thoughts and things

2012-01-15T08:07:00.001-05:00

The girl dog loves the snow

The weather folks told us there would be some flurries lastnight, the flurries started around 7pmby 8pm there had to be an inch of “flurries”on the ground and this morning there is around 3 inches on my deck. Guess where the snow shovel is, not on thedeck. The dogs love the snow and I amenjoying my coffee just setting here looking at the winter beauty. I am lucky,I have my warm wood stove and my cozy cabin with big windows so I can enjoythat beauty in comfort. Of course thedogs and I will have to walk down to the barn to get the shovel.

2012-01-14T08:19:00.001-05:00

When President Nixon signed into law the national 55 mphspeed limit it was meant with a lot of resistance.The law was meant to help ease the fuel shortages that were happening in the 70's and decrease the incidence of highway accidents. I know I have a fondness for60mph and I enjoy that 70mph out there on hwy 81 but for the past few weeks Ihave been experimenting with my personal gas consumption. This is the WorldWide Web so I won’t go into detail with my driving habits but I compared mynormal driving habits with driving the speed limit and not going over 55. The results have not been phenomenal but thereis an improvement in my gas mileage. I drive a Jeep wrangler and around here inthe mountains I have been getting 17 to 18 mpg. Slowing down has increased thatto 18.5 to 19 mpg. As I said not a phenomenal improvement but that is a 5%increase in fuel economy. It takes less than 5 minutes longer to get to workand at 55mph a Wrangler is not as noisy by a long shot as at 60-70mph(interstate 81) so I save a little gas and am more relaxed when I get towork. Will I always go 55, probably not,sometimes I will have to use the interstate ;-) but I will slow down when I canthat 1 extra mile a gallon saves me about $3.00 a tank and since I fill up onaverage every 5 days that about $220 a year.

2012-01-13T07:44:00.001-05:00

It seems that every few weeks a fright train of weatherbreezes by leaving just enough mixed precipitation to cause trouble then itgoes a way and things warm up again. Wehad a wicked wind with a mix of rain & sleet last night and now as I writethere is a light snow falling. It willbe an interesting drive to work.

2012-01-02T09:39:00.000-05:00

Today it is quite cold and windy. Today is one of the first truly cold days ofthis winter season making it a good day to reflect on another year that hasgone by. I sit here at my computer watching the sun light up the bark of baretrees and the chickadee’s scuttle about unaware of the lurking cat looking atthem from the porch step. It looks coldoutside but it is beautiful and I am thankful to have this view.

This past year has been a busy one; trips to the beach, themountains and to New Orleans highlightedthis year. There were also many shortexcursions to places near by but equally fun. I am very fortunate to have good friends that don’t mind me taggingalong on their adventures and who don’t mind tagging along on some of mine. Idid not get much done on the homestead this year but there is always next year.

Next year being this year I think I will concentrate more onthe home front. I will stick closer tohome. I do want to take one trip to Floridato visit a dear friend for a few days and I do have to go to the beach at least2 times this year but other than that I will keep my adventures very close tohome.

Happy New Year.

2011-12-21T08:13:00.001-05:00

There are 10 days left in this year. In just a few days the “Silly Season” will beover and a new year will begin. I amreminded of some words from a song by John Lennon “So this is Christmas and what have you done anotheryear over and a new one just begun”. My past year has been in a word good. Not every thing I ever wanted in a year butmy health held out, I lost a few pounds and made a few more friends. I don’t mind getting up in the morning. I have been luckier than a lot of others. Iam thankful for this past year and look forward to the new one.

2011-12-10T08:20:00.001-05:00

Thought of the day

“An American "tradition" is anything that happens to a babyboomer twice.” http://xkcd.com/

It has indeed been a long time since I last bloged. I missed the whole month of November and hereit is 1/3 through December wow! Its notthat I don’t have anything to say, my god I am Irish I can talk a persons earoff its just that I have been too busy playing and working to write in myvirtual journal. Well not really too busy I guess the real word is toolazy. I have been piddling around thehouse not really getting any thing done, piddling around the yard not gettinganything done and meaning to work on the barn and clean out the shed and notgetting it done. It is like I have hit alets get things done wall. I have as oflate been doing just enough to get by, no dishes in the sink, floor swept,trash out, laundry done; you know things you have to do if you don’t want tolive in a trash heap. What have I beendoing other wise you ask? Reading. I am trapped in the “A Song of Ice and Fire”books by G. R. R. Martin. I am in book 3of the 5 that are out now. Book 3 has1128 pages. I am looking to this seriesas my “winter read” and I am enjoying it.

I have also discovered that NPR slows me down. I have been listing to it “all the time” asof late. While it is very informative for some reason it seems to keep me fromgetting things done. I turned on somegood old fashion Rock the other day and got a lot done!! So for me at least nomore NPR during the day, well I am going to limit it to early morning and lateafternoon. The rest of the day it willbe Radio Paradise and other R&R stations.

Now not to lead folks on, I am an average reader I can read50 pages or more an hour if am able to just sit and read BUT I did spendHalloween in New Orleans and Thanksgivingon the Outer Banks. I have been workingmore and as always there is wood that has to be cut and friends that must beassociated with and volunteer things that must be volunteered so while the barnstill needs fixing, the shed still needs cleaning and a million other things doneed to get done…… I guess the lesson here is stop doing fun things and get mywork done!!!

Whelp I am off to get something done, I don’t know what yetbut something. Maybe I will bake Christmascookies.

2011-10-22T07:47:00.001-05:00

I woke up this morning to the first frost of the year. Summer is gone and Fall is nearly half wayover, heck the year is almost gone!! Forme the year so far has been a good one. Mountainlife suits me.

This past month so far has been a busy one I went to theOuter Banks at the beginning of the month and it was a very nice visit. My sister was at the beach so my moms “honeydo” list was almost done when I got there, that allowed me to enjoy the familyand do a little shopping; you know just relax. For me mid September through October is a great time to visit the beach.Its not as crowed and defiantly not as hot as the summer is. When I first gotthere I was a little surprised at the traffic but then I was reminded that itwas Columbus Day weekend. I don’t haveany kids in school and I work at a job that is not tied to a 8 hour, 5 day workweek so all but the major holidays seem to have been dropped from my radar. It was one of my better visits since I leftthe beach. I had a good time but it was nice to come home.

Knights in armor

fairies

and friends

Last weekend some friends and I went to the Renaissance Festivaloutside of Charlotte NC. I had a goodtime. We put renaissance looking thingsin our hair, a few of us dressed up and we all had a good time. I had my facepainted and while it looked great red on a pale face at the renaissance fairdid not go well in the long run.

This weekend I will be hanging at home. I need to get some things done here. If my garden is not wiped out from this frostI need to mulch it more and cover a few things with plastic. Between work andplay I have let the garden go. The weatherhas been so nice that I did not even think about frost. Of course there is the never ending winteractivity of splitting wood, stacking wood and bringing wood in the house. Inbetween my little activities I will sit on the couch and read. Sometimes a little alone time can be great!!!

2011-09-04T11:48:00.004-05:00

I'm gonna love this wood splitter,

I went from this....

to this in just a few hours...

I'm gonna love the wood splitter!!!!!!

2011-09-04T07:09:00.003-05:00

Labor Day weekend here in SW Virginia consists of yard sales, yard sales and really big yard sales. I went to Galax through Hillsville Friday and the Labor Day Flea Market & Gun Show was going on. All along 221 there was yard sale after yard sale. This goes on all weekend, Friday to Monday. On my way to Floyd yesterday I had to be very careful of traffic on the road side. People had stopped all over the place to check out the sales and traffic was very slow. Kinda like it is on the Outer Banks in the summer; People going real slow because they don’t know when and where they are going to turn. The yard sales are a bit of a pain for me, I’m not a yard sale person but like the deer and raccoons they are apart of living here and I would not see them gone for anything.

I had plans for the next 4 days that have to be changed thanks to tropical storm Lee. For the past few days my brother down near the Big Easy has been getting some much needed rain and starting tonight and then over the next 3 days we will be getting some of that much needed rain. I had plans on putting a dent into my wood cutting duties. I have bought a new wood splitter and a gas powered chain saw and planed on spending at least 4 hours a day on cutting and splitting wood (I’m not going to kill my self working 8 hours a day with unfamiliar equipment!!). I’m going to go ahead and get started today but I know I wont come anywhere near finishing but we really need the rain and I’m sure I can find plenty of rainy day things to do.

My solution to the deer problem was to put a simple fence around the garden and then I will be putting an electric fence around that. It’s not the prettiest thing I have ever seen but I have seen worse and it is working for now.

2011-09-01T20:04:00.001-05:00

It was a long day at work today. Any time there is an inspection it is a long day but I got off a few minutes early and was home in time to enjoy a nice dinner on the deck. Looking at my dinner of a fresh tomato and lettuce sandwich with peach slices it occurred to me that today is September 1^st and the fresh salty/sweet tomatoes will be gone soon as will most of the fresh veggies I have been enjoying these past few months. I only have a few tomatoes left and I will enjoy every last one but ohhhh how I look forward to next year and more fresh tomatoes.

