Well it was a rather quiet day with not much going on except worship at Cornerstone after our quiet time this morning and a bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and a peach. We headed out to Cornerstone where 6 or 7 students were recognized for graduating from the 8th and 12th grades. Afterwards we stopped by Subway for lunch before heading home.
I worked in the basement as I'm planning on finally getting around to painting the floor sometime this week after I get to Lowes in Galax for some floor paint. I moved out lots of empty wine bottles I had been storing as well as empty jars for canning. I found a home for the jars but will have to recycle the bottles. I managed to sweep then mop 1/2 of the basement floor as I will have to paint it in shifts. Amy called and we spoke with the kids then Tyler connected us with Skype and we got to see them and they us. It was such a great experience as the kids were just beautiful and so sweet. We must get Bobby to connect us one evening with his family as well. We were a little saddened as we miss them all so much and Ava and Sam had grown and changed so much in just 2 weeks.
We had a boring supper of canned chicken noodle soup and a fried bologna sandwich both of which were getting old so instead of tossing then we ate them and helped clean out the food cabinet and frig. After supper we took a hike to the top and saw no one but Joe watering his garden on top. It sure looked like rain here and we learned that about 6 miles away they had a great 15 minute downpour with lightning and thunder. We came back from the hike and I transplanted some lettuce and sun flowers into the garden. We finally got a little sprinkle about enough to see the gravel in the driveway get wet. Well not much else is going on so LATER.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Saturday
Well this was a laid back fun day with lots of activities, eating, hugging necks and visiting. The morning was just down right chilly with temp's in the high 50's and somewhat partly cloudy to start, eventually the sun broke through and it became a typical summer mountain day. We had a great breakfast of grits, home grown eggs from the Dalton chick's and fried ham, yikes was that ever good eatin'. We had to be in Sparta for a corn hole tournament fundraiser at 10 AM so we just lounged around and played with the plants.
We had a funtime in Sparta and even though I was a rookie at corn hole games, Caleb Dalton and I made a good showing. He was the youngest entry and the most competetive. He really takes this game serious and we had a good time. We had some tough competetion but was eliminated after the second round. His dad, Andy and grand father Gerald won the tournament so he has some big shoes to fill. It was a fun time and I got to meet some very nice folks.
We stopped by the Dalton Ranch on the way home and met their Percheon rescue(a large work horse), boy is he huge but has a bad right foot and leg, but has a wonderful personality, Big Dan is his name and I think he will fit right in with the rest of the horses, alpacas and cows. We had a good visit with him and then headed home for a lite lunch of salad. It was nearly 1:30 by then. After lunch I did some hand watering of them, then relaxed watching some college world series baseball and womens fastpitch softball, and cat napping while Nancy was on the porch reading. We both were still a little fuzzy from the late night haymaking at Eddie and Kimberly's farm.
About 5 we headed over to the Woodie River House where a crowd had gathered to eat catfish and homemade dishes and desserts. This is a beautiful gathering place along the Little River which is stocked with trout and other fish. Caleb caught a very nice trout there last year but only little chubs this year. He delighted the small children who gathered to watch him show off his fishing skills and we even set up the corn hole boxes and introduced the game there as well to many who had never heard of the game. There were several from Cornerstone Church, local dignitaries and prominent town officials and previous house buyers(as Larry and Pat are in the modular home business) and lots of Woodie family and friends. Nancy and I feel priviledged to know these fine folks and have been made welcomed among them. The food was excellent and what a variety with lots of home made dishes. We have been fortunate to have been there before and renewed old acquaintances and made many new ones. This is just a great family type occasion and we stayed until nearly dark which was 9 PM.
On our way home we stopped for a short visit with neighbors Grant and Shirley whom we hadn't seen for nearly a year. Seems we were in Florida each time they came to their cabin and we missed their annual weiner roast last year as well as we were attending the birth of our youngest grand son, Gabriel. It was good to see and hug their necks as well and to learn of the going on's of their family and what they've been doing. We were all yawning by the time we left their cabin as it was now going on 11PM as we all had a full and busy day, seems they have to leave again Sunday and go back to their farm down off the mountain and won't be back again except for a week towards the end of June. It was good to see them and to know their health seems great.
Well did that shower feel good and I read maybe 2 pages before cutting out the lights. I learned the RAYS finally won a game against the Mariners. LATER
We had a funtime in Sparta and even though I was a rookie at corn hole games, Caleb Dalton and I made a good showing. He was the youngest entry and the most competetive. He really takes this game serious and we had a good time. We had some tough competetion but was eliminated after the second round. His dad, Andy and grand father Gerald won the tournament so he has some big shoes to fill. It was a fun time and I got to meet some very nice folks.
