Still running to catch up

Well I guess it's about time again.  Cathy and I decided to try a new bread recipe and it turned out darn good.

I was impressed with the tight, yet non doughy, texture.  I guess it came from the way it was made and not so much the ingredients.  Anyway - hot bread, fresh out of the oven with butter and Um Um!
I recently found some wild roses growing along the roadside in front of out house and was out taking pictures of them when I got to looking around and found a whole bush of them growing on the hillside, just inside our fence line.

They don't look like much from a distance but close up -

They be kinda purdy - I think.  I picked a bunch and took them in to Cathy.  She put them in a wine glass on the kitchen table.  Cute.  These roses only get about the size of a quarter and have rather short, thin stems.





This pic is for you, Barb.  I to had problems with ants getting into my hummingbird feeders.  So - in the spring, I started spraying the area that fastens onto the porch post with ant killer.  Have to make sure you get all around the base of the 2" x 2" that the feeder is on.  Be sure not to spray any more than just where it fastens onto the porch post.  You create a ant barrier between the post and the 2 x 2.   It works.  The hummers will sit on the 2 x 2 but only about 8 - 10" from the feeder.  No ants but lots of hummers.

Did It Again!!!

It's been 20 days since I last posted on our blog.  But - I been busy.  I know - I know, you've heard that before but it has been rather busy here these past few days.

 Lest we forget - the 10th was Mother's Day so I got Cathy a dozen yellow roses.  I usually get the peach colored roses but this year I thought I'd do something different and therefore special.  Cathy was in a baking mood this past week and heated up the kitchen, much to my delight.  She baked two loaves of bread and two apple pies.  Ummmm!

Nope - I didn't take pics of the bread.  I'll do that the next time.
  I've been helping my buddy Bob clean up around his new home here in Tennessee, mostly weed eating and getting some firewood split, just in case.  The previous owner left some Beech wood blocks in the driveway so I took them over to my neighbor's (Joe) and we split them on his hydraulic splitter.  While Beech is the best firewood in this area, it is very dense and tough as nails.  It's very slow burning, gives off a lot of heat and leaves very little ash.  Needless to say you don't find a lot of it anymore.  Then I started working on Cathy's kitchen cabinets.  They've taken a beating over the past few years.

As I'm sure you can tell, the cabinet door on the left has been refinished.  Trouble is, with the weather lately being on again off again rain/cold, I haven't been able to finish more than one at a time.  Usually I would just pull them all off and sand them in the front yard but not lately.  In fact, just today I finally finished the top drawer and right cabinet door but that was because I got them stained yesterday.  I polyurethaned them in the back room in the house.  This polyurethane is water based  and had very little smell like you would normally get with a petroleum based product.  Easy soap/water clean up too, made by Rust-oleum.
We've had critters on the move again in our area:

This dude was out hunting for a mate and headed for the pond just below our house.  From the looks of it, he just came out of a mud bank up the mountain.  Apparently these female snappers aren't too discerning ladies or this guy would be sporting a cleaner look and maybe some better smelling aftershave.  Speaking of mating - It must have been in the air_-_-_-_-_

 Tom was out strutting his stuff on the hillside just below the house.  At least he dressed for the occasion and probably smells a whole lot better than the other critter did.

If you look very carefully in the lower right hand side of this pic, you'll see the hen he was courting.  Hum - she just don't look all that much to me but then who knows turkeys.
Cathy has started her physical therapy for the shoulder replacement and the exercises leave her pretty sore in the evening.  I remember those days from my knee surgery.  Anyway - the health care group decided she should avail herself of the back therapy they offer - so she did.  Actually it was probably the best thing we've done lately.  It will help strengthen her back muscles and probably help restore her stability on her feet.  I'm hoping we can start walking like we used to a few years back.  We used to walk about 2 miles 3 times a week and if you're familiar with this part of Tennessee, it ain't level country.  We'd start going down hill for about an eighth of a mile, then about one and a half miles of semi-hilly log road, then another eighth mile up hill and the remainder sloping down to the house.  I gotta tell ya - the grand-kids found it to be quite a hike and they're in a lot better shape than we are.

