October Snow

We were fortunate to miss the worst part of Hurricane Sandy/Superstorm Sandy/Frankenstorm but we still had a significant snowfall. I don't ever remember this much snow this early. I remember the kids trick or treating in the snow once but that's it. It started snowing and sticking before we went to bed Monday night. I checked a couple of times during the night and it was piling up and this is what we woke up to.

 

I'm guessing eight or so inches. We didn't measure it and actually I took most of these pictures through my windows.

 

 It was a heavy wet snow that stuck to the trees but luckily it fell or melted off so we didn't have any tree damage. Thank goodness no power outages either!! At least not in Pound. It went off a couple of times at 6:30 a.m. but came back on and stayed on.

 

 

Tim didn't make it to work. They were still predicting more snow so he was concerned about getting back home. He did start out to work around noon but the traffic was backed up from Jenkins Mountain and it took him an hour to get over and saw other vehicles off the road so he decided to turn around and come back home. We were right outside the area of highest snowfall prediction. Even though Pound only got about 8-10 inches depending on where you lived Wise got a foot and High Knob got two feet!

 

So, we just stayed in and stayed warm. I made cavatini and homemade rustic Italian bread for dinner.

I saw the recipe on the back of the bread flour bag. It was easy to make and really good. We'll eat it again tonight with leftovers.

Thank goodness we didn't get anymore snow last night and it even melted a tremendous amount by this morning. Yea for melting snow!! It's supposed to be up in the 60's by the weekend.

The best part of Frankenstorm...the annoying political calls stopped!! I guess they were all from the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy!! Thank goodness. I hope they don't get phone service until after next Tuesday!!

Frankenstorm

Hurricane Sandy is moving her way up the eastern seaboard and due to her outer rain bands and a cold front this is what our weather forecast is:

... WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ... BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY.
* EVENT... SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 20 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY WEDNESDAY MORNING... MAINLY ACROSS ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET. NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS EVENING... WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. BLOWING SNOW WILL LOWER VISIBILITIES TO A QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.
* TIMING... SNOW SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT... WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW SHOWERS EXPECTED TONIGHT.
* IMPACTS... THE WEIGHT FROM THIS SNOWFALL MAY DOWN SOME TREES AND POWER LINES... CAUSING POWER OUTAGES. DRIVING WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO THE SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADWAYS. STRONG WINDS WITH HEAVY SNOW MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVER THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS AT TIMES.

I have vegetable beef soup cooking for this evening. We just bought a new space heater. Looking forward to a cozy night in tonight. Hope the power doesn't go off but just in case we already have batteries in our flashlights and our candles gathered because our electricity randomly went off yesterday evening. It only took the repairman five minutes to fix the melted fuse on our pole after he drove an hour and half from Grundy to fix it. Last week it was in the high 70's everyday. How quickly the weather can change.

A Good Day

Tim and I got up early Saturday morning to go to an estate sale in Appalachia, specifically Derby. Derby is one of the old coal camps over there. I intended to take my camera with me because I joked with Tim that I was going to take a picture of the gas prices. It was $2.97 in Wise!! I think the highest it got here at one time was $3.65 so I hope it continues to fall. Unfortunately I forgot my camera and we forgot the cell phone too. Well, wouldn't you know we saw something that I honestly can't imagine seeing again in my lifetime. Ugh! I was so disappointed I didn't have my camera or at least the cell phone. We took the "old" road between Norton and Appalachia and beside the road in a wide spot was a bear! It was in a straight stretch so we were able to stop and roll down the window and watch her. How did we know it was a her? After a minute of watching her dig around in the gravel beside the road we saw a little paw under the guard rail and then two bear cubs came out from the woods!! It was one of the coolest things I had ever seen. Luckily there wasn't any traffic so we were able to watch them for about three minures or so. The cubs stayed underneath their mama the whole time. We blew the horn to scare them before we drove off and the cubs scurried back to the woods. Outside of a zoo I can't imagine I would be fortunate enough to see a mama bear and her cubs ever again. I am bummed I wasn't able to take a picture but so thankful that God allowed us to see them.

So, on to the estate sale we drove. We had driven up to another coal camp, Stonega a year and a half ago when we went to another estate sale in Appalachia so I was excited to drive up to Derby. It didn't disappoint. There were lots of company houses which had been refurbished. It's so interesting seeing a community like that and imagining what it would have been like to have lived there back in the day when coal companies owned the homes and everyone worked for the companies. We got to the estate sale by 8:30 a.m. and luckily they let us go in even though it wasn't supposed to start until nine. Neither one of us even noticed what the old house looked like on the outside. Guess we were excited to see the inside. ;)

This was the second day of the sale so I figured it would be a bit picked over. I guess it was but I couldn't hardly tell because there was still a lot of stuff. Even though I keep telling myself I am not going to buy anymore ironstone except old ironstone from England with markings I could resist a set of dishes. I'm sure they would be classified as "ironstone" but they had no markings. There was only one coffee cup so I guess that is what was used through the years and the others had probably been broken. I think I can get some use out of the dessert plates and bowls. We also picked up some small dessert bowls that were seperate and three jars with little stars around the rim that would have had jam but could be used as juice glasses now. I plan to use them as little vases for the 4th of July or any patriotic holiday or event.

