Finally getting these loaded.

Ramps

Bloomin'

What a wonderful day. One of the reasons I love living here is the moistness of the woods. It is not as moist on our side of the mountain as it is over in NC tho now and again we are blessed. This morning began with a nice, misty, fog. It then continued on to a cloudy, rainy day. On my late afternoon walk I startled deer from above the pond and took pictures of lots of new growth. I saw ramps, branch lettuce, trillium, bloodroot, larkspur, foam flower, comfrey. The rain really made some of the apple trees bloosom out and the lilac bush. I also found a huge, strange lump of hosta out under a tree. I have lived here 10 years and those hosta have never showed their heads til now. Besides that they are not near any of the spots we think old homesteads were, just at the base of a tree. They almost looked dumped but that makes no sense. I'll have to do a little research to see if hosta grow wild.

We will finish out the day with a bowl of chili, a glass of wine and some Van Morrison outside with the setting sun.

The secret is out

C has been working so hard the last few weeks. His karate class has been working towards their spring demo. They have been working partly in secret. G and I take C to class and then go do something else as it is pretty boring to sit and stare at an empty room. Last night we finally got to see it all come together. Most of what they did was what they have been doing on a weekely basis: workouts, kicks, punches, kadas. What they were doing in secret was a stick kada put to music. C looked so confident and sure of himself out there. He really did enjoy himeself. We all did. The older class also performed their kadas, some including 'weapons' and some pretty fancy kicks. Two older teens in particular are a joy to watch. Their strenght and fluidity are so well balanced. C admires both boys and hopes to be able to do what they do some day. I like that he sees what hard work can do.

C also tested for his next level belt. He is now an orange/purple belt!

Tulips are bloomin'

I knew this blogging thing would take back seat to spring chores. I miss reading about what is going on in my on-line friends lives tho it is grand to be outside working on these glorious days. We really haven't spent all our time working we have done a fair bit of hiking and playing as well. The boys managed to paint the bottom of the greenhouse and were big helps in getting that pile of mulch out of the truck. We have done a goodly amount of cleaning up around the farm. Cleaning up the wood splitting place, getting all the wood stacked for next winter, making trips to the dump. I added strawberries last year and tho many succumbed to various things the survivors sent out shoots and the bed is half full of plants. Both bee hives survived the winter tho we are behind in their care. Guess they didn't like that as our strongest hive left us. Hopefully we can split the second hive.

DH has had success in the bio-diesel department. He ran his first batch through an engine and it started first time. He is also proud of his new toy - a front end loader. I am the saver in the family and any big outlay of savings gives me pause but it was a great deal. A neighbor broke the frame on his tractor and needed to sell the loader to fix the tractor. We could never have afforded even a regularly priced used one so this was a bargain. M went to move some dirt by the pond and discovered the water is spilling over the dam so it has almost paid for itself already.

We heard this week that an apartment has opened up for my father in the assissted living place. We will go get him next Friday. I think about myself at that age (hope I live that long -87) and wonder how I will react to moving off the land. My father doesn't have the same connection to the land tho he has lived in his house for over 40 years. Not surprisingly he doesn't want to move. He seems resigned to it tho. All in all I think it will be good for him. Other men to talk WWII with will be the biggest plus. He is not one for traveling, never was. Hopefully he will agree to at least travel to our farm. G's birthday party the next week seems like a good time to try. We have lived on this farm 10 years and in east TN 15. He is such a non-traveler he has never visited us before. I think coming to the farm will remind him some of his youth growing up in a small farming community in Kentucky. I think once he makes the trip he will be glad he did. After all now we are just a 30 minute trip as opposed to a 5 hour one!

A Little Success and a Lot of Snow

I am not sure how people keep up with their blogs so regularly. I can see between planting time and harvesting time there won't be as many days inside to post. I'll do the best I can.

After temperatures in the 70's we hit a normal March spell and then we had three days of snow. All in all I think we had somewhere between 8-10 inches fall. Pretty good for 'spring'. The first day of winter here was around 70 so it is only fitting the first day of spring should be 30.

We finally were able to get out and start the repairs on the boat. M successfully dove under and 'fixed' the keel. I say fixed as that is exactly what he did in that he removed the bolt and we put the new cable in. I had driven the boat into shore and in so doing the keel touched bottom. The point of a swing keel is that it should 'swing' when it encounters an obstacle. Unfortunately we discovered ours does not swing. So, yes, even though our repairs were successful it really doesn't matter because as it stands the keel is now 'fixed'. In the grand scheme of things it is not that big a deal. Most boats have a fixed keel. Problem will be in ever getting it out of the lake. Our trailer is for a swing keel boat and there is no lift on the lake. So for now its just do our repairs on the mast, get it back up and start sailing!

The boys are excited about the possibility of chickens. C has decided he would like to to do most of the work and sell the eggs to the neighbors. M came up with a great idea for a geodesic chicken coop tho I think for now we will start with them being in the barn.

Beautiful Birth Day

What a day! Much different from C's birth day. It was the coldest night of the year! Not that we cared. We were warm and snug in the bed. M's parents cared tho. They drove from west TN in a van with no heat! Today tho is beautiful. It might have reached 70. C has been playing his new GB game and G has been drawing cartoons from C's new drawing book. I have begun the spring chores. I cleaned up 3 of the 4 flower beds. We walked around the farm looking for more orchard space. Now that the bees have taken over part of the old orchard we need more space. We decided there are two spots on the farm that might work. One we will need to wait til summer to check out the coverage. Both places will need a few trees removed. Mostly tulip poplars that we can use in the treehouse or for firewood. What started this new idea was someone gave us 2 pawpaw trees. We also want to plant more cherry trees. I also cleared branches from the paths. Not a lot accomplished tho a good start.