 I gotta get my licks in on the weather - about two weeks ago we started to actually look like we were into spring but oooooooohhhhhh nnnnnnnoooooo - Mother Nature throws us a curve.  It's been raining off and on and the temps have dropped as low as the 40's.  Today it was 54 when I got up at 0600 and by 3pm it was up to 68.  Right now at 8:35pm it's 53.  Good sleeping weather but you just can't make any plans - like maybe going out on the boat on the lake for the day.  Actually I've noticed that our humming bird population is really small so far.  Maybe they know more about the weather than we do.  They're probably way down south waiting for the warm weather to start.  I've only seen about 3 hummers so far.  Guess I've rambled on enough for now. Later - - -

Wow - How time flies.

1st order of business is to replace that winter pic to something more pleasing.  Yup - Spring has actually sprung here on the mountain.  A little late, but it here.  Nights are still a little cool and we've had a couple temps last week that dropped into the high 30's at night/early morn.  Of late we're getting high 40's and low 50's at wake up time, day break.  Been a lot of meals and happenings since our last post.  So - it's update time.  Friends of our, Bob and Kathleen, whom we have known for over 40 years throughout our Navy days, recently purchased a house about 15 miles from where we live.  They were living in Dallas, Texas for a number of years then relocated to North Carolina when Kathleen's job transferred.  They've been visiting us for a few years and really liked the area and decided to settle here when Kathleen retires.  It's only about 6 hours to drive from their current home in NC so they take short vacations here every once-in-awhile.  It'll be great having them here cause they're just like family.
     On April 17, Cathy had shoulder replacement surgery.  This osteoarthritis really sucks.  So far this disease has caused her to have a hip and knee replaced, then lower back surgery and now her right shoulder.  I gotta hand it to her, she's a trooper and keeps marching along.  At times she gets really  frustrated about what she can't do but keeps striving for progress in mobility.  I don't think I'd have the patience that she does but, together, we'll make it through and hopefully, God willing, Cathy will gain some of the earlier capabilities so we can start taking our walks again and enjoying our retirement more.  It just seems like every time we  seem to be getting one problem fixed, another crops up.  Osteoarthritis is like that tho - it's been working on her joints for years and now we're starting to see affects of bone deterioration.  We both found this last surgery to be unusual and interesting.  The surgeon did what he called a "reverse shoulder replacement."  He explained that because of the arthritis and her rotator cuff condition, he put the ball for the joint in the scapula where the socket would normally have been located, and put the socked on the arm.  The parts are the same, just put in the reverse.  Apparently they've been doing this type of replacement surgery in England for a number of years and we finally adopted it cause it works in the worst cases.  We're both really thankful for the procedure because the alternative was not acceptable.  Right now Cathy is doing some shoulder/arm exercises the surgeon showed her to do until the healing process is far enough along, then she'll begin full physical therapy to get back the strength and range of motion.
     I'm still plodding along just a little more girlie-man work to do with Cathy unable to use her right arm.  Still piddling with her honey-do list and right now I'm installing new interior doors that are solid pine, 6 panel doors.  They look soooo much better than the older luan hollow core doors.

  My friend Bob and I are gonna put in the attic stair that I bought so I can have better access to the attic and while I'm up there, I'll be installing can/pot or recessed lights in Cathy's kitchen.  Right now it's like working in a cave over there.  Once that's done - I have to install two exterior outlets on the front and back porch so I don't have to have 200 foot extension cords when I need electric power outside.  Then I'll be working on the back deck, replacing the deck boards and adding stairs to the deck, which do not exist now.  Like I said, still plodding along.   That's about it for now.     

WOW - ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!

