The Wrong Way Home

This evening Harland and I were speaking of my grandmother (maternal).  Her name was Lucille (definitely not Lucy).  I remember her as a sort of tough lady with a crusty outer shell, but a big soft heart for her family.  Her home was Terre Haute, Indiana, directly across the street from the Chesty Potato Chip factory.  Anyway, I got to thinking about her and a few stories I could share with you.

When I started kindergarten, my mom would drop me off at her mom's house in town.  Grandma would walk a few blocks with me to school near her home.  Now remember this was a few years back and times were definitely different then.  On the way to school there was a block of houses, I remember being uncomfortable to walk past.  There was always a gaggle of dirty kids and babies of various ages in various stages of dress on the porches and in the grass less yards.  They were a rowdy and vocal bunch.  Now that I think about it, why weren't they on the way to school too?

That area of the country was settled by German immigrants in fair numbers.  Actually, kindergarten is a German word, which literally means 'children's garden'.  A German, Freidrich Frobal created the term as part of a social experiment in 1837.  The goal was to help children transition from home to school with play and activities.

I can still remember one particular boy because he was blond haired, blue eyed, mean and loud.  His name was Sebastian. a good German name, but he was not a good boy.  I was afraid of those kids and him!  I don't know who cussed more, him or Grandma after he cussed at us as we would walk by.  Amazing how a young girl could increase her vocabulary by just walking to school.  As I look back, he nor the others could have been that much older than me.

Anyway back to my story...In the afternoon after school, grandma would be waiting for me and we would walk back to her house.  After some time had passed, I observed that the other children would walk home by  themselves and in groups.  I was anxious to walk home by myself and engaged a conversation with my grandma about doing so.  I don't know why (I suspect that I wanted to walk and play with the other kids), but I remember that I was animate that she not come to walk with me, follow me or watch me.  I wanted to do it myself and she finally agreed with the condition that I come straight home.

So the appointed day came that I was to walk home alone.  As I was leaving I noticed a group of kids that lived near my grandma walking together.  But, they were not taking a right turn to get on 9th street, they went left and headed down the alley.  Now I have to stop and explain....In town there is an alley that ran the length of every street giving access to the back of homes for garbage pickup and such.  Also so the residents could get to their back yards and garages via automobile. You see the houses are built so close together it was difficult to drive from the street to the back of your home.  I remember so clearly being torn about whether to go down the street the way I walked with grandma or following the other kids down the alley.  I also remembered that I had to walk by Sebastian's house by myself.  Guess what...I followed the other kids.

I went straight home as was instructed, but no one was there!  I sat on the porch.  Finally my grandma came home.  But she was not happy to see me.  She had gone to school to watch and make sure that I walked home by myself without problem.  However, as we already know, I did not come home that way so she didn't find me.  When she did, she was furious and I did get a spanking.  I never received many spankings from either of my grandmothers.  I remember all that I did get and that one too.  I never understood why I was in so much trouble.  I came straight home, just as was agreed.  Why was I the one in trouble?  She didn't keep her end of the bargain!  Needless to say, I didn't get to walk home alone again.


More about German immigration....(with my limited knowledge)  Have you ever heard of Black Forest ham?  The Black Forest is in Germany.  German immigrants brought with them food that still influences American taste buds.  All types of sausages and processed meats like the frankfurter and bratwurst and many many more.  Then there are all the potato and cabbages dishes, like kartoffelsalaat (potato salad), sauerkraut.  How about a pretzel and strudel?  Then there are all the foods that are no longer known by their German names, like weiner schnetzel (breaded veal or pork cutlets), a knodel (a dumpling or noodle), and schwarzwalder kirshtorte (black forest chocolate cake).  Of course lager beer and hamburgers and hundreds more.  If you have ever heard of the very popular cookbook, The Joy of Cooking, it was written by German-American Irma S. Rombauer.  Some of the first Mennonite and Amish communities were immigrants from Germany.

How Did I Get Here?

