Saturday Morning August 31st

Well August is history for this year and its been an eventful one to say the least. It was hotter than blue blazes again yesterday, Friday, but at least we did get some rain in the late afternoon and some over night which was needed. Hopefully we can get back to some normal temps although the mornings have been pleasant. I started the day with my well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet time after posting this ramble to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding with this post. I headed out to check on the gardens and get some exercise walking the perimeter and on the condition of the bee kill over night; sure enough no bee's were evident around the two holes in the ground, after I left the bottles that had the gas and wick that I shoved into their nests. That is a proven killer of these nasty bee's and their nests. I'm still feeling the effects of their attacks on me on the legs and hand.

I decided after cleaning up around the stump to once again lite a fire on it and had it burning in no time with the lighter knots. I had it totally engulfed in flames for several hours and reduced it down once again to about 2 to 3 more burns before it will be below ground level. I can then cover it up with dirt and sow grass. I decided to clean out from under the front porch which is a huge storage area which I had old lumber from when the cabin was first put under roof. I had to use the new recip saw to reduce the long pieces down for the fire and I dumped 3 gulf cart loads of old lumber on the fire which had it going for about 8 hours. The rain probably soaked it so much last night that I will let in dry out until next week before burning again. I do want to drill some holes in the stump today to facilitate the next burn. That was about all I got done today except for the afternoon when I helped Nancy get ready for the Luffman Family for supper and Sequence.

We bought premade ground chuck burgers which were delicious to say the least at Wal-Mart as well as dogs for the grill and Nancy had tater tots and then cookies and ice cream for dessert. Kay brought Cole slaw and Mechelle brought a couple cans of baked beans which we heated in the microwave. Everything was delicious to say the least then we played 4 games of Sequence and the men finally won for a change. They all left around 8:30 after a 6'ish start and then I did the clean up and settled into the Ray's game on the laptop. I think they are out of any post season games as they continue to lose both on the road and at home. Too bad as they were doing well the first part of the season, LATER

Friday Morning August 30th

 Well Thursday was another above average temp day for this area with it being close to 90, which is just so out of range for this time of the year. We had the heat on a week or so ago and now the a/c is on constantly except for the early mornings. I didn't do much around the cabin as we were off to Galax for shopping and lunch out before getting back on the mountain around 3'ish. We were off again around 6'ish for our couples class at 7 until after 8:30 and then another shopping stop at the Food Lion for a few items before getting back at the cabin around 9:30.

I started the day with my usual well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet time to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing after posting this ramble. All seem to be holding. I checked on the gardens and did my morning hike and noticed where I had gassed the yellow jackets the night before, that a couple bees were still buzzing around and then I notices another hole not far from the original hole in the ground. Those bees had either made a new hole overnight or there was a second nest of them; so I planned on gassing them when we got home last night and I did. Hopefully I wiped out two nests as I'm still suffering some discomfort from those stings from 2 days ago. They leave a mean venom with pain and swelling but I'm recovering gradually.

We made several stops in Galax, Va. as I wanted to get a hair cut first then a stop at Harbor Freight for some items and then Lowes and finally at Wal-Mart. Afterwards we decided since I had a old gift card to do lunch at Subway and we brought half of our foot longs home. It was dad gum hot outside so I didn't do anything but set on the back porch in the shade and read until we had a lite supper of a frozen pizza. I guess it was junk food day with the sub and now a pizza after just a banana and a yogurt for breakfast.

It was great to reconnect with a few friends at the couple class and then we met a new couple as well who just moved down here from W.Va. We also have a mens class on Monday nights so we are getting to know several folks who are usually outside of our circle. Well that was about it for the day as I hit the shower and read until after 10'ish, LATER

Thursday Morning August 29th

Well it was another above normal day with temps in the upper 80's and another work day for me at least during the morning hours and then again after supper. I chilled during the hottest part of the day, doing some chores under the shade of the porch and deck. I got into a huge yellow jacket nest as I was about to finish up weed eating backwoods yard and they did a number on me with at least several stings mostly on the legs and arm and one even on my back through my shirt. Anyhow I fixed them after the sun went down and darkness set in with a gas cocktail in a plastic bottle and a piece of rag to act as a wick. The gas smell stays with the cloth and will continue to spread the fumes into their hole in the ground, killing not only the bees but the nest as well. Those stings are still hurting me after all this time which happened around 10'ish yesterday morning.

I had started the day with my usual well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet time after posting this ramble to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing, all seem to be holding except our "mountain mom" who is under lock down from her residence in Elkin. We were supposed to visit her and take lunch to her but she called and the place is under lock down with no visitors due to a medical alert for a virus of some kind, so we stayed home and I worked mainly outside. After supper I fired up the riding mower and gave the whole place a good mowing and it was so much cooler that time of the day. I finished at dusk and then waited unto darkness enveloped the backwoods gully where I was about finished with the tall grasses when I ran into a under ground nest of these deadly bees. There must have been a hundred swarming around the nest and chasing me down the gully, while continually stinging me. I sure hope I put them to permanent rest with the gas cocktail.

I did change out the strings on both weed eaters which was a chore to say the least. Uncle Mike got rid of both of these two Troy Bilt eaters; one is a 2 cycle and the other a 4 cycle. I love that both are powerful compared to my old weed eater which was dying from longevity, but learning how to replace the strings on both were time consuming and eventually I found out how from You Tube videos. That kept me busy in the shade of the deck working on both of them. I eventually sat on the back porch reading a Dee Henderson novel titled TAKEN. It's a very interesting read thus far and I had no idea she is a christian author for a change.

Well since we were at first going to be off the mountain visiting Helen and then shopping we decided to make that happen today(thur.) in Galax, Va. where we usually shop. Galax has all of the same places we visit for our needs plus I'll stop off at the dumpsters on the parkway on the way to town, maybe we will eat lunch out as we have our couples Bible class this evening at 7 in Sparta and Nancy likes to eat her big meal early due to tummy issues,  LATER

Wednesday Morning August 28th

Well August is just about gone but the temps the past day or so have been high summer with the upper 80's after a cold snap a week or so ago. Crazy weather and again today its up near 90 for the mountains as we head off once again to visit our "mountain mom" Helen in the senior center in Elkin. Its about a 30 minute ride but at least there is a couple of places where we will shop before coming back on the mountain.

I had started the day with my usual before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet moments after posting this ramble to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding with this post. It was another total work day for me as I'm still working on burning out that last huge oak stump, not only did I burn a ton of old wood from the woods but cleaned out some of articles that have been stored under the front porch for years. All of that plus tons of lighter knots kept the blaze roaring at times and I did reduce the stump down considerably but still have a ways to go. This stump is twice the size of the upper stump which is now gone and is below ground level and now covered up with dirt. I'll sow some grass seeds on the area.

I did my stretching on the back porch before heading out to check on the gardens and do my mile hike around the perimeter of the property. Once I did that I started the fire on the stump then headed in for a mountain breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage gravy and biscuits as well as a whole tomato and jalapeno perpper cut up in the eggs. Wow, what a feast and I never ate a thing until 6'ish when we finished up the left over salmon and a huge garden fresh salad and the leftover apple sauce Nancy made from apples that neighbor Gerald gave us.

I burned and added old debris from the woods throughout the day as well as some sawed up logs from downed trees. The stump was on fire for over 12 hours and there is still another 24 to 36 hours of burn burn before its down to ground level, if I can estimate from yesterdays burn how many more hours are needed. I think I will once again start drilling holes to help with the burn as well which helped greatly on the upper stump. That wood is so hard I broke off two drill bits as well as two saw blades from my recip saw that also broke the shaft that holds the blades in place. I've used the chain saw but it dulls the chain after a few cuts, plus I don't want to tear the small chain saw up, oh well. This stump is like concrete in its hardness. Maybe I'll try a masonry bit with that thought in mine, oh well.