We stopped by the Dalton Ranch on the way home and met their Percheon rescue(a large work horse), boy is he huge but has a bad right foot and leg, but has a wonderful personality, Big Dan is his name and I think he will fit right in with the rest of the horses, alpacas and cows. We had a good visit with him and then headed home for a lite lunch of salad. It was nearly 1:30 by then. After lunch I did some hand watering of them, then relaxed watching some college world series baseball and womens fastpitch softball, and cat napping while Nancy was on the porch reading. We both were still a little fuzzy from the late night haymaking at Eddie and Kimberly's farm.
About 5 we headed over to the Woodie River House where a crowd had gathered to eat catfish and homemade dishes and desserts. This is a beautiful gathering place along the Little River which is stocked with trout and other fish. Caleb caught a very nice trout there last year but only little chubs this year. He delighted the small children who gathered to watch him show off his fishing skills and we even set up the corn hole boxes and introduced the game there as well to many who had never heard of the game. There were several from Cornerstone Church, local dignitaries and prominent town officials and previous house buyers(as Larry and Pat are in the modular home business) and lots of Woodie family and friends. Nancy and I feel priviledged to know these fine folks and have been made welcomed among them. The food was excellent and what a variety with lots of home made dishes. We have been fortunate to have been there before and renewed old acquaintances and made many new ones. This is just a great family type occasion and we stayed until nearly dark which was 9 PM.
On our way home we stopped for a short visit with neighbors Grant and Shirley whom we hadn't seen for nearly a year. Seems we were in Florida each time they came to their cabin and we missed their annual weiner roast last year as well as we were attending the birth of our youngest grand son, Gabriel. It was good to see and hug their necks as well and to learn of the going on's of their family and what they've been doing. We were all yawning by the time we left their cabin as it was now going on 11PM as we all had a full and busy day, seems they have to leave again Sunday and go back to their farm down off the mountain and won't be back again except for a week towards the end of June. It was good to see them and to know their health seems great.
Well did that shower feel good and I read maybe 2 pages before cutting out the lights. I learned the RAYS finally won a game against the Mariners. LATER
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Friday
Well what another busy working day with the morning starting out in the low 60's and reaching the middle 80's but there was little or no humidity so it was ideal for being outside and being busy. After our usual quiet times I had a bowl of oatmeal with a banana and a peach for breakfast. After eating I headed out to check on the gardens.
I decided it would be a good morning to work on the sun side of the cabin as we usually don't get the direct sun until 10 or after so I drug out the ladder and got the bean sprayer loaded with pure bleach and proceeded to spray the mildew which had accumulated on the hemlock boards. Its amazing how bleach will kill and restore the stain of the boards to where it looks as if it was just stained. That took me a couple hours and I ended with doing the bumpout which meant I was out on the roof which gives Nancy the willy's. It is a fer piece to the ground(that hillbilly for its long way to earth). I had to cover all the flowers that surrounded the cabin with plastic to keep the bleach from decorating them with spots, anyhow that was one of those jobs where you can see the results immediately. I had a few tricky spots where the ladder had to be propted up with rocks and 2x4's as the ground is so uneven and Nancy was having her moments when I was at the end of a 24 ft ladder(wow that is a long way down, especially when your also on a 15 foot deck to start with). Oh well all is well that end well!!!
I decided since I had mowed the evening before and never got to weed whack the yard it was time to do so, so that meant up and down the property whacking for another hour or so and once again I had a wet shirt(that means a good work out in pickle ball time) by then I was famished so I finished 4 leftover ribs and Nancy made a suberb salad with fresh green onions from Joe's garden and fresh basil and cilantro from mine. After eating I decided it was time to put out lime on the yard so walking behind the fertiyzer spreader for what seemed like miles especially up and down this land was once again another wet shirt chore. Wow was I losing my mind as I knew we had made a promise to help with getting baled hay out of the field at 5 PM?
Nancy mentioned do you want to get our hike in for the day and I suggested she drive the golf cart to the mailbox and I headed to the basement to relax in a lawn chair and cool off. I think I might have even taken a power nap. She called on the radio and picked me up so we rode to the top of the mountain and stopped to visit Sarah who was walking Penny their 15 year old cocker. It was good to see her again and she as well has 2 new grandaughters a little younger than Ava and Annsley.