I find this strange....how you can drive the same route to your destination and never really remember how you got there.  I say to myself sometimes after arriving at my destination, how did I get here!  Has that happened to you?  If you are like me you don't consciously see everything along the way.  I may be thinking of what chores or assignments lay ahead of me that day, or reflecting on my day on the way home.  You may not even notice a change if it comes slowly and gradually.  For example, a house painted a new color or different car in someone's driveway.  Or have you started out to go somewhere and turn to drive like your going to work instead.  That's when I am operating on auto pilot, clocked out and tuned out.

The same thing happens here at home.  I am not trying to be funny... but like how cobwebs sneak up on you.  Or dust in the light fixtures and dust bunnies under the sofa.  How is it that we see the spaces we live in everyday, but we don't see the beginning of these things?  That's the way it is for me anyway, unless I am looking for something!

I think age creeps in on us that way too.  You may not notice that one gray hair or a laugh line or crease beginning on your forehead.  One day you look in the mirror and you don't look thirty or even forty anymore!  Or not seeing Charlie and Bella everyday.  I'm sure Wayne and JoCasta don't notice how much they change after two weeks the same as Harland and I do.  Next week it will be their turn to be away and see how much a week will change them.  I'm afraid to think of the important little things I may have missed along the way when my kids were little on the days I was operating on auto pilot.

This time of year I am looking for signs of spring.  I noticed yesterday the maple tree outside the kitchen window already has little bitty red leaves and the daffodils are blooming.  When did that happen?  Then I look beyond and I still see the bones of winter, the trees from a distance are still gray and undressed.  I will get busy again going about doing the everyday things.  But, I hope I don't forget look up until trees have already turned green, all the flowers have bloomed and the boot sucking mud is gone.  I am going to try to be more aware of where I'm going and traveling there less often on auto pilot.  I want to turn off my auto pilot, clock in and tune in, because I don't want to miss the beautiful little changes that come along the way.

Hatching Golf Balls

One of my black sexlink hens has gone broody.  She's not detoured by the fact there aren't any fertile eggs, there are no eggs in the nest.  She is insisting to sit on golf balls in the nest.  We decided to help her out.  So Harland called our friend Gary to see if he had any fertile eggs.

As it happens he generously donated 13 eggs.  They will be a Rhode Island Red and Black Copper Maran cross.  I moved her to the little hutch tonight.  If she will stay on the new nest I will move the eggs under her tomorrow.  She won't be disturbed this way.  Last year I had                                                                                     three hens that went broody at the same time.  They kept getting confused about which nest was their own and we didn't get a hatch at all.  Can't wait to see if we get a good hatch this time and how these chicks turn out.  I also want to cross my Barred Cochen Bantam rooster (like picture on right) with my Barred Bantam hen (like hen in picture on the left). His name is Cooper, her's is Clara.  I hope they like each other!                                                                    Not sure what kind of chicks I will turn up with, but it will be fun and     interesting finding out.

I asked Harland yesterday if he would fix us another pot of chili before the weather warms up.  So he got the stuff together and that's what we had for supper tonight.  I was delicious.  Harland is still counting the days to fire up the smoker (3 or 4 days left).  I am imagining a boston butt and some bbq.  Once he gets it fired up, I expect him to stay busy keeping the smoker fired up for several days since everyone has put in an order!  

A long time ago I made a Chicken Divan recipe.  It was when JoCasta was a baby, so it's been a while.  Harland has mentioned it several times recently.  I really don't remember where I got the recipe.  But tomorrow I am going to dig through my recipes and see if I can find it.  If not, maybe I can find one like it on the internet.  

I didn't finish my bedroom project as I expected.  I just have to vacuum behind the television, which means I have to pull everything out.  I also need to wash the blinds.  I plan to finish up tomorrow.  I also have been planning to start some seeds from scratch for early planting in the garden and the herb garden.  I saw an idea, can't remember where now, to use toilet tissue rolls as peat pots.  Then you just plant the whole thing once it's ready to go in the garden.  I thought it was a great way to recycle what otherwise would go into the trash.  

