Saturday, May 31, 2008

Handing out food and planting annuals


Well we started early this morning and met 12 to 15 people at Cornerstone Fellowship to unload a trailer loaded with all kinds of food. There were stables,fresh veggies(not many), frozen meat of all kinds. It a program our church started to assist the less fortunate as an outreach ministry but the neat thing is anyone can benefit from the great buys. For 3o bucks you an get nearly 75 bucks worth of food. What a savings but you are limited to what the program has to offer for that particular month. Anyhow Nancy and I gave about 2 1/2 hours out of our time to assist and serve our fellow man. The rest of the day was spent on gardening, hiking and putting together my first batch of wine. This maybe my only chance at this hobby. Let me explain. I read all the directions, sterilized and sanitized all of the many utensil's for wine making. When I went to open the grape concentrate(this no ordinary juice) which is shipped in a bladder,I could not get the top or stopper out. I tugged and twisted so hard I torn the neck of the plastic bladder. Now this stuff costs 75 bucks so I don't want to waste or spill the juice. So I yelled for Nancy to bring a knife to cut the neck off so I could pour the juice into the fermenter. Well Nancy said put the fermenter(7 gal plastic bucket) into the sink. I pick the bladder up holding the neck so it would not leak as Nancy put the bucket into the sink. As I began to pour,this bladder weighs about 20-25 pounds and the weigh shifts as there is no rigidity to bladder, well everything came forward slamming into the fermenter(bucket). Grape juice slashed out onto the walls, stove , sink. clothing, floor and you name it. Well I loss a bunch of juice and I may have compromised the solution by the bladder touching the mixture. Anyhow I said what the heck and continued on with the mixture by using less water than called for because of the juice lost. In 2 weeks I will probably know if its a total failure. Oh well I realized afterwards I should have left the bladder in the box to give it some support. If there is a next time I will be better prepared. But to think I messed this up because I couldn't open the container. How elementary. Later to all missing my babies and grand babies.

Friday, May 30, 2008

We took a side trip today



Amazing weather is all I can say. 50's this AM and 70's this afternoon. Nancy and I took our good friends Helen and Joe with us as we ventured over Laurel Springs to Thistle Meadow Winery. I received a wine making equipment kit for Christmas last year so I thought now is the time to step into another hobby. Well I purchased a Merlot juice concentrate which has everything in it for my first experience. Tomorrow I will have a go of it. This winery used to have barn dances on the weekends but now is a picturesque place for weddings,etc. I got to speak with their winemaker, Paul for about an hour and he was very helpful and stressed if I ran into a problem to call him. It seems these concentrate kits are like a numbered puzzle. Hopefully I can connect the dots and make some drinkable Merlot wine. Anyway this kit makes about 30 bottles so I will have lots to give away(if it not so good) and some too sip on later. We then headed on a road none of us have ever travelled on before and found a beautiful new arts and craft gallery. Its been open for 3 weeks and the couple who own it moved back to Allegheny County after living in Winston-Salem for most of their adult life. The store is in the middle of 85 acres of Frasier Firs(Christmas trees) and their dream is to add their own wine sales and tasting and possibly a restaurant. Joe makes jewelry and Melia makes all kinds of crafts,knitted hats and old fashion candle holders out of chestnut wood that was her great grandfathers. They were very nice and pleasant and we invited them to worship with us at Cornerstone on Sunday. One group picture of us are in the middle of their tree farm and the other picture of me is from the drive of their house looking down onto their shop. After leaving there we visited a plant nursery and later went to local restaurant called Brown's. The owners and cooks are black which to my knowlege is the only black owned business in the town of Sparta. The food is quite good and plentiful. All had fish except me I had a salad with grilled chicken. We came back and Nancy and I tag teamed mowing our large yard which has lots of hills. It has to be mowed sideways as its very steep. We then put out lime(sweetens the soil) and decided to make one last look around the gardens. I forgot to mention Nancy planted annuals and I put out 2 rows of mustard greens(after turning over the earth with a shovel) after we came home. We just never have enough time in a day to accomplish all. Will sign off missing our babies and grandbabies.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Digging, Planting and Loving this N.C. Atmosphere



