Tuesday Morning

Well Sunday night an into Monday morning was brutally cold for us Floridians with thin blood, yikes it was 26 on the back porch and the wind which had somewhat been reduced to a normal blow by morning;  but during the night it howled and I found where it had blown out one of the window screen. The wind chill must have been down into the teens, oh well we survived with just the two portable heaters and by late afternoon it had warmed up to a balmy 55 with bright sunshine and blue skies.

The day started with us sleeping in under the warm flannel blankets until nearly 7:30 for me. I woke up around 6'ish and turned the heaters on so as to warm up the cabin which had dropped down to a chilly 60 overnight. I hate to leave the portable heaters on during the night incase of a short which could start a fire, anyhow it didn't take long for the cabin to warm up to 70 which is perfect. I headed out around 9'ish to check on the plants I had covered during the night with rocks on the buckets to keep them from being blown away and all but one seemed to have survived the killing freeze. The garden veggies froze as did the Zinnias except for the Kale plant which seemed to thrive in this cold. The two plants together lasted all of last winter and all of this summer and is still looking good; who knows maybe it will be here next summer when we come back. The storm had actually blown them over but the roots where still intact so I straightened them up and they looked good by the afternoon.

I did my normal routines that starting with a cup of hot green tea laced with honey and turmeric while I spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and for many who are hurting and then I posted this ramble. I know it was late as I'm use to posting it by 6:30 or so but since I've been taking this supplement of valerian and hops I've been sleeping somewhat sounder and longer despite Nancy's snoring(chainsaw) during the night. There isn't much change or updates with those who I mention by name but I did learn my FHP Troop Commander passed away who was but 6 years older than me, yikes. I always thought he was the picture of health.

After breakfast which was really brunch I bundled up and headed out to take down the chicken wire that was supporting the now dead green bean vines as well as the stanchions that hold it up around the upper garden. It was unsightly with the dead bean vines. I then cut off all of the Zinnia heads and placed them in the sun to dry for next years planting. The heads were so small due to the late sowing so I may have to buy some seeds to supplement next years planting in June. We heated up some leftover soup that was frozen for our lunch then headed out around 2 for a hike to the top of the mountain. The distance views were nice but almost all the trees are now bare except for the oaks and they are mostly different shades of browns. The storm did a number on any more leave color.

Luckily I had harvested the green beans on Sunday afternoon and we added to those from a week or so and Nancy made a pot of green beans with bacon, onion and chicken broth and my oh my were they ever delicious. That was our supper on this cool evening as the temps started dropping when the sun went down. We tuned into the FOX News channel and once again the crooked Hillary, Obama, Comey and Mueller's names were left out of the biased MSM lack of coverage in their collusion and treasonous deal to sell 20% of of our uranium to Russia; instead they focused on deeds that occurred years before with these two men who became a part of our POTUS team who were later fired. I have never seen such egregious deals by our top people in government with the enemy and they try to use their collusion to implicate Trump. We are in a crisis with a double standard with equal protection under the law. These criminals aren't being investigated by the MSM and they are covering up for these crooks. Thankfully FOX has so far with folks like Hannity and now Laura Ingrahm are bringing forth this lack of holding these criminals accountable which goes all the way to the top of the last administration.

I was a little skeptical of the "deep state" mentioned at times who were trying to subvert Trump but now it's evident that is the case. The(Dem's) have lost their power and if Hillary had won we never would have know these facts that she, Obama, the FBI and the DOJ were all in cahoots with selling our uranium to the enemy for money which wound up in the Clinton's pockets and probably all the rest of the players.They are so afraid that Trump will drain the swamp and they will be found out of their treasonous acts, so it was their plan to charge him with doing exactly what they were doing. The facts will come out and I can only hope all of them will be incarcerated which is what is needed to restore some credibility to our judicial system and especially the FBI. I'm afraid there has been done irreparable damage to them and the DOJ by this past administration as well as to the MSM with their lack of reporting the facts that would implicate their friends, LATER   

Monday COLD Morning

Yeow, did winter ever come howling in overnight with high winds and snow flurries throughout the evening. I got tickled at Nancy as she kept checking the outside lights and watching for real snow fall but all we got was wind snow or as we call it "flurries". It is in the 20's this morning with a wind chill somewhere in the teens, yikes it is time to head to Florida and that is just what our plans are for Friday.

Well Sunday was a cold morning with light winds after a gully washer rains from the night before. We listened to our BridgePoint online service while getting ready for Cornerstone at 10. The driveway was in decent shape after the hard rain as those cuts I made across the road helped tremendously with diverting the water run off to the side ditches. We did our usual routines before heading out around 9:30. It was say good bye to all our mountain church family and friends as we usually do that next Sunday at the annual homecoming meal and get together. Our dear friend Carroll is not doing well with his cancer and it has now spread to other organs. It will be a miracle if we see him next year or a healing from GOD ALMIGHTY if that should occur. He will be missed by this mountain community.

We met up with Mechelle at the Pines eatery for lunch then headed home somewhere around 1'ish. We took a back road and it was unbelievable the number of huge oaks and pines that were uprooted and blown down along the roads from the storm on Monday. It was never mentioned as a tornado but some folks heard the roaring train sound as it passed through and the devastation was consistent with a band of destruction during a tornado. The tops of huge trees were snapped like a pencil all along the parkway which was closed for several days after the storm. Several barns and dwellings were damaged but what we saw to huge trees was from some serious winds. The winds that came in with this Saturday storm and today are in the 40-50 mph range but a constant blow. At times the lights flickered last night but we never loss power like last weeks storm.

Well I piddled around outside briefly picking the last of the half runner beans and then covered some peppers and tomato seedlings in the garden with 5 gallon buckets. I don't think it will make much difference on saving them with this temp in the 20's this morning and the wind chill. I did bring some seedlings that were in pots into the basement that I will take back for my winter garden in Florida, oh well. The wind is still strong this morning and we can hear the towers on top of our mountain "singing" their song. Hopefully the wind will lay down today and we can get in a hike as it was too dangerous to hike through the woods plus it was just to cold. We gathered around the tube and I broke down and watched the hapless Bucs lose to the Panthers. We did watch most of the world series game that was a high scoring one. I headed into bed with the score 7-4 in favor of the Dodgers and read this morning where the Astros won 13-12, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well Saturday was a chilly day and the sun did break through for just a moment before the evening rains came but basically it was an overcast day and then a total rain out for the evening and night. Yeow, did it ever rain in the evening at times a gully washer. The old gang got together minus Eddie for some finger food and Sequence. Needless to say it was a raucous win for the guys as I played a "Harvey Hand". They all headed out around 9:30 between the rain downpours.

The day started much the usual for me with a cup of hot green tea while I spent some quiet moments with my Creator and then posted this ramble. Not much going on as we start to close up the cabin for the next 7 months. I did get in an early morning hike alone and then another one later in the day with Nancy. She was busy in the kitchen once again preparing enough food for 10 people and we sent most of it home with our guests as we have just a couple days left; I don't want to haul a bunch of food home. The salsa chips and hot dip was very tasty and Kimberly brought a 7 layered dip and Audean a German chocolate cake for dessert.

I tuned into the Series after a hot shower and the Astros were winning when I headed in to do some reading before lights out for me around 10:30. Nancy is a night owl and who knows what time she came in. I got a few hours sleep before her "chainsaw fired up" which keeps me awake the rest of the night, oh well, LATER 

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was a busy day that started with a later than normal roll out around 7'ish. I headed over to a friend's farm to clean out her stables for the manure which I placed in the flower beds and gardens for next years growth. I spent the whole morning loading up several trash cans and 5 gallon buckets and had the whole back bed loaded with horse poop.

The morning started with my usual routines and the temps were a little warmer than the day before with no ice or frost on the truck. I had my cup of hot green tea laced with honey and turmeric while I did my quiet time and then posted this ramble. We had no updates on anyone. There wasn't much going on except the afternoon reached the middle 60's with bright sunshine and blue skies. We took a hike after lunch and saw the folks who purchased the Cline cabin but saw no one else. The leaves seemed a little brighter today which surprised me as I thought peak had passed with all the storm last Monday.

We heated up the leftover tortilla soup for supper which went with the inside heater being on to take the chill out of the cabin. I tuned into the Fox News channel and then into the third game of the series before showering and hitting the sack around 10'ish. The Astros were ahead 4-1 when I called it a night, LATER

Friday Morning

Well after a cold start it warmed up to be a very nice afternoon; it was still sweater weather in the shade but the sun was shining with that deep blue Carolina sky. I did "closing up for the winter" chores which left the outside porches bare; storing the rockers, tables and smoker in the down below shed as well as putting away all most all of my garden tools. It's starting to look rather lonely around here but I wanted to make sure everything was good and dry as we are forecasted for rain and snow this coming weekend.

I started the day once again with a 7ish or later rollout. Those flannel sheets are one that draws you to staying inside them especially with the cabin down around 60 or so at night. So far we haven't lite the propane gas heater as the portable fireplace and tower heater are easily heating the place. Many thanks once again to Sam and Marcia for blessing us with the fireplace when they sold out and moved to near Nashville last winter. Nancy loves the fake flames and its a beautiful piece of furniture as well as giving off so much heat on these 30 degree mornings. I did my usual routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with clove honey and turmeric while I spent a few quiet moments with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up several by name for comfort and healing. Not much change on GG as its a day to day care giving. Brother Mike is recuperating with his knee replacement but sister Dee needs some added prayers as she is suffering from a hip issue that will require some surgery and Richard is holding his own from his heart surgery. These are the named ones in the family.

