Beautiful Morning, 2 Hikes, A Trip to Sparta and a Cold Front

Well the morning was cool and damp but the sun was shining and the skies were blue. After our quiet time and a lite breakfast of fruit and cereal we worked outside. I hung a load of laundry then dug and hauled 4 loads of top soil for Nancy's circle flower beds. We then spread lime in the beds as well. I gathered 2 large trash cans of leaves and mulched them with the mower then raked them into the upper garden.

We took our first hike of the day to the top of the mountain. We ran into Nancy and Mike as they were up for the day from Winston. I had just checked his rain gauge and it was official 5 3/4 inches of rain for the week end. We continued walking along the top and smelled the great fresh woodsy smells, especially after a soaking rain. We got back a little after noon so decided to have a lite lunch of celery sticks with peanut butter, apple and a pear. Wow is that not healthy eating??

Nancy had a 3 PM hair appointment. We had a bunch of errands in Sparta so we got ready and left at 2 PM. We needed a change of address from the Post Office as we will be leaving in just a little over a week for Florida, next we went to the hospital to settle up the bill for Nancy's one night stay. We could have stayed a week with meals included at the Biltmore House in Ashville for the price of one night at Allegheny Memorial(there were no meals eatable). Oh well!!! Nancy dropped me off at Kermit's Barber Shop on main street and I was the only customer so I had my final cut for 2008. Kermit grew up in this town and graduated from Allegheny High along with some friends of ours. He is a great guy and Nancy thinks he cuts my hair the best of any previous barber.

We made a grocery stop at Lowe's as we are cooking for Ray and Audiene Wednesday Night and Joe and Helen on Thursday. These will be the last dinner's this year for guests in the mountains. Everything tastes so good here and of course we love to entertain and to eat. We ate the last of the left over grilled chicken breasts along with oven spuds and broccoli for dinner. YUMMM! After washing the dishes and Nancy drying I took 4 bags of garbage and got a good fire going after a brief downpour. After burning the trash we took our second hike of the day. The temperature had dropped noticeably after the brief downpour so we headed up the trail behind the cabin. I'm not sure why but this path seems to get steeper in the evening especially after a superb meal. We encountered no one or anything as darkness was upon us as the sun began to set . The skies were clearing as the cold front was apparent. Tomorrow its supposed to be in the 40's and Thursday into the 30's. WOW!!!

Will close for now and how about the Tampa Bay Ray's??? Worst to First in one year, GO RAYS!!! Missing our families and especially Ava and Annsley.

A Beautiful Day, A Great Hike and a Visit from Neighbors

Monday brought a cool damp morning but with the promise of blue skies and bright sunshine. After our quiet time and a lite breakfast of fruit I got a load of towels onto the clothesline. I then began to haul dirt and load up the wine berry bushes with a fresh layer of nutrients so hopefully next year the berries will be abundant. The new grass is up and seems to be doing nicely especially with all the latest rain.

We got in a great hike to the top of the mountain and the view was great. We visited with Fred for a moment and he is just about finished with the construction on his new house. He is planning on moving in around the 10th of October(day after we leave for Florida). We hiked down through the devastated area and stopped for a visit with Audiene. She seems a little better and is slowly get acclimated with being incapacitated. We are taking dinner over for them on Wednesday evening. They have received lots of food and slowly her appetite is returning back to normal.

Well I chopped lots of exposed roots in the back yard as the heavy rain run off caused them to surface. While working in the back yard our neighbors Joe and Jetta came down from the top of the mountain for their first visit to our cabin. They seemed very impressed with our cabin as well as the yard and many gardens. They stayed for over an hour and visited until our friends Andy and Caleb Dalton came by to bow hunt for those fat deer in our woods. The feller's didn't see any to shoot but the deer ate most all of the apples we put out yesterday evening.

