Cool morning,Buckwheat Pancakes,Great Hike and Dominos

This morning felt like a fall morning with temps down in the 50's but something in the air made you feel like you could feel that fall was close by. After a quick check for deer damage(no new damage) and our quiet time Nancy once again made those golden brown delicious buckwheat(banana in the batter) pancakes.YUMMMM!!!!

We decided to take a long hike to the top of the mountain where we visited with Nancy and Mike and then a little further we stopped and talked with Tommy and Carole. Both couples live else where.

When we got back Gerald came by and helped me put the topper back on the truck(I removed it for hauling lime) and then I took several pictures of his new cabin that's being built, an about finished.

Nancy and I took a golf cart ride and visited with Grant to invite them up for games this evening when he informed us Shirley had been up all night with some stomach bug. Needless to say we knew what she was enduring(last Christmas we had that bug) so we stayed far away. On the way back we stopped at the mailbox and got our property tax bill for the year, YUCK!!!!!

We did a snack lunch because Nancy was making her great Mexican Rice dish for dinner. That a meal in one dish and very good. We then caught up on some reading and Internet e-mails.

Today was kind of a laid back day with nothing pressing. I made a birdhouse(refurbished an old one) and made a handle for an old hoe out of a piece of oak branch. I love making do with what's on hand instead of always buying new, besides it what pioneers would have had to do on the wagon trains going west.(That's my standard for Nancy.)

Domino's was a success for Nancy as she wiped the floor with us after Eddie got off to a great start. She just broke a 100 and Kimberly was nearly 500 with myself and Eddie in between.

Well, will close for now as tomorrow is nursery day at Cornerstone. It's our turn to love on those little ones and do our part so others can be in the worship service. It's such a joy to be able to serve others.

Later, missing our babies and grand babies Ava and Annsley.

Cool Morning, Great Hike,Battled the Bats, Spread a Ton of Lime and Ate Great Catfish for Dinner

The morning was a cool one with temp's in the 50's. After our morning quiet time I did a deer damage check and found where a large deer munched on my tomato's ate Nancy's Hydrangeas and a few other flowers. Oh well its to be expected when you live in the woods.

After breakfast I ventured onto the roof to plug a few more holes and hopefully keep these bats at bay. They really don't bother me as I would never know they are in the roof but Nancy has a fit. So now that has become my priority as for now.

After lunch I went over to a farm supply in Virginia and purchased a scoop of bulk lime for my garden and yard. The bad thing is you have to spread the lime by hand with a shovel. Needless to say it was hard work and a job getting the truck bed clean. Well with a wash job for the truck it took Nancy and myself all afternoon.

Gerald(neighbor from Raleigh) came by and sampled some of my recently made Merlot. I must admit its not bad and sister Dee loved it. Well after Gerald left I fried some great catfish(Andy and Caleb caught) and it was delicious along with some home grown beans and rice. Wow was that a superb dinner. Thanks Andy for the fish and Nancy for being a great cook.

Well I'm bushed this evening so I will not stay up until 1:30 AM to watch the Olympics as Nancy did last night. Later missing all our family and grand daughters, Ava and Annsley.

A Cool Morning, Great Hike,Went to Cornerstone and once again Trying to Outsmart Bats

Well it was a beautiful morning with cool(almost cold)temp, Nancy had sweats and a flannel. After our quiet time and once again no deer damage we settled down to a good breakfast of buckwheat pancakes(with a banana in the batter). YUMM!!!!We got a load of clothes in the washer and I got ready to stuff some steel wool into the edge of our tin roof.



Its amazing how such a large looking creature(bat in flight) can get its body into such a small space. Bats can squeeze into a space between a 1/4" to 1/2" width crack. I first held a bug fogger in the crack hoping to flush them out but to no avail so I plugged the crack line. Well tonight after the sun went down I could hear the bats crawing around inside the roof and they crawled completely across the roof and exited the roof cap. I got the ladder out and Nancy held the flashlight while I plugged the roof cap hoping they won't be able to re-enter the crack in the morning. Last year I plugged all the seams in the roof with canned foam. Rat and Audiene are also having trouble with bats in their roof.



We had a great hike and on our way ran into John and Shirley with their grandaughter and a friend. We also met an older couple Leo and Wanda Hardy from Elkin who were out looking for their property located above our's. They had managed to get their car up the washed out and grown over road leading to the top. I told him to blow his horn 3 times if he was unable to get it back down. He wanted no help at all even those they both were very elderly.



We had to go to Cornerstone to take orders for the Angelfood Ministry at 3PM so we decided to eat our large meal at 1:30PM and just have a snack when we got home at 6:30. Nancy fixed oven spuds, brocolli, salad and leftover brats. We had a home grown tomato(Eddie and Kimberly grew)sandwich for supper. Thank guys it was delicious.

Well after supper we worked in the yard, Nancy pulled more grass from around the fire circle and I watered and weeded in the garden and kept a lookout for those bats. Finally we spotted them exiting the roof at dark. Later missing our family and grand kids, Ava and Annsley.