After a mountain breakfast with homemade multigrain bread our "mountain top" neighbor Jetta blessed us with, that had a sausage patty and egg in between the slices, yikes was that ever tasty with some ground horseradish on mine. We ate lite for lunch with a fresh salad that included some of my Swiss chard and Kale and then for supper Nancy made one of her favorite casseroles with fresh garden raised turnips. I must say I never liked cooked turnips mixed with white taters but prepared this way with bread crumbs on top in a white sauce they are to die for; I added a little red pepper flakes to mine which sparked up the taste buds on this cool evening along with a grilled marinated chicken breast. Well no wonder I can not lose this spare tire.

I had a local roofer come by and look at the dormer where I get a small drip when the wind blows during a heavy rain storm. He agreed it was the roof cap which is allowing water to blow up under and then drip down into the bathroom upstairs. I almost had it fixed but the alternative is to take the roof cap off and use a weatherstripping beneath the cap which requires replacing many of the screws. It seems they now make a longer and larger roof screws with a different washer which hopefully will hold the tin roof down tighter. I noticed when I was on the roof last week spraying a foam up and under the roof cap that several of the screws were loosen and this too could be a reason for some leaking; anyhow Nancy is pleased this is being done by a roofer and not by me, oh well.

Well we tuned into the FOX News channel to get the real news on what's happening with past corrupt administration as they tried to smear Trump and his associates with a collusion charge when all along they were doing the collusion; especially with selling our uranium to the enemy for money. That speaks treason to me including the attempt to hide the transaction with a coverup by the DOJ and the FBI. I wonder how many congressman are on the take and knew of this egregious action. I think McCain is somehow involved as he was the one who brought forth this fake dossier that was bought and pay for by Hillary and the DNC and approved by Obama.  Where did the 41 million go and in whose offshore account? It's such a sad situation we have so many Benedict Arnold's in the government. There is no doubt the swamp needs draining and term limits imposed for everyone. There should be no more career politicians no matter how good we think they all, LATER 

Thursday Morning

Well despite the cold start it was a bundle up day for working outside . I got three projects completed that started with the driveway on our hill. It wasn't as washed out as the first time which took me nearly a half of the morning to straighten out. The crossover cuts which diverts the water off the center of the road really makes a difference and the new gully on the inside of the hill helps also especially moving the water over and away from neighbor Tim's drive at the bottom of the hill. I then worked on digging an filling in some low areas of the yard with fill dirt from my back woods quarry. I dug and hauled several loads and then sowed grass seeds in hopes it will be filled in by next years arrival. After lunch and a hike I fired up the leaf blower and cleared all of the yards of fallen leaves, yeow I can't believe there are more to fall.

I started the day with an 8'ish roll out which is not the norm for me at all, but just maybe this new supplement is working to stifle my internal alarm or it was the extra blanket on the bed but I'm loving it. It was 34 yesterday and frost was on the top of the truck and this morning (Thur) it's 32 at nearly 8 and ice is evident to the whole truck, yikes the inside temp in the cabin was 62 so on goes the portable heaters as I await Nancy's roll out. I started the day with my normal routines and the hot tea laced with clove honey and turmeric. I spent some quiet time with my Creator then lifted up several by name for comfort and healing. There is no change with GG, Nancy's mom and Richard our nephew is progressing slowly with his heart surgery. Brother Joe still had no power as of yesterday afternoon along with a few others in the county.

After a boring breakfast of oatmeal I dressed up with warm clothes and headed out to work. The wind had died down and the sun was shinning so despite the cold temps it was a great day for working outside. We took a golf cart ride to the mailbox after my leaf blowing project and saw George Redmon on the road with his tractor scraping the road. He also scraped the Huck's driveway which had deep ruts of a foot or more. We chatted a few but the evening shadows were making it even colder so we both headed home and to some warmth. Nancy had a pot of Tortilla Soup cooking and it was a perfect meal for such a cool evening. We had some frozen leftover corn muffins and they went perfect with the soup.

Well I tuned into FOX News and finally the "chickens are coming home to roost" for the crooked Dem's in the Obama administration and especially for Hillary. She sold 21% of our uranium out to the Russians through back channels for big bucks and the president(if that's what you can call him) knew about it all along with the FBI and the DOJ. Finally the real crooks will be exposed as all along they accused our POTUS of the very thing they were doing and then tried their best to libel him with a salacious dossier. Mueller who was the FBI director was aware of this along with the AG and deputy AG who appointed Mueller to investigate Trump. What low life's and to think they cared more about the money than the national security of the American people. Who knows where this "yellow cake" uranium which is used for producing nuclear weapons had ended up; but we know those who knew of this is spending money like crazy i.e. Obama. Well folks we have a less than honest bunch of traitors who almost got into the presidency and then we never would have know the real facts. I think Trump needs to completely drain the swamp and that includes several in his own party and hopefully most will go to jail, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well there is frost on the pumpkins again this morning with temps in the low 30's(34 when I checked at 8). This is probably the death note for any garden plants. If my tomato seedlings survived last night I should pot them up and bring inside the basement at nights, oh well I had no idea it would get this cold overnight as I played pickleball until nearly 8 outside and it didn't feel that cold.

Tuesday started out nippy but nothing drastically cold. The sun was shining and by late afternoon I was hiking with a short sleeve shirt. I've put the shorts away for awhile until getting back to Florida for the year. I did my morning routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with clove honey and turmeric while I honored my Creator with so quiet time and remembering several by name who are hurting. The update on GG is about the same as Nancy spoke with by phone, Mike is progressing with his knee replacement and cousin Richard came through open heart surgery yesterday as well. I spoke with Paw Paw and he say's he is doing as well as can be expected at his age of nearly 90. We went by our "mountain mom" Helen to help her with a leak issue under the sink and corrected one major leak problem with putting back together two pipes that has come apart probably due to vibration from the disposal but there is a secondary leak which is very minimal around the connection from the disposal to the bottom of the sink. That will take some more experience than I want to tackle with a disposal as its only been in place less than a year. She can at least use her sink again.

We headed on to town to the landfill for garbage drop off. I quit burning it this year as there is a new county wide regulation on that issue. We stopped at Allegheny Cares for a drop off as well before making a grocery stop at Food Lion and then again at Hawks produce for some turnips, honey and tomato's. We have finally used up the ones we brought from Michigan. They sure lasted along time in the basement. We have just about used up all of the leftovers except for the cheeses and snacks. Boy did we ever eat good last week with company. We haven't heard much from the Florida gang except to say they all made it back home safely.

We took a good hike to the top of the mountain and had a nice visit with Joe and Jetta. We bartered on food giving them a bag of smoked pork butt and she gave us a loaf of fresh baked bread which was awesome. We had to taste it when we got back to the cabin with some real butter, oh my was that ever tasty. Well we settled into our social media gadgets until it was time to grill some peppers and onions for our  chicken fajitas for supper. I wanted to eat by 5'ish as I had to play at 6:30 for an hour outside at the Roaring Gap courts. It has lights and a high screened court which makes playing there an enjoyable event. The guys I played with are all 30 or more years younger than me and I managed to not lose a set until the final match with each of them as partners. I can't wait to get back to the Rec in Florida for daily play.

Well Nancy had made some apple crisp from apples we picked in Michigan so I had a bowl with real whipped cream from a can and it was oh so tasty. I will give the rest of the apples to Jetta so she can make the dish as well. I hit the shower and then watched a little of the MLB game but I soon lost interest and headed in to read until after 10'ish when the sand man calleth. The extra quilt felt so good and it was way beyond when I normally awake; however I've been taking a supplement of Valerian and Hops from Nutrilite at Amway and it seems to be helping with sleeping. I love it so far, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well Monday was a total wash out day with some very heavy rainfall (over 6 inches) and some wind which we haven't experienced here in some time. We had a total of two blackouts or loss of power; the first was in the afternoon for about an hour and the last one lasted several hours which took us up to nearly 10PM. Luckily, Nancy had started supper around 5'ish and got it cooked and as we sat down to eat the power went out. We rummaged through the closets and found enough candles and small flashlights; but all we could do was sit and listen to the wind and rain and at times her cell phone was giving out tornado warnings. We dodged that bullet but learned later on, that several trees were down as well as several serious car accidents happened throughout the evening.

I started the day with a 7'ish rollout as we listened to the rain pounding on the tin roof. I hoped I had stopped a minor leak in the upstairs dormer where the rain was being blown up and under the roof cap and then the water would leak into the upstairs bathroom. Well it didn't leak for hours but when the wind reached such high velocity we started to get a couple of drops that fell into the commode. It wasn't nearly as heavy as before I sprayed the expandable foam up and under the roof cap. We didn't want the water to cause any severe damage so I called a roofer who will come out on Wednesday an access the situation. The leak was very minimal but still it was there and we will be gone for months.

There wasn't much we could do during the day but read and eat which we did with all of the leftovers from last week. Thankfully they are about gone but oh so good. When the lights went out around 5'ish we sat in the semi dark for awhile and even the sun broke through at times which was very unusual with strong winds coming up the parkway from the south. We thought surely at times the trees were going down around us and we did learn later on in the evening lots of trees were down due to the tornado like conditions. I lost part of the climbing fence for my half runner beans as well as my two large kale plants; but no trees that I can see from the cabin.