We had a snack before heading out to the hayfield, as we knew it would be a late supper or none at all so I broke down and drank a Dr. Pepper(first soft drink in months and ate the last piece of egg custard pie, also a first in quite awhile), wow did that ever revive me. So I loaded up some buckets(to gather horse droppings for my compost) and we headed to our good friends, Eddie and Kimberely's place. Well it seemed we would never get to loading hay as first his baler broke and he had to borrow a neighbors baler; then a pin sheared off which put that baler out of service until we could replace the pin( remember we are out in a hayfield which requires running back and forth to the barn for repairs) then finally we got enough bales to start picking up and loading on a trailer. Thankfully they had hired 2 fellers(which is country for males) both 19 year old's to help and boy am I glad they showed up as it was 9:45 PM when we stacked the last bale in barn and headed for home. What a busy day and I had no trouble falling asleep after a nice hot shower. It was a fun day with lots of different happenings. Tomorrow, Saturday will also be filled with lots of happenings as well. LATER
I decided it would be a good morning to work on the sun side of the cabin as we usually don't get the direct sun until 10 or after so I drug out the ladder and got the bean sprayer loaded with pure bleach and proceeded to spray the mildew which had accumulated on the hemlock boards. Its amazing how bleach will kill and restore the stain of the boards to where it looks as if it was just stained. That took me a couple hours and I ended with doing the bumpout which meant I was out on the roof which gives Nancy the willy's. It is a fer piece to the ground(that hillbilly for its long way to earth). I had to cover all the flowers that surrounded the cabin with plastic to keep the bleach from decorating them with spots, anyhow that was one of those jobs where you can see the results immediately. I had a few tricky spots where the ladder had to be propted up with rocks and 2x4's as the ground is so uneven and Nancy was having her moments when I was at the end of a 24 ft ladder(wow that is a long way down, especially when your also on a 15 foot deck to start with). Oh well all is well that end well!!!
I decided since I had mowed the evening before and never got to weed whack the yard it was time to do so, so that meant up and down the property whacking for another hour or so and once again I had a wet shirt(that means a good work out in pickle ball time) by then I was famished so I finished 4 leftover ribs and Nancy made a suberb salad with fresh green onions from Joe's garden and fresh basil and cilantro from mine. After eating I decided it was time to put out lime on the yard so walking behind the fertiyzer spreader for what seemed like miles especially up and down this land was once again another wet shirt chore. Wow was I losing my mind as I knew we had made a promise to help with getting baled hay out of the field at 5 PM?
Nancy mentioned do you want to get our hike in for the day and I suggested she drive the golf cart to the mailbox and I headed to the basement to relax in a lawn chair and cool off. I think I might have even taken a power nap. She called on the radio and picked me up so we rode to the top of the mountain and stopped to visit Sarah who was walking Penny their 15 year old cocker. It was good to see her again and she as well has 2 new grandaughters a little younger than Ava and Annsley.
We had a snack before heading out to the hayfield, as we knew it would be a late supper or none at all so I broke down and drank a Dr. Pepper(first soft drink in months and ate the last piece of egg custard pie, also a first in quite awhile), wow did that ever revive me. So I loaded up some buckets(to gather horse droppings for my compost) and we headed to our good friends, Eddie and Kimberely's place. Well it seemed we would never get to loading hay as first his baler broke and he had to borrow a neighbors baler; then a pin sheared off which put that baler out of service until we could replace the pin( remember we are out in a hayfield which requires running back and forth to the barn for repairs) then finally we got enough bales to start picking up and loading on a trailer. Thankfully they had hired 2 fellers(which is country for males) both 19 year old's to help and boy am I glad they showed up as it was 9:45 PM when we stacked the last bale in barn and headed for home. What a busy day and I had no trouble falling asleep after a nice hot shower. It was a fun day with lots of different happenings. Tomorrow, Saturday will also be filled with lots of happenings as well. LATER
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Thursday
Well once again I was awake at 5 AM but managed to stay in bed until 6 before getting to cool crisp morning at 60 degrees. There was such stillness at that hour except for the dew dripping off the roof and the lonely call of a crow in the distant. Nancy was still in bed but I had lots planned for the day and I wanted to get an early start before the high temps took over. After my quiet time I mic'd a couple poached home grown eggs from the Dalton Ranch and stirred them into a bowl of instant grits and then heated a couple pieces of leftover ham from supper last night and I had plenty of calories to get through half the day. I loaded up the chainsaw on the golf cart and headed to Ms. Helen's to finish the job I started yesterday when the saw malfunctioned.