2011-08-21T15:36:00.000-05:00

Well it has been an eventful weekend here in paradise. At least 1 deer has discovered my garden and the girl dog Trip got skunked again. On the good side the deer did not get much, just the tops to the carrots and some beans I was letting go to “seed”. The area the deer got into was where I was going to put in some winter plants so I cleaned out that bed today and put in some cabbage. Of course I did cover the bed with wire fencing so hopefully that will detour Bambi. We shall see. Trip only got a “little” skunked, if there is such a thing. The way she was foaming at the mouth I would say she got it mainly around the muzzle. I did not feel or smell any on her shoulder which is where she usually gets it and today while she still has a scent of essence de la pew it is no where near as bad as it usually is. I had her foamed up with dawn dish soap less than 5 minutes from the “attack”. Damn dog.

2011-08-17T18:37:00.003-05:00

I took a good portion of these tomatoes and made

these jars of goodness.

These were not quite ripe enough to use today

I spent much of today canning 8 quarts and 2 pints of tomatoes.

It was rewarding in that I grew, harvested and canned the tomatoes but the economy of this is subjective. I spent ½ to 1 hour harvesting the tomatoes, 2 hours cutting and pealing them, another ½ hour putting them through a hand cranked food mill and then hours of tending the pot as they cooked down into a thick-ish sauce. Add to that cleaning the jars and lids and then watching the pressure cooker cook, it turns out I spent all day putting up what on a bad day might have cost me $20 at the store. Now don’t get me wrong I’m glad I did it and this will save me on my food cost but preserving food is not as easy or as “cost” saving as the books make it out to be.

Oh and by the way…. I know that I can use a water bath to can the tomatoes but I have found that at my altitude it is quicker to use the pressure cooker.

2011-08-06T07:20:00.003-05:00

It is already August, the days are getting shorter, the trees are starting to have a yellow tinge to them and the garden is just about shot but that’s OK I came to the mountains to experience the change of seasons and I have loved every minute of it. I still have a lot to do before winter; I have an old locus tree that needs to be cut down and split into fire wood. I want to get some fall & winter “crops” planted this week. There are still tomatoes to be caned, apples and pears to be preserved and the second crop of black berries will be happening soon. I said that after the very active July I had I was going to “take it easy” this month. Staying home and getting ready for winter that’s taking it easy in my book.

The last three weeks have been quite busy. A friend of mine’s daughter got married, Floyd Fest X happened and I spent a few days in Abingdon VA.

The wedding was beautiful, Floyd Fest was hot in more than one way and Abingdon was a nice mental and physical cool down.

I will post photos in the next day or so

2011-07-15T08:32:00.004-05:00

Well we are half way through July and the government is as f-uped as ever and if there is not some kind of COMPROMISE the country is going to face Armageddon…… Well here in paradise the garden is looking really nice and if all goes well I will have plenty of green beans, tomatoes and butternut squash to hold me over till next spring. I will keep on working in my garden, trying to do the best for my plants and my food future while those idiots in Washington fight like children over who broke the toy, both refusing to admit that it was the fight over who could play with the toy that broke it and neither accepting that they will all have to pay to replace it. Man politics just makes me sooo pissed off!! Thank god for the garden!!!!

Sorry about the political crap but I needed to vent.....

Now for some better stuff,

GARDEN SHOTS!!!!!

I have not had a big bug problem until recently now I am fighting Japanese beetles and squash bugs. I have been controlling the Japanese beetles by picking them off. I found that if you water the plants first the beetles hold on tight to the leaves and are less likely to drop to the ground when you go after them. Once they drop to the ground they are really hard to find.

I tried real hard not to use any pesticides in the garden but the squash bugs got so bad that I used a little sevens dust on the pumpkins and butter nut squash. I tried very hard to avoid the flowers because sevens dust is very toxic to bees.

2011-07-15T08:23:00.003-05:00

These are some moon "rise" photos I took last night.

It has been so hot and muggy up here these past few weeks; last night we had a change in the weather. It became much cooler and the air was clear. These moon photos do not do last night's sky justice but I am posting them anyway!!

2011-06-21T20:02:00.001-05:00

Today is the summer solstice, the longest day of 2011, it will be daylight for 14 hours 43 minute 53 seconds, which is 2 seconds longer than yesterday and 2 seconds longer than tomorrow. Just thought I would enlighten you.

2011-06-15T19:27:00.003-05:00

The garden is looking good this year. Hope it stays that way!!

I harvested these greens, mustard and radish,

Did all this work

and got this. I will freeze these for later.

Things here in Floyd have been good. The weather is finally getting back to normal. Hopefully the 90’s are gone for a while. I have been keeping busy in the garden and trying to keep the grass under control while doing normal log cabin maintenance. I am finding out that log homes are defiantly not care free but then no home really is. The front of the cabin faces south so it has gotten beaten up by the sun and I have had to re-stain it. I’m not a fan of ladders but with the help of my friend Shirely I got the front done!! I still have 2 sides and the back to get done in the next little while but the hardest and most necessary sides are done.

I’m going to try and get to the Floyd Town Jubilee this Saturday that should be nice. Next month, July, just explodes with the Floyd Fandango , a friends daughters wedding and then Floydfest X. The summer is just flying!!!!

2011-06-08T05:45:00.000-05:00

I enjoy reading but I sometimes feel that I limit myself to genres that I am comfortable with so from time to time I pick up a book at a discount store. I feel for a buck if I don’t like the book it’s no big loss and who knows I might like the author and have whole new series to read. That is how I discovered S. M. Sterling. Any way after reading and finally finishing “The Simarillion”, a book that I originally tried to read nearly 30 years ago but never finished, I needed a light read so off I went to the discount store where I picked “The Book of Unholy Mischief” by Elle Newmark. I would not say it’s a great book but I am enjoying it, it’s a combo book on cooking, history and religion. I am learning a little about Venice in the late 1400’s, at least I am hoping the author did some research and her descriptions are accurate, and it is an easy summer read. I would recommend it.

2011-06-06T20:19:00.002-05:00

There is a certain catharsis that comes from simple hard work; a cleansing of the soul, a freeing of the mind. Simple hard work requires less of the mind than is required to do more complicated task such as balancing a check book, and for me hard work allows part of my mind to wander, to explore the past the future and the present. Today I spent the whole day working with my hands. I used a weedeater to cut about a half acre or so of tall grass then after it got too hot to do that anymore I made a quiche from scratch and cleaned house, then in the cool of the late afternoon I weeded the garden, watered all the plants and put some sprouting potatoes a friend gave me in pots. All day while I did these necessary but mind freeing activities I reflected on all I wanted to do in the future, what others had taught me in the past and what I want to do with my time in the now. I solved no problems, had no great insights but at this moment while I am relaxing on the deck drinking a coke, the dogs lying quietly next to my chair as I watch the stars slowly appear and the fire fly’s start their psychedelic dance I reflect on the day and say to myself god I’m lucky.

2011-06-05T09:06:00.001-05:00

It is June already, oh my gosh, the summer is in full force and it seems like I am still doing things that were meant to be done in the spring but there is so much to do in Floyd that time seems to be flying!!!! Just last night I had the privilege to go to my first classical concert. Can you believe that here in the middle of gods county there is a classical music festival going on. I am very impressed by the sound of all those instruments combined together to form a coherent sound. As I was listening the thought came to me that human civilization has only existed for a few thousand years and in that time many musical instruments producing a plethora of sounds have been made and someone had the ability to combine all those sounds into a symphony. It is just awesome.

2011-05-14T23:09:00.002-05:00

This is just a taste of the sound of a cloudy day here in the mountains.

Like every one else we have been getting a LOT of rain and not nice gentle rains, they have been almost torrential. I hope the rain slows down a bit I need to cut the grass.

2011-04-21T19:38:00.001-05:00

Nearly every morning and in this order I get up, walk to the living room open the door so the dogs can get out, turn on the computer, get coffee started, get the dog food ready, go and relieve myself (I know TMI) feed the dogs, get a cup of coffee and sit at the computer to check out the weather, e-mail, and NEWS. I am not happy when this routine is interrupted especially when I have to work. 10 minutes with a nice hot cup of coffee and my equivalent to the news paper just makes my morning. Well today at 0610 that’s 6:10 in the am Trip the girl dog came into the house foaming at the mouth and with an odor that brought tears to my eyes. That damn dog got into another skunk; the second one this year. To make things worse I had to be at work for a mandatory class at 8:00 am and it takes an hour to get where the class was being held!!!!! Well I got the Dawn soap and the vinegar, threw Trip in the shower gave her a quick bath and rinse, I did not have the 10 minutes to wait with the Dawn on but since the skunk spray was still wet I figured something was better than nothing. Trip got out of the shower and on to the porch and I hopped in took a quick shower and off to class I went. Class was canceled because of a computer glitch but not before my coworkers got a scent of my new perfume. It seems there was just a hint of essence de la skunk on me. With the cost of gas I went ahead and got my errands done while I was out. I stopped at three places, the first place I stopped I heard a man say to a woman, “Do you smell that I think it is something electrical” her reply “NO that is SKUNK!”

I have spent all afternoon cleaning house and dog and I can still smell that skunk…… Damn that dog!!!!

2011-04-16T21:07:00.007-05:00

Trip smells spring

just a taste of Willis spring color

on one of the trials near Blowing Rock NC

the valley before brunch

the valley after Brunch

It’s been a busy few weeks for me. I have been getting things ready for spring planting and trying to catch up on some outside repairs of course I have been working in between storms. It seems that every day I am off it is either raining or I have to “do something” away from home.

Last Friday a friend and I went to Blowing Rock NC for the weekend and there was a tornado that set down about 40 miles from my house, that was a blessing but I was told that the wind and rain at my place was torrential. This week end the same storm system that started in Oklahoma has brought an unbelievable amt of rain to us in south western Virginia. The fields down from my cabin have a stream running down one side of them. That stream became a river today. I had never seen it do that before. That land is pasture land and hay field in a flood plain and today I could see why it will most likely not be used for anything else.