I'm heading over to our "mountain mom" place this morning to access the problem with water coming in under her sink. She had lots of surface water under the sink area and thinks it maybe a pipe and not a roof leak. I know our driveway and road will need some work despite the run off cuts I had made to keep the water going to the ditches on either side. Well we are back to someone normal with the power restored which we take for granted. Nancy washed up the supper dishes while I got a hot shower. I did fired up the grill around 8'ish to heat some water for her coffee and my tea, LATER

Monday Morning

Well Sunday was another gorgeous day but all that has changed over night as forecasted. It's pouring rain. The temps were very nice on Sunday with a chill in the air to start the day and by late afternoon I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt. We listened to our home church on line in Seminole and then headed out to Cornerstone for a 10AM service. Afterwards we came home after a library stop to drop off some books and ate leftovers from this past week.

The day started with a 7'ish rollout for me to my usual routines that start with a cup of hot green tea laced with clove honey and turmeric while I did my quiet time and posted this ramble. The up date on GG is some what better as she is back home(Eric's) from the hospital and is speaking quite normal. Nancy had a nice conversation with her but she tires quickly. Our dear friend Carroll from Cornerstone isn't doing very well with his cancer. His wife mentioned yesterday he has no appetite and is melting away. He is such a worker for the church and always had huge gardens sharing much of his bounty and was always at the church when ever the doors were open. He will be greatly missed.

We went over to visit our "mountain mom" Helen who we haven't seen in a couple weeks. We took her some of our leftover goodies as well as a mess of half runner beans. We sat out on her front porch in sunlight for nearly and hour and caught up on that's going on with her and Joe her brother. Joe is back to driving which is a blessing for her. The huge corn fields that surrounded her place had been harvested so now you have a view of the beautiful mountains again. We stayed for about an hour then headed home to get in a hike to the top of the mountain. We saw no one on top then headed across and down the back road. We did notice more red colors on the mountainside as well as along the back road. I thought the peak had come and gone but there are still plenty of green leaves on lots of the trees. The tall oaks around the cabin have suddenly started to turn as well but there are plenty of fallen leaves as well.

After a supper of left overs I broke down and checked the NFL scores of which the home town team got whupped again which is no surprise. I've lost my enthusiasm for the league in general with their anti-patriotic stand which is really an anti-Trump stand paid for my the dem's and the leftist. Nothing breaks my heart like what is going on with those who hate America and our Judeo-Christian background upon which the nation was founded. We are seeing now where there is so much corruption by the Clinton and Obama's that sold the nation's uranium to our enemy and then turned around and accused Trump of collusion. There motives are plain: lie, obfuscate, deceive and accuse the one person who is shining some light on their criminal activities along with the MSM to bring him down. This special counsel Muller knew of the uranium deal while he was the FBI director and did nothing to stop this criminal deal with the Russians along with several in the DOJ. Trump is exposing them and hopefully the American folks will demand a special prosecutor to uncover their activities, LATER   

Sunday Morning

Well things sure got quiet around here after everyone headed back to Florida around the late morning. Patrick and Kathryn left around 10'ish and Dan and Carol around 11'ish. Kathryn did make us a very tasty and labor intensive meal which was really a Mexican meal with an egg on top so we could call it breakfast. It was quite filling and held us until around 3 when we decided to eat lunch which held us the rest of the evening except for a nutty buddy ice cream cone around dark. Anyhow we got to work as soon as they all left which helps to fill the void after so much excitement and being busy the past week.

I started the day before anyone else awaken and came down stairs. I started with my usual routines and was about through when Patrick came down and started packing. It wasn't long until Kathryn came down and started on her prep for the special meal which I can't think of the name but it consisted of corn tortillas filled with meat and herbs, rice and refried beans with beautifully accented spices and sauces and an a fried egg on top. I added a jalapeno pepper to mine and it made the taste buds go crazy, along with fresh tomato's and lettuce and sour cream, yikes it was awesome in flavor.

The Tracy's soon after eating finished packing and were out of here while the dew was still on their car's windshield. The Botbyl's hung around to make sure this gastronomic delight wasn't  going to send them to commode especially while traveling down the mountain. After goodbye's and hugs and all alone we settled into keeping busy. I put a load of towels in the washer, vacuumed the upstairs and collected trash(its amazing how much garbage you collect in just one day) while Nancy cleaned up the breakfast dishes. We stripped beds and she dusted the house and did a general cleaning which helped to pass the time.

The weather once again was beautiful so I fired up the riding mower with its new battery and mowed the yards except for the backwoods yard which is now covered in fallen leaves. I'll use the leaf blower later to clear them off and into the gully below. We decided to get in a hike around 2 so off we went. We met with Ben and a friend from Lakeland, Fl. on top and chatted awhile then headed across the top to met with our dear friends the Brownings. They just got back from the ARK exhibit in Kentucky and showed us pics and let me read a book on the project, wow what an amazing spectacle to say the least. This is on our bucket list for next year.

We came back and I finished my leftover club sandwich from the Old Mill in Damascus from Friday and it filled me up once again along with some olives and chips. This sandwich must have 2 pounds or more and I'm a big eater but it held me until this morning(sun). We decided to cut all of the dead flower stalks so I got out the weed whacker and went to town on all of the flower beds. We have a few new bloom on a couple flowers but for the most part I leveled the beds to the ground and Nancy raked out the stems and leaves. Sure looks good with the manicure but sad because we know its one of the last projects we do each year before leaving the cabin.

Well we settled into our devices while I watched a little college gridiron and then the MLB seventh game between the Yanks and the Astros and the Astro's won, yeah. I hope they take the series which starts on Tuesday. The USF Bulls won and Seminoles fell once again at home which doesn't happen very often. Today we are off to worship with our friends and mountain church family at Cornerstone in Sparta. We missed last Sunday as we did a group activity but we do worship daily at home. It's back to the cabin afterwards to work on some of these leftovers which we have enough for several days plus we want to give away some of the pork butt as well as freeze some of it, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was a guys day as we traveled over to Damascus, Virginia for the Creeper Trail while the gals did Old Salem in the Winston-Salem area. We decided at the last moment as Kathryn seemed to be better after a 24 hour bug which kept her in bed. The weather was perfect for everyone but that will change early next week with rain and snow showers, yikes. It was 75 yesterday on the way home from the trail ride.

The day started with a 7'ish roll out for me. I did my routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with clove honey and turmeric while I spent a few quiet moments with my Creator and then posted this ramble. Everyone started coming down the stairs around 8 as Nancy had the coffee pot on and I must say the smell is somewhat delicious. I fired up the grill and fried two pans of bacon while Nancy made flap jacks and eggs to order. The gals wanted to do Old Salem and we guys decided to do something different so them mention of the Creeper Trail arose and we decided that was for us. We made noon reservations as it already was 9'ish and its a good hour and half trip through the mountains.

I aired up our two bikes and loaded them in the truck and we took off shortly thereafter. The drive was uneventful but we were shocked at how busy the town was with folks for the trail. We learned this was one of their busiest months with "leaf peakers" as they called it. We actually got on the trail around 1'ish after the 30 minute ride to the top in a van. Well needless to say there were cold pockets where the temps dropped into the 40's and warm areas where it was in the high 60's but bright sunshine and blue skies. We dir the trip in less than two hours then headed over to the Old Mill Inn for a reunion lunch which is always delicious. Everyone was very cordial and friendly as we mentioned this was our 4th year eating with them. I brought half my sandwich home which tells you how big it was.

We came back via I-81 to Rural Retreat and then through Elk Creek where stopped and a showed Dan Sam and Marcia's old log cabin which they sold last year and moved to Nashville. We had some great times in that old place and we missed them especially on the Creeper Trail as they rode down the 17 mile trail several times. We got back to the cabin in about two plus hours ahead of the gals. We all were too full from our late lunches so we just snacked on popcorn and nutty buddies while playing Euchre. We guys finally redeemed our losses from the two nights before with wins and will have to play the deciding game when back in Florida.

We tuned into the Yanks vs Astros and the Astros finally tied up the series at 3-3. A deciding game will be played tonight. Our company has decided to leave for Florida after breakfast this morning and things will be quiet around here, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday turned out to be another beautiful day after a chilly start with temps in the high 30's. It quickly warmed up to the 40's by day break and then it reached the high 60's by late afternoon with plenty of sunshine and blue skies. I made a trip to Galax to have the truck serviced and for a few things and then met up with Patrick and Dan for lunch at a Mexican eatery which was fantastic in taste and price. We then headed out to my favorite barbershop for an ear lowering before heading home. I put the new battery in the riding mower and it started right up so I mowed the front yard. Kathryn was still under the weather which we hope is just a bug she picked up somewhere the day before in Boone. She was in bed most of the day and could barely keep anything on her stomach and was back in bed for the evening before dark.

I started the day much the usual with a 7'ish roll out to my routines before anyone else awakened with a cup of hot green tea laced with my clove honey and turmeric while I spent some quiet time with my Creator and posted this ramble. The update on GG is she is back in the hospital in Michigan with a UTI and more fluid retention. Hopefully she will be released again in a day or so. I haven't any word on Paw Paw in a few days but "no news is good news" as he continues to live on his own. Every on else seems to be doing fine at this point except for our "cabin guest" Kathryn.