I give up.  Just when I thought warmer weather was here to stay - down goes the temp.  I woke up this morning to 27 degree temp and awful looking white stuff on the back porch.  The white stuff was a cross between sleet and snow.  It made it up into the mid-high 40's.  Tomorrow is supposed to be more of the same.  Guess I'll not put my long johns away anytime soon. 
So - since we were gonna put can or recessed lighting in Cathy's kitchen, I figured this would be a good time to put in an attic ladder for easier access to the attic space and possibly provide some additional storage space.  I needed to look at the install area from the attic so up I went.  Our insulation is a blown-in variety rather than the batting.  It's pretty messy and awfully dusty but I made it across 25 feet of attic to take a look.  I'll need to clear all that insulation away from the install area so I can see what I'm doing for the ladder instal, then I need to clear smaller spots for the recessed lights to avoid a really dusty, dirty mess in the kitchen.  Took most of the needed measurements, then came back down and buttoned up the small closet access hatch to the attic.  Surprisingly, even without insulation against the upper steel roof, the attic space was just about the same temp as the inside of our house.  Now - while I was doing all this stuff, Cathy was preparing for our evening meal - Korean Barbeque.  Thin strips of beef are marinated in mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar. chopped scallions, sesame seeds, garlic and a few other odds and ends.  Before adding the meat to the marinade, about a half cup is set aside to be used as a sauce for the rice.

The meat strips are then cooked in a electric skillet, dipped in the sauce and laid over the bowl of rice.  The sauce, which you will remember was set aside from the marinade, mixes with the rice, giving it a super flavor.  Combine that with an excellent wine of your choice, which can also be your favorite beer, and you have a meal to remember.

Of course Cathy seldom stops until she's completely surprised me.  And she did it again!!!

Apple pie from the apples she had canned last year.  Man was that a super feast.  Topped it off with a lively cup of java and that made my day, Cathy's too.  We're both sitting back quite content with ourselves.  In Japan that same meal is served in the restaurants where you sit on cushions on tatami mats at little tables barely a foot off the ground.  There's a gas hibachi grill in the middle of the table and all the food is brought to your table where you cook it yourself, to your taste. Of course, neither Cathy not I are flexible enough anymore to sit at a table that low.  But we used to and we took the kids with us.  Well that'll just about do it for tonight and hopefully no heartburn.

First Arrow Head of 2015

Saturday was such a nice day, which lately has been very unusual, - so I decided to go hunting for arrow heads on the logging road below the house.  We've had some torrential down pours and that's what usually brings them to the surface, especially near steep embankments.  Anyway - I hadn't been on the road more than 20 minutes when I spied this.

If you look closely you can see a grey area in the middle of the picture.  That is what you usually see.  An old timer once told me to look for color not shape cause shapes are harder to find and you seldom see them fully on the surface.  

 This is what I uncovered from that flash of color.

And after washing it off I have a rough point.  It's badly worn and all the breaks and badly worn areas are really old -  so this was probably discarded as of no use.  But I like it and it will add to my collection.  Starting to get that ole spring fever.  The grass is greening up and trees are budding out and they're predicting freezing temps for Thursday - Saturday, with snow likely.  Now ain't that the HOOTS (substitute your own word here).  This same scenario happened a couple of years ago and killed off a lot of plants, not to mention that years production of walnuts, hickory nuts and berries of all kinds.  We'll just have to wait and see what the impact is.  That's that old Global Warming for ya!!  Yuk Yuk

Almost Spring???

Ah well - Here we are now thinking it's Spring already and what happens.  It starts raining again and the temp drops to around 35 overnight.  Ain't we had enough of this crap.  It's not just the weather so much as it is being cooped up in the house.  I really truly prefer being outdoors doing outdoor stuff.  Patience is truly a virtue and I gots not virtues, therefore no patience.  COME ON SPRING - WHERE ARE YOU...
Cathy finally got her dining room set that was being held pending the sale of our old set.

It's smaller and takes up a lot less room than our older set.  It even gives us room to hang a picture on the wall and we can actually walk around the table without turning sideways.  It's really a nice set and it's solid oak furniture made right here in Tennessee.  FINALLY - something that ain't made in China.
Yesterday, when the weather was oh so much nicer, I was looking out off the back porch and saw the annual turkey rites being held on the hill behind our house.

