I wondered why.
The other morning I glanced out the door and I knew.
Three deer eating on my flowers!
Here are two of the culprits, laughing at me!
Darned deer.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Why My Flowers Won't Grow
Alas, the flower pots on the end of the deck are looking sad these days.
I wondered why.
The other morning I glanced out the door and I knew.
I wondered why.
The other morning I glanced out the door and I knew.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Art of Letting Go
I keep a tight rein on my thoughts and feelings about 99 percent of the time. It reflects in my writing, even on my blog. I seldom just "let it go" and write, but when I do the results are often surprising.
Deb over at Greener Pastures let loose a whopping blog entry that was ostensibly about another blogger, Ginger over at landuvmilknhoney but was more about how alienated she feels as a northerner in the south, and as a progressive living in the south amidst a bunch of right-wing bible thumpers.
Oh how I envy that entry, and Deb's ability to say what she wants to say without worrying about who she might offend. Because she believes her opinion is as valid as their criticism. And I find that remarkable, for I sit here in my timidity with my butt planted on a very solid line between absolutely nothing. I am fence sitter extraordinaire even though I know which side I think is the more appropriate one.
Not that I don't have opinions, because I do. I just don't share them often. Regular readers know that I am not a member of the conservative party, or the tea party, or the libertarian party. Nor do I always countenance what the progressive party sanctions, mostly because these days it is rather hard to tell the difference between parties. They're all out for profit, for big business, for control and military, and they have very little to say about regular people, the little person who sits behind a computer and plugs away trying to make a living. They care nothing for the living cogs behind the machinery, just the machines.
I feel alienated from any political party because none of them represent me. Maybe we need a Creatives Party, one that represents people who believe in the creative process, who believe in the greater good of society. A party that believes people everywhere have basic needs that government can and should meet, one that doesn't allow people to become homeless because their spouse had a heart attack and can't pay the medical bills. A more benevolent society that sees people as human beings and not as paychecks.
Ginger was a homeschooling, homesteading mom who lived about eight miles from me. She and her family were making a go on 20 acres of land - just 20 acres! and were doing well until her husband unexpectedly passed away. She stayed for a year - a year longer than I thought she would, to be sure - and then she moved to Texas to join her parents. She left the farm unsold and packed up and went. Deb admired that, and I admire that, too. I admire Ginger's ability to take care of herself and her family, to do what is necessary without fear of what others might think, without worrying about the financial end of it because she is sure God will take care of it all, in the end.
Deb wants to go back home to New Jersey, but she is staying until her place sells. She laments her inability to simply move back home like Ginger did. She is bound here financially and she feels those bonds keenly, and aches to be free of them.
We all have our bonds, I think. We are tied up in our lives, wrapped so tightly that we can never be free. I am bound here. My family goes back generations, two hundred years of blood, sweat and tears building and creating and moving and making things more, or sometimes less, than what was here when they came. I have a farmer husband with those same ties, a fellow who would no more think of moving away than he would of tearing out his right eye.
So many days I feel simply alien in my own skin, but who wants to read that? Besides, this is a blog, not a diary, and that kind thing doesn't belong here. Not day after day, anyway. Maybe just this once, or once in a while.
But the letting go? The being free and easy with the words, the laying down of ideas and the tossing around concepts and communicating with an effortless, uncontrolled touch of a finger to the keyboard, that does belong here. Saying what I really think, without wondering if someone will sue me, accuse me, or abuse me, that does belong here, and I'd like to see it here, somehow.
I'd like to be so out of control that I know my opinion counts, and is worth something, and that its value lies in putting it out there, and so what if somebody disagrees. I sit on the pot same as they do, and so what if their pot is guilded while mine is porcelain? They do the same job.
Letting go. Being free and easy, tossing off the ropes that bind. Why O Why is it so damned hard?
**This entry has been edited.**
Deb over at Greener Pastures let loose a whopping blog entry that was ostensibly about another blogger, Ginger over at landuvmilknhoney but was more about how alienated she feels as a northerner in the south, and as a progressive living in the south amidst a bunch of right-wing bible thumpers.
Oh how I envy that entry, and Deb's ability to say what she wants to say without worrying about who she might offend. Because she believes her opinion is as valid as their criticism. And I find that remarkable, for I sit here in my timidity with my butt planted on a very solid line between absolutely nothing. I am fence sitter extraordinaire even though I know which side I think is the more appropriate one.
Not that I don't have opinions, because I do. I just don't share them often. Regular readers know that I am not a member of the conservative party, or the tea party, or the libertarian party. Nor do I always countenance what the progressive party sanctions, mostly because these days it is rather hard to tell the difference between parties. They're all out for profit, for big business, for control and military, and they have very little to say about regular people, the little person who sits behind a computer and plugs away trying to make a living. They care nothing for the living cogs behind the machinery, just the machines.
I feel alienated from any political party because none of them represent me. Maybe we need a Creatives Party, one that represents people who believe in the creative process, who believe in the greater good of society. A party that believes people everywhere have basic needs that government can and should meet, one that doesn't allow people to become homeless because their spouse had a heart attack and can't pay the medical bills. A more benevolent society that sees people as human beings and not as paychecks.
Ginger was a homeschooling, homesteading mom who lived about eight miles from me. She and her family were making a go on 20 acres of land - just 20 acres! and were doing well until her husband unexpectedly passed away. She stayed for a year - a year longer than I thought she would, to be sure - and then she moved to Texas to join her parents. She left the farm unsold and packed up and went. Deb admired that, and I admire that, too. I admire Ginger's ability to take care of herself and her family, to do what is necessary without fear of what others might think, without worrying about the financial end of it because she is sure God will take care of it all, in the end.
Deb wants to go back home to New Jersey, but she is staying until her place sells. She laments her inability to simply move back home like Ginger did. She is bound here financially and she feels those bonds keenly, and aches to be free of them.
We all have our bonds, I think. We are tied up in our lives, wrapped so tightly that we can never be free. I am bound here. My family goes back generations, two hundred years of blood, sweat and tears building and creating and moving and making things more, or sometimes less, than what was here when they came. I have a farmer husband with those same ties, a fellow who would no more think of moving away than he would of tearing out his right eye.
So many days I feel simply alien in my own skin, but who wants to read that? Besides, this is a blog, not a diary, and that kind thing doesn't belong here. Not day after day, anyway. Maybe just this once, or once in a while.
But the letting go? The being free and easy with the words, the laying down of ideas and the tossing around concepts and communicating with an effortless, uncontrolled touch of a finger to the keyboard, that does belong here. Saying what I really think, without wondering if someone will sue me, accuse me, or abuse me, that does belong here, and I'd like to see it here, somehow.
I'd like to be so out of control that I know my opinion counts, and is worth something, and that its value lies in putting it out there, and so what if somebody disagrees. I sit on the pot same as they do, and so what if their pot is guilded while mine is porcelain? They do the same job.
Letting go. Being free and easy, tossing off the ropes that bind. Why O Why is it so damned hard?
**This entry has been edited.**
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Books: Rescue
Rescue
By Anita Shreve
Read by Dennis Holland
Unabridged
Copyright
Peter Webster is a young paramedic when he saves Sheila Arsenault after she flips her car. He is smitten, and soon the two are a couple.
When young Rowan is born, Peter's life is complete. Unfortunately, Sheila has problems with alcohol. She is a troubled young woman and Peter cannot save her.
Fast forward 15 years. Rowan is now a troubled young 17-year-old, and Peter is uncertain how to deal with his daughter. Things happen quickly.
Fortunately, it's a happy ending.
This is a sweet little book. Most of it is spent on the relationship between Peter and Sheila, and they are interesting characters.
Recommended summer beach reading.
