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.

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.......

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.

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

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!!!!

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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!!!!!

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!

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.

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!!

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!!

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.

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.

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!!!

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.

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!!!

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

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!!!

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.

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......

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!!!!!

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.

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.

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..........

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.

Wild turkeys

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

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.

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?

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

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!!

Snowy night and it has only just begun!!

weather channel photo

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

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”

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

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.