We bought this tool box for $1.50. I'm not sure where I'll put this but it was kinda cool looking and I've seen a lot of people around the blogosphere buy them.

We found a box of old Christmas ornaments. I couldn't make up my mind whether to spend $15 on them or not. I had set a self imposed limit of $25 to spend and this box put us up to $40. I carried them around and kept thinking about it. I think Tim put it best when he said, "Either obsess about spending the money or obsess about not buying them." He knows me so well. I bought them.

After three walk throughs we were ready to go. Yes, three. We like to look and I always love looking at the homes. This home had wide wood moldings, large windows, plaster walls and high ceilings. I love to look at older homes.

After we left the estate sale we drove by Asaka and through Rhoda, two other old coal camps. Seriously, they are the coolest things ever. We could tell a couple of the large homes would have been the homes of the bosses. Then we had to get back to reality and go to Walmart to pick up a few things. We headed home and tried to stay in all day because the temperature hit 99 degrees. Seth came over and watched the Reds game with us and ate a burger.

I talked to Sarah on the phone as I unwrapped my treasures. There was some severe weather, especially wind Friday night in Virginia and other states but fortunately it missed us. There were over three million people without power including Dan and Sarah in Falls Church. Luckily their power came back on Saturday afternoon. Many people will be out up to a week. I can't imagine being wthout air conditioning and ceiling fans in this stifling heat. I am so thankful for these "luxuries." It really makes me think of how other folks live, not just people in other countries but some people here in this country don't have air conditioning. Makes me feel a bit spoiled in a way.

We don't have any plans for the 4th of July. Tim will be off work so I guess it will seem like a Saturday to us. Sarah is coming home Friday and leaving Sunday morning. Dan has class in Roanoke. Luckily Roger's annual "4th of July" cookout is on Saturday so we'll drive over to Kingsport for it. Gary Dee and Colma will be in for the weekend as well as Peggy and Gary. Pound Heritage days will be going on. John Patrick and Elijah both have Little League tournaments in Lee County so I'm not sure what our weekend plans will be besides Roger's cookout. Guess we'll play it by ear. ;)

HOT

It's only 11 a.m. and it is 88 degrees today. The high is supposed to get to 102!! Yikes! Glad I have air conditioning and ceiling fans. This hydrangea looks like this every afternoon as it wilts in the sun. If it was wilting before I dread seeing it this afternoon.

The next couple of days are supposed to be in the triple digits then high 90's. Mild winter, HOT summer. Sounds like global warming to me. ;)

The View From Here

This afternoon I went out on my front porch to read. My house was still chilly since the temperature got down in the forties last night so the warm sun felt heavenly. I can't imagine a nicer day. Nearly perfect.

Green leaves on the trees.

Fabulous blue sky.

I spied a little spider web between porch posts.

If I looked closely I could see gabby at the door looking out at me.

Oh, and then there was Pokey. Meowing as usual. See, I said it was nearly perfect.....not perfect. 

I Voted

This time last year we were in the throws of wedding planning. Whew! I am glad that is a thing of the past. As busy as last spring was, this one has been equally as low key.

Gabby

Pokey

Riley

 It has been so "not busy" there hasn't been anything to blog about. Yesterday when we went to the town hall to vote in our local election...mayor and three council members. I left with my "I Voted Today" sticker and knew I had something to blog about. ;)

Then after voting we drove over to Wise as we have been doing on Tuesdays since Tim started working in Pikeville. He delivered Ben's checks and went to Austin's to pick up the mail. We were home before the Red's game was supposed to start. But it was in a rain delay. Then two hours later they finally postponed it.

I took pictures of my current mantel so next year at this time when I am trying to figure out how to decorate the mantel I can look back at these pictures. I framed a picture of Tim walking Sarah down the isle at her wedding. The plate is from Sarah and Dan's trip to Rhodes a couple of years ago.

I can't remember where I bought this flattened sap bucket but I still love it and it has made its way to the mantel several times. I put one of my "fake" Pottery Barn" succulents in a small terra cotta pot. The votives are from Sarah's wedding.

The only project going on right now is this chair. I started painting it last week and have yet to finish. The Reds have a day game tomorrow so I plan to finish it.

In other news Seth and Tim went to Mt. Airy, North Carolina Saturday and Seth bought a "new" used jeep cherokee. His jeep liberty had torn up three weeks ago so he had been looking online and found it. Fortunately he could drive his work truck back and forth to work.