By Anita Shreve
Read by Dennis Holland
Unabridged
Copyright
Peter Webster is a young paramedic when he saves Sheila Arsenault after she flips her car. He is smitten, and soon the two are a couple.
When young Rowan is born, Peter's life is complete. Unfortunately, Sheila has problems with alcohol. She is a troubled young woman and Peter cannot save her.
Fast forward 15 years. Rowan is now a troubled young 17-year-old, and Peter is uncertain how to deal with his daughter. Things happen quickly.
Fortunately, it's a happy ending.
This is a sweet little book. Most of it is spent on the relationship between Peter and Sheila, and they are interesting characters.
Recommended summer beach reading.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Deer Photos
I've been taking deer photos again!
This was taken with a game camera.
So was this.
The other morning I walked into the kitchen to see this scene out the window. It had an autumn look to it. I grabbed the Nikon and snapped.
Same scene, just a little different cropping and settings. For some reason this looks more like a painting than a photo picture to me.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Thursday Thirteen #205
I'm running late with my Thursday Thirteen today!
Here are thirteen small things that I consider blessings.
1. New socks. I absolutely love the feel of new socks on my feet. Soft and cushiony!
2. A massage. Getting a massage is just about the best pampering a body can have.
3. A touch. You know that touch from a friend, spouse, or child can be loaded with meaning. Just a touch on the shoulder can say volumes. We should all touch more often.
4. A cup of tea, and the time to sit and drink it.
5. The view out my window. I look out on a pasture field, trees, and the Blue Ridge Mountain. What could be more lovely?
6. Chocolate. Okay, I am a chocolate addict. It is one of my biggest weaknesses. I am learning to savor one piece instead of eating the whole bag, though.
7. A glass of water. Now can I get more mundane than this? But it is so cooling. It quenches my thirst. It fills me up so that I stop eating. It gives me something to do with my hands. Getting a glass of water gives me a reason to get off my duffus and away from the computer. It's wonderful!
8. A coolish day with low humidity. On a clear day I can nearly see forever, looking miles and miles across the terrain to the tops of the mountains. On such a day, you can be outside without sweating or breathing too hard.
9. Phone calls and emails from friends and family. I enjoy knowing that someone has thought about me.
10. A good book. Nothing like spending time reading, lost in a story.
11. Writing. Yes, this should have been way up on the list. It is a great joy to be able to write, to know how to write, and to actually do it.
12. The smell of roses. They make me sneeze but I love to smell my roses in the mornings when I walk outside for a deep breath of fresh air. They have such a delicate fragrance about them.
13. My cameras. I love being able to photograph the world around me and share it with others. Photos are a wonderful legacy to leave behind.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 205th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday
Here are thirteen small things that I consider blessings.
1. New socks. I absolutely love the feel of new socks on my feet. Soft and cushiony!
2. A massage. Getting a massage is just about the best pampering a body can have.
3. A touch. You know that touch from a friend, spouse, or child can be loaded with meaning. Just a touch on the shoulder can say volumes. We should all touch more often.
4. A cup of tea, and the time to sit and drink it.
5. The view out my window. I look out on a pasture field, trees, and the Blue Ridge Mountain. What could be more lovely?
6. Chocolate. Okay, I am a chocolate addict. It is one of my biggest weaknesses. I am learning to savor one piece instead of eating the whole bag, though.
7. A glass of water. Now can I get more mundane than this? But it is so cooling. It quenches my thirst. It fills me up so that I stop eating. It gives me something to do with my hands. Getting a glass of water gives me a reason to get off my duffus and away from the computer. It's wonderful!
8. A coolish day with low humidity. On a clear day I can nearly see forever, looking miles and miles across the terrain to the tops of the mountains. On such a day, you can be outside without sweating or breathing too hard.
9. Phone calls and emails from friends and family. I enjoy knowing that someone has thought about me.
10. A good book. Nothing like spending time reading, lost in a story.
11. Writing. Yes, this should have been way up on the list. It is a great joy to be able to write, to know how to write, and to actually do it.
12. The smell of roses. They make me sneeze but I love to smell my roses in the mornings when I walk outside for a deep breath of fresh air. They have such a delicate fragrance about them.
13. My cameras. I love being able to photograph the world around me and share it with others. Photos are a wonderful legacy to leave behind.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 205th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
11 Years
Eleven years ago today, August 24, my mother died. She was 56 years old. I am 48 years old. She was not old at all.
Regular readers know she passed away from pancreatic cancer. It is a terrible disease, and I'm sorry to say, one that took my husband's aunt in January of this year.
This is my mother. The picture was taken on my wedding day, and this is pretty much how I remember her. Dark hair, lovely, all made-up and ready to take on the world. My grandfather always said she looked like Elizabeth Taylor.
My mother gave me irises when I built my house. She told me when she dying she would send me something orange so I would believe in the afterlife, and she did.
She could curse like a sailor, my mom, and she could yell loud enough to make bees freeze in midair. She would go on the warpath and we'd all know we'd best get to doing something.
Mom taught me to act like a lady when it counted, and to always wear good underwear. And to never go out in public without my makeup.
My mother could sing. She could paint, sew, and dance. She could cook anything out of nothing and make it taste good, too.
Some days I miss her.
You can read more about my mother at this entry, if you like.
Thanks for reading.
Regular readers know she passed away from pancreatic cancer. It is a terrible disease, and I'm sorry to say, one that took my husband's aunt in January of this year.
This is my mother. The picture was taken on my wedding day, and this is pretty much how I remember her. Dark hair, lovely, all made-up and ready to take on the world. My grandfather always said she looked like Elizabeth Taylor.
My mother gave me irises when I built my house. She told me when she dying she would send me something orange so I would believe in the afterlife, and she did.
She could curse like a sailor, my mom, and she could yell loud enough to make bees freeze in midair. She would go on the warpath and we'd all know we'd best get to doing something.
Mom taught me to act like a lady when it counted, and to always wear good underwear. And to never go out in public without my makeup.
My mother could sing. She could paint, sew, and dance. She could cook anything out of nothing and make it taste good, too.
Some days I miss her.
You can read more about my mother at this entry, if you like.
Thanks for reading.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Books: Ladies of the Lake
Ladies of the Lake
By Haywood Smith
Read by Cynthia Darlow
Abridged
Copyright 2009
Four aged sisters must spend 90 days together in order to inherit their grandmother's fortune.
Of course, they do not get along. But now they're in their 50s and 60s, so its time to act like grown ups.
Some hilarity, a budding romance, a few life lessons, a little family drama. If you have a fondness for the sister relationship (whether you have sisters or not), this is a nice read.
By Haywood Smith
Read by Cynthia Darlow
Abridged
Copyright 2009
Four aged sisters must spend 90 days together in order to inherit their grandmother's fortune.
Of course, they do not get along. But now they're in their 50s and 60s, so its time to act like grown ups.
Some hilarity, a budding romance, a few life lessons, a little family drama. If you have a fondness for the sister relationship (whether you have sisters or not), this is a nice read.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
30 Years Ago . . . Today
So last night was my 30th class reunion. When the class graduated, there were about 230 people marching for their diplomas.
We had 44 classmates and 23 guests sign up, and a few people dropped in, for a total of around 70-75 people for our big evening.
The event was held at the Kyle House in Fincastle. This is an old structure that once was a grocery store. It is now used for weddings, reunions, and other events.
The food was catered appetizers consisting of some fish things, BBQ biscuits, cheeses, crackers, spinach dip, etc.
This will be my favorite picture from the evening, I think. Not because I am in it (I'm the one in the pink) but because all of us went to Breckinridge Elementary School together. So we have known each other since we were small children. From left: Alan, Chris, Ramona, Me, Kathy, and Ann.
This is Ann. We talked a lot about our days in the rock band, Almost Famous, and our misadventures.
Ramona. I was quite impressed with how wonderful she looked. I give her many thumbs up for making positive changes in her life.