Well we both piddled around in the yards and gardens after supper as we were planning on a wellness visit with Billy on top of the mountain after open heart surgery about 10 days ago, but his wife Paulas said it wasn't one of his better days so we held off until a later time. We headed in about dark and I checked the internet until shower time around 8'ish and then read until 10, LATER

Tuesday Morning August 27th

 Well Monday was a total work day and did I ever enjoy the "keep busy" aspect of it, and hopefully kept those muscles in tone. I started the day with my well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet time to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding with this post. I headed out after doing all of my social posts and checking on the world issues to do my stretches on the back porch before doing my walk arounds the gardens and then the perimeter of the property for what I figure to be at least a mile.

I picked a handful of blueberries to add to my bowl of oatmeal with pecans, cinnamon, honey and a banana to start the gastric juices flowing. That held me until lunch when we had a fresh garden salad. I worked in the gardens first doing some hoeing and hand watering from the rain barrel. I harvested kale, Swiss chard and beet greens for the salad bowl along with a cucumber and several large tomato's. I'm going to save some seeds from these 'maters that are just magazine perfect in size and color and take back to Florida this Fall for my winter garden.

I fired up the chainsaw which drives Nancy crazy as she hates for me to use one and now accuses me of causing her BP issues, oh well. Needless to say it was quiet around the cabin between us for the rest of the day. I headed up into the woods to work up some already downed trees to use on the "burning of the stump" and I got a golf cart load and now have enough for a good burn today(Tue). I did go back up in the woods and brought out more "lighter knots" which I cached the other day and brought back another golf cart load and then brought out the "cut off saw" and worked them up into smaller pieces for the burn. I love using all natural things that are available in the woods for what ever chore I have planned. I now have enough fire starter, lighter knots to last forever it seems as I filled two boxes inside the red shed plus several stacked pieces. I love walking through the woods in the hunt for this wood and then being able to cache them for future needs.

I did do some more weeding and found several Rose of Sharon seedlings among one flower bed, so I dug them out in hopes I can grow them to give away to friends and neighbors. The hummingbirds love them as do I with their almost constant blooming throughout the summer. I have several on the property in different places and they add so much purple color when in bloom. Well we finished up some leftovers for supper and I headed out to piddled around in the gardens and yards until dusk then sat out on the back porch and read a new book by Mark Fuhrman on the serial killer in Spokane, Washington. Its a great read thus far and I stayed away from the laptop after my shower and read in bed until, 10'ish when it was lights out for me, LATER

Monday Morning August 26th

 Well Sunday was another near perfect day with cool temps to start the day and by the afternoon lots of warmth which made for great porch setting and then the late evening coolness came back into the picture; no heat or a/c for the day. I did my morning routines that began after a before 6 rollout to some quiet time to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift several up for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding with this post. I headed out to the back porch to stretch and then to walk around the yards, checking on the gardens then to walk the perimeter for a good mile or so which is about 4-5  laps. Some of it is up hill and then of course down but its a good workout with short spurts of both. The grass was heavy with dew and of course I wear my gum boots which along with the golf cart has been one of my greatest investments. Sounds weird but the morning here on the mountains are so heavy with dew that your tennis shoes would never dry out which I learned the hard way years ago.

We tuned into Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Va. to hear a great message from Gary Hamrick and then headed out to our Cornerstone Fellowship in Sparta, N.C. We had a packed house for a change as the attendance has grown steadily over the summer which is unusual. I saw lots of new faces and many young couples . We had an older couple who volunteers for the Christmas Shoebox program who gave a presentation which took up the whole service after the praise and worship time. It wasn't our best service but they have been coming for years and we as a church are the biggest contributor to the program in the county. Our goal is to send out 400 boxes from our small congregation this coming year. We of course picked up several to fill as they are starting this event much earlier this year.

We made a stop at the Food Lion for a few items as the Frankis Family stayed away from church due to some colds and congestions, so we decided on baking a frozen pizza doctored up with some fresh mushrooms and extra pepperoni's we had in the fridge. Well that held us the rest of the day and evening except for some fruit salad that Shirley gave us on Saturday evening. We turned on the LLWS and watched the Florida team come from behind and tie the Chinese team from Taipei in the last inning and then the game went to extra innings and Florida won on an error by the Taipei team. They had dominated the whole series never losing but did in extra innings, oh well. It was so much fun to pull for different teams and we got to recognize various players from each section of the country.

After the game, evening was approaching so we headed out to walk around the yard and gardens and then walked the perimeter for another mile as Nancy wants to get back to regular exercising. Her BP issues are much better after seeing the specialist in Winston and using her meds differently. She loves having company so the Botbyl's have now decided to visit for about 10 days the end of September and in to October. The Nymark's are supposed to come to their place sometime in September as well and one of their long time friends are supposed to bring their camper and stay at their place about the same time.

Well that was about it for the day. The Ray's lost again and her slowly losing a chance for the post season play this year, oh well, LATER

Sunday Morning August 25th

Well this month is in its last week and I'm getting closer to heading back to the flat land of Florida which is why we call our selves the "flatlanders" instead of "snow birds", oh well. Saturday was another beautiful day weather wise day with cool temps to start the day, Nancy had the faux fireplace on for a couple hours and by late evening she had the a/c on. Her thermostat is out of whack, anyhow after a 6 'ish rollout I did my routines that start with some quiet time to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several for comfort an healing. All are holding with this post although several without a miracle will never be healed due to serious health issues; but I lift them anyhow. 

I did my stretching and then walked about a mile around the property's perimeter, getting in some cardio and keeping the muscles in tone before we had to get ready to head to Cornerstone for a celebration of life for a dear sweet lady friend who passed away at the young age of 74. We had known her for 20 plus years and she was a stalwart warrior for Jesus. Her extended family who once we all knew at church had moved away from Cornerstone but she and her husband remained to the very end and it was a solemn occasion with lots of tears but also lots of hugs, some light moments and renewing of old friendships.

We got back to the cabin around 12:30 and had a quick bite of lunch then since it was dry I wanted to burn on the one stump which I did for about 5 hours. I had it on fire from all sides with all of the lighter knot and hopefully reduced it down another couple inches. I finished the upper stump after several burns and covered the area with dirt and now want to transplant some grasses on to it. That kept me busy until 4'ish when I headed in to watch the LLWS game between Texas and Florida. Well that game started out with Florida down by 4 runs and by the time we left the cabin to visit the Heglar's and the Cardona's to play Sequence the Florida team was up by 5-4 over the Texans. We never got to see the final innings but did learn Florida won big in the end and will play Taipei this afternoon for the championship.

Well the gals whupped us guys 4-1 in Sequence which is understandable as they are serious, but it was fun. We drove the golf cart down now that I have lights working on it as it was pitch black on the way back around 9'ish. Today we have corporate worship both here at the cabin on line and then again at our local Cornerstone and then lunch out with the Frankis Family, LATER

Saturday Morning August 24th

Well Friday after a some what chilly start turned out to be very pleasant with lots of sunshine and a gentle breeze and although the dew was heavy, things started to dry out, so  I burned on the two stumps all day which kept me busy adding old wood and lots of lighter knots which I had collected the day before. I did do some gardening as well and dug up some Rose of Sharon seedlings that came up volunteer in the gardens. I'll give some to the Frankis Family as well as to Bob and Mary, our new neighbors. I did finish circling the backwoods garden patch with rocks to keep it from washing away the dirt this winter. I did all of this and more after my morning start and 6'ish for a change rollout.

To start the morning and my routines of honoring my lord, Jesus after posting this ramble I lifted up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding and I finished up my quiet moments with my morning talk as I circled the perimeter of the property, walking at least a mile and getting some exercise. I sure miss seeing the top of the mountain early in the mornings, but with the presence now of bears and mountain lions its probably wise to not attempt that hike alone. Nancy still isn't strong enough to that particular hike, but she has been walking the perimeter of the property as well. I'm getting plenty of cardio on these morning walks but in just shorter spurts than the steep one hike up the backwoods trail and then the second steep hike up to the top, oh well. I've learned to adjust instead of making waves.

