The snow is slowly...

melting back. Very slowly. The weather is a little warmer, but our driveway is still unpassable. So we park at the bottom and hike up. Our new exercise program. Hiking up the hill. Just until it dries out some more.

We have a lovely three day weekend ahead. Tomorrow we will head over to the Booth Museum of Western Art to see the Ansel Adams exhibit. His photography is so powerful and amazingly stark, but with more details than you can see in one viewing. I hope to be able to use my camera in such a powerfulway someday.

Folks from these parts are tired of snow and ice and are complaining a lot. The weather across the country has gone wild and there is a wide variety from fierce rainstorms and wild winter storms with feet of snow. There is a lot of confusion and frustration over all of this as we head into a new year.

We have experienced a lot of changes and ups and downs this last year. Our youngest graduated high school. We moved to the mountains, to our cabin in the woods. I took another job. DH continues to look for a job. The Bumble-lab has grown to love her bed by the fire - when she is not chasing squirrels, cats or deer. We continue to work on our house in progress. Work is challenging and we have more to accomplish in the future. Throughout it all, God has been our guide and strength. I know He will continue to be so.

So it is about to be a New Year. I have to choose my Word for the year. Or it has to choose me. I'll let you know more about that another time. Meanwhile, Happy New Year.

Be blessed,
K.

I am not dreaming....

of a white Christmas - we are HAVING one! It is snowing this Christmas morning - our first living full time in the mountains. It is quiet - the snow and the household - just DH, the bumble-lab and me. We woke later than when there were children and had a leisurely breakfast and coffee and opened our gifts to one another - gifts somewhat more practical than in our younger years - lots of "keep warm " stuff, some nice smelling bath stuff, and, of course. books - it is not Christmas if there is not a book involved (thanks for that lesson Grammie and Grampie!)

It is wonderful to sit inside, with a warm fire. and watch the snow outside as it piles up. There is a squirrel running around in the snow in a frantic search for his stashes. Bumble-lab is enjoying this is a secret, satisfying way, I am sure. She is often victim to the teasing and torture of the squirrels as they throw hemlock cones and acorns at her while she barks, unable to reach them. Now she sits inside where it is warm and dry and watches their frantic antics....secretly satisfied she has had the last laugh. She does go out on the porch and bark at the snowflakes as those she can order them to stop...much less powerful than she wants to be.

Today, we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. God choosing to come to us in the form of a humble human being - a simple child born in an impoverished situation, raised in a laborers home, friends with simple people who had no idea they were spending time, playing and working with the Divine...imagine that. He - Jesus - son of God - God made man. We can never receive a gift that is better or more spectacular....our appreciation should be overwhelming. Thanks be to God for the gift of his son.

The flakes are bigger now and the snow is filling the woods, covering everything. Perfect that we have no where to go. "The Christmas Story" plays on tv. I'll start dinner later on (oh wait - the venison needs to go into the crock-pot now for later) and enjoy the peace and quiet. The white outside the window covering the pine-tree limbs - a perfect Christmas day - and wishes for the same to you and all we know and love.....

Be blessed,
Kim

The winter wind is howling...

blowing 40-50 mph. We know because our bell is ringing away. There is a prediction for 2 inches of snow - we are headed well below freezing. It is lovely and warm next to the fire.

We experienced our first Christmas parade in Blairsville. The parade had to be postponed from last weekend due to the rainy, freezing weather. Today was perfect for it - we had a balmy 50 degrees - practically a heat wave! The floats and folks in the parade were great - there was a lot of reference to the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of Jesus. Many floats included the Nativity Scene. The parade was not long, but it was heartfelt and non-commercial and fun. Got a lot of photos to make some great pages about the fun of the parade.

Next, we attended the Vogel Park Christmas Tree Lighting - a great time. Fire pits kept us warm as the evening grew chillier. There was free hot chocolate, hot spice cider, and a tent loaded with free home-made cookies. Santa was there for all the kids and the area was decorated with fresh pine branches, white light bulbs (the old-fashioned, big ones) and red bows. There were three trailers with hay, drawn by tractors for hay-rides up to the area. The music was provided by the band from Lost Mountain and the First Baptist hand-bell choir. There were old time hymns and Christmas Carols. People were there with their children and dogs in sweaters and everyone shared a seat or two on hay-bales. The lighting of the tree was wonderful and a rich experience. It was a wonderful way to experience a holiday in our new community.

I love that there is no separation from our faith in this place. "Political correctness" is not a part of the every day. Faith is - faith in God, in our Saviour, Jesus Christ. It is wonderful to live in a place where practicing our faith is not challenged and we have to celebrate "Happy Holidays" or "Winter Wonderland" - we celebrate Christmas - Christ's Mass = his birthday. We do so openly and happily and with our neighbors and town. Churches glow all over the town, people say "Merry Christmas" and the reason for the season is celebrated. Together. Happily. We are blessed.

The chill and windy cold are adding to the season - not only here but also down in Florida. It is cold in so many places - even the Keys ! I suppose it is great for the holiday feeling - but some seem to complain about the cold. The wind is howling...but we are safe and warm inside (thank goodness for the wood-stove and all the firewood my DH cut earlier this year.) The pond is frozen over, the trees are well-bedded down with hay until next spring and we await snow....

Be blessed,
Kim

We have snow...

at least a dusting of it. It has accumulated on the car and on the ground. I am being selfish and wishing for more, but it is a nice start. I want about 4-6 inches solid. I recognize that will take a LOT of precipitation. I just have to bide my time. Be patient.

Gift making is coming along. I can't say what I am making - that might spoil the surprise. They are about half-way finished. Two more things to do and the ones to ship will be done. December is really busy for us - three birthdays and Christmas makes for a lot of "doing". Still, there is a joy in the season - a "conspiracy of love". The tree is trimmed and house decorated, the lights up. Not "fancy" but full of memories. This will be our first Christmas without any of the kids at home. One is headed to Puerto Rico for the holidays with the wife's family. Youngest will come home from college to his sister's for Christmas. Daughter will probably cook dinner for Christmas (though I think the menu will be steaks and crab-legs, not turkey.) We are talking about a "mountain" style Christmas dinner - venison and quail (if I can find the quail), with wild rice, corn casserole, and cornbread.

Times are hard for many here in the mountains - few jobs and expenses for food and fuel rising. Many heat their homes with propane and that is hard to afford. Many lack transportation and have trouble securing basic necessities. Parents will go hungry so their kids don't have to. They are hard-working people who don't really grumble much, hold on to their pride and their faith. We must count our blessings and realize that our Savior came from humble beginnings. If he had come here in this time, these would be the people he came to, to live among. He honors their simple lives and the beauty of their work. We should, too.

Off for coffee and then work. And hoping for more snow, gently falling.

Be Blessed,
Kim

It is really cold....

24 degrees this morning. We had hoped for snow as the clouds rolled by, but no such luck. (Everyone swears we will have enough by the end of Winter that I will be sick of it - don't think so.) Getting up at 3:30 is tough enough, but when it is cold, it is more of a test. Still, I am grateful for my work and love my patients enough to get up and go.

