I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to my cup of hot green tea laced with turmeric after my daily handful of Nutrilite vitamins and supplements while I posted this ramble then spent some quiet moments with my Creator in thanksgiving and in intercessory thoughts and prayers for several who I know are hurting and could even use a miracle to get back on their feet. Nancy and I have both been so blessed with good health and a clear mind and we pinch ourselves daily with the blessings of being here in the mountains and showing our first time visitors our place. We get so many great compliments on how we have fixed this place up and how we share it with so many folks its almost embarrassing; but we love the fact we can spend 5 months here during the summer and then head south to Florida for the winter. GOD is good and we honor Him daily with thoughts and prayers as well as weekly with corporate worship and with our tithing.
Breakfast for me was a bowl of chopped apple, blueberries from my bushes, pecans and a cup of yogurt in the mix I headed out to check on the gardens. Once again the dang deer came through eating the beet and Swiss chard tops as well as pulling a few from the ground plus stomping through the new lettuces and turnip seedlings. Dang it!!! I did get a scare as well as scared a large buck on my first hike of the day as Nancy can not hike due to a large blister she acquired on Saturday while wearing her cowboy boots for about 6 hours at the horse sale. I meant to say it is a large blister on the heel of her foot and she can not stand any type of pressure, anyhow I wanted to hike so off I went before lunch and while I'm very quiet in the woods, I walked up on this large deer just a few feet from the path. Well he snorted and I jumped as I was looking off in a different direction.
I got the weed whacker out after breakfast and cleaned up a couple spots around the buildings and trees after Sunday nights mow. The grass has slowed down so much from the lack of rain but its still nice and green from the overnight dew that forms. It was beautiful up until about 3'ish when we were expecting our guests for an afternoon of games and then supper. We turned the a/c on and it quickly cooled down the cabin as the afternoon sun did warm things up a bit. The humidity has stayed away for now. We had tons of finger foods and some fruit of the vine while eating and teaching Tom and Elizabeth the game of Euchre. The boys prevailed despite all the chatter by the gals and we Euchred them twice. It was a loud crowd to say the least and then it was time to take the ribs off the smoker around 5:30. Yeow is all I can say as the meat fell off the bones and the flavor was delicious. I used a mixture of applewood and hickory that I cut up from trees here on the mountain.
Nancy had parsley taters, a broccoli casserole as well as a fresh garden garden salad and I finally had enough home grown 'maters to adorn the salad. I adorned my taters with a jalapeno from the garden as well and does it ever compliment the dish. We sat outside on the recently cleaned preserved deck in the evening shade and it was magnificent to say the least. After the cleanup which we all helped with it was decided a couple folks would ride in the golf cart one being Nancy and the other Kathryn to the top of the mountain so we could show off the beauty of the area and to show our guests a lot for sale on top with awesome views. They made it up the steep backwoods trail but did ask if we do this hike daily as its rather strenuous. They were blown away by the views on top and I've nearly convinced them of purchasing the lot there and putting a mini log home on site. We showed them a couple places that just sold and another one for sale but they all like our place which doesn't have the long distance views but is nestled back in the woods and seems very comfy to all who venture here.
The campfire was perfect as the woods chunks were dried out and made for a great evening fire. Nancy made coffee for those who wanted it but mostly we rested after the hike enjoying the ambiance with the stars shining brightly and the near full moon coming up in the trees behind us. We laughed and cut up until nearly 9 o'clock which is usually their bedtime. It was a fun afternoon and evening and we will do it all again today(tue) evening at their rental cabin the other side of Sparta. I tuned into the Saints vs Houston game and Brees brought them back with seconds to spare for a victory. It makes all the difference in the world when you have a good QB which the Bucs seriously needs, LATER
