Monday Morning Oct 31st... Back in hot sunny Florida

 Well Sunday started out with a 3 AM rollout, but of course I Never sleep the night before we travel. It was rather chilly with temps just out of the 30's as we loaded up the rest of our things and I drained the pipes and put anti freeze in the sinks and commodes, turned the power off and we were out of the drive at 4 AM. It was an uneventful drive which is just what we like except when day light struck the traffic also increased so much so in Ocala it was stop and go for several miles in 3 lanes, wow. We made good time except in S. Carolina where I -95 is still just 2 lanes. We made two stops to eat and two to gas and walk and still made the driveway at home in exactly 12 hours. Not bad when you thought Sunday would be the best day to travel but its not, coming back from the cold north to the warm south, oh well.

It was unload and put the house back in order and get back on the internet which some changes had been made while we were gone and then we got take out from Outback which was delicious. We have decided to do as our friends and order 1 meal and a side salad and share the entree which was perfect for us. I didn't lose any pounds this summer despite all of the up and down the hills and my solo hikes and all of the together hikes. We just over eat and must change our habits especially the amount of food. That will be a large adjustment for Nancy as she always over cooks and I feel I have to eat it so as not be wasteful. My spare tire is huge. I even quit a beer for lunch the last couple of weeks and will stay with my glass of red wine before supper when possible.

I'll head to the rec this morning for a short stint on the PB court before running errands and getting a hair cut which I need. The heat is bearable as the humidity is low but we came from cold temps to 91 degrees as we reached home around 4. Yikes what a change and we thankfully changed from cold weather clothes to summer ones as we headed south. The house and yards were in really good shape and the garden is over grown but Tyler had weed whacked it down so it shouldn't take but a few days to get it ready for planting. The couple seedlings I brought back didn't fare well on the trip, LATER

Not sure what happened but now I can down load some pics. These were random from the past couple of days

Saturday Morning Oct 29th..final post from the cabin this year

 Well the time has come upon us to say goodbye for this year here in the beautiful mountains of N.C. as we head south for Florida in the early morning tomorrow, Sunday. This summer and fall just flew by and it seems as I age it goes that much faster. We had a glorious time here as we always do and the weather this year has been awesome with no extended periods of wet or dry weather yet we have had some much cooler temps this past month which is a bit unusual.

I started Friday with my usual routines after posting this ramble and then some quiet time. It was close 8:30 before I headed out on my solo hike to the top of the mountain finishing up my morning talk with my Creator giving thanks and lifting several up by name. It was another right chilly morning with temps close to freezing in the upper 30's but it did warm up to the low 50's by days end. There was a mixture of clouds except for the late afternoon when the skies turned blue and clear.

I did some piddly chores outside and in the basement but the last of the real work needs to be done today as we pack and get ready for the early morning departure and the final chores of closing down the cabin for the next 7 months. I have a routine that starts with a 3AM wake up and a 4 AM departure. I'll do most all of the work today after lunch except for some small chores and then a visit to our mountain mom to say goodbye. Kimberly came by yesterday for a visit and we had lunch together. I loaded her up with garden greens which will just die eventually when the hard freezes come. We didn't get together but one time at her place over the summer. She is such a hoot and we dearly love her and her family. Eddie is still hanging on despite still in a nursing home as he is paralyzed from the waist down but is able in a motorized wheel chair to get around some what. It's been over 6 year since he had his accident.

We got in our final hike together to the top of the mountain for this year. The back trail is so slick with the buildup of leaves it hard for Nancy to maneuver in them with her achilles issues. I'll hike this morning and hopefully again before supper as I need the exercise to keep in shape. It was a beautiful late afternoon hike with views of Winston in the distance. We saw no one on top but our friend Rick who is visiting his late mothers cabin before he heads to California with his FEMA job. We cleaned up more left overs and then settled into our devices; me on the laptop and she on her Ipad with the TV on in the back ground until the Series came on. It was tied when I hit the sack after the Phillies came back from being 5 runs down, LATER

Until I make my next post hopefully Monday Morning in Florida before heading out to pickle ball. Keep us in your prayers for safe travel.

Friday Morning Oct 28th

 Well Thursday was a bit nippy to start the day but it eventually warmed up enough to just wear a long sleeve shirt while hiking in the afternoon. Tons of deep blue skies with lots of bright sunshine but a stiff breeze at times kept it cool. We were sort of bored as we have caught up on most of our chores in winterizing, there are some things left for the last day both inside and outside so we hiked and sat in the sun enjoying the warmth while the leaves fell from the trees.

I started the day with a 6'ish rollout to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and then a hike to the top of the mountain after day break finishing up my talk with the Creator. The deer were either hiding or still bed down on this chilly start of the day which was down in the low 40's. We cleaned up some cereal for breakfast and then I headed out to use the leaf blower for something to do until lunch time. Nancy was cleaning the cabin to keep busy. We did think of leaving early but decided to stick to our plans for leaving early Sunday morning.

We took a golf cart ride out to the mailbox for what should be our last local newspaper and stopped and visited for a good while with Grant who is undergoing cancer treatment. He seemed resolved to the fact that if its GOD's will he will survive if not he is ready to meet his maker. We then headed up the hill and visited with Linda and Mike for a spell as they were awaiting some folks from the propane company to reset his line and tank. Well one of the workers was an old friend who we hadn't seen in years and at one time was the sheriff of the county. What a pleasant surprise.

We headed home and then headed up the mountain for a good long hike. We did see Hazel's son Doug there and visited with him. He lost his wife in June and has decided to work on the view for his mom's cabin who passed several years ago. It basically has set empty for years and the front yard is head high with shrubs and wild growth. I think we cheered him up as we talked non stop for 30 minutes or more. We headed down the mountain and then Mike and Linda stopped by for a few as we never got to say goodbye to him as he was busy with workers on his gas tank.