2011-04-02T09:00:00.002-05:00

The daffodils are hidden under the snow to the left of the photo.

It’s been quite a week here. Monday it snowed then it rained then it just plane got cold and today they call for high winds. Hummm….. I have finished my book and magazines, I have baked bread and I have cleaned house. It was warmer here the beginning of March than it is now!!! I had all my seeds out and was planning on where to plant them and now I have been reminded that winter is not over yet. I want to plant things and I need to cut the grass but it is winter again!!!! Agggggg I have spring fever sooooo bad!!!!!!

I did get to see a sun set last night, it wasn’t as pretty as the sun sets at the beach but I do miss seeing the sun rise and sun set so while it was not perfect it was very nice.

2011-03-28T06:48:00.001-05:00

Winter is back if only for today. I almost put the snow shovel away and I thought seriously about taking off the snow tires but I was reminded that it can snow in April here. Today I am reminded that it’s not summer yet.

2011-03-25T06:49:00.002-05:00

a touch of spring

Spring shed cleaning

It has been a very nice March. The weather has made me think that that ground hog from Pennsylvania knew what he was talking about. Of course it is still March and the old saying in like a lamb out like a lion came from somewhere.

So far this month I have been spending a lot of time out of doors. I have been working on getting rid of a bunch of black berry bushes. Now that may seem like the wrong thing to do but there are so many bushes that I can’t pick the berries and they are spreading out even more. Cows kept them back in the day but since I don’t want cows on my property it has become my job. Hummmm goats are sounding better and better….. Any way the object this year is get as much done with the least amount of money. I want to use up some of the “good stuff” I have saved over the 2 years I have been here. As can be seen by the cleaning the shed photo I’ve collected a lot of junk. In the barn there is a lot of scrap wood and stuff that needs to be used or gotten rid of. I found enough log siding to repair a good deal of the front of the barn. From the road the barn is going to look like a big log cabin!! I have been putting in two more raised beds for gardening. I will put in two a year until I get the garden to where I want it. When the garden is on a steep slope putting in raised beds is a lot of work. I have to take the fill in by wheel barrow and bucket and it takes a lot of fill. One of the raised beds this year is 8x8, I had to go up 28 inches on the down hill slope to get it level. Now just think I have to fill in half of that space, that’s a lot of fill.

Now back to the March weather, things have cooled down. We have been getting day time highs in the upper 50’s, 60’s and a day or 2 in the 70’s and night time temps well above freezing, now we are having a reality check and we are back to normal which means OK day time temps but cold nights. Last night was cold so I decided to light the wood stove for the first time in 2 weeks. I put in the kindling, lit it and sat back to watch the fire take. After less than a minute out of the wood stove popped a bird…. that stopped that fire right quick!!!! Today I have to take my chimney down and make sure there is no nest in it. Cheese and Crackers more work!!!

2011-03-12T08:57:00.000-05:00

Is it the end of times or is it that with nearly 7 billion souls on earth, the internet and 24 hour news things that have been happening since the beginning of time are making a bigger impact on us humans who have moved to the shore, built nuclear power plants and could not imagine living with out our modern devices?

The world has been in flux since it was formed and will continue to change and remold it self long after we humans are gone. That truth does not take away the pain and suffering the victims of natural and man made disasters experience but if we are lucky we will learn from these events and devise new ways to live with nature accepting that nature does not care that we are here. It is up to us humans to bend to nature and work with nature not against it; nature will not bow to us, nature is queen.

2011-03-04T07:39:00.002-05:00

I told myself I was going to do better blogging but then I got lazy. Sigh………..

Things with me have been good and like always busy. I have been dividing my time between the loft, which is looking good!, the outside, the weather has been AWESOME !!!!! and of course making the donuts, I have to have a job so I can pay to live in paradise.

I am dreading go to work today because I know its going to be busy, people if you are sick don’t wait till you get real sick to see a doctor and try to see your doctor before you go to the ED. I don't want to go to work to day its looking like it is going to be nice and I would much rather be outside preparing for spring which is in just 16 more days from now!!!! Of course living in the mountains means warmer days but the nights will still be too cold for planting but that just makes me want it more.

Well more later, gota go make the donuts!!!

2011-02-05T09:33:00.002-05:00

I think the cat is looking forward to the spring. She is getting some tree climbing in

For a cat she's not bad

I have to say that after the cold winter we have had waking up to temps in the 30’s felt almost balmy. I had to think about starting a fire this morning I finally did but that was only after looking at the power bill and thinking “I can get it lower than that”. I did start one last night when I got home from work but I did not get up during the night and put any wood on the fire, my stove is small so it only holds a fire about 6-8 hours so usually one time during the night I put another log on the fire but last night was busy at work and I got off late and I was dead tired when I went to bed, so this morning around 4 o’clock I said frack it I’m going back to sleep.

I am getting the loft done. I have the hip walls framed in and will put the wainscoting up next week. It’s going to look nice up there. It will be a comfortable place for company and a nice place for me to work on sewing and such. I think one of the best things I did when building the cabin was put in the spiral stair. I was going to use a ladder but the spiral stair does not use much room and is so much easier to go up and down, especially when you are in your 50’s, than a ladder would have been. Plus it just looks nice. At the pace I am going I still have a month or so of work to do n the loft but the important thing is its is getting done and I’m doing a good job!!

I still have projects to get done in the house, I want to build a pantry I still have trim that needs to get up, the list is never ending but that is part of the fun of having a new home and county living.

Maybe that ground hog was right, maybe spring will be here early. I’m starting to see a little red in the tips of the trees.

2011-01-27T07:36:00.002-05:00

Well I survived the storm. Compared to last year this years storms, TO DATE, are not much. If things pan out the way the weather folks say I'm going to have to get off my fat butt and do some out door work. The temps look like there going to be normal which for around here means temps in the 40's during the day.

I have been getting the loft work done, slowly but surely, I'll pick up some wood this week to frame up the hip walls. I'm going to use wanes coating so that will make the wall surface easier, at least that is the plan. I am full of plans.

2011-01-26T09:36:00.001-05:00

Welp the snow has started. Lets see if we get 1 or 6 inches of the white stuff!!!

2011-01-25T12:23:00.000-05:00

I am spending my day enjoying the sun and warm temperatures, getting laundry and other small chores done. In between folding loads of cloths I have been reading an apocalyptic tale by S.M Stirling and it got me thinking, I know there will be a change in the weather tomorrow; there is the possibly of “substantial” snow. Because I can look things up on the internet and I have the radio I know that things are going to be less pleasant tomorrow and I can prepare. There was a time when your only clues of the weather to come came from local clues, the clouds on the horizon, the feel and smell of the air but now we count on NOAA and the Weather Channel. After living on the beach for nearly 30 years I do have some sense of when the weather will change but the smell and feel of the air is different in the mountains. It seems the fronts are harder to see and feel. The weather is less predictable. At the beach I knew the winter would be wet and windy, summer hot and dry and spring and fall a blur on the calendar. I haven’t learned the seasons here yet. This winter is so different from last and last was so different from my first winter here. I am looking forward to the spring. The past two springs have been consistently wonderful.

Well gotta get a move on. I have to stock up for the snow, I need milk and ice cream!

2011-01-22T18:16:00.001-05:00

I’m sitting here in front of the computer in shorts, a tank top and flip flops. It is 75 degrees in the cabin down from the 79 it was in the “heat” of the day. That is what passive solar can do. While I spent the day reading a book with my legs basking in the sun shining through the windows I had a false sense of temperature. When I took the dogs for a walk I found out that it really was cold out side and the wind made it feel even colder.

There is nothing “special” about my cabin it just has good insulation and big south facing windows but that is enough to keep the cabin warm during the day. Even if the wood stove is off or kept very low (like today) on a sunny day the heat pump does not come on at all.

2011-01-17T08:07:00.000-05:00

Another ½ month has gone by and I have not done anything I “wanted” to do. I still have the last half of January to finish the loft that was my finish in January list topper. I AM going to start it TODAY and there is not a lot to do, just a little sanding, painting, put up trim and a kick wall with wanes coating and then putting down the flooring. Humm maybe I will put this on the top of my February list right next to get the garden beds in order.

2011-01-14T08:59:00.000-05:00

Oh man. It is the middle of January all ready. This winter has been a little different from last year, the Farmer’s Almanac said it would be colder and dryer (at least that is how I read it) ; it feels like it has been colder to me and we sure have not had as much snow. The “timing” of the weather has also changed. Last year it seemed any weather we had came on the weekends, this year it’s been mid week. Last year I hardly had to drive in the mess and this year uggggggg, it seems like every damn shift I have worked the weather has been bad. At least when I am at home my cabin is cozy and warm and my view is beautiful.

This weekend promises to be a good one; we are going to get a bit of a winter thaw this Martin Luther King holiday. The warm temps and sunshine will give me a chance to tromp around the property and dream about the spring planting and summer gardens that will come from them. I know this warm weather is going to be short lived, the cold winter is not even a month long yet, but it will be a nice break and I am going to enjoy it.

