I’m so tired of loose lips sinking ships—of human cannons shooting us with lies, and creating a mass of loblollies with the full intent to bury us alive.
we’re more than flesh & bone, we’re heart & mind, and they must’ve forgotten we can fight when a corner is the place they push us in.
a faulty administration is running a nation, betting with money from people who’ve poured their last into a country they once loved.
they have no clue of what they’re doing, yet they do, and we’re the ones dying a long death. but, we’re the ones fighting to stay alive, too.
the first home
a short workweek ahead for me—taking pto for a trip back to a place that hasn’t been home in 21 years, but it’s still home.
I’ve been eyeballing the weather, got my hawk’s view on 10, monitoring changes to be sure travel plans won’t meet their demise. I need to get away.
my mother will be in tow—my nerves will work overtime to keep her anxieties at bay. I’m craving fresh seafood, familial hugs, and time spent with people close to my heart.
a quick mini vacation to recharge my energy—strengthen my bones. prayerfully, none of them will break from the weight of the pain that the first home can bring.
Hello, beautiful people! Welcome to the third challenge since A Cornered Gurl’s relaunch. What’s cracking in my brain for everyone now? We will jump into a six-word story about where you would like to travel next. It can be a place you truly foresee yourself going in the near future or a place you would like to mark off your bucket list.
And how will we do this? You guessed it! You will use six words only to tell your story.
6-word story
A six-word story is an entire story told in six words. It is a short narrative that can have all of the emotional themes of longer stories — from funny to dramatic, sad to scary. While these quick stories don’t have the classic beginning, middle, and end of a traditional storyline, they have a subject and verb that give the reader a sense of what’s happened and a bit of conflict.
The challenge: Writers will share where they’d like to travel next. However, use six words only to tell us about this place. Is cabin fever finally wearing you down? Do you have a place you sincerely want to go that is simply calling your name? Let us know — but come up with your story using only six words.
Let’s get ready to master this challenge, beautiful people!
•Request to be added as a writer by emailing me at acorneredgurl[AT]gmail[DOT]com with “Please Add Me” as the subject line and please include the link to your Medium profile. Don’t want to be a writer in A Cornered Gurl — simply comment with your response in this challenge post, or create your own post to your profile or in another publication, however, please use the tags, “Challenge” and “6WordStory.”
The challenge will run from Sunday, March 26, 2023, until 6:00 PM, Sunday, April 02, 2023 (with publishing days as Friday, Sunday, and Monday based on ACG’s publishing schedule). Please have “6-word Story: Where do you want to travel next?”as the subtitle for your submission. CHALLENGE SUBMISSION BEGINS NOW!
It’s time to get creative and explore what we can do with six words only on where you would like to travel next!
Long, winding road. Photo by Wade Austin Ellis via Unsplash
Labor Day is September 06, 2021, and while it has been almost a full year since my last trek to the mountains of Western North Carolina, I can’t help but yearn for another road trip.
I have been debating on vacationing in Asheville, NC, Arden, NC, or Hendersonville, NC this year. That time of “can’t wait to get there” is approaching and while others may head upward to the “friendly skies,” I will slip myself into my midsize sedan and take on the open road.
I’m willing to bet I’ll end up in a majestic and spacious Airbnb in the heart of Asheville for the next three-day weekend on my work calendar. I miss the fresh mountain air, the slight breeze that sneaks in at the witching hour, and the never-ending choices of delicious cuisine.
There are so many things to do during the late summer and autumn months; both indoor and outdoor events, and I plan to enjoy whatever I can while I can.
A short list of current events
An interesting take on art shared by Patrick Dougherty is currently running until September 30, 2021.
Dougherty weaves saplings and branches into intricate artworks, fashioning whimsical forms ranging from gigantic snares and cocoons to sculptural interpretations of notable buildings. Free with daytime admission!
Free as a Bird, modern-day stickwork showcases Dougherty’s amazing and vast talent. The images are luring and incredibly detailed. This could be a wonderful event to enjoy alone or with family and friends.
Arbor Evenings at The North Carolina Arboretum takes place every week on Thursday and Friday and will continue until October 01, 2021.
Sip and stroll through the NC Arboretum gardens after dark (5:30–8 PM) with live music. Light food, beer, and wine available for purchase. Admission is $5 per person.
This sounds like something I’d love to do and for $5.00 per person, I’m sure I’m not the only one leaning toward that decision.
Downtown After Five in Downtown Asheville is a combination of live music, tasty food, beer, and a host of other exciting events beginning at 5:00 p.m. on July 16, 2021, August 20, 2021, and September 17, 2021.
Thousands gather on North Lexington Avenue near the I-240 overpass to enjoy local and national beers and a variety of food vendors. While admission is free, you must buy a $2 wristband to purchase beer, hard cider and wine.
While I don’t partake in the barley-based American favorite drink, I would definitely lurk about happily while feasting on some vintage vittles, soaking up the evening sun, and listening to a few good tunes.