Taking Jessica Sprague's "Inspiration Everywhere" on-line class - it is free and I am working on getting my Art Journal together. I love her on-line classes - they are great sparks to get me moving. I am also taking Tracy Clark's "Picture the Holidays". This time, I am taking it with my beautiful daughter. So though she is in Florida and I am in the mountains, we can take class together....

In January, we will take her "Picture Winter" class, too. And, my gift to myself is Melody Ross's "Soul Restoration" workshop. This will be six weeks of work on restoring myself to me....challenging.....ideas from her "Brave Girls Club". I can hardly wait. Winter cold may keep us inside more, but with a hot cup of something to drink and a warm fire, there will be plenty to do and leanr and grow with.....I hope others I love are willing to give the class a try to grow, stretch and feel their spirits set free.

Off to work now......

Be Blessed,
Kim

We have a lot to be....

thankful for. A great meal for the both of us. Watching the parade. A relaxing day with a little nap in the chair. Had to work a little, but so what. Not bad.

Now starts the crazy holiday time - I refuse to participate. Christmas is not about the crazy commercial side....I feel blessed that we know the real reason for the season - Jesus. That is what I will choose to focus on. So, gifts will be home-made. Decorations will keep focusing on Jesus, with Santa on the side....lights, now that night time comes sooner - trees - all the decorations that have many meanings and memories attached. Going to all the free community activities in our new home area, with those tree-lightings, decorations and family experiences - and hopefully we will have snow. A crackling fire in the fireplace. A cozy blanket. Each other. No other gifts required.

And photos of all of it - a lot of photos. I think that will be helpful should the Alzheimer's ever kick in for either of us. Photos and scrapbooks to help the memories stay alive. To show our grandkids, if we ever have any.

Off to address our Christmas cards and see if I can find my DVD of "Miracle on 34th Street" with Natalie Wood. The black and white version. On Donder and Blitzen.....

Be blessed,
Kim

The wind howls and...

the rain is coming down. It has been blustery the past couple of days and we are getting much needed rain. I admit I am tired and fighting a nasty sinus thing. So much to do and so little time and energy. Yet, here I am, typing away at 4 AM before heading off to work. Hmmmm - guess it explains the tired part.

We had a great visiting pastor at church this weekend. Rev. Arnold, whose son is one of our missionary family's dad. There are several generations of missionaries in this family - and more to come, I believe. I was most impressed with his story for Children's Church - not the content as much as the way he told it and how attentive the little ones were. It was fun to watch them as they listened to him. Then he did the same thing with the rest of us - as he talked about how God can provide and we should just leave it to Him. He told us to wait - God will come and take care of everything. It was good timing as we are in a season of waiting right now - waiting for transition at my work, mostly. Philippians took on so much more meaning this week. It reminded me that another Pastor Arnold, (Lisa's Dad) brought me to Christ at age 13 long ago on an Easter Day at his tent revival in a park in Ft. Lauderdale. I never got to thank him....(thanks, Pastor Arnold, wherever you are)

Thanksgiving is coming, and the birthdays of my beautiful daughter and beloved husband. I have a few plans up my sleeve for them....that is the fun part of birthdays - planning surprises. Even though we can not always do expensive things, we can do fun things. Even with a tight budget, this old gal has a few tricks up her sleeve.....(hehehehe I know you are reading this honey - no hints here!)

My beautiful daughter turns 30 (ok, ok "29 and some months") on Saturday, which means she is an adult and "not to be trusted". She turned out to be wonderful, praise and thanks be to God. She is His daughter above all else - I was just privileged to be her mom.

My handsome hubby and dearest friend turns a few years older than that....but he, too, is a wonderful child of God, only seeking His will. It has been such a blessing these last several months to see him become active in our new church, attending each Sunday, helping with the database and parking and putting his hand to the new ministry of leading the 12-Step group meeting at our church. He is not finished yet.

Winter is coming - the wind and temperatures tell us so. Some people hate this time of year - they think the leafless trees are ugly in their barrenness. I think they are beautiful, their true hearts revealed. You can see so many homes you never knew existed when the trees are fully leafed. The greyness has the stark beauty of an Ansel Adams photo - painfully beautiful, raggedly real and richer than any colour we know. It is not just the blacks and whites, but the shades of grey that make the world interesting....that is true about life as well....

Off to work....

Be blessed,
Kim

My addiction....

is all forms of paper arts - scrapbooking, constructions, you name it.....it all enhances my photography (my passion). And what are my favorite brands? Well, it is without a doubt Close To My Heart ....from the fabulous papers and white core cardstock, to the My Acrylix designs that actually drew me into stamping (hated to add designs to paper when I could not see where it was landing), to the sturdy and beautiful Stickease....a girl can not pick just one thing to love! They are the perfect compliment to photos - whether heritage, romantic, faith-based or whimsical! The techniques and tools, such as the distressing tools set or the eyelets, the Liquid Glass, the inks, the markers, all highlight the beautiful pages and cards I create....and it is all so much fun. "Magic", the most recent of the inspirational books in Jeanette's series, gets me really excited to "play". This is my therapy, Close To My Heart is the company that creates the products I choose to design with....it is easy to share their products with others...I could go on for hours - and DO! Nobody can choose just one.......

CTMH forever,
Kim

Welcome Winterrrrr....

with a blast of cold. Below freezing every morning when we rise. "The frost is on the pumpkin" puts it mildly. Had snow at the upper elevations this past weekend and DD and DSIL got to see snow on our way to Helen. It was fun to watch how excited daughter got over this. Their visit was fun and we enjoyed a good time together. They went on the train from Blue Ridge to Copper Hill, TN and back and checked out the local sites. DD was like a kid and it is always enjoyable watching her revert to her "little child" self.

The only bad part of the cold is rolling out of bed at 3:30 - the bed was warm and cozy and the cold, cruel, dark morning is not. I have to remember to praise having my toes above the turf. There are so many things to look at differently - a load of dirty dishes that means you have food to eat - laundry, which means you have clothes to wear - floors to sweep and mop, which means you have a house to live in. We take a lot for granted. Preparing for the possibility of power loss over the winter (a frequent event by report) . Have a lot of logs for the Franklin stove, preparing to can/jar up some soup and make sure the canned goods are stocked so we can eat, and have a generator to run the refrigerator or the pump (yes - if the power goes out we have no water). It is sort of like preparing for hurricanes without the boarding up - and power loss is immediate and unexpected. Hmmmm...wonder were I find a stove-top percolator for my coffee....

The orchard is bedded down with hay/mulch protecting the fragile roots. Blueberries, plums and pears. Still have to pick up apples to make the apple butter and apple sauce for the winter. Yeah, I know, I can go to town and buy it. But home-canned is so much nicer and I can use only the sugar and salt I WANT to. Gonna try the butter and asauce with Splenda this time - better for the waist-line.