I picked blueberries from my bushes to accompany my oatmeal with cinnamon, honey and pecans for my breakfast and are they ever so delicious. That held me until a meatloaf sandwich for lunch as we knew we were attending a yard party to celebrate Seth's second birthday at the Frankis Place around 5'ish. They have such a beautiful setting for huge parties next to the small creek with plenty of play equipment for the kiddos as well as room for corn hole and a fire circle and room for any out door activity. Actually as the evening progressed the fire felt good to everyone except the kids who were at times playing in the creek. They didn't seem to mind the cold water or the wet clothes as they ran and played and wore us out watching them play. 

Jake had burgers and dogs on the grill which were delicious and folks brought side dishes of slaw, salads, dips and cup cakes in place of a birthday cake. There was tons of foods and all delicious along with tons of kiddos. We got to know several of those in attendance and especially the wife of the new Baptist Church pastor in Sparta. She is from Naples Florida and now her and her 4 kiddos just love Sparta as well as the folks here. I did get to meet and know Jake's mom's new husband as we both were in Viet Nam about the same time I was there and shared many stories. He worked on C-130's as a crew chief but didn't fly and knew all about the C-141's and my job as a loadmaster and air crew member. It was old times again for both of us.

I did get Jake's mom, Audrey to throw some corn hole and she is competitive and did a fine job and then I played another feller by the name of Ethan who played quite well also. We had some great talks sharing life's stories and how and why we were here in the mountains. Jake and Katelyn have some great friends and their kids will be buddies, making many memories, especially at this setting along this creek. We left just before dark and got back on the mountain around 9'ish. We did see several deer on the road as well as its that time of the day or evening when they emerge. We saw one field with what appeared dozens of them grazing, LATER

Friday Morning August 23rd

 Well Thursday started out on the chilly side and Nancy had the faux fireplace on for a spell. I definitely feel Fall in the air, but the forecast is for some 80's again later in the weekend. It was in the 40's to start the day but tons of sunshine with that blue Carolina sky. I started the day with my usual before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet time after posting this ramble to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name. All seem to be holding and we will have a celebration of life at our church on Saturday for Sandy who is with our lord, Jesus. She was 74 years young and is gone much to soon.

I did my exercises on the back porch which basically is stretching and then walking around the perimeter of the property 4 to 5 times while having my morning conversation with GOD and then planning on what I want to do on this day. The brat doe was back in the gardens in the backwoods yard and ate down the zinnias once again but didn't eat the tomato plants which are now a couple feet tall which she had eaten off several times. I noticed the butterfly bush I moved into the center of the circle drive is going to make it and when we purchase the new hydrangea that has white and rust colored blooms, I will have that bed complete. This is the last year I will plant any veggies in that bed.

We took some tomato's and cucumbers to neighbors and then visited for a couple hours. I picked up one neighbors trash to take with us to the dump as both of them are not able to drive just yet from her knee operation. We came back and had a bite of lunch before I headed up into the back woods to look for 
"fat wood" or as I call it "lighter knots". I had located some a couple months ago but couldn't find it so I took some yellow tape to place around the trees when I did find it again and did I ever get a golf cart load. I made several trips up through the woods to the back road carrying it by hand and the yellow tape allowed me to find the cache easily again. I did notice lots of fresh deer signs both buck and doe. You can tell the different in their stools; the doe or females poop rabbit turds and the bucks or males poop like a cow in cakes or patties. There was tons of both and some very fresh like I jumped them up from resting during the day. That kept me occupied and busy for a couple hours and I just love to explore in the woods, plus I get a work out as well walking up and down the hill.This "lighter knot" is from days gone by when the timber was harvested and the branches and tops of the trees that were cut off and left to petrify and are used to start a fire and it burns very hot even when wet or damp. I'll use some of this once again in my stump burning process.

Well I tuned into the one LLWS game before we left around 5:15 for Sparta and we missed the Florida game at 7 due to our first couples Bible Study class at the Wilkes College building next to the library where we visited first on our errands before the class. I had 5 books on hold and then we headed over to the dump and then to Walgreens for Nancy's scripts and then the Food Lion for some items we forgot on Tuesday when we were at Wal-Mart and finally back to the library area where the class was being held. That was our first time in this building where college classes are held. Its a nice venue and we had a dozen or so in the class. One of the librarians leads the class and we know a few from Cornerstone Church who were in attendance.

It was right at 9 when we got home after another stop for gas at 3.09 for the mowers and power equipment. I want to do some sawing this morning on the stumps and may even burn some depending on how wet the stumps are. This evening we are back off the mountain to visit the Frankis Family and friends as we finally get to celebrate Seth's second birthday with a party down by the creek. The Florida team won over Nevada and now will play the California team in the championship game and then whoever wins that game will play the international team winners in the world championship, Go Florida, LATER

Thursday morning August 22nd

 Well we had the first real taste of Fall to start the day and it remained rather cool especially in the shade for most of the day. It started out somewhere in the upper 40's and didn't much get out of the upper 60's to low 70's for the day. There were a few clouds but no rain for a change which was great as the ground is still soaked from the past several inches a couple weeks ago. The grasses are lush and need mowing which I will do over the weekend. I did a little work on the stumps later in the afternoon as the dew was so heavy. Anyhow I started the day with my usual well before 6 rollout to my routines that start with some quiet time after posting this ramble to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several for comfort and healing. One of those I mention daily by name has gone on the meet her lord, Jesus during the night. Sandy was such a warrior for Jesus and she died from that awful disease called Alzheimer's or as I grew up thinking it was dementia, not sure which. Everyone else is holding with this post.

I headed out after my routines to walk the yards and check on the gardens and the brat dow hasn't been around for several nights now, so the gardens are doing quite well as are the flower beds. I'm getting tons of tomato's and still a few squashes and cucumbers, giving away some as well. Nancy fixed a large mountain breakfast since she can not stay with her intermittent dieting due to taking food with her BP meds which this new doctor told her to do, so we had bacon, eggs and toast which held us until suppertime, except for an apple with some peanut butter around the usual lunch time hour.

I piddled around outside doing some small chores in the gardens and flower beds until mid morning when we took some blueberries over to Ann and Frank and check to see how see was doing since her knee replacement surgery. Well she is doing quite well and we offered to help with anything they needed and then brought them their mail back with us from the mail boxes. We did check out Billy's garden on top of the mountain as Ann reported her niece who had been picking the veggies noticed lots of the green horned caterpillars eating away the tomato plants. So we headed up after our bug guy left and checked the plants and sure enough I found one still eating away but his small garden needed picking especially those long skinny cucumbers and of course squashes and tomato's. We picked a sack full for Laura the neighbor on top and then brought a sackful of cucumbers to give away to neighbors below us.

Nancy had a meatloaf in the oven and along with some smashed taters and a garden fresh salad so we ate royally. After the cleanup I headed out to walk around the yards until the LLWS with Florida playing Hawaii to see who moves on and the Florida team won won 4-3 in an exciting game. It was hot shower time after the game and then some reading until lights out around 10'ish. We have lots of errands to run today(thur) for us and Ann and Frank while we are in Sparta for our evening couples class at 7, LATER

Wednesday Morning August 21st

 Well Tuesday found us up much earlier than usual as we had to be in Winston by 8:15 for a doctors appointment for Nancy and  that is 70 some miles from here, plus it was rush hour. We made it in spite of the stop and go a couple of times on the interstate and not really knowing what to expect when we got there because of the construction going on at the huge medical facility. We spent the entire morning at the facility and then headed out to Sam's Club for gas and some items we buy in bulk. Afterwards we headed to Panera for a delicious lunch before heading back to Elkin to run a couple errands and then a stop to visit with our "mountain mom" at her senior living place. After her visit we made one more stop at Wal-Mart in Elkin for some needed items before getting back on the mountain around 3'ish.