We cleaned up some leftover spaghetti sauce and salad from Friday night. Boy was it good. Well we are trying to get in our last visits with friends and neighbors these next few days before heading back to HOT Florida. Its supposed to be in the 30's by Thursday which should really bring out the colors.

Well will close for now missing our family and especially grand daughters Ava and Annsley.

Friday Eve guests arrived and left Sunday Afternoon

Well its been a few days since I've been on this air wave. Friday was spent getting ready for little Sis Dee and Mike, Kelly, Collin and cousin Martin. I helped Nancy with the cleaning and cooking so I didn't get updates out since Thursday. Well let me say first off it rained over 5 +inches in a steady rain for 36 plus hours. It was much needed; but we had a waterfall in our back lot that carried a tremendous amount of run off down the hill and into a ravine below the cabin.

Mike and Dee arrived near dark in a down pour Friday evening for dinner. Nancy had a huge pot of spaghetti sauce, a fresh garden salad with homemade Greek dressing and garlic bread. I shared some good homemade Merlot with the guests and we had a feast. Nancy also made a huge plate of brownies for dessert with hot coffee. After dinner we played a card game and then a game of Balderdash. Collin won the card game and Martin won the Balderdash game. It was nearly midnight when we called it a day.

Saturday morning bought more rain with a steady beat on the tin roof all morning long and at a times a "gully washer." After sleeping in we had a breakfast of cereal, raisin bread and fruit and then we all got ready to leave the cabin around 10 AM for Cornerstone. It was food distribution day so we had to pick up our order as well as an order for some friends. We left there around noon and visited The Blue Ridge Gallery where we saw our friend Melia Edwards. She and her husband, Joe recently opened the gallery where they sell; paintings, nick knacks, jewelry, quilts, knitting's and now have wine tasting. Joe is an artist and his paintings are first rate. Melia is quite a seamstress and her work is first rate as well. We spent about an hour there visiting, making some purchases and tasting some excellent "fruit of the vine." This is a must stop for all quests who visit us in the mountains.

We all stopped at the grocery and got some goodies for lunch and for dinner and headed back to the cabin. I cranked up the grill and we feasted on brats, dogs, chips and salsa. The rain let up enough we could finally get in a hike to the top of the mountain for about an hour. The back roads were very wet and we could not see off the mountain. We found some maples with their leaves starting to show some color as well as a few oaks. All of this rain should make for a fall of beautiful colors.

We came back to watch some great college football and quite a number of upsets. Some of us napped and others just enjoyed the ambiance and the company. This was the first trip here for Uncle Mike in several years and the first ever for Collin and Martin.

Saturday evening I cranked up the grill for marinated chicken breasts. Nancy and I made cold slaw, steak spuds and beans from the garden. Wow did we have another feast which got us invigorated for a game of domino's. We played until late and Collin won on the last round. The play was fun and boisterous. We followed up on a few late football games then headed for the sack.

Sunday morning found us with a little blue skies showing and some sunshine but with lots of water in the air, grass and surrounding; but no rain.We made it to Cornerstone for worship at 10AM after a lite breakfast. Worship was exciting and our guests were quite impressed with the genuine warmth displayed towards them by those at Cornerstone. They were made to feel welcome. After Cornerstone we met at the local Mexican Restaurant for lunch and had an excellent and very reasonable meal. After eating they had to head back to Kelly and Collin's college at Radford, Martin's college in Harrisonburg and Dee and Mike in Woodstock, Virginia. Where did the time go???

After our good-bye's and directions back to Galax; Nancy and I stopped and visited with Helen. We then headed for home and to just relax before getting in a long hike to the top. The sun was delicious and warm with still some cool and dampness in the the shaded wood areas. I managed to catch some NFL and our Bucs as well as the Panthers won their games.

Tomorrow we will start catching up on some wash and some getting the cabin ready to leave for 6 months or longer. We are so very fortunate to have such a great place to share with family and friends. Later, missing our family and especially grand daughters Ava and Annsley.

