Busy Times

It's been really cool here lately so Cathy decided she'd start canning.  Our neighbor, Joe, has a rather large vegetable garden but they're not quite ready to harvest yet.  He did bring Cathy a bag of cucumbers and beets that she's gonna can.  So we headed up to our favorite farm in Monticello, Kentucky and bought corn, tomatoes, green beans and squash.  I usually help with the blanching which allows Cathy to sit at the kitchen table and process for canning.

 

So - yesterday she canned 11 pints of Salsa, 8 pts and 8 qts of green beans, 6 pts of beets (pickled and plain) and 4 pts of corn.  She had already canned the blackberries that I'd picked the other day and made blackberry jam.  It's terrific stuff.  I already had some on a biscuit with my biscuits and gravy for breakfast. 







 

 

So did I sit around and watch her work all day - Nah - I worked on her HONEYDO list.  She wanted a lattice surround on the street side of our hot tub so that was my project.  I figured it'd take about an hour or so since we already had all the materials.  But ooooooohhhhhhh nnnnoooooo.  There's nothing straight and plumb about this place and that includes the porch and deck.  The corner 6 x 6 post is twisted and the other post is shorter.  I had originally figured I'd build the lattice frames on the ground and lift them into place.  Uh - Nope.  Had to cut each piece separately.  The top 2 x 4 is grooved in the middle to accept the 9/16" lattice.  Anyway - it took about 3 hours to complete but it didn't turn out too badly. 

 

And now - - if you have a few more minutes  -  - I made this video of our Moon flowers blooming in the evening.  Most people probably figure it's time lapse photography but it ain't.  My camera will film a 10 minute movie and I only needed about 4 minutes.  I know - it's kinda boring, like watching grass grow but it's neat to actually watch the buds unfold into a full blown flower.  There's a Hummingbird moth that finds these flowers and helps with the pollination.  My neighbor, Joe, told me about them and I said Yea - right!  So he invited us up to watch his bloom.  Then this spring he gave me 4 plants.  Ya gotta control them cause they spread like wildfire.  I'm hoping the mulch will control that.  Here goes:  Hum - don't think it's gonna work.  It's taking forever to load.  I'll check on video uploads to this blog and try again later.  But, in the meantime, here's a pic of what it looks like after it blooms.

Sorry about that.  Oh well, back to work...

 

It's That Time of Year Again!!!

Yup -  It's amazing what a little sun, rain and cool weather can do here on the mountain.

That entire hillside is loaded with

Oh Yea!!  They're better this year.  A whole lot bigger than last year.  It only takes about 45 minutes to get a gallon.

I'm tellin' ya these are terrific.  Cathy made me some Blackberry Jam, about 6 pints worth.  I can't wait to dig in.  Even the seeds won't bother me.   My neighbor, Joe, came over about 7AM and away we went.  It was in the high 50's and we didn't even break a sweat picking berries in the full sun.  After we finished filling our buckets, we parked our backsides in the shade and swapped sea stories for about 30 minutes.  What a way to begin a day.  I've picked about 2 gallons and there's sooooo many more out there.  I watched as deer were taking their fill of them right next to the house.  I never knew they ate blackberries.  They have to compete with me and Joe, the turkeys and black bears up here.  It's a wonderful life!!

We're Back

Well - it's been awhile since our last post, just before our trip to my 50th class reunion, I believe.  Anyway we went and what a trip.  We both really enjoyed the respite.  We stayed with my sister, Diane in Troy, Illinois.  The reunion was held in Salem, Ill and we had quite a turn out.  The only way I remembered my fellow students was by nametags.  I think we all suffered from the same "old timers disease."  Many of my classmates have remained in or near Kinmundy, Illinois and therefore knew each other but those of us who had moved away were stymied.  There were 42 in our graduating class and about 12 have passed on. 

The top picture was the first school I remember going to.  There was an add-on behind that two story brick building that housed the elementary school  class rooms but in 1955, a new elementary school was built about a mile outside town.  That left the middle (7/8 grades) schoolers attending the old school.  My classrooms were in the lower story, with 7th grade on the left and 9th grade on the right.  They were single rooms for each grade until you reached freshman year then you changed rooms with each subject.  The middle picture on the left is the old gymnasium which was ultimately replaced by the newer gymnasium in the lower picture in 1956. 

 These were the cakes that were specially made for our reunion.  The lower cake shows our school name, "The Hornets."  We had a catered meal, typical of Midwestern fair with Ham, chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, hot rolls, mixed punch, coffee and iced tea.  Ya can't get any more Illinois than that - meat and taters.   One of our classmates provided a photographer who continually took pictures which are to be put on dvd and given to each of us free of charge.  Prior to the actual reunion, our classmate Robert "Bob" Ingram opened the "Ingram's Log Cabin Village" just outside of Kinmundy for visitation. 