The memory table featured the yearbooks, a copy of The Interloper, which was a school paper of sorts, somebody's report cards, photos, etc.
We went outside to take a picture. Originally they wanted us on this balcony but some of us worried that we'd end up crashing it to the ground if we all gathered on it. Not wanting to die or be injured, we insisted on moving the photo op to the courtyard below.
This was accomplished via a circular staircase at the rear. I did not get a group picture but am hoping to steal one from someone's Facebook page later.
The event was very nice. I behaved myself, except for dancing. Greg wanted to dance and no one was dancing with him, so I did. The only thing is, I can't dance. I look a bit like Elaine from Friends when I dance. This has immediately gone onto my bucket list as something I want to do - learn to dance.
It was a nice time. I was home by 10 p.m. I hope to keep in touch with a few of these old friends. Back to the present day now.
We had 44 classmates and 23 guests sign up, and a few people dropped in, for a total of around 70-75 people for our big evening.
The event was held at the Kyle House in Fincastle. This is an old structure that once was a grocery store. It is now used for weddings, reunions, and other events.
The food was catered appetizers consisting of some fish things, BBQ biscuits, cheeses, crackers, spinach dip, etc.
This will be my favorite picture from the evening, I think. Not because I am in it (I'm the one in the pink) but because all of us went to Breckinridge Elementary School together. So we have known each other since we were small children. From left: Alan, Chris, Ramona, Me, Kathy, and Ann.
This is Ann. We talked a lot about our days in the rock band, Almost Famous, and our misadventures.
Ramona. I was quite impressed with how wonderful she looked. I give her many thumbs up for making positive changes in her life.
Donna and I shared a few adventures in high school, too.
Greetings at the door.
Gale (in black) saying hello to Ramona.
The memory table featured the yearbooks, a copy of The Interloper, which was a school paper of sorts, somebody's report cards, photos, etc.
We went outside to take a picture. Originally they wanted us on this balcony but some of us worried that we'd end up crashing it to the ground if we all gathered on it. Not wanting to die or be injured, we insisted on moving the photo op to the courtyard below.
This was accomplished via a circular staircase at the rear. I did not get a group picture but am hoping to steal one from someone's Facebook page later.
Our classmates who have passed on. There are 8 that we know of.
The event was very nice. I behaved myself, except for dancing. Greg wanted to dance and no one was dancing with him, so I did. The only thing is, I can't dance. I look a bit like Elaine from Friends when I dance. This has immediately gone onto my bucket list as something I want to do - learn to dance.
It was a nice time. I was home by 10 p.m. I hope to keep in touch with a few of these old friends. Back to the present day now.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Down Memory Lane
I dug out some old photos as I did a little reminiscing, what with my class reunion tonight and all. Here are a few shots of me as a younger person.
This is me in the 8th grade with my math teacher. This photo is the way I tend to remember myself, and apparently still think of myself sometimes. Long hair, jean jacket, and blue jeans. And a lot thinner than I am today. It can be quite a shock when I look in the mirror, because this is certainly not what I see!
Here's proof of that rock band I have mentioned a few times in the past. That's me on the guitar.
Another rock band photo. This was the New Year's Eve gig at Hotel Roanoke. I'm the smiling girl with glasses on the far right. I'm not naming other names out of respect for their privacy.
Me and that guitar again. That band had a big impact on my high school years and was a big part of my life for some time.
Me and a friend during a July 4 parade. I played flute, as you can see. This would be either 9th or 10th grade, I'm guessing.
This would be me about two years after my high graduation, since that is my husband's old pick up truck in the photo. I can't believe I was once that little!
Ah, memories! They may be beautiful ... and yet ... sometimes painful to remember! Maybe I should choose to forget!
Looking forward to exorcising demons tonight at the ball.
This is me in the 8th grade with my math teacher. This photo is the way I tend to remember myself, and apparently still think of myself sometimes. Long hair, jean jacket, and blue jeans. And a lot thinner than I am today. It can be quite a shock when I look in the mirror, because this is certainly not what I see!
Here's proof of that rock band I have mentioned a few times in the past. That's me on the guitar.
Another rock band photo. This was the New Year's Eve gig at Hotel Roanoke. I'm the smiling girl with glasses on the far right. I'm not naming other names out of respect for their privacy.
Me and that guitar again. That band had a big impact on my high school years and was a big part of my life for some time.
Me and a friend during a July 4 parade. I played flute, as you can see. This would be either 9th or 10th grade, I'm guessing.
This would be me about two years after my high graduation, since that is my husband's old pick up truck in the photo. I can't believe I was once that little!
Ah, memories! They may be beautiful ... and yet ... sometimes painful to remember! Maybe I should choose to forget!
Looking forward to exorcising demons tonight at the ball.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Thursday Thirteen
My class reunion is this Saturday, and I am planning on going. I attended Lord Botetourt High School in Daleville, Virginia. I graduated in 1981.
So here are 13 things I remember from high school. Thirty years ago. Wow. I am old!
1. The food fight. The class of 1981 started a terrible food fight near the end of the school year. The principal, who was new that year, called in the police. The local paper wrote a story about it that ran all over the country, as my grandmother in California sent me a copy of the story from her paper. The fight was actually planned by the seniors. The new principal was very stern. It had been tradition for the senior class to pull a prank, and he was having none of it. He'd have been better off with the senior prank, which according to the yearbook was the theft of water cooler handles, though I don't recall that at all. In case you are wondering, I did not participate in the food fight. In fact, I was nowhere near the cafeteria when this happened. But I certainly saw the residue from it, and it wasn't pretty.
2. Band camp. I was in the high school band and we had summer camp at Ferrum College. I had trouble with my knee and it swelled up so that I couldn't walk on it. I eventually had to leave early, which I did not want to do. I played the flute, if you want to know.
3. Being in a Top 40/Rock Band. I played guitar in a band called Almost Famous. The band was comprised of me, Glynn Loope, Beth Arrington, Ann Jones, and Joel Woods. We started out with two others who did not stay with us long. The band stayed together for three years, and it gave us all spending money for those years. We even played a New Year's Eve gig at Hotel Roanoke (the swankiest place in town). Of the five of us, only Joel went on to do something with his music, though I lost track of Ann so she could have done something, too, I suppose.
4. Taking up for my brother. Trouble found me once because some boy was picking on my brother, who was a freshman the year I was a senior. I went after the boy in the hallway about the time a teacher turned a corner.
5. Detention. Even though I was a good student (I graduated 5th in the class), I tended to skip band class. Finally Mr. Lowe, the band director, told me if I skipped one more time I would be in trouble. I did, and I was. I remember most of my teachers were mortified. Straight A students just didn't get detention.
6. Telling off a boyfriend. We were standing in front of the library. I spat out a lot of big words. He finally told me he had no idea what I was saying. I stalked off, through the jeering crowd. How embarrassing.
7. First chair. In band, we competed for the glory of first chair. If you were the best, you were first chair. That meant you played the hard parts and you could play the piccolo. Angie Cundiff and I swapped the first chair seat back and forth for years.
8. High school football games. As a band member, I went to most of the games. I remember long bus rides back from some godforsaken place like Alleghany County after midnight, with stops at a Dairy Queen or something in Clifton Forge. But the high school game that counted the most was the game I attended the year after I graduated, for that was when I met my future husband.
9. My Datsun. This was my first car. It was a horrid brown and it was a hatchback. I don't remember what year it was. My father gave it to me; I don't know where he got it. I drove the crap out of the thing. Backed it into a post. Took it around where the Pagan motorcycle group was camping one time, and a big knife that was in the road jumped up and poked a hole in the gas tank. I had to lie about that one as I wasn't supposed to be in that area of the county. Oops.