Cool Morning, Trip to Galax and Dinner at the Dalton's

Well it was another cool Fall morning. Nancy turned the oven on to take the chill out of the house. We or I finally dug out the long pants and long sleeve shirts. After our quiet time and a lite breakfast we got really to head to Galax for groceries at Wal-Mart, a new battery for the golf cart and lunch at Lil Caesars for a pepperoni pizza. The sun came out and it warmed up to the 60's. We got home around 2 PM and managed to get a hike in to the top of the mountain. We ran into the Brownings, Joe and Jetta and visited with them for awhile. It sure looked like rain and dark overcast skies prevailed the rest of the afternoon. The wind came up and dropped the temperature quickly.

Well I put the new battery in the GC and it functioned properly then did a few outside chores. Nancy put together a chicken casserole and I paid some bills on line. It was 6 PM before you knew it so we headed out to the Daltons for dinner. Michelle made a delicious Ramon noodles salad. Kay, Michelle's mother brought homegrown 1/2 runner beans and we had a cherry custard cake for dessert. Afterwards we got into a domino game and the gals put a hurting on us fellar's. Oh well, we changed our scoring in the middle of the game so one for the gals this time. We had lots of fun and Mechelle's brother came in with his family from Raleigh.

Well the rain is upon us as we need it but would have been nicer had it fallen during the week. We are having a house full starting Friday and would have loved to take a hike back to Stone Mountain and the water falls, maybe the rain will be gone by Saturday morning.

Well, will close for now missing our family and especially grand daughters Ava and Annsley

A Beautiful Day with Cool Morning, Shelled Lima Beans, 2 Hikes and Mowed the Yards

It was a cool brisk 44 degrees this AM. The day started out with our usual quiet time and a lite breakfast. We actually got out of the sack(bed) before 8 AM. The sun was just coming over the mountain and one could see the bright sunlight through the trees. Nancy had the oven on to take the chill out of the cabin. I put up a curtain between the upstairs which will help hold the heat downstairs during the night. Tomorrow morning maybe the coolest morning yet.

After breakfast I watered the recently planted grass seeds and they are up after about 6 days. I noticed several fresh deer tracks in the back yard but saw no new damage, of course there isn't much to eat as they have just about ruined everything, thus far. I got a load of wash in and headed out to remove the several trash cans of horse manure still in the back of the truck I collected last evening. I then mixed this manure with the leaves, weeds, and vegetable discards into the compost pile so my earthworms will have a buffet this winter.

We got a great hike to the top of the mountain around 11 AM. Wow there was a brisk breeze on top and the air had definitely become dryer. Pilot Mountain stood out clear. After the hike we had a lite lunch of left over flank steak on pita bread and chips and the last 2 pieces of apple cake Nancy made for Sunday Night small group.

After eating we sat on the back porch in the warm sunlight shelling lima beans that Kimberly had given us last night. They were speckled and very pretty. We ate them for dinner and shelled the rest for Ray and Audiene. Audiene is still recuperating from her surgery. She is having to keep her foot elevated and is having a hard time coping with being immobile. Ray is back to the heart doctor on Thursday. Nancy took the GC for a visit with them and then on to the top of the mountain for some pictures. I gathered about 12 large trash can full of leaves to be mulched for my garden.

When Nancy returned I had to replace the battery back into the riding mower so I could mow the yard. It took us about an hour to do both yards where before it was about 3 hours; plus I got to ride for most of it. I grilled marinated chicken breast for dinner and Nancy took most of my nickle size spuds and boiled them up along with a pot of fresh shelled lima beans, YUMMM!!! After dinner we took another hike to the top and ran into Helen who was walking with her daughter's friend, Carl from Washington State. The sunset was beautiful and the coolness in the air was evident on your bare arms and ears by the time we got back to the warm cabin.

Well another day has slipped right on by and we only have 2 more weeks before we head back to sunny Florida. This next week end will be our last for company so we will purchase items at Wal-Mart tomorrow to winterize the cabin. Until later missing our family and grand daughters Ava and Annsley.