It was time to finish up some leftovers for a delicious supper of pork chop, October beans and spinach casserole plus some cornbread. After the clean up it was dark outside so we settled into our respective devices. We did some face time with Katie and the twins and they were full of it as they entertained us with their sweetness and antics. We will be spending the night with them in a few weeks and they are excited to see us next week for supper and then a ball game with Gabe. I watched some you tube documentaries and hit the shower just before 10 and was in the horizontal position a little afterwards. Nancy eventually came to bed some time later in the evening, LATER

Thursday Morning Oct 27th

 Well we are down to 3 more wake ups before leaving our mountain cabin. Wednesday was a mixture of weather with a lite rain to start the day then fog and clouds until lunch time and finally bright sunshine and blue skies by the afternoon. The temps were a little cooler than the past couple of days but not really cold. It was long sleeve but no heavy coats for me but for Nancy that was another story as her thermostat is off. She bundled up, then shed some on our together hike then bundled up on the way back off the mountain. She tickles me with her extremes measures; I guess its menopause, oh well.

I started the day with my usual 6'ish rollout to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this blog. Its still dark outside now close to 7:30 which makes my solo hike happening close to 8'ish especially with the over cast skies and fog. I once again ran into our momma deer and the twins which are close to her size as they have grown so this summer. They should be tasty next year from all the garden veggies of mine they have eaten over these past 5 months. They just stand still as I pass by on my solo hike. I'll leave them some old apples and the pumpkin when we leave on Sunday morning.

I didn't do much outside until the skies cleared around mid morning and then it was just to piddle around as I have just about finished all of the outside chores. Nancy and I took our long hike to the top of the mountain around noon as we were skipping lunch after a pancake breakfast and planning on an early supper around 4 since we were heading to Sparta for our small group meeting at 6. We met the Herron's(Dorthy and Laney) on our hike and chatted for several minutes. They leave their place today but come up frequently through out the winter. It was a nice get to know a little about them. They just love it here also. We came back down the mountain and cut through the upper portion of our property through the woods checking out our property line. There were signs of where the deer bed down overnight in the thick bushes.

I grilled pork chops that we had from a roast we never prepared and they were delicious and tender along with some fries from the freezer. We seem to be doing better eating down the freezers as well. I loaded up several bags of garbage and wanted to drop them off at the dump in Sparta before it closed as there were many cans and glass ware in the mix. The dump closed at 5 so that gave us an hour before our class started. We decided to take some unknown roads and one took us from pavement to dirt over one vehicle bridges. We met another vehicle who was able to pull aside and let us pass and we spoke briefly with the driver who informed us where we were. All roads eventually lead to the big two which are 18 and 21 but one we found our bearing it wasn't that far from the church where we were meeting for the evening. 

We had several new folks and got to know them only say goodbye until next year. Jack Hibbs was the speaker on video about what we are to do as the "church" in these troubled times with ever increasing wokeism and its disregard for what our nation was founded on; Judeo Christian principles. The church itself is becoming influenced by this movement that says what was once was good is now evil and vice versa. We must be bold in telling folks about the gospel of Christ because the end times are looking more prevalent daily with a corrupt gov't, crime which is out of hand, economic disillusionment and the lack of love for life with murdering the innocent, just to mention a few of the signs mention in Revelation, LATER

Wednesday Morning Oct 26th

 Well Tuesday was another fine day here in the mountains with a chilly start but eventually warmed up to t-shirt temps with tons of sunshine and deep blue skies. Beautiful with the many colored trees that are still bearing leaves. I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish rollout to my routines of some quiet time with my Creator after posting this ramble. Once again for some unknown reason I'm unable to post any pics for the days activities on this ramble, oh well. I finished up my talk with GOD on my solo hike to the top of the mountain once it got light enough outside to see the trail.

After breakfast I headed out on the golf cart to dig and haul one last load of dirt from one of the run off piles along the road which has loads of topsoil from the big rains that wash down the road. I had a couple rugged spots at the top of the driveway that needed filling in and a couple low spots in the yard. I then put up the long fence around the front of the cabin that will hopefully once again keep the hydrangeas in tact when we arrive next summer as well as around the well house that also has hydrangeas. The deer feast on them during the winter and this year was the first with tons of blooms. I've just about completed the outside chores for winterizing the cabin except for a few things that I do last day.

We took a golf cart ride out to the mailboxes and then up to check on Anne and Franks place. It looked like they just left for the day and their mums were still in bloom despite the cold weather last week. I planted mine in the circle bed and then I will known if that works for next summer as her's did beautiful over the winter last year. She and I are flower lovers as is Nancy. 

Nancy made a delicious spinach casserole we were to take to the Frankis for supper but since they were having cold issues we decided to cancel and stay home. She also had a pot of October beans which we called bird egg beans on the stove for supper during the afternoon, yummy. We did get in a long hike to the top of the mountain around 4'ish and the weather was perfect. After the cleanup from supper we both settled into our corners in the cabin with me on the You Tube channel and she on HGTV until shower time around 9:30 then it was horizontal lab for at 10, LATER

Tuesday Morning Oct 25th

 Well Monday was another near perfect day after a chilly start with tons of sunshine and blue skies. Just beautiful with the leaves that are still hanging on the trees in their various colors. Many have fallen but some maples and oaks are still showing some beautiful shades of red, browns and oranges. Peak has past for another year but maybe its just my imagination but this year the colors were the best for many years.

I started the day out with a 6'ish roll out to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and finished up with my talk on my solo hike. Once again I saw 3 deer on my hike which is now becoming routine as well. Many trees along the way are bare and the deer with their dark winter coats blend right in with the starkness of the underbrush. After a light breakfast I headed out to piddle around outside around 10'ish when the outside temps started to moderate. I finished up some small chores and noticed neighbor Gerald was back on the mountain for the day. I took him his mail that we had been collecting for the past week or so then he blessed us with several packages of frozen ground venison to take back with us to Florida. We love the meat and I'm sure the great taste comes the veggies they eat in my garden during the summer months.

Nancy baked a bunch of cookies and we headed over to Helen our Mountain Mom to visit and bless her with a bag full. She loves her sweets. She was in good spirits as her son Rick just left a day or so ago. He did the winterizing of her cabin which I usually do for her and fixed her door that was so hard to open and close. She is going to stick it out here at her place for this winter. Rick set up a driver for her but when she called, the lady never answered her phone or called her back, oh well so much for that helping her out. We came back around 3:30 and set out on a long hike to the top of the mountain. 