Where Does the Time Go?

C is 8! He has had three days of celebration. Thursday we took him to the local outfitter to pick out a pocket knife. M has toldthe boys as they grew that 8 was the magic number for a pocket knife. C picked out a nice Swiss Army. M told him he could have any one he wanted. C was very thoughtful in his choice. Being 8 he wanted some tools. Being wise he didn't want too many knowing it would be hard to carry. He finally settled on one with a couple of blades, saw, scissors, bottle and can openers and a few other 'standard' Swiss army items. He and M had the 'how to handle the knife' discussion. M got a 'you are the best Dad ever' for the day!

Yesterday we had a party. We had it at a local art gallery. They made sculpey necklaces and had a nice time. I remembered everything, down to the matches - except the camera!

This morning we had the family birthday breakfast. All in all I think he will sleep well tonight.

The Grotto

I'm still trying to catch up! I didn't take too many pictures on our trip. Here is one of a strange place somewhere in Iowa (I think). This was the boys favorite.

Back on the Mountain

The mountains looked so wonderful Friday as we cruised back into east Tennessee. I love to travel (especially when you have a friend with a hybrid!). Tho I love coming home more. The girl trip was a great success. We pretty much ate and drank our way across Minneapolis and St. Paul. We met many of S's friends and enjoyed the hospitality of her niece. The main reason for the trip was for N to have a meeting with the medical school as she was hoping to go to U of M in the fall. Unfortunatley it is not going to work out. Gladly, tho, N is a person of possibilities. Don't you love people like that (and I hope I am like that!)? Although disappointed she saw that that one closed door meant several others would open.

The boys had a nice time with their grandparents. It is amazing how missing someone can become a physical thing. About day 5. I am glad we could make the trip and be support for N but if there is another trip sans boys it will have to be shorter!

Driving across Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin brought to mind how long some of those stretches are up in that area. As we are planning a summer trip to Wyoming I will have to think double hard on activities to keep the boys happy. They are excellent travellers and rarely complain on long trips tho it would benice to have some extra diversions.

And another from C

So now G has gotten into the anime act. Pretty proud of the 5 year old as well.

Excuse a little bragging

C never was one for coloring books. He has always been much more into math and science. When G got old enough to draw and color C started to draw a little as well. His drawings were similiar to most 7 year olds I suppose. Then he discovered cartooning and anime. Like most artists not all his attempts turn out tho each is a great learning stage. Last night he created the 'karate man' you see below. I think it is pretty darn good myself.

Anime

Here's C's.

Perspective

So I was digging around in the back of the closet and found some of my art work from college. One of the things that caught the boys' eyes were some perspective drawings. They decided they wanted to try and they came up with some nice ones.

Here's G's.

Snow Day #3!

As we were sledding yesterday a neighbor came and bull dozed the road the county. That brought to mind snow days as a kid. We didn't get a lot of snow in Nashville but we had a few days every year. One of the reasons we would have several was they didn't plow the side roads back then. They would just clear naturally. Now if we lived in a place that had constant snow I would understand the need to plow. Life must go on. But why must the roads be clear as soon as the snow hits? I know the fire and other emergency people need access tho I suppose 30 years ago people were helped. Maybe it is just because the cities and counties have the equipment (tho it must be a big salt/gravel bill). Or is it because so many people can't take a day off to enjoy themselves? I know so many people are driven by that almighty dollar but come on folks how many days do you get an excuse to stay home and be a kid again - and to play with your kids!? Leave the snow plows at home a day. Save some $$$. At least around here it will warm up quickly enough that you can get back to the grind soon enough.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

At last count we had 11 1/2"!

Snowbound

Flashbacks of 1998. That is what was going though my head last night as I was out on top of the carport sweeping off the snow. The span is really too large for any extra weight so after the first 6 inches or so I thought I'd better clean it off. The last time this had to be done was the great snow storm of 1998. Except that time it was M out there at midnight. The trees were crashing and popping by the second. He said every minute or so something would crack and he would run for the house thinking the carport was giving way. Luckily he made it home that evening to take care of the animals and house. I, on the other hand, did not make it home. I had been training my replacement as I was 8 months pregnant with C. We had gone to Kingsport where the snowfall was insignificant. By the time we got back to the greenhouse it was coming down pretty good. I tried to make it home but was turned back on a steep hill as someone had slid off the road. The weather report kept saying it would all turn to rain. I called M at work and told him I'd stay at work (my boss lives on the property) and I would come home the next day. Little did we know it would be three days before I finally made it. M headed home and was the last person to make it into the hollow. A huge tree fell across the road soon after he arrived.

Back at work the transformers were popping and an eerie green glow came from JC. The bosses were crazy busy putting supports up in the greenhouse. The power went out, the phone went out. It was beautiful tho I sure wished I had made it home. Three days later the roads were semi-cleared in town and I was going home. If I had to walk from the highway, by God, I was going home. Luckily, I have wonderful neighbors who owned a business in Elizabethton. They had come to town for an hour or so and I was lucky enough to catch them there. I rode home to their house. Our road was still impassable. So there I am in my street shoes and not much coat headed up the hollow when I see M out skiing! It was so good to be home. It ended up we had about 2 feet of snow. The power was out for 11 days. All in all a great adventure. Its good to see a good snow fall again and I am thankful I was here for it.

Catch Up

This past week I have gotten so much done I just couldn't help myself and decided to plant a (small) garden this year after all. Just the basics. We are almost out of the last run of home canned green beans so it seems a good year to plant more. We are out of tomatoes as well. So those along with the obligatory squashes will be a nice, easy summer.

