Beautiful Spiders

 I have discovered a new favorite flower--the red spider lily.

They are so unique. The tiny red petals look like they are velvet.

They only bloom for a small window, so one morning Chuey and Waffles and I walked to the  산성 Sanseong Fortress. Unfortunately I did not get cute dog pics, but I did get a lot of flower pics, so there's that.

The Koreans know how to do flower gardens right. They plant a whole bunch of the same thing and the result is gorgeous. 

These flowers are often found on the mountains near temples, because the roots are ground into powder and dried to use as preservatives for Buddhist paintings. 

We tried pictures from above, but Chuey clearly wasn't in the mood.

Since Chuey's pictures didn't turn out, Daisy and I went back a couple days later to give it another shot. But on the way we stopped by a new store right around the corner that sells homemade doggy treats. They also have a cute little photo op.

Last year there were a bunch of red spider lilies at the Sacheon Fortress which prompted Daisy, Chuey and I to give it a shot.

Unfortunately we just missed the window.

So we headed over to Sanseong Fortress.

Chuey poses so much better when you offer treats.

What a beautiful sea of red spider lilies. Even Sister would like these spiders.

[September 18]

It's 5:00 Somewhere - Darae Wine Gallery

 Us girls like to check out all the local sights. Most often it is outside looking at flowers or hiking the mountains. But sometimes you just need a little girl time and wine. I had a long walk in the morning and then ran straight to school to sell raffle tickets, so I was ready for a little fun-filled get away.

How cute is this entry-way?

There are not a lot of grape orchards in South Korea, but that does not stop them from making wine! 

The kiwi are grown right in Sacheon. Darae Wine claims they are recognized for the highest quality. The kiwis are fermented using  low-emperature fermentation and aging techniques. When in comes to fermenting, the Koreans are experts. (Kimchi is fermented cabbage, and they use other fermented vegetables and call it kimchi, too.) Apparently kiwi contains a large amount of antioxidants, so we're gonna need to come back here often. Obvi.

Theresa, Trish, Lulu, Kate, Lotte (taking the picture)

[September 15]

Looking Familiar - Jeongsusa Temple & Yaksuam Hermitage

A long morning walk with the doggies, and another new discovery.

Linda and I tried a road we had never been on. It led to a tiny little temple called 정소사 Jeongsusa.

Bless its heart. It was like those tiny little mid-west towns that were once small and thriving, but time has taken its toll and they are now just a faded shell of their former glory.

This bell has clearly not been rang for quite some time, as it has been turned into a plant stand. An ornate, beautiful plant stand, mind you, but not a functioning bell tower.

From there we followed a small trail winding its way up the mountain until we came to 얔수암 Yaksuam Hermitage. 

It is very common to see dragons with balls in their mouths. They are often red. There were several speculations about this when I looked it up, but the general consensus is that it is a pearl representing a wisdom.

The bell is on the second story of this building with the entry from the stairs below.

This is painted on the ceiling, with the four traditional guards painted on the walls, two on each side. 

As I climbed the steps, I began thinking that this place looked familiar. Not a shocker since most of the temple buildings in Korea look very similar. That's what the kids say when I am trying to drag them to see another one. And they are not wrong.

It was when we got to the parking lot that we realized we had indeed been here before, several times, actually. It is at the foot of the hike that we call Ladder Rock Hike. We entered from a totally different place since we walked the back path instead of driving up the main road. The things you learn when you're out exploring!

We opted for the backwoods trail on the way home again since it is not as busy as the road.

The crepe myrtles are almost done blooming, but this patch is still going strong. A man was under the trees, pruning them when we walked by.

I love all the flowers here when I'm out exploring; I like the comfort of seeing familiar ones from home like the crepe myrtles above, as well as the ones unique to Asia, like these purple bean pod-type things. 

[September 15]