It was a great day for hiking as I did it in a t-shirt as the temps had warmed up close to 70. The bees and beetles were about in the warm sunshine but as the evening came on, you could feel the chill and dew coming back as we sat outside after supper with a campfire. What a nice evening. Darkness and the chill ran us into the cabin where I tuned into You Tube with the Texas Range House story that has several episodes set in 1867 and how the folks lived in the vast areas of west Texas on a cattle range. Very good and of course with 15 folks all except the 5 family members coming from different back grounds there is always some dissension. I watched 3 episodes before hitting the shower around 10'ish and then some horizontal lab, LATER

Monday Morning oct 24th (Last Monday in the mountains this year)

 Well Sunday turned out to be another beautiful day after a rather chilly start. We saw tons of frost on our way to church but none at the cabin despite it being down in the 30's to start the day. I was close to tears a couple times as we said good bye to our church family and friends until next summer. I got lots of hugs and well wishes as we left the church and met up with the Frankis Family for lunch at the Pizzeria. We had the usual which is excellent to say the least; a salad with a small personal pie for 7.95 with 3 toppings, what a deal. We made a stop at the Food Lion for a few items needed this coming week but we are eating down as much as possible before packing up and leaving Sunday morning for Florida.

We came back and I watched what was supposed to be a contender for the playoffs this season with the Bucs but the team never showed up. I suppose Brady should have retired last year because these players are making him look bad as they dropped sure TD passes, no blocking by the line and just a bunch of ineptness on the field. They let the lowly Panthers at 1-5 beat then badly and besides the Panthers let their star running back leave the day before or the score would have been worst than the 21-3 whupping they put on the Bucs. They are finished for the year in my book unless they fire some folks. Oh well.

We went over to Mechelle for supper around 5 and said our goodbye's with with her and her family and new boyfriend. We got him to play a couple games of Sequence and the gals have bragging rights for the winter with 2-1 win in 3 games. They are a tough bunch and always play to win while always calling us guys cheaters even when we lose, oh well. It was raucous to say the least. We were home just as darkness fell upon the cabin and the coolness was returning to the evening night air. It looks as if we have another evening invite for supper at the Frankis house on Tuesday and then our small group on Wednesday at church for our last trip to Sparta this year as well.

Hopefully the weather will stay like it has been the past couple of days as we pack up and head out early Sunday morning. We will see our mountain mom a couple of more times this week as well and take her some cookies and some things we don't want to haul back in our coolers. This summer has just flown by and we didn't take any meaningful trips away from the cabin which is a first in years. We did entertain a bunch more than usual with plenty of overnight guests some for close to two weeks at a time, but it was fun with lots of game playing and some delicious meals, LATER

Sunday Morning Oct 23rd

 Well Saturday after a chilly start turned almost spring like with temps warm enough for short sleeves on our afternoon hike to the top of the mountain. I started the day with a 7'ish rollout as that now has become a routine the past week or so with it being so dark outside when I usually roll out around 6'ish. I did my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and finished up my talk with the Creator on my solo hike to the top of the mountain around 8'ish. It was chilly to start but the sun was out and shining brightly on the other side of the mountain. We don't get the bright sun until around 10'ish when it clears the tree tops that surround our place.

I worked outside all morning once again getting the garden beds really for their winter naps to recharge for next summer's sowing season. I still have collards, kale, Swiss chard and beets in the upper garden which I will leave for neighbor Gerald and some herbs in the lower garden mainly parsley and some dill and rosemary. I hauled two loads of mulch and then covered that with two loads of pine needles and leaves which should give the earthworms plenty of food for the winter as well as help with the freezing of the ground and hopefully plenty of compost for next summer as well as help keep the weeds and grasses out of the beds.

We took a ride out to the mailboxes in the golf cart and then a ride up on top of the mountain. We saw no one on this trip but did see and speak with Billy on our later hike in the afternoon. The fallen leaves are deep on the trail and back roads. I saw a couple of deer on my morning hike and we had them once again in the backwoods yard eating the tender green grasses. I did watch a little football and baseball playoffs around supper time while grilling the last of the pork chops. Nancy made a delicious turnip casserole to accompany the chops for supper. I tuned into the MLB play off game until 10'ish then hit the shower and some horizontal lab. 

Today will be our last Sunday at Cornerstone until next June so we will say our good bye's with a heavy heart as we have grown to love these mountain folks as family, LATER 

Saturday Morning Oct 22nd

 Well Friday after a cold start was another nice day even if it was a bit chilly at times with the stiff breeze. There was tons of sunshine and blue skies which made for some great outside work for me. Nancy stayed inside with the heat on and in her sweat shirt but I loved it. After a late start around 7'ish I did my routines of course its still pitch black outside so I posted this ramble and then did my quiet time and then headed out around 8 ish for my solo hike. The gals(momma deer and her twins) were in the backwoods yard eating the green grass until I headed out then off into the woods they scattered. I see them some morning eating the corn neighbor Gerald puts out this time of the year and we saw a huge buck on our afternoon hike to the top of the mountain.

I piddled around in the front yards once again raking pine needles and leaves and filled the other flower and garden beds instead of using manure this year for a change. It takes me a couple of days when I first get here in the summer to weed these beds so this year I'm not using the horse manure because of the weeds it produces, plus the leaves and needles breakdown giving me compost. I'll use a little lime to offset the acid they produce to bring the PH of the soil back to neutral. Hopefully this will save me a ton of weeding next summer. I took off the blades on the riding mower and sharpened them for next season and then removed the battery. I then cleared off the porches and stored the furniture in the back of the shed with the mower in front of it so I can just remove the golf cart first and then the mower come next summer when the grass is knee high

After lunch we took a golf cart ride to the top of the mountain after checking on the mail. We spoke with Carl who is up from his Wilmington house on the beach to winterize their beautiful place for a few days. It's rather warm on the east coast where they live for most of the year. We came back and decided to get in a hike to the top of the mountain as well and we came up through the woods checking out the property and the lines. It's fun to walk through the woods now that they are knee deep in leaves. We stopped and chatted with Billy on top for a few and then saw Sarah and Tom on their way in. We visited with them just for a few as they were in their car. We came across the mountain then headed down the back road which was covered in dead fallen leaves and then up our steep driveway. That is great exercise and Nancy fell asleep while watching TV.