Today started out damp, cold and cloudy. It was down in the 40's this AM and even I finally put on a pair of long pants. That's the first time since last February in Florida that my legs have been enclosed by long pants, however by 2PM I was back in shorts and Nancy had to change as well. The sun came out after lunch and the blue skies once again were evident with a beautiful clear sky. My this is fantastic as Bobby, my son called and said the temp. in Florida was 96 degrees with high humidity. Nancy and I dug out flower gardens and transplanted as well as I planted sugar peas and peppers. I took the golf cart and hauled rich black dirt to fill in some spots that had washed out. We then took a walk and visited some friends on top of the mountains;the Fullers(they are building a magnificent home with absolutely unbelievable view) and the Cline's(Ann and Sandy). Somehow time just gets away from you here,before we knew it dinner time was upon us. I cut some fresh Basil and Oregano from the garden and Nancy made a delicious pasta dish with Roma tomatoes and these fresh herbs. YUMMMMM. After dinner we took another walk and visited with Joe and Jetta Browning, another retired couple on top of the mountain. We made it back just before dark. Tomorrow we are going to made our first side trip to Laurel Springs.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Memorial Day get together/shopping in Galax,Va.



On Monday at about 6:30 AM, I'm in the garden with a shovel and pitchfork trying to loosen up this hard packed soil to plant my garden. I managed to set out 9 tomato plants, 4 Zucchini and 4 yellow squash plants. I then sowed 4 row of half-runner green beans(possibly the best tasting bean I've ever eaten) and several onion sets as well as jalapeno peppers, basil and rosemary plants. Nancy worked in her flower gardens and in setting up the house as well as taking a long hike with our neighbors, Jodie and Gabriel. The weather was great and in the low 70's for a high. About 2 PM we knocked off and headed over to our friend, Joe Sheetz for a cook out. Joe is a retired Baptist preacher and a widower, as he loss his wife Dot several years ago. Joe is also the older brother to Helen Gray(our adoptive mountain mother)who also loss her husband and our dear friend, Roy. Roy was responsible for showing us the land we now own and for our moving here in the summertime. Joe always has an immaculate house keeper and uses fine china when he entertains. Well, he fixed New York strips, baked spuds and a salad as well a pound cake(in the oven by 5:30AM) and ice cream. Joe also invited Odell and Irene Wright both long time natives of Allegheny County. We had a pleasant visit but could hardly move after such a sumptuous feed. We did manage to take a hike just before dark. Needless to say we missed our KC as she loved those hikes to the top of the mountain. Sleep came a little easier Monday night as I cleared up many of the chores that I usually labor with in my sleep. Tuesday morning I'm wide awake at 5:30 AM and I'm in my garden at 6:30 AM, trying to get the ground really to plant potato's Odell had given me the day before. (What a friend). Last fall Odell loaded me up with a bushel or more of good Kinnebec potato's. YUMMMM we shared those with all our Florida friends and family. Tuesday we took a trip to Galax,Va. where we stocked up on supplies at a Super Wal-Mart for groceries and at Lowes for fertilizer and lime. We managed to fertilizer and lime the new grass before dark as well as finish mowing the "new area"(just cleared this off 2 years ago). We are just thrilled to be back on line with all and with the soft rain that began about 10AM this morning. Nancy is working out with her new hand vacuum(getting all those fuzz balls from under the bed)and making the most of this rainy, foggy day. Well will go for now but before go I must share with you all how small this world really is. Well, a customer came in to Helen Grays nephew's store in Tennessee. This customer turned to be an former deputy sheriff in Pinellas County, Fl anyhow as they were talking the nephew(who I had never met) mentioned his aunt(Helen Gray) had a good friend who was a retired trooper from Pinellas County. Long story short she called me and asked if I recalled the name Wally Mc Clarren. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind I remembered this name. Well he gave the nephew his phone numbers for me to contact him in Tennessee. Sure enough I spoke with him and he remembers me vividly as he shared a story where I had stopped him while he was working undercover for the sheriff. Now isn't that neat as its been over 25 years ago since he left the department. Will go for now missing my babies and grand babies. The pics are from a year ago but is applicable today.

