Summer Travels: Asheville, NC

Last month, SD and I spent 24 hours in Asheville, NC before heading to Lake Junaluska for Music Week. Neither of us had ever been to Asheville for any length of time and were grateful to have an extra day during our trip to explore the city a bit. Here is a little recap: When we got off the plane in Charlotte, it was hot and the air was thick with that familiar Southern humidity. We were a little weary after our early-morning flight, but eager to begin the "road trip" part of our journey from Charlotte to Asheville. Unfortunately, we had a slight fiasco with our first rental car (a worrisome wheel noise as soon as we pulled out of the parking lot), but the second car was fine. Before we knew it, we were on our way up and over the mountains!

We arrived at our destination - the Rankin House Inn - just a few blocks from center-city. The house sits up on a hill, shrouded by lush green trees. We climbed the stone steps up to the wide, welcoming front porch with painted turquoise floor, potted ferns, and of course, a white wooden swing at one end.

The innkeeper, dressed casually in a white T-shirt and khakis, greeted us warmly with that characteristic North Carolina drawl and made us feel right at home. We sat on the porch swing for a while, rocking our cares away and getting lost in the late afternoon breeze as it swept across the front porch. Heaven!

We ventured out on foot a little while later to explore downtown and peruse menus of the local eateries. The city was alive with buskers, street entertainers, and folks out enjoying the evening. Fun!

When we finally decided that yes, we really did want Southern cuisine, we stepped off the street into the Early Girl Eatery, a small but quaint restaurant with the kitchen in the front and dining room in the back. We couldn't resist the Skillet Fried Chicken and Gravy with sides of Collard Greens and Macaroni and Cheese and the Pimiento Grilled Cheese sounded almost too good to be true. Everything was delicious - a perfect first meal. Oh, and if they ask you if you want jam with your biscuit, the answer is yes. Locally made and the best we've ever tasted! We were a little too full for dessert, but we took a slice of Buttermilk Cake to go (because, Buttermilk Cake).

In the morning, over a breakfast of muffins and fruit salad, we asked the innkeeper more about the story behind the old Rankin house. He was happy to share its history and his part in preserving its legacy.

He showed us around the rest of the house, pointing out trim here and floors there. He even pulled out a few old photographs from an old yellowed envelope from when he first bought the place 20 years ago. What a transformation!

We walked downtown around 11:30 a.m. to stroll a bit more and grab a bite to eat before leaving town. We settled on crepes from Twisted Crepe and were not disappointed! Already looking forward to our next visit to this vibrant city!

Have you visited Asheville? What are some of your favorite things to see or do?

Photo Credit: Images of Early Girl Eatery by Meredith Perdue of Map and Menu

At the Lake

The air is fresh, sweet with the smell of roses. We've had fried chicken, collards, buttermilk cake (with chocolate frosting), and several tall glasses of sweet tea and my southern accent is already starting to come back. This can only mean one thing - it's Music Week!

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that Music Week (held at the beautiful Lake Junaluska in NC) holds a special place in my heart (read more here and here). This year, I'm honored to be presenting a session and accompanying one of the choirs!

In my session this week, I spoke about ways to share music and ministry beyond the four walls of the church, with the people of your community. I'll post a full recap soon, but for now, here's a sneak peek!

I love this quote - such a great reminder of what matters and why we do what we do.

Hope y'all are having a wonderful week!

Be still, and wait

It was March of this year — that's when I first felt the small tug on my heart.

SD and I had a heart-to-heart about where God might be leading us as we rode up the ski lift that next week, sun beaming down on the snow-covered slopes below us.

It was one of those conversations that stays with you, one I still cherish. It was a time and place in which we bared our souls in honesty and openness, unsure about what was ahead but willing to trust that God would make it clear in his time.

Change is never easy, especially when it's uncertain.

Certain change is almost easier, in a way. You know it's coming. You know what will change and how. You can prepare for it, or at least feel like you're preparing for it. But uncertain change requires a level of trust and surrender, believing that God will prepare you for whatever is in store.

Last month, we marked the beginning of summer with the sudden influx of several new and exciting prospects. Could this be the change God has been preparing us for? Are we witnessing his hands at work? The message was clear: Wait on me. Trust in me. Surrender to me.

Truth be told, I've never been very good at waiting. Waiting for that email to pop up in my inbox, waiting for that letter in the mail, waiting for the cake to cool before frosting. You know.

Sometimes, it feels as if nothing is happening. Waiting is stillness. All the while, I feel like I should be doing something — preparing, getting ready, making pros and cons lists (I am so Rory Gilmore). Tell me: How is waiting productive?

But I'm beginning to realize that in our waiting — our stillness — God moves.

So, we wait.

I'm learning to accept it, this season. I want to live a life of contentment, to rest in the unsettledness of life right now. I want to live in hope, not fear, and dwell in the security of God's grace and faithfulness rather than the insecurity of my actions and dreams.

