hail to the leaf

We had a few moments of severe weather yesterday (nothing to complain about - especially compared to recent storms in other areas). Thankfully, we were at home and our one and only car was safely tucked in the garage. We know of many others who were not so fortunate.

The auto glass industry will be very busy over the next few weeks in our area.

Some of the leaves on our plants were shredded, but it doesn't appear that any were dealt a fatal blow.

The hailstorm lasted for a few minutes, it seemed, hail bouncing off the lawn like popcorn. I've never witnessed a hailstorm this severe.

Sorry for the blurry picture, but here is some of the biggest hail Pat found in the yard:

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The local kids are out of school now. Hearing them in the evenings reminds me of my carefree childhood summers. I wonder if kids now have as much fun as we did.

This was floating around on facebook recently:

‎"My curfew was lightning bugs, mom didn't call my cell, she yelled my name, I played outside with friends, not online, If I didn't eat what my mom cooked then I didn't eat. Sanitizer didn't exist, but you COULD get your mouth washed out with soap. I rode a bike without a helmet, getting dirty was ok,… and neighbors cared as much as your parents did. Re-post if you drank water from a garden hose and survived"

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Pat and I picked two gallons of strawberries the other day (sweet!). I was planning to make jam yesterday, but was concerned about a power outage mid-jam session.

So today is the day I be jammin'.

Have a wonderful and safe weekend everyone!

prep

It was a week ago today that tornado after tornado after tornado devastated many towns here in the southeast.

Over three hundred lives lost; many more changed forever.

The weatherman started warning us of severe weather on Wednesday a few days earlier. We are weather watchers - especially since Pat is a fisherman. When he was a fishing guide, it was critical that he know what to 'expect' weather-wise.

Wednesday morning I ran a few errands and picked up a movie from redbox. Even if we lost power, I figured we could watch the DVD in the dark on my laptop. Pat had been at Malwart the previous day and replenished our supply of little propane bottles so we could either grill or cook on our camp stove or grill. I think he also topped off the gas tank in the car.

According to the noon news that day, storms had already begun to pummel Alabama. I charged the laptop and my cell phone. The crawl across the bottom of the screen mentioned that school would be closing at one. I texted my piano student's moms to see if they would like to have lessons earlier (so glad I did - the girls would have been here at the height of the first storm!).

I got our lanterns out, decided what to have for supper, we moved our back porch furniture and grill (just a small coleman camp grill) up close to the house.

I set a few chairs and some blankets and the battery powered radio in the laundry room. We were set.

If we still lived up north and were on a well, I would have filled buckets, pots and pans and pitchers full of water so we would have water for flushing, washing, cooking and drinking. Here, though we live out in the country, we are close enough to have city water.

We waited and the storm arrived as predicted. A few hours after the beginning the power flickered, then went out.

We listened to the radio, looked out the window and when the weather man said there were tornado warnings in our county (7 times), we sat in the laundry room for a spell.

We watched our movie (in and out of the laundry room. And made the best of things.

Everytime we have a storm, I learn a few things - things I should do differently or additionally.

After the storms were over, but while the power was still out, I went back to Malwart and bought and inverter. Now I could charge my cell phone and my laptop when necessary. I could even run the tv (it will power a 27" or less tv) and I could probably vacuum or iron if I wanted to (I didn't lol).

Now that we had the inverter and a bag of ice, we could have gone a few more days without power with no great inconvenience. But the power came back on shortly after these purchases.

Many towns in Alabama were without power and phone rendering credit and debit cards useless. It is always good to have cash (and change) on hand during situations like these. I could not make calls during the aftermath, but texts were sent and received without trouble.

Do you have any tips for emergency preparations? Do share!

The best preparation of all? Faith and trust in GOD. No matter what happens - we are in His hands.


When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You.

Ps. 56:3

worship and work

one of our favorite spring sights - and it is in our own yard!