I had started the day with a before 5'ish rollout as I wanted to do my quiet times to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several. All seem to be holding with this post. We skipped any breakfast except for me with my hand full of vitamins and a cup of hot green tea. It was down right chilly with temps just above the 40's mark that is starting to feel like Fall is in the air.

Once we got back on the mountain and unloaded our many items I tuned into the LLWS for basically the rest of the afternoon and evening. Nancy grilled a fresh salmon filet and we had Katelyn's fresh corn on the cob from her garden she blessed us with a couple days ago, along with a sliced tomato for me for our supper around 6'ish. After the cleanup I did manage to walk around the perimeter of the property 4 times which is up and down and I believe added up to at least a mile.

The evenings are starting to get dark much more quickly as the sun sets below the tree tops causing the temps to drop. I don't believe we will see many more days that will need the a/c on, but the heat will soon become a necessity in the coming days. Our time here is quickly going bye bye as we leave the last week in October and now August is just about gone. I really feel the Fall in the outside air and we have notice several of the vines and gum tree leaves are already turning yellow and some reds. Its shaping up to be an early winter with these much cooler temps here on the mountain, LATER

Tuesday Morning August 20th

 Well Monday was another work day for me as I sawed and drilled on those two stubborn stumps but I'm getting them down especially the upper one. The lower one will be another several days but I'm determined to get them out by hand before we leave in October. I broke my recip saw as well as another drill bit, but I'll get them in the end. It was another beautiful morning for outside work but the dew was exceptionally heavy so I'll wait until later in the week to burn again. We did get a very hard down pour during the afternoon and then again another sun shower, so burning is out until at least Wednesday at best.

I started the day with my usual well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet time to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift several up by name. All are holding and I've heard nothing different on Sandy our dear sweet friend from Cornerstone. Nancy took a loaf of zucchini bread over to neighbor Ann who is recovering from a knee replacement and she is doing well. All others are holding with this post.

I did work in the backwoods garden patch enlarging it and making a barrier of rocks along side the area where the water runs down the hill and off which I hope will keep the dirt in place. I'm hoping to expand that garden patch again next summer as the dirt is very rich. I'm still harvesting squashes both yellow and zucchini as well as cucumbers and now the pepper plants the brat doe ate off are coming back. That kept me busy along with sawing and drilling on the stumps for most of the morning and then after lunch I was limited to how much work I could do outside with the rain showers so I settled into the LLWS for the rest of the afternoon and then again in the evening. The Florida team lost to Texas and will play again tonight in the losers bracket but they still have a chance if they win out.

We finished up the leftovers from Saturday for our supper and it was delicious once again. We shared one steak and still have one left for sandwiches. We are leaving for Winston -Salem this morning early, so not much will be done today as we will stop and visit Helen in Elkin on the way home. Nancy has a doctor's appointment with a specialist on BP issues as she is still having issues with it. Its over an hour down there and her visit is for 8:30 so we will leave with some spare time as we have no idea where the place is located. It was almost like daylight early this morning with the full moon shining, LATER

Monday Morning August 19th

 Well Sunday saw us worshipping both on line at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Va. with Gary Hamrick and then again at our local Cornerstone church which was a bit different this week as we were strictly a gospel musical themed service with a group called Iron Mountain Gospel. All the songs were very Christ centered and entertaining but I do like the Bible Study from the Word and yet for a change this was very excellent.

I started the day with my usual well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet time to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. One of those folks I lift up every day is being called home as she is now with hospice and the end is near for her here in this world. She is a great warrior for Christ and will soon be in His presence. The two folks who had surgeries last Friday are doing as well as can be expected, one is home doing PT and the other one is in a private room in Winston after being released from ICU. We are going there tomorrow for an appointment for Nancy and her BP issues and hope to visit Billy there if he is up for visitors.

After church we met up with the Frankis Family at the Pizzeria for a delicious lunch though they were quite slow today in their service. The food was tasty and plentiful. Afterwards we came directly back to the cabin and chilled the rest of the afternoon and evening. I watched the Ray's come behind in a 13th inning win after being up by 6 runs at one time. Son, Bobby and grandsons were at the game against the league leading Diamondbacks at the Trop. We did watch some of the LLWS but it got rained out and is now rescheduled for today, Monday.

We finished up the leftover zuppa soup for a light supper after a salad a small personal pizza for our lunch which usually holds us except for some pop corn on Sunday evenings. We decided to clean up the soup instead and then we did get out and walk around the gardens checking on the flowers and veggies. I pulled 3 zucchini's and 4 small cucumbers from the backwood garden patch. The brat doe hasn't been in the gardens now for a couple day. I hope she found a new flavor of veggies from some where else instead of my table, oh well. I did finish a new read and started another one after my hot shower. The ears are still some what blocked but I'm using a solution that is supposed to help with ridding the wax from the canal. Its helping but still some what annoying as this comes with old age I'm told, oh well such a small irritate compared to some other major issues, LATER 

Sunday Morning August 18th

 Well Saturday was another work day until after lunch when I chilled and helped Nancy get ready for our company coming for supper and games. More on that later. It was a beautiful day with nice temps and plenty of sunshine. She actually hung out our sheets on the clothesline around mid morning and oh what a delicious smell they have from drying outside in the sun.

I started the day with a well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet times after posting this ramble to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding and both Billy and Ann came through their surgeries O.K. Everyone else seems to be holding with this post. I've got some ear wax issues which I'm treating once again which I think comes with old age and I suppose now I'm in that category. We entertained some neighbors for supper last night and I learned I'm the only one in the group born in the 40's. The closet was Grant who I always thought was older than me, was born in '51, yikes. I'm a blessed man that I can still run a chain saw and I did that for an hour or so cutting some wood for the stump burn out next week.

Nancy was in her mode of entertaining which meant an extra house cleaning in the morning, before we put on a really tasty spread of N.Y. strips, oven taters, Texas toast and carrots and Mary brought a delicious broccoli salad and Shirley a fresh apple dessert which was more like a salad. I blessed them with some potted wine berry bushes as well as an oregano plant and some tomato's and blue berries from my and Donnie's bushes. Donnie's is across the way from me but doesn't get up much so I harvest his berries and have a frozen bag of them for him when they next come up. My berries are now coming in and I'm picking close to a quart each time. We have the freezers full plus I'm eating some for breakfast as well. It been a great year for all kinds of berries.

Well after eating we cleared off the tables and brought out the Sequence board and played the best of 5 games. We of course taught Mary and Bob the game and they seemed to really enjoy the game despite Bob not a big game player. We had lots of laughs as well as the banner we all shared during the games.  Grant and Shirley loved the game when we played it years ago and they really wanted to play it again. I mentioned now that BOB and Mary are here full time along with Grant and Shirley they will have something to do this winter when we are gone. I'm hoping to get together once a week while we are here to play the game and fellowship. By the way the gals whupped us 3 to 1 in the best of 5 games. It was after 9 when they all left with their bounty on their golf carts and ATV.

I washed the dishes and Nancy dried and I soon hit the shower afterwards and read until after 10'ish while she watched T.V. Today is corporate worship day at Cornerstone in Sparta and then lunch out at the Pizzeria with the Frankis Family. First we will watch Gary Hamrick at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Va, and then later our S.R.B.C. in Seminole, but we of course give thanks and worship daily during our morning quiet times and when I do my walks around the perimeter of the cabin getting some exercise, LATER

Saturday Morning August 17th`

Well Friday was another work day that had me once again spending all day on those stumps in the back yard trying to burning them out. I have reduced them considerably but the one still has several burns to go, but at least I'm cleaning up the back woods of fallen debris and old wood I've stock piles of which needed burning. I believe one more burn on one stump will finish that one off and I can cover it with dirt for grass to grow over it and make my mowing so much easier.