Cool Morning, Garden Work, Collecting Horse Droppings and Making Hay

Well the morning started out cool with overcast skies. Of course we didn't see much of the early morning as we caught up on our sleep until 9 AM. Nancy cranked on the oven to take the morning chill away. After a cup of hot green tea for me and Nancy with her java we began the day with our quiet time then a lite breakfast.

I worked out side in the garden; mulching all the leaves I had put in the garden yesterday with my lawn mower, sowing some lettuce, cuke's and kale. I will take these new seedlings back to Florida when we leave in 2 weeks for my winter garden. We got a load of wash on the line about 11 AM then took off for our one and only hike of the day. We had a good work out and came back to have a lite lunch of fruit, celery and peanut butter.We had called Kimberley earlier about coming over to help them with getting their hay in the barn. They were unsure if the sun would be bright enough to dry the hay for baling. If you bale the hay before the sun drys it out the hay(tall grass) will mold and be unusable for consumption by horses. Eddie and Kimberley have 7 horses with a stallion.

While waiting to see if the sun light was enough to cure the hay I spread fertilizer on the back yard. Meanwhile I had cranked up the golf cart to carry the spreader and the fertilize out to the back yard and then it(Golf Cart) went dead. Nana, nothing when I tried to crank it, so we pushed it by hand back to the basement area where I tried to determine what was the problem. After hooking up the battery charger to the GC it still showed no life; so I drove the riding mower over and took its battery out and installed it into the GC. Presto the machine came to life and thus it became obvious the battery was dead and needed to be replaced. Meanwhile the batteries in the remote that turns the T.V. on and off has also gone belly up as well. On our trip to Wal-Mart on Friday we will pick up new batteries as well as a few groceries for our guests this week end. Hard to believe only 2 week ends to go before heading back to Florida.

Kimberley called and annouced Eddie was bailing hay at 6 PM. We had a quick dinner from frozen spaghetti sauce then headed out about 5:30. I wanted to get several trash cans full of Tommy droppings(manure) for my compost pile. That's what makes those huge earthworms so evident in my garden. We managed to fill up 3 big cans before we started loading hay. Eddie baled about 150 bales and Nancy, Al Dean and myself loaded them out of the field and onto a wagon. We then had to off load them and stack them in their barn. So that means you have to handle each bale( 40- 60 pounds) each at a minimum of 2 times. We stacked the last bale in the barn at 7:45 PM.

Well it felt good to put that last bale in the barn at nightfall. The heavy dew was starting to fall and you could feel it in the air. The temp had dropped to 55 and was falling fast. Kimberley loaded us up with some shelly beans(dried speckled lima beans) and frozen okra. Thanks again for the "Tommy droppings" and veggies and it was fun and nice to know you were helping friends you love.

Well will close for now missings all our family and especially Ava and Annsley.

Just an Outstanding Day Weather Wise, Dug Spuds and Anniversary Dinner

The day was just nothing short of fantastic. Low 70's and High 40's with bright blue clear skies. After our wake up call from Bobby around 8 AM we stayed up for the day. We had a great quiet time and then ate breakfast with home canned pear preserves(made by Helen)on my pancakes. YUMMM!!

I picked beans after breakfast, watered by hand the new grass seeds and did some mundane garden chores. Nancy and I hung a load of wash outside on the clothesline and then took along hike to the top of the mountain. We stopped and talked with Lee Cahoon, she and her husband bought the old Lundquist place a couple years ago. They also have a home in Colorado. On our way back to the cabin we stopped and visited with Audiene and Ray. She has a new pink cast on her left leg. While she is on the road to recovery she will be layed up for some weeks to come. She is already weaning herself off pain pills.