I lift my coffee mug to you, stay warm and enjoy the weekend

2011-01-01T05:44:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year

It is hard to believe that it is January 2011. It is said that as we grow older time seems to go by quicker and for me it is sure speeding by. I woke up this morning thinking that in 4 ½ months I can start planting my garden and then my mind went to the John Lennon song that says “And so it is Christmas and what have you done? Another year over and a new one’s just begun” or something like that. 2010 was a good year for me, not great but not bad. I can’t say that I accomplished a lot but the important things got done. I have a few personal New Years resolutions that I am going to try and accomplish this year (for real THIS time). My only real hope for this New Year is that my family and friends have a year filled with a lot of good times and that the bad times, because there are always bad times, aren’t too bad.

2011 is already starting off on a relatively good foot, its 6 am and 46 degrees. It’s going to rain but heck its still warmer than its been in a long time.

2010-12-27T21:06:00.002-05:00

Playing in the snow

The Wright Memorial in KDH

I got home around 6:30pm tonight from spending Christmas with my boys on the Outer Banks. It was great to spend time with the family but boy was I glad to make it home tonight. I left the beach around 9:30 am and what is normally a 7 hour drive took 9. The Outer Banks got about 4 inches of snow on Sunday and the Norfolk area got a lot more than that. When I got home I had to contend with the 4-6 inches here in Floyd. The snowy mountain roads are not fun after dark. Any way I am home I will miss the family but I’m HOME!!!

2010-12-17T09:21:00.000-05:00

What about the 911 responders!!!!

GOP vote to help them. Give them the Christmas present that will help lives!!!!

Pass the 9/11 responders bill!!!!!

9/11 responders bill defeated by Senate GOP filibuster - CNN

December 16, 2010 - Mike Huckabee - The Daily Show With Jon Stewart - Full Episode Video | Comedy Central

2010-12-14T09:48:00.000-05:00

This winter I have discovered the wonder of the soup/stew. I have been making chicken soup, venison stew and chili this fall and I find these meals very satisfying. Last night it was in the low teens, that’s cold even for me, and I stayed warm with a big bowl of three been chili and a nice wood fire.

2010-12-13T11:10:00.003-05:00

The farmer’s almanac said that this year would be dryer but colder than last year. I’m beginning to believe that may be true. Its 10 am and according to my out door thermometer its 18 degrees out side. I can see snow flurries and there is a little more than a dusting of snow but nothing like last year. Heck even the cat and dogs want to stay in I put every one out and they were back in in no time. The sun is trying to come out but the wind is picking up so it’s going to be a hunker down stay in day.

If the Farmers almanac is correct and the cold trend continues maybe I will get all the indoor projects in need to finish done this winter so that come spring the inside of the house will be finished. I also need to get rid of stuff again; the cabin is starting to get cluttered. I down sized and I want to stay that way.

I went to an interesting meeting on Saturday in reference to cohousing. It is a really neat concept, houses are grouped close together on a piece of land. In the case of the “development” I was checking out has about 38 acres located 1 mile from down town Floyd VA. The members of the cohousing organization each will own 1/30^th of the property, there will be a common building with a kitchen and great room and possibly a laundry room. These are to promote group activities and hopefully encourage people to interact. There will be guest rooms in the common building so that the houses in the community can be smaller. One would not need to build a guest room into a house. Any way it is a lot like a condominium community but smaller and built with community interaction in mind. I’m not sure it will be for me. Housing like this tends to be expensive and even though the folks who are organizing this thing want it to “affordable” what is affordable for one may not be affordable for another. I am also very much in love with my cabin and while I would love to be closer to Floyd I’m not sure I would want to give up what I have.

The cohousing group here in Floyd VA calls the community Jubilee, they do have a LLC called Floyd Cohousing but they do not have a website yet. When they get one I will post it.

This is a site that gives some information on cohousing, Cohousing Communities Directory

2010-12-04T12:15:00.001-05:00

Its snowing!!!!!

I went out this morning and got a snow shovel..... we will see if I need it. Welp back to the cookie making.

2010-12-03T07:55:00.002-05:00

We had a dusting of snow yesterday evening which explains why it is only 30 degrees and not colder. The thick cloud cover helps keep the out door temps “up”; of course my handy dandy wood stove is very welcome for the indoor heat, I love wood stove heat on cold days. I do have to work for that heat but I don’t mind hell it gives me something to do…..

The dusting of snow we got last night was not the only weather I can talk about we had a hell of a storm Tuesday t. Coming home from work that night the rain was coming down in sheets and side ways. Luckily for me the rain let up just a little when I got home so I did not get soaking wet opening and closing the gate to the driveway. That night I was awakened from time to time by pops and bangs. In the morning I found the deck chairs down in the field and a small tree across my driveway. I have been working a lot lately, I leave early and it is dark by the time I get home so I could not do any clean up until today and I have to get things done today including getting that tree out of the lane because it is going to snow 1-3 inches tomorrow. One more cup of coffee and I’m off to start a typical day of living in the country.

2010-11-23T08:24:00.001-05:00

I woke this morning to the cat looking at me. She looked at me for a second and then started to clean her face. Cats are interesting animals. We humans have domesticated them and they are dependent on us, if you put a house cat out in the wild it will suffer. It takes a few generations of being in the wild for a cat to revert to the feral state. My cat will let me know when her food bowl is low. She may be a good mouser but she wants that kibble. My cat is sneaky with her affection. I will wake up with her lying quietly at the foot of the bed but as soon as she sees I am awake she leaves. She does not lye in anyone’s lap and I can only get in a few pats before she nips me. She walks around the house with attitude. She gets along well with the dogs, she even plays with them. She likes to take walks with the dogs and me but she follows us from a distance, staying along the woods line. She is a cat and unlike the dogs she does not show me that she likes me and to be honest I have no great affection for cats in general but the two of us tolerated each other and if any thing were to happen to her I would really be bummed. She is a good cat.

2010-11-22T08:20:00.001-05:00

This is Thanksgiving week and I am sitting here at my computer drinking coffee and catching up on the morning news and my e-mail. The view out my window is beautiful. The sun is shining on the almost bare trees, birds are flying and swooping. When I step out it is noisy with their chirping. The air is a little crisp but not cold. Instead of being covered with frost my Jeep is covered in dew. We are in for another mild November day.

I have been enjoying the past three days off from work but I am tired. Today I am going to rest, kinda. I’m not leaving the property. I may do a little weed eating; it’s not something I would plan on doing this time of year but it is too mild to just sit inside and read a book or watch a movie. I have some places I want to clear off and it will be easier now than in the spring. I’m also going to start putting up some Christmas stuff, a few lights here and there, nothing much, just a little spirit.

2010-11-14T20:55:00.004-05:00

Well things are calming down a bit. I have been off work for the past 4 days and other than today I have just been hanging around home. Today a friend and I went over to Amrhein Wine Cellars for their fall harvest soup weekend, had lunch and then took a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Other than today I have been passing my time cleaning up around the cabin and digging a trench so I can put down conduit to run power from the cabin to the shed. I am hoping to have a mini-shop in the shed. Just a work bench and a few power tools; something to keep me busy...

My cabin in 100 years, Just kidding this is one of the cabins you can see on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Weather here has been very mild so far. During the day we have been in the upper 60’s and sunny sooo living in a house with southern facing windows I have had to keep the windows open. I guess this has been a good thing because I’m using less of the wood I have spent so much time and energy putting up for the winter. Winter will come and with it cold temps, hopefully I am ready.

2010-10-30T07:07:00.002-05:00

Its hard to believe that October is almost over. Here in my little patch of paradise in SW Virginia there was a hard frost last night. I stayed warm and toasty thanks to my hard work earlier this fall splitting and stacking wood and my wood stove. Thing here are slowing down a bit. I have spent the last 3 days at home just hanging around. Of course I have been sick with a cold but none the less it has been nice not going any where or doing anything. Last Saturday I had a dinner party and the week before that I went on a bike ride on the Virginia Creeper Trail . My friends and I rented our bikes in Damascus VA. This is a list Bike Rentals. We were very happy with the Bike Station equipment and service. I had a great time doing both activities and I will jump at the chance to “do things” but thanks to this cold this weekend I’m staying home doing “nothing”. Well maybe not nothing but less.......

2010-10-10T19:19:00.002-05:00

I have been off line for a while due to computer hard drive problems but son #3 fixed and I am back!!!

Speaking of back; I just got back from the Outer Banks. My brother and his wife came up from the Big Easy and we headed over to the beach where we hooked up with my sons and mom. We all spent 5 days in a 35 foot camper down in Rodanthe. We did the tourist things like checking out the light houses and shopping and I must say it was nice to see the family but it was GREAT getting home. 35 foot camper ain't big enough for 7 people!!!!

Photos to come soon.

2010-09-27T23:13:00.002-05:00

My computer has been on the fritz for the past few weeks but #3 son has fixed it and I will have it back in the next week or so. I cant wait to get it back. I may have lost all my photos from the past 2 years soooo the moral here is back up your hard driv

2010-09-07T09:03:00.001-05:00

Well Labor Day has come and gone and along with it summer. Now I know that summer is not officially over till September 23^rd but let’s face it, weather or not you are in school or have kids in school, when school starts summer ends. Period.