I had started the day with a well before 6 rollout to my routines that start with honoring my lord, Jesus, giving thanks for another day and to lifting up several by name especially two of our mountain friends Billy and Ann who both had surgery yesterday as well as several who are hurting both here in the mountains and in Florida. We pray for the nation of Israel as they are being bombarded by the radical muslim barbarians sponsored by Iran.

I did a check on the yards and gardens to start my outside activities for the day and transplanted 6 pots of lettuce seedlings into the upper garden which the brat deer doesn't seem to bother except the sun flowers around the perimeter. She has eaten off most of the leaves but the flowers themself is shining brightly and adding so much color. I'm starting to see more color in the tomato's and now have more than I can use. We are having for the first time our new neighbors Bob and Mary along with Grant and Shirley for supper this evening and then teaching them the game called Sequence. Hopefully they will enjoy both. We did get some rain after a supper of left over Zuppa soup and biscuits and then we settled into the LLWS games. We watched a really good game by the one Florida team from ST. Marys who beat a good team from Washington State.

It wasn't long after the game I hit the shower and then read until close to 10, LATER

Friday Morning August 16th

 Well Thursday was a work day as I spent most of the day sawing and drilling on the two stumps and by 2'ish I was whupped, wet with sweat and dirty so it was shower time for me in the afternoon which is a rarity. I had started the day with a well before 6 rollout to my morning routines that begin with some quiet times after posting this ramble to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding and today two of those are in for surgery; one for open heart and one for knee replacement. Keep Billy and Ann in your prayers for success and that all goes well.

I headed out after my morning routines to stretch the old body before walking around the yards and checking on the gardens. Seems the brat doe hasn't been eating at the gardens for a couple days so things are growing once again and I'm finally getting some tomato to ripen. I picked 4 yesterday and notice a couple more with some starting with color. I do believe we will have more leafy greens as the transplanted lettuce seedlings are adding leaves and I will set them out in the garden proper this morning.

Well working on those two stumps is quite the job as these two old oaks which must be 30 inches or more across are hard as nails and despite several burns they are still there but much closer to ground level at least one of them is. I drilled holes down into the upper one and wouldn't you know broke off my new drill bit, so I did manage to get a few more holes with old bits and today I'm soaking these holes with a little gasoline, the other stump I manage to get a channel across it so air can get in and help it burn better. What a job that was with wearing out a saw blade. This old stump just eats up a saw blades as its that hard, oh well. It's a chore I like doing and it keeps me busy. Its so much better this way than digging the stumps out by hand which I did one summer.

Well after a hot shower I rested watching some of the LLWS until it was time to head to the Frankis Place up near Bull Head Mountain. They have a beautiful place out in the boonies as we call it. Jake is building a huge house some where when completed including basement at over 5 thousand square feet. Its will be 3 floors and massive in size and he is doing all the work with a few hired hands for the roof, but mostly by himself. He is a master builder, cabinet makes and just about anything that requires some engineering or creating, plus he and Katelyn are the youth leaders at our church. We have adopted them as our "mountain family" with their two kiddos and now another one on the way. She has a huge garden and a real pioneer from days gone by plus still works as an EMT a couple days a month.

Well we had a delicious and filling supper of pork chops, taters she grew and peach cobbler from their tree and Nancy brought a spinach casserole and a garden salad. Needless to say we were completely full and then we settled into a game of hand, knee and foot once little Seth went down for bed. Its so hard to play any games with a 2 and 4 year old but Skylar is doing much better watching a movie while played until nearly 10 o'clock which was both Jake and my bedtime. We played 3 rounds and decided since it was so late to who ever got their required books down first would be the winner. Well the guys were losing when suddenly we got all of our required books down and won. The gals wanted to renig but Jake and I held onto our stated goal, plus we were ready for bed.

We got back to the cabin around 10:30ish and since I had already shower it was brush my teeth and off to bed as I had worked hard for most of the day, LATER

Thursday Morning August 15th

 Well Wednesday was a trip down off the mountain to Elkin to visit with our 96 year "mountain mom" Helen who is in an ALF and who seems to be in good spirits with this arrangement. We brought her lunch and a special frozen drink that Nancy like to get there and she was thrilled. Afterwards we headed to Lowes and then finally Wal-Mart for a few items which I wonder how families with several kids endure with these high prices at the grocery check out line.

I started the day with a well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet moments to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding with this post. I headed around day light to do my morning stretches on the back porch before walking around the yards checking on the gardens and then to take several laps around the property getting in some exercise. The yard has enough ups and downs to get the respirations up for a work out as Nancy gives me a fit when I want to walk the trail about being attacked by a bear or cougar. I've seen neither this summer so its just easier to walk around the yards for exercise.

We headed down the mountain around 10'ish and first headed to Lowes which is near McDonalds and Helens place. I wanted to get a new saw blade and drill for the job of reducing the stumps down to ground zero. I found a couple that may assist in that effort and want to try them out this morning. We aren't sure if we are heading out to a couples Bible class this evening(thur) or to the Frankis Place for supper and cards, anyhow I want to keep working on those stumps. We are finally getting a couple tomato's to ripen and the garden is still producing some leafy greens, cukes and squashes.

We got back on the mountain around 3'ish and then I did a few piddly jobs before setting on the back porch reading until supper time. We had a Caesar salad and a left over deer burger along with an ear of corn, wow everything was delicious. I had only a tomato and cucumber around 9'ish in the morning for both breakfast and lunch and then some of Helens leftover french fries until supper time. I got on the scales in the morning and it showed me at 200 pounds, dad gum thats just too much, so I'll start eating less often and not nearly as much, although I did see a piece of frozen cheesecake in the freezer and we ate them later in the evening. The food just tastes so much better here and I think its the water that comes out of the ground thats the difference, oh well.

We watched a couple games of the LLWS and Florida beat a good team from South Dakota 2-1 and then Taiwan blew out Canada. The Ray's lost again to Houston as the season winds down. I hit the shower around 9 and then read until 10, LATER

Wednesday Morning August 14th

Well Tuesday was a rainy day to start the morning with a chill in the air and it really stayed that way except for small periods of sunshine and by late afternoon the skies cleared. I didn't do much except pick blueberries and some small garden projects. I harvested some fresh kale for Nancy's pot of zuppa which we had for supper. Mainly I read and watched You Tube on the internet.

I had started the day with my usual before 6 roll out to my routines that first begin with some quiet times to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several for comfort and healing. All are holding but we have two on my list that are having surgery this Friday. Keep Billy and Anne in your thoughts and prayers as he is having open heart surgery and she is have a knee replacement, yikes on both. Everyone else is holding. I did do my morning stretches before walking around the yards and checking on the gardens. I harvested a couple more yellow squashes and finally a tomato that had ripen enough to pick. I now noticed a couple more starting to turn as well, thankfully. Some are huge and still green.

The radishes are up from seeds and I transplanted 6 black seeded Simpson lettuce seedlings into pots. They are quick to germinate and add such color to the salad bowl. I have beets ready for the pot as well as they are tennis ball size. Since we got that nice rain last week every thing looks great and the flowers are making a beautiful come back. I did pick another quart or so of blueberries from The Taylor place as well as from my bushes which are loaded and just starting to ripen. I'll be giving away more this weekend as well as freezing them for cobbler later in the summer, plus I'm eating them in my oatmeal a couple times a week.

Well not much else is going on except Anne and Frank came by and brought me some hollyhock seeds to dry and sow next year in one of the flower beds. They sure are a beautiful flower when in bloom. I tuned into the Ray's game on the laptop after supper and they lost a game they should have won but no, by a single run after having the bases loaded, oh well. Its not looking good for the playoffs this year. They did have a good turnout despite playing in St.Pete at the Trop which isn't a crowd drawer. It seems they are going to build a new stadium which I think is ridiculous to say the least on the same grounds.

