Well Wednesday morning was rather chilly for us with temps in the 50's, yikes was it ever nippy in the cabin when I awakened around 6'ish as we had left most of the windows partially open over night. I wore long pants and a flannel shirt most of the morning when I headed outside to work after my usual routine(s). I did oatmeal with a fresh peach, cinnamon and honey to start the day after my handful of vitamins & supplements, a few quiet moments with my Maker and then the posting of this ramble.
I decided I wanted to take out the big black ugly pine tree in the backwoods yard so I managed to get a rope about 18 feet up the trunk and secured that to a large oak nearby to use as a fulcrum for Nancy to pull on while I sawed. I didn't want to let it hit our arbor as it was somewhat leaning in that direction but down hill. Well it was just enough of a tug as it began to fall that we placed it where we wanted it to fall with the top almost on the brush pile down below in the gully. Well that was a great start to this project. I will also dig around this stump for burning at a later date. I wanted to use this pine wood when I burn out the last oak stump sometime next week after we get some rain. I had to chainsaw the remaining small section of oak stump number three that failed to burn completely and then I filled in that hole and now I'm ready to sow some grass seed.
We decided to get our hike out of the way as it was around 11 before I worked up the downed tree into stove length pieces. The air was quite clear for a change and we could see the buildings in downtown Winston-Salem from the top of the mountain. We spoke with Norm and Dean as they were heading back to the doctors at Baptist Hospital. Norm is still very weak and not doing great but he is one tough feller for his age with a bad heart. Dean has been a blessing as a neighbor as he drives him 3-4 times a week down off the mountain to the VA and the doctors offices in Winston. We chatted up Joe and patted Zeke as Jetta was off the mountain. Her garden is producing beautiful beans and some cukes so there is hope for mine.
We came back around noon and decided to have a quick lunch of a peanut butter wrap with onions for me. I know that sounds weird but the taste of the two together stimulates my taste buds and I love it more so than chocolate and peanut butter. After lunch I headed out to change the chainsaw blade and then I worked up the downed tree. I made several loads with the golf cart to the top of the hill with the cut up wood and that machine is a work horse. It was after 3 before I made the last load then it was time to rake the hill side down to the gully and pile the last of the debris from the tree.
After cleaning up in the basement I watered the gardens by hand and then we got ready as we were having neighbor Gerald for a supper of grilled bone-in pork chops, salad, black beans and Jasmine rice. Yeow was that ever tasty and we ate outside on the deck in the cool evening air. After Gerald left around 7'ish we headed out to the mailbox on the golf cart and then decide to visit with the Carl and Donna Hudson as we noticed their gate was open which meant they were back at their cabin. We hadn't seen them in a year or more and hadn't had a good talk with them in a couple years. We sat outside on their front porch and viewed the mountains off in the distant with a little vino until nearly sunset. You could feel the temperature dropping as the sun slid below the mountain top. It was a chilly ride back to the cabin in the golf cart.
Well it was time to close up the cabin when we got back just as darkness was fast approaching. The chill was in the air and it wasn't long before I was in the hot shower. I watched a little of the Fox News channel with Megyn Kelly before grabbing my book and heading for the bedroom to read until lights out for me at 10:30, Nancy followed sometime later as she likes to watch the RFD channel and the horse shows, LATER