What to do when I get there
I am 80% certain I will venture out to the mountains in less than two months. The list above is just the tip of the iceberg of things to do and I will have to narrow down my itinerary before loading up my car and heading west.
If I don’t get to do anything else, a hike on one of their many trails and takeout from my two favorite eateries, Homegrown and Early Girl, will definitely occur.
It has been too long and I am slowly easing back into some semblance of normalcy but tip-toeing to be on the safe side. I want to dive headfirst into a grand scheme of shenanigans but with COVID-19 still holding steady, according to the COVID-19 NC dashboard, precautions will be in play.
The mountains of Western North Carolina are calling me; it is high time I answer them.
Jernee, riding shotgun, post a Groomer’s visit on Saturday, July 10, 2021. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Not to beat an already dead horse regarding Coronavirus COVID-19, but it appears, normalcy is trying to sashay its way back into our lives—at least, this is taking place in many cities and states in the United States of America. New variants, notwithstanding, people are venturing out more. They are making plans to seal deals on various flight tickets and jet-set their way into post-COVID happiness. I won’t lie to you; I feel a deep stirring in my body to regain my shoddy confidence and get back to traveling. However, the kind that involves flying is not yet on my list.
I am interested in loading up my car with various selected items, encouraging playlists, a full stomach, my partner-in-crime; my dog, Jernee, and whisk away to the majestic mountains of Western North Carolina for a few days or a week. The beauty of nature and its luring embrace is calling me. I much prefer a scenic drive to my places of interest as opposed to the “friendly skies.” If I can get there in about one to six hours, I will make the drive to that destination. And with a buddy who sleeps most of the drive to that place and hasn’t the verbiage to “backseat” or “passenger seat drive” to accompany me, it is usually something to which I truly look forward.
According to Julie Hall, APR:
More than 47.7 million Americans will take to the nation’s roadways and skies this Independence Day (July 1–5), as travel volumes are expected to nearly fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. In fact, this will be the second-highest Independence Day travel volume on record, trailing only 2019. Overall, just 2.5% fewer Americans are expected to travel this year compared to Independence Day in 2019. This represents an increase of nearly 40% compared to last year, when total travel fell to 34.2 million.
With those estimated numbers, many Americans have moved from isolation and are back to what they find to be most appealing—the freedom of living. I have been toying with the idea of rising from the deep and heading toward the surface just as many others, but a familiar fear still hovers over me. My plan: to go about things slowly regarding this transition but eventually catapult myself back into a familiar world; a pre-COVID-19-like world . . . baby steps, though. Baby steps.
Jernee, my four-legged companion, is easy to please. As long as I accompany her, she will travel to the edge of the world if it means she can still have her daily walks and favorite treats. I mean, with those additions to an already spoiled life, why not? Having her beside me as I tackle the come-hither calls of an adventurous world, awaiting my attendance and participation, is welcome. I don’t think I could get the look of sheer contentment from anyone else in my car as I sing loudly to my favorite songs. No one else would be willing, I’m sure, to appreciate my sometimes alto, sometimes tenor, singing voice. But Jernee?! Jernee glances up toward me as if this voice of mine was made for her and for her only.
Another point from Julie Hall’s article, explains:
“Travel is in full swing this summer, as Americans eagerly pursue travel opportunities they’ve deferred for the last year-and-a-half,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president, AAA Travel. “We saw strong demand for travel around Memorial Day and the kick-off of summer, and all indications now point to a busy Independence Day to follow.”
Traveling was on an upswing as we headed into the Fourth of July weekend. The travel bug had bitten me at that point, but I did not take the plunge. I still played it safe here at home with my favorite cuddler—oh, but I dreamed about blazing a few trails. The next holiday on the calendar for which many intend to travel is Labor Day. With September just around the corner, I long for a hike or two or three in the fresh mountain air but first . . . I have to get there. If I were a guessing person, which on most occasions, I am, I’m willing to bet Jernee is ready for a bit of adventurous action too.
Wouldn’t it be grand if I could actually interview her regarding this topic—regarding any topic? The mind of a dog has to be an exceptional place. I create an internal dialogue between myself and Jernee sometimes. I am not ashamed of this; it’s entertaining. So, on those semi-long driving trips we used to take, that internal dialogue could look a little like this:
Jernee: “Mommy, are we there yet?”
Me: “No, sweetness, not quite.”
Jernee: “How much longer?”
Me: “According to Google Maps, 1 hour and 23 minutes.”
Jernee: “That precise, huh?”
Me: “Well, what were you expecting? A guess?”
Jernee: “Not really. I thought you were going to just reach on over here and hand me another treat.”
Me: “Touche’, sweetness. Touche’.”
I tell myself the trips I’m meant to take with my favorite road dog are waiting patiently in the near future. All I have to do is to succumb to their welcoming arms once again. Regardless of when those road trips will take place, there is one thing of which I am certain, my traveling buddy will ride shotgun. It’s the perfect place for a traveling woman’s best friend.
A Cornered Gurl 
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