As for the things done the best thing was we sold the Pathfinder! Then, the neighbors got their stuff out of our barn! That all started about 2 1/2 years ago. They didn't have any room for the granddad's things and could we keep them for 6 months. Now with all the moving of the boys I needed the space for the extra mattresses. The boys have also expressed a great interest in having a club house until the treehouse is finished. So the upsatirs of the barn is now straightened, cleaned and some space for the boys to hang out. Their bedroom is also finished. The playroom is finished. I got rid of my old, naugahyde chairs and brought the wooden ones back down to the kitchen table. I rehung the pictures that have been down due to the painting (some of this paiting was a couple of years ago!).

M spent some time cutting the branches off the hemlock do it can be cut into lumber. He also started on the other tree for firewood.

The boys gathered tons of trash that was blowing around the farm after all the high winds we have had lately.

All in all a very productive week. And best of all I have this momentum going that I hope will carry us through the new roofs and other much needed chores.

Growing up

On a day to day basis I don't really think about my boys growing up. After all, I see them everyday and they don't seem much different from yesterday. Every now and again they have a growth spurt and I say 'I think you grew last night'. As they master new skills or do something cool I think 'Wow, they are growing up so fast.' Once and awhile they bring tears to my eyes as they do something an older boy might do. Of course,there is always the pile of clothes they have out grown that used to look so big to me. And looking at old photos.... And then there are the times that something is permantly changed that brings on that weepy feeling. Today is one of those days. G's bedroom was the nursery. Tho it has been a boys' room since we moved the crib out is still looked the same. Now it has a new coat of 'grown up boy' blue and G and C are talking of hanging up 'big boy' sorts of things. There is nothing left in the house that is remotely babyish. G is only 5! Seems like there ought to be some baby things left or at least toddler stuff. At least in the morning when he wakes up G still curls up on my tummy for good morning hugs.

Is it really still January???

What a wonderful, beautiful weekend. These type of days usually prompt me to get out on the farm and get some spring chores done before spring. This weekend however was too pretty to work. I mostly just wandered around the farm and made lists of things that need doing. We did get a few small chores done. We have been planning on building bunk beds for G's room. Instead we decided to buy a used set from a neighbor. We're still not sure where they will be in his room. His room, strange as it is, is 15' x 6' 6". The idea was to put the beds at the end of the room leaving more usable space. The beds measure 6' 6 1/2". The consensus is the drywall will give enough to squeeze in the bed. We'll see. Of course, the room needs painting too. The boys have decided to share G's room and use C's room for a play room. Now they can create Lego/Playmobile world and not have to take it down.

We climbed up to inspect the downed hemlock. It is big enough to cut into lumber and hopefully will be the supports for the treehouse! The hemlock also took down a hardwood tree so we'll have a decent start on next year's wood.

We met the new neighbors. They seem like a wonderful couple and we let them know what a great, close knit neighborhood they have moved into.

Sister D's kids came for a sleepover and all had a great time. I had a few friends drop in too so we all had too much fun to go to bed at a reasonable hour.

The boys and I spent a lazy hour or two hanging out on the trampoline. The black mesh just draws in the warmth.

M worked on a couple of jewelry jobs.

The bees were out working.

And of course, I made a nice looong list.

Glorious Wood!

What is it about an afternoon at the woodpile? I know there are more satisfying things out there tho today I can't think of any. I have a good friend who admiringly (at least I like to think so) tells people how much I love to split wood and that I am pretty dang good at it. Tho I think he really thinks its a little strange. Girls aren't supposed to be so taken with a maul and a sweet round of oak. I had about 30 big rounds of ash and oak that were just too big for me to split. I have a nice neighbor who brought his wood splitter over yesterday and split them for me. So I spent this afternoon moving the drier wood forward, filling the ring at the house and generally having a good time. Seems the boys are taken with wood too. They rarely turn down a request to lend a hand transporting the stuff. And of course,I love the warmth of that fire on a cold night like tonight. Stay warm everyone.

Perfect Snow Day

As a kid Iwould pray for snow. I loved being out in it all day with my friends but I think the biggest reason was because I wouldn't have to go to school. My boys just want snow because its fun. No ulterior motives! It snowed here all day Saturday and we took a nice hike, enjoying the snowfall and the quietness. Yesterday the sun came out and after trying our hand at making root beer we headed out to our one sledding slope. You would think living up here in the mountains we would have plenty of sledding opportunities but we have so many trees its hard to find a long run on the property. We do have a steep gravel road behind us but we haven't tried it yet. C, the cautious one, has really not enjoyed sledding much until now. He has always loved to watch and cheer tho he felt sledding was too fast. Not so this time. It took him a while to warm up to it tho once he did he took the fastest sled down - backwards was his style of choice. G, of course, jumped right in. Once his "Mommy look!" was because he had discovered he could slide his feet into the handles and 'snowboard' down. As a mom I suck in breath every time he does something like that as I can see the future. The climber/boater/sailor in me says "Yeah!".

A Walk in the Rain

For those of you keeping up with the boat saga, NO, it is not out of the water yet. M has decided to dive it himself. In order to do this he needs new gaskets on his wetsuit. Instead of shipping it we decided to use the money to drive down to NOC (and they will ship it). What a beautiful morning. The forcast was for showers all day tho they held off until mid afternoon. We had decided to take the boys to Joyce Kilmer, the largest stand of virgin forest left in the southeast. Since the temperature held in the 50's we headed on down. I love walking in the rain and doing it in January is an extra bonus. The boys loved it. We found several trees the four of us could not reach around. Part of the trail was closed. A friend had been recently and seen the same sign and said there was no reason for it being closed. So off we went. I guess she didn't go far enough because we found the reason - a washed out bridge. Since I had been the smart one to leave my hiking boots on the doorstep I hiked in Crocs. I knew we were pretty close to the car and since my feet were already soaked I decided it would be easier to ford the stream than hike all the way back round. G climbed on my back and off we went. The current was a little stronger than I thought so I thought it unsafe to carry C as he is heavier. M had on real boots so he and C went back around. Of course, (except for my shoes!) we were all dressed appropriately tho even so I was proud that the boys had such a good time. Now bring on that winter before these warm temps spoil us all!

