Well Wednesday was a gastronomic delight day as we were having a houseful for supper so I had 4 racks of baby back's on the smoker filled with apple wood for about 6 hours or so. Yikes was that an awesome smell for most of the afternoon. Everyone chipped in with dishes of taters, broccoli salads, garlic bread, corn and strawberry/rhubarb pies as well as watermelon. What a feast and Kay even took the bones home for their dogs.
I started the day with a 5:30 roll out and was in the garden at 5:45 transplanting some lettuces and peppers into the upper garden then I went on slug patrol. We didn't get any rain on Wednesday night so there were just a few of the slimy critters in the garden and I quickly did away with them with a walking stick and under my boot. I worked out in the garden until nearly 8 o'clock before heading in to eat a light breakfast, spend a few quiet minutes with the Creator and post this ramble. I will be so glad to get a new router as I'm writing this in the bedroom bending over a small tray where my modem sits on top of the dresser. I will be forever grateful for the small things like sitting at the dining room table gazing out into the yards instead of looking at a wall; however a bad day here in the mountains is almost better than a good day in hot humid Florida except for not seeing my kids and grand kids.
After eating I loaded up the golf cart with the weed whacker, rake and clippers and headed down the driveway to mow the grass on the shoulder which was knee high or so, rake out the ditches, clip the over hanging trees branches and then rake the gravel from the edges of the road into the center of the driveway into the ruts caused by the huge down pour the night before. Well that turned out to be a bigger job than I anticipated and lasted right up to lunch time. Walking up and down that steep driveway is a job in and of itself. My muscles were aching by lunch time.
After lunch I piddled around in the garden staking my tomatoes plants which have some blooms already and then a few other garden chores before we took off on a hike to the top of the mountain. My legs were screaming as we made the 15-18 degree slope up the back trail. It was close to 80 degrees on the back porch when we headed out and in the direct sunshine even hotter on top. We visited with Joe and Jetta for a few as they get ready for a couple of their teenage grandsons visit for a week or so. Joe already has piles of woods for them to split and stack for next winters heat which should keep them busy and help to build muscles as well.
We headed back down and it was going on 4 o'clock so we did a few cabin finishing touches as we were expecting the first of our 13 dinner guests around 6'ish. We were looking forward to seeing everyone for the first time in over 7 months except for Mechelle, Kallie and Caleb who we saw at church our first Sunday back and to see Howard who just flew in from Arizona for a visit with brother Patrick and Kathryn. They came to watch the hockey game as well as eat with us and though the house was full we had a great time of eating and then 8 of us played a game of Balderdash while others were into the game. Kay was the big winner with her creative thinking(biggest liar) and I was dead last as I think my mind was feeling like my muscles, whupped! Nancy is usually a winner at this game but she too was stymied for a change. I think all of the physical activity affected our brains.
We stayed up and watched the Lightning lose in a close game in Chicago 2-1 and now the next game will be played in Tampa this weekend as they are tied at 2 games a piece. It wasn't long after the cleanup and into the third period of the game I was nodding off so I hit the showers after the Tracy's left for home. I don't think I moved once I hit the sheets until nearly 6 this morning, LATER
We want to see this bear that our "mountain mom" Helen is seeing daily in the fields down from her cabin and is probably the same bear that was looking in her garage door windows. It seems to be eating leftover dried corn from the fields down below her place, so we will head over there this afternoon especially if she sees it out in the open and bring her some of the smoked ribs as well.