Maybe you're there, too, in that place of waiting. Maybe you, too, struggle with the stillness. If so, I hope these words are as comforting to you as they were to me when I stumbled upon them while flipping through the hymnal last week:

"Only be still, and wait God's leisure in cheerful hope, with heart content to take whate'er thy Maker's pleasure and all-discerning love hath sent; we know our inmost wants are known, for we are called to be God's own."

- Georg Neumark (1657), translated into English by Catherine Winkworth (1863)

Be still, and wait on the Lord.

Hello, Adventure

It's a cool summer morning, the rain just beginning to let up. The city noise below drifts in through an open window. And I'm thinking about adventure.

There's something to be said about having adventures - vacations, new jobs, ordering something "adventurous" off the menu (like that time we ordered bone marrow, right, SD?). Sometimes, we like to call these "Weekend Adventures."

Adventures do not have to be fancy or expensive. They don't have to be epic (no Fear Factor here, please and thank you). In fact, it's often the little things - the small, simple everyday adventures - that make us feel like we're living life to its fullest.

So, what's stopping you? Go have an adventure!

Here are a few ideas:

- go berry-picking at a local farm - pick out a new bottle of wine to enjoy with friends or your significant other - go for a hike - take a day (or an afternoon, or a weekend!) to go explore a new town or city nearby - visit your local farmer's market and make something new for dinner! - explore a second-hand bookstore and pick out a new summer read (or two!) - host brunch for a few close friends

What adventures will you have this summer? Leave a comment below!

The City and the Sea

*Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

I'm reading Emily Freeman's A Million Little Ways right now — so many good words and such a fresh perspective on life and living and grace and art. Created in the image of God, we are called to serve and give and create in a multitude of ways — ways that reflect His glory. The journey to discovering these callings is a personal one and as I read Emily's account of her story, I see pieces of my own journey.

"My life is the city but my soul is the sea."

These words practically jumped off the page when I read them.

We've all had those moments when life feels adventurous and exciting. We thrive on the hustle and bustle of those around us and we feel as if we're on top of the world. Life is big and grand like the intimidating lines and finely-crafted architectural detail of the early skyscrapers, built a century ago and still standing majestically along Main Street. There in the distance — our name in lights.

And then there are those days when we want to hide. When we drive to a place where no one will find us because stepping into the warm rays of sunlight that hit our front steps and facing the world seems too much to bear. Instead of attention and a desire to be noticed, to be known, we long for security, for peace, for stillness. Our souls long for refreshment and solitude.

Rochester is a mid-size city.

We say it's just the right size for us: lots of arts and culture; small restaurants with a cozy, neighborhood feel; and you can get anywhere in about 20 minutes. I've grown used to the refrigerated delivery trucks parked outside on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, the street sweeper, the beeping of the bus as it pauses mid-route at the stop around the corner. There's something comforting about it all — life being lived around you, people coming and going, a sense of community.

But then there are those moments when city life stops for a moment. There's a lull in the traffic on East Avenue. The only other person out walking is far in the distance. The only sounds are those of the birds happily chirping in the nearby crabapple and the wind gently nudging its branches.

I love these moments.

Instinctively, I take in a deep breath. I notice the pool blue sky, the white petals of the dogwood falling along my path, the fluffy peonies larger than the size of my hand. And then I remember that though my life is the city much of the time, my soul is the sea.

Lessons from the Slopes

Ashley Danyew | Ski Day

I checked off one of my March goals last week—we went skiing! And can I just say, it felt so good to spend the day outside after a long, very cold winter. Mind you, it was still in the 40s, but with the sun shining, we got a glimpse of the warmer days ahead. I felt more refreshed just breathing in that cool mountain air.

Ashley Danyew | Ski Day

Every time I ski, I discover a few more "life lessons". I hope these are as enlightening to you as they were for me:

1. The conditions are always changing. In this spring weather, you may find groomed snow, slick icy patches, and soft snow that grab your skis—all on the same trail. The conditions are always changing, so be prepared, responsive, and flexible.

2. You can't follow in someone else's tracks; you have to make your own. The trails show traces of those who have traveled this way before but it's impossible to make it down the mountain using the same set of tracks. Make your own decisions, use your own creativity, and make your own way.

Ashley Danyew | Ski Day

3. It's okay to fall. It's how you get back up that matters.

4. Face your fears; take the leap. You may not be able to see the end of the path, but that shouldn't keep you from exploring it. Face your fears; take a risk; try.

Ashley Danyew | Ski Day

5. Sometimes it's good to be still. SD and I had some great conversations on this chair lift—the real, honest kind of conversations that I'd been missing in the midst of a few chaotic months. My heart needed this time to be free, to be brought to a place of humility and honesty, and to find peace.

Ashley Danyew | Ski Day

6. It's better with people. It's true in skiing and it's true in life. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and challenge you to be better.