Dan and Patrick headed to the Wellness Center in Sparta for a work out and Nancy and I hiked the mountain. The weather was perfect and the fallen leaves are starting to get deep on the back trail. We saw a couple large deer running through the woods. They cleaned out Billy's plants on top of the mountain as well as most of my lettuces, peppers and beets plants overnight. This is the time they become voracious eaters as they get ready for the rut later this month. Nancy took Carol on a golf cart ride later in the afternoon and saw what appeared to be the same two deer in the same place we saw earlier in the day.

Well I grilled marinated chicken breasts along with fresh peppers and onions for fajitas for our supper along with black beans and rice. The meal was delicious to say the least. Dan and I played several games of corn toss on the back deck while waiting for the grill to cook our supper. After the cleanup we settled into a game of Oh -ell and then a game of Golf before heading for the showers. We had the MLB playoff game on and it was a slaughter by the Dodgers over the Cubs when we turned it off. We never bothered with the NFL as all of us are boycotting the league for their disrespect for the flag and the national anthem. It wasn't long after my hot shower I headed in for some horizontal lab, LATER 

Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday turned to be another gorgeous day as we traveled down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Boone area after another chilly start; no frost as the temps hovered around 45 degree's. The sun was shining and the skies were a deep blue and just enough breeze to make it comfortable as we climbed the Grand Father Mountain trail for about 2 hours or so each way. We never made it to the summit which is about 6 miles one way now that there is a new entrance. We stopped at Foscue Mine view for a few then I turned back as my feet were starting to ache due to the plantar fasciitis. We then met the gals at Bella's Italian eatery in Boone for a delicious meal before heading back to the cabin.

I started the morning with a 7'ish roll out before anyone else awaken. We did our our thing for breakfast which entailed anything from oatmeal to a vegetable omelet. We wanted to be on the road by 10. I did my routines which started with a cup of hot green tea laced with clove honey and turmeric while I spent some quiet time with my Creator. The update on GG hasn't changed from the day before as we were gone all day until 8'ish. The ride down the parkway was uneventful and we made a couple of stops along the way to sight see at Freeborn's in Laurel Springs and then Doughton Park overlook where we once again took pictures along the stone fence which falls away to several hundred feet below. Needless to say there were a few words of caution which we all denied and continued with our poses.

We got down to Boone around lunch time and headed to the eatery Our Daily Bread for soup and a sandwich which were very tasty. Mostly Appalachian College students run this eatery and the place was jumping. We left the girls there then headed down to the mountain trail south of Boone. We headed out on the trail around 1'ish. There were several cars in the parking lot and we met several folks on the trail which progressively got steeper the further we climbed. There were so many exposed roots which took its toll on the bottom of my feet so after two hours of climbing we had reached a scenic overlook and I decided that was enough for me. My cardio was great but the bottom of my feet were hurting so I turned around and headed back. Patrick and Dan decided to climb further to the portrait of the mountain which was another 20 minutes or so with a steeper ascent. Well they changed their minds and decided to return to the parking lot. I passed 3 markers that indicated a mile each so we did at least 6 miles over all. They reached the parking lot about 20-30 minutes after I got back.

We met up in Boone at Bella's for a delicious supper of a Stromboli for me which I brought half of it home. The dinner's included fresh salmon, chicken picatta's, salads, and lots of different pastas. We met this really nice older couple who were visiting the area from Texas and who had just visited the ARK in Kentucky. They showed us pictures and gave us a complete tour vicariously. They were very nice. We headed out from Boone around 7 and headed back up the parkway. The sunset was just awesome as we twisted and winded our way around the mountain. We saw lots of deer and a very large coyote on our way down the parkway on the morning ride. We finished up the left over cake and watched a little of the Yanks beating the Astros before showers started. I was ready for some horizontal lab by 10'ish, LATER

Wednesday Morning

Well it was down right chilly with frost when I awoke on Tuesday morning, yikes. I'm not happy with this kind of cold temps which stayed cold until late afternoon when it got back to the low 60's and shirt sleeve weather. The sun was bright and the skies so blue and the wind finally laid down. We mostly stayed around the cabin as I had a few chores plus I had two pork butts on the smoker for most of the day. We had a huge gang here later in the evening for supper and a Sequence game which became raucous to say the least. Dan and Patrick took off to Sparta to work out at the Wellness Center mid morning.

The day started with me sleeping in again until nearly 7 o'clock. The cabin was quite chilly so I turned on the two portable heaters which warmed the place up rather quickly. I did my morning routines while everyone else was still in the sack which started with my cup of hot tea laced with some clove honey and turmeric while I did a few quiet moments with my Creator in thanksgiving and prayers for others. The update on GG is about the same except for a doctor who came to visit which gave her an exam for mental as well as physical dexterity. It seems she is showing signs of dementia which isn't good along with her infectious bacteria which is still lingering and keeping her quarantined from the other patients.

Nancy made a huge mountain breakfast with buckwheat cakes, eggs, and sausage. I quickly ate as the postman called and said he was delivering a box to large for our mailbox so I fired up the golf cart and met him at the end of our gravel road. There was ice all over the cars and the tin roof of the cabin despite the back porch showing 35 degrees. It must have been colder earlier in the morning before I checked the thermometer. After the sun began to melt the ice(frost) I headed out to pick green beans probably for the last time this season. I got enough for another mess. The small seedlings down by the compost pile under the huge oaks didn't seem to be effected for now and the night temps are supposed to be a little warmer the next week or so.

I made a foray upon the tin roof once again to tighten some roof screws and to add some expandable foam under the ridge cap which let in some rain when it down pours and blows hard. It's not much but we do get a few drops in the upstairs bathroom. A few of the screws that hold the tin roof on have vibrated loose which could also be a culprit but I'm sure its the wind blowing a hard rain; anyhow much to Nancy's chagrin I climbed up and back down with no problem. I set up the corn hole boards on the deck and Dan and I had several good matches. The distance is perfect for the game and the most level spot on the property.

Joe and Jetta arrived around 5'ish and we chatted them up until the others arrived closer to 6 and then Jaime a few minutes later. We had a tasty supper of smoked pork, green bean casserole, baked beans, baked sweet and regular tatters along with a spicy buffalo dip. The food was tasty and plentiful and afterwards Mechelle had made some cookies of which I didn't partake but the plate was empty which must have meant something. We cleared the table and Mechelle brought her board and we played the best of 5 sequence games with the guys slaughtering the gals 3-1 for a change; of course there was always the added attempt to say we cheated but it was a clear victory for a change. Eight of us played with the extra gals in the background who added their two cents in helping the gals but to no avail. The men have the bragging rights for this winter with the win, oh well it was to say the least a fun time.

Today it seems we are heading to the Boone/Blowing Rock area for a Grandfather Mountain hike while the gals shop in town and then probably eat out, LATER   

Tuesday Morning and 35* at the cabin

Well Monday was an exciting day as the Tracy's and Botbyl's moved in with us for a week and the weather finally turned cold and windy. Much more like winter time in Florida although I don't think it gets this cold and stays that way all day long. Usually by late afternoon we are back into the high 60's or even higher after a chilly start but yesterday here at the cabin it was cold and windy all day long with temps maybe reaching 50. At least the sun was shining brightly so that was a plus. Three of us(Dan, Nancy and I) got in an afternoon hike to the top of the mountain and the distant views were so clear that you could almost see the windows in the high rise buildings in down town Winston-Salem.

We started the day alone at the cabin with us catching up on some last minute chores; Nancy even went to town for a loaf of bread which was unnecessary to say the least. I washed clothes and dried them in the dryer which also was unnecessary as the sun and wind were perfect for outside clothesline drying, oh well.When she gets something in her head you can't change it. They all came around noon and moved in as they cleaned out their rental cabin, so the fridge and panty is loaded with food along with all we have purchased. We did eat good last night for supper as I bought a slab of New York steaks from the butcher shop in town and cut them to order. I grilled them grilled medium rare and along with half runner beans and a salad from the garden we feasted. It was Patrick's 68th birthday so Nancy had baked him a cake unbeknownst to him and we all sang and had cake later in the evening; chocolate cake with white icing is to die fore and we all had at least one piece and some another sliver.

We played some Euchre in the afternoon and the gals won the first two games before supper with great come from behind play and then again after supper with their being down 7-0 they won again 10-9, yikes, and one of them doesn't even like the game, oh well go figure. It was a raucous good time. We tuned into the MLB game and Yanks were up 3-0 when I got ready to call it a day around 10'ish. Carol had retired for the night to rest her leg and Kathryn was in her pajamas. I got the pork butts from the basement where they had been thawing all day long and cut them in half and Nancy made a rub. We got them in the oven at 200 degrees for an over night slow cook. I'll put them on the smoker this morning after breakfast with some applewood. I think the combined weight of the two are around 17 pounds which will give us plenty for 12 or so folks coming for supper plus enough for lunches the next several days.

We the Florida folks wanted some cold temps and we sure got it this morning. The electronic fireplace that Sam and Marcia blessed us with when they moved is a hit plus it gives out some heat as well. I have it cranked up to give us some heat and the illusion of having a fire. All are still in bed as I post this ramble so I will catch up on my quiet time and social media, LATER

Monday Morning

Well Sunday was a gorgeous day with lots of sunshine and cooler temps to start the day with some wind and it reached the upper 70's by late afternoon. We skipped our regular church attendance and watched our BridgePoint service on line as we were taking an adventure up to the Floyd area of Virginia to Morrisette Winery. We left the cabin around 11'ish and travelled the Blue Ridge Parkway along with many other vehicle traffic to the winery. The reason to go was a free outside one man concert on the grounds. The venue was very nice and the place was packed with folks enjoying the music, wine and food on the grounds.