10. Alegebra. My favorite teacher was Tina Flippin. Many other students did not care for her. She was a hard teacher and expected you to do your best. I loved her. I aced her classes and while I can't even figure percents today there was a time when I could do trigonometry and all of that stuff, and do it well.
11. English classes. Of course I loved my English classes. However, I remember being incredibly embarrassed once when I was reading aloud per the teacher's instructions. The sentence had the Leaning Tower of Pisa in it, which I mispronounced as pizza. The teacher laughed and asked me if I was hungry for lunch. I nodded and she pulled out a big bag of candy bars and passed them around. That was Ms. Dee Jones. What a great teacher.
12. The prom. I was a sophomore when I attended a prom at Hotel Roanoke. The thing I most remember about this was dressing up and then having my date drive me all the way to Salem so I could show my grandmother my dress. She cried.
13. Losing my retainer. I had braces and then a retainer. I threw that thing into the cafeteria trash twice, and both times I had to go outside and hunt through huge trash cans in search of it. I found it, but what a trial. It was always fine because I would wrap it up in a napkin, but the hunt sure was messy and stinky.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 204th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday
So here are 13 things I remember from high school. Thirty years ago. Wow. I am old!
1. The food fight. The class of 1981 started a terrible food fight near the end of the school year. The principal, who was new that year, called in the police. The local paper wrote a story about it that ran all over the country, as my grandmother in California sent me a copy of the story from her paper. The fight was actually planned by the seniors. The new principal was very stern. It had been tradition for the senior class to pull a prank, and he was having none of it. He'd have been better off with the senior prank, which according to the yearbook was the theft of water cooler handles, though I don't recall that at all. In case you are wondering, I did not participate in the food fight. In fact, I was nowhere near the cafeteria when this happened. But I certainly saw the residue from it, and it wasn't pretty.
2. Band camp. I was in the high school band and we had summer camp at Ferrum College. I had trouble with my knee and it swelled up so that I couldn't walk on it. I eventually had to leave early, which I did not want to do. I played the flute, if you want to know.
3. Being in a Top 40/Rock Band. I played guitar in a band called Almost Famous. The band was comprised of me, Glynn Loope, Beth Arrington, Ann Jones, and Joel Woods. We started out with two others who did not stay with us long. The band stayed together for three years, and it gave us all spending money for those years. We even played a New Year's Eve gig at Hotel Roanoke (the swankiest place in town). Of the five of us, only Joel went on to do something with his music, though I lost track of Ann so she could have done something, too, I suppose.
4. Taking up for my brother. Trouble found me once because some boy was picking on my brother, who was a freshman the year I was a senior. I went after the boy in the hallway about the time a teacher turned a corner.
5. Detention. Even though I was a good student (I graduated 5th in the class), I tended to skip band class. Finally Mr. Lowe, the band director, told me if I skipped one more time I would be in trouble. I did, and I was. I remember most of my teachers were mortified. Straight A students just didn't get detention.
6. Telling off a boyfriend. We were standing in front of the library. I spat out a lot of big words. He finally told me he had no idea what I was saying. I stalked off, through the jeering crowd. How embarrassing.
7. First chair. In band, we competed for the glory of first chair. If you were the best, you were first chair. That meant you played the hard parts and you could play the piccolo. Angie Cundiff and I swapped the first chair seat back and forth for years.
8. High school football games. As a band member, I went to most of the games. I remember long bus rides back from some godforsaken place like Alleghany County after midnight, with stops at a Dairy Queen or something in Clifton Forge. But the high school game that counted the most was the game I attended the year after I graduated, for that was when I met my future husband.
9. My Datsun. This was my first car. It was a horrid brown and it was a hatchback. I don't remember what year it was. My father gave it to me; I don't know where he got it. I drove the crap out of the thing. Backed it into a post. Took it around where the Pagan motorcycle group was camping one time, and a big knife that was in the road jumped up and poked a hole in the gas tank. I had to lie about that one as I wasn't supposed to be in that area of the county. Oops.
10. Alegebra. My favorite teacher was Tina Flippin. Many other students did not care for her. She was a hard teacher and expected you to do your best. I loved her. I aced her classes and while I can't even figure percents today there was a time when I could do trigonometry and all of that stuff, and do it well.
11. English classes. Of course I loved my English classes. However, I remember being incredibly embarrassed once when I was reading aloud per the teacher's instructions. The sentence had the Leaning Tower of Pisa in it, which I mispronounced as pizza. The teacher laughed and asked me if I was hungry for lunch. I nodded and she pulled out a big bag of candy bars and passed them around. That was Ms. Dee Jones. What a great teacher.
12. The prom. I was a sophomore when I attended a prom at Hotel Roanoke. The thing I most remember about this was dressing up and then having my date drive me all the way to Salem so I could show my grandmother my dress. She cried.
13. Losing my retainer. I had braces and then a retainer. I threw that thing into the cafeteria trash twice, and both times I had to go outside and hunt through huge trash cans in search of it. I found it, but what a trial. It was always fine because I would wrap it up in a napkin, but the hunt sure was messy and stinky.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 204th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Summer Squash
This year we've had an abundance of yellow squash. The zucchini did not do well, but the yellow squash has more than made up for it.
I've fried it, sauteed it, baked it, grilled it. By far the favorite, though, has been a yellow squash casserole. This casserole is 3 points per serving on the Weight Watchers Points Plus plan.
I don't add salt and paper but use Mrs. Dash instead.
Here's the version I am using:
Squash & Rice Casserole
3 cups of squash
3 egg whites
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 cup low fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup onion
3 cups of cooked white rice
1 can of low fat cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup fat free Miracle Whip
Mrs. Dash
Greased casserole dish
Oven 350 degrees
Cook the squash however you like. Sometimes I boil it, sometimes I fry it up in a few tsp. of olive oil. The boiling is probably better for calories and fat. However you cook it, add liberal sprinkles of Mrs. Dash for flavoring.
Combine all the ingredients except squash. Blend in squash. Spread in casserole dish. Top with cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
This is an easy recipe for substituting ingredients. You could use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup, for example, to change the flavor a little. And of course you can use regular instead of low fat items for something that has a bit more fat to it. And two eggs instead of egg whites. You could add bread crumbs or stuffing, even. However, it's pretty good without all of that other stuff.
I've fried it, sauteed it, baked it, grilled it. By far the favorite, though, has been a yellow squash casserole. This casserole is 3 points per serving on the Weight Watchers Points Plus plan.
I don't add salt and paper but use Mrs. Dash instead.
Here's the version I am using:
Squash & Rice Casserole
3 cups of squash
3 egg whites
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 cup low fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup onion
3 cups of cooked white rice
1 can of low fat cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup fat free Miracle Whip
Mrs. Dash
Greased casserole dish
Oven 350 degrees
Cook the squash however you like. Sometimes I boil it, sometimes I fry it up in a few tsp. of olive oil. The boiling is probably better for calories and fat. However you cook it, add liberal sprinkles of Mrs. Dash for flavoring.
Combine all the ingredients except squash. Blend in squash. Spread in casserole dish. Top with cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
This is an easy recipe for substituting ingredients. You could use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup, for example, to change the flavor a little. And of course you can use regular instead of low fat items for something that has a bit more fat to it. And two eggs instead of egg whites. You could add bread crumbs or stuffing, even. However, it's pretty good without all of that other stuff.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Go ahead, call me "liberal"
"If by a 'Liberal' they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people — their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties — someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a 'Liberal,' then I'm proud to say I'm a 'Liberal.' . . .
"I believe in human dignity as the source of national purpose, in human liberty as the source of national action, in the human heart as the source of national compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our invention and our ideas. It is, I believe, the faith in our fellow citizens as individuals and as people that lies at the heart of the liberal faith. For liberalism is not so much a party creed or set of fixed platform promises as it is an attitude of mind and heart, a faith in man's ability through the experiences of his reason and judgment to increase for himself and his fellow men the amount of justice and freedom and brotherhood which all human life deserves. . . .