I found a great show on Nat Geo titled the Texas Ranch House that brought back living in 1867. It's a great story thus far with everything about ranching and living in that era. Very interesting and enjoyable as the men worked the 10 thousand acre spread looking for wild longhorn cattle and the women worked the house and gardens. There are no modern or present day conveniences for any of these folks and they dressed in the period as well. No running water, no refrigeration and no electricity. I watched that until shower time around 10'ish awakening Nancy asleep in her chair. That hike took it out of her, LATER

Friday Morning Oct 21st

 Well Thursday started out rather cool but by late afternoon it had warmed up enough for a pleasant hike out to the mailbox which is just about a mile each way with a couple steep hills. It felt great to get out of the cabin and get some real exercise, although I did get in my early morning solo hike to the top of the mountain while finishing up my morning quiet time with the Creator.

I did very little during the day as the cold wind made it just uncomfortable to be out and about until around 3'ish when we headed out. There was ice all over the truck and the roof of the cabin until after lunch despite it showing above freezing on the back porch thermometer. The wind kept it so cold. We even played some Kings on the Corner a card game with just the two of us. I have a few outside chores yet to do and I'm hoping it will warm up enough today Friday to be out side and get them done while every thing is dry. We cleaned up some leftovers for supper as well as used up some can goods as we eat down our freezers and pantry. 

Not much to write about except I saw 5 deer on my early morning hike and almost every morning we now see the mom and her twins eating the grass in the backwoods yard. The twins have really grown over the summer and are nearly as large as their mother. We have checked on both the Withrow and the Nymark places and all are looking good. We did see Roddy and Bertie yesterday on top of the mountain and they are as well as can be expected, LATER

Thursday Morning Oct 20th

 Well Wednesday was another cold day that started with temps in the 30's and ended close to the freezing mark when we got home last evening from our small group at Cornerstone around 8:30. We didn't do much outside as the wind made the cold feel even colder. I did take my solo hike in the early morning to finish up my quiet time and talk with the Creator. It finally got light enough around 7:30 to hike and then we took another hike together in the early afternoon. There was plenty of sunshine after lunch but the morning clouds sure looked like snow clouds but the wind finally swept them away and let in the blue skies and bright sunshine.

We had a late breakfast and then an early supper around 4'ish as we were heading out around 5:30 for Sparta with a stop at the library to take back our reads for the summer and then off to Cornerstone where we heard about the 4 horsemen in Revelations and how they fit into the signs of the Second coming and what they represent about what will happen here on earth. Of course we who are Christ followers and Believers will be taken up by then and not suffer whats being prophesied with these horsemen John writes about. We are definitely seeing the signs of the end of the world as we once knew it; what was once good is now evil and what was once evil is now good in so many areas within our culture.

We are trying to eat down our freezer and we finished the last of the salmon filets along with frozen spinach and left over sweet tater for our early supper. Today will be chili as we clean out some canned beans and sauces that have been frozen from leftover meals and dishes. Time marches on as we clean out areas and get ready to put the cabin in a winter mode for another 7 months. I just about have the gardens ready for the winter except I want to get a load on manure for my final event in winterizing them for next summer's planting. The garlic I planted in September have shoots protruding through the ground and will live all winter, LATER

The older lady standing with me is a widow who I help from time to time. She is a hoot and goes by the name of Birdie. We just love to hear her talk. The leaves are still showing some color but have dulled considerably and the wind has taken it toll as well.

Wednesday Morning Oct 19th

Well it's down right cold here with temps in the 20's to start the day on Tuesday and it maybe reached a high of 40, but winds were strong with gusts that sent leaves high into the air. This caused the wind chill to be in the teens, yikes. What happened global warming? Winter has come early to the mountains this year and now those beautiful leaves are gone with their vibrant colors. We see dark barren trees which makes it seem more like winter than ever, oh well.

I started the day out with a later rollout as it stays dark outside until nearly 7:30 when it becomes light enough for my solo morning hike as I finish up my quiet times after posting this blog. I didn't do a whole lot outside during the morning hours as it was just too cold. We did take an afternoon hike once the sunshine became totally evident from the somewhat cloudy skies during the morning. We hiked up the back road to Anne and Franks place to check on it and then across the road behind us and down towards Pam's place and then up our steep driveway. The cold wind had us covered up like eskimos.

I did pick the last of any veggies and put them in the basement along with some cilantro seedlings and a couple volunteer tomato plants that I will hope to take back with me for my winter garden in Florida. Jake and Katelyn wanted us to come for supper and some game playing, so Nancy made a dish of scalloped taters to take and we had chicken thighs and a salad which all were very tasty and she made a fresh apple pie which was delicious as well. It tough to play games with an infant and a 2 year old but once they were in bed we had a few minutes for some fun card game. They have no other game playing friends which will make for a long winter as they both like playing cards. It was 36 when we left their place as it had warmed up from 34 degrees when we arrived. It was a wintery night with the wind blowing. We had the heat on in the cabin while we were gone and it was cozy when we got back. I tuned into the Lightning and they loss their home opener against the Flyers. I missed seeing some players from last years team, LATER

Tuesday Morning Oct 18th

 Well those nice days with some what warm afternoons suddenly turned cold and maybe gone from here until spring as the winds brought in another cold front which looks to be here for a spell. A hard freeze is forecasted for tonight. I did work all day in the beds outside digging up some volunteer tomato and cilantro plants that I want to take with me back to Florida for my winter garden; everything else will probably freeze and die. I cut off the mum plants and put the roots in a hole and covered with mulch just to see if they will produce next summer as a neighbor did that and they were beautiful all summer.

I started the day with my usual 6'ish rollout to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and then my solo hike to the top of the mountain. It was chilly but not near what it will be like this morning with these cold temps and the wind still blowing. Maybe I'll wait until the sun rises when at least it will look warmer. The trail and back roads are ankle deep in fallen leaves. Several trees are already bare with that stark dreary winter look.