This was the perfect opportunity for me to try out my 70-300mm telephoto zoom lens.  Didn't have time to set up the tripod and the longer you move around the more likely they're gonna spot you.  So I just squatted down and used the porch handrail as a rest.  Still didn't get the sharp focus I wanted but it was close.  There were about 6 or 7 hens feeding about 70 feet below this guy and they seemed to be completely ignoring him.  He sure was strutting his stuff.  I'd say he was about 600 feet away when I took this photo.

Cathy and I have been having a little evening sit down in our living room every Friday night for well over 10 years.  We call it our Friday night Soiree.  We started this back when we were both still working and seldom got to spend quality together so we decided we'd reserve our Friday evenings for just the two of us.  Cathy usually prepares something, we have a nice bottle of wine and watch a movie on the TV after we've eaten.  It's just a nice quiet way to cap off what usually was a hectic week.  Now lately - it's just a nice tradition we intend to continue.  This particular meal was buffalo wings and potato salad with a bottle of Riunite Moscato.

Another Exciting Adventure

Our next excursion is to the 1983 Sapporo Snow Festival.  Ok, Ok, quit laughing.  I told you when I started this that these stories would be from years past - So - get with the program.  Hokkaido is the northern most island of Japan, which is located a few short miles from what was then the USSR.  Each year in early February, the city of Sapporo hosts the Snow Festival which is a huge international draw.  People come from all over the world to visit and compete in this festival.  It starts with the local Japanese Defense Force loading tons and tons of snow into huge forms, based on the size requirements of the carving.  They may form several blocks and set them together for the larger and more detailed structures.  The snow is tightly packed and left to sit for awhile until it hardens enough for the carving to begin.  It may take a month or so of trucks hauling snow before all the forms are filled in preparation for carving.  Then teams of snow carvers converge on these preformed blocks to carve their entry for the festival competition.  I'm not sure but I believe that 1983 was the first year that the USA entered a team but forgive me if I'm wrong.
Actually I didn't go - Cathy and her friend, Maddy, flew up to Sapporo and stayed about 3 days to tour this event.

They stayed at the Sapporo Luna Hotel in downtown Sapporo, which is right where the action is.  This is Cathy standing at the hotel entrance.  This festival actually occupies three different sites - the Odori  site is right downtown and close to all the hotels. 

Maddy, Cathy's friend, is standing in front of an advertisement for a Hong Kong something-or-other.

This is one of the main streets in Sapporo during the evening.  I' not sure if this is normally a sidewalk only or if it's closed to vehicle traffic only during the festival.

 Now remember - these things are huge.  You may be able to judge their size based on the people standing in front of the structures.  This  structure is at least 2 stories tall. 

This is a cathedral but I'm not sure of its name.  It stands about 3 stories high.

This carving is of Osaka castle and it's really detailed.  Next I'll show this castle after dark:

Almost all of these large sculptures are lighted as soon as it gets dark.  People are touring almost round the clock.

Not all the sculptures are gynormous (huge).  These are traditional Japanese figures carved from smaller snow blocks.

This was the USA's entry and it just had to be football.  The Japanese liked it and it was quite detailed.

Not all the sculptures or carvings are made from snow.  There are many smaller ice carvings lining the walkways and they are just as detailed as the larger sculptures.

Nothing like a locomotive to pike your interest!!!

And here we have Cathy showing off and wasting film.  Yup - this was before the era of digital cameras.  Cathy is standing in front of a Japanese Brown bear which is native to the Northern Hokkaido island area.  They're comparable with the American Brown bear and can stand over 7' tall, weigh over 1,000 lbs and have claws up to 4inches.

This is an interesting concept.  Sapporo has an underground mall for shopping during really inclement weather.  They're exactly like the main street shops but are located underground for easier access.
And that just about does it for this adventure.  Ah nope. Not quite.  I found a neat photo that we took while touring around the Misawa area in 1983.

This is the Hirosaki castle located in Tohoku in northern Japan near the US Air Force Base at Misawa.  This castle was originally built in 1611 but was reconstructed in 1810.  There are numerous castles through out Japan and many are more elaborate than this one.  Very traditional architecture.  And that will end it.  Until next time  - - - Ta Ta