"I do not believe in a superstate. I see no magic in tax dollars which are sent to Washington and then returned. I abhor the waste and incompetence of large-scale federal bureaucracies in this administration as well as in others. I do not favor state compulsion when voluntary individual effort can do the job and do it well. But I believe in a government which acts, which exercises its full powers and full responsibilities. Government is an art and a precious obligation; and when it has a job to do, I believe it should do it. And this requires not only great ends but that we propose concrete means of achieving them. . . . liberalism is our best and only hope in the world today. For the liberal society is a free society, and it is at the same time and for that reason a strong society. Its strength is drawn from the will of free people committed to great ends and peacefully striving to meet them. Only liberalism, in short, can repair our national power, restore our national purpose, and liberate our national energies."
~ John F. Kennedy, September 14, 1960
"I believe in human dignity as the source of national purpose, in human liberty as the source of national action, in the human heart as the source of national compassion, and in the human mind as the source of our invention and our ideas. It is, I believe, the faith in our fellow citizens as individuals and as people that lies at the heart of the liberal faith. For liberalism is not so much a party creed or set of fixed platform promises as it is an attitude of mind and heart, a faith in man's ability through the experiences of his reason and judgment to increase for himself and his fellow men the amount of justice and freedom and brotherhood which all human life deserves. . . .
"I do not believe in a superstate. I see no magic in tax dollars which are sent to Washington and then returned. I abhor the waste and incompetence of large-scale federal bureaucracies in this administration as well as in others. I do not favor state compulsion when voluntary individual effort can do the job and do it well. But I believe in a government which acts, which exercises its full powers and full responsibilities. Government is an art and a precious obligation; and when it has a job to do, I believe it should do it. And this requires not only great ends but that we propose concrete means of achieving them. . . . liberalism is our best and only hope in the world today. For the liberal society is a free society, and it is at the same time and for that reason a strong society. Its strength is drawn from the will of free people committed to great ends and peacefully striving to meet them. Only liberalism, in short, can repair our national power, restore our national purpose, and liberate our national energies."
~ John F. Kennedy, September 14, 1960
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Wild Wonderful West Virginia Part VI
Part VI - Sandstone Falls
Sandstone Falls are the largest falls on the New River. They span 1,500 feet.
The National Park Service offers the Sandstone Visitor Center just off Interstate 64. About five miles from there, one can see the falls from a mountain overlook that is 400 feet above the falls.
A boardwalk allows you to access the falls. However, we did not go down there. To reach the boardwalk required another 30 minutes of driving, following the river south and then across at Hinton, WV, and then back north. We elected not to take that drive this time.
Even from a distance, the falls were very impressive.
Here is a site with more information and much better photos: Click Here.
The National Park Service has photos, too: Click Here.
That pretty much covers our trip! Thanks for reading about Wild, Wonderful West Virginia as seen through touristy eyes.
Sandstone Falls are the largest falls on the New River. They span 1,500 feet.
The National Park Service offers the Sandstone Visitor Center just off Interstate 64. About five miles from there, one can see the falls from a mountain overlook that is 400 feet above the falls.
A boardwalk allows you to access the falls. However, we did not go down there. To reach the boardwalk required another 30 minutes of driving, following the river south and then across at Hinton, WV, and then back north. We elected not to take that drive this time.
Even from a distance, the falls were very impressive.
Here is a site with more information and much better photos: Click Here.
The National Park Service has photos, too: Click Here.
That pretty much covers our trip! Thanks for reading about Wild, Wonderful West Virginia as seen through touristy eyes.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Wild Wonderful West Virginia Part V
Part V - The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame
The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame is located inside Tamarack. We didn't even know West Virginia had a music hall of fame. The exhibit at Tamarack is permanent, but according to the website, they also have a traveling museum!
As you might expect, many of the records reflected country, bluegrass, and Appalachian folk music.
An impressive number of musicians hail from West Virginia. They have a virtual hall of fame of their inductees at this link. However, I confess, that, aside from Kathy Mattea and Bill Withers, I haven't heard of very many of them. However, I don't listen to much country or bluegrass so of course I would be ignorant of the contribution of these folks.
That guitar is a Martin, played by Bill Withers. He is a successful singer-songwriter. His songs include Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone, and Lean On Me. Those songs were successful in the 1970s.
We enjoyed this exhibit as much as we did the display of arts and crafts at Tamarack.
Next: Part VI - Sandstone Falls
The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame is located inside Tamarack. We didn't even know West Virginia had a music hall of fame. The exhibit at Tamarack is permanent, but according to the website, they also have a traveling museum!
As you might expect, many of the records reflected country, bluegrass, and Appalachian folk music.
An impressive number of musicians hail from West Virginia. They have a virtual hall of fame of their inductees at this link. However, I confess, that, aside from Kathy Mattea and Bill Withers, I haven't heard of very many of them. However, I don't listen to much country or bluegrass so of course I would be ignorant of the contribution of these folks.
That guitar is a Martin, played by Bill Withers. He is a successful singer-songwriter. His songs include Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone, and Lean On Me. Those songs were successful in the 1970s.
We enjoyed this exhibit as much as we did the display of arts and crafts at Tamarack.
Next: Part VI - Sandstone Falls
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Thursday Thirteen
This week I have been writing about our trip to West Virginia. But it's Thursday Thirteen, so I will interrupt my journey - but will still write about West Virginia!
So here are 13 things about West Virginia. Sort of.
1. My father is originally from West Virginia and has family there. So as a child, we would sometimes go visit Carmen and Helen. They lived somewhere in Summersville. I could not find her house today if I had to.
2. Uncle Carmen and Aunt Helen's house was haunted. We stayed overnight many times. Rocking chairs moved. Clocks chimed that weren't supposed to be working. Banjos played music in the middle of the night. Water spigots turned themselves off and on.
3. We also used to camp in the Monongahela National Forest. One time a bear tried to get into the tent. I think that was the place, anyway.
4. Another place we visited was Cranberry Glades. This is a 750-acre bog in West Virginia. A boardwalk allows you to walk through the area, examining the unique flora and fauna.
5. Some of my ancestors are buried near Union, WV. This is not far from the Virginia state line.
6. My grandparents lived most of their young adult lives in West Virginia. When my father was a young teen, they moved to Salem, VA. A year after I was born, they moved to California, where they remain.
7. In 1992, my husband and I attempted to vacation in West Virginia. It rained buckets. We finally gave up and came home. Until this past weekend, we had not been back. It rained while we were in West Virginia this time, too. But not buckets.
Having run out of semi-personal things to say about West Virginia, here are a few other facts to fill out the 13:
8. West Virginia is the only state to have been created by presidential proclamation.
9. It has the oldest population of any of the states. The median age is 40.
10. West Virginia had the first state sales tax, beginning in 1921.
11. The first major land battle between the North and South in the Civil War was fought in West Virginia - The Battle of Phillipi, June 3, 1861.
12. Organ Cave in West Virginia is the third largest cave in the U.S.
13. The Golden Delicious apple originated in West Virginia. I guess Johnny Appleseed stopped there, eh?
That's it. A little more about West Virginia for my Thursday Thirteen. I hope you have enjoyed learning about my neighboring state.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 203rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
So here are 13 things about West Virginia. Sort of.
1. My father is originally from West Virginia and has family there. So as a child, we would sometimes go visit Carmen and Helen. They lived somewhere in Summersville. I could not find her house today if I had to.
2. Uncle Carmen and Aunt Helen's house was haunted. We stayed overnight many times. Rocking chairs moved. Clocks chimed that weren't supposed to be working. Banjos played music in the middle of the night. Water spigots turned themselves off and on.