After a light lunch(fruit for me) I starting digging my spuds. I got about 20 pounds from about 15 hills. There was lots of little ones so that tells me I need to fertilize more next year and more during the growing season. I then gathered about 8 trash cans of leaves and dumped them in the garden to be mulched with my lawn mower.

We decided since we were gone so much the past 3-4 days we would celebrate with a marinated flank steak, scalloped potatoes, mustard greens and a salad. Yummm! Wow can she cook and some how I can watch a piece of meat on the grill. What a duo we are!!

After dinner we took another hike up the steep side road to the back road. We momentarily ran into Anne and walked aways with her. We saw 5 large deer while walking. Andy and Gerald these guys are just waiting for you all!!!

Well darkness comes so quick now and it won't be long before DST will be gone as well. I don't like it dark at 5:30. Will close for now thanking all who have been apart of our 29 years together. We can hardly believe how quickly those years have gone by; but we look forward to each and everyday and for the hopefully many more to come. GOD has truly blessed us in so many ways and especially with our son, Bobby and daughter, Amy and their families and most of all with our precious grand daughter's Ava and Annsley.

Enclosed are a few more pics from Saturday!!!

Wow What a Weekend with New Song, Great Worship and Cool Mountain Temp's

Well I must say this has been a week to remember and I haven't been very diligent, posting to those who keep up with us regularly. I will try to be more punctual now that Nancy and I have a little less to do(that's subjective).

Well after lasts week day trip to Floyd its been a go here as well. We were getting ready this past week end for New Song, as were about 70 other Cornerstone volunteers. Friday started out the usual with our quiet time, hikes and checking on Audiene after her ankle surgery. Nancy cooked, baked and made food for Saturday at Cornerstone. It seemed now in the rear view mirror that everything was a blurr and where did the time go.

Saturday started with being at the church by 11 A M to drop off food and to help with the many chores to make this concert a success. We weren't to see our place again until nearly midnight.

The huge travel bus and trailer were in the parking lot with many of the band members and staff asleep as they had traveled from Ohio during the night after doing a concert. This band is on the road touring from 9-13 to 11-16-08 doing 20 concerts through the nation. Their website is:www.newsongonline.com.

Back to what we were doing. Several of the support staff already were downloading this trailer of equipment needed to put on a show; about 18,000 lbs of of lights, electronics, instruments, etc. It took hours to set up and break down but there was plenty of volunteers to assist and although it was tons of work and we all had fun and really enjoyed working with the band as well as with each other.

The concert was a success with many band members giving their personal testimonies as well as 68 people came forward to let Christ make a difference in their lives. There were about 500 + people in our building for the evening. It was a huge success for this community and for Cornerstone but most importantly for the Gospel of Christ.

When we came home we were so keyed up from the excitement that we couldn't sleep. We had to be back at Cornerstone on Sunday morning to work the nursery. We had 3 small children and 6 teenagers(they love to be in there with the little ones). After church we came home and crashed on the couch(I did) and watch a little football while Nancy baked a cake for our small group which met Sunday evening at The Crouse's House. After our small group we played domino's with the Crouse's and their neighbors John and Sandy. Girls one, Boys one so we all went home as winners, HA!!!. We got to bed near 11:30.

Our son, Bobby woke us up at 7:52 this A M and wondered why we were still in bed. We finally slept a little better. We are now gearing up for a week end visit from my youngest sister Dee, husband Mike, daughter Kelly and friend Collin and 1/2 cousin Martin. They will arrive sometime Friday evening for dinner and stay until after church and lunch on Sunday. So I will miss most of next week end from this keyboard.

Well the morning looks beautiful here with the sun coming over the treetops so it will be a busy day after our quiet time and breakfast of buckwheat pancakes with a banana in the batter(Dranielle). We will take over dinner for Audiene this week as she convalesces and meet with our friends the Dalton Gang on Thursday for dinner and domino's. So when will we have time to celebrate our 29 years together(today) which gave us 2 absolutely fantastic children and 2 precious grand daughters. Nancy and I are blessed.

