this valley, forking here toward the south and west, serving as foundations for future transportation corridors like […]

Read More The Quest for Blooming Rhododendron near Roanoke, part 2: Stars, returns, and moments of esctasy