3. We also used to camp in the Monongahela National Forest. One time a bear tried to get into the tent. I think that was the place, anyway.
4. Another place we visited was Cranberry Glades. This is a 750-acre bog in West Virginia. A boardwalk allows you to walk through the area, examining the unique flora and fauna.
5. Some of my ancestors are buried near Union, WV. This is not far from the Virginia state line.
6. My grandparents lived most of their young adult lives in West Virginia. When my father was a young teen, they moved to Salem, VA. A year after I was born, they moved to California, where they remain.
7. In 1992, my husband and I attempted to vacation in West Virginia. It rained buckets. We finally gave up and came home. Until this past weekend, we had not been back. It rained while we were in West Virginia this time, too. But not buckets.
Having run out of semi-personal things to say about West Virginia, here are a few other facts to fill out the 13:
8. West Virginia is the only state to have been created by presidential proclamation.
9. It has the oldest population of any of the states. The median age is 40.
10. West Virginia had the first state sales tax, beginning in 1921.
11. The first major land battle between the North and South in the Civil War was fought in West Virginia - The Battle of Phillipi, June 3, 1861.
12. Organ Cave in West Virginia is the third largest cave in the U.S.
13. The Golden Delicious apple originated in West Virginia. I guess Johnny Appleseed stopped there, eh?
That's it. A little more about West Virginia for my Thursday Thirteen. I hope you have enjoyed learning about my neighboring state.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 203rd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Wild Wonderful West Virginia Part IV
Part IV - Tamarack
Tamarack, in Beckley, WV, is a cultural center/showcase of art. The art has been carefully chosen (juried) and so is some of the best around. It's named after the Tamarack tree, which is a kind of conifer tree. It is unusual in that it loses its leaves or needles.
The structure is supposed to look like a quilt from the air.
Inside we saw 59,000 square feet of lovely things. I was greatly impressed by an $18,000 coffee table, though a $270 rocking chair, made with a mix of dark and light colored wood, was more in my price range. They had some really nice items and it is a shame that we brought nothing home.
The work of many jewelry makers, photographers, painters, and woodworkers was on display. The Greenbrier has a shop there, and there is a nice place to have a meal, too. It is cafeteria-style.
This would be a great place to go Christmas shopping. I suggest taking the girls and leaving the husbands behind, though!
Next: Part V - The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame
Tamarack, in Beckley, WV, is a cultural center/showcase of art. The art has been carefully chosen (juried) and so is some of the best around. It's named after the Tamarack tree, which is a kind of conifer tree. It is unusual in that it loses its leaves or needles.
The structure is supposed to look like a quilt from the air.
Inside we saw 59,000 square feet of lovely things. I was greatly impressed by an $18,000 coffee table, though a $270 rocking chair, made with a mix of dark and light colored wood, was more in my price range. They had some really nice items and it is a shame that we brought nothing home.
The work of many jewelry makers, photographers, painters, and woodworkers was on display. The Greenbrier has a shop there, and there is a nice place to have a meal, too. It is cafeteria-style.
This would be a great place to go Christmas shopping. I suggest taking the girls and leaving the husbands behind, though!
Next: Part V - The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Wild Wonderful West Virginia Part III
Part III - The New River Gorge Bridge
The New River Gorge Bridge is on US 19. It crosses The New River and spans the huge gorge carved out by those ancient waters. The arch bridge is 3,030 feet across, and is the third largest of such structures in the world.
Before the bridge was built, it took 45 minutes to get around the New River gorge. Now it takes about 49 seconds to drive across it.
About 16,500 vehicles go over the bridge every day.
The structure cost $37 million to build. It was constructed in the 1970s.
The bridge is 876 feet above The New River.
The National Park Service has a series of decks which one might venture down to see the river and the bridge. However, it was over 20 floors or levels (more than 200 steps) and neither the husband nor I cared to make the climb back up. We both have bad knees.
The arch that creates the base of the structure is quite incredible. Photos in the museum in the visitor's center showed men walking along these steel beams like they were out for an evening's stroll.
This bridge will count as one of the most amazing feats of man-made genius I have ever seen. This was produced during a time of greater vision, when we had real statesmen and visionaries in office.
I could have looked at the bridge all day.
Go see it!
Click here for a google images link to amazing photos of this bridge.
Next: Part IV - Tamarack
The New River Gorge Bridge is on US 19. It crosses The New River and spans the huge gorge carved out by those ancient waters. The arch bridge is 3,030 feet across, and is the third largest of such structures in the world.
Before the bridge was built, it took 45 minutes to get around the New River gorge. Now it takes about 49 seconds to drive across it.
About 16,500 vehicles go over the bridge every day.
The structure cost $37 million to build. It was constructed in the 1970s.
The bridge is 876 feet above The New River.
The National Park Service has a series of decks which one might venture down to see the river and the bridge. However, it was over 20 floors or levels (more than 200 steps) and neither the husband nor I cared to make the climb back up. We both have bad knees.
The arch that creates the base of the structure is quite incredible. Photos in the museum in the visitor's center showed men walking along these steel beams like they were out for an evening's stroll.
This bridge will count as one of the most amazing feats of man-made genius I have ever seen. This was produced during a time of greater vision, when we had real statesmen and visionaries in office.
I could have looked at the bridge all day.
Go see it!
Click here for a google images link to amazing photos of this bridge.
Next: Part IV - Tamarack
Monday, August 08, 2011
Wild Wonderful West Virginia Part II
Part II - The New River
We arrived at our destination around 11 a.m. The day was overcast and foggy, which did not make for the best photo opportunities.
The Canyon Rim Visitor's Center. Inside there was a museum detailing the life of miners and Appalachian folk. They also offered a 10-minute film on the river and the local area.
The gorge was relatively inaccessible until 1873, when the railroad came in along the river. This allowed for shipments of coal. Mining towns grew up near the coalfields. There were many clashes between miners and coal company bosses. You can read about The Battle of Blair Mountain, which was one such fight, at the link.
The New River Gorge is the east coast's version of the Grand Canyon. The river is a tiny ribbon winding its way through a forested carpet. The river has rapids and is frequented by kayakers and fishermen. The ecosystem also houses many rare plants. Congress established three parks in 1978 in order to preserve and protect the watershed. The parks encompass 53 miles of the river and 40 miles of tributaries. The parks are called the New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and Bluestone National Scenic River areas.
The New River is actually the oldest river in North America. The river has been heading north for 65 million years. The New River was once part of a longer river called the Teays, but about 10,000 years ago, glacial ice buried much of the river and changed its course.
The New River was in place before the Appalachian Mountains were formed. Scientists can tell this because it flows across the Appalachian Plateau, not around it. The river begins in North Carolina, then flows north into Virginia. It passes through Radford and eventually winds its way north to West Virginia. The river later merges with the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River.
The link here on Wikepedia has some good photos if you're interested.
Next: Part III - The New River Gorge Bridge
We arrived at our destination around 11 a.m. The day was overcast and foggy, which did not make for the best photo opportunities.
The Canyon Rim Visitor's Center. Inside there was a museum detailing the life of miners and Appalachian folk. They also offered a 10-minute film on the river and the local area.
The New River flows north - which most rivers on the east coast do not do.
The gorge was relatively inaccessible until 1873, when the railroad came in along the river. This allowed for shipments of coal. Mining towns grew up near the coalfields. There were many clashes between miners and coal company bosses. You can read about The Battle of Blair Mountain, which was one such fight, at the link.
The New River Gorge is the east coast's version of the Grand Canyon. The river is a tiny ribbon winding its way through a forested carpet. The river has rapids and is frequented by kayakers and fishermen. The ecosystem also houses many rare plants. Congress established three parks in 1978 in order to preserve and protect the watershed. The parks encompass 53 miles of the river and 40 miles of tributaries. The parks are called the New River Gorge National River, Gauley River National Recreation Area, and Bluestone National Scenic River areas.