7. Enjoy the ride. Sure, there's risk involved and it might be a lot of work sometimes, but enjoy the ride. The joy is in the journey.

Read more: Snow Day

New York City in Black & White

I love visiting the city at Christmas time: the lights, the tree, the hustle and bustle - I love how these pictures turned out.

We took the train in for a day between Christmas and New Year's and saw all the sights: Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, and M&M World (naturally).

We also saw "Once" on Broadway - have you seen it? We saw the film several years ago and loved the music. The theme song is "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. Listen to it here. :-)

The show was really great. All the actors and actresses are musicians and when they weren't playing as part of the scene, they sat off to the sides as "the band."

If you have the chance, I definitely recommend the Broadway version of "Once" but a Netflix-night-in is also a good option!

2013: A Year in Review

For the past few years, New Year's Eve day has been, for me, a time of looking forward to the promise of the New Year but also reflecting on the year past: remembering the good, acknowledging the challenges, and feeling immense gratitude for all that we've been given. 2013 was a fun year!  Here are a few of my favorite memories:

Skiing in Utah

We went skiing in Utah with SD's family right after the New Year.  Highlights include part skiing/part walking down an Olympic Women's Downhill trail (I thought I might die), learning to ride the Poma lift, and seeing a tiger at the zoo.

Niagara Falls in March

We spent a weekend in Lewiston, NY and took a day trip to Niagara Falls (don't let our smiling faces fool you - it was freeeezing!).

Musical Pairs concert

We organized a concert at church in April called "The Art of Song: Musical Pairs".  SD and I performed two settings of "Mondnacht" (Schumann and Brahms) and we invited a few friends of ours to choose, present, and perform a pair of songs that had something in common (composer, text, theme, melodic material).  To tie the whole thing together, we played our game of "Musical Memory" (first seen in the 2011 WCMW!).  Great fun!

Lilac Festival in May (yes, May)

We attended many of Rochester's festivals this year - the Lilac Festival, the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Corn Hill Arts Festival, the Festival on the Green, the Park Ave Summer Arts Festival (on our street!), the Rochester Fringe Festival, and the Hilton Apple Festival (with the largest apple crisp I've ever seen - 5' in diameter!).

Lake Junaluska, NC

We played music together, cooked together, and vacationed together this summer and enjoyed many-a #weekendadventure.  One of the highlights was our week at Lake J with dear friends.  Here we are cooking dinner on the grill one night (I actually just stepped in for the photo - the boys were the real chefs!).  We also enjoyed our share of barbecue, fried green tomatoes, and hush puppies.

The Bean in Chicago

I presented a research poster at the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy outside of Chicago in July - it was my first time in the city!

Dinner at Frog Pond in Rochester

We shared spontaneous dinners out at our favorite places (like the above picture snapped one summer evening at Frog Pond), leisurely strolls through the neighborhood at dusk, and lots of time up on the roof (watching the city fireworks show on the 4th of July was definitely a highlight!).

Apple-picking in Upstate NY

We traveled around New England, ate lobster, saw the horses race at Saratoga Springs, and went apple-picking (followed by an afternoon of pie-baking!).

Handbell choir planning

We became the Interim Handbell Choir directors at church and led a group of seven (ages 9-81!) for a fun six-week session with everything from how to pick up a bell to playing together in worship (read more about our adventures here, here, and here).

"This World Alive" at Nazareth College

My parents came up for a weekend visit in November.  We were all thrilled to attend a performance of SD's new wind/film consortium project, "This World Alive"!

Outtake from our Christmas card shoot

Somebody may have turned 30 this year.  Just sayin'.

Thanksgiving weekend

We spent Thanksgiving in CT (SD's parents hosted dinner for the first time this year - we were responsible for the stuffing, cranberry-orange relish, and corn pudding).  On Friday, we drove down to NJ to visit my grandparents and spread a little Christmas cheer.

Dinner in NYC

We spent Christmas in VT (including a brief walk through our favorite town - Woodstock) and enjoyed seeing both sides of SD's family.  We took a day trip into the big city with SD's parents and brother to see "Once" (amazing!), M&M World, the big tree, and the original P.J. Clarke's (in that order).

Our Christmas card picture

2013 - the year that brought me new professional and teaching opportunities, the year SD received not one but two letters of acceptance from publishers, the year I learned how to make deviled eggs, the year the President stopped and had lunch across the street from our apartment building, and the year I learned (again) that I really am a terrible bowler.

Happy New Year!

Previously: 2012 2011

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you and yours a wonderfully merry Christmas and a happy 2014!

Our Christmas Card - 2013

So happy to be sharing a sneak peek of our Christmas cards today! SD came up with this year's Christmas card theme and I love how it turned out!

Sending our warmest wishes for a happy, healthy, and joyful Christmas season!

xo,

Ashley & Steve

P.S. See our 2012 Christmas card here.