Slept in,Hiked, a few boring chores, a visit to Eddie and Kimberly and pulled weeds.

Well it was a cool overcast morning in the 50's and a good morning to catch up on some lost sleep. After our quiet time we did a garden check for deer damage and found no new hoof prints. After breakfast we took a long hike to the top and came back and decided to visit Eddie and Kimberly. We took our garbage cans and filled them with good horse manure for my compost pile.

We ate a small snack for lunch about 2 PM and decided to eat an early dinner. Nancy sauteed fresh squash, peppers and onions with garlic. YUMM!!!We also had some brat's and a fresh garden salad.

After dinner we pulled grass which grows everywhere(in the driveway) but where its supposed too. We decided to walk over and visit Ray and Audine. On the way we met Gary who needed help carrying Jodi and Gerald's cast iron bath tub up their stairs. Well it took 4 of us to get that baby in the upstairs bathroom.

Well Nancy spotted some bats (I had shut out last year from the roof line) flying out from under the upstairs dormer and the top edge of the tin roof. Either they never left last year or the ones Ray is trying to get rid of from his roof had moved over to my place. Any how, I now have a new project.

Well it looked like rain all day and temps stayed in the low 70's. It was a great day to be outdoors. Will close for now missing our families, friends and especially Ava and Annsley.

Back on the Web after Short Vacation

Well we made it back to the cool mountains of the Carolina's after a 4 day trip to Winchester and Woodstock,Va. Actually it was very nice with temp's in the 70's for the daytime and down in the 50's at night while in Va. Nancy and I visited several family members and attended the Gravel Springs picnic which was celebrating its 135 anniversary. WOW what a feast and the Blue Grass Music was superb. I managed to clog a little with older sister, Josie(Sharon Borden).

We had 22 members of our family for a dinner on Friday night at Cracker Barrel. That was also a superb meal. We had the youngest cousin, Finn Logan Tharpe at 2 months of age present as well as the oldest member, Paw Paw(Dad) Triplett at 80 + years of age. Afterwards we met back at Paw Paw's for birthday cake and ice cream. Thanks Josie for setting up this surprise treat.

Sunday morning several of us, Paw Paw and his lady friend Adaline, Dee and daughter Kelly, myself and wife Nancy met at St. Johns Church in Mt.Williams for worship. Many family members are buried in the old cemetery that dates back to the 1700's. After worship we gathered together for a dinner(lunch) of turkey & dressing at the Hayfield Restaurant near Gore ,Va. We visited some old family friends, Johnny and Wanda Whitacre at their residence near Gore. We observed the most unusual flower called "snow on the mountain" that was growing and blooming out of the asphalt in their parking lot.

Sunday night found us heading south to Woodstock to stay the night with youngest sister Dee and daughter Kelly. Husband Mike and oldest daughter Halley Jo are in ROTC and were fulfilling an obligation in Washington State and Texas. Sorry we missed you guys. We had a raucous game of domino's while watching the Olympics. I believe if my memory serves me right I won both nights of domino's. Monday, Dee took us to downtown Woodstock where we observed some beautiful old homes and the oldest active court house west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This court house was built during George Washington's presidency. After a sumptuous lunch in a small cafe we took a nice ride outside of town, crossing a one lane bridge that spans a fork of the Shenandoah River. The setting was marvelous with deer present everywhere in the hay fields. Speaking of deer those nasty buggers had a great time eating in my garden while we were away.

We left this morning headed back to our cabin with a new addition in the bed of the truck. Dee and Mike gave us their old(rather like new) riding lawn mower as they purchased a new wide cut John Deere. Their 3 acre lot was to much for the little guy but its just right for our wooded property. Thanks Much, Guys!!!

We traveled the BRP both ways to and from the Roanoke Area before finishing up the trip on I-81 to Winchester. The parkway drive is very nice, refreshing and calm compared to the truck traffic on I-81. Nancy definitely played a role in choosing this route.

Well we missed all of you and will have to get back in the know after letting dust cover these keys for for the past 4 days. Later missing our Florida and N.C.families and especially Ava and Annsley.

Rain, 2 Hikes, Banana Buckwheat pancakes and 2 loaves Zucchini Bread

Well it was a wet morning with rain most of the night. I don't believe the sun was out more than 30 minutes all day long. After our quiet time this morning and a check for deer damage(none)I caught up on last night's blog(no Internet service).

We took a nice long hike to the top and down through the devastated area. By the time we got back I had worked up a good sweat and it was nearly noon. Nancy had made banana buckwheat pancakes for breakfast and believe me they stick to your ribs, so we weren't hungry until after 2 PM, at which time we ate a fresh garden salad.