Well hopefully all is caught up with the Happening's in the mountains(who said this place was boring). Missing all especially Ava and Annsley.

Overcast Morning and Cool, 2 Hikes and a Little Yard Work

Friday started with a grey cool overcast morning. YUCK!!! We did eventually see the sun peep through after lunch but the light breeze made for long pants most of the day. After our quiet time and breakfast I worked outside moving dirt, wood and doing some general boring catch up chores. I picked 1/2 runner beans and combined with what I picked the first of the week they made enough for a big pot to help feed the workers for tomorrow's concert at Cornerstone.

We took a hike just before lunch and the walk up to the top warmed us up. After lunch I burned trash and worked on getting my compost pile up and running for next years garden. I then decided I needed to wash off some of the mud from the truck as our road is gravel and dirt.

After supper we took a hike out to the mailbox. Today was one of those not much happening days. We got a call about 7:30 from Audiene indicating she just got home from the hospital and she was still feeling the affects of the anesthesia. We are glad she finally will be able to start to heal. Tomorrow will be a big day as we will start at 11 AM at Cornerstone and it could last until late in the evening very.

Later missing our family and grand daughters Ava an Annsley.

A Day Trip To Floyd, Virginia

The day started out with cool temps in the 50's with bright sunshine and blue skies. After our quiet time and a breakfast of ham and eggs we met up with our adoptive mountain folks, Joe and Helen. We left for Floyd around 10 AM and headed up the BRP. It was a nice hour and a half ride with the beautiful scenery all around.

Floyd is a small town set in the mountains of rural southern Virginia. I learned from several who live and work there that Floyd had an influx of "hippies" who moved there 40 years ago. There were several communes in the area and the influence of these folks are prevalent there today. The dress of many women is consistent with these characteristics that are associated with that sub-culture of the 60's. The women wear their hair long, parted in the middle, no or very little makeup, long dresses and booties or flip flops. The men also show some of these tendencies as well with their long hair in pony tails and facial hair. Several shop owners candidly discussed the "hippie" culture and its influence in Floyd with the artisans. Many shops displayed several artists and their works that included; painting, photography, pottery,woodworking and music. The Old Country Store was a typical old time store with everything from barrels of bulk candy to a small lunch counter and with the rear of the store set up for local musicians to jam every Friday night.

The Harvest Moon, a local eatery as well as a store noted for its organic vegetables, meat and herbs also displays the works of local wood working artisans; however the price of a cherry rocking chair at $4450.00 is a bit out of my budget. I walked into an old cemetery located between a small strip mall, residential trailers and a parking lot. One of the head stones dates back to the 1700's and I learned from a local merchant the grandson of Patrick Henry(give me liberty or give me death) was buried there with a non descript headstone. Another local store manager, Darcie was very candid with being the daughter of local artists who once lived on a commune in the area. She has a master degree in biology and moved back to the area. She was most satisfied with living in this small mountain town.

We wanted to eat at the local historic Pine Tavern. However it didn't open until 4:30 and on only 4 days a week. Well we would have had to wait for 2 hours so we decided to head back to Galax. We stopped in Hillsville to eat at a country buffet before heading to Wal-Mart. We then headed for the Old Town Market in Galax to look for some Buckwheat flour. We found some and picked up 2 bags for ourselves and our Galax friends in Florida.

We made it back to the cabin in time to take a hike to the top and then stop by for a visit with Audine. Keep her in your prayers as she has surgery in the morning for her broken ankle.

Until tomorrow missing our family, friends and grand daughters, Ava and Annsley.

Sunshine, Planted Grass Seed and Set Chairs at Cornerstone

Well the day started out with a cool morning in the high 40's but with bright sunshine and blue skies, YES after a wet rainy overcast cool day on Tuesday. After our quiet time we had a boring but healthy breakfast of oatmeal, banana and peaches. I transplanted some seedling of; lettuce, kale and tomato's that I will take back to Florida when we go in October.