We came back a different way as the traffic was heavy on the parkway with folks looking for the change in the leaves which the peak has passed. There are lots of yellow's and brown's but no really bright vivid colors as tropical storm Nate a week or so ago destroyed the leaves many of which are on the ground. The first vestiges of Fall are slated for this morning and the temperature change is drastic from in the 60's on Sunday to the 40's this Monday morning. We are looking at some 30's here for this week which everyone here is happy about, but for me I still like the warm and even hot afternoons, oh well.

We get our friends the Tracy's and Botbyl's for the next week here at the cabin which helps with not having to travel a half hour each day for get togethers. There should be some good eatin' and hopefully some raucous card games. Carol is still in some serious discomfort with a hamstring injury which is not healing s fast as we hoped. I think maybe she needs to just rest it for a few days and maybe that will help but just riding in the truck yesterday she was in severe pain at time. We came back and had a delicious salad and spaghetti supper and then they headed out for their last night at the rental. They have to be out by noon so they have lots of packing to do.

Well after they left it was shower time and then a little MLB playoff before I headed in to read until lights out around 10. I've boycotted the NFL as I can no longer watch unpatriotic millionaires who disrespect the flag and anthem and who blatantly hate our POTUS. So long to them and any other sport or group who is openly unpatriotic, LATER 

Sunday Morning

Well Saturday turned out to be just a beautiful day after the early morning fog lifted and the sunshine peaked through within the deep blue Carolina skies, yeow what a near perfect day with temps in the upper 60's. We spent the morning getting ready once again for company who will come on Monday and be here for a week or so. The gang is already ready here at a rental cabin and we have been driving back and forth each day for suppers and adventures. Yesterday Patrick came back from a week in Florida so we had a celebration supper at their place and then watched a fantastic movie Apollo 13 after eating, WOW what a true story depicted by a movie produced in Hollywood which I had very little respect for these days.

The day started much the usual with a 6'ish rollout to a cup of green tea laced with my favorites; honey and turmeric. I did my quiet time to give thanks to my Creator for another day then lifted up several by name for healing and comfort in this their hour of need. I got word from son Bobby his daughter Annsley did very well in her first gymnastics competition and that son Gabe played well in his first baseball of this season. Ava and Sam are now playing soccer at Keswick this fall as well. Eliza Faye is doing ballet weekly. It seems all of my grand children are involved in sports which will eventually be such a wonderful blessing for their health. I noticed most all kids today have become sedentary with their electronic devices and its the parents responsibility to regulate how much time they spend being inactive with them.

We got in a hike around lunch and it was awesome to feel the warm sunshine on your face after being in the fog and overcast skies for what seemed like days. We are all caught up on the rain for now and the next few days are forecasted for sunshine and cooler temps. Nancy had the heat on to start the morning but we soon open the the windows and doors as the fog lifted. The deer got into my garden for the first time last night of this year eating most of the good lettuce in the back yard. I did manage to harvest enough to add to the lettuces we purchased in Mt. Airy. I also harvested some Swiss chard and kale from the garden along with some beet greens. I cleaned them all and made a huge salad for Sunday night along with the huge pot of spaghetti sauce Nancy had cooking on the stove. She also had a cake in the oven for Patrick whose birthday is Monday. We will celebrate with steaks on the grill and fresh green beans and salad from the garden then we will have a huge party on Tuesday with the Luffman gang plus Allan, Cortland and Jamie for smoked pork butt on Tuesday, yeow what a week of gastronomic delights. 

Well the Mexican supper was awesome at the Tracy's rental cabin with chicken enchiladas, beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. Dan and I introduced Patrick to Garbagecan Jam which is a hillbilly version of the new game CanJam. It takes more luck than skill when using a frisbee when compared to corn hole toss; but it was a hoot to say the least. You almost need gloves when jamming the frisbee as its rather hard on your fingers and hands while flying through the air. After the cleanup we settled into the movie and while hearing about the aborted mission in the 70's I never really knew the issues that surrounded the success of bringing these three men back home safely. I was flying the Vietnam theatre and was involved with the wartime effort so my attention was limited to those events. The portrayal of the failure of the mission to land on the moon was anything but a failure with bringing the crew back to earth in one piece. AWESOME MOVIE.

Well we headed out a little after 9'ish to almost a summer evening with temps still in the 60's . We were about 6 to 7 degrees cooler at the cabin from the Tracy's place which was noticeable. I tuned into the MLB game and Cub's were losing to the Dodgers when I hit the showers and then I curled up with my book. This book is around a thousand pages and I'm finally in the last hundred pages and nearing a final dramatic end, Later.

Don't forget to take a few minutes today to honor our LORD with worship. We will skip our local church and worship with our online gang at BridgePoint Church.com as we take another adventure into Virginia for the day with the gang.

Saturday Morning

Well Friday was a fun day as we travelled down off the mountain to the beautiful town of Mount Airy(Mayberry/Andy Griffith) for the Festival of Leaves. The weather was rainy, foggy and just down right ugly here at the cabin with fog so thick you could cut it with a knife both going down and coming back up the parkway. At least in off the mountain the fog and rain was gone except for a light mist at times and the temps were in the upper 60's through out the day. The weather never stopped the thousands of folks who walked the closed off streets through out the town.

I started the day much the usual with my routines to the sound of light rain on the the tin roof. We had our respective cups of hot drinks after sleeping in until nearly 7 for me; Nancy closer to 8. We did our quiet times with our Creator before eating breakfast and then got ready for the 10'ish arrival from the rest of the gang minus Patrick who is supposed to be traveling back from Florida this morning(SAT). The hour trip down the mountain was uneventful except for the heavy fog and a few deer in the roadway both coming and going.

We made a stop just inside the city at the Old Mill Store which serves the best deli sandwiches ever country style. The place is basically an Amish Store with most all of their products in bulk packages from Ohio. They have everything under the sun in herbs, spices, nuts, cake mixes, furniture, etc. as well as cured meats and fresh veggies. They have a small dining area strictly for the deli sandwiches which you fill out a form of what you want on it and they bring it to your table. Delicious. We always stop there whenever we are in town and were thrilled the rest of the gang so enjoyed shopping there as well and all of us made some buys. Their fresh lettuces were beautiful and we purchased three bunches on the way out of town.

We let the gals go their way and dropped them off close to the closed streets and never saw them for the next 3-4 hours. Dan and I walked the streets, listen to some gospel music and people watched from under the awning at times watching out for the gals. We never saw them the whole time as there were that many folks in the streets. Finally after it started a lite rain we headed back to the truck and moved it closer to the staging area as folks began to leave due to the soggy weather; to await their call to leave. Around 4'ish they called and we picked them up on one of the side streets as Carol was still in lots of discomfort from her last fall. We headed to another one of our favorite eateries called 13 Bones. Yeow, were they ever busy at that the 4:30 hour because they serve the best food in town. Three of us had steaks grilled to perfection as well a a grilled chicken breast for Nancy and a loaded spud for Carol. Their sides were awesome as well. Two of the gang brought half their food home as it was that plentiful. We headed out for a stop at a Walmart for some groceries on the way out of town after a quick stop for lettuces at the Old Mill Store then headed back up the mountain.

I'm always looking for someone I know in the crowd and usually do and sure enough someone spotted me and called out my name. It was our neighbor at the end of the road who we hadn't seen in a couple years who spotted me on the street. We chatted for a spell and when I told Nancy she was in disbelief as always. We all got a good laugh. Well after getting back up the mountain and to the cabin they got into their car and headed back to their rental place for the evening. We are getting together on Saturday evening for supper and some games. The forecast is for sunshine and cooler temps the next several days but here this morning the fog is so thick the birds aren't flying. Last night after our showers we heard this clunk on the porch( Nancy always thinks its a bear) so I checked it out to find  a bird on the porch who was just sitting there disorientated from the fog, LATER

Friday Morning

Well Thursday found me on the New River with neighbor and friend Dan in kayaks. It was the first time ever in a kayak for Dan and he did well even through some white water which maybe classified as a 1 or close to it as the river was several feet higher than normal. It was mostly a peaceful float that lasted close to 2 hours as we passed hundreds of cows along the river. We were entertained by several low flying Air Force jets that came screaming over the hills and across the river many of which by the time you heard the noise they were gone out of view. The weather was perfect with temps in the low 70's and a few clouds at times. Later in the evening we met at the Tracy's rental cabin for a fun time of trashcan jam and corn hole with the Luffman gang and friend Jamie for a delicious supper.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out and my routines that start with a cup of hot green tea laced with honey and turmeric while I spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up several by name. The update on GG hasn't changed from the past couple of days as she continues to live with son Eric and family in Michigan. After a hearty breakfast of a couple cackleberries(eggs), grits with a couple of sliced tomato's and a jalapeno pepper I headed out to load the kayaks and get the gear together for the river float. Nancy stayed back and did some house work as we get ready for the Tracy's and Botbyl's next week's visit.