The New River is actually the oldest river in North America. The river has been heading north for 65 million years. The New River was once part of a longer river called the Teays, but about 10,000 years ago, glacial ice buried much of the river and changed its course.
The New River was in place before the Appalachian Mountains were formed. Scientists can tell this because it flows across the Appalachian Plateau, not around it. The river begins in North Carolina, then flows north into Virginia. It passes through Radford and eventually winds its way north to West Virginia. The river later merges with the Gauley River to form the Kanawha River.
The link here on Wikepedia has some good photos if you're interested.
Next: Part III - The New River Gorge Bridge
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Wild Wonderful West Virginia Part 1
Part 1: The Journey Out
Yesterday we took a day and headed north and west to West Virginia. Our destination was Fayetteville, specifically the Canyon Rim Visitor Center on Highway 19. We wanted to visit the New River Gorge. This is a 70,000 acre park along the New River between the towns of Hinton and Fayetteville. The park is part of the National Park Service.
The two-and-a-half hour drive took us through Iron Gate. This is a small town that sits on the borders of Alleghany and Botetourt counties.
I wish I had a better picture. Outside of Iron Gate, not far from Clifton Forge (which you no longer drive through but bypass on I-64), a U.S. flag sits high on an outcropping of rock called Devil's Backbone. Someone has been placing a flag there for as long as I can remember. My father has family in Summersville, WV. We used to visit when I was a child and I would always look for the flag in the rock. You can read a story about the flag here.
We took a detour off of I-64 to pass through White Sulphur Springs. Hubby wanted to visit an ATV dealer while we were in the area.
White Sulphur Springs is like most of small town America today - older, not as vibrant as it once was, beaten down by Walmart. Yet it still had some folks moving around. I thought it had a little more movement than some small towns I have traveled through.
Before I knew it, we were at the entrance to The Greenbrier. I barely got the camera up in time to snap some sort of photo. The Greenbrier is a place for the very wealthy. However, they offer a few things, such as the bunker tours and casino gambling, that might be of interest to us peons. I could never afford a room there, though. At $285 per night for a single bedroom, I think I'll just drive on home.
You can't see much of The Greenbrier because it's all fenced off. That was rather disappointing. Anyway, we weren't stopping there today so we simply drove past.
Next up: Part II - The New River
Yesterday we took a day and headed north and west to West Virginia. Our destination was Fayetteville, specifically the Canyon Rim Visitor Center on Highway 19. We wanted to visit the New River Gorge. This is a 70,000 acre park along the New River between the towns of Hinton and Fayetteville. The park is part of the National Park Service.
The two-and-a-half hour drive took us through Iron Gate. This is a small town that sits on the borders of Alleghany and Botetourt counties.
Blink and you will miss it.
I wish I had a better picture. Outside of Iron Gate, not far from Clifton Forge (which you no longer drive through but bypass on I-64), a U.S. flag sits high on an outcropping of rock called Devil's Backbone. Someone has been placing a flag there for as long as I can remember. My father has family in Summersville, WV. We used to visit when I was a child and I would always look for the flag in the rock. You can read a story about the flag here.
Heading into the mountains.
We took a detour off of I-64 to pass through White Sulphur Springs. Hubby wanted to visit an ATV dealer while we were in the area.
White Sulphur Springs is like most of small town America today - older, not as vibrant as it once was, beaten down by Walmart. Yet it still had some folks moving around. I thought it had a little more movement than some small towns I have traveled through.
Before I knew it, we were at the entrance to The Greenbrier. I barely got the camera up in time to snap some sort of photo. The Greenbrier is a place for the very wealthy. However, they offer a few things, such as the bunker tours and casino gambling, that might be of interest to us peons. I could never afford a room there, though. At $285 per night for a single bedroom, I think I'll just drive on home.
You can't see much of The Greenbrier because it's all fenced off. That was rather disappointing. Anyway, we weren't stopping there today so we simply drove past.
Next up: Part II - The New River
Friday, August 05, 2011
Books: Miles to Go
Miles to Go
By Richard Paul Evans
Copyright 2011
Unabridged
Read by the author
The story of Alan's hike from Washing to Key West, Florida, continues in this second installment of his journey.
Alan is in a bad way. When we left him at the end of the first book, he was in the hospital, having been beaten and stabbed just a few hundred miles into his journey.
In the first book, The Walk, Alan told how his wife died and he lost his business. He was so despairing that he considered suicide. Instead he decided to walk.
In Miles to Go, Alan must recover from his wounds before heading out on the next leg of his walk. A young woman named Angel aka Nicole agrees to take him in. Alan had helped her during his walk by changing a flat tire. He and Nicole become friends and Alan helps her overcome her own emotional trauma before he continues on his journey.
Then he meets a young girl named Kayla May. He helps her out, too. Then he keeps walking.
He is in South Dakota when the book ends with a mysterious visitor.
The author's website has a youtube video about the book, if you're interested.
These are feel-good books with a message of hope. I don't mind telling you, in this day and age, a little hope is not a bad thing. Evans is a good writer and I enjoy his style. The books are relatively short, so pick them up for quick, enjoyable reads.
By Richard Paul Evans
Copyright 2011
Unabridged
Read by the author
The story of Alan's hike from Washing to Key West, Florida, continues in this second installment of his journey.
Alan is in a bad way. When we left him at the end of the first book, he was in the hospital, having been beaten and stabbed just a few hundred miles into his journey.
In the first book, The Walk, Alan told how his wife died and he lost his business. He was so despairing that he considered suicide. Instead he decided to walk.
In Miles to Go, Alan must recover from his wounds before heading out on the next leg of his walk. A young woman named Angel aka Nicole agrees to take him in. Alan had helped her during his walk by changing a flat tire. He and Nicole become friends and Alan helps her overcome her own emotional trauma before he continues on his journey.
Then he meets a young girl named Kayla May. He helps her out, too. Then he keeps walking.
He is in South Dakota when the book ends with a mysterious visitor.
The author's website has a youtube video about the book, if you're interested.
These are feel-good books with a message of hope. I don't mind telling you, in this day and age, a little hope is not a bad thing. Evans is a good writer and I enjoy his style. The books are relatively short, so pick them up for quick, enjoyable reads.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Thursday Thirteen
It's the first Thursday in a new month, so here we go with the Positive Thirteen! Today I give you 13 great things that happened in the month of July.
1. On the last day of the month, I attended an all-class reunion for my high school, Lord Botetourt. It was great to see old friends.
2. We spent an evening at Blue Ridge Vineyard, where we had a buffet meal and spent a relaxing time with friends old and new.
3. I lost 5 percent of my body weight. I have been dieting with Weight Watchers.
4. I saw the last Harry Potter movie.
5. I read (or listened to) these books: U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton, Tomb of the Golden Bird, by Elizabeth Peters, Animal Farm, by George Orwell, The Return of the King, by J. R. R. Tolkien, King Lear, by William Shakespeare, Burnt Mountain, by Anne Rivers Siddons, and four books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Daniel, and Judith. The last is in the Apocrypha, for the Protestant Christians out there who may be wondering.
6. I started Christmas shopping.
7. Things in the garden began ripening, and suddenly there were tomatoes, yellow squash, and zucchini galore. I discovered a squash casserole recipe that I really liked, too.
8. I received an A- on my first paper for my class.
9. I went to an allergist to see about a food allergy, and discovered I had (a) uncontrolled asthma that required two bronchial inhalers and (b) a low immune system. With any luck, correcting these issues will make me feel better in time.
10. I had a job interview. I didn't get the job, but I consider these things to be good experience.
11. My friends met me for lunch on various days, so I saw them frequently. I was glad of that. I love my friends. I also had lunch with a new friend one day.