Did I already mention that I have already been stung twice by wasps in February?  Both times while I was asleep on the sofa.  I have already had to get new prescriptions filled for my Epi Pens.  My gosh these things are so expensive and that is with insurance!  I hope I have met my quota for stings already for 2012.  I should have bought some flying insect spray too.  

Looks like we might get some more rain.  Just when I think the boot sucking mud is starting to dry a little, we get another round of rain.  My rubber boots have sprung a leak!  Maybe I can find some on markdown this spring.  My chickens really like the ones I have now.  They have muli-colored dots on them.  They like to peck on the dots!  Maybe I can find some with bugs on them!

Hoppy Toads out Tonight!

Harland usually turns the television channel over to RFD TV in the morning to catch the agricultural news.  This morning after he left the house I over heard the newscast talking about crime on the increase due to the economic downturn. It seems cattle rustling is on the increase!  Just as thieves stake out certain homes to learn your comings and goings, they too stake out farms and pastures to see when you are in and out checking on, feeding and caring for your cattle.  Well apparently we are still living in the wild, wild west!

Who is that guy in the red jacket rustling my cattle?








I stumbled upon some information on the internet this morning.  Apparently there are currently RFID chips embedded in car tires.  RFID is radio frequency identification.  The devices were initially placed in tires to let the owner's car report the tire pressure as part of the on-board operating system.  But, if you drive through a toll booth, cross the border, or anyone with a RFID tracking device can gleam information from your tires.  Let's say for instance that you are a luxury vehicle owner, maybe a Hummer.  Since the tires now contain your vehicles vin number, and your vin number is linked to you the owner, the thief/hacker now knows who the car belongs to and where you live.  From here is a cinch to gather much more information, and the thief knows much more about you to aid them in hacking not only your possessions, but also your identity.  Not sure exactly how that would work since the VIN number is already exposed.  But according to the articles, hackers can somehow disable the security system on your vehicle, then gain access.

Some retailers are using this information for inventorying their stores.  The problem is if the chips are not removed, a thief using a tracking device can just drive by your home and identify the product your bought, like a new TV, computer, or even a pair of $100.00 jeans.  And don't think it would be impossible to use the tracking device from the highway to inside your home, it is possible.  Also consider the implications, if a store employee has the tracking device, not only can they track product, but they can also determine who is shopping in their store....  because of the chips in your driver's licence, credit cards and could know who you are before you even make a purchase.  Interesting food for thought.  

Okay I can already hear your scepticisum, so here are some links.  Read it for yourself.

http://www.sleeandtopher.com/how-rfid-chips-are-making-your-identity-harder-to-protect/

http://www.technicamix.com/2011/10/04/do-rfid-chips-in-car-tires-really-present-a-privacy-threat/

http://gotowti.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/07/car-tire-rfid-tags.html

I went to to the barn after dark last night to pick up the eggs and close up the access door for the chickens.  I saw a hoppy toad at the gate.  It just seemed strange to see him in February!  As I was walking back to the house I noticed how beautiful the starry sky was last night.  So bright and crisp the stars looked shining back down at me.  When I was a girl I can remember laying on our picnic table at night and staring back at all the stars in the night sky. Does anyone do that anymore?  Making a note to do this with Charlie and Bella when they get a little older!

Thought you might enjoy some barn art.  I took these in Ashe County, North Carolina.  Hope you enjoy them!

Boot Sucking Mud

Well today I turned the corner on my bedroom project.  I am not finished, but with a little help from Harland I will be.  My dresser is cleaned off and I even got the walls washed today!  I think tomorrow I will be able to wrap it up and move on.  Yeahhhhhhh!  I haven’t yet been able to make myself go back out to the storage building again.  If not, I still have plenty to do here in the house.  I just hate to start something else.  I need to give myself that 'just good enough' talk again!