The weather has been fabulous the past week. Since a cool spell a little over a week ago it has been nice. This week it is supposed to be in the eighties or high seventies every day. Monday I finally took our flannel sheets off the bed and we turned off the gas to our logs. I am going to hold off turning on the air conditioning as long as possible or as long as Tim can stand it. So, needless to say we have windows open and are utilizing our ceiling fans. Can't beat this time of year. ;)

Brrrrr

Brrrr. It is cold today. And windy. I am glad I haven't taken the flannel sheets off the bed yet. Yes, it is the end of April and we are still sleeping with flannel sheets. If it wasn't too much trouble I would put the electric blanket back on. ;)

I've been busy preparing for Sarah and Dan's visit and our family Easter get together. Cleaning, planning, etc. The weather has still been so fabulous. I am still hoping it will hold for our Easter gathering. The birds and squirrels have been so active. There must be some stray acorns in the fire pit because I saw three squirrels one day. 

Then the next day one was back. I happen to see one on my front porch this morning!

The redbud trees are blooming. There is one tree on the path that I broke a few branches from.

The azaleas in front of the house are starting to bloom also. They never do reach "full bloom" because the deer always eat them.

And just a quickie of my spring mantel. It's a little different than most people's mantels. I used one of Daddy Paul's decanters. This one was in Seth's room. It actually tells about the Reds on the back of the bottle since they were the first major league baseball team. This is Seth's baseball glove with a ball that a Red's player threw to Sarah once at batting practice.

Baseballs that Stu got for me last year from the baseball field house. I'm glad he got them last year because the schools consolidated this past year and he isn't coaching baseball anymore. Countdown till Opening day! Actually it is down to 7 days now!! That's right, in one week we'll be watching the Reds!

Obviously, I will be changing the mantel for Easter. It is fun for now though. :)

At This Rate

At this rate my dogwood will have bloomed and gone before Easter.

Last year I used the blooms to decorate with at Easter which was around the 24th if I remember correctly.

Another day, another 80 degree forecast. I can't even remember the last time our heat pump ran. I am thankful for all this fabulous weather though because it has given me a chance to get things ready for our family Easter gathering in a couple of weeks. Gary Dee called last night and I think they are coming plus Teresa's family. Hmmm, so last year we had 36. So, 36 + Gary Dee's 5 - Sonny = 40!! Hope it stays warm so we can use our outside space!! :)

Spring

So I found out via facebook this morning that today is the first day of Spring...I don't keep up with things like that. And what a fabulous first day it is!! It is 83 degrees outside right now. The low tonight is only supposed to be 57. That is the normal high! So, today I have been cleaning the back porch. I had already moved the furniture back in place but I have been washing it. I'm hoping it will be warm enough in two and a half weeks to use it at our family Easter get together.

It's amazing how dirty everything gets even though the back porch is covered. Reminds me of

Isaiah 64:6 All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.

These periwinkle blossoms cover the bank right now. I just wish the environment was better so it would grow lush back there. Oh well, it is beautiful right now. We dug this up at Grandmother's house when we moved in to this house. That was twenty three years ago and it has spread onto the entire bank from a few little starts of it. Hmmm, that reminds me of 1 Corinthians 5:6 Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?

Jesus is the only answer to our sin problem. He can wash us white as snow. Even though I don't really want to think of snow on the first day of Spring. I am enjoying it too much. :)

Today

Daffodils in full boom.

Upper 70's.

Scattered thunderstorms in the forecast.

Windows open wide.

Wearing short sleeves.

I can't believe technically it is still winter but I am enjoying this immensely!

When Tammy called yesterday morning to tell me the kids were getting ready to go out to play I bundled up, camera in hand and set out to walk to Granny's (Jen's) to watch the kids play. I love that I live just a short trek through the woods on a path. The dogs and I walk this path all the time. Today it was especially beautiful!

Is there anything prettier that white snow against crisp blue skies?

I met this obstacle right before entering Granny's back yard. Hmmm, what to do? I shook as much snow off the branches, hunkered down and went through.

The snow was already melting off the trees because the sun was so strong. It was so pretty falling.

My favorite view from the path...the Pine Mountain range in the distance.

Lucky greeted me at the rock pile.

I walked up on the hill where they were starting out on their sleighs. The views are so pretty up there. This is looking toward South Fork.

Elijah, Cayden and Ean were sleigh riding. It was good sleigh riding snow but they couldn't build a snowman.

Finally Bailee woke up and came out also. Ean and Bailee were more interested in swinging.

I attempted to get a good picture of all four of the kids but to no avail. The sun went behind a cloud but when it came back out they were "blinded" so I counted myself lucky to get this.

This is the third generation of children playing in Granny and Daddy Paul's back yard. I hope it is always this way and the home stays in the family forever.

After awhile the kids were getting tired and were ready to head home. I trekked back out the path. At this point there was so much snow falling from the trees I had to put the hood on from my coat and protect my camera from the falling snow.

My daffodils are just a few weeks away from blooming. Love this reminder that Spring is just around the corner. I am ready. :)