I had a good summer up here in the mountains. I can say without a doubt I did not miss the beach at all. Not one iota, not one little bit. I missed the kids (grown men actually), my mom and friends but not the traffic and heat. I did hit the beach in June; a friend wanted to go so we went, it was too damn hot but we did have a good time, sorta. I will be heading to the beach in October when the weather will be much better. I did keep a good weather eye on the Outer Banks this past week; Earl made its way up towards the coast but turned just in time. The Banks got some rain but the Labor Day weekend was nice (if you like hot)

Looking down the trail from where we had come

Rest time

I spent my weekend having mountain fun. A friend and I took a bike ride on the New River Trail State Park it was really nice. I was surprised at how many people there were from all over the country and beyond. I talked to someone who was from Chicago, someone who was from Wilmington NC, lots of people from Virginia and a person from Romania. There were people walking, running and riding bikes. Horse back riding is allowed but I did not see any of that. A lot of people were walking their dogs. I saw a beautiful Great Pyrenees, he was such a sweet dog.

Of course I went to a few out door get togethers. There is something to be said for dinner with friends and camp fires. I can’t remember my last smore and stick roasted hot dog. I had both this weekend.

I did some apple picking and I’m getting the last of the tomatoes in. Yep summer is almost over. But I LOVE fall!!!!

2010-08-20T21:55:00.003-05:00

I can’t believe how slack I have become with the blog. I did not blog once in July but boy was I busy.

July started with the Floyd Fandango a beer and wine festival. Then I went down to Ferrum VA for a day visit. A friend and I went to the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum and to Fairy Stone State Park. My #3 son came up the last half of July and we went to the New River Valley Fair. The Pièce de résistance for the month of July was Floyd Fest

NRV fair It was Ok

At Floyd Fest we camped Friday and Saturday night. The music was suppose to stop at 2am but it continued well past that. There was very little rest to be had but who cares we went there to have a good time and we did!!@!

Our neighbors at Floyd Fest

#3 sleeping in the hammock during Floyd Fest

August started with a trip to PA for the family reunion. The rest of this month and it’s the 20^th all ready!!!! Has been spent just catching up; The grass is afoot high I am way behind on the wood cutting and all the vegetables except the water melon is ripe

pre reunion get together

2010-08-01T07:03:00.002-05:00

I'm still here this has just been a very busy summer. There is so much to do here in Floyd and I have sooo much that needs done with the cabin and property that when I sit down its to rest not to write. Well off to work.

2010-06-20T06:12:00.006-05:00

It’s been a busy month here in the mountains. I have been cutting grass, there is a lot of it, establishing a new raised bed garden, hauling dirt down a hill is not as easy as you might think, and working on a few building projects. I keep telling myself that it will be easier next year and I know it will but damn…….

I got this (used)

to cut this

this went

down there. There are only 5 beds next year there will be more..

some of my hard work.

This is one of the projects a dog "relief" area. My dogs are getting older and I want them to have a place to go pee when I'm not home.

2010-05-25T20:37:00.001-05:00

How much oil has been put into the gulf thanks to this one spill? This is a little calculator I found.

How Much Oil Has Leaked Into the Gulf of Mexico? | The Rundown News Blog | PBS NewsHour | PBS

2010-05-25T18:14:00.003-05:00

I just talked to my brother in Louisiana; things are a bit tough down there right now. He told me that work has really dried up. We got to talking about what is happening down in the gulf and he started to tell me about all that comes through Louisiana. It was an education, one that I feel needs to be shared so I found a simple leaflet that tells a lot about what is being effected by the gulf spill. This is just Louisiana, there are a total of 5 US states that boarder the gulf, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida are the other 4. we are not including the South American countries and Mexico.

A lot of people are directly affected and a lot more, we consumers in particular, are indirectly affected. This is a global catastrophe. This is going to cost ALL of us a lot. It is expensive in both monetary cost and ecological cost. There are over 6 billion people on this planet. We have no where else to go. We need to take care of the planet we have. We need to STOP the blame game and enact legislation that will forcibly change the way we treat the world. Money should not be the most important thing on this earth. It’s a bad time in the congress right now a lot of people are going to be out of a job, the tea party and other fanatics will see to that, so if you are going to lose your job anyway just do what is right. Change the laws to protect the earth and us.

Below is a simple fact sheet on Louisiana.

2010-05-23T09:42:00.002-05:00

When I moved to Floyd County I wanted to contribute to the county so I joined EMS. This weekend I took the EVAC course thinking I was going to learn to drive an ambulance……

This is similar to what I drove.

I passed the driving test and feel confident that I passed the written but I can tell you right now I have no intention of driving a fire truck!!!!!

2010-05-20T06:55:00.003-05:00

I woke up this morning and the Buffalo was gone

Now its back.

Today is the day my friend the master gardener says I can plant so its off to the garden. Looks like a good day to be outside!

2010-05-09T05:54:00.002-05:00

Thought I would just post a few words today before I got into my yard work. No photos for a while. My Cannon camera started shooting pink photos turned out it was a CCD connector (what ever that is) that needed to be fixed and Cannon was doing it for free so I sent it to the shop instead of buying another. I want a better camera but I don't want to spend the money right now.

Things up here have been BUSY. I have been trying to get things in shape on the property. Just mowing the grass is a chore; I spent over three hours yesterday just weed eating the property. I have another hour of weed eating today. When the weed eating is done I have to do some mowing, I know that sounds back wards but there is more weed eating than mowing. It turns out to be more than a days work that as to be done every 10 days or so.

I am also going to clear out some barbwire "bushes" that I have been meaning to take care of. These are just big balls of wire that have formed big ball shapes and then have weeds and such growing through them. One has a nice rhubarb plant growing in the middle of it. I also HAVE to get the garden area done this week.

The weather has been so hot that I have not been able to get much done outside; I am a cold weather person. The next few days are going to be in the 60's so I should be able to get a lot done. Of course that is if I don't get distracted; I'm already going to be hiking up the Buffalo tomorrow with a friend but what is a person to do I have not seen her all winter and we want to get together!!

Well I will post again later and hopefully I will get some photos in.

2010-04-23T20:32:00.003-05:00

I am sitting here with an upset belly and the chills. I am curled up on the couch under blankets with a small fire in the wood stove, watching movies and drinking hot tea. A friend sent her husband by with chicken noodle soup which was quite good. It has taken this stomach “flu” to slow me down. Spring has been a blur. Taking care of 4 ½ acres doesn’t seem that big a deal until you start. It is work that I love. Cutting grass on hillsides with a weed eater, building steps to the garden and to secret spots in the woods, building raised beds to garden in and having friends over to build a deck. Spring is wonderful here.

we went from this

to this....

I have GREAT friends!!

2010-03-25T01:08:00.000-05:00

Every night on my way home from work I expect to run the deer gauntlet, I don’t expect to experience a Monty Python and the Holy Grail rabbit scene. (I warned you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little bunny, isn't it?) On my way home tonight every rabbit on the 40 miles of road I traveled played chicken with me. Those bunnies better stay off the road are they won’t be around to say Happy Easter. I did not hit any of them; no thanks to them!!

2010-03-23T07:38:00.004-05:00

first day of spring

I had fully intended to blog on Saturday, it was the first day of spring and all but it was beautiful day and I kinda hung outside. As I am writing this now it is “snowing” well more like “flurrying”. When I look up at the Buffalo I can tell that is it is much colder there than here; the trees have a white coating of snow or ice on them. What a difference from just yesterday when it was cloudy but much warmer. Spring is a turbulent time. In just the past week we have had 60 degrees and sun, torrential rain and now cold with snow.

I have been working on the cabinets I had been talking about. I want to get a coat of stain on them this morning. I have never made cabinets before, I’m glad these were to have a “rustic” look because they do look “rustic”. I have mad 3 3foot cabinets so far. I get a little better at making them as I go along so if you take a good look you can tell that each new cabinet looks better than the last. I have 1 more small cabinet and 1 pantry cabinet left to make. I am saving the pantry for last; I want it to be really good. When the cabinets and book shelves are done I can bring the stuff in boxes down from the loft and finish the loft.

I need to be getting the garden in shape. With the weather being so nice I have wanted to plant but I knew better; at the beach you can plant around tax time here you don’t plant till after May 15^th. With the nice weather we had the past week or so I was itching to plant but today is reminding me that this is not the time for me to plant. Ahhh spring.

2010-03-14T19:58:00.003-05:00

Spring is in the air and calf's are everywhere.

Everywhere I went today I saw these small guys next to their moms or frolicking in the fields. I fully expect a shoe to drop and there to be at least a few more cold days but for now I am enjoying the warm (upper 40's) weather.

2010-03-13T21:10:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a while since I last posted on the blog but I have been busy. We have had quiet a winter up here in the mountains, lots of snow and now…. rain. I have been cleaning up from this year weather and getting ready for next. On good days I have been getting wood ready to split so I can be warm next year. I have been cutting paths in to the hill side so that it is easier to get to the wood. Like they say, wood warms you more than once. I spend every bit of time I can out side, this year there aint been much out side time. 4 ½ acres doesn’t seem like that much but it keeps me busy. There is always something that needs to be done; First thing this morning I was down clearing debris from where the little stream I have running through my property crosses a fence; this area backs up when we get a lot of rain. I also have a bunch of wood along the drive way that I need to get down to the wood pile. I roll the logs down the hill to the driveway where I put them in my trailer and take them to the wood pile. These logs are about 18 inches long and vary in width, a few have over shot the drive way and landed near the barn. When the weather gets better I am going to finish wiring the shed, plank the deck, spread a load of gravel, plant grass, you get the point, there’s a lot to do.

Of course the weather has been very stingy with good out door days so this past while I have also been doing stuff inside. Right now I am working on cabinets and book shelves. I keep putzn along with the loft, there is a bed up there but the floor is still plywood and I need to paint the drywall and then finish the trim.

