08 March 2019

Wylder (November 2018)

Back home in New Zealand we have help on our little farm from willing workers on organic farms (“wwoofers”). These are usually young people who eke out their holiday funds by exchanging some work for bed and board. There have been quite a few over the years and we often promise to look them up if we are ever in their part of the world.

Wylder Fondaw was the first of these return visits.

When Wylder was in New Zealand he had been accepted by Medical School, and was debating with himself whether to qualify as a doctor or as a physician assistant. From Wylder we learned that physician assistants are medical providers who are licensed to diagnose and treat illness and disease and to prescribe medication for patients. They work in physician offices, hospitals and clinics in collaboration with a licensed physician.

On our first visit to Asheville Wylder had been busy at medical school, but he had some time off at Thanksgiving and was spending it with his mother near Burnsville NC. Access to the property would have been very difficult for our large vehicle, so Wylder kindly offered to meet us in nearby Spruce Pine.

It was very cold when we drove from Asheville to Spruce Pine, but the main roads were free from ice.

There was ice on the Black Mountain trees, though. And very attractive it looked from inside a warm vehicle.

It was great to see Wylder again, and learn that he had elected to become a physician assistant. He was enjoying his studies. His mother, Lynn, gave us a warm welcome.

We went for a short hike with Wylder in the woods by the house. It was lovely, but cold. No-one objected to an early return to the warm indoors where there was no danger of the conversation flagging.

A sample of the woodland.

Lynn's dog, Oskar, was ready for a hike whatever the temperature.

Eve, Wylder and Lynn

Thank you, Wylder and Lynn for a lovely day.

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