We visited the neatest little church yesterday. Since our core group meets on Sunday afternoons, we are encouraged to visit other churches until our plant is launched in September (Have you looked at our website yet? Pat spent hours and hours and hours editing the text. He did a super job!)

This little church that we visited is just 4 minutes from our house. How did we not find this before? It was wonderful - great message - great music. And we were made to feel so welcome; by the time we left three different people had given me their phone number. And they know we are part of another church plant! This is how the church should work!

The joy from yesterday's meeting spills over into today. The sun is bright, the temperatures warm - 61 degrees before the sun came up and projected to reach the lower 80's. The wind is stiff and will be bringing in some severe storms later today.

But I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the back porch reading in Hebrews this morning. Birds are singing, wind whistling and the tulips and the hyacinths pictured above are swaying in breeze.

We are hosting an open house for our church here on Saturday, so spring cleaning begins today. Windows will shine, cobwebs will be banished and clutter will vanish.

The windows are open and I'm ready to work!

neighborhood watch

We have an unofficial 'mayor' in our neighborhood. I'll call him 'Joe'. Joe seems to know a lot of things about a lot of folks in our little subdivision.

He means well and is a very nice guy.

So, I shouldn't have been surprised the other day when Pat received a call from Joe.
"There was a white truck in your driveway for about a half hour with a man sitting in it and then right after that there was a black truck in your driveway for about a half hour with a lady sitting in it."

He thought somebody was casing the joint (to steal my clothes? lol).

Silly me, I neglected to tell him that I was giving piano lessons.

It is nice to know that someone is watching out for us (and just a wee little bit creepy too).

rainy day (in)activities

Today's weather has nothing to do with the above picture. On Friday the weather was perfect. This morning's sky is a thick, low, gray blanket.

Last night - from 7:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. we received 3.3" of rain. More is expected.

As I recover from a nasty head cold, throbbing headache and laryngitis, it seems like today will be a good day to knit on the brightly colored scarf on my needles, stitch on a little bit of embroidery in the hoop and review my Bible study.

And take a nap. Must nap. Sniff, sniff, cough, cough, wheeeeze.

Have a good Wednesday everyone! Thinking of all my friends and family in the upper Midwest who endured some pretty severe weather yesterday.

Y'all okay?

summer (h)eats

Ahhh... summer. It is most definitely here. The weatherman announced last night on the news that there had been 24 days over 90 degrees this year (I'm thinkin' - only 24?). Our grass crunches when you walk on it.

More 90+ for the rest of the week too. We do our yard work before 9 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

And in the interim? Yesterday I made another peach cobbler (drool) and some more pesto (double drool). I'll pick blueberries tomorrow and buy more peaches and do some canning. Must buy corn too.

Love eating summer time food. Ripe, juicy melon; peaches. Thick tomato slices ( with a dusting of sugar - my bad). French bread slathered with pesto - topped with tomatoes and mozarella cheese and slid under the broiler for a minute or two. Blueberry or peach cobbler. Or blueberry and peach cobbler! Sweet crunchy corn on the cob.

Love eating summer time food.


What are some of your favorite summer time eats?

couldn't resist..

...posting a few more pictures of our sweet Sadie:






Yesterday, Mom, Dad, Suzi and KimmeeSue and I went to Georgia (via North Carolina).

We had a wonderful time and a delicious lunch at a beautiful resort there.

Today, though, I'm paying the piper. Two weeks prior to my trip and all the while I was gone the temps were in the 90's. Too hot to work outside, but not too hot for weeds to grow. They are taking over the place!

It was only 65 this morning when I got up, so I'm going to spend some time pulling weeds. We are harvesting a pint of cherry tomatoes every day - I'm thinking of drying some in my 2000 Town and Country silver minivan dehydrator. It will be nice to have sun dried tomatoes this winter!

This morning the windows are open for the first time in weeks and there is a cool (ish) breeze blowing through the house. I've already drowned about 3 dozen japanese beetles; now to tackle the weeds. Hope y'all have as fun a day as I'm having!

rampage

Normally, I am a rather mild-mannered person. Ya know...Sunday school teacher, singing in the choir, sewing for my grandchildren.