Now it hasn’t all been work I did have a dinner party that was GREAT! I love having friends over. I am also reading a series of books by Terry Goodkind, he’s not Terry Brooks or Tolkien but I have been enjoying the books. I’m on the 8^th one now. For a little change of pace and to help my mom for a few days, I took a quick trip to the beach; the weather wasn’t that great but it was nice to see mom and the boys.

Well I’m off to bed, tomorrow I have to sand and stain the cabinets and start on the cabinet doors. I also have to clean every single dog blanket and floor covering; dogs, rain and red mud a mess do make!!!

2010-02-09T19:08:00.003-05:00

I tried to catch some of the sparkle but I was not very successful

As we grow up many of us hear stories that deal with magic. Cinderella, Snow White, The Wizard of Oz and Shrek are just a few of those stories. We hear about magical places where the air is full of sparkling wonder. Humans have been telling stories of magic for most likely all of human time and this year I am realizing that the wonders that nature provides us are the basis for the magical wonders authors of the stories of magic weave for us.

This winter I have seen ice crystals float in the air on a clear sunny day sparkling as I walked through them. I have seen snow reflecting the color of the rainbow in the path of my Jeeps head lights. The other day I saw fields sparkle in the sun. It looked like someone sprinkled clear glitter over the fields.

The magic of nature is wonderful. It makes my soul feel happy and sometimes sad. Happy in the beauty and sad at the struggle all the parts, animal, vegetable an mineral must go though to survive.

2010-02-09T07:34:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was listneing to the Weather Channel and it seems that things aren't going too well in Vancouver Canada, home of the 2010 Winter Olympics; they are havening to truck in snow. Us here in southwestern Virginia on the other hand are in for 3-5 inches of snow and ice. On my way home from work last night I bought wheat & rye flour and will be spending the day baking bread because I don't think I will be getting out today!!!

2010-02-05T10:40:00.003-05:00

I thought I would give this a try. Here are the dogs this morning in the snow.

2010-01-30T16:56:00.004-05:00

It has been a nice day today. We had around 8-10 inches of snow last night and into today and I am loving it.
The dogs and I spent some time outside walking around the property, just taking in the view.
I shoveled the deck, twice so that Zeke would have a nice place to rest while I removed the snow from the Jeep.

I spent a good deal of the morning on the phone and plan on spending the rest of the afternoon and evening reading as I stay warm by the wood stove.
Stay warm all!!!

2010-01-26T09:27:00.001-05:00

Sunday we had some big time rain by Monday all the snow we had gotten last December was finally gone and temperatures were in the 50’s. Today we have snow flurries with temperatures in the 30’s. The saying back at the beach was if you did not like the weather wait a minute and it will change, this saying seems to be the case around here for now. To be honest the snow flurries are very pretty, the snow is coming from the west and the sun is shinning in the east so the snow seems to be glowing. Tried to get a photo of this but it did not turn out. I want a better camera but its way down on the want/need list for now.

2010-01-25T06:47:00.002-05:00

I have some happy kinfolk down in the Big Easy, the Saints are on there way to the Super Bowl. The family in PA are a bit disappointed they had hopes for the Eagles but we know how that went......

2010-01-22T10:04:00.004-05:00

Just a taste of winter

and the view it gives me

The weather was so nice last weekend that it gave those who were looking for it a false hope for an early spring. Yesterday dashed those hopes. We got another taste of winter; we got a bit of an ice storm. I had to work yesterday and as luck would have it we were very slow and I was able to go home early which was a good thing because it took me more than 2 hours to get home, 45mins of that was spent going the last 3 ½ miles. A friend of mine had attempted to call me on my cell but I did not turn it on so I missed the message about not trying to get home. To be honest the major roads were fine up until I reached Dugspur that’s when the ice on the road began to become more obvious. By the time I got to Willis it was bad. The ride home became a white knuckle 4 wheel drive night time adventure that I don’t care to have again.

One thing good about this weather is that the ground is frozen so the dogs aren’t bringing in mud, annnnnd I cant roll logs down the hill annnnnd its too cold to work in the shed soooo I get to spent the day reading and not feeling guilty about it!!!!!

2010-01-16T05:26:00.000-05:00

I got a birthday card from my #2 son yesterday. The card he sent me at Christmas came 2 week’s after he sent it, not through any fault of the US post office mind you; my son addressed it to “mom” and then put the wrong address on it. The post master looked at the address and noted that it was a non existent address then looked at the return address, noted where it came from, could think of only one person that was from that area, knew she was out of town for the winter so he sent the card to that persons daughter. The daughter called me and said she thought she had a card that belonged to me. This could only have happened in a small community.

The card I got yesterday was still addressed to “Mom” but it had the correct address this time.

2010-01-15T15:46:00.004-05:00

We are having a bit of a January thaw here in Floyd County VA. I spent much of the morning and early afternoon cleaning the shed and rolling logs down my back hill. I had DZ tree removal come over and cut a bunch of trees that were either on the ground or about to be on the ground into fire wood size pieces that I then rolled down the hill (I will be rolling the wood for quiet a few days but it is the only way to get it down). I will then split them so that I will have fire wood for next year. It’s a lot of work but I can’t see buying a lot of wood when I have my own trees that need to be taken care of. I think when you factor in paying to cut the logs then rolling them down the hill, then splitting and stacking the wood it would have been more cost effective to have just paid for firewood but the trees are good fire wood and it would be a waste not to use them so I don’t mind burning a few calories.

After all that work I spent a little time on the deck enjoying the sun, a magazine and a glass of lemonade. Ahh feels like spring.

2010-01-08T23:01:00.005-05:00

The weather around here has been shall we say.. nippy, but today at least the sun was out . I can take the cold but the lack of sun is a true downer for me. Any way it has been too cold to spend any unnecessary time out side and I have a touch of cabin fever at least this year it’s in a real cabin. Well as I am sitting around in what should be the cleanest house on the block, its not I hate house work, I have been thinking of gardening. I know, I know, there is dry wall that needs to be finished and then trim that needs to be put up along with a wall of cabinets that needs to be started, I mean I have tons of things that need to be done inside and I should not even be thinking of gardening but I am; sooo today I made a kitchen composting box. I don’t know how well it will work but what the heck I’m gonna give it a try.

I took a spair storage container

Put a bunch of holes in it...
added some paper (brown stuff)
and some kitchen waste

and in a few months I shall see what I get....

to be continued..........

2010-01-07T10:29:00.002-05:00

It’s another day in paradise with cold temps, no sun and a good chance of snow but although it is cold it is warmer than it has been sooo if this warm up continues and we get the mid January thaw that seems to come every year I will be really happy. I am ready for the thaw. I am hoping for a little sun and a chance to get out side. I am in need of a little fresh air and I want to try out the electric chain saw I recently ordered. I am looking forward to putting it to the test. A friend loaned me his electric saw and it was so easy to use that I ordered one for myself. Burning wood is a great way to heat the house but it is a hard work and I am hoping this will make it a little easier. I know I will need a gas saw but this will help with the stuff that is already cut and just too big for my stove. Its relativity quiet, light and easy to use, the only draw back is that it has an extension cord.

2010-01-03T16:15:00.003-05:00

Wild turkeys

I came across these guys on my way home from a drive today.

2010-01-03T12:11:00.000-05:00

Last year was a… shall we say stressful year for me. I am glad it is behind me and I look forward to a good 2010. The past few days have been good. I have spent them in the company of friends enjoying food, drink, great conversation and movies. The new year is opening burr.. cold but the sun is shinning the wind has let down a bit and a walk this afternoon is not out of the question. Happy New Year, let’s all make it a positive one.

2009-12-26T21:01:00.001-05:00

Well Christmas has come and gone and now we count down to Little Christmas, January 6th. In my house Little Christmas is when we take down the Christmas decorations. I don’t think I will make it till then; I am over Christmas and ready to put this year behind me. This has been a less than great Christmas season for me. It was the first time in many years that I was not with my family, I messed up my Jeep and the nail on my Christmas coffin was the deer I hit on my way home from work early Christmas morning. I wasn’t even driving my own car, it was barrowed…… Ho Ho Ho (ya gotta laugh)

Any way life goes on. 2009 was almost as stressful for me as 1999 (divorce). As I sit here sipping on Corona I find myself looking forward to next year; I have visions of gardens, chain saws and cutting wood, you know all that work that comes with owning a few acres of land. Corona any one?

2009-12-22T08:57:00.003-05:00

Well yesterday was interesting.......

I got the Jeep out with the help of my farmer friend and his tractor and was headed on my way to Christansburg when I noticed that the rear end of the Jeep seemed to be pulling. It felt like one of the brakes was sticking. Well I don't mess around with bad breaks (although I did not think that was it, I thought it was something worse) so straight to the shop I went. When the guys got back from lunch up on the rack it went and worse than breaks it turned out to be ; I messed up the differential. Cha-ching

2009-12-19T22:49:00.005-05:00

I woke up this morning to a little bit of snow...

I shoveled some of the snow off the deck .....

so the dogs could be comfortable......

Later in the day, after talking to a friend who was cruising around in his Jeep, I decided to take the Jeep out for a spin after all it is a Jeep whats a little snow?
I got stuck at the bottom of my own drive way..
no photo, too embarrassing

The day ended with sun peeking through the clouds.

Tomorrow I will call a few friends and see if they can help me get my Jeep unstuck. I'm also going to order some tire chains!!

2009-12-18T19:41:00.002-05:00

Snowy night and it has only just begun!!