I worked outside all day long taking out garden stakes from the now dead tomato plants, cutting up the plants for mulch and composing them in the gardens and the same with 3 flower beds. I then covered them with pine needles and leaves and put mulch on top to hold them in the beds from the blowing wind which at times is so strong its hard to walk against it, especially coming up the driveway. While working down below the cabin I happened to notice a movement coming across the top yard and huge 4 to 6 point buck just slowly made his way across the yard and walked into the back woods. What beauty he was and acted as if he had no worries. He will make some hunter a prize. Too bad I no longer hunt but do love the meat.

After lunch I finished up mulching the many flower beds and then we took a nice long hike to the top and across the mountain. t was beautiful on top and I think we have reached peak for color and on the way down. There are still some vibrant colors but most of the yellows are starting to dull. The deer were in whats left of the garden overnight which I believe were the doe and her now large fawns as I noticed no buck tracks. They just about cleaned up the jalapeno pepper plant leaves and left the peppers which is OK with me. I'll harvest the last of them today and what green tomato's are left as well. There should be enough to take with me or at least until we leave.

We cleaned up some leftover throughout the day and I saute' peppers and onions outside on the grill for steak fajitas which we had left over as well. It was starting to really cool down and the wind was whipping the leaves around so we stayed in as darkness now comes before 6. We tuned into the devastating news of America being destroyed by this corrupt administration daily, GOD Help us, LATER

Monday Morning Oct 17th

 Well its sure was quiet around the cabin Sunday afternoon as the last of our guests headed out. We sure had a fun time for the past two weeks as first we had the Nymark's who were here every evening and night for supper before the Botbyl's arrived who stayed with us and stayed for 2 weeks and left a day before anyone else then the Martello's who were here for just 4 nights. The food was plentiful and laughter was over flowing and the game playing was raucous to say the least every night. So much fun and we had such a grand time but now we have 12 days to get the gardens ready for next summer and winterize the cabin for the next 7 months.

I started Sunday much like every morning with a 6'ish rollout to my routines that always start with some quiet moments with my LORD after posting this ramble and finished up with a solo hike to the top of the mountain. James and Anne were up and packing their van for their trip to Pennsylvania for a few days to see his relatives. They left around 8:30 and then we got ready to head out to Cornerstone for another message coming from the book of James by pastor B. We then headed out to the Pizzeria with Katelyn and her two kiddos for another delicious lunch of salad and a small pizza which held me the rest of the day except for some popcorn later in the evening while watching some NFL. We made a quick stop at the Food Lion before heading home. The temps weren't awfully cold but there was no sunshine this day and we got some heavy rain later in the evening and through the night.

The Bucs lost to a team they should have dominated as we could not see it here on TV, so its looking like they are not the team we thought they were at the beginning of the season. It looks like I will be following The Lightning team as the Rays are gone as well for the year, oh well. I'll get back to reading as these players make way too much money to be such losers. I did get in another solo hike to the top and across the mountains after the game. The roads and trails are covered in fallen leaves as peak color as arrived this past week and now many trees are barren. We noticed how dull the colors were on the way home after several days of beautiful brilliant colors, LATER

Sunday Morning Oct 16th

 Well Saturday turned out to be another beautiful fall day with a chilly start but eventually warmed up close to the 70's. We turned the heat off an opened the doors during the evening hours as the cabin warmed up with 6 of us eating and playing games until close to 9. The Nymark's are leaving their campground as I make this post and the Martello's with be leaving around 8 and then we will head out for Cornerstone around 9:30.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish rollout to my routines that included a solo hike after posting this ramble to conclude my quiet time and talk with my Creator. The fallen leaves have just about covered the back wood trail and road to the top of the mountain. We all took a long hike to the top around 3'ish as we stopped by the Nymark's and picked them up on the way to the top. We saw the Hand's who had company at their rustic cabin and who had just got back from their 10 days in Europe. Joey is going to stay the week and work from the top of the mountain and Deb with go back home. Her mom and dad are still at their huge place just down the road.

We watched the Braves get knocked out of the MLB playoffs by the Phillies and will move on to the league championship game. Both Florida football teams got whupped and Tennessee came from behind to beat #1 Alabama. We made a bunch of jalapeno poppers before we feasted on sweet taters, fresh garden beets, salad and grilled T-bones. A little fruit of the vine flowed before eating. We played some sequence and the guys won again in a raucous game as the Nymark's left out around 8:30 and then we played a couple more game with 4 people which isn't as much fun. The gals won that one and then it was shower time and in the sack by 10'ish, LATER

The gals went over to the Luffman Farm during the morning hours to see the horses while James and I did some archery. Actually he shot several target while I watched. The colors are just gorgeous.

Saturday Morning Oct 15th

Well Friday was another beautiful after a chilly start and it was a fun day all day and evening long. We traveled down to Mt. Airy taking two vehicles  and spent the biggest part of the day visiting the 56th annual Festival of Leaves along with thousands of other visitors from all parts of the nation. What a crowd of folks. We did lunch at SOHO's and had a delicious lunch of PHO and a sweet tatter roll which is called sushi but there was no raw fish in it. Afterwards the newbies went with the Nymark's to do the car ride in one of Mayberry's police cars and then we went with the Botbyl's to the Carolina/Virginia vegetable stand for some goodies before heading back to the top of the cabin.

Everyone came around 6 ish for some leftovers and then we settled into some card games and sequence. The guys prevailed in sequence once gain after being down two games. It was a raucous time until time to call it a night around 9:30. We were all tired after the big day down off the mountain and called it a night.

Dan and Carol left this morning for Knoxville, Tennessee to see their daughter who moved there just a few days ago and Ann and James will leave tomorrow for Pennsylvania for a few days and Steve and Sheri with leave tomorrow as well. Sure will be quiet around here for a few days, LATER

Friday Morning Oct 14

Well Thursday morning after an all night rain turned out to be nice with much warmer temps and eventually lots of sunshine and blue skies. I actually just wore a t-shirt for most of the afternoon and evening after a chilly start to the day which so reminded me of a spring morning. It turned out to be mostly a fun day as the gals headed to Sparta to fram around, Steve worked on his channeling as did I and Dan and James watched some video. I spent the day outside and then we got into some corn hole for both us guys and the gals did throw a few bags as well. 