Praying for DH for tomorrow night. He starts the All Addictions Anonymous for the community. He is nervous, I am sure. But what a blessing to put the difficult times in his life to work for the good of others. He has a lot to offer them and as always, to learn from them. I am praying all the folks who need to, come and find acceptance and and kindness and a path to a healthier life without substances. They will have a knowledgeable leader with a humble heart to serve. Will let you know the outcome.

Be Blessed,
Kim

The rain has come....

and will knock down the beautiful Fall leaves. I am glad I took a hike through my area and took pictures on Saturday. I got some wonderful photos and will plan a whole book of the photos and send some to Jeff's mom, too. The colors have been so joyful. Even on a day when I am not feeling great, they soothe my soul and make me smile. Since we have no curtains on the windows (a concious choice) waking up to see the trees outside my windows is such a glorious way to wake up.

I know it is the "little" things that make life full. A hot cup of coffee in the morning. A warm fire when it is cold outside. A steaming bowl of home-made soup with crusty bread. Sitting on the porch swing. These are what make the world and every day life wonderful. They are to be celebrated. Owning more "stuff" will not make your life better. Appreciating the small things will.

The "kids" or at least some of them will be here in about a week. DD and DSIL will be here on November 2nd. I am excited to see them and for DD to see the changes to the old homeplace. We have tried to perserve the past and the flavor of the old homeplace in the process of renovations. It will be a surprise to her, I am sure. There is a lot that is the same, but in a fresher way. DSIL has not got the attachment that DD does - this has been a part of her life, all of her life. Lets hope it still feels like home.

Off to work - in the rain - but appreciate the rain too. We need it. We have it. It is a good thing.
Be blessed,
Kim

Amazing....

Fall. The colors are amazing for this color junkie - truly amazing. So many opportunities to shoot fabulous photos - intense colors and dramatic changes. It is our first full-time Fall here in the mountains. The weather is chilly, with the midday warm up only making it to 75o. Soup and crusty breads for dinners before our fire. It will soon change again and we will slip into winter. The cold that comes with Autumn is different - it is like it plays tag - pushing and then trying to slip back behind the rays of sunshine. Eventually, it settles in and stays. It is not unwelcome at first - but some say we will tire of it. As long as we have plenty of firewood and hot,steamy coffees, teas or cocoas in our cups to keep our hands warm, it will be embraced.

I realize I have few clothes to suit the season. A few sweaters, a light jacket, my gloves (if I can find them). I keep heisting DHs socks for wearing with my boots. Slippers have replaced my barefoot ways around the house. The Birkenstocks are currently stored safely away. Sweats to snuggle in. Definitely have to consider investing in a jacket to match the season. They are predicting the first snowfall before Thanksgiving....

Lots of baking and cooking - the breads and soups - and making jams and apple butter later this week. Maybe can up some baked apples. Apple pie filling? Don't know. Being housebound will lead to some experimentation in the kitchen I suspect. The oven being on is okay now. Cookies anyone? Tonight's offering - spicy chili and corny corn muffins - two nights worth of dinner for one cooking - spicy to warm the insides...

It is harder to get out of bed at 4 AM right now...the bed is so warm and the world so cold. What will tempt me out? Cinnamon toast? Pumpkin Cream of Wheat? Options have to include hot coffee for sure - and lots of it - to set up the mind and body for the day to come. We need to start out thanking God because we are vertical and above the turf...and certainly for coffee.

DD and DSIL are coming to visit in a couple of weeks. It will be fun to see her reaction to the house addition and changes we have made - working to finish the kitchen over the next two weeks - move the hot water heater, new paint, flooring, replacing the refrigerator and stove and a new pantry cabinet. A little organization. The house will be complete, other than moving the washer and dryer inside to the laundry room....They can visit the places DD has loved all of her life and spend the chilly evenings before the fire with us. Can't come soon enough....

If you have a chill in the Autumn air where you are, find someone you love to snuggle up with - if it is not chilly, turn down the air conditioner and then snuggle....

Be blessed,
Kim

10.10.10 is

today - and it is fun to say! I always love fun things like this....keeps you on your toes to see who notices it first!

So yesterday and today I made one of my specialties for the church covered dish supper - it was the second anniversary of Fellowship of the Hills. I figured why not make something special. So I made my Turkey-Sausage Stuffing in a Pumpkin. Lots of compliments and requests for the recipe...I promised to put it on here for folks to copy...here you go.

Turkey-Sausage Stuffing in a Pumpkin
1/2 turkey breast, cooked (You can use Jennie-O Turkey roll if you want)
1 package mild ground sausage (you can use spicy if you like it that way)
2 pkgs. Pepperidge Farm Seasoned Herb Stuffing (the bread crumbs)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped apples (Granny Smith or Honey Crisps are best)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 carton chicken broth (I use low-sodium or vegetable broth is good too)
3 shallots, chopped
3/4 c. chopped carrots
1 cup dried cranberries
cinnamon
sage
marjoram
Italian spice mix
butter
medium-large pumpkin (make sure it will fit in your oven with one rack removed)
large aluminum pan

1. Cut the pumpkin lid. I like mine with a stem to make a "handle". Clean out the pumpkin thoroughly.(save the seeds to roast later) Wash out with warm water and dry.
2. Rub the inside of the pumpkin with 1/2 a stick of butter. Rub cinnamon, sage and Italian spice over the interior walls of the pumpkin. Set it aside.
3. In a large skillet, melt the other half of the stick of butter and saute' onion, celery, carrots, apple and shallots on low.
4. Cut turkey into bite sized pieces to make about 2 cups.
5. Set aside the sauteed vegetables.
6. Use the same skillet to brown the sausage on low-medium.(Hold this step if you are starting the dish the night before serving. You don't want it to sit in the stuffing and make it greasy). When the sausage is finished browning, remove to paper towels to drain-dry the grease. Pat the top of the sausage as well.
7. In a very large bowl, mix the veggies, the turkey, 1 1/2 bags of the bread crumbs, the walnuts, the dried cranberries, the sausage, and the container of broth until everything is well-moistened.
8. Put the pumpkin in the pan - spoon the stuffing into the pumpkin until it is filled. Put the pumpkin in the oven, lid loosely on, and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
9. Wrap in foil and set aside. You can store it in the fridge over night and add the sausage the next morning if you wish. Put it in the oven for one hour before serving and heat at 200 degrees for 1 hour.

You can add more bread crumbs if it seems too mushy or you can add a little broth if it is too dry. There are variations you can make - if you have restrictions against pork as many of our Muslim friends do, skip the sausage or use turkey sausage. If you are vegetarian, skip the turkey and sausage and add more vegetables. You serve from the pumpkin - and you can scrape the pumpkin out and eat it as well - a delicious squash side-dish.

So I made it for church today. I love making it. A lot of folks love it too - hope you do....

Be Blessed,

Kim

So Fall....

is really here...our leaves are changing more rapidly...the weather is fairly consistently cool. There is talk we may see the first snow before Thanksgiving. Wow - I am loving the seasons and full-time experiencing these changes. This weekend is the start of our community's Sorghum Festival - a great chance to engage in old fashioned fun and experiences....greased pole climbing, wood-chopping, making wash-day beans, a mule turns the mill to grind the sorghum to make sorghum syrup...arts and crafts....festival food...music....just a great way to spend time on a weekend.

