Sunny Saturday

foggy sunrise


We had a very rainy week but today the sun is shining and it's suppose to be in the low 70's!! I think I may find me a nice sunny spot and stay in it awhile.
Had a rough week, sinus infection, upset tummy, out of work. In meds, feeling better today, thankfully.

Dh has been gone one a hunting trip with some other fellas. They didnt' have a good week. The high winds where they went kept them out of the woods. Dh said trees were snapping. Not a good time to be in a tree stand. Don't think any of them bagged anything either.
I've been watching the Food channel this morning. All the shows so far have been about Thanksgiving.Yum! I'm looking forward to some good turkey and all the trimmings.
Dh was able to bring home a wild turkey this past season. I prefer them over the store bought. I need to sit down and make out the menu and start getting some of it from the store.

As you can tell, someone forgot to bring in the birdfeeder last night. The bears are still around. He had a nice meal. Wish I had seen him.

Oh and I want to thank Tipper for reminding me of cornmeal mush. My mom used to make this when I was growing up. It is a comfort food to me. I woke yesterday so hungry after being sick and cornmeal mush was on my mind. It was so good. We always ate ours with butter and sugar (I prefer brown sugar in mine), don't think I ever ate it fried. Thanks, Tipper.

Absolutely gorgeous day!!!

Our daughter and sil came for the weekend and we spent the day at the Biltmore House. It was a gorgeous day!! We started the tour about 9, finished in the house about 11 or so, then went to Texas Roadhouse for lunch. Yum!! I love their sweet taters, w/butter and cinnamon. I love it when they are baked til the part right under the peeling is almost carmelized. mmm!! I could eat one right now.

After lunch we went back to the "House" and toured the grounds, the gardens, the farm and the gift shop at the winery. Dh and I decided to upgrade to a season pass.

I'm hoping to get over there more often, even if it's just to go over there and find a nice spot for a picnic. The grounds are beautiful

At the farm, we watched the master blacksmith make a leaf key chain. It is amazing how a person can take a piece of ole black iron and turn it into something like that. He would stick it in the fire, then when it got to the temp he needed it to be (and he could tell the temp by what color it was!) , he would then take it out, put it on the anvil and pound it til it was in the desired shaped. Then he would plunge it into water to cool it down. Reminds me of how God has to do me sometimes. When I show this stubborn will of mine, He has to put me thru the fire til I'm soft enough for Him to mold me, yes, sometimes it hurts from the pounding, until I'm the shape I need to be. Then He soothes me with His sweet Holy Spirit.

Personally I don't think I could ever live in a house like the Biltmore House. It's too big, the furnishing are too big and ornate--it's just not my style. All that gold gilding, velvet wallpaper, felt stuffy to me. Now down in the servants quarters-those little bedrooms, that is more me. Just simple iron beds, with a handmade quilt, embroidered pillow. That's more my style. Simple. I would like to hear some of the servants stories. I bet they had some fun times down there. It just seemed more relaxed.

Well, I finished my first week of work. It's not bad, I know it will continue to get better. I miss my mornings, tho. Sitting here at the computer, looking out my window, watching the birds, the house quiet. Sometimes we even have visitors. These two came by Friday morn. lol!! I wish I'd had more time to spend with them, but I had to get on to work. Dh took this picture after I left.

So, have you ever been to the Biltmore House?

November 1, 2009

Are you asking the same question-where has this yr gone? Looking back I have trouble remembering what I've done with this yr so far.

Most of mine was spent atwork and stressing over what was going on there. I'm not too sure I have made the most out of the yr so far. In fact I know I havent'. So, looking forward-what will I do with the rest of the yr?

It is definitely fall here now.

I'm so thankful that we have been well-no swine flu here so far. Praying it stays away from this household. We've had the usual sinus stuff going on but other than that we have been fairly healthy.

I am no longer working in retail. Thankfully, I start a new job tomorrow where I'll be working regular hours, M-F, no weekends, no evenings. I'm thankful I won't be at the mall this 'holiday' season. We had already started getting in Christmas merchandise. A few stores had their trees up already. Just too early for me.

I'm hoping to be back to blog more frequently. Sometimes I feel that what I have to say is not 'blogworthy', just my ramblings but I hope you that read enjoy it. I sure enjoy reading others blogs.

~~later

late night post

It's 10:30 pm here. I really need to be snuggled up under the covers but I'm not sleepy at all, just tired. So, I thought I'd make a quick post.