Dan and I had to make a couple extra trips placing one vehicle at the end of the float so we could get back to the truck to load the kayaks and then back to the start of the float to unload the truck. We did that all over again after the trip which makes it so much easier when you have 3 vehicles or 3 people to help with the driving; but we managed and it turned out great. I came home and helped with placing the 50+ pumpkins or so around the yards, porches and wood piles. We took several down to neighbor Gerald's porch for him and Karyl and hopefully the Botbyl's will take a few back to Florida in a week or so. I see orange everywhere outside. I harvested a really nice mess of half runner beans and still have some to pick if it doesn't frost as the vines are loaded with blooms as well as small ones.

We are planning on visiting the 3 day Leaf Festival in Mount Airy today(Fri.) if the rain hold off which is about an hour off the mountain. Patrick is supposedly coming back from Florida sometime today(Fri.) so there will be the six of us again for fun and card games at night; of course the superb eatin' never stops as both Kathryn and Nancy know how to set the table. Carol is showing some deep purple bruising on both of her legs which looks very painful and has limited her to just walking around slowly and gingerly.

 I introduced the gang to Can Jam the hilly billy version I call Trashcan Jam which is a lot cheaper than the 50 bucks they want for one online from Amazon. I took two empty plastic trash cans and the scoring is about the same but instead of a slot in the front of the can if you get the frisbee in the top alone it has the same effect; game over. We played several games and both Dan and I had a game over toss; I've never ever seen anyone toss the frisbee through the slot in the original game. This was a hoot and we all had fun. We then played several games of corn hole with most everyone getting into the action but Caleb's girlfriend, Cortlyn really surprised us with her corn toss skills. She and Gerald whipped Caleb and myself a couple of times, bad. We played until nearly 7'ish before heading in to eat some fine cuisine. After eating the Luffman Gang took off around 8'ish as it was a school night.

Jaime our traveling PT came late as her GPS took way out of the way but she made it. We sat an chatted with her until after 9'ish as she had a long road trip back to Fancy Gap and the weather had turned to lite rain and mist as well as fog. We got back to the cabin close to 10'ish and it was a hot shower time for me and then I curled up with a book for a few before lights outs, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well Wednesday was a work day for me as Nancy took off with the girls and Dan to West Jefferson to fram(shopping) around and eat lunch out. I had a great time catching up on some chores and then dug and hauled 6 or 7 loads of fill dirt for some low spots in the yard. It was a beautiful day to be outside working except for the humidity filled temps. It got 80 degrees on the back porch which is unheard of for this time of the year. Next week the forecast is for low 40's to the high's in the 60 which is more like it for October.

I started the day with my usual 6'ish roll out to a cup of green tea laced with turmeric and honey while I spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and intercessory prayer for several especially GG, Nancy's mom. The update is about the same as yesterday with nothing changing except she has usually two good days then get a setback for a day or so. It seems this maybe the pattern for the rest of her life. She still hasn't walked since May which is definitely a minus for any rehab. Uncle Mike is doing well with his rehab on the knee as we saw him out at an eatery with a cousin reunion. That's great news. I haven't heard from Paw Paw in a few days but no news is good news is a plus from him.

I unloaded a truck load of pumpkins and then cleaned out the truck from the muddy pumpkin field from last night harvesting, yeow was that ever a chore. I hung a load of laundry after dropping Nancy off in Sparta to ride with the gang south. I made a dump and gas stop before getting back on the hill. It was close to 1 before I ever got to start dirt digging from an area in the back woods yard where I get my fill dirt.  It's hidden from view from the porch as I dig back into a bank which produces good dirt with a few rocks. I have a trail large enough to get the golf cart in to haul the dirt out. That kept me sweating for the next couple of hours until nearly 4 when I decided to cool off in the basement and rest until Nancy and the gang got back here around 5:30.

They picked up fresh hamburger meat and I grilled it and along with tater tots for our supper. We are still eating Michigan 'maters and they are so good and juicy; keeping them in the cool basement is a plus for making them last. They brought some bakery slices of dream sickle cake home for dessert and it was very good as I broke down and shared a piece. After eating we got into a game of Oh -ell of which Carol won on the last hand. It was raucous to say the least. They headed out shortly thereafter and I headed for the shower. It wasn't long afterwards I was ready for some horizontal lab around 10:30, Later

Wednesday Morning

Well we sure catching up on the rain as we had another inch in a down pour during the morning and then again during most of the night I could hear it on the roof, plus it's been overcast and nearly 100% humidity with temps in the 70's. Nancy almost talked me into once more reinserting the window a/c unit in the dining room area. For some reason I detest the noise it makes despite the difference in the living condition, oh well. I'm going to look into a unit we saw in the "mountain top" neighbors cabin which requires no duct work.

The day started with me rolling out around my usual 6 ish time to a cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric and honey while I spent some quiet time with my Creator and then posted this ramble. The update of GG, Nancy's mom is some what better. Nancy spoke with her by phone and she sounded good and said she felt better. She has that bacteria again which requires some isolation but she is back to Eric's house and has her own room. There is a big change in her diet with absolutely no salt. The swelling and retention of water was mainly due to that as most everything we prepared while we were visiting had a heavy concentration of salt included in the dishes. Now that she is back home and doing much better she will have to obey that restriction. Her voice seems much better as well as is her thoughts and ability to carry on a conversation.

We didn't do much in the morning as we were attending the funeral for an associate who worked on our cabin during the building process. He was the brother of our builder who suddenly passed away at the age of 55  with a heart attack. The service was held at a small community church on the parkway. We were stunned to see so many folks there with main part of the church filled with family and close friends. I heard the lady who was passing out memorials say she had given out nearly 200 and was running out of them. That did not include kids and small children of which there were several. We made it into the family area to speak with Ray and Audean then came back to stand in the hallway during the service. Mountain preaching is uniquely done with a voice so soft to where you had to strain to hear what was being said to be very loud and almost shouting; but the message was right on that no man comes to the Father except through the belief in Christ.

Well we came back and had a lite lunch of a salad. It was still too wet to do much of anything so we took a nice long hike to the top of the mountain. The driveway's up on top were washed out with deep ruts and we noticed where the wind slammed the screen door on Norms old cabin open breaking the wood frame. The new owners will need to replace not only the door but the frame. The wind was really strong that night as we can attest to the debris and limbs down in our yard and under the porch roofs. It's not often we get that kind of weather for so many hours and with such rainfall.

Well we came back with a good sweat from the high humidity and warm temps in the 70's. I sat outside on the deck in the shade and read for a couple of hours while Nancy did her social media thing. We were planning on a meet with the gang at Mechelle's house to gather pumpkins at 6'ish. Well we filled the back bed of the truck with pumpkins from a field that was picked over and left to rot. The field was quite wet and muddy so I have a job cleaning the the carpet and mats in the truck. The gang minus Patrick who is still in Florida and me are heading over to West Jefferson to shop today. I'll drive Nancy to meet them in Sparta and then they will bring her home. I'll spent the morning unloading pumpkins and then cleaning the truck floor before working on some low places in the yard with fill dirt. I'm not much of a shopper especially when its just to browse, LATER

Tuesday Morning

Well we finally got all the rain we needed and then some as there is a small stream running down off the top of the mountain into our dry gully all day long. I checked the rain gauge and it was overflowing at 6 inches. There is no telling how much we received, but I found pines needles on top of the truck from the severe winds during the night. It's been awhile since we last had a storm this fierce all night long. I've never had my sand filled owl blown over but it was laying on the ground along with most of my garden plants.

I started the day with a before 6 roll out. Nancy was sawing logs so bad I had to put on not only my ear plugs but my headphones for when I shoot target practice and that still didn't deaden the noise. I'm now looking for a head phone which is more comfortable and plays a constant sound all night long, oh well. I'm not sure why she is getting louder each night but I hit the sack around 10'ish and get at least 2-3 hours of sleep before she begins her noise around 1.

I did my morning routines, spent some quiet time with my Creator and then posted this ramble. She rolled out around 8 and I fried bacon outside on the grill burner. I fixed a couple of eggs and cut up a jalapeno pepper with some tomato's and a couple pieces of bacon for my breakfast as I had skipped any supper the night before. Yeow what a way to start the gastric juices flowing. I headed down the driveway to access the damage and found some large deep ruts but not as bad as I had anticipated as the water was still running down the side ditch at full force. I hand raked the ruts out and reopened the inside ditch for the water run off and cut new run offs across the drive to help with diverting the water runoff from the next hard rain. (It's raining hard again as I make this post).

The rain stayed away all day and except for some overcast at times it was a great day to work outside. Here it is in October and it hot and muggy at nearly 75 degrees. Nancy took off before lunch to shop with the Botbyl's and Kathryn in Galax. I begged off that trip as I was soaked with sweat from the driveway repair, plus I had lots of other jobs I wanted to get done after this hard rain. I finished up the baked beans for a cold lunch then I cleaned the smoker and raked pine needles from the yard for the blueberry bushes. I wanted to start filling in a couple low areas in yard with dirt but the ground was just to soggy with rain so I headed up the back road to gather rocks to act as a stabilizer in those low places before adding dirt. I hauled three loads of rocks and one load of dirt before calling it a day around 4. Nancy called around 5 and said they all were coming here to have leftover soup and salad.

We had some cheeses,  salami, olives and crackers with a glass of vino while we waited for the soup to heat and watch the Cubs beat the Nationals and take a 2-1 lead in the MLB playoff games. After supper they headed back to the Tracy's rental cabin and we cleaned up. I tuned into another MLB game and the Yanks were beating the Indians when the shower was calling my name. I tuned out the game and headed into the bedroom to read IT for the next hour or so. What an interesting book that tells about this town called Derry in Maine and the lives of some kids who confront evil in all forms.

