Dinner with Debra

I finally took a break from the house after much convincing by some friends and took Debra up on her invitation to dinner.  I have been friends with Debra for 15 years, and she has lived in Tryon for 12, and it has been quite sometime since I've been to her home.  She lives about 15 minutes from me, but I was surprised when the GPS took me on all dirt roads with farms, except for this one leading to her street, Winterset Trail.  The bridge was so pretty, I had to take a photo.

When Debra and Harold bought this home, she had just lost one of her rotties to cancer at a young age, so I had this stoned carved knowing she had named her home "Raven's Call".   It sits at the entrance to her home.

This is the driveway to her home.

Here is it nestled back in the woods.  It has grown up so much since I last visited.  Debra did the landscaping herself, and I must say it turned out beautiful.  Everything here is so lush and green, and it all smells so good!

Debra is giving me a tour of the garden, stopping in front of the Walking Stick bush, one of her favorites.  Koda is in the doorway checking out the intruder!

The Japanese Maple is beautiful, and she has big pieces of artwork throughout her garden.

I had to take a photo of Koda's little puffy tail, very unusual for a rottie.  Koda is now a senior and gives kisses instead of nips like she used to do!  I remember the day Debra left to rescue her and had to drive to Boston from Atlanta to get her.

As you can see from the saddles and reins, Debra is into horses.  She has one that is now 33 years old.  She also has miniature donkeys, which I prefer to the horses.

What I like about Tryon is the homes are all different and on a small scale, not the McMansions of Atlanta.  Debra is from Cooperstown, NY.  Her sister also lives in Tryon, but has a summer home in Cooperstown.  Their parents used to summer in Tryon, and both girls have always had a Tryon connection.

The house and garden was immaculate.  Debra's new guy is coming to visit in a few days from Idaho.  Who knows, now that I've gotten to Tryon, she may just be heading to Idaho, but at least I will have a place to take a trip to!

This scherenschnitte (paper cutting) was a gift from me to Debra for taking care of an ill friend.  It took me three years to finish, but it turned out like the original I had bought for myself.  It's all animals, and I was happy to see it hanging in her kitchen.  I even combed the frame. How did I have time to do things like that?

Last, but not least, this is Cayman, another senior rottie.  I remember the day when Debra rescued rotties and had seven at one time.  It was a little scary going for a visit with seven 150 lb. dogs. Debra is so tiny, but tough, and could put those rotties in their place!  We had a nice dinner, and the drive home was a little scary.  It's hard not knowing all the roads, and even though I have always lived in the country, it just seems extra dark here, no street lights, hardly any homes.  Next morning I found out I had a flat tire and was so happy it didn't happen on the way home with Bob being out of town!  My turn to have Debra over, maybe for lunch one day next week to hear all about her visit with John.