Adventure to the ER

What is it homeschoolers say about using every unusual events as learning experiences? How a trip to the doctor can be fun? Not so yesterday. DH was having major pain and after talking with our doc/friend it sounded like he had a kidney stone. Poor thing. He looked like I felt when I was in labor. From what people told us yesterday having a baby is easier! So off to the ER we went. Knowing what our job would be, waiting, I told the boys maybe we could see some cool equipment at work. That kept them from going stir crazy about 20 minutes. When we went back to see how Dad was doing he had already had a CT scan so the cool equipment ploy was out. So there we were on a day when no one else seemed to be at the ER and still we had to wait three hours. Seems they lost his test results. Luckily, when they finally found them, it did show M had a kidney stone tho it was small - for a kidney stone! The worst of the pain was over and now all he had to do was wait. Today he is feeling much better. He is guessing he has already passed it but I teased him about making a piece of jewelry with the stone.

New Year's List

I try not to 'do' resolutions. Too easy to break. Besides, a lot of times people say be nicer to people or spend more time with my family or loose weight. Now granted during the holidays I ate and drank more than usual and didn't exercise much tho I'll get back to normal life and all will fall into place. As for the others those are things that are ingrained in me. I was brought up to show respect, to be nice, to work hard etc. so I see those as a life style not as something to do for a couple of months because it is a resolution and then NOT do those things when spring has
arrived. So I thought this year I would create the 'things I'd like to do' list. Keeping in mind that my lists are ALWAYS bigger than my capabilities. Last year I didn't garden so I would get that long 'to do list' done. What happened? Well, we bought the sailboat and you can guess what the rest of the summer held for us. Once again I have decided not to garden (well except for the new strawberries and asparagus I put in last year and of course taking care of all the existing fruit and herbs. Oh and probably will add a few tomato plants but really, no garden!) My dear friend S is putting in a big garden and I will help her some as well as can with her so there will be a little homegrown stuff in the larder. So here goes:

The short list (and I would be happy with this):
take more field trips
finish upstairs bathroom
finish boys' bunkbed
new roof on carport
new roof on little house
keep track of bees better
start on treehouse!!
fix electronics on boat
garage sale!!
mulch herb garden/flower beds

The long list:
still thinking of the goats and chickens
re-do herb garden
paint greenhouse
plant more fruit trees
fix hole in back path
help M with diesel fuel
get rid of those dead vehichles
re-do lettuce bed
re-do downstairs bathroom
new bookshelves in living room
call a chimney sweep
do another play

Beginings of a Bud

It is so exciting to see your children blossom. Sometimes it sneaks up on you. As a homeschooling parent it has always been dauting to me to try to help my boys find friends. That old 'socialization' thing. My boys have no problem talking to people from 1 -99. However, they are our boys and since we both make friends slowly it doesn't surprise me that maybe the boys will be that way too. Maybe not G. I think he will be the outgoing one. They have good friends in the children of my friends, neighborhood friends (which way up here on the mountain is 2) and in their homeschool group. Yet I long for them to make friends 'on their own', an important skill to learn. Last night, after C's karate class we went across the street to the local 'burrito house'. One of C's classmates came in with his family. Suddenly they are hanging around our table together. Looking at their heads bent over a game I felt myself hoping that this would be a blossoming friendship. Even if it is not maybe I see they will be OK and the friendships will come in time.

Next Stage

Searching for assisted living places would never rank high on my list. Yet that is what I spent yesterday doing and I was pleasantly surprised. The search has officially begun for my father's next home. After living 45 years in the house I grew up in with my mother it is becoming evident that my father needs more care. So I began the trek in JC as it seems a better idea to have him here as my mother has eventual plans of moving here. I have these memories of where my grandfather spent his last years and they are of the typical nursing home. Dismal, smelly, sad. Of the 3 places I visited yesterday 2 were outstanding assisted living homes. Except for the price (which, BTW, is exorbitant. I am not usually one to extol the virtues of all the ways insurance companies make money, however, thank god my parent's have it or I guess my Pop would end up like my grandfather!) they were very similiar. Both were warm, active places. They encourage the residents to do for themselves. My father, recently being diagnosed with alzheimer's, has had day people coming in while my mother goes out. While these ladies are very nice and pleasant their care has taken away my father's chores, such as dish washing and coffee making. In the last 15 years or so my father has not exactly been what you would call active tho I believe the lose of these daily items has diminished his capacity. Talking with the experts at the facilities gives me great hope that once he is there he will regain some of those old routines and he will blossom. One extraordinary thing about one place in particular is only in extreme cases do they suggest they move on to a nursing home. They try their best to keep them there. Of course, I know all this could just be salesmanship but the atmosphere definitely was one of warmth seeing how the residents react to the caregivers. This process is never an easy one tho I do feel somewhat better after my visits.