His Mom, Erma, started this project about 1959.  I remember working with Bob and another classmate, Jackie Mulvaney (now deceased), on reassembling the first 2 story cabin onsite.  We would go out to the original site, where the cabin was located, and number each log from the base log up.  The numbering system was based on the direction the cabin was facing so that we could reassemble the cabin facing the same direction after it was relocated to the "Ingram's Log Cabin Village."   If you look closely you can see the numbers on the logs at the corners.  Anyway we had the 2nd story of the log cabin up and it collapsed.  Jack was the only one to suffer an injury, he had a nail puncture through his ear lobe, lucky lucky guy.  I mentioned this to Bob when we were touring the village and he remembered it.  That cabin's logs were rotted through the middle and would not support the weight of the upper story.  Bob said it was still located where it fell in, just beyond this cabin in the wooded area. 



 

Even after Erma's passing, Bob has continued to maintain the "Village" and equip the cabins with artifacts from the era.

 

Even though most of the cabins were actually used by locals as homes, some were used as business, such as the one pictured above.  This was a cooper's cabin or a barrel makers workplace.  It is equipped with all his tools of the trade.  All total there are 15 cabins and they are open for visitation during the summer.  During the fall, they sponsor a festival where people occupy the cabins, in period dress and demonstrate early American skill and crafts.  Bob has a website www.iplcv.com for Ingram's Pioneer Log Cabin Village.  We had a really great time walking down memory lane with Bob.  So we returned to Diane's house for some leisure time.  We also visited with my youngest sister, Phyllis Jean, who we call PJ for short.  Diane and her son, Robert, took us out for a father's day dinner and boy what a meal it was.  We had prime rib that was absolutely delicious and served to perfection.  I sampled a bourbon that I normally wouldn't try due to the expense (Woodbridge select).  But I can understand why it costs more.  As the saying goes "you get what you pay for."  I was sooooo smooth and easy.  When we got back to Diane's, Robert presents me with one of his prints that his father gave him.  It was a 17" x 20" signed print by Doc Tate Nevaquaya, a renowned Oklahoma Comanche Indian who was an artist, flute maker, musician and native craftsman.

I was absolutely blown away.  I would never have expected Robert to part with one of his prints.  It found a new, prominent home on the living room wall of my home in the mountains.
Now I know what you're thinking - does this guy ever run out of wind and the answer is Nope.  Ain't posted for awhile so's hang in there, only one more item to go.
On our way home, Cathy and I stopped off in Olney, Illinois so I could do some genealogy research on the Elston clan.  That area of Richland County was the bedrock of the Elston's going back to the early 1800's.  We stayed at the Red Hills State Park just outside Olney.

We rented a cabin for two days and really enjoyed ourselves.  I found that there is an Elston cemetery in Richland County.  Since the files that I was looking for were pre-1848, the County Clerk was extremely helpful and directed me to other resources that would be available for genealogical research.  Apparently there was a fire in 1847 or 1848 that destroyed all the county records so hopefully there were duplicate records maintained that were not destroyed.  I'll have to return another day and do some more research.  AND that about covers it for the past few weeks.  Been a little busy but finally got the pontoon serviced and back in the water but will wait until after the July 4th holiday to go out on the lake.  Til next time - TaTa



Aaaaaahhhhhh! At Last - consistently Warm weather

I know I'll be regretting this craving for warm weather but I've really had a bad case of cabin fever.  Seems like every time I turned around it was either raining and cold or it was raining and cold.

That's a mountain bluebird on the stake on the left.  Sorry I can't get it any larger.  I need to get a 200 mm telephoto lens or a doubler for the lens that I have.  Also need a photo editor but neither are cheap.  I'm saving my nickels.  I've built bluebird boxes and mounted them on the telephone poles out front and they're full every year. 

Some of our other feathered friends are back also.  For a little bird, these guys really get aggressive around the feeder, even with humans.  I had one hovering within 2 feet of my face and didn't seem to be in any hurry to leave.  I think some of them may have built nests in the bushes in front of our porch cause I see them buzz down low and disappear.  Course my eyes being as old as they are just probably didn't see which way they exited.

 
These guys finally came up when it was time for the first mowing of the yard.  I believe they're Wild Roses.  No one planted them they've just been popping up every year.  They grow on a thorned stem just like domestic roses but don't get much bigger than a half dollar.

