The temps were in the 60's to start the day so as the others slept in I did my usual routine(s) before they arose. I headed out to check the gardens and found a few beetles but no deer damage. The rain is really bringing on the gardens and I now have okra as well as corn up for the first time after the third planting. My corn is in packs so I'm torn between transplanting it before we leave for about 5 days or take the chance it will live until we get back and put it then into the ground, oh well. Nancy made buckwheat cakes with fresh peach and wild huckle berries (I picked in the back woods yard) in the batter and they were superb along with sausage patties and cackleberries. That held me until supper at the Tracy's around 6'ish.
The New River Trail is about 58 miles in length and its a cinder based trail (after the rails have been removed) and it runs along the Chestnut Creek that empties into the New River which is supposedly the oldest river in America. Don't asked me how it is as it doesn't make sense to me how it's dated but that's the storyline, anyhow we saw lots of deer just grazing like a cows on the opposite side from us in bright day light. Somehow they are aware it's awhile until hunting season but this area is so rugged I wonder how anyone could possibly carry a downed deer out of here except on the trail and its a state park with no hunting allowed, oh well!
We(the Botbyl's) got back to the cabin around 3' ish. Nancy made a squash casserole using some fresh garden squash Gerald gave us as well as some purchased from the veggie stand which we took with us to the Tracy's. The Botbyl's were moving out from us and spending the next 2 nights with them as we leave Thursday so they were packing up for the move. We snacked on delicious ore'derves Kathryn had prepared along with a little vino while watching the USA soccer team lose in a close match to Belgium 2-1. Patrick had burgers on the grill and then we had a great meal of a special mac and cheese, Nancy's casserole and all the fixen's for the burgers eaten outside on their picnic table while enjoying the ambiance of the beautiful mountains in the distance. They have an awesome view of the distant mountains.
We headed out for the cabin shortly after the sunset which was just beautiful and was back just before total darkness. We seldom see the sunset unless we are on our mountain top as we are down in the woods.