Harland put another roast on the smoker this afternoon.  He sliced it or probably more like shaved it.  I made a horseradish sauce to go on it.  It was so good.  We will be eating some roast beef sandwiches this week!  I also made those roast potatoes I was telling you about.  They turned out nicely, but still just not exactly what I was wanting.  I guess I will have to keep searching for that just right recipe.  

It has been nice to see the sunshine for the past couple of days.  That is until it clouded up this afternoon.  I walked out to the barn this morning (before more rain) and again the mud about sucked my boots off.  Isn't there a horror movie about something reaching up out of the mud and sucking someone under! It is so nasty, but I will never complain about rain again.  Not after the drought we had a few years ago.  I'll just take what the good Lord gives us and work with it.

I mentioned that I walked to the barn this morning.  Before I even combed my hair.  Harland was looking out the window toward the barn and said he thought he saw some feathers by the gate.  So I went to check it out.  Looks like something got one of my comet hens again.  Not sure if it happened last night or this morning.  I just hate that.  Everyone else seemed to be okay. 

Back in the fall I took some pictures of JoCasta and Charlie.  It was nap time by the time we got started.  She just did not want to look at the camera.  But I got a few good shots anyway.  I've looked through them, but haven't really had a chance to study them.  I thought I would share a few of them with you in closing.  These are some of my favorites so far.

 

Not An Electronic Geek

It started out a pretty quiet day!  But, just when I thought we had all our electronic challenges behind us, Harland reminded me that we never finished setting up our television downstairs.  We have been discussing changing some of our TV programming and using Netflix.  In order to do that we had to setup the internet on the television.  Eakkkkkkk!  Problem....I gave our printer and the new router the same name.  So when we searched for the new router we would see both of them.  So I had to figure out which one was the router.  After considerable time we finally got a connection with the internet.

You would think then it would be a cinch.  However then I was trying to figure out how to get Netflix setup on the TV.  I still haven't determined if I should be able to access through the TV or if I have to contact them via the computer or otherwise.  Isn't it funny how once you finally get it done, you look back and say wasn't that simple, why did it take so long!

I have been trying to think of something different and good to have for dinner one night this week.  I am a pasta fan and would probably lean toward looking at Italian.  I wanted to work with some great Italian sausages we have in the freezer.  They were gifted by Fred Nelson and John Harrington of Fuzzy's in Madison, NC.  I thought an Italian pepper calzone looked interesting.  I want to put together a pasta, sausage and broccoli dish, but haven't found just the right one yet.  I also want to know how to make roasted potatoes.  You know the good ones that are golden brown and just a little crispy.  I have made some and they were okay.  But, I can do better I think!

Here are the pictures of the recipes I want to try.  I will let you know how they turn out.

I love using cast iron cookware to cook.  I have several pieces and of course have my favorites.  I use several different sizes to make corn bread depending upon how many I need to serve.  I also use my round griddle for breakfast just about every morning.  Harland's mom gave me a couple of these when we got married.  I know of at least one we bought that I later discarded because it would never season and it had a hot spot in it.  Everything burned in the same place.  In recent years I have bought Lodge Logic brand and I love them.  I have them hanging from the beam that runs the width of our kitchen and living area.  They have been collecting dust.


I have been on a mission of late to start using all of my pieces.  I have had to be inventive in there use.  I have a huge frying pan.  No...I mean HUGE.  I recently used it to fry some chicken.  I had to make several pieces and I used the center burner (the griddle burner) to heat the pan.  It did great.  I also used my large dutch oven to fry some chicken.  It worked great too.  Kept all the grease from splattering all over the stove.  I have a very small dutch oven/bean pot.  I used it to make Harland a peach cobbler and a cherry cobbler.  It is just the right size.  It made about 4 servings.  Now I have a square slatted griddle, like you might use to cook a steak on the stove.  I'm not sure how I will use that since we really prefer our steaks on the grill outside.  But maybe a panini!  If you    have any suggestions, please share!  I couple of years ago I flipped over the enamel coated cast iron.  Harland bought me two beautiful red pieces, a frying pan and a stock pot.  I love them.  But they do cook alot differently than the the original cast iron.