The food tastes wonderful - is it because it is outdoors in the cool, fresh air? Is it the old fashioned recipes? Is it the place where it all comes together? Can't be sure, but I can be sure that it will be fun - a great time for a photo-shoot.

It is great to be in the community where people love to live their lives this way. They love the sharing. Our church celebrates their 2nd anniversary with a covered dish lunch after service. I plan to make the stuffing in the pumpkin dish. The getting together and sharing makes this a beautiful community - simple and happy. Maybe that is the secret to life - simple and happy. God does not tell us to be miserable - He tells us to have Joy. I am willing to try - how about you?

Be blessed,
Kim

Welcome Fall!!

Fall has definitely arrived....temps are in the mid-30s in the mornings and the upper 50s by the afternoon...the weather...fire in the woodstove....the leaves beginning to turn colors....blankets and quilts on the bed....snuggling weather. Framed by the mountains, reminds me regularly why we moved here.

A weekend shoot....pictures of the Indian Summer Festival at Woody Gap school....home-grown and home-made....a school with only 95 students...one of the smallest in the state...K-12...and the whole community turns out to support them - this being their one big annual fund-raiser. Students who work on Local Studies Market making local native projects from jams and pickles to quilts to wood-working projects. Proud of their community and their heritage....kids were everywhere. The crafts were amazing and the homemade pies sensational. The teachers ran a concession stand, there was a turkey shoot ( no turkey's actually hurt in the proceeding - only targets). Students worked at a lot of the booths and helped with the auction. And a good time was had by all.....

Then a drive through the mountains stopping to take photos as we drove....the everydayness of farms and chores....mowing....cutting hay....pumpkins....taking the end of the season crops to the Farmer's Market...only two more weekends of the market before the season ends.

Home and making garlicky, garlic dill pickles - 9 jars. Total of 24 jars of various types of pickles. Next will be canning of applesauce and apples. Then jams from frozen fruit. Making pies to freeze. Great jars of harvest specials on the shelves.

Soon, the "kids" will come to visit - lots of goodies to cook for them. Jambalaya for LaVell. A turkey stuffing pumpkin. Maybe a visit to the apple orchard to pick apples and have lunch. Nacoochee Grille and Helen for a day. Time to visit and enjoy more evenings of fires in the stove. More warm quilts and blankets.....

Lots to do to get ready for that....cookies to bake....other goodies to prepare......off to get busy in the kitchen.

Be blessed,
Kim

The best part of living in a small town...

is experiencing some of the "regular" activities through the town you live in. For us, this weekend we attended the local high school's homecoming game - the Friday night lights from Union County. If you come to Blairsville on a Friday night and wonder what has happened to traffic, you will be happy or relieved to know no one disappeared. Check out the high school, middle school, elementary school and surrounding points to find all of town parked and folks headed to the stadium for the football game. They cheer on their Panthers, heart and soul. That kind of dedication is never found in big cities, where so many high schools exist in one town. The game was a little disappointing - they got beaten soundly - but folks enjoyed all the dresses and hoop - la any way!

Today was a visit to the local farmer's Market - fresh honey Crisp Apples, corn and cucumbers so I can put up corn and pickles....amazingly fresh...friendly folks...and the Culinary students from the North Georgia Technical College took the challenge to make food for First Responders from local produce and items sold at the market. They had Brasstown Organic Beef and all the produce - the students were creative. They made so much that everyone was invited to share. Sharing is what makes this place so different from big cities - kindness, consideration and caring - all part of the people here. Just a taste of "Country Life".

So at home I worked with the Seal-A-Meal to put up corn. Easy portion sizing. Fresh made with just blanching. Tomorrow will try some cream-corn assembly and pickles - new recipe and old one - new one - Garlic Cinnamon pickles - old one - Bread and Butter pickles. Maybe next week to try Garlic Dills - emphasis on the garlic!

Also want to create some jams - maybe peach/blueberry or apple/pear combos with toasted walnuts. The barbecue ribs for dinner were from a local guy with a great little stand - sending some of his original barbecue sauce to Drew at school, along with Honey Crisp apples and apple pies along with hot apple cider mixes - a mouthful of the mountains and i little piece of heaven from home!

Ahhhhh....I hear the rain....herbs to harvest tomorrow- church and errands....maybe a nap.

Be Blessed,
Kim

Labor Day....

is an interesting idea, but it does not really apply to many folks around here. Farmers can't take a day off for Labor Day and they are some of the most hard-working folk around. Truck drivers were still driving yesterday. Hourly and part-time employees were working in stores, at hospitals, emergency and fire departments and police stations. Some of our staff worked, taking care of our patients. Labor Day is kind of like Boxing Day - a day off for the working class, but not everyone gets to enjoy it. It seems it was so much better when nearly everyone had off Sundays with their families - not everyone did, of course, but most did. A day at home and church. Time for dad to throw the baseball or listen to/watch a game. Everything was closed down - stores, most restaurants, the mall. We lost that (or gave it up) to make more money. LOVE of money is the root of all evil - and it cost us our Sabbath. Families lost time to play together and even to NAP! We suffer as a result. This sleep deprived nation of crankies stays up watching cable TV - whatever happened to stations signing off at midnight and starting again at 5 AM or 6? If everything (and I mean computers and all) shut down at night, folks would learn to go to bed and sleep....I hear my bed calling and know I need a NAP. So off to enjoy my delicious luxury....refreshment.

Be Blessed,
Kim

Happily Home Again...

now that youngest is settled in at JWU in Miami for the next part of his journey. We are home again in our mountains. There are so many things that made us ready for the trip home...the heat/humidity/stickiness of Florida (both South and Central) - here it is cool and the windows are open this evening. It has been down as low as 41 degrees in the morning this past week. The weather is perfect. Next we will not miss the smells of carbon monoxide and rubber tires on hot asphalt....here, as we drive through the forest, we smell a fresh, strong, earthy smell - is it the sourwood or the oak trees? It is heady and rich and so sweet to smell - soon to be mixed with the smell of burning hardwoods as we begin to light our fires in our fireplaces....we also will not miss the rudeness of the people (not the JWU folks - they were wonderful - or our daughter and sil) but clerks and others - pushing, swearing, rude, unable to even acknowledge a kind word or polite greeting. I suppose it comes from living in such crowded, noisy conditions - and that is another thing I won't miss - the noise - overwhelming and continuous. Here I am listening to the cicadas chirping ....rhythmic and reassuring. No traffic noise. No people noise. The trip only makes it easier to appreciate the homestead and the mountains that surround it.

Youngest chooses the big city and the hustle and bustle... not for me. Very little rest in the past 6 days, but feel at peace now that I am home. Tomorrow it is back to early morning wake up call and work....ahhhhhhhhh.

Be blessed,
Kim

A little breeze....

and nice weather has me sighing. Sighing because have to travel down to Florida to take the youngest to college. It is not the college thing. It is the anticipation of hot and humid weather - yuck! While away, I can promise I will be dreaming about being back here in the mountains at home.