I had the smoker going with two racks of baby back ribs as well as a pot of collard greens and a pot of October cooking through out the day, yeow what a feast with some garden salad and cornbread that made up our supper and then it was games of Spades and Sequence afterwards. What a fun day after my usual start when everyone else was still in the sack. I did my usual after posting the blog and some quiet time finishing up with a solo hike to the top of the mountain which was fogged in after the inch and half of rain over night. The ground soon dried out with a stiff breeze which brought in some nice temps. It was a perfect afternoon as most of us sat on the porches or rocking chairs soaking up the sunshine. 

Today we head down to Mt. Airy for the Fall Festival of Leaves where the whole town shuts down with tons of vendors. It will be the first time for the Nymark's and the Martello's as we do this every year with the Botbyl's. It should be great weather and the trip down off the mountain will be great with all of the leaf colors. We will eat at SOHO's in Mt Airy as they usually have great food, LATER

Thursday Morning Oct 13th

 Well Wednesday was a busy day with moderate temps until the late afternoon when rain developed and continued through the night with down pours at times. Our friends from church visited for the first time ever here at the cabin and took a wrong turn and got hung up on the rocks going up the mountain. It took all four us guys and come a long to get them off the rocks and to our place. We all then headed to Cornerstone for a prophecy meeting that was being introduced by our small group leaders around 5:30.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish roll out to my usual morning routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and then a solo hike to the top of the mountain. It was a rather nice morning with cool temps but nothing really cold like the last two morning. After a lite breakfast of left over cinnamon cake I headed out to help Steve carry some timbers up his steep hill for the channels he dug to help steer rain runoff from his camp ground over the winter. I worked on my driveway before calling it day of work also cutting channels for rain run off which was forecasted later in the day.

We were eating a late lunch/early supper when Ann and James were to arrive but of course their wrong turn set us back another hour before we finally sat down to eat around 3'ish. The rain kept us in the house the rest of the day and evening except for our trip to church for the video. We guys played some dice games while the gals chatted until it was bed time for me around 10' LATER

  

Wednesday Morning Oct 12th

Well Tuesday turned out to be rather nice after a chilly start with tons of sunshine and blue skies. I actually after lunch put on a pair of shorts and sat outside reading for a couple hours until the sun started to set. I finished cutting and splitting the downed hemlock tree and cleaned up the debris and piled it on the burn pile which kept me busy for most of the morning.

I started the day with a 6'ish roll out to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and ended it with my solo hike to the top of the mountain as soon as day broke. It was chilly on the hike but Steve and I took a much longer hike after lunch which was just the opposite. We actually sweated a couple times on the pull up the steep back road. We never stopped except to study the views  on this hike. The colors on top of the mountain were awesome and very vivid. We saw no one on top.

I sat and read outside after getting back from the hike and Steve headed back down to his camp ground to dig some channels. I changed into shorts and sat and read until the gals all got back from Galax and then we decided to cleanup leftovers for supper. After the clean up we got into a game of 6 handed spades which takes a good couple hours to complete and once again the guys won handily. It was going on 9 so the Nymark's headed for home and we watched a little of the opening hockey game between the Lightning and the New York team. The Bolts were down 3-1 when I hit the shower and soon some horizontal lab at 10.

We are expecting another couple to arrive before lunch this morning so we will have a full cabin for a couple days. The Botbyl's are thinking of leaving Saturday which will give us some time with the Martello's and then the Nymark's are leaving Sunday and then we will spend the next week getting ready to leave until next summer. LATER

Tuesday Morning Oct 11th

 Well Monday after a chilly start turned out to be another beautiful day with moderate temps in the upper 60's and lots of sunshine. I got in a lot of work outside as I dug and hauled 3 golf cart loads of dirt and cut down a mid size dead hemlock tree in the back woods area and got most of its sawed up in pieces for the burn pile.

I started the day with my usual 6'ish rollout to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and then finished up with a solo hike to the top of the mountain. It was an early morning chilly hike but we got in another hike around 3'ish with the Nymark's as we hiked the entire mountain and across it. The Botbyl's were off doing their thing in Sparta and eventually to Galax and got back while we were on our hike. We pulled supper again at our place as Sheri brought some delicious beef on a bun with all the fixin's as well as sauteed pea pods and salad fixin's. It was a delicious supper with leftovers once again for a lunch. We did get in some face time with Bobby and family while we were playing cards. The boys were wild to say the least.

Afterwards we played Euchre and the gals won 2 out of 3 and then we played 2 games of OH -ELL which the guys won both and Steve was the highest scorer both times. It was a hoot and we decided to call it a night around 9:30 as the Nymark's left for their camp ground. I hit the shower and was soon ready for some horizontal lab as everyone else watched TV, Later

Views on our afternoon hike 

Monday Morning Oct 10th

Well Sunday was 37 degrees when we headed out to Cornerstone for worship, yikes that is about the coldest we get in Florida during the winter time. At least the sun was shining so it didn't feel like a winter day with overcast skies. The color along the parkway was fantastic which seems to occur overnight.

I started the day much the usual with a 6'ish rollout to my routines while every one  else was still in bed then headed out on my solo hike to the top of the mountain to finish up my morning quiet time. It was definitely cold on the hike. We got ready and headed out picking up the Nymark's at their place before heading to Sparta. Pastor B had a good sermon and finally mentioned from the pulpit that we who call ourselves christians must vote Biblically this coming election. All pastors must make this call as well or they can no longer call themselves pastors if they fail to heed the Bible especially on the abortion and homosexual issues which are being pushed by the woke crowd on our culture.

After church we headed over to the pizzeria for a delicious lunch which held me the rest of the day. Jake and the family joined us as well.We then headed home to watch the Bucs beat the Falcons which were on TV here and then a little of the other games. I headed out around 4:30 for another hike alone across the mountain and down the back road. I saw a light on in a couple of the cabins but we said good bye to a couple of folks until next summer who left for Florida this morning.