The Beauty I Live In

Well, like most people, I have been crazy busy the last few weeks. I would think of things I wanted to post about such as the blessings that my Mom had surgery and came through with flying colors, the wonders of the holiday season, the many friends I was able to sit down and visit with.... However, I kept putting it all off and now I think I should just keep up with now and enjoy the New Year. One interesting thing we did last week was to go to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. M and I had been years ago and were excited to take the boys. The first thing that struck me as we entered the Tennessee part was the same thing that struck me 10 or so years ago. That I was walking in my own stomping grounds. For a moment I wondered why we had come since we could walk out our own door to experience the same thing. That I could have spent the day going to Linville, or Laurel Creek Falls or any number of places and been much happier. So I then had to think of another way of looking at it. Looking at the place through the eyes of someone from anywhere but the Appalachians this was a beautiful environment they had created. They had captured a little of the moistness of the woods, the sounds of the birds and the water, the largness of the mountains. All in all I was glad we went as the boys enjoyed it and the Ocean Aquarium was worth the ticket price. I could imagine diving from the sailboat someday and seeing some of those wonderful creatures. And once again I am thankful for living in this place with the mountains and the waters right there to reach out and touch. Happy New Year!

Return of the Wind

When we moved here 9 years ago we had terrific winds. The first winter we lost 3 apple trees and the noise was terrific. The wind would come down from the mountain and fill our part of the holler with whistles, moans, groans and a few screams. The people who built our house installed a huge lightening rod that would shake the house with every burst. Once I got used to it I loved it (except when trying to harden off the vegetable plants and I would have to creat fortresses around them to buffer them from the wind). I think we had winds like that the first two winters and then they virtually dissappeared. They had been gone so long I thought maybe those winters were flukes. This winter the wind has returned with a vengeance. I had forgotten how thrilling it is to hear the winter wind. Some people hate wind tho it makes me feel safe and secure in the house. Yes, it brings trouble like broken greenhouse windows (on the protected side no less!) and downed trees. The last tree that went down crossed the driveway. A friend was here who needed to get home and DH had not returned from work yet. Now anyone that knows me knows I like to do things myself. Except for the computer and the crazed water system I like to think I can handle any farm chore. No problem about the tree, I can use a chain saw. The one thing I can't do is start the damn thing! It has some affliction that stops it dead in its tracks after each use. You have to open it up, use 'the tool', close it back up every time you want to restart it. This time was no different. Not only was there no DH to call I couldn't even find the tool. Nothing makes me madder than have to call for help when I know I can do it myself. Good thing I can curse as loud as I want out here and good thing I have great neighbors with working saws!

Wonders of Nature

We took a hike up on Beauty Spot yesterday. Even though it was warm and sunny there was still a smattering of snow up there. Even tho it blooms August thru October who would have guessed that a closed gentian would survive snow and ice and winter temperatures!

Wonderful Thanksgiving

I give great thanks for this group of people. We had a wonderfully, relaxing day full of sharing, music, cooking, and, of course, eating. We are spending today at home with a fire, playing games, reading and (me) knitting. Later a hike up the mountain.

First Snow

The first snow fall of the year! Since our farm sits right above the snow line we tend to get snow many times when town doesn't. Sometimes even neighbors just down the road don't get what as much as we do. I think it makes for a nice winter as we can enjoy the snow and then not have too much trouble getting to town. Yesterday the boys and I got out and winterized the blueberry bushes. This is one chore I don't always get to so this year we did it right. Its funny, living with a mountain full of pine trees and it being challenging to gather needles. When we were in Nashville visiting the grandparents the boys helped clean off the driveway. We brought home 3 huge bags stuffed with pine needles. So down they went around the bushes. On top of that we put down a layer of wet leaves to keep the needles from blowing away. Then, a small gift of rain came down and today - snow! Couldn't ask for a better chain of events. We even got the bunny cages cleaned today while there was a break in the weather.

Farm Stats

A few farm statistics. We have 18.66 acres. We are about 2 miles from the North Carolina state line. Taking the gravel road behind our house up to the top of the mountain the Appalachian Trail is accessible in about a mile through some lovely old apple orchards. When we first saw the place people asked what it was like. I went on about the grape vines, blueberry bushes, apple trees, greenhouse and lovely garden and animal spaces. The husband went on about the huge shop. 'Yeah, but what about the house?'. Well its the oddest built thing. Two stories of long skinny rooms. The youngest son's bedroom is 15 feet long and 6 feet wide. There are routed, yes routed, press board kitchen cabinets. I swore those would be the first things to go yet they are still there 9 years later. This is a picture of the house as you come up the drive past the barn. The flower and herb gardens are in the foreground, the vegetable garden to the left. the little house behind/next to the house is my studio.

The Vortex

With fall (and spring!) always comes my love of the farm. I have spent a few too many late night hours reading other farm/homesteading/homeschooling blogs and thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't realize I was such a voyeur! Anyway, this prompted me to tell a little of our farm history and I have had a couple of requests for pictures. The boys and I took a hike around the farm this afternoon to do just that tho there wasn't enough sun for any good ones. Like Darrell Scott says 'the sun comes up at 10 in the morning and sets at 3 in the day'. Well, we get a little more sun than that tho not much. This time of year is great because you can see the lay of the land. We got a couple of decent shots. They might not show off the beauty of the place but at least it gives the idea of what it could be!

One pic that turned out was one of the vortex. This farm has a few interesting stories in its past. Our house was built in 1979 by a Florida couple (and his brother - more about Bert later!). Two years later, as the story goes, the husband apparently had a bad day. He had a doctor's appointment and maybe he received bad news. He came home and the cows had gotten out. I guess it was just too much and his one-shot Derringer he carried in his front overall pocket was just too convenient. Well, I don't have to go into detalis. Luckily, for me, this happened outside. I am not superstitious tho I am not sure how I would have felt if it had occured in the house. (Of course there is an alternate theory that the wife was just tired of having him around and did it herself.) Regardless, that was the end of him. Fast foward 20 or so years and my metalsmith husband is working for a store in Asheville. Now Asheville is a mecca for new age thinkers. Husband has always been interested in dowsing and meets a local dowser who agrees to come out to the house. Not to dows for water - we have tons of that all over the place - but for spirits. He claims, and you will have to use your own experiences and ideas here to see if you believe, that we had 2 'unnamed ' entities living here as well as the dead owner's spirit. He asked them all to move on to a place where they would be accepted. He also found a 'vortex of power' on one end of the farm. I waffle back and forth on how much of this type of thing I believe in. I can say I haven't experienced anything better or worse since his visit. (I can say however, we had many household and vehicle problems while husband worked in Asheville and once he left that particularly stressful workplace we have had no unusual occurences in either of those areas!)