Today we head down off the mountain to Elkin and take lunch to our "mountain mom" and then shop at Wal Mart and Lowes for a few items before heading back in the afternoon. The grandkids in the Ross Family started school yesterday at Keswick and the Triplett grands in Brandon start next week. The twins are growing and getting ready for T-ball once again and have been practicing their throwing and hitting. It hard to believe, but we are over half way through our stay at the cabin this summer and have about 9 weeks to go before packing up for winter and heading back to Florida, LATER

Tuesday Morning August 13th

 Well Monday was a work day for me as I once again burned both of those oak stumps in the back yard. That is my big project this summer. I have one just about gone but will need several more burns on the lower one which was over a couple feet high and huge across the middle. That kept me busy for most of the day as I need to add fuel to the burn so that meant using the chain saw and then before the first burn I use the drill to make holes which required some muscle power as these old stumps are hard as nails. 

I started the day with my well before 6 rollout to my usual routines that begin with some quiet times to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding at this time. I headed out before breakfast to check on the gardens for deer damage as the brat doe makes my gardens part of her diet. I believe she stayed away last night as there were no tracks in the gardens.

I'm finally starting to see a little color in a couple of my tomato's which I hope don't rot on the vine. I've already had several just rot from within. I'm not sure what happened to my several pepper plants as they are dropping leaves and not blooming. Last year I had them planted on the opposite end of the patch and they were so plentiful I couldn't give them away, but just the opposite this year, oh well. I have radishes up again and a couple lettuce seedlings are popping through the ground as my original lettuce plants are gone. I'm hoping to get another mess as they like cooler temps.

The two jalapeno pepper plants the brat doe ate off that I moved up an into the upper garden are now producing fruits. The other 4 I left that she also ate off is still living but she eats them off weekly. Next year I'm going to get a solar powered motion detector that will emit a sound and hopefully scare her and her buddies away from my gardens. The payback was we had deer burgers for our supper and oh were they ever so good. My neighbor Gerald who hunts my place in the Fall blesses us with several packages of the frozen ground meat and its so delicious from using my gardens as a smorgasbord.

We headed out around 6:30 for church where Nancy meets with her women's group and I sat in on the mens group. It was close to 9:30 before we got home and I hit the shower and read until 10'ish. I was feeling stiff from all of the work I did during the day and that hot shower revived me, LATER

Monday Morning August 12th

 Well Sunday was an awesome day of worship both here at the cabin on line and then again at our local church in Sparta. After the service we headed down to the Little River bottom for an old fashion baptizing of 3 fellers, 2 of which were teenagers and the other was a middle aged man who had never been baptized. We then had a picnic on the grounds which is just beautiful bottom land along this trout river which was flowing quite nicely. It was our first time ever to this piece of property which has held many get togethers from class and family reunions to all kinds of events over several decades as witnessed by the writings on the overhead joists that hold up the roof.

I started the day with my usual well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet times to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. There are many on the list and we did see one at church who is failing, but still comes to church. Everyone else is holding as of this post. 

We made a stop at the Food Lion on the way home from the picnic and then headed on back to the cabin to take it easy until after a lite supper of a frozen pizza. Then we walked around the cabin yards inspecting the gardens and flower beds and getting some exercise. I started a new read while sitting outside in the comfortable temps on the deck until dusk settled in. Nancy was taking pics and then talking on the phone for what seemed hours. I did watch the Ray's finally win a game over the Orioles.

I hit the shower around 9:30 and then some horizontal lab around 10'ish. Today Monday I want to get back to my original task of getting rid of the two stumps in the back yard. One is about gone and the other will take some more burning as well as sawing to get it down to ground level as I want to be able to mow over them eventually. They are a sore spot to me and make mowing that area challenging. We have our Bible study classes this evening at church and then on Wednesday Nancy wants to take lunch and visit Helen in Elkin, so that means we are down the mountain once again, oh well, LATER

Sunday Morning August 11th

 Well Saturday was basically a work day but we did visit with neighbors and sat and chilled for an hour or so and brought them some yellow squashes. I started the day with a well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet moments to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding with this post. After a hearty breakfast I ventured out to check on the gardens and flower beds and then fired up the weed eater and gave all of the yards a trimming which took a good hour plus. By then it was starting to heat up and the grass was just too wet with dew to mow, so we took a golf cart ride out to the mailbox and stopped off at Grant and Shirley's for a visit and blessed them with a big bag of squash.

 Well we got to talking and trying solve the world's problem and then Bob from up on top at the old Hudson place came by as we were leaving, so we chatted him up as well. I think we are really going to like him and his wife Mary who moved here from Raleigh and who are Believers as well lovers of freedom and the right to exist without government interference, in other words he is a supporter of protecting your family and a survivalist and thats why he moved out of the big city. We think a lot alike. We are looking forward to many years of friendship.

Neighbor Gerald and Phylis came up from Winston for the weekend so I blessed him with some squash and blueberries and he blessed us with some Rambo apples from a private orchard in Phylis's family. We are so excited thats she has resolved her issues with us and has become friendly and neighborly. We are glad that she and Gerald are compatible and that she loves gardening as do we. We have been friends of Gerald's for many years and have got along with his wives and were so hurt when we didn't gel with Phylis at first, but we both had been praying for some break through and now that has happened as we both look out for each others place when we are gone.

After a late lunch I fired up the riding lawn mower and mowed for the next 2 plus hours. The sun was hot but a nice gentle breeze kept it quite comfortable. We are having a church wide picnic and baptizing today so Nancy was busy preparing food to take and share. It should be a great time at a new venue for us and a creek baptizing. After mowing I did a few minor honey-do's and then some porch sitting finishing a new read I picked up on Friday title AFTER ANNA. Its a page turner and I'm sure could happen to any one of us in real time.

Well we finished up a dish Nancy made on Thursday for our supper which looked good and the recipe sounded great but didn't seem to have that wow flavor and then afterwards she was on the phone with Betsy her sister who can talk for hours and not say anything, so I watched the Ray's on the laptop lose once again to the Orioles in St.Pete at the Trop. They are going to need some help if they make it to the post season playoffs. After a hot shower I was ready for some horizontal lab at 10 PM, LATER

Saturday Morning August 10th

 Well Friday was another rather warm but at least a dry day. My rain gauge had us at well over 5 inches of rain and maybe even closer to 6, anyhow the drought is over especially for the Shenandoah Valley which was very dry and our issues with it as well. We headed into Sparta to run a couple errands but mainly to the library and Food Lion for a few items. Afterwards it was work outside for the rest of the day and evening.

I had started the day with my well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet time to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for healing and comfort. All seem to be holding with this post. I did my morning social event updates thanking so many who remember me on my birthdate, wow I feel like a rock star with some many who made posts and then I checked to see what is happening in the middle east with the radical muslim nation of Iran and their proxies. I sure hope Israel takes out their nuclear capabilities because those barbarians will use it to kill so many in the name of their false prophet. The predictions in the Bible are coming true and folks need to wake up, especially we Americans. Just look at the choice the dem's are supporting to run this nation, its unbelievable. It they steal this election we are doomed.

I dug up the large shrub in the circle bed that only blooms before we get here and planted it in the back woods yard in hopes it will survive. Nancy wants a white blooming hydrangea in that bed that blooms all summer and we believe we found one at Lowes. Next time we are in Galax or Elkin we will buy and set it out where I took this last one from. It really grew and the root ball was huge, but no blooms after we get here in June. I headed over to the Taylor Place and once again harvested a quart or more of ripe blue berries, many were knocked off in the storm and many had split open from the rain but I did manage along with ones from my two bushes harvest enough to give away and freeze.