But every once in a while my vicious side comes out and I go on a killing spree.

Yes, I said killing spree.

The objects of my violence are these:

Japanese beetles!

They appeared about a week ago and their arrival is so alarming that our neighbor came scurrying over to tell us 'the Japanese beetles are back!'.

He deals with Japanese beetles by spraying copious amounts of poison all over his yard. The other morning I could smell the poison half a block away. Cough, gak.

We have a different method. First we walk around the yard mourning and marveling. Mourning the loss of healthy leaves. Marveling at how much the nasty critters can eat in one day. The leaves on our rose bushes, zinnias and rhubarb resemble lace. Dozens of the greenish/coppery beetles languish - eating away.

Then we step into action. Armed with a mayo jar filled with soapy water, we pluck and plunk. The unsuspecting beetles are drowned - never to eat our roses again. Bwah-hah-hah!


We remove and kill dozens every day. They will be here for about another month and we will diligently pluck and plunk them every. single. day.

Until they leave.

Then Granny and Grampy Rambo will resume their mild-mannered ways.

early harvest

I collected a platter full of goodness from the garden the other day. Pulled out all the radishes, a few carrots and some garlic. We have been harvesting lettuce for some time now. The cherry tomatoes are starting to ripen. As a transplanted northerner, I still cannot quite believe that I can be eating from the garden in late May and early June. Up north, we don't plant until Memorial Day!

This year I have been using the radish greens - extra flavor and vitamins. I've used them in quiche and in pasta salad and I have a bunch steamed and blanched in the freezer ready for more of the same. My grandma would be proud.

The fresh market has had baskets of peaches in for the past week or so. Since it will be in the 90's the next few days and since my sister and nephew will be here, I'm going to wait and can peaches next week.

Today's agenda includes planting beans and carrots where the radishes and lettuce used to be. We don't want to have any bare dirt in the garden!

There will also be sewing today. I made this little turtle for Josh and now want to make something for his baby sister (who, though due in a week and a half, remains nameless - any suggestions?).

First though, a quick dash to the farmer's market. Have a great day everyone!

two weeks

Two weeks from today I will leave on my trip to go meet my new granddaughter. Am I excited? YES!

Kristi is scheduled for a C-section on June 21, so the date of the baby's birth is not in question (unless she goes into labor early - WHAT IF SHE GOES INTO LABOR EARLY????).

Mothers in waiting are told to have a bag packed so that they are ready to go to the hospital when labor begins. Good advice for grandmas to be too.

And of course at the last minute here, I've decided that I need to make a softie for Josh and something for our new baby girl. Any ideas?

I'll get started on that after we work at the food pantry this morning. It is supposed to be in the mid 80's again today, so an afternoon of sewing in air-conditioned comfort sounds good.

BTW, we had a good time spending Pat's gift card yesterday at Bass Pro. He is all set. Look out Tennessee trout!

field trip

Last week we took a little field trip to a neighboring town. Had a delicious lunch. Delicious.
Then we drove along the river for a while - stopping to take some pictures and enjoy the scenery - and scout for good fishing spots.

Today's field trip is a shopping trip.

Not that either one of us is much for shopping. But Pat received two generous gift cards - one from Best Buy (we used that for my, I mean our, new camera) and one for Bass Pro.

So today we will buy a fly fishing rod. It has been years since Pat went fly fishing. Early in our marriage he taught me to fly fish. This is the type of fishing I enjoy most.

A quiet stream or the shoreline of a peaceful lake. The graceful, elegant swaying of the fly line back and forth until the fly is placed at just the right spot. If a bass or trout takes the bait, all the better.

I have a feeling next week's field trip will be to an area stream - waders and fly fishing equipment for Patrick. A book, a notebook and a camera for me.