I cut up about a chord of firewood and stacked it for my friend Andy as he has a large water heater that uses wood to heat water for his house. Helen and I had a brush fire going as we burned the smaller branches and twigs plus we cleaned up a lot of brush that was in her way for mowing. Nancy came over about 10AM and helped us haul and stack the wood for Andy. Afterwards we headed over to Joe's to visit and see his beautiful flower gardens. We dug up some Larkspur as he had it growing everywhere as well as pulled 1/2 dozen green onions. After leaving Joe's, Nancy dropped me off at Helen's to retrieve the golf cart before heading home to plant the Larkspur in the flower beds.
We had ham sandwiches with the leftover potato salad for lunch which happened to be the best she had ever made. After lunch I got out the bean sprayer and loaded it with full strength bleach and sprayed the front porch side of the cabin as well as the back porch side to kill the black mildew. I will still need to climb the ladder and spray both sides of the cabin as well as the bump out. Where I sprayed the wood exterior looks new. It was too hot to continue as most of what I sprayed was in the shade under the porch roofs. It was down right hot in the sun.
The shade finally got into the lower garden so I headed down to dig dirt up and around the potato's and to transplant about 2 dozen sun flower seedlings into larger pots. Nancy fried up 3 large yellow squash for supper and we had doctored them up with basil, thyme, red pepper and cilantro. That along with cantaloupe made up our supper. After eating I jumped on the riding mower and mowed all the yards except the backwoods yard. After mowing it was still light enough so we took off on our hike for the day. We stopped and visited with Norm before heading back down. The gnats were bothersome this evening so I built a fire when we got back to the cabin and burned trash. That seemed to help a little as it drove the bugs away. I hand watered the gardens just before dark as we have had no rain for about a week.
Well there was a request on the phone recorder for help in the hayfield tomorrow evening so that will be our daily good deed for the day. LATER
I cut up about a chord of firewood and stacked it for my friend Andy as he has a large water heater that uses wood to heat water for his house. Helen and I had a brush fire going as we burned the smaller branches and twigs plus we cleaned up a lot of brush that was in her way for mowing. Nancy came over about 10AM and helped us haul and stack the wood for Andy. Afterwards we headed over to Joe's to visit and see his beautiful flower gardens. We dug up some Larkspur as he had it growing everywhere as well as pulled 1/2 dozen green onions. After leaving Joe's, Nancy dropped me off at Helen's to retrieve the golf cart before heading home to plant the Larkspur in the flower beds.
We had ham sandwiches with the leftover potato salad for lunch which happened to be the best she had ever made. After lunch I got out the bean sprayer and loaded it with full strength bleach and sprayed the front porch side of the cabin as well as the back porch side to kill the black mildew. I will still need to climb the ladder and spray both sides of the cabin as well as the bump out. Where I sprayed the wood exterior looks new. It was too hot to continue as most of what I sprayed was in the shade under the porch roofs. It was down right hot in the sun.
The shade finally got into the lower garden so I headed down to dig dirt up and around the potato's and to transplant about 2 dozen sun flower seedlings into larger pots. Nancy fried up 3 large yellow squash for supper and we had doctored them up with basil, thyme, red pepper and cilantro. That along with cantaloupe made up our supper. After eating I jumped on the riding mower and mowed all the yards except the backwoods yard. After mowing it was still light enough so we took off on our hike for the day. We stopped and visited with Norm before heading back down. The gnats were bothersome this evening so I built a fire when we got back to the cabin and burned trash. That seemed to help a little as it drove the bugs away. I hand watered the gardens just before dark as we have had no rain for about a week.
Well there was a request on the phone recorder for help in the hayfield tomorrow evening so that will be our daily good deed for the day. LATER
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Wednesday
Wow was it ever another HOT day here in what usually is the cool mountains. The temps reached 86 which is cooler than yesterday at 93, yikes it was cooler in Seminole at 73 around 4 PM than here at that time. Sure was great to see that some rain finally gave our garden and yard a drink as its been a couple weeks since any fell there; and here well I had to water the gardens after our hike to the top this evening.