I harvested more yellow squash and cucumbers as well as a large tomato that had fallen off the vine, but was starting to show signs of ripening. I transplanted some kale seedling the brat doe keeps eating off, into the upper garden which she only eats the sunflower leaves that surround the patch. I'm not sure why the tomato's aren't ripening as I have several that are huge. It got really hot in the afternoon so I sat on the back porch and read a new book titled BEFORE ANNA. Wow is it ever a page turner. I read about half of the novel which I'm sure is based on a real life experience. After a lite supper of a sweet tater and some green beans I headed out to pull some weeds in the flowerbeds until nearly dark. We did take a golf cart ride to the mail box but saw no one at home on our journey.

I tuned into the Rays game and they lost to the Orioles which are leading the division and will probably knock the Ray's out of their hope for a playoff berth, oh well. We got word the twins did their first day at a new school and there were a few issues but nothing serious. They have shot up in height and are so dad gum smart. I'll weed eat the yards this morning and as soon as it dries I'll fire up the riding mower and give it a mowing, now that the rain has sparked the grasses back into growing. I did notice a few leaves down already, either from the storm or the fact that Fall is in air, LATER

Friday Morning August 9th

Well it started raining here at the cabin yesterday morning around 7'ish and was still raining when I called it a day last evening around 11'ish. At one time we had over 3 1/2 inches in the rain gauge when I emptied it before supper. There weren't many gully washers thankfully but we did have a stream of water that we could see heading down the driveway. This should have filled the aquifer for now.

I started the day with a 6'ish rollout for a change knowing it was going to rain for most of the day with my usual routines that start with some quiet times to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding with this post. I was going to head out to check the gardens when the rain began after stretching on the porch to walk the yards , then it began to rain hard, so that was my exercise for the day, except for going up and down the basement steps. I'm not a fan of being totally shut up in the house but I had no other choice, oh well. 

We did out social media, checked the news about Israel and even played several card games after lunch. It was my day to win and win big in two hand, knee and foot games and Nancy won the Kings on the Corner game . I read as much as possible on the internet as I had finished all 4 of the books I had checked out and now have 4 more ready for pickup at the library in Sparta. We did tune into the olympics in the afternoon and finally the LLWS regional playoff games until bed time. Nancy made a new recipe of noodles and chicken in a white sauce that was good but oh so much work and a mess with tons of pots and pans to wash. It wasn't all that great for all that work, but the picture on FB made it look delicious. We have leftovers for another meal.

Today Friday we head into Sparta to run some errands and then back on the mountain. Its supposed to dry out and be beautiful according to the weatherman, LATER

Thursday Morning August 8th

Well Wednesday found us down off the mountain to Elkin where we did some shopping but mainly to visit our "mountain mom" Helen who is in a senior facility and really is doing quite well for her 96 years young. She is lucid and while still some what limited on her movements she gets into bed and to the bathroom on her own. She loves tacos something new for her and now requests them when we bring her lunch. We had a great couple hours visit with her.

I had started the day with my well before 6 rollout to my routines that begin with some quiet times to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and to lift several by name up for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding. I did speak with an old friend from my FHP days and we chatted for quite a spell. He was a rookie I had broke in and then we became very good friends with his wife and my first wife and then again when Nancy and I married nearly 45 years ago. He has had some severe health issues but sounded good on the phone and he and his wife, Jan have now moved to be close to his two kids and their grand kids in Jasper, Georgia.

We did some shopping both at Lowes and then again at Wal-Mart in Elkin before heading back up on the mountain. They had a rain shower while we were gone and it looked like rain the rest of the day, but it stayed dry. The grass and gardens are looking good since we started to get some rain and now once this threat of Debby moves on I want to put some lime on the backwoods yards as the moss is showing up in places once again. We ate lite for supper with some cold chicken on a bed of salad and an ear of corn and then settled into the LLWS as well as the Ray's game which they blew again to the Cardinals. Its not looking good for them in the post season right now, oh well. 

That was about it for the day. I'm just blown away with all of the awesome and sweet comments and well wishes I received the past two days for my birthday, wow. Many thanks to all who made that day special because I was so saddened to lose my pickle ball partner who was a few months younger than me so suddenly a week ago. I still haven't heard any news about a funeral or even an obituary, LATER

Wednesday Morning August 7th

 Well I'm just blessed to have so many who wished me birthday blessings and just all the warm feelings on this special day. I'm just overwhelmed and just so thankful and I feel honored by them. Thank's to All.

I started out my big day with a well before 6 rollout to my usual routines that begin with some quiet moments to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and especially the day of my birth and to lift up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding. I'm so thankful the storm that passed through our area in Florida wasn't as devastating as it could be with just some branches from the big backyard oak tree littering the yard. After my social media updates I ventured out to check on the gardens and the brat doe deer was at it again over night, munching on many of my already eaten down veggies and many of Nancy's flowers. I did harvest my first couple of cherry tomato's but the big ones in both gardens have just not begin to turn yet. Some are larger than baseball size and I did find a couple already rotten on the vine, oh well. I did harvest several yellow squash as couple are just too large to use and enough to bless our neighbors with.

I headed out to harvest blueberries from my neighbors bush as well as harvested some from my two bushes which are ripening as we speak. I'll have enough between the two of us to freeze and even give away to friends here. I did harvest the last romaine lettuce head as well as lots of kale, beet greens and Swiss chard for the salad bowl. I cleaned and then spun them dry as well. I did do some hoeing and once again sowed some kale and lettuces seeds in hopes they will germinate and give me some leafy greens before we head back to Florida in October.

It seems our next scheduled visitors had to cancel due to some health issues so we are free of any one scheduled until we leave. That maybe a blessings as Nancy is still having some BP issues and we are still having to travel down the mountain weekly to visit our "mountain mom" Helen who is in a senior center. We are heading there today to take her lunch and spend some time with her. She and my birth mom are about the same age. I caught up on whats happening with Israel and its not good in the middle east as the muslims are doing everything to destroy GOD's chosen people. Israel is fighting back are not sitting down to allow this to happen. I'm amazed at the many college students who are so ignorant and fall for supporting barbarians in the Hamas regime. The predictions in the Bible seem to be happening before our very eyes with the possibility of the Ezekiel War with so many of our enemies now joining together against Israel. I sure wish we had a legit commander in chief like Trump in charge of America instead of this hapless inept corrupt administration that is supporting the vile and evil regime in Iran.

Well we celebrated with a stay at home supper since we had been gone for 5 days with a boneless rib eye steak, corn on the cob and a shrimp cocktail all of which was delicious. I had a glass of vino along with it. After the clean up we settled into the Little League World Series which is starting with regional play and I had the Rays game on as well on the laptop. By 10'ish it was shower time and then some horizontal lab before lights out, LATER

Tuesday Morning August 6th

Well I must say it great to visit family and friends but there is nothing like being home or back at the cabin in the mountains. We left Woodstock around 9:30 after a quick stop at the meat market for some vacuumed packs of bacon, some shopping in Galax and made it back around 3'ish We did stop in Roanoke for lunch at Hardee's as we took a different route through that area which we will take the next time, when we go north. I tell you driving anymore wears you out and we did leave the cabin around 6 to shop in Sparta for a few items before heading over to our Monday night Bible study class at Cornerstone. It was after 9 before we got home.

I had started Monday with a wake up in beautiful Woodstock, Va. at my youngest sister place who always makes our visits enjoyable and memorable. We took trips to Berkley Springs, W.Va. and then over to Capon Bridge and visited with family there as well as a trip to the Mt. Falls area where we enjoyed a great get together with many family members, although most were all second and third cousins and even further down the line. We met several we had never met before and it was enjoyable and the food was awesome as well with some of the finest dishes prepared from old recipes, but the box of fried chicken was really outstanding. There were lots of memories shared, lots of laughs and even a few tears as we remember several who have passed on. Their stories are forgotten unless we retell them with old pictures and shared thoughts; that is mainly why I write this daily blog. I want my grand kids to know what I was like and what I did during my life time.