Finally back on-line and in the mountains

Nancy and I arrived on Sat. around 3 PM: after a very smooth trip with no traffic(Memorial Day week-end). We left at 4 AM with the temp at 80 degrees and humidity at almost wet to arrive with the temp at 72 degrees, a gentle breeze and Nancy putting a jacket on. The air was so crisp and clean. Air that had never been breathed before. WOW!!! is all I can say. I must say after leaving our cabin 8 months ago it was in very good shape. There were a few dead flies in the window sills but no musty odor and very little dust. When I turned the water on there were a few dried out seats in the spigots but after a little water saturation they once gain did their job with no leaks. The outside was a different story; 3 tree tops in the yard from the high winds one of which gave me a nasty scratch to the back of my leg(I was in shorts, not to smart). The grass was haymaking height, however one of our friends was driving to our place as we arrived with his big mower. Eddie took care of most of the high grass in short order. What are friends for? THANKS EDDIE. Nancy and I spent the rest of the day and evening unloading and visiting with neighbors as they dropped by to wish us"welcome back." I had been without sleep for at least 48 hours(keyed up like a little boy about to fishing) and wouldn't you know it I had trouble falling asleep that night as well. Sunday morning came with the temp at 38 degrees and it warmed up to the 70's, it was beautiful with the deep Carolina blue skies. We went to Cornerstone Fellowship for worship and got to see the new completed building which was started last summer. VERY Nice and lots of finished work done by the members. There were hugs and smiles everywhere. After worship we stopped at Lowes and Hawks for some supplies and settled down to whipping this place into shape. Nancy worked on weeding the flower beds and I began to till the veggie gardens(with a shovel). Thanks to all the hard work playing pickleball I was in rather good shape. I chain sawed the 3 tree tops and moved that brush to a pile for burning which later began a fire for cooking a pot of dried beans over the open fire. Boy where they good and gassy. Sunday night was a little better sleeping, however I was awake at 5 AM and in the garden again at 6:30 where I plowed(with a shovel) enough space and planted 55 hills of potatoes that our good friend Odell Wright brought by. What friends!!

Friday, May 23, 2008

Crying and packing


Well at 9AM this morning I took KC our dobbie for her farewell ride. Nancy and I both cried but knew it was in her best interest as her motor skills were failing.We have so many funny tales of KC, a city dog that goes to the country. She loved to walk and hike up the mountain trails where she loved to chase bugs, snakes, deer and rabbits but most of all she loved to visit our mountain neighbors. The neighbors really enjoyed KC as well for such a breed with a notorious reputation she was anything but aggressive. We will miss her but in the same regard we no she won't have suffer. Ava our first granddaughter just arrived and there we go again crying over the thought we won't see her or Annsley(our second granddaughter who lives in Brandon,Fl) for awhile. Annsley will visit us in N.C. over the 4th of July with her parents, Bob and Jill. We will try to come back to Florida sometime towards the end of August for a visit. Ava and Annsley please don't think we have abandoned you. Sniffle, sniffle!!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

What a great life I have. Retired after 30 years of law enforcement(state trooper), 4 years of USAF as a C-141 loadmaster(Vietnam theater), 2 great children(son-Bobby, daughter-Amy) and 2 wonderful grandgirls(Ava -1 year, Annsley-7 months). GOD IS GOOD TO ME. I have the same wife, Nancy of nearly 29 years,who is beautiful and vibrant. We are planning on leaving Florida on the 24th to head to our beautiful rustic mountain cabin in Glade Valley, N.C. We have been land owners there since 1992 and built the cabin in 1995. We are saddened as we have to put our dobbie"KC" down on Friday as she had a degenerative spine diease and will not be able to walk and hike in the mountains as she once did. KC is 11 plus years and has lived longer than either of our previous 2 dobbie's. Doberman Pinschers are a great breed of dogs. None of our 3 have evershowed signs of meaness or aggression. They are a rare breed much maligned because of Hollywood. Today I played my last "pickleball" until the fall and our return to Florida. Pickleball is a wonderful game much like indoor tennis only its played with a wiffle ball and a paddle. Great cardio workout. Thanks to Rick, Doug, Judy(mixed doubles pardner), Nancy,Mary Ann, and Leslie(patsy). What a great bunch of people and players. Better go as my first granddaughter,Ava has just arrived.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

granddaughters

These are my granddaughter's