Museum Tour

The boys and I just finished a whirlwind museum tour. We visited the grandparents in Nashville. The first day we visited Andrew Jackson's home, the Hermitage. What a mix of a man. The historic association there has managed to aquire most of the original 2,200 acres. It was a beautiful day to wander the grounds. Our next museum stop was a drive down to Huntsville to the Space Museum. We all agreed this was our favorite stop of the trip. Next, was the Nashville Science Museum. Last was a stop on the way home at the Oak Ridge Science Museum. Other stops were dragon park, Ken's Sushi Bar and Davis Kidd bookstore.

Last Gasp of Fall

The wind and rain have finally taken the last of the fall colors. Winter temperatures have finally come to the mountains. 15 degrees last night. Brrrrrr.....

Straight A Student

What does it truly mean to be a straight A student? There were report cards I brought home that were straight A's. Did that necessarily mean I had thoroughly learned the subject? No. It meant I had learned how to answer that teacher's questions or how to regurgitate. Yet most people are still tied into the idea of an A and B student being somehow better or smarter than a kid that doesn't make A's and B's. The arguement is that rewarding someone for good grades makes them strive harder. Yes, I suppose it does. I am sure there are people who buckle down and learn something to get that recognition. Then there are others who strive hard enough to get the A and then let all the information go. Here inlies one of the reasons we home school. I want the boys to be excited about learning something just because its interesting to them. In C's karate class, Mr. B. (who, by the way, I think is terrific!) gives stripes to the children who get straight A's or all A's and B's. When the subject came up C was curious what that meant for him. I told him he makes all A's. I could go on and on (and might have to someday to some 'authority' figure) about how his reading and math skills are far above his age level. He knows many things about so many things. How many 2nd graders pass by a Picasso and say 'That looks like a Picasso' and can tell you why, can raise the sails on a sailboat and tell you where Madagascar is? And all because he was interested not because some teacher told him he had to learn it. However, all C needs to know is that as long as he strives to be the best he can be that is enough for me. When the boys were younger the librarians would ask why don't you sign the boys up for summer reading I would go through my explanation of how they loved to read anyway so why get stickers to prove it. Now I see its just easier at times to go with the majority

Halloween

A beautiful sorceress, Gandalf the Grey and Leonardo.

Look at it from a New Perspective

Time to Sleep

I am a little behind in the farm chores so it felt good to get out today and start preparing the farm for winter. I did the final mow. M likes the grass high. I, on the other hand, like it to look a little more cared for. (Maybe because so many other areas of our farm look so...full?) After months of ignoring the few strawberries that survived the early spring frost I finally gave them some attention. After pulling away the dying weeds I found lots of survivors and lots of runners! Maybe we will have strawberry pie next year after all! We also started cleaning up all the summer toys and trash that have accumulated with the various projects. Also, I have finally gotten around to taking a picture of our first honey harvest! That's it folks. 5 quart jars. Being the first full year I am surprised we got such a nice amount and boy! does it taste good! M calls it the $118 a jar honey after the amount we spent to start up this project.

Animal Cravings

So I should have known this would happen. Here I had decided to cut out all extra curricular distractions in my life, concentrate on home school and work and then ONLY put the MOST important things back in. I was reserving judgement on what those things might be until a later date. So to start things off I decided to sell the bunnies. I sold one a couple of weeks ago. I have finished all my yarn work before the show with every intention of not doing any more (except for gifts and myself). I have taken care of most of those commitments that were hanging around. OK, good start. Just hang out with the boys til spring. Easy, I can do that. Then I went to SAFF, the fiber show. And of course being around all the wonderful animals got me thinking about the farm again. Which lead me to reading tons of stuff on farming, gardening, goats, chickens...... Which, of course, got me thinking of doing those things again. OK, OK, before anyone rolls their eyes I haven't done anything but THINK about it. I am still holding out til spring before even beginning to think of doing anything about it. By that time, the wanderlust will have kicked in again. Its a hard line to walk when you realize your two loves are farming and sailing. Its hard to travel when you have daily farm chores.

The Pond

Winter Warmth

The weather had been so mild I had hoped we could make it until November 1st before we began heating the house. We made it until October 26th. Not bad. There is something so satisfying about having that huge stack of firewood just outside the door. Now if I could split those few ash and locust rounds that are refusing to separate.

Trials, Tribulations and Manna

The crush of the last few weeks is ebbing, tho not over. I actually have a few moments to sit and catch up on what's going on around here (if I can remember it all!). Mostly I have been getting ready for the big fiber show. Many trips from bunnies to spinning wheel to dye pot and back again. If I do say so myself I came up with some gorgeous yarn (and the obligatory ugly ones). However, like all things artistic there are bad years and good years. This was a bad one. Not many buyers for yarn this year. At least (unfortunately) it seemed to be a universal problem around the show, not just my little corner. After all the craziness before hand it was pretty discouraging at the show tho now I am home it is on to other things. Maybe next year will be a yarn year - after all I have baskets full now.

We finally have the water system put back together and thats a plus.

Some of my other little jobs came up in the middle of all this so a little extra income coming in. My most challenging role as of yet in the SP program was a battered wife. I went in with trepidation as I had nothing to draw from tho I was quite pleased that I pulled it off. The nursing student that was interviewing me had tears in her eyes! I also gave a yoga demo for the homeschool group.