    Who knows what I will come up with for these two pieces. But I'm going to try to have fun doing it.



Isn't this one cute.  Maybe someday!

Answered Prayers

Sorry to have been away for so long.  We were having problems staying connected to the internet.  We finally called our provider to check on the problem.  Apparently our router need to be replaced.  Then a computer problem.  Hopefully we have most of that behind us!

We had a little bit of snow last night.  Not a lot.  But, enough to cover the trees and ground and cling to all the surfaces.  I am not a great fan of snow.  But when it does snow I love to watch it falling.  We were driving home yesterday evening from Pittsboro after going to the birthday bash at Wayne and JoCasta's house.  Most of the drive we saw a mix of rain, sleet and snow.  But when we got to Yadkinville it was really putting it down and the roads were getting slick.

This morning I was washing dishes and looking out the kitchen windows.  The snow was glistening in the sun and the sky was cloudless and a beautiful shade of blue.  I was admiring the trees wearing their lovely garments of white.  The snow really brightens and dresses up their dull gray wardrobe.  Have you ever noticed how quiet it is after a snow?  It makes me want to whisper while I'm walking around in it.  One of my favorite times to take pictures of the farm is after a snow.  

I know a lot of the ladies around here have been praying for snow all winter.  According to the weather forecasts we will be close to the 70's by the end of the week.  This was most likely our last shot at any winter weather.  If that holds true, what a lovely way to remember the winter of 2012.

We had a surprise addition yesterday.  One of Harland's heifers was out in our yard.  He thought she had roamed out through the gate when he was putting out hay.  But when he put her up she kept bawling towards the woods and didn't dive into the hay like the rest of the girls.  Harland went through the woods and found her little bull calf curled up around a little white pine.  They were happily reunited and the world was good again for momma and baby!

Harland was saying this afternoon that he wished he could get in the garden and get some of the spring crops planted.  I am sure we will have some more cool weather, but spring truly is right around the corner.  That means I better get busy finishing up my winter projects.  I have a little more to do in our bedroom.  The storage building was put on hold while I did some regular cleaning last week, getting ready for the girls to come home.  In the process I got the steps going upstairs cleaned off.  That's where everything lands that needs to go downstairs or out to the storage building. I am looking forward to getting all this behind me so I can move to other projects on my list.

Only about 9 or 10 more days until Harland can fire up the smoker.  He and Calvin were out there Friday night talking out the final details.  It won't be long!  Harland fired up his propane smoker Saturday and put on a roast and a couple of turkeys to take to the birthday bash.  When it was finished he used the slicer and shaved some really thin pieces off of the roast.  It was so delicious and the turkey was too!  I made a roast beef sandwich for lunch this afternoon.  It was wonderful!  JoCasta makes a great sauce she uses on her pork roast.  I was thinking that would be so good on the roast beef.  I tried to throw it together, but it didn't taste as good as hers.  It probably would have been better to get the recipe, but I didn't want to call her again at work.

It's always so nice to have my family all under the same roof together.  Even if it's not our roof.  I never imagined when they were young that we wouldn't always be together.  I made them all promise they would never move beyond he end of our driveway.  They did promise!

It was good to see Charlotte and Bella yesterday.  I will probably say this everytime I see them, but they change so much from week to week.  Charlotte sat with Harland and Phil (Wayne's dad) and myself at a little table.  She was very talkative and trying to tell us about 'Last night'.  Then, 'last night mommy', 'gettin up' and 'gettin' Bubba'.  Whatever her story really was, she was really trying to tell us about it!  She was slowly eating her lunch and Papa was ready to have some dessert.  He was trying to encouraging her eat some veggies so she could have some valentine pound cake that I made for her.  She had no problem with that.  I didn't hear much out of Bella at all Sunday.  She make her way around to everyone and babbled and smiled to everyone that would listen.  She is such a cutie!