We are expecting another couple for a couple day on Wednesday so we will have a full cabin until next week or so. The weather is supposed to be chilly throughout the rest of the year. We decided after the Nymark's came up around 6'ish to play chickenfoot dominos which Nancy beat Sheri by one point and then a six hand game of Spades which the guys won again over the gals. It was 9:30 before we called it a night after the game and the Nymark's left and then a hot shower for me before some horizontal lab around 10'ish, LATER

Sunday Morning Oct 9th

 Well Saturday found us with rather chilly temps as a front moved through. It was back to long pants after a brief warm spell and it stayed long sleeve all day and then moved into a lite jacket as the sun faded for the day. The day was spent getting ready for the cookout with mountain friends and of course our Seminole couples. We had 14 adults and two kiddos for the event and the camp fire was greeted by about 8 of us at times until it got really cold around 8"ish.

I started the day with my usual 6 ish roll out to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and then my solo hike to the top of the mountain. It was really a cold morning with the breeze that stayed up all day long. It did warm up enough to hang a load of laundry and to take another hike with Nancy before lunch. We said our good bye's to Laura, Anne and Frank as they were on top of the mountain with Laura's daughter Debbie who was driving her mom back to Jacksonville this morning. Hopefully we will see them all next summer.

I helped Nancy get the cabin ready for company as the Botbyl's were off to town while I was on my solo hike. That gave us plenty of time to prepare food and get ready. I grilled both deer and hamburgers and we had baked beans, salad's, scalloped tatters and ham, beenie weenies and cole slaw plus a delicious home make apple cake. A fav of mine. It was a fun time with folks meeting folks for the first time. We didn't play any inside games but did throw a few bean bags with the corn hole game before it got too dark after eating. Some of us sat outside on the deck to eat but many were inside.

It was a short night as most left by 8:30 so it was hit the shower and then in bed by 10'ish as it is church day tomorrow(today). We did get to watch the Ray's lose in 15 innings and now are done for the season. Too bad as they had plenty of chances to advance in the post season, Oh well, LATER

Saturday Morning Oct 8th

Well Friday was just another near perfect day as we traveled out of the county and state over to Tennessee to visit with an old church friend from Florida who is undertaking a huge enterprise of developing a camp for folks who want to be on this beautiful lake named Watauga near Elizabethton, Tenn. It was an all day trip with great scenery on both the 81 acres he is developing and the camp sites and then over to a delicious barbecue house right on the lake for some of the best eatin' ever and we brought some home as the portions were huge.

I started the day with my usual 6'ish roll out to my quiet times after posting this ramble and a solo hike to the top of the mountain. It was just breaking sunrise and the morning sun was awesome as I finished up my daily talk with my Creator. Such a beautiful morning and while it was a bit chilly to start the day it eventually warmed up enough I wore shorts on our trip but had a flannel shirt for back up. We had a lite breakfast of oatmeal before starting out as well and that held us until we had a lunch/dinner on the lake.

Steve and Sheri picked us all up at 9 and we headed down to Boone and then over to Camp Faith which just across the road from the lake. It right at a hundred miles and the ride down was beautiful as the leaves have really started to change their "clothes" as fall and winter is approaching. Such beautiful reds, yellows and orange colors make up their change.

Darren took a couple of us up the mountain in a jeep to where we see across the valley and the lake to a small cabin he has remodeled into a beautiful "honeymoon" suite as well as the many camp sites and cabins he has put on this rugged mountain site. He has really done a magnificent job and we met a friend he has found to spend some time with as well. She is gorgeous in both physical appearance and in spirit. We all went out to lunch with them and got to know her better. I sure hope they stay together as she is a keeper.

It was going on 6 when we came back a different way through Mountain City instead of through Boone which was a thrill as well. The road brought us into West Jefferson after a beautiful ride through the mountain. I took off on a mountain top hike after being cramped up in the car for a couple hours and it was still very nice outside. Since we had a huge lunch we decided around 8'ish to just have some pop corn while we played some Skipbo. We made it an early night by 10'ish. What a fun day, LATER

Friday Morning Oct 7th

Well Thursday was a total fun day with near perfect weather. A little chilly to start the morning and t shirt temps the rest of the afternoon and then back to some chill as evening approached. Lots of sunshine no humidity with the deep blue Carolina skies. We spent the afternoon out at the future Frankis home spread walking the 22 acres and enjoying their company . What a fantastic job Jake has done to get the place ready for construction on their dream home. His work shop is on the property as well where he does awesome cabinetry work.

I started the day much the usual except for a sleep in to nearly 7. I did my quiet time after posting this ramble then headed up the mountain on my solo hike finishing up my talk with my Creator giving thanks and lifting several up by name. Nancy made a huge mountain style breakfast with eggs, grits bacon and toast. I added a tomato and a jalapeno to mine which held us except for a bowl of leftover soup for lunch. We guys took a long hike up the back road along Anne and Franks place then to the top where we visited briefly with the Cahoon's who own the Almost Heaven Place. They were doing some renovations on the garage.

We came back and had lunch then got ready to head out around 2'ish up to the Air Bellows Parkway where the Frankis place is located down in valley. The property is just gorgeous with a small stream running through it and the house to be is up on a knoll over looking the stream surrounded by high mountain peaks. The colors were really showing up along the ridge line on this warm sunny afternoon.

We got back after taking some back roads back to the cabin around 6'ish so Nancy put together a delicious pasta dish accompanied by a fresh garden salad and crusty bread. She then later in the evening made fresh chocolate chip cookies while we played games. Now we now why we can not lose any of this spare tire. The guys won Sequence and the gals won Euchre. We broke up early around 10 as we have a trip down to Boone and then over to Butler planned for the day. After a shower I was soon in bed around my normal time of 10'ish or a little after, LATER

Thursday Morning Oct 6th

 Well its been a fun time thus far with a mixture of work and play during these beautiful fall days and yesterday was the best with a chilly start down in the 40's and it warmed up close to 70 with tons of sunshine and beautiful blue skies. It was the epitome of a winter day in Florida.

I started the day once again with an after 7 rollout as we we were up late playing cards until nearly 11. I did my morning routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and my solo hike to the top of the mountain where I once again had my morning talk with my Creator. It was a beautiful morning with the stillness and the fresh smells of the earth and just enough chill to make you thankful for a warm jacket. I stopped by the Nymark's place and tried to scare them with some wild animal sounds and we all got a good laugh as we tease Steve about being afraid of the dark. It was an addition workout walking back up our driveway but worth the laugh of stopping by their place.