12. We rented out our rental property. The place had been empty since April, so we were pleased to find someone who wanted to live there.
13. I stepped foot in my father's house for the first time in 10 years.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 202nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. On the last day of the month, I attended an all-class reunion for my high school, Lord Botetourt. It was great to see old friends.
2. We spent an evening at Blue Ridge Vineyard, where we had a buffet meal and spent a relaxing time with friends old and new.
3. I lost 5 percent of my body weight. I have been dieting with Weight Watchers.
4. I saw the last Harry Potter movie.
5. I read (or listened to) these books: U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton, Tomb of the Golden Bird, by Elizabeth Peters, Animal Farm, by George Orwell, The Return of the King, by J. R. R. Tolkien, King Lear, by William Shakespeare, Burnt Mountain, by Anne Rivers Siddons, and four books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Daniel, and Judith. The last is in the Apocrypha, for the Protestant Christians out there who may be wondering.
6. I started Christmas shopping.
7. Things in the garden began ripening, and suddenly there were tomatoes, yellow squash, and zucchini galore. I discovered a squash casserole recipe that I really liked, too.
8. I received an A- on my first paper for my class.
9. I went to an allergist to see about a food allergy, and discovered I had (a) uncontrolled asthma that required two bronchial inhalers and (b) a low immune system. With any luck, correcting these issues will make me feel better in time.
10. I had a job interview. I didn't get the job, but I consider these things to be good experience.
11. My friends met me for lunch on various days, so I saw them frequently. I was glad of that. I love my friends. I also had lunch with a new friend one day.
12. We rented out our rental property. The place had been empty since April, so we were pleased to find someone who wanted to live there.
13. I stepped foot in my father's house for the first time in 10 years.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 202nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
All the Noise, Noise, Noise
If there's one thing I hate, all the noise, noise, noise.
All the squeaks and squeals racing 'round on their wheels
They'll dance with ting-tinglers tied onto their heels. - The Grinch in How The Grinch Stole Christmas
This is the way the world seems to me to be today. Up in Congress, we have a whole slate of idiots on both sides of the political spectrum dancing around with ting-tinglers tied to their heels, as if that will find jobs for the millions who are out of work and create a good economy. They're creating a new economy, alright. It's called F-You and Hurrah for Me, I got mine, and if you don't, so what?
The media is nothing but noise, noise noise. This side yelling, that side screaming. Neither one listening to the other, and nobody saying anything that makes any sense anyway. All the noise, noise, noise.
The entire world thinks it lives in a TV show now, eh? That's what it seems like. Everybody wants a solution that takes an hour - then let's move on to the next episode, the next thing. As if there will be happy endings, life is jolly, deck the halls and fa-la-la. I have news for you - this ain't The Brady Bunch era anymore. This is more like The Waltons get the hell beat out of them by the rich dudes on Dallas.
And why do so many of you apparently think you're the rich dudes on Dallas? Maybe because you have a $10,000 in savings or something. But since only 2 percent of the population are truly rich, I can pretty much guarantee that you who are reading this aren't one of those lucky few. You aren't the rich dudes. You're the paupers on The Waltons and you're getting your asses kicked.
This morning I read an essay that I agreed with entirely, with one exception. The article, which you can find here, says Republicans fit the profile of an abuser. My quibble is this - all of the leaders in Congress fit this profile to some degree, regardless of party. Some are more abusive than others. But none are compassionate. None love their fellow man. All of them want to take what is yours, take whatever little bit you have left, and run off laughing while you lie in the rain and drown. They don't care about you. If you're drowning in the rain, they think you deserve it. If things aren't going well for you, then you haven't prayed right or something. They don't care if public policies are in place to keep you down. They have theirs. F-you and Hurrah for Me. That's their motto.
Frankly, I am annoyed and appalled at the lack of simple common courtesy in this country. How in the world can anyone call this a Christian nation when the tenants of Jesus Christ are so quickly tossed aside? No, we are not a Christian nation. We're an Old Testament nation, with zero regard for anything other than guns and money. It's like the entire country has gone insane.
The corporations can't be taxed because they need the money to create jobs. Here's a new flash: they aren't creating jobs anyway. If it were up to me, I'd tax the hell out of them unless they were creating jobs - then they could have a tax break.
Here's another question: why is that only social programs are in play? The government spends tons of money on all sorts of crap, but the only thing we hear about are the programs that directly affect people. Had there been no agreement and come Wednesday the Social Security checks hadn't gone out, were you prepared to take in Grandma? Were you going to make her house payment, pay her doctor bills, buy her food? Or were you going to stand by and watch while she lost everything and ended up living under the bridge off the interstate? Well? What were you going to do?
Why is stupid a good thing?
Oh the noise, noise, noise, noise! If there's one thing I can't stand, it's the noise, noise, noise, noise.
All the squeaks and squeals racing 'round on their wheels
They'll dance with ting-tinglers tied onto their heels. - The Grinch in How The Grinch Stole Christmas
This is the way the world seems to me to be today. Up in Congress, we have a whole slate of idiots on both sides of the political spectrum dancing around with ting-tinglers tied to their heels, as if that will find jobs for the millions who are out of work and create a good economy. They're creating a new economy, alright. It's called F-You and Hurrah for Me, I got mine, and if you don't, so what?
The media is nothing but noise, noise noise. This side yelling, that side screaming. Neither one listening to the other, and nobody saying anything that makes any sense anyway. All the noise, noise, noise.
The entire world thinks it lives in a TV show now, eh? That's what it seems like. Everybody wants a solution that takes an hour - then let's move on to the next episode, the next thing. As if there will be happy endings, life is jolly, deck the halls and fa-la-la. I have news for you - this ain't The Brady Bunch era anymore. This is more like The Waltons get the hell beat out of them by the rich dudes on Dallas.
And why do so many of you apparently think you're the rich dudes on Dallas? Maybe because you have a $10,000 in savings or something. But since only 2 percent of the population are truly rich, I can pretty much guarantee that you who are reading this aren't one of those lucky few. You aren't the rich dudes. You're the paupers on The Waltons and you're getting your asses kicked.
This morning I read an essay that I agreed with entirely, with one exception. The article, which you can find here, says Republicans fit the profile of an abuser. My quibble is this - all of the leaders in Congress fit this profile to some degree, regardless of party. Some are more abusive than others. But none are compassionate. None love their fellow man. All of them want to take what is yours, take whatever little bit you have left, and run off laughing while you lie in the rain and drown. They don't care about you. If you're drowning in the rain, they think you deserve it. If things aren't going well for you, then you haven't prayed right or something. They don't care if public policies are in place to keep you down. They have theirs. F-you and Hurrah for Me. That's their motto.
Frankly, I am annoyed and appalled at the lack of simple common courtesy in this country. How in the world can anyone call this a Christian nation when the tenants of Jesus Christ are so quickly tossed aside? No, we are not a Christian nation. We're an Old Testament nation, with zero regard for anything other than guns and money. It's like the entire country has gone insane.
The corporations can't be taxed because they need the money to create jobs. Here's a new flash: they aren't creating jobs anyway. If it were up to me, I'd tax the hell out of them unless they were creating jobs - then they could have a tax break.
Here's another question: why is that only social programs are in play? The government spends tons of money on all sorts of crap, but the only thing we hear about are the programs that directly affect people. Had there been no agreement and come Wednesday the Social Security checks hadn't gone out, were you prepared to take in Grandma? Were you going to make her house payment, pay her doctor bills, buy her food? Or were you going to stand by and watch while she lost everything and ended up living under the bridge off the interstate? Well? What were you going to do?
Why is stupid a good thing?
Oh the noise, noise, noise, noise! If there's one thing I can't stand, it's the noise, noise, noise, noise.
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