This weekend has to be the weekend to get the boat out of the water. We would wait until it turned cold. Our friend who was fixing the brakes on the trailer discovered the brakes are completely shot so we will be pulling the boat sans brakes. He assures me it will be fine (it is his truck pulling it afterall).

Thru all of this the boys have been great. Working away at their projects and entertaining themselves a great deal. We also had a little snow yesterday. Not that I am really ready for winter tho it was a nice, wintery sort of day and it was somewhat exciting to look out and see frozen stuff blowing around. We also received a surprise Boomerang in the mail. For those of you who haven't discovered this great kids audio magazine it is a compilation of biographies, history, good stories, weird items and funny things kids say. The boys have really enjoyed this in years past tho its a little out of price range right now. So where this copy came from I have no idea but thanks to David anyway!

Well, that is it in a nutshell. I am sure I have forgotten things. Maybe now we can get back to a semi-regular life.

Happy Dance!

We have water! There is still a leak somewhere but at least we can bathe again!

False Faces

The boys have been into native Americans these days. Their latest is making Iroquios masks. The Iroquios would wear the masks to scare away the evil spirits.

Gray Days

I love gray days especially in the fall. There is a crispness to the air with a underlying layer of moistness here in the mountains. We don't get alot of fog because of where the farm sits in the hollow tho I can see it hanging around down the way. I think of driving up on the Blue Ridge Parkway on days like today. I love just getting out and walking around the farm and the neighborhood. It is a great time to take pics as the mass amounts of weeds are dying down tho there are still tons of colors. I find myself out wandering around with the camera shooting things I would never shoot with a film camera. Why? I have no idea tho I do like seeing pics on blogs. Yesterday I went looking for the sang found in the spring. No luck tho I did find the golden seal. I am sure the sang is still there it is just so elusive. I did manage a nice pic of the boys' garden. It started out with a nice combo of annuals tho as you can see the nasturtiums have taken over. We purposefully didn't plant any this year as last year they were the ONLY plant in the bed. They have won out once again!

In every bucket of muck...

I believe in knowing your environment. That's not to say I don't love surprises and this farm continually does that. I now can say I have seen the inside of a burial vault, that is to say our cistern. Great place to live if you are a salamander or a crawdaddy. Some crustaceans can change their color. Never knew that about these little fellows but he was very blue/green when I took him out of the cistern. Already he is loosing the brightness tho I think the difference still shows. After cleaning the muck out of the bottom we ought to be good for a few more years. That mountain silt just seeps in no matter what you do. So now we just sit back and wait. The cistern ought to be full by tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that there aren't any leaks!

Time Capsule

Here we are one week later and still no water. Everyday takes us one step closer, one more trip to town for yet the another fitting. Hopefully we will have water by tomorrow. The boys decided to make a time capsule to bury next to the little house where the new pipes are. They hand copied a Yu-gi-oh card, wrote their favorite things, what they wanted to be when they grew up, date and added some little plastic odds-and-ends. All encapsulated in a 2 liter drink bottle. I'd like to be around when it was opened. On the other hand, guess that would mean we had to fix the water and I think once is enough for me, thank you.

Red Spotted Newt

This time of year is a great time to learn the flora and fauna around the farm. One of our plentiful favorites is the red spotted newt. I like it because it is so versatile. It starts out its life near the water and then wanders for a year or two as the red eft. Those little orange creatures with red spots down its back. Then as it completely matures it turns back into the red spotted newt, a green newt with same red spots, returns to the water, lays its eggs and the cycle starts all over. I feel somewhat like the newt by loving the mountains and the ocean equally. We have also been searching for fall flowers tho most are spent. You can still glimpse a late blooming iron weed or fleabane.

Thankful

It has been a challenging week here on the farm. We have this list of things that need doing before winter sets in. I have been splitting wood like crazy. Hopefully those high heating bills won't affect us. We filled the propane tank before prices skyrocketed and we have at least a cord of wood. (If anyone hears of an oak tree in want of a good home....) And just when you think the list is filled out unexpected things throw themselves onto it. M's truck breaks down, and of course the easy, do-it-yourself fix turns into a bear. So we have a truck in several pieces in the garage. My work as an standardized patient is going well. This week is a challenging role as I am a battered wife, eye-shadow bruise and all. Today I find out the woman that runs the program, and who is EXCELLENT at the job, has been replaced. We emotional actors need our support systems! And replacing that water line turns into a few days with no water. However,and here's where the thankful part comes in, we have no lack of water in the system its just getting it to the house that isn't working right now. So many of our neighbors are hauling water because it has been so dry. I just checked in on a good friend's blog and they are rationing water as well. Thankfully, our system has always been full. We had to drain the entire cistern last night and by this morning the water is pouring out the overflow once again. Now if we could just get the water to the shower....

Top of the List

The boys enjoying their favorite vacation past time.

Life's A Beach

Ah, well rested and tan. What a way to be. Life should be more like a vacation than the stressful thing most of us turn it into. St. Augustine, what a great beach town. A nice mix of laid-back ocean living and history. First ingredient to a relaxing vacation, find a nice place to stay. We found a house on the ICW (Inter Coastal Waterway) that housed the Butler clan quite nicely. It was the old home place of the people who owned it. While the houses around it were big, newer homes with no shade this place kept its big trees. A nice breeze blew through constantly which made it a joy to be outside any time of day. Next ingredient (at least for me) add lots of water. Having the ICW right out the back door made it easy to get some paddling in most days. The beach was a short drive away. The sand is so highly packed here cars can drive on the beach and also wheelchairs. My SIL was plain tickled that she could roll right up to the ocean's edge. We spent a great deal of time on the beach swimming, boogie boarding and shelling. Co's find was a complete conch shell. Both boys fell in love with riding the boogie board and ranked it as first on both of their lists. Throw in good seafood, sightseeing and perfect weather and you have a lovely mix for one great vacation.