And a picnic lunch. Sounds wonderful doesn't it?

planning and planting

Every once in a while, my horsie neighbor shows up down by the gate across the road. So, I go visit him, apples/carrots in hand.


He is a nice fellow and doesn't mind posing.
It is beautiful down there, though I do watch where I walk (poison ivy and snakes, ya know).
Up close and personal. Got any more treats?
How's this?
In case you don't have the lovely weather we are enjoying this weekend and are stuck inside, here is a website for your perusal. It was featured last night on the news and offers lots of alternative (and generally money saving ideas) for products you probably already have around the house.

a few of my favorite things

fragrant lilac just beginning to bloom

We have a string of picture perfect days lately. Yes, we need rain and yes, it has been warmish, but the days have been beautiful. Every morning it seems that something else has just begun blooming.

One of my favorite activities is to sit out on the back porch (no fancy porch furniture as of yet, just an o-l-d card table and chairs) and spread out my Bible study materials. Special pen, notebook, favorite worn Bible, concordance and a cup of tea.

As I study and write, the fragrant holly bush aroma wafts past me. Very soon, the lilac will join. The birds at the feeder call to each other. And the mockingbird perched on top of the holly tree goes through a litany of songs...none of them his own.

The sun is making its way up into the sky and after the washing machine does its work, I'll hang a load of laundry on the drying rack on the back porch; taking full advantage of solar power.

Then off to the fruit market. I noticed yesterday, when Mom and I were at the library that the vegetable bedding plants had arrived. I'll probably buy too much and come home and plant, plant, plant.

And count my blessings. I am so grateful to be able to spend a day like this.

one stop shopping

At choir? Who knew?

One of the gals at choir cares for developmentally disabled adults who frequently work at a mushroom packing plant. When there are over-runs, she brings them to choir. Portabella, button mushrooms and enoki. I brought home mushrooms for us and for the folks.

Another gal decided to divide her hosta plants. She had about thirty bags of hostas in the back of her truck. I (being greedy) took two.

We have the luxury of planting hostas here that will not be eaten by the deer. Our northern four hoofed neighbors enjoyed the salad bar of hostas we offered them. Here, we don't see many deer. Although I did see three on the way to the dentist yesterday (which went fine, thanks for asking).