I skipped many of my start the day in-depth quiet times and silent walks with my lord, Jesus as well as lifting up several by name for comfort and healing. All seem to be holding with this post as is our home in Floridas which was touched by this hurricane which dropped over 12 inches of rain in our area. A few trees were down and I learned we lost several branches from the back yard big oak tree at our place. I want to keep it because of the shade it gives off, but Nancy wants it gone, anyhow the house seems fine. Thankfully as is all of our neighbors as we spoke on the trip home yesterday.

Well yesterday the 5th was my birth mothers 98 big day and now today is my 78 big day, where did those years go and so fast it seems as we age. We are back here for a day or so before heading down to visit our " mountain mom" Helen in an ALF in Elkin. She and my birth mom are close in age. Helen seems to be doing fine and still has her mind although she is limited to what she can do. We will take her lunch and the eat with her during our visit and then we have a birthday party for young Seth on Friday, who turns two and then a church picnic on Sunday at a river where several will be baptized, so we are back with a full agenda in this coming week. We have some friends who are visiting for a long weekend some time towards the middle of this month and then we are free from guests unless De and Mike come again in September which isn't in stone.

Well that was about it for Monday and some thoughts on our trip up the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and our stay with Dee and Mike. They always make our visit memorable and we once again ate well and we so enjoyed their new pup Sophie, who is a bundle of energy and quite the ball player and who is just a lovable little thing. She almost makes me want another pup, NOT but the thought has entered my mind with her personality, LATER

Monday Morning August 5th

Well Sunday was an great day as we first worshipped on line at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, Va. and then with a small church in Woodstock at Mike and Dee's church. Everyone was most warm in their greetings and then we headed up to Mountain View Rouitan Club's building for a cousin reunion. We had a good group of family members from all walks of our lineage but several were missing as well. I reconnected with many friends old friends and met several new members as well. The food was plentiful and very tasty with folks bringing covered dishes and then sharing lots of stories as well as old family photos. Several were gone forever from the last reunion we attended a couple years back.

Well we are packing for our return trip to N.C. and are keeping in touch with family there due to the hurricane that grazed the west shore of Florida where we are located and now is heading across the state and will probably bring some rain to the interior of the country. The Shenandoah Valley could use some much needed rain as the corn is curling and many of the gardens and crops have dried.

Well I'll cut this short and catch up tomorrow on all the going on's. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers for safe travel, LATER

Sunday Morning August 3rd

 Well Saturday was a fun day after an early morning walk through their neighborhood; at least with all this fine eatin' I've taken a couple of long walks/hikes albeit was rather hot. We had a nice breakfast of fresh baked banana bread and a egg sandwich with bacon, tomato and lettuce. That held me until an early supper of pasta, shrimp, broccoli and salad and then home made peach ice cream.

We headed out around 10 for Berkeley Springs, specifically the old summer time river house that Nancy used with her family as a young child. Well we found the property but the old house was completely gone and its no wonder because the last time we saw it a couple years ago it was sadly in disrepair with the roof falling in and mold and mildew prevalent through out what was left. It was a pleasant ride and then we wanted to see cousin Dixie' s place in Capon Bridge, so the GPS took us a shortcut through the mountains which was a beautiful ride. Well Dixie and Jim's place is on the Capon River and is such a beautiful place they have restored. They were very excited to us as its been years and won't be attending the reunion today as they have other plans, so it made our trip complete and we were invited back to visit and even stay overnight in the future. Jim is quite the carpenter and remodeler and Dixie has made this place a showcase place along the river with their work. That was the first that I ever remember going to this small mounatin town in West Virginia.

We made a stop at a grocery on the way back to Woodstock for fresh shrimp and some other goodies for our supper which was delicious. After the supper and a glass of vino we settled into some hand, knee and foot and the gals whupped us in the last two events after we won the first two events. It was close to 10 when we called it a day and hit the shower and soon some horizontal lab after a hot shower.

I did do some of my regular routines with some quiet moments to honor my lord, Jesus and to lift several up by name for comfort and healing. Please keep our family in Florida in your thoughts and prayers as this storm approaches the state, LATER

Saturday Morning August 3rd

Well we finally got a little rain here in the valley which was greatly after being in the high heat and drought conditions. It was basically a stay at home day as we visited and made home made peach ice cream. We did a cook out with burgers, beans and chips and topped it off with ice cream. Sisters Pat and husband Keith as well as Josie and husband Wayne came . We sat around and told stories of our child hood days and about folks we know and have passed on.

We started the day with a 7'ish rollout to my abbreviated blog that did include some quiet times to honor my lord , Jesus, and give thanks for another day as well as lifted up several by name for comfort and healing. The temps reached the upper 90's and eventually it clouded up and blew in a nice rain.

Today we are heading up to W.Va. to visit some old home steads and look at new places and then spend the evening at home playing cards, LATER

Friday Morning August 2nd

 Well I'm writing this note from beautiful Woodstock, Va. nestled within the blue ridge mountains. It's a bit warm here as we arrived yesterday around 5'ish with temps in the upper 90's. We had a safe trip up the valley despite a complete blockage about a 100 miles south of where we were going, so we took a side trip up a couple rural roads and it too was stop and go which backed us up for over an hour.

We met up with an old school chum and his wife at a local Mexican eatery and had a delicious meal. We did a lot of remembering of old class mates, told some great stories and shared many memories for a couple hours while eating. We came back and played a game of Michigan rummy until after 10'ish and then it was hit the sack. Not much to report as we are here until Monday morning, LATER

Thursday Morning August 1st

 Wow, we are almost half way through our time here for this year and I'm almost another year older and I hope wiser. Wednesday started out with my usual routines after a well before 6 roll out. I did my quiet time to honor my lord, Jesus, give thanks for another day and then to lift up several by name for comfort and healing and for traveling mercies for our son in law Tyler and grandson Sam who are on the Appalachian Trail some where in N.C. All seem to be holding and of course I'm still in shock at the passing of Paul, a friend and pickle ball partner in Seminole.

I headed out after a breakfast of fresh blue berries from my bushes, along with a banana in some oatmeal to start the gastric juices flowing for the day, to check on the gardens. The brat doe was once again munching on several veggies especially the green pepper plants as well as some zinnias, marigolds and cone flowers. She is in the backwoods garden patch almost every night, anyhow I'm still not getting any ripe tomato's despite some baseball size ones and plenty of them. I sure hope the brat doe doesn't take a liking to them but she has munched on some of their leaves.

I headed up the mountain to check on Dave's blueberries after once harvesting a pint or so but they just aren't ripening and on the way back I checked on Donnies one bush and it was loaded with ripe berries. I picked at least a quart for them as they won't be back for a couple weeks and froze them to give to them when they do come up. Their one bush is almost a tree and I had to stand in the bed of the golf cart to pick them, so many were already falling on the ground and I hated to see them go to waste. My berries are coming in slowly but by the time we get back next week they should be ready for picking and freezing as well for future use.

I piddled around the gardens and yards and since we are leaving this morning decided to not start any new projects. We did have to run to Sparta before 5 and pick up two loaves of herb bread for Dee and Mike so I gassed up on the way home at 3.08 a gallon. Thats the lowest I've seen this summer. We will pack up this AM and head to Galax on our way to Woodstock. I want to stop and get a haircut on the way as I'm getting shaggy. We will be in Woodstock until Monday morning before heading back and not planning on anymore trips until October when we head home on the 22nd.

The Ray's lost to the Marlins in an afternoon game which I didn't watch as I sat and read until supper time. We cleaned up the leftover steak, squash casserole and half runner beans for our supper which was delicious to say the least. I'm sure we will eat high on the hog over the weekend, LATER