Well the sound of this rain beating on the tin roof tells me we are in for another gully washer and I'm glad I cut those run offs in the drive to keep the water going to the ditches. That ditch was still running water as well as the stream in the back woods yard all day long and into the evening hours. There was so much water leaching out of the mountain top which usually occurs after a week of heavy rains but not this time in just one over nighter, oh well, LATER

Monday Morning

Well Sunday started out cloudy with lite rain during the night and then overcast skies that carried over to all day Sunday. The real heavy rain started during the late afternoon and then the winds picked up over night blowing rain up and under the roof ridge cap causing some minor leaking. I thought I had fixed that issue on Saturday but the winds were just too strong so we did get some minor drips in the up stairs bathroom dormer. I need to find a better solution to the problem before we head back for the winter.

The day started with a 6 'ish roll out for me with my usual routines while I posted this ramble and then spent a few minutes with my Creator in thanksgiving and lifting up several for healing and comfort. I got word later in the day a friend and local feller died suddenly from a heart attack at 55 years young. He was the brother of the man who built our place and at times worked with him here on the cabin. Dennis was quite the handy man but smoked like a chimney. He is one of about 7 Todd's who still live in the area.

We headed out to Cornerstone for worship at 9:30 then met up with our friends from Florida at noon for some good Mexican Food at the local restaurant in Sparta. I would say about 30 or more from church including the pastor and his family were there as well along with several other pastor's we know in the area. The food was delicious and reasonable. Afterwards we made a Walgreens stop before a grocery stop at Grant's for some of their pork butt special. It was there our neighbor who works at Grant's informed us of Dennis Todd death. We loaded up and headed to the cabin and didn't leave the rest of the evening as the fog and rain set in.

I watched a little of the NFL against my better judgement and then a MLB playoff game during the evening until I decided I needed to work on finishing this book IT. I headed for the bedroom after checking the upstairs dormer and at that time it was dry but I awakened some time later and could hear the wind blowing the rain at almost gale force against the roof from this storm Nate that hit the Gulf Coast. I noticed trash cans scattered up stairs in the bathroom catching the rain water drips this morning when I got up. It's still raining but not a blowing rain so the drips have stopped. I suspect our driveway is washed out as well with the torrential down pour so that will need some attention as well, LATER

Sunday Morning

Well we finally got some much needed rain last evening which came on all of a sudden. The weather changed quickly from bright sunshine to overcast and then to a lite rain. We had the gang over for  the afternoon and then for supper around 5'ish. I did manage some morning chores in along with a hike to the top of the mountain. The temps stayed warm around the high 60's to low 70's except for when the rain came which cooled things down; but this morning it's back up to the low 60's once again.

I started the day with a 6'ish roll out and then to my normal morning routines that started with a cup of hot green tea laced with honey and turmeric while I posted this ramble and then spent some quiet time with my Creator in thanksgiving and intercessory prayer for several who are hurting, especially GG. she is still in the hospital and its looking more like she will need some skilled nursing care at a facility other than Eric and Diane's home. She is having more complicated issues now with her hemoglobin being low which could mean she is bleeding somewhere like before from an ulcer which required several transfusions.

I did manage to get up on the roof and seal where the ridge cap meets the dormer because when it rain hard and the wind blows a little rain up an underneath the cap and a few drops of water drip onto the vanity. I'm hoping this sealant will keep the rain out. I did manage to make a couple boxes similar to the CanJam game which turned out ok. We need a real frisbee instead of the circle disc with no center. I put the ribs on around 10:30 and smoked them until 4:30 and they were perfect with  the meat falling off the bones. I had picked our first mess of half runner green beans and they were perfect with smoked bacon for the seasoning. The gang brought a Cole slaw and Nancy also fixed baked beans, yeow once again what a feed. She also made a fresh apple crisp from the Michigan apples and it was to die for as well with vanilla ice cream. The gang headed out early as Patrick was traveling back to Florida alone for a few day on business.

We did watch both the Gators and Seminoles lose yesterday in college football and most of the ranked teams were winning when I hit the shower around 9. I then headed for the bed to read for another hour before it was lights out for me. Don't forget today is corporate worship day to honor our Lord and to pray for many folks who are hurting from the storms and then this needless killing in Nevada, LATER

Saturday Morning

Well Friday once again was perfect day for being outside in the fresh air and sunshine however according to the forecast all that will change the next two days with rain in the forecast but the temps will stay somewhat moderate. I spent most all day outside working in the yards and garden and then on the deck after lunch reading and then most of the evening at the "music on the main" in downtown Sparta listening to several bands playing various types of music from hard rock, country, the 70's and even some folk music. There must have been 7-9 different bands and even a few solo musicians entertaining the public all free of charge. These events occur the first Friday of the summer months as the town street is shut down and the local business's are open for food and drink.

I started the day once again with a sleep in until nearly 8 PM, yikes that hasn't happened in years. Those nose strips for Nancy has helped to hold the volume down on her snoring which has made a big difference. Hopefully we can once again keep a supply in house. We did our morning routines that started with the proverbial cup of hot green tea laced with honey and turmeric while we did our quiet times lifting up several by name for comfort and healing. GG is back in the hospital in Michigan with fluid retention which has been a severe problem for her with only 25% of her heart functioning properly. The congestive heart failure is the ultimate issue with the fluid and the kidneys are having some issues as well that goes along with the medicine to help ease the fluid buildup.

After a breakfast of a couple cackleberries with grits and a jalapeno pepper and a fresh garden tomato from Michigan I headed out to weed whack the yards and then fired up the riding lawn mower. Wow do the yards ever look pretty after a mowing and the smell from fresh cut grass is delicious as well. I piddled around hand watering and pulling a few weeds before we took off on a hike to the top of the mountain. Once again most everyone was closed up except for Joe who was mowing his yards as well. We chatted for a few then headed back down the mountain to a lite lunch. I chose to eat a handful of cashews and an apple as I knew we would dine at the pizzeria in Sparta around 5'ish. They not only have great pizza but a fresh salad bar which awesome which is what I chose. Afterwards we walked up town as it was closed off to vehicle traffic. Carol hobbled around on her recently injured leg as she slipped and fell at Macy's the day before leaving Florida, straining her hamstring muscle. The Tracy's and Botbyl's left early due to her being in pain. We stayed until 9'ish before heading out as the dew was falling along with cooler temps. The moon was full and bright as it lite up the night. Nancy took pictures once again as she tried to capture the brilliance of the full moon.

Well it wasn't long after a hot shower I curled up with the book IT by Stephen King which is not exactly a warm fuzzy book before bedtime. It wasn't long after 10ish,  I was really for some horizontal lab. Today Saturday we are having the gang over for ribs on the smoker and some abbreviated can jam and corn hole games, LATER 

Friday Morning

Well Thursday turned out to be almost perfect weather wise day, yeow this Indian summer is fantastic except we do need some rain. We slept in for a change or at least for me until nearly 7:30 yikes, that hasn't happened in many moons. I guess being back in the mountains has pushed the "being home button" which has finally allowed me to sleep but I think the real cause for that is the nose strips which has limited Nancy snoring, yeah. After my quiet time to give thanks and lift up several by name I had a lite breakfast then headed out to the yards and gardens.

The transplants from yesterday were looking great with the cool nights and heavy dew so I hand watered the gardens and flower beds. The Zinnias are starting to head up, although the stocks are small compared to their normal size from last year there are heads which I hope will bloom and give me seeds for next years planting. Sowing the seeds the end of July didn't help with this short growing season at all. I picked a colander of green beans and since the watering when we first got back Tuesday afternoon they have really started to mature. I should have plenty to share with friends and neighbors.

The garlic patch is really doing quite well with lots of new seedlings. Hopefully I will harvest a mess come next spring/summer as they grow all winter long. I'm going to load the bed with horse manure before I leave for the winter so that means I need to spend a day at the stables at Kimberly's cleaning out the stalls and then spreading it on the garden patches. We got in a good hike to the top of the mountain and the views were awesome in the distance. We could barely make out the buildings 70 miles away. We made a stop at the Browning's for a chat as Joe and his cousin Mark were still working on one of his out building.

We had a lite lunch of a garden salad before we got ready to head out for Sparta. I loaded up the garbage and the cooler as we wanted to pick up a few items at the grocery while in town. We then headed over to the Tracy's for an evening of good food and games until nearly 9:30. Dan and Carol got in from Florida around 1:30 in the morning so it was a big reunion of the "Cool Peoples Club" as we designated ourselves. Kathryn had a turkey breast roasting, along with smashed taters, dressing and corn with plenty of cheese dips and spreads while we worked the gastric juices up to being active with some vino. We ate outside on their picnic table which was splendid in the shade of the cabin under neath the porch, yeow what a feed and then of course Nancy had made a pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top for later as we played a game of Balderdash. We had played a game of Euchre on the porch before supper and the gals won that game as well and then Nancy was the biggest liar in Balderdash. There were lots of laughs as we always have a fun time together.