Two blueberry bushes added to the orchard. Two give a better chance of bigger berries. Maybe we will see blueberry pies and jams next year. No canning this year, I guess. Did visit Sunrise Grocery and got okra, yellow squash, scupernongs, fresh apples and hoop cheese. Also a couple of the delicious fried apple pies.....yum. Can't get to canning or freezing. Still too much to get done. I will enjoy getting some apples later this month - maybe I can dehydrate some and make some pies....

Looking forward to Fall - cooler weather, fall leaves, apple cider with spices. A breath of fresh air. Might have to check out a high school football game. Maybe the homestead will be finished by the first winter chill. Working on the studio now - getting everything a place to be. Then I can begin creating again...have enough supplies I think. Maybe I should teach classes again? Let's see where the Lord leads...

Off to finish working in the studio.

Be Blessed,
Kim

Slip away....

into the fog that enrobes our woods in the mornings - that is what time does - and that is why I am 10 days since last post. Time actually got "squeezed" by the ever demanding "to do" list. In the mornings, however, the fog is there and it slips around the trees, leaving some parts revealed and some parts shrouded and imperceptible. Our temperatures overnight are in the 60s and the lack of humidity makes everything here so pleasant. About to add to the orchard of the future with some "tall" blueberry bushes and blackberries too, I hope. Then wait and nurture and wait some more before we get jams and sweet breads - yummmmm.

It is kind of like that with kids - we have waited, watched and nurtured and now youngest heads off to college. Next week will be crazy busy and we will venture back into the heat and humidity to move him to college - the next step of his journey. It will be hectic and it will fly by - as has his youth and that of our other children. Seems like yesterday that they were just babies....

Speaking of babies, my precious pink baby passed away yesterday - or at least suffered a fatal blow. Her vid-something is messed up and so, I will be receiving a new one in 2-3 weeks. Disposable society. Everything can be replaced. I really liked her. She went most places with me - used her a lot in her short life. I can't even save her skin - I will have to order a new one for the new baby. I will have to use Jeff's in the interim to get by. Just a bump in the road - she is replaceable. But people are not. So should be glad it is just a machine I personified and not one of my true loved ones. Puts a damper on getting photos done.....oh well... now to journey out into the cool morning fog.....

Sunday, Sunday....

lazy Sunday. First, breakfast and the Sunday AJC paper with coffee. Then church with all those lovely people and getting to know them. DH has joined the Men's Bible Study - I can't join the ladies because it is during the work day. But we signed up to bring in pastries for Sunday fellowship and I have offered to make some home-made bio-degradable cleaners for the project to make baskets of cleaning supplies and personal items that low-income families can't buy with food stamps - shampoos, toothpaste, brushes and cleaners, detergents etc. Also getting patterns to crochet prayer shawls for those in the nursing home. But, service is restful - music provided by Dan on guitar, a keyboardist and a set of drums. Simple. Refreshing. Real. It is the first time I have enjoyed church in a long time - it is more personal.

Then home - groceries put away. Took a brief nap (love those naps!) and then up to start to sort through boxes to get things put away. Got some work done in the studio, but have more to do this evening in the bedroom to get the suitcases put away.

Now it is time for DH to watch the PGA tournament and I prepare dinner. I actually love to cook, when I have time. Cooked breakfast - veggie scrambled eggs with cheese, toast and bacon. Now working on dinner - a true Cajun inspired meal. Cajun spiced chicken, red beans and rice, fresh pole beans (cooked with a little bacon) and for dessert - home made banana pudding - the kind with the vanilla wafers. Have to use COOKED vanilla pudding - none of that instant stuff - creamy, cakey, and real. Made Louisiana-style Cuzzin's iced tea - one Luzianne quart tea bag, one mint tea bag, one orange tea bag - 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup Splenda, 1 gallon water. Boil water and pour over the tea bags, THEN add the sugar and Splenda so they don't just sit on the bottom. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup orange juice and 1tsp. mint extract. You can garnish the iced tea with mint leaves - very summery and refreshing....

Yep, cooking is fun. Cooking for two is different. Working on the left-overs thing. DH grilled a turkey breast today, so that will be a good starter for this weeks dinners. Got chorizo for our Thai-fusion Chorizo Stir Fried Rice. Have to bake brownies for a certain boy away from home and banana-strawberry-nut muffins for early breakfast. Maybe a quiche - veggie or bacon? Saw a great recipe for potato-crusted salmon.....hmmmmmm..what box are the recipe books in?

Be blessed,
Kim

"Make rest and refreshment....

a necessity, not a luxury." Dan Zadra. Hmmmmm...sensing a theme here, carried over from yesterday. Rest. Refreshment. I have a few more luxuries to be grateful for....a comfortable chair where I can fall asleep and nap without planning. Laying down later, after moving more furniture, just to read about my composter and future chicken brood. Chases away the chronically cranky leanings one might acquire without it. Need to take refreshment from the Word of God daily - as a necessity, not a luxury.

Moved more furniture today - DH's $10 walnut desk, 4' x 7' bought from a church yard sale (can you say heavy lifting?) which I say (as I have said before) I am NEVER going to move again. (Make it NEVER, EVER.) The old dining room table, which is now headed for my studio. And boxes - lots and lots of boxes - lots of them. Can you say sore muscles?

So, I took a little rest afterwards - not a nap - just a "layabout". Dinner sort of cooked itself. I thought of a few simple luxuries we got to enjoy and get to enjoy because of where we live. Fresh, locally grown sweet corn, cooked just right, with creamy butter - fresh, locally grown, pole beans (the flat green beans) cooked just right, with a little bacon and a little salt - Jim's ribs ( a local guy with a road-side Bar-B-Que/smoker and his home-made sauce that is heaven on earth) - no urgent schedule - the luxury of time. Those are all the little luxuries we are enjoying here.

Seeing lots of wildlife - several bear sightings, deer sightings and other, smaller critters. They have plenty to eat - the bear we saw at the old folk's place was eating the corm left for the deer, stopped by the pond as he ambled by and caught a big trout and carried it up the hill as he headed for the blueberry patch - perfect meal with protein, vegetable and fruit! He has a tough life!

We have several things coming up - we are hopeful we get to the closing on the Restoration House at Serenity Woods homestead next Friday, August 20th, then taking Drew to college September 1-6th. After all of that, we are planning a weekend "field trip" (literally) to Mercier Apple Orchard for a morning of u-picking apples and lunch at the orchard. Apples to make canned applesauce, spiced apples and other apple goodies. Preparing to pick up a bushel of that sweet corn and flash freezing it. Also planning to "can up" some home-made salsa, flash-freezing pole beans and freezing peppers. May take a crack at peach preserves and blueberry jam. Better get started on the blueberries and peaches. This evening though, think it is time to work on the quilted wall-hanging in the living room and tomorrow to organize and empty boxes......but maybe a rest first....