Free mushrooms and hostas at choir. That should encourage good attendance!
~~~~

Today, Mom and I do story hour at the library, then I scurry off to Bible study.

Once home, I will try to figure out the best spot for two bagsful of hostas in our non-shady yard.

I hope you can get out and enjoy some time outside today!

girly

frosted maple

We stayed home from church the other morning because our road was like a skating rink. Over 100 churches were canceled across the area and the news kept telling people to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary.


So,we went to church on the radio and the internet. Nice, but not the same as being there.

if we can put a man on the moon,
can't we come up with a better name for this beautiful phenomenon than 'hoarfrost'?

Girl stuff has been on my mind for the past 48 hours or so. Still can't quite believe we will have a little girl in the family. In my mind's eye though, I see her sitting on her grandpa's lap...weaving her way into his heart and wrapping him around her little finger.

Without even trying I came across some cute girly quilts yesterday here and here.
We make the last payment on Daniel's tuition next week (can I hear a BIG HOORAY?!?!?) and then fabric stores, here I come!

Oh, and I think I need to learn how to smock.

Tennessee:closed

Big storm expected here today. 6-12 inches of snow predicted in Knoxville; 1-3 here in the valley. I get a real kick out of the way the weathermen are reporting this. Bring it on!
Not a flake in the sky yet, but schools and events across the region are closed today.

I read an inspirational blog post today (found via Becky's blog). It seems that between the recent disasters and the economic downturn, Americans are finding out that they can live with less.

only in Tennessee

I mentioned the other day that folks down here 'bouts was UpseT when the UT football coach quit only a year+ into his contract. His name is Lane Kiffin and he left for USC . Folk here 'bouts don't seem to be able to pronounce his name quite right. They keep calling him 'Lame'.

Well, I guess they are getting over their UpseTtedness, cuz a nice Knoxville lawyer has filed paperwork to name an east Tennesse facility after him.

A waste water treatment plant.

On the other hand, in other Tennessee news, I am very proud to live in a state that is not afraid of the politically correct police.

Tenneesee tales

I brought my knitting along to help pass the time while waiting for the oil to be changed in our car. Little did I know that entertainment was waiting.

An older gentleman sat in the waiting room and he engaged anybody and everybody in conversation.

He told us about his work up north. How crooked all the contractors are (correction - he said 99% are crooked). How there would be no potholes in Chicago except for the fact that they use inferior materials and bribe the inspectors to look the t'other way.

He was hungry and told us how much he loved biscuits.

"Sausage biscuits, peach biscuits, chocolate gravy biscuits. You put anything on a biscuits," said he, "and I will eat it. "

"My grandma made the best sausage," he continued, "mixed ground pork with spices, put it in a one or two pound sugar bag and sealed it with paraffin. That was the best stuff."

He went on to tell us how old he was (80) and how much he weighed (265).

I asked him if he helped with the butchering process.

"No, I can't kill anything, but my daddy was real good with animals. He never ever got bitten by a dog, and he can break a horse like nobody else. He would sneak up behind the pig with a claw hammer, hit it between the eyes and when it went down, he'd slit its throat."

"One day Dad and I were crossing the Bald River on horses. My horse started to flounder and go under. Dad told me to get off it, and pull its tail up. Wouldn't you know it, that horse started to swim."

"Now, my grandpa - he was a big man. Killed a man in a backyard brawl. Think there was moonshine involved. There's two sides to my family - one Christian, one moonshiners. They claim they ain't kin to the t'other, but they are."

"Anyway my grandpa was in prison and worked on a chain gang in Georgia. He escaped and carried that ball and chain all the way back to Tennessee. Built his house on top of a hill so he could always see if anybody was comin' for him."

There was a rare moment of silence.

"Do you crochet?" he asked me as I knitted away and listened to his tales.

"No," I replied.

"My grandma could crochet. She crocheted everything. Bedspreads, tablecloths. She could even crochet in the dark."

By this time his car was ready and he left. I continued knitting, thinking about his stories and his way of life.

A half hours worth of entertainment - all for the price of an oil change.

looking ahead

stood in my stocking feet on our back step in 12* weather to capture the sunrise

When I stepped out to snap the above photo, I startled a flock of mourning doves which apparently sleep in and amongst the bushes that are on the south side of the house. I'm glad they feel at home here and have a warm place to rest.

~~~~~~

A friend has been after me to exercise with her and there have been a number of things over the past several months that have prevented me from doing so. Well, no more. This morning Mom and I (yeah, Mom!) are going to join Rosellen and a bunch of other ladies and work out. Should be fun. Once it is over anyway. ~Smile~

~~~~~
Starting Sunday, I'll be leading the children's choir. Hooray! I've got my songs picked out and have been practicing them diligently the past few days. I'll be reviewing my choir notebook from college and writing up some song sheets. This will be fun! Cute kids with cute southern accents....

~~~~~
Have a great Monday everyone!

snowed in!

image from nps.gov
enjoyed seeing all the different tracks in the snow this morning

Well, not exactly. We scarcely got an inch of snow, but schools across the region are closed. Cars are moving slowly, tentatively down the road that leads to our subdivision.

It would be unkind to scoff, we tough and hardy former northwoodsians, at our southern neighbors, though. For there is no way in the world that I would venture up and down steep, windy mountain roads (roads with no shoulders, mind you, right Suzi?) with a busload of schoolchildren.

The school kids are rejoicing, the teachers are happily staying home, the parents are scrambling to occupy the kids.

Me? While there is not enough snow to even do this, I am longingly looking out the window at the undulating acres of vacant lots around us and wishing I still had my cross country skis.