The morning was much the usual as I rolled out around 6 AM, did my quiet time and finish up the leftover buckwheat cakes before heading over to Ms. Helen's for some work. I wanted to get an early start as the day was fore casted to be in the 90's again. I started sawing up several tree limbs when all of a sudden my chain froze so I had to give up after about 15 minutes. I could not see what was causing the chain not to move. After getting back to the cabin and in the cool of the basement after lunch I found the problem. The guides on the end of the saw blade were frozen because of dirt and sawdust buildup so after cleaning them out with a knife and lubricating them with some WD 40 the chain ran smoothly around the blade, so I will tackle the trees again tomorrow.
After giving up on the chainsaw I headed to her garage to shorten a workbench so she could get a freezer in her garage. That was a bigger than expected job as it was put together to last forever. After cleaning up the mess and hauling the wood pieces out to her lower shed I headed out to the driveway to put up her deer crossing sign to one of her power poles. Well I was finished at her place about 11:30 and was soaked with sweat as it felt like Florida.
I finally cooled off in the basement and now the chainsaw working again, so I headed out to the back property to fell a couple lodge pole pines for new fencing around my lower garden. Wow was it ever hot and humid so I would from time to time sneak into the basement to cool off.
Joe and Helen came for supper as Nancy had fixed much of what we were eating ahead of time so as not to heat up the kitchen anymore than necessary. She made a delicious potato salad, 1/2 runner beans, fried ham and cantaloupe with an egg custard pie for dessert.(I once again refrained from the dessert, although this was a tough choice to by pass). Supper was excellent and we all had seconds. After Joe and Helen left we cleaned up and got ready to head out for our daily hike to the top with temps still close to 80 degrees. We stopped at Norm's and I helped him move a heater down to his lower storage shed and bring a fan back up for his living area. He seems to be suffering more from his severe leg wounds because of his blood poisoning and today at the VA. they had to due another skin graft and scrape the old wound with out any anesthesia. Yikes he looked wiped out and could barely walk. After leaving Norm's we headed back down the mountain so I could drag the hose out and give all my garden beds a good drink. Last week we were over watered but today with all this heat the plants really needed a drink, LATER Here are a few pics from this week end with sister Dee and daughter Kelly and Bonnie Lu(the dog)
Tuesday
Well once again another busy day with non-stop work and tinkering. It turned out to be downright HOT with some record settings here in the mountains. We were officially at 93 on our back porch so we stayed out of the sun most of the afternoon as we had to go to town for some errands. The morning was beautiful with 65 and such quietness after the night before when every living thing around the cabin was yipping most of the night, anyhow after my quiet time and a couple buckwheat cakes I worked in the gardens until it was time to head over Ms. Helen's.
I climbed onto her roof and gave her chimney 3 coats of waterproofing then installed her window a/c in the back bedroom. Wednesday I'm heading back over to saw up some down trees and limbs then reduce her work bench in size the garage so she can get a freezer. She is such a worker and got a good bill of health from the doctor yesterday for her age. What a delight she is and so upbeat. We are having her and her brother Joe for supper on Wednesday.
After a supper of leftovers we headed out to the top of the mountain hiking and visited with Joe and Jetta then stopped and visited with Norm and finally stopped and visited with Fred, Brenda and Rico(dog) before heading back down below to the cabin. It was close to 8 PM so we decided to watch a little of the History channel about the Civil War. Lee and Grant were featured the first hour and we both started to get sleepy so I headed for the shower.
We spoke with Amy while she ran some errands. Sam is climbing everything with such ease its almost frightening. We saw some great video on Annsley and Gabe in the bath as well as Ava and Sam outside dancing and inspecting the car, too cute. We sure miss those little ones, Later
I climbed onto her roof and gave her chimney 3 coats of waterproofing then installed her window a/c in the back bedroom. Wednesday I'm heading back over to saw up some down trees and limbs then reduce her work bench in size the garage so she can get a freezer. She is such a worker and got a good bill of health from the doctor yesterday for her age. What a delight she is and so upbeat. We are having her and her brother Joe for supper on Wednesday.
After a supper of leftovers we headed out to the top of the mountain hiking and visited with Joe and Jetta then stopped and visited with Norm and finally stopped and visited with Fred, Brenda and Rico(dog) before heading back down below to the cabin. It was close to 8 PM so we decided to watch a little of the History channel about the Civil War. Lee and Grant were featured the first hour and we both started to get sleepy so I headed for the shower.
We spoke with Amy while she ran some errands. Sam is climbing everything with such ease its almost frightening. We saw some great video on Annsley and Gabe in the bath as well as Ava and Sam outside dancing and inspecting the car, too cute. We sure miss those little ones, Later
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