They will both be here at the farm for a week in March.  Hoping we will have some mild weather while they are here so we can get out, walk and enjoy some fresh air.  I also want to get some pictures.  I just haven't gotten many of the two of them together and hoping I can change that while they are here.

In A Blurrrrr

How about this crazy weather?  I thought March was in like a lion and out like a lamb!  It's only February!  If you spent any time outside today you know with a little cool and moisture in the air the wind can rip right through you.  I went to the barn this morning and checked on my little white silkie.  She hatched two chicks this week.  She had them tucked up under her wings and everyone seemed content.  I tried to make sure everyone else was tucked in so I wouldn't have much to do once the wind set in and the temperature started dropping.  I had to re-staple the plastic wind break in the breezeway.  The wind had blown the bottom loose. Hopefully it won't rip it off the staples again.

I broke my glasses yesterday.  So I was trying to make do with some reading glasses I had here.  Then I went outside and lost my readying glasses.  I am not keeping it together too well.  I went out in the wind and looked around for them, but never found them.  Harland found them later.  I'm not sure why he found them out near the cars.  I don't even remember going out that way.  We made a trip to Walmart to see if I could get my real glasses fixed.  Thank goodness they did and they even straightened them up too.  Now I don't look like my face is lopsided anymore!

We've been having problems with our internet for about a week now.  It will come on then go off.  Usually goes off when trying to work on my blog.  Not sure if it is our wireless modem or the telephone company.  I hate the thought of trying to hook up another wireless modem.  I am not very sharp at electronic gadgets and struggled when I hooked up the first one.  But, will have to get something done soon.

I took some pullets to be sold last night.  I am still trying to whittle down the number of chickens to feed.  Now I have 14 pullets.  I still got 7 eggs today, so I think we should have enough eggs to keep the kids, mom and ourselves in eggs.  I also have some of the cutest little bard rock cochens.  They are so friendly.  A friend gave me the silkie hen that just hatched the chicks this week and a rooster.  But she also came with nine eggs and hatched all of them back in the fall.  There were 8 pullets and 1 cockerel.  He said she was a laying and hatching machine.  Now I believe it.  So in return I gave a friend 3 of the little bard rock cochen pullets last night.  I hope she likes them and enjoys them as much as I have.

Harland smoker/grill project is almost finished.  They finished laying the rock yesterday.  Now he is waiting on Calvin to finish the door and they still need to work on the grates.  I think there are 18 days and counting down until he can fire it up.  I think it's going to be full when he does because everyone is putting in their orders.  Personally I am looking forward to some chicken.  But he can try out the grill side for that.  Um Ummmm.  But for now we just have to clean up the mess.

Did I forget to tell you about our new windows in the basement?  Bill came yesterday and finished the trim.  Now I have to do some painting.  I haven't taken pictures yet.  But I will get some loaded so you can see them.  It looks so good.  Just in time to keep out all the wind!   I'm hoping I can get him back soon to put up another shelf in the panty and I have a leak under the sink down there that needs to be fixed.

My project in the storage building is coming along nicely.  I have most of the stuff on the floor cleared away.  I just need to work on some organization.  I need to get some clear containers.  I don't know why I didn't get them when I was at Walmart today.  Just not thinking I suppose.  I was just so happy to get my glasses fixed. We made a trip to Goodwill already.  I know I will need to make at least one more trip if not more.

I put on a big pot of pinto beans yesterday morning.  I had planned on feeding it to the guys for lunch, but they didn't get done.  I don't know why but it seemed like they would never get tender.  I cooked them some more last night.  So that's what Harland and I had for supper tonight.  He wanted some chicken in gravy and rice.  So we had that too.  Some of that good old southern comfort food on a cold windy winter night. It was a really good supper suggestion.

An All ACC Mom

North Carolina houses an abundance of very good colleges and universities.  I was reading US News' 2012 college ranking of US University's.  Harland nor I attended a college.  However, like most parents we had dreamed our children would have the opportunity to go to college.  While reviewing the article, I was reflecting that our children had the good fortune of attending and graduating from three of the best colleges in the U.S.