Nancy made 2 fresh loves of Zucchini bread to take with us to Virginia tomorrow. We will be away from these hills as we travel up the Shenandoah Valley to Winchester to visit with my family. We are going to travel the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Roanoke Area before cutting over to I-81. Well I'm sure I will have plenty to share with all of you when we return on Tuesday. Take Care, missing our family, friends and especially Ava and Annsley.

Birthday, Day Trip to Mathews Farm, Hillsville and Harmons Museum

Well, Wednesday August 6 th was a special day as I'm officially a senior citizen with discounts galore. I'm writing this blog on Thursday morning(usually write it when it's fresh in my mind the same day,now that I'm older) after being unable to access the Internet last evening. Anyhow I'm back on the air waves with an exciting fun filled day.

First the morning was warm with a near 70 degree morning and our outside inspection of the gardens turned out with no deer damage; yet once again needing rain. I hand watered the evening before but that really doesn't compare to a good gentle tin roof sound soaking. After our quiet time with the Creator we began to get ready for a busy day as we were meeting with our mountain buddy's Helen and Joe at 9:30.

We exchanged some veggies, books, canned beets and jam with them before venturing out to Galax and the Mathews Farm. Now this farm is a working farm which means the farm is going back to the early era of the 1800's and trying to recreate the methods of farming for those days. They are trying to farm with horse draw equipment as well as using some old methods of refrigeration by using a spring house which has water running through and into a building from a fresh spring. The water is very cool and would suffice to keep things from spoiling for several days. We also saw their chickens, a fat hog and several sheep which has recently been sheared for their wool. Their garden was magnificent however there was evidence of deer, racoon and ground hog damage. This can be expected as the farm is without a caretaker at present. We observed a lot of old, old tools, appliances and what knots that were used to make a farmers family life easier, however ladies you never had it so good as you do now.

After leaving Mathews we were a bit hungry from climbing in old barns, an old log cabin, dodging "meadow muffins" that is sheep , horse and cow droppings. So it was time for a visit McAdoo's Restaurant downtown Galax. We ate too much as their sandwiches are huge which caused us to change our plans for dinner at Appleby's later in the day. After lunch we headed to Hillsville, Va.

Well this little sleepy community is nestled in some very rolling hills(hence the name Hillsville)with surrounding farm land, Christmas tree farms and apple orchards. The old court house is guarded by a huge statue of a Confederate Soldier that's indicative of the feeling's that once surrounded this area 140 years ago. Whats most interesting is the court house shooting that took place there in 1912. A tragic shooting that once dominated the headlines of newspapers through out the nation only to be out done by a greater tragedy, 3 days later; the sinking of the Titantic. There is a museum with a mock up of how and who were involved in the shooting as well as; lots of Indian artifacts, tools of the era, WWI and WWII memorabilia from local residents who served their nation proud as well as the first local women KIA in the Gulf War. Kudos to this community for their attempt to honor their residents and local hero's.

When we first got to the court house we had the privilege to meet a lady who was very excited about our interest in this area and who was originally from Hillsville but had moved away yet returned to her roots. Her great grandfather Marshall had been an influence in the writing of the book THE MAN WHO MOVED A MOUNTAIN. He is pictured on page 111. Thanks to Janet Hylton Tate for her enthusiasm and willingness to be a fountain of information. She is definitely a "bubbling" fountain.

We left the court house and observed possibly the largest house in the area and was definitely the finest house in the area at that time. The Carter House (which sits next to the court house)is being refurbished and there is no admittance into this extravagant house. We did learn much about this mining baron who was very prominent in this area at another museum in Woodlawn. Before leaving town we drove by the Signa Allen house outside of town This house also was very magnificent with his architecture design and appearance of wealth. He was a major figure in the court house shooting and eventually was captured and tried. I don't have enough space to go into the particulars but these were well to do folks and the talk is that politics played a major role for what happened there in 1912.

Well on our way back to Galax we first stopped at Yoder's (Amish or Mennonite) grocery store in Woodlawn. After perusing their huge stock of bulk dry goods and home baked desserts we headed for Harmon's museum(just down the road in Woodlawn). When you first arrive you would never know there was such a collection of; Indian, civil war, local history, revolutionary war, a stuffed 2 headed calf with 6 legs, photos and artifacts. This museum is truly a week worth of time to read all of the original documents that date back to the 1500's. This is a small Smithsonian in miniature. If ever you have the chance to visit this place you will be amazed at its contents. On a personal note I found a document(the will of James Wood) that my high school alma mater in Winchester,Va is named after.

Well we could not have a day trip that did not end with a stop at Wal-Mart for some goodies. We also stopped at Hortens Grocery outside of Galax for some of Joe's favorite boneless,skinless chicken breasts. At last we were on our way back to the cabin just a head of a big black cloud. Not long after getting home we had a nice rain and then again during the night we had a down pour several times. Thank You Lord.

Well will close for now as today will be a wind down day after yesterday. We just got word that Dean(accident victim) is now sitting up in a chair and conversing freely with all around him. Thank You Lord for answered prayers. Missing our family, friends and grand babies Ava and Annsley.