Monday, October 29, 2007

The York

We drove to Cana, Va yesterday afternoon along the Blue Ridge parkway to see some foilage and shop for apples. We tasted a few, then decided on the York. It is really crunchy and not too sweet. Old timers called this a hillside apple due to the way it is shaped.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Love that Thomas


Little Man love Thomas the Train...you will see next week when they are decked out in the Halloween costumes. Here he is with a pair of Thomas briefs that I found at a sample sale! And now that he is potty trained he can put them to good use.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

What's that sound...

I woke up last night to an unfamiliar sound...it was rain gently running down the gutters. Its been so long I forgot how nice that sounded. Glad I put out that grass seed this weekend! Maybe we will start to replenish our rivers and lakes.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Chicken House


Go Postal has a friend who raises chickens for a living. I was curious (and I admit a little apprehensive) about how this process worked since you drive by so many of these houses in North Carolina. He is under contract and really does nothing but provide the enviornement and care for these little guys for about 20 weeks at a time. The chickens, theirfeed, and all other care is done by the company he contracts for. We walked into the house and I expected to see cages but instead it was a great big open area, with hoses that ran down rows for water and feed pans stationed every few feet. At this point in their lives the lights come on at 6:30 am and lights out at 6:30pm and they get as much food as they want. From his farm they go on to another where they lay the eggs that become the next generation (if I understood that correctly) The little males were separate from the females even at this age and I had a ball just watching the group dynamics. This little guy was curious enough to check me out.
They also have a few cows, burros, and a goat named Elvis. I wonder if I had to feed chickens, our schedule could be lights on about 8 am?

Thursday, October 18, 2007

A Day Off - To Stay at Home


What a treat, I am taking tomorrow off and have no place to go. If it is nice outside, I am cleaning up flower beds and getting the lawn ready to re-seed (with some faith that it will rain again eventually) If it rains, I will work on little Sofia's quilt.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Stone Mountain Sunday




Here are some of my ski club buddies on a beautiful Fall afternoon. We all use radio names when skiing so let me introduce you from left to right: Whole Wheat, Dairy Queen, Sugar Maple, Tree Hugger (they are married....get it?), Bunny Foo Foo and Go Postal. Seated is Shutterbug. As much as we all enjoyed this perfect afternoon we would gradly trade it for a long soaking rain. The usually wide waterfall at the end of the hike was barely a trickle.















Saturday, October 13, 2007

Walking with Dinosaurs



Here they are...the closest thing to live Dinosaurs we will ever see. Buddy was grining the entire time. Little Man had his blanket to cover his head when things got too scary (like when the Momma T-Rex came out to defend her baby) The lights and robotic technology really made this a great show for both the young and the young at heart.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Gees Bend Quilters


I had a real treat last night when I went to hear from 6 of the Gees Bend Quilters. They all told briefly how they learned to quilt and about their lives. They made quilts to keep warm....not because they considered it art. They used scraps from the local cotton gin to fill their quilts. (That is why they had to quilt so close together). They all now own machines and use commericial batting but still mostly quilt by hand. The discovery of these quilts allowed these women to rise above the extreme poverty they were in and have opened doors for travel and new experiences.


But the most suprising part of the evening was the a cappella gospel concert they gave us. They had the diverse audience on their feet, clapping along with the rythm by the end of the session.


I quilt because I like the art form, not to stay warm. I buy fabric, patterns, and batting without thinking about the cost. But I know my grandmother made utilitarian quilts from scraps because I know have some! Whether from new or old they are made to wrap up loved ones.


If you get a chance to see these Quilts you should...not because of their workmanship but because of their visual impact and the stories behind the quilts.


Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Meet Banjo


I am Banjo, I know most of you have heard about me by now. I am supposed to be keeping mice away from Dad's cabin. I have a lot of fun around here, there are all kinds of barns to explore. So far I have pulled off three collars so they put one on me this time that will not pull off.

For fun I like to chase bugs and race you to the porch. I will walk ahead of you and flip over on my back be warned its a trap! As soon as you touch my tummy its ON!

Dad gives me a little canned food each night so I know where home is. (I already have him wrapped around by paw)