The ground is still quite damp so I sowed some grass seed in some of the bare areas of the back yard. Many of the areas I planted a week ago have sprouted an grown an inch of grass with this last rain of about 1/2 inch plus. Nancy and I took a good hour long hike to the top of the mountain. After lunch of a fresh salad with grilled chicken, I continued to work in the bare areas of the backyard. Hopefully we will have enough rain in the future to give this newly planted grass seed a good start for the fall and winter so by next spring when we get back here our grass will be fully filled in.

Well we took off for Cornerstone about 4: 30 to help with setting up about 400 additional chairs for the concert on Saturday Night. What a turn out of volunteers and we were finished by 7:00 and that included eating pizzas afterwards. It's fun when there are so many folks inspired by what they are doing. I find it a privilege to be a part of this fine group of believers.

Well, we are back to the cabin and are making plan for our long awaited day trip tomorrow. I downloaded some of Nancy's pics she took today, and the pics of her insects are pretty good. Well will close for now missing our family and especially grand daughters Ava an Annsley.

Rain, Cool and Overcast and Family Dinner at Walt and Theia's

Tuesday was a stay in the warm, dry cabin except to venture out to the Piney Creek area and then to Walt and Theia for supper. We slept in again to about 8 AM and then after our quiet time we just watched T.V. and read. The rain was a constant drizzle most of the time until about 4 PM. Too wet to hike or be outside at all. Finally as we left the cabin the drizzle stopped.

We first stopped at the post office to get a letter off before the mail truck left the mountain at 4:30PM. Then we headed out to the Piney Creek area to visit Dale and Jamie and their 3 boys; Joseph, Cory and Conner. We have know this beautiful family before they became a family. Dale is adding a large 2 car garage with and a large room over head(Jamie says that is her get away place). We noticed the many new remodeled areas of their house with the updated bathroom and beautiful walk in shower and the stone work on the front and sides. Wow they have done and amazing job of fine tuning this house which was at one time part of an older structure that was cut in half and moved up the hill.

The boys entertained us with their bicycle skills while riding up and down the driveway as well as their hunting skills of finding toads and bugs to show us while Jamie was a little leery of the creatures getting loose in the house. Today was Joseph's 8 th birthday which made the day all that more special. We also tasted some "chinky pens". I think this is the way its spelled but they grow on a small tree or bush(on their property) and the husk looks like a chestnut; however the seed(nut) is much smaller than a chestnut. They are very tasty and I ate several.

We visited with them at their place until 6 or so then headed over to Walt's as he was preparing to grill steaks, burgers and dogs. Theia had made baked beans, Cole slaw and green beans and Nancy made a huge toss salad with her Greek dressing. Along with that were lots of chips, pickles etc. It was nearly 8 PM before we ate and that was topped off with a pecan pie and homemade vanilla ice cream.. What a feast!!! Our kids always talk about the many super feasts they have been apart of at Walt and Theis over the years while getting to know their family. We also got to meet Tommy's(youngest son) and his bride and their 2 girls. It was a grand time sharing old stories, photos and of course getting to know those 3 boys. It had been 2 years since we had been able to match our schedules with the whole family for a get together, of course they knew both Bobby and Amy before either were married and now that they have children it just makes our friendship all that much sweeter. Thanks Again to these dear friends!!!

Well, was after 10 PM before we headed back to the cabin and the deer were out feeding by the road. The night was still very dark with overcast skies and the dampness in the air was cool.It was in the low 50's(winter in Florida). Will close for now as the sun is out bright and the skies are blue(writing this Wed. morning). We are hoping we can get a good hike in the AM before heading out this evening to help set up chairs for the New Song concert this Saturday at Cornerstone.

Well will close for now but must update all on Audiene(Slide) on her condition with the broken ankle. She is to have surgery on Friday. Missing our kids and grand kids Ava an Annsley.