We got back to the cabin with a full moon showing over the mountain tops around 10'ish and it was almost daylight out as the moon was that bright. I hit the shower and then just a few minutes watching the Bucs lose to the Patriots before hitting the sack. I've lost my enthusiasm for the NFL due to their unpatriotic actions with the anthem and it wouldn't displease me if the league goes under and these high paid players had to get a real job, LATER

Thursday Morning

Well we had the heat on yesterday morning as the cabin was still in the warm up stage plus it was down in to the 30's during the night. We are still dry here but the morning dew is very heavy with it dripping off the roof. The grass will need mowing again which has surprised me, due to the lack of rain. The temps reached the lower 70's by middle afternoon and the blue skies were awesome. We stayed around the cabin except for a mid morning hike to the top of the mountain. We stopped and visited with our dear friends the Browning's who was working on one of his small out buildings with his first cousin who is the grand son of Devil Anse Hatfield. Mark is the splitting image of Devil Anse and he and Joe ran around together as kids in Logan, W.Va. Joe's mom and Mark's dad were brother and sister. The Browning's still have their place up for sale if anyone is interested as they want to move back to Cleveland to be near their grand kids.

I started the day with a 6'ish roll out to a cup of hot green tea laced with honey and turmeric while I spent some quiet moments with my Creator in thanksgiving for a safe trip and for healing for several who are hurting. GG seems to be improving somewhat but at a very snail's pace. At least she is with family and out of the Miami hospital and in Michigan. (We made a great new friend at the AirBNB in Whitmore lake, Mi.where we will stay when visiting GG) That isn't good for a daily visit from us but at least she in not in a nursing home where who knows what goes on with the incapacitated. We speak with her daily and she is regaining slowly from her mini stroke which effected her speech. Paw Paw seems to be doing well living on his own and Mike is now home to rehab his new knee with the help from sister Dee. She now needs to get her hip fixed. 

Well Nancy had a couple loads of laundry on the clothesline which was a perfect day for drying outside. I picked the first batch of half runner green beans which wasn't huge but some pods were big enough which helps to keep the beans producing. The vines are loaded with blooms and small bean pods. The hand watering has really helped to bring them on since Tuesday. I transplanted some Swiss chard seedlings into a larger space as well as several volunteer tomato plants from my compost pile. I harvested lots of lettuce, Swiss chard, kale and the first of the beet greens for a huge salad for supper. Nancy had a pot of homemade vegetable beef soup on the stove and the smell was awesome and mouth watering. We invited our new best friend from the top of the mountain, Jaime who is a traveling doctor of physical therapy to join us for supper. We always enjoy her company and she is fearless as she travels around the country in her RV.

Well that was about it as after Jaime left we washed up the dishes and I watched a little of the baseball play off game before hitting the shower and then some horizontal lab around 10'ish. We are eagerly awaiting our neighbor from Florida who will be coming for nearly three weeks here in the mountains. They will stay first with the Tracy's and then both the Tracy's and the Botbyl's will stay with us the third week as the Tracy's give up their rental cabin, LATER

On a business note the special for this month of October is ALL ARTISTRY PRODUCTS are BOGO until the 20th. Artistry is basically for all you gals as its makeup, skin care and in that line but they do have some products especially for guys. The Bogo is until the 20th and if you order at least 30 PV's of products you will receive your shipping costs in a reimbursement check but you must make that order by the 10th of the month. Each product has a PV value and that works out to be about a hundred bucks but remember your getting twice the amount of product for the one price. (It's kind of like is your bucket half full or half empty). Check out our store at www.amway.com/JNTriplett for all your vitamins, cleaning products, etc. Anyone who wants to become an independent business operator(IBO) as we are with Amway let me know. It's a great corporation with unbelievable great products and the chance to add to your income depends on how much you want to work and make it a success. The nominal fee to become a member of this world wide business is very little and you are your own boss. There is no stocking of any products as your customers purchase through your website store. Give it look and any questions email me at butchtriplett@gmail.com

Wednesday Morning

Well its a bit nippy here this AM with temps in the low 40's. We have the portable electric heater on as the cabin was cold yesterday when we arrived despite the temps in the low 70's. It seems there were some cold mornings while we were gone and with the cabin being closed up it took some time to once again warm everything up. The dishes and silverware were ice cold as was the sheets in between the blankets. It will take a couple of days to bring everything up to normal once again and we are slated for some 70's all this week, oh well it was great to get back home again after sleeping in several different beds the past several days.

We woke Tuesday morning in beautiful Shenandoah Valley in the quaint town of Woodstock, Va. at youngest sister Dee and husband Mike's gorgeous house. The vista around the house is postcard material with the huge dairy barn and fields in the background nestled in between the mountains and this morning a huge hot air balloon in festive colors was overhead as we sat at the kitchen table for our breakfast. After eating I headed out to picked jalapeno and green peppers from her garden which grows such magnificent veggies. I kid her about the soil as its rock hard when dry but its very fertile as is the abundant of veggies; especially peppers of all kinds and tomato's. I loaded up a couple of bags of both before we left as they have already stocked up their freezer with both.

The trip south saw us stop for a quick visit in Harrisonburg to see Mike in the hospital as he had a knee replacement surgery on Monday. He looked great and was out of bed and awaiting his first physical therapy. We stayed for but a few minutes and then headed south on I-81 with a few stops to walk and for lunch at Mickey D's. We have found their chicken bacon salad to be quite tasty and now after trying it in Bowling Green, Ohio for the first decided to try it again in Hillsville, N.C. We made a grocery stop in Galax as we are expecting quests over the next couple of weeks as they divide their time between the Tracy's and our place. The cabin was as we had left it except for the interior was like an ice box. We quickly opened all of the closed blinds, windows and doors to let in the sunshine and the warmth.

We unloaded and unpacked and I headed out to hand water the gardens as we received no rain while we were gone. The heavy dews at night and the cool temps kept everything alive but the green beans hadn't grown as much as I had liked and the lettuce was still growing but was needing a drink as well. We took off on a hike to the top of the mountain and visited with Ben and Laura who bought the Cline cabin. They showed us in and we saw where they are making several renovations and one was the addition of a cooling/ heating system that requires no duct work. I'm going to investigate that further as that maybe just what we need for the hot months. I don't think we will need the heat as we go back to Florida for the cold winters. We walked on across the top of the mountains and could feel the cool air of the evenings starting to permeate the hike. We saw the Brownings who were out for an evening hike and walked back with them to their place. We visited just for a moment as the air was starting to cool down especially on the tree lined back road.

Nancy fixed tacos for supper as we had plenty of Michigan tomato's and Virginia jalapeno's and yellow peppers to add to the toppings. Delicious to say the least. We settled into the news and social media and I caught up on some correspondence. It wasn't long after a hot shower that I was ready for some reading before the sand man calleth, LATER 

Tuesday Morning in the Shenandoah Valley.

I'm looking out the kitchen window and dawn is just breaking over the Blue Ridge mountains to the east with just a faint glow of pink over the corn silos and barns of this beautiful farm which is right next door to sister Dee and Mike's beautiful valley home. We got in here last evening after an early morning start in Whitmore Lake, Michigan on our way across the beautiful farming area of Ohio and into Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. We even made a quick stop in Berkley Springs to visit the old river house where Nancy as a kid spent her summer with her grand parents, family and cousins. The old place is in complete disrepair and falling inward do to the roof having huge gaping holes. The For Sale sign is gone but the yards which are completely over grown. Nancy took her shoes off and waded out into the Capon River where she use to bath as a kid as there was no bathroom in the old house.

We made a stop in Winchester to visit Paw Paw and then took him out to Cracker Barrel for a delicious supper. We came back and sat on the porch for a spell then we headed down to Woodstock to visit with sister Dee's. Mike had his knee surgery early Monday morning and that was recorded as text book perfect. He is in a Harrisonburg hospital and we will make a stop to visit with him on the way south. It has been a whirlwind trip which started last Friday and hopefully end later today Tuesday as we head back to the cabin after a stop in Galax for groceries.

Sunday Morning

Well Saturday was awesome day which started with temps in the upper 30's and once again this morning. Our resident hostess just filled our bellies with an unbelievable breakfast that started with fresh fruit and yogurt, bacon, eggs and pancakes. Yeow what a feed and now we are getting ready to head out through the 'hood to walk on the golf course next door. The sun is shining brightly. We will do our quiet times and listen to our worship service via the internet.

Yesterday we had a lite breakfast of homemade granola bars and yogurt before a morning walk and then we headed over to a local vegetable stand for fresh corn and some other veggies for supper. We got over to Eric's around 11'ish and then spent the day except for a trip to a local apple orchard where we picked apples after riding a trailer pulled by a tractor out into the orchard. We did eat a little dust from the pulling tractor. We also purchased homemade donuts, apple cider and kettle corn to share.

We got back to Eric's and had some vino as we ate grilled chicken, corn on the cob, Asian salad and homemade bread yeow what a feed we had with several others through out the evening. It was close to 11 before we headed back to the house. We had a good visit with GG throughout the day as she was pampered by Arianne and Nancy. We are pleasantly surprised at how well she is doing and adjusting to the new surrounding while being cared for by Eric and Dianne.

Well we have had a marvelous experience with Christina and her home. She let us have the run of the house and we have enjoyed her two kitty cats as well. We awakened to smell of bacon coming up the steps. I haven't slept in this late in years as it was close to 8 before I rolled out. We will head to Virginia early in the morning(MON) to visit with paw Paw and then down to Woodstock to visit sister Dee while Mike has his knee surgery tomorrow, LATER