2009-12-18T01:00:00.004-05:00

weather channel photo

Welp it looks like we have a bit of weather heading our way. it should be an interesting next few days.

2009-12-12T20:25:00.002-05:00

On my way to church tonight I noticed that the grocery stores were very busy. I thought about it for a moment, “ah that’s right” I thought “the Christmas parade was canceled last week because of the snow and rescheduled for this week, the parade must be just getting over, no problem it will be cleared out by the time church is over”. At church I asked one of the girls if she had seen the parade today. “The parade is not until tomorrow” she said. “Hummmm” I thought. After church I went to the store to get a rotisserie chicken. A rotisserie chicken will last me just about all week, leg and thigh for two nights, chicken breast sandwich on another, soup and any number of other concoctions for the rest of the week. It’s busy this time of year so the easier the eats the better. Any way the spot that normally holds the chicken was empty and the deli was dark. I actually looked around to see if the chicken had been moved. This had never happened to me. I could always count on rotisserie chicken. “Oh well I thought I’ll go to the other store they will have it for sure.” I get to the other store and no chicken there either. I took a moment and looked around; the bread, milk and other staple were in short supply also. “I guess the stores just reduce their stock this time of year,” I thought to myself “doesn’t make sense to me but…..” I got a gallon of milk paid for it and feeling a bit disappointed got into the jeep. “Damn what am I going to do for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow, I guess I’ll just call Jims and get something to take out” “I really wanted that chicken” “bummer” I got to Jims and picked up my dinner “Were all the stores busy?” the waitress asked “Yea they were” I replied, “I thought it would be” she said ”with the ice storm we might get tomorrow” “damn” I thought “if I had know that I would have stocked up while I was at the store. I think there were a few cans of soup left”

2009-12-05T12:06:00.004-05:00

It’s a snowy day here in the woods. The dogs and I took a walk in the snow and I shot a few photos.

The cabin from the road this snowy day

Tried my hand at adjusting a photo. The top one is the original the bottom is the doctored one

2009-12-02T08:03:00.000-05:00

I spent Thanksgiving at the beach with my family. It was really nice to see the boys and my mom but I was so busy working on my moms “honey do” list and getting things ready for dinner (cooking it) that I never even went to see the ocean. I am one of the few folks that can take or leave the ocean especially when the weather is inclement, and I think it was kinda cloudy but I was so busy I really can’t remember. Oh well I had a good time with the family and that’s all that matters at Thanksgiving!!

Things here in the mountains are good but wet. This area had been in drought for the last 5 years but this year there has been a reprieve. To me there seems like there has been too much rain but since no water flows into Floyd County and we with wells get our water from deep wells that have to be replenished from above, and those who use gravity and spring water had seen both those sources dry up I guess we can live with a little too much water. We shall see what happens next year.

I have been working on getting things ready for winter. Since I have been home I have been cutting fire wood. I lot of what I have is too long for my stove so I have to cut about 6 inches off the end and then I split that little piece into kindling. I have had a time learning how to use my wood stove. I have only used “home made” stoves in the past and while I had access to a stove my X and I bought years ago it was too big for my space and had its exhaust connection in the back so I had to buy a new one. The only ones I could find to heat my small space (that I could afford) where the kinds with the glass in the front. It is harder for me to get a good fire going. I have learned that I have to start a small fire and then add larger pieces as the fire gets hotter. The wood box is also smaller than I would like so the fire is only good for about 6 hours, which means that unless I get up in the night I will have a cool box in the morning. I miss the home made stove I used last year that thing held a fire for 8 hours easy and longer if I used locus wood. The one I have now is pretty. I find myself watching the flames through the glass and getting very relaxed. There are advantages and disadvantages to every thing.

Today rain or not I have to get under the house and put insulation around all my water pipes. I have known I need to do this for quite a while but I have been putting it off and we have some cold weather on the way so it’s gotta get done. I am also working on the plastic that was put down in the craw space by the builder. It was a half ass job at best. He used 1mil plastic some places and 6 mil other places. I am going to put 6 mil everywhere and use duct tape to seal the seams.

2009-11-19T08:59:00.004-05:00

No Buffalo today
The low laying clouds hide the mountain. It makes for a nice temporary change in view.

Winter garden
A hand full of fresh greens makes a nice salad.

What’s a girl to do? I am off for the next 13 days, I wonder if I can keep busy? Yea I think I can find a few things to do. Today it’s kinda dreary but who cares? It’s a good day to read and cook chili. Not cold enough for a fire but you cant have everything.

2009-11-14T07:47:00.003-05:00

I have been awake since 4am today. I was so tired last night that I was in bed by 8pm and asleep not long after that. I tried to go back to sleep this morning but for me 8 hours sleep is a lot of sleep so that did not happen. There was a nice side to waking up so early I was able to watch the sun come over the mountain and light up the Buffalo. The sun has not shown its self in 3 days but today promises to be mild and sunny. It will be a good day to be outside but first the inside things must be done and since I have been up since 4 one would think that I should have the inside things done but to tell you the truth I have accomplished nothing. I read for an hour and then I watched a show I taped. I am sitting here writing when I should be doing laundry, working on the dry wall we put up last weekend, sweeping the floor bla bla bla……

Right now I don’t feel like doing anything and you know what after I put that load of laundry in the washer and sweep the floor and get the trash out to the jeep I’m going to just sit down on that couch and read a bid more, of course maybe I will get down to the garden and pick a little broccoli, give the dogs baths, Trip did get into that skunk last week, I need to hang the peg board in the shed. Oh the heck with it where is that book!!!

2009-11-09T07:12:00.004-05:00

Yesterday morning I sat down at the table and made a list of what I wanted to get done. I was going to keep it at 3 things but more and more HAVE to get done things came to mind and then to paper. Of the 6 things on that list only 3 got done. I started the list again last night and today there are only 5 items on it………..

I am trying to get my precepting done as an EMT so I spent a few hours down at station 4. This is the sunset view from the parking lot

2009-11-08T07:55:00.002-05:00

Ever since I moved into the cabin I have woke up in the morning put my feet on the floor and not stopped until it was time again for bed. Last week while I was on my way back from a, gotta get something so I can do some work on the cabin, trip to Roanoke and flipping through the radio stations looking for an adult alternative radio station, which there isn’t one!!, I came across a motivational speaker who was basically saying that god wants us to have fun and enjoy life. Well he wasn’t teaching hell and damnation or fire and brimstone so I listened. He went on to say that we should simplify our lives and slow down. This caused me to think about my own life at this time.

My #2 son just got back from the Philippines and he commented to me that he loved the way the Philippinoes on the little island he was on always smiled and seemed happy. Other than scooters/motorcycles and cell phones they really did not have much. Back in the states he noticed how no one smiled or seemed happy and were always in a hurry. Their mood just seemed much dimmer to him. He misses the Philippines.