Dan was up and off to the Wellness center in Sparta for a workout and I had a light breakfast of oatmeal before filling up the chain saw and heading down to their place in the golf cart to work up some logs for him and his campfire. That kept me busy most of the morning until lunch time. The girls were off to Sparta to shop around and after a bowl of leftover soup Dan and I headed down to Steve on a hike. We stopped and chatted up neighbor Gerald for a few as he is back on the mountain for a few days. We picked up Steve and headed out on a rather long hike to the top. What a gorgeous day and as we came down the back trail we noticed the gals were back from town. They decided to eat lunch at home which was surprise to us.

We guys settled out on the deck in the sunshine and played Dice for the rest of the afternoon then Frank and Anne Marie came by bringing us a fresh bake loaf of delicious bread. They are leaving on Sunday for the winter going back to Lakeland, Fl. which is near us. Well we decided to skip our propose supper dish and just snacked the evening away with salsa, chips and guacamole very good with fresh cilantro from the garden and more slices of bread with butter. Well it was 6 handed Spades evening and it was a fun time once again but the guys dominated in the end which was once again going on 11. After the Nymark's headed down to their bear cave as Sheri calls it I hit the shower and soon some horizontal lab. Nancy came to bed some time later as she has a routine for her mornings in getting the cups ready for coffee, LATER

Wednesday Morning Oct 5th

 Well Tuesday turned out to be a very nice day just a little cool to start the day with temps in the 40's but did warm up enough the knats and other bugs were annoying by late afternoon. I believe it reached the low 60's with tons of sunshine and deepest blue skies. The building in Winston were standing out again in the distance.

I started the day with a sleep in until nearly 7:30. Of course we were up late the night before and then again last night as we played Euchre with the Botbyl's and Nymark's until close to 11, yikes its no wonder I'm sleeping in. I did my morning routines that ended with my solo hike to the top of the mountain finishing up my quiet time with GOD on my hike. We ate a lite breakfast of oatmeal and then I headed out to piddle around in yards and gardens. Nancy was busy as usual in the kitchen as we were expecting the other two couple for supper so she had a pot of beef vegetable soup cooking and oh the smell was awesome during the later hours of the afternoon. We ate a fresh garden salad to accompany the soup and crusty bread and then a pumpkin pie later in the evening between games.

The Botbyl's got here just after I finished up with the final mowing of all the yards for this year which was around 4'ish. We visited then Sheri and Stave came so we guys took off on a hike to the top of the mountain. Nancy and I had done one earlier in the day before lunch so that was my third hike for the day. Hopefully I can maintain as I'm sure not losing this spare tire, oh well. Well the yards look great after the mowing and now we are having a large group here on Saturday for a cook out so that made the place look great as the flowers are just about gone with many of them dead and dried up. So sad as they were beautiful this year. The deer were in my garden over night once again eating the pepper plant leaves which they have just about ruined. I'm still picking a few peppers both jalapeno and Bell peppers as well as a few tomato's. 

The guys destroyed the gals 3-1 in Euchre games last night which is quite different with 6 players instead of 4. Tons of laughter along the way as well as lots of bantering back and forth. The next two weeks will se us eating together and playing games as well as another couple come next week for a couple of days and nights, LATER

Tuesday Morning Oct 4th

 Well after a chilly 40's start of the day it warmed up into the 60's with plenty of sunshine. I worked outside all day and so enjoyed the ground drying out after several days of rain. mist and cloudy skies. It turned cold as the evening progressed and I'm sure once again we saw the low 40's as I make this post after sleeping until after 7 this morning. I looked out the windows and the mother deer and her twins were down around the lower yard and flower beds. The twins are nearly as large as her.

I did get an early start on Monday morning with 6'ish rollout to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and I finished up with my talk with GOD on my solo hike to the top of the mountain. The woods were so still and the sight of the sun breaking the clouds as I hiked up the steep back trail was awesome. Once gain I gave thanks for another day and for life itself as I hiked.

I piddled around until mid morning helping Nancy in the house as she made ready for the Nymark's return to their campground abode but were coming for supper and then we headed down with the chain saw to work up the large oak tree that have fallen across the road. That caused us to work up a sweat and I got a golf cart load of wood for the campfire circle out of the job. After lunch I settled into cutting back some of the flower beds that were looking rugged as the cold has really stopped many from blooming as the season changes. Winter time is evident with the leaves falling and changing colors as well.  Steve and Sheri came around 5'ish and we settled into some tortilla soup and salad and then played cards until 10:30. The gals wiped the floor with us in Euchre 3-1 but we whupped them Spades as they were minus a couple hundred. It was a fun time as they are always eager to play games, LATER

Monday Morning Oct 3rd

 Well its winter here in the mountain or at least it winter like for us Floridians as the heat has been on for days, dark and dreary skies and no sunshine at all. It's misted and then rain lightly over night with wind which makes it feel even colder. If this keeps up I'll be glad for some Florida weather come the end of this month when we head back to the sunny south.

Sunday was a great day of worship at Cornerstone and even these folks were bundled up with coats and parkas. I drug out the heavy coat as well and I'm now wearing and undershirt all the time. While it was in the 40's to start the day the dampness and wind made it feel even colder. There was frost in the county but none here yet. I started the day with a 6'ish rollout to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble and then a solo hike to the top of the mountain finishing up my talk with GOD. Nancy and I took a hike around 4ish when it warmed up to the low 50's but the skies were dark and a mist was in the air.

We headed out around 9:30 for Cornerstone for worship and then to Food Lion afterwards as we skipped going out since the Frankis Family was doing a youth function at church, so we picked up some fried chicken and brought it home. It wasn't the best but it held us for the rest of the day except for some snack food later in the evening while I watched football. The local team here lost as did our Buc team later in the evening after a terrible start with two turnovers. We made it a game at times but the Chiefs were just too good this night as this was a replay of the big game which we won a couple years back.

I noticed a tree down across the road leading to the Nymark's place so I'll cut it up this morning before they arrive this evening. The road is impassable thus far but no one lives beyond the downed tree. I should be able to work it up before they arrive. Not much else to report on except we need some sunshine and that we have company for the next two weeks, LATER