Be blessed,
Kim

One of life's little luxuries....

is a taking a nap. Nothing better than curling up on the bed and taking a great restful sleep. It only costs time. Why is it we start fighting naps at the ripe old age of 4 or 5 years old? We are a sleep-deprived nation. I think there is something to be said for Sundays off with the family and times of rest each day. The Spanish-speaking and tropical islands have the right idea -siesta each day. I plan to indulge more often when I get home from work, so I can spend some evening time with DH. My early wake-up call (4 AM to get to work at 5 AM) means I can usually get home in early afternoon - time for a nap! I can curl up with a good book or magazine and then drift off to sleep. That will also give me time to work in the studio - which is coming along - lots of boxes to empty. Then my therapy will be complete. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

So, in the middle of...

chaos. my DH goes out and buys me a present. For my birthday. I had given him a bunch of not so expensive suggestions to chose from. Nope. He had other ideas. So he bought me my cowgirl boots. I had been wanting boots since last Spring, but no time and no money. Figured they would wait until he won the lottery or something.
He got me a beautiful pair of teal and brown boots with embroidered tops. One problem. Toe was too narrow. You know the type - cockroach kickers - toe fits in the corners. Couldn't make it work. So we packed it up and headed for the Cowboy Store to see what we could do. See I have been walking barefoot or in Birkenstocks, so my feet are flatter and wider than they once were,
so not pointy toed shoes for me.
At the Cowboy Store, I tried on about a half-a-dozen. I loved some of the colors on the uppers - they can get downright wild. I finally set my heart on a pair that are gingerbread brown on the bottom and purple on top with pink, blue, purple and peach embroidered flames on the uppers and a flaming peace sign. They rock! Since they were on sale and much less than what Jeff spent on me, I also got a soft purple cowboy hat with silver and jeweled trim, a baseball cap with a jeweled peace sign, that matches the boots and a boot jack, and he got money back....
So now I am ready to take on the world - which way to the rodeo?
Be Blessed,
Kim

So, how do you spend....

a quiet weekend at home? Resting, relaxing, taking a nap, reading a good book or working on a crafts project? Canning fresh produce or making jams to celebrate summer? Nope. Not this time. Instead, we are trimming doors and windows. To appease the appraiser God. See, unbeknownst to us, a house is unlivable and unsellable without all your windows and doors trimmed and without baseboards. Did you know? How many times have you entered any home and thought about their window trim or baseboards? Yeah - me neither. I won't go on to explain why I think this is a scam - too upsetting - but suffice it to say, this was not how I planned to spend my weekend. Working. On stuff I wasn't ready either by plan or finances to work on. The job is not pretty - it is clunky and square and not at all the handsome designs I had in my head. It was all we could afford. Beyond Basic. Blah. But it had to be done. And I am not sure if I will later undo and redo it, after the appraiser God is satisfied and I get past the magical "closing" ritual. We'll see. After I get over it.

The four-legged furball really did herself in this time. Her last escape and adventure must have lead her to eat something truly sickening. She has had the runs for three days. Woke up in the middle of the night the other night for my nightly hike to the bathroom and stepped right in it. Yuck. Cleaning up the mess at 2:00 AM did not create warm fuzzy feelings toward furball. At night she is now required to sleep in the bathroom until she is over this so she has a limited space to make messes in. Not to worry - the bathroom is the size of some bedrooms. Plenty of room. The floor is easier to clean and shows nothing afterward. I can turn on the light to check for messes as I approach. As for her being sick, we have been feeding her white rice for two days, which usually fixes her right up, but no luck so far. She does not appear sick and mopey and grudgingly eats her rice. (I noticed some under her bowl - sloppiness or trying to hide some? Who knows.) Going to make her some rice and see if Imodium AD is okay for dogs. I thought they had cast-iron stomachs.....

The neighbors below are upset with us - the leaves, gravel and rain ("debris) wash down onto their driveway. They don't like it. They took a pick axe and dug a trench across our driveway. We had it regraded to fill it in. They sent us a note. Does not seem to occur to them it is because their paver decided to dump some "leftover" asphalt on our driveway to create an "apron" without our knowledge or permission. In doing so they raised our driveway to be even with theirs and the road. They also sealed off the drainage culvert. Before they did that there was no problem - our gravel surface was lower than their driveway and the road and the water just ran off the sides into the ditch. It is their opinion that we should pave our driveway. Hmmm. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But we are not going to pave. To do so makes our driveway dangerous in winter with ice, so we either can't get up or can't get down safely. It messes with the environment as it limits the rainwater's ability to soak into the ground and go to the aquifer. Besides, since it costs almost $5,000. who plans on paying for it, if we wanted to do it, which we don't. So guess they will just have to remove the asphalt apron or pay the county to do so. That would solve the problem. Of course it really solves the problem if folks don't pave over paradise, live with the Master Gardener's plants and landscaping and stay off other folk's property. Just sayin'. Don't think they will be happy with our response - but they really won't like the bill for the clean up from the county. Or the fact they encroached on our property with their landscaping and have to move it (my DD says charge them rent for the land at $100. per square foot- nah - prefer they return it to it's natural state). Love the neighbors, really I do.

But when I get frustrated with all the craziness and chaos, I look out a window and see the mountains across from mine....look to the mountains from whence comes my strength....
Ahhhhhhh.

Off to hammer more nails and paint a few things....

Be Blessed,
Kim

As the rain comes down.....

in buckets. The sound is music on the metal roof (part tin and part other metal) and my plants and the orchard have no complaints. If the rain keeps up (we are getting a cool front tomorrow - isn't that great?) for a few days, we can have the fella' come back and re-grade and gravel our driveway. We'll put cement on the top (in light amounts) and water it to make the gravel hold together better.....a more sturdy solution for the winter months.

So now, what do you get for a couple who have everything, need nothing and are celebrating their anniversary? It is their 54th and they are my parents. DH and I will be taking them to Brass Town Resort for the seafood buffet tomorrow night to celebrate. Very elegant. Dad likes the seafood part. Mom likes the elegant part. But what to get them?

On their 50th, they had planted a Japanese Maple. With the drought, it did not make it. So, even though they have a forest full of trees surrounding them, we thought it would be a great idea to get a replacement Japanese Maple for their yard. Off DH and I went to go "tree shopping" at a local nursery (we have actually been looking for about a week). At the nursery, we are checking out all the various Japanese Maples - DH says they are "Acers". The nursery is on the outside of town near where I remember my grandfather's farm being. Jeff went off to find some help, when I found the perfect tree. The name suited the occasion perfectly - a "Glowing Embers" Japanese Maple - get it - "glowing embers" for the celebration of a long-term marriage. So we packed it up, picked up a card, said something schmaltzy and cliche' and drove over to deliver it.

Funny part was, at 3:30, we passed them on the road into town as they headed off to an anniversary dinner....they did not notice us, but their truck is distinctive. It made it all the better to get to their house and deliver the tree while they were gone. Mission of the tree fairies accomplished.