I moved to the mountains to slow down and simplify and I’m not doing that. I am busier than ever. I get so caught up in what I am doing that I miss what is around me. I don't smile that much. Starting today I am going to take a few minutes every morning and relax, drink a cup of Joe and reflect on the day. I have just started my life here I want to enjoy it with a smile on my face. I want the neighbors to wonder “what’s she so happy about?"

`````````````````````````````````````

My #1 and #2 sons were up to pick up my #2 sons dog that I had been taking care of while he was in the Philippines so we spent some quality time together yesterday morning shoot’en a shot gun. When you have sons you don’t spend a lot of time playing with dolls, gotta do what the boys like and shooting a gun is kinda fun. I wont kill anything but I do like to target practice.

2009-10-25T06:22:00.003-05:00

This was taken last night around 6pm
what a nice fall evening

Friday was my last full time shift at the place I work. I am now back to as needed and I will be working "day" shift, mostly 10am to 10pm. I am so happy to be off nights and to be back to as needed. Of course I'm working full time but I guess thats good. I had hoped to only work a day or so a week this next month but when you are PRN you take the time when you are needed. At the beach I worked as needed for 5 years and never was not needed; we will see how things fare here.

2009-10-12T21:07:00.006-05:00

my boys

I cant believe its been two weeks since I was at the beach. I had a great time but it was good to get home. Two weeks ago I was hot the boys were surfing and it felt like summer.

One week ago fall was in the air and today has been a rain day (no photo).

2009-09-28T11:44:00.003-05:00

I am sitting inside my sons house here on the Outer Banks, sweating (I don't like hot weather...) I had a few days off and decided to hit the beach. I am enjoying visiting my friends and my mom but I have been so busy that I have not even touched foot on the beach. I haven't seen much of my boys, the surf has been good and what do surfers and sailers choose when the choice is surf or family, not family. Today I am taking "it off" and plan on hitting the beach for a little while this evening. Tomorrow morning I am going to catch the sunrise before I hit the road back home.

I have been to a few restaurants this trip; Striper's in Manteo was good, Colington has a new place called Skeeters that was GREAT! Last night per mom’s request we went to Awful Authors, I have never been all that impressed with them, and I wasn’t last night either, but my mom likes it there so what do ya do. We will all be getting together again tonight for dinner most likely at Tortugas Lye. How do you get a bunch of surfers and sailors to meet up with you, feed them.

Addendum; Tortugas was great!!!

2009-09-21T18:46:00.003-05:00

It’s the last day of summer, my mind was thinking that yesterday was but I was corrected so here I sit looking out my windows at the clouds rolling over the top of the Buffalo wondering where the year has gone. Fall is my favorite season. I love the change in the air, the cool crisp mornings and almost blanket needing nights. I love the way the sun reflects on the tree leaves as they change color. I have been told not to expect much in the way of fall colors, we had a wet beginning of summer followed by a very dry mid August and early September and I have been told that that leads to a less than stellar fall show but I don’t care. On the beach we had two seasons summer and winter so any change is nice to me. I will say that fall on the beach is wonderful, just in a different way.

If all goes well I will get back to the beach soon, fall and spring are the best times on the Outer Banks!!

I was not able to plant a garden this spring so I am attempting a small fall garden. I may have planted too late but what the hay. The cabbage and broccoli are doing ok’ish the collards are not, all have been eaten by bugs so I sevens dusted them. I did not want to use the dust but it was that or no hope for cabbage at all. We will see what happens. That is one thing I missed about the beach this year, the early garden, of course by July it was almost too hot so I guess its all relative.

2009-09-13T08:46:00.002-05:00

I have come to the conclusion that I like to work I just don’t like going to work and if I had my drothers I’d rather play. I can’t believe Labor Day weekend was last weekend. Time has just flown by. Last Saturday night I was in Floyd with “old” friends meeting new friends, listening to music and having a few beers. 1 week ago today I was at another friends house and again I was meeting new friends and enjoying a pot luck dinner. The food was sooo good. Last Monday, Labor Day I had an awesome 3 course lunch and a bottle and a half of wine with a few friends; we were going to hike up the buffalo before lunch but we decided to walk around my friend’s property instead, left more time to eat. I was going to hang some drywall but after all that playing I was too tired!! Of course having that long week end off means that this week is going to be hell; on Tuesday, off Wednesday, on Thursday off Friday, and so on and so on for 10 days.

I did do a little work I got some plants in the ground a few weeks back. I planted cabbage, broccoli and collards. I may have planted them too late but what the heck we shall see!!

Well off to bed, I'm too old for night shift!

2009-09-09T19:24:00.002-05:00

2009-08-26T07:13:00.004-05:00

photo from
advocacy.britannica.com/.../coyote005-004.jpg

Around 10pm last night a jet flew low near the Buffalo. Within seconds yips could be heard in the distance and at that sound both my dogs sat up, the girl dog began to howl. There are coyotes around where I live. Someone I know asked me recently if I had noticed the coyotes that were watching me as I was using my weed eater. The answer to that question was no; I would not have been weed eating if I had seen them.

There is a lot of wild life up here. I moved to the country in part to experience nature so when I hear about the occasional bear, or the rattle snake, or the coyote, a hint of concern does cross my mind but I don’t stress over it. I make a lot of noise, and if possible take my dogs, when I walk in the woods. The one time I remember getting “scared” in the woods was when a deer growled at me, a deer! I always thought the scene in “the Simpson’s” of Lisa is strolling through an idyllic wood much like the first part of “Bambi” and then suddenly the deer growl at her was someone’s ideal of funny, I did not realize it was real!

Lets face it the dogs let me “feel” safe but Trip the girl dog is 8 and Zeke the boy is 7 so in the next few years I will have to get another dog. I am thinking about the Great Pyrenees, over a 100lb of guard dog, that if well disciplined and allowed to associate with others, can make a good companion. And from what I hear you can use the fur to make sweaters!! This is just a thought; I won’t even start looking for a new dog until Trip is 10 and if she stays active maybe even longer. I do like the large breeds, and I do want something that can hold its own with the local wild life but it has to be able to be acclimated to people and animals and I don’t really want a hunter. The dog will also have to be a companion. My dogs are a part of the family. So what do I want and need, a big dog that will guard the property, get along well with other animals and people, and be my buddy. I have time to look so today it is the Pyrenees, tomorrow who knows.

Pyrenees Rescue

2009-08-23T12:17:00.002-05:00

Oy, oy, oy…. On, off, on off. I can’t take this, I’m too old. Working night shift with an on, off schedule will kill ya, literally. There have been studies that show flipping from one shift to the other is not healthy. To me on again, off again is like shift work. I worked last night but I am off tonight so I feel like I cant sleep all day and "waste" a day off so what do I do? I sleep a few hours then get up and accomplish half of what I could have accomplished on a good night sleep. I cant do this any more…… Shoot me and put me out of my misery (just kidding) but I do have to find me a different job. I'm getting too old for night shift.

2009-08-21T18:19:00.003-05:00

It’s been a month since I have posted to my blog. The truth is that I have not “felt” like writing. Things have been very busy and I have just felt like I did not have the time. I have also been a bit down in the dumps. I love my home but other parts of my life are not as I had pictured them and I have allowed these less desirable things take over my thoughts. As I sit here looking out at the Buffalo I can only think how lucky I am; Life has been good to me I have all I need and most of what I want. To allow the few things in my life that I don’t like to take over my happiness is not good. Starting tonight, this very minute I am going to make an effort to get my happy self back out there. This year is winding down and I am not going to allow my memories of it to be bad.

In this past month both my #2 and #3 sons have been up to visit. #2 put up my spiral stair and framed in the loft half wall. Of my 3 sons he is the handy man. He can bang nails and fix a car. #3 is the computer/IT geek and he's good when I need some muscle, I had him moving paving stones and working on my computer. #1 has not made it up yet, I still have hope but he does not normally go any where unless he can sail there. He told me he is looking forward to my fall trip to the Outer Banks. He can’t wait to see me. As you can see I put the boys to work when they come up I do feed them well so it evens out.

Things are moving along on the house. I get a little done every chance I get. This week I had the gutters put in. I was going to buy the stuff and put the gutters up myself but the place I was going to buy them from had a hard time getting the gutter in the color I needed. I finally called a company that installs “seamless” gutters and got a price. That price, materials and installation, was just $7 more than the materials alone were going to cost me. I’m telling you someone or something is looking out for me. I have to stop being impatient, when things “go wrong” for me it usually means I’m going down the wrong path.

2009-07-21T22:17:00.000-05:00

Its 11 o’clock at night on my first day living in my new cabin and I am using my DSL hook up!!!!!! I should be excited about having my first dinner here (chicken rice and fresh picked green beans), sleeping in my new bedroom and enjoying my wonderful view but to be flat honest I’m totally excited about the DSL. It’s was great cooking on my new stove and taking a shower in my nice big shower but now I can also watch the Daily Show when ever I want!!

I have so much to do, finish moving out of the house my friend so generously allowed me to use, and it is a MESS I will start that clean up tomorrow. I also have to get this house in order, I have so much to do that that aint gonna happen any time soon. I have had 6 days off and I got a lot done but I’m getting ready to work 5 out of the next 7 days, that doesn’t sound like much but I work 12 hour days, so I wont be able to get a lot done this next week. Oh well I’m in my new home, I have DSL and a phone so all is good!!

2009-07-10T05:42:00.002-05:00

I have so much work to do around the house I am living in and the cabin I’m having built that’s its not even funny.

Yesterday my day started early; when I was at the bear & wine fest last Sunday I saw some wood boxes one of the venders had. I asked him what he wanted for them, the price was right, and we arranged for me to pick them up this week so off I went at 8am to pick up boxes. When I got home I unloaded the boxes, dropped the trailer, and went to have a “quick” cup of coffee with friends. I mentioned I needed to go to Lowes for light bulbs and asked them if they wanted to go and off we went to Galax. At Lowes I bought my light bulbs and an under counter trash can holder, (it was on my list of things to get for the cabin) then I made the mistake of letting them take me to the garden center. One of my friends is forever looking for deals and she found one. In the garden center there were these racks of $1 plants. I now have about $25 worth of plants in my yard that were not on the list. On the way home one of the ladies asked if we would mind going to this little restaurant she knew about. Close to that restaurant was this little model home she wanted to look at; the rest of us were game and off we went to Fancy Gap. After lunch we went “a little further” to Canen to check out a vegetable “stand”. By the time I got home it was 5pm but I knew I could go the cabin for a little while soooo...... I fed the horses and the dogs and got ready to head up to the cabin. As I was putting the dogs in the jeep I noticed that I had a flat tire and it was starting to rain. I looked off into the distance at the rain clouds; they did not look too bad so I changed the tire and went up to the cabin. I got home around 8pm. I did a lot yesterday just not the lot I needed to do.

Today I am going to get things done around the house and the cabin, after I go into town and get the tire fixed………

2009-07-05T20:29:00.003-05:00

I spent a few hours at the Floyd Fandango Beer & Wine Fest today. I was supposed to spend all that time directing traffic but because of the weather traffic was light and I was able to scout things out. I will say that for the very short time I was there I had a great time. I heard three bands, Robert Jospe & Inner Rhythm Sextet, Blue Mule and my favorite Basshound. I experienced my first wine tasting, I don’t seem to have much of a wine pallet, and checked out some pretty good beer. Of course I got a funnel cake. There were some nice vender's there but because I was pressed for time I could not check them all out. I’m going to do my best to take in a full day next year. Its’ a bit pricey at $30 a person and then you have to pay $5 for a wine or beer glass and then pay a $1 to taste the beer (you get a nice big “sip” for a $1, it seemed worth it to me and the wine is “free”) I feel if you factor in a whole day of music its worth it.

2009-07-03T10:41:00.003-05:00

I have been watching these two all morning. The male has been taping on and around the window I took these photo from. He has also been checking out the bird house the two are resting on. The pair have been putting on quite a show, hoping over each other on the power line over head. The male has been ruffling his feathers and chirping. The female just sits there and listens. I don’t know what type of birds these are, anyone know?