I finally got the boat serviced and back in the lake.  The fish finder went caput last year and turns out that I apparently decapitated it when I pulled the boat onto the boat trailer.  The mount was still on the pontoon but the actual transponder was broken off.  Oh Well, only $100 for a new one and that was one of the cheaper models.  I only use it for a depth finder anyway cause some of the areas we go into are extremely rocky and during the dry season (mid-summer) it gets pretty shallow.

Got my reminder that our 50th Class Reunion was coming up in a few days.  We're gonna make it this year.  I went to the 25th and now will make it to the 50th.  Talked to one of the organizers and she said the only had about 14 people confirmed.  Our class size was about 45 students and with at least 12 that have passed, it don't leave many of us around anymore.  I'll get some photos and post them when we get back.  I've been kinda remiss in tending to this blog and can't really say that I've been all the busy.  Just lazy.  I'll try harder in the future.  Ta Ta til next time..

We're on a roll

It's truly amazing how much the weather has changed in just a few days.  We've had temps in the 80's with lows in the 60, give or take a few degrees.  It has rained bunches in the past three days, to the extent that Dale Hollow Lake has risen about 2 feet.  That's a lot for this lake and I imagine those people just down river from Dale Hollow, in the Nashville area, are watching closely.  Dale Hollow is fed by a multitude of streams, as well as Wolf and Obey rivers.  That's a lot of water to back up behind Dale Hollow Dam.  Anyway time marches on.  Spring is in full bloom and I mowed the lawn for the first time.  We planted three trees in the front yard to help shade the western side of the house.



 



 Don't know what kind of flower this is but it's probably a weed.  They're all over the yard, just like the Dandelions.









The butterflies are out in force, especially on Cathy's Lilac bushes.

 

 



 

I found a what appears to be a Thrushes nest in our fence line among the blackberry brambles and she's sitting on eggs, when I'm not trying to get a photo.



 

 Cathy made Bruschetta Chicken for supper yesterday.  Boy was it ever good.  Ain't too many meals that she's made that weren't good.

  Combine the Bruschetta with green beans and  tomatoes, topped with Mozzarella cheese balls in a marinade.  Wow.  For a low calorie or lite meal - I have to give her 5 gold stars.  I'm a "meat and taters" kind of guy but I could get used to this.

Just when you thought it was safe!!!

Go figure.  Here we were with beautiful spring weather, temps in the mid-high 70's, overnight lows in the high 40's then----------------

We wake up to this stuff.  What a shock.  Mother Nature sure has a sense of humor alright.  But I don't think the blooming foliage is gonna be laughing.  My Dogwood and Weeping Willow seem to have weathered the freeze.  Just can't tell about the Walnut and Hickory trees yet.  Time will tell tho.
     I took some time from my ultra busy schedule last Sunday to go on a walk about down to the saw mill, hunting for arrow heads.  Found tons of chips and pieces.  Then when I was on my way back to the 4 wheeler to head home, I saw this little item laying in a washout.

It's missing the top third of the point but I haven't been able to identify it yet.  Still doing my research on the base.  Also found this:

Unless you collect these things you wouldn't recognize this as another broken base.  You can tell by the notch in the bottom right corner.  This would be nearly impossible to identify as to type because the left side is missing.   Also came across this rather large flake:

This is a flake or shard of chert that was broken off a larger piece in the process of making an arrow head or other point.  It's about 1/2 inch wide and 2 inches long.  Don't usually find flakes this long just laying around.  Anyway - that's about it for now.  Hopefully the weather will start warming again and return to a more normal spring.

WOW - FINALLY!!!!!

I believe spring has finally sprung here on the mountain.  The weather is starting to warm up but the nights are still fairly cold.  Occasionally we have a near freezing night.  But for the most part it's looking good.

 

 

 

 One of our first signs of spring is the Dandylion (Dandelion) that crops up throughout the yard and that most people despise.  But the honey bees really like them.

 

 

 Next is the Flowering Dogwood, which is just getting started but should be in full bloom in another week or so.

 

 

 Then there's my Asparagus.  It's just breaking ground and, as I now see, a little out of focus.  Cathy loves getting them fresh out of that garden and I must admit I truly enjoy eating them.

 







 

 

My Flox is popping out in and covering the small hill at the head of the driveway.

 

 



 



 And last but not least, the Toms are on the hill gobbling and strutting around.  This morning tho, they're alone.  None of the Hens are apparently interested this early in the morning.  All in all, it's a lovely spring day here in the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee.  Hopefully it will continue to warm and I can get the boat out of the water for service for the summer leisure time.