Some of the highlights other than the ocean were Castillo de San Marco, Ripley's Believe It or Not, a walking Ghost Tour, putt-putt and a boat ride where Guthrie saw a sea turtle and dolphins.

Bazzies

One of Co's first words was bazzies. It was also his first food, blueberries. There is something so satisfying about home-grown fruit. I didn't put in much of a garden this year as we have so many other farm things that need doing (not to mention all the sailing!). Amazingly, I haven't missed it much. I do miss harvesting tho and the berries have helped. In contrast to a garden that requires constant work year after year the fruit trees and bushes require very little. The first few years they need extra nourishment and care. Then once established they just give and give. Most of the berry bushes were here when we bought the farm. This year I have dried approximately 10 gallons of blueberries and frozen around 7. And it was a bumper year for raspberries. There are several gallons in the freezer and one batch of dried waiting for winter granolas. Not to mention all the pies and cobblers that were eaten. A nice reward for not much effort.

Old Stomping Ground

Well, there I was missing all the old stuff and low and behold my old elementary school has kept a few of the oldies. The jungle gym and other climbing things are gone. However, the old slides and swings are still there. This metal slide is one of the fastest. With no step at the top its just one quick trip down. And the nice, tall old swings are still intact. The school itself has been added to and updated. Wonder how the equipment slipped through. Glad it did. Maybe the chances of getting hurt are greater on the old stuff, tho I don't remember anyone getting seriously hurt. But taking away those risks also took away the rush of finally being big enough to feel confident on the big slide or jumping out of the swing. If all the risks are taken away at an early age how will the kids face the more risky challenges as they grow?

Dragon Park

Another good thing about the big city is there are more creative minds and resources to draw from. Most of those old playgrounds we grew up with have gone the way of modernization. Back then, each playground had something unusual, unique. I would get excited about certain things around the city. There was a stand-up merry-go-round over on Nolensville. There was some sort of tether thing you grabbed on to and swung around below the resevoir and giant concrete tubes over at Sevier. Now everything is generic. No matter where we go it is pretty much the same plastic thing. Luckily, one Nashville playground has kept a piece of its history. Fannie Mae Dees Park, more commonly known as Dragon Park kept its piece de resistance. Twenty-five or so years ago the community got together and built one huge concrete dragon. They then covered it in broken tiles creating wonderful mosaics. If you look carefully you can find local people and celebrities. I have no idea how much it cost tho it seems a group of enthusiastic parents and interested people could create similiar items in their own communities. What a way to bring people together. Finding donated items, building structures... The possibilities could be endless.

The Dragon Itself

You Can't Go Home Again

Every time I go to Nashville I am amazed at the changes. The traffic, the new buildings, the prices. Someone has bought my grandmother's house. The house was in our family for 61 years. The man who bought it is 'remodeling' it for his family. in my grandmother's day it was a 3 bedroom house. Across one side of the house was my grandmother's dining room and living room. She loved those rooms as they were combined into one huge room. All that is left of her house is the foundation, 3/4 of the wall of the front of the house and 1/4 of the back wall. Why these smatterings wereleft I have no idea. Apparently he is planning on making the original single story house into 3 stories. It is rumored to be a $1,000,000.00 house when it is finished. When I heard about the possibility of her house being torn down I thought I might be more upset when I saw it. I wasn't. The memories I hold for that place is in my heart, always will be. What was upsetting is that the neighborhoods I grew up in are changing from middle-class, one family homes to $1,000,000 hulks that leave no yards, no places for children to run around in. And how many parents will actually grow to know their children in those places if they have a several thousand dollar a month mortgage? Glad I left the big city a long time ago.

On the other hand the big city is a nice place to visit once and awhile. The boys and I had a great time visiting some old haunts. We headed out to Cheekwood the first day. The Cheeks were one of those old, big money families that left their mansion to the city. It houses a nice art gallery and is surrounded by lovely gardens. We were drawn this time because there were 6 large, outdoor mazes to ponder. Two years ago Cheekwood had had treehouses. That was a great exhibit. Unfortunately, the mazes did not fare as well. The mazes were too simple in some cases, non-existent in others. We did enjoy walking the grounds tho.

The second day we made a visit to Ellington Agricultural Center where the International Tree Climbing Competition was being held. They had several large trees 'roped up'. Part of the competition seemed to include the ringing of cow bells far out on some of the higher limbs and dropping foam rods into targets on the ground. While we were there they didn't have any announcers so it was hard to tell what was going on. Looked like fun tho, I'd like to give it a try. The equipment looked mostly like what we use when rock climbing. Another walk thru some beautiful gardens was a nice ending to that trip.

And of course no trip to Nashville would be complete without a stop at Dragon Park and the Cumberland Science Museum.

The Boys in the Hood

I don't suppose anyone could ever say that we have too few interests. I do suppose I could say we have too many. That is one way to find out your likes and dislikes. the boys have been wanting to learn archery for over a year now. We found a very inexpensive beginner bow, so what the heck. It has always been one of those sports that looked easy to me (tho I knew it wasn't). Now I know. It doesn't take long to get the action down tho trying to hit the target - that is another thing entirely! Both boys did very well. Guthrie jumped right in there and hit the straw bale second arrow out of the quiver. Nice strength and concentration, that boy. Co, as always with anything new, was a little hesitant. He never backs off in the end tho and produced several strong shots. They will split the sheriff's arrow soon enough....