When it rains here, we lose satellite feed. We get to be entertained by the rain and it's sounds, read or as I am now, write for the Blog. The four-legged fur-ball is distressed by the rain....she gets whiny (sounds like a teenager again) and so she makes us slightly crazy - whether she intends to or it is just coincidental, she is quite successful. I can stand whiny babies and laugh at and scold whiny teens - but whiny creatures can not be reasoned with. Silence of the beast would make the sound of the rain more enjoyable.

Well, off to do some research for work. Listening to the rain is soothing and the storms here in the mountain are just so much more raw and powerful. Battery back-up for the alarm clock is installed in case we lose power (common for stormy weather here) and I have 2 hours of battery or more for the computer if needed. Just another perfect day in paradise - the mountains....

Be blessed,
Kim

So today....

we went to church at Fellowship of the Hills again. This time no run-away hound to make us late. The service had visiting missionaries from Guatemala and Africa. For a little church, they have a big heart and are promising some support to these missionaries each month. The church is small, but does not seem focused on the trappings that money can buy. The pastors are volunteers except for the head pastor and I sense he is not paid a lot. No big expensive building or building fund. It is the way I think the church is meant to be.

Home to paint the rest of the living room and dining room - a beautiful soft blue, which frames the windows which reveal at the beauty of our woods - so many shades of green out there - more beautiful than a painting. We can see the mountains across from ours through our trees. A beautiful view. The only interuption to our blue wall is the electrical panel in the living room, so I have found material to make a quilted wall hanging to cover it and blend with the wall nicely.

We just finished watching "The Notebook". Both of us end up teary-eyed with this movie - it brings up so much about our future and the future of our parents. I plan to make every effort to care for mine in their home for as long as is possible. I hope the same for the two of us....

Suppose I ought to go make dinner, then take some fresh corn to the parents' house, before coming home to turn in early - work tomorrow....
Be Blessed,
Kim

Took a few...

days off from the blog - trying to catch up on sleep and busy with work on the house - painting and putting in flooring. Today it was the first annual "Green Bean Festival" in Blairsville, so we just had to check it out. Great experience with many folks selling their fresh produce and arts and crafts - all local farms and craftsmen. It was a good time with fresh apple cider made into slushies - wonderful on a sunny, summer day. Folks are all so friendly and produce in abundance. Delicious - should have taken more cash.

We waited this afternoon for a storm warning - had some rain - but no storms or thunder or real bad weather - being a weatherman is the only job where you can be paid a lot and still be wrong at least 50% of the time! I can usually tell when we are about to get a real storm - it is so dark and cloudy I can't see the mountains nearby. When it is done raining, you can see the mountains through the mist. But when the storm is coming, you can't see the mountains at all.

Had the drive up to the house graded - not rocked yet - need a lot of rain for that to work out - but at least our drive in is less treacherous. Once it is wet enough, it will be rocked and graded and we can add some concrete mix and hold it all together for a better road with a little grip to it. Nothing looks finished around here - stuff is stacked as we work on all the projects. It will start to feel more homey by Fall, I think. Meantime, we just have to be patient.

Lost one of the pepper plants - not sure why - it is in the same pot, with the same soil and fertilizer, same amount of water, but one is dead and the other thrives....tomato plant looks great but no tomatoes or blossoms. The herbs need to be cut back and dried, as they are thriving.

Off for a cuppa decaf and then bed....still catching up on my sleep.
Be blessed,
Kim

Full Moon....

...filling the woods light last night. Visits to the bathroom were well-lit for a change and no tripping over things in the dark.

Today, we have had a somewhat "gray" day - it wants to rain and still hasn't. It was hot and not a breath of a breeze anywhere in sight. I watched the leaves and they stayed perfectly still. I tried to to get a nap, but the four-legged one was having none of it. DH made it to sleep before me, so in order to let him sleep, I had to lure her out of the bedroom. No nap allowed for me, so maybe a little earlier to bed tonight. We moved the living room around to give her more room to lay on the floor for her nap, but it made no difference - she still sleeps in the middle of the floor, where everyone can step over her to leave or enter the living room.

The carpet is all out. Jeff pulled it up. We are working on the old bedroom next. Painting and then new flooring. As soon as the road is graded and rocked this week, we can bring more stuff up from the storage shed and get the rooms in order - once we figure out where we put the furniture we need.....now where did we put that?
Be Blessed,
Kim

Sunday refreshements...

started with sleeping in until 7:30 AM. That is not really late, but it is as late as the four-legged one will allow me to sleep (she is also not big on us taking naps.) She does not want to go out for her morning reprieves - she just wants to be sure we are aware it is light outside and therefore we should be up. She is worse than a rooster!

We started getting ready for church when she took off again - we called and DH searched, but she escaped for another "adventure of discovery" again. We finally left and headed out for services at the first church we planned to try. It was frustrating and worrisome to leave her out like that, but not much to be done. She is worse than a rebellious teen-ager and DH and I already went through that stage with the kids.

We attended worship at Fellowship of the Hills. It is a small non-denominational church that currently operates in a large metal building. Folks were friendly. The congregatiuon might be 50 if you count the kids. Still, it was uplifting, filled with the Word and how to apply it to your life. I believe DH and I will attend again.

Got more chores done around the homestead. Needed rain, which came later. Took some vegetables over to the folks, and visited briefly. On the way back home from their place, we ran into a mama bear and her cub. Mama was sitting on the roadside and baby was playing below. We startled them and they high-tailed it up a nearby tree. Mama came on back down, but baby remained aloft, peeking around the tree at us. We decided to move on so they wouldn't be so upset. There have been three up at the folks place and they are very active this season. Plenty to eat right now with the wild blueberries and raspberries in the woods and streams full of trout. (Of course, I don't think they avoid the trash cans if left unattended - it is their version of 7-11 quickie mart for a snack!)

Rainy weather should cool it down a little and will get our road ready for the graders this week. I love the rain on the tin(metal) roof.....

Be blessed,
Kim

New and amazing....

adventures today! I went to office briefly to manage a few details for next week, when most of my staff is out - one for surgery, one for vacation, one for a personal day....then DH and I went to try a new adventure and had breakfast at the Old Sawmill. It was nice enough but too polished to suit me - think I 'll go back to the Hole in the Wall. I prefer their "style" - not too polished but the food is good and the wait staff and cook well known to us.

We stopped off at Home Depot (I swear it is a daily event) and got the materials to create our closet interior so we could hang our clothes up. DH then dropped me off at a women's group for "new folks" and spent two hours with a group of ladies from various churches worshipping the Lord and working to establish small groups. I am game and will see how it goes. It could be a good leading from the Lord.

Then we headed over to Meeks Park for the Butternut Creek Art Festival. The artisan tents were clustered under the trees next to Butternut Creek. It was shady and had a slight breeze, but it was still hot. It was fun to see all their creations and the way their work was appreciated - from quilts to woodwork and everything in between. A glass of fresh lemonade and lots of photos later, we headed home. I was able to take a nap....a real luxury.