The air has turned very 'fallish' here. The leaves are turning quickly, there has been a good breeze, bringing them down. The spiders are starting to come in. I've had to dispose of several this week. I watched one crawl around on my computer desk but never could catch him.

I finished up a computer class, Computer for the workplace, microsoft 2007. It was fun! I want to go back over the book, it was a fast paced class, I feel like there is so much more to it! I want to take another one, not sure if I want to do word or excel.
I'm possibly making another change, I'll tell more about it when I know something more definite. If it comes together, I believe that alot of stress will be gone.
I am thinking of taking a billing and/or coding class, too.

Dh has a sinus infection, ds isnt' feeling too good either. My sinus have been burning, pressure, etc. The 'flu' is going around here, praying we will be spared of it. Our pastor had it, he said even his hands ached.

I'm heading out Saturday morn, to visit with my daughter adn sil for a week. praying I dont' get sick during this time. I'm already getting anxious about the drive. But I'm looking forward to seeing her.

Well, think it's time to head on to bed. My mind is shutting down, just hope the rest of me will follow.

~~til later

22 yrs ago today, I gave birth to a beautiful little girl, Jessica. She was and is such a joy in my life. She has grown into a beautiful young lady and I'm so proud of her!!!

Thought I'd share a few pictures I took at the Oconuluftee Farm Museum in Cherokee, NC this past Saturday. This is an annual event. I love going to it.

There were people there cooking over an open fire, fixin cornbread in dutch ovens in the kitchen, making rope out of corn husks-braiding them together-really neat!! Making apple butter, apple cider, hominy, molasses.

It was hard work back then but it was a 'good' hard. Does that make sense?

Sunday my son and I went to the fair. Saw The Traveling McCoury's w/Tony Rice. The winners of the mountain music and the bluegrass music played as well. Good music!!!

Wordless Wednesday

09-09-09

I guess if I had posted this morning at 9:09, I could have written 09-09-09 at 09:09 am. lol!!

Anyway, it's been a long day for sure. We got a really loud-window rattling-make me jump thunderstorm today. I loved it!! Saw on the news, in a nearby town, it looked like it had snowed from the hail! I sat down with a hot cup of coffee, a nice big pecan roll from the local bakery, and my Country Woman magazine that just came today. It was a very relaxing time.

I'm been doing some thinkin' (uh oh!!) and have decided that I need to make a few, well, more than a few, changes in my life. Course I do this once every blue moon and don't seem to get too far with it. But I'm going to try again.

The one thing I'm going to start with is my morning routine.
After I take my meds, and while the coffee is making, I'm going to get dressed-completely-head to toe, before doing anything else. I dont' know, for some reason, this goes totally against my nature. It just doesnt' feel natural for some reason. Maybe it's laziness, maybe it becuase it is very hard for me to get going of the morning. I get out of bed and I am generally stiff and in some form of pain, somewhere on my body. That nice warm shower in the morning might feel pretty good, tho! I'll let you know my progress.




I've bought a few mums and a rudebeckia (sp?) I want to make a little fall thing with my scarecrow couple I found at Lowe's. it's so cute!! Not sure how I'll do it. I'm wondering if I should put the mums in the ground or just leave them in the pot. I want to get a pumpkin or two and some gourds of some kind. This is not my normal thing. I always 'want' to but always make some kind of excuse-why bother? costs too much. that would look really good with all the other mish mash around. I always find some negative excuse. but when I saw this little couple, it brough a smile to my face. I put it back, thinking $20 is too much to pay, no where to store it, won't look good with the other unkempt flower beds,e tc, etc, etc. I walked around a bit, went back to it and thought, you know, this brings a smile to my face, I need to smile more, to enjoy things more, to bring things into my life that make me smile. So Mr and Mrs Scarecrow are now sitting on my porch, waiting for the right combination of other things to go with it. And every time I walk up to my steps, I'll look at them and smile!!
Then maybe after Thanksgiving, I'll find a nativity scene just the right size to go there.


I'll leave you with a picture of Chimney Rock, Lake Lure, NC.
We were there in August with our daughter and son in law. Breathtaking views!! Kinda scary, tho.



As you can see, it is really high up. Thankfully there is an elevator you can use instead of the numerous, steep, narrow steps. It was very tiring but we had a lot of fun.