We decided to check out Blue Ridge for dinner and ate at the Blue Jeans Pizza and Pasta Company. Dinner was good and the trip refreshing because we got to see farms and other rural communities on the way. On the way home, the mists were rising around the mountains which certainly belies their "smokey" designation. The moon is nearly full and the light was clear.

Came home and finally moved our bed into our new bedroom. First night to sleep there. Have the bedside tables in, but not the dresser yet. We will have to replace the mirror that goes with the dresser as it broke in transit. Still, we are making progress.

Exploring our new area is fun. These little excursions are exciting. There are many more adventures ahead for us, so stay tuned......
Be Blessed,
Kim

Okay, today is....

HOT. It was 98 degrees - not humid - but still hot. Drew says it is hot in AZ and I believ e him - this is not bad if you like a sauna. It is dry, too. Time to water the trees in the orchard and the veggies we are growing - tomatoes, bell peppers, and the herbs....

What do you do with your 4-legged fur friends when they act like misbehaving children? Libby takes off on Jeff whenever he is outside - so much to explore, I guess. The problem is when she is gone for a long time - we worry because she has seizures. So she ran off today and Jeff could not find her. Later, when he came back from toen, he found her at the bottom of the hill with a new "friend" - a golden retriever. I do not like to have my pets wander un supervised - it is a safety thing - but I guess she is just tempted by the desire to explore. Gonna' have to keep a close eye on her, I guess.

Planning on making some jam...maybe strawberry and blackberry....low sugar, of course. I used to make jam and I love to preserve the bountiful veggies of summer to use year around. I hope to make pickles and can some green beans and tomatoes. Green beans are plentiful and next weekend is the 1st annual Green Bean Festival. All kinds of "happenings" for that festival. This weekend is the Butternut Creek Art Festival and I am looking forward to attending for the first time - a little time off. Our area here in the mountains has a lot of great festivals to offer. Can't wait to attend them all! They celebrate the unique flavor of the area from its agricultural experience, natural activities of camping, mountain hiking and climbing, the history of the area from the old cars and tractors to dances and music, to the natural beauty of Fall leaves. So simple, so much to enjoy. Think I will go out and watch the fireflies ("fairy lights") with a glass of tea or cup of coffee.....
Be blessed,
Kim

In the light...

of the silvery moon - I got up last night in the middle of the night and had no trouble finding my way to the bathroom. It was because the moon was amazingly bright. I guess all those years surrounded by the street lights diminished the moon's light. But here, I can see the moon and a sky full of stars - they have no competition from artificial light. I remember last summer driving through the national forest and the sky was as bright as it could be and lit up the trees in an extravagant light...it took my breath away as I drove through the darkness of the forest, enrobed with the light.

So many things here take my breath away and make me stop - fields of corn and hay, the smell of the rain as it soaks the earth, seeing the "critters" that live around us, the deer, the rabbits and others, the mountains in view through most of my windows. It is a joy to wash your dinner dishes, when you have such a spectacular view of mountains and the woods just outside the window. Tonight, I plan to sit out and watch the fireflies (we call them "fairy lights") and do nothing else but listen to the cicadas. Now, it is time to be off to work.
Be blessed,
Kim

One down....

One to go! We passed the final building/electrical/mechanical inspection and now have only the appraisal tomorrow. Hope you can all pray for success with that so we can close the home loan. Then we can spend some time getting out and taking a few breaks away from the work. Floor has been put in in the pantry/hallway. Progress is slow but sure.

Looking forward to getting the porch swing back up. I love to sit there to do my Bible study - will have to do it after work every day since my day starts earlier than the sun rises. It is so great to soak in the Word of God as you look out at the mountains that surround you. I look forward to taking a glass of lemonade and relaxing out front, swinging along and hanging with the Father.....

Night is so much darker here - no lights to interfere with the starlight - sleep is great and no city lights to bother our sleep. I will say the cicadas' have such a chorus all night, though, that you can even hear it through closed windows. It is so much more comforting than the sounds of boom-cars, screeching tires and city noises.....

Off to bed - have to be up at 4 AM to get ready for work....
Be blessed,
Kim

Another day in paradise

Funny, how people have different descriptions of paradise ....for me it is here in the mountains, with all the trees, fresh air and critters. We have seen a few - multiple doe, rabbits, turkeys and a bear. Every drive is a pleasure - so little traffic and so much more courtesy....yep, that's paradise to me..

Finished the electrical and hand rails and are set up for the building codes folks to visit and sign off on our certificate of occupancy - then it is on to the appraisal. If we can get through all of this this week, then we can breathe a little and move on to working on the house a little at a time - there is a lot to do, but we can take it on a little more calmly. Soon we will have our bedroom set up in the new bedroom and can begin working on Jeff's den.

Got some baking done yesterday - gluten-free peanut butter cookies, chocolate chip cookies, peach pie and blackberry pie. Fresh local-grown fruit - makes yummy pies. Fresh produce (locally grown) for salads - orange colored tomatoes that taste so great, greens, fresh peppers, cucumbers - so much flavor - beats the grocery store veggies and fruit....made the pb cookies for one of our staff who has celiac, but Jeff loves 'em too. No flour used at all...good stuff.

Meanwhile, if everything goes as planned, we can take the weekend off a little. I am joining a ladies group Saturday morning for prayer and support and then Jeff and I will check out the Butternut Art Festival down at Meeks Park. A little break on a Saturday in summer under the trees next to the creek....sounds like...well, like paradise.

Be blessed,
Kim

Welcome to Restoration House at Serenity Woods

Hi there - welcome to our heaven and haven. I have never blogged before and have to figure it out, so please be patient.

We are still working away on the house and preparing for the visit from the codes folks to pass and get our certificate of occupancy on the addition...then it is on to our appraisal. This week we have had the underpinning finished, Jeff has put in the railing around the back deck and is installing the attic vent. He still has to finish the hand rails on the steps out back. I painted the pantry a dark wine/red color. I have to finish a little trim and then put in the flooring.
Taking some time out to finish the first of the first crocheted valance for the kitchen window. I am also planning to bake some gluten-free peanut butter cookies as well as chocolate chips for the staff - also got raw veggies and dip and gluten-free crackers. Like to give them a treat each week, if I can. One staff member has celiac, so try to find gluten-free stuff to have as well.

Things here are busy and we are tired, but I just have to work on my veggie plants or check the woods around me and I get refreshed and know that the work now is because this is our "forever" home now and we are working to make it comfortable. The plants all love it here so much better - can only figure it is because they are really in farm country and feel they belong! Weather is not so hot or humid and they seem to thrive.

After the back rooms are finished and the baseboards in, we can move the furniture in and start using them. It will make things more comfortable. I look forward to putting my studio together after the bedroom is finished. Once the bedroom is moved into its new location, we can pull up the carpet in the former bedroom, paint the one plaster wall and put in the new flooring. We can move in the furniture into the studio and I can begin to sort out all of my stash and equipment. Then I can get back to scrapping! Yippee!! So much to scrap.

Still have to plan trip to take Drew to college the first of September. He is busy working in AZ for the summer and I know he misses his friends.
Off to do some baking....
Be blessed,
Kim