We would have been happy if they had chosen to attend any of North Carolina's other prominate colleges, NC State University (ranking 101), East Carolina University (ranking 194), Appalachian (ranking 10 in the catagory of Regional Universities).  Many of the students from our area attend our local Wilkes Community College, a two year college.  Then go on to complete their college career at a four year school, which is a great option.  JoCasta graduated from The University of North Carolina (2012 ranking 29).  Audrey graduated from Wake Forest University (2012 ranking 25).  Amber graduated from Duke University (2012 ranking 10).  All great schools from the Atlantic Coast Conference (2011-2012 sports ranking 5 per ESPN and USA today).

I remember when we sent our oldest daughter off to college.  Even though we still had two younger at home, there was an emptiness in our home.  We were excited and nervous for her.  It's difficult to explain I suppose, but there were a lot of situations that came up where she needed advise.  Since neither Harland or I had gone to college, she basically had to forge ahead into uncharted territory alone.  We helped where we could.  I will get in trouble for saying this I'm sure, but I think of the three graduations we attended Carolina's was the most beautiful. As the graduates walked out of all the entrances on the opposite side of the stadium and Carolina blue gowns flowed down the steps and out onto the field.  JoCasta's was our first graduate, maybe that's why it seemed to be so breathtaking for me.  It was also funny as we could see the messages on their caps and watched some dancing in the endzone while the crowd bounced a beach ball across the stadium.  A great day!

When it came time to send Audrey and Amber off to school we had a little experience.  At least we didn't feel like were walking from the sunlight into the darkness.  However there were still many challenges.  The first of which began on move in day.  As it turned out both had to move into their dorms on the first day.  Talk about being torn by responsibility.  My mom and dad stepped in and were able to help Audrey move in at
Wake, while Harland, JoCasta and myself helped Amber at Duke.  I later went back and helped Audrey get settled in.  Harland and I cried off and on for weeks after our babies went off to school.  Then each time they came home to visit and left again we cried some more!  But, for those who are feeling the pain of the empty nest, I does will get better!

I think everyone was surprised that Audrey and Amber didn't go to the same school.  They had always been together and done everything together.  I think looking back that Amber was more concerned about being independent from Audrey.  But, as it turned out, I think she may have had the hardest time with the separation. I could be wrong, Audrey holds things close to her heart, so could be her feelings just weren't as transparent. Although looking back, there were some events that revealed she was struggling too.  Tough as it was, I think it was good they were living their own experiences.

Of course all the graduations were exciting.  The baccalaureate ceremony in the Duke Chapel was very moving and I cried.  But once again we were torn because we had to miss a function for Audrey at Wake in order to go.  But at least the graduation days were not the same.  We were so thankful we did not have to split up for that.  The class of 2006 at Duke graduated in the wake of the Duke Lacross scandal.  But, it did not affect our joy in seeing Amber's accomplishment. There was a lot of whooping and throwing of caps.  Then Amber walked us all over campus to attend departmental ceremonies and get her diploma.  It was a great day!

On the morning of Audrey's graduation, Amber and JoCasta glued and pinned yellow roses and I think I remember a bird or a bee or something on her cap.  It was so pretty, it was so Audrey!  But once she was in line I overheard someone stating that messages on their caps would not be allowed.  I was terrified they would not let her walk across the stage. I watched as she advanced through the line (so cute and funny) without incident and once on stage the officiant whispered he liked her cap!  It was exciting watching her walk across that stage and hear her name announced.  We were so proud!  The Wake campus is so beautiful,.  We mingled and took pictures while we waited on Audrey.  Another great day!

I have been asked numerous time which team I pull for.  Before my children went to college I was always a Carolina fan.  But now I always pull for all the teams where my girls went to school, Carolina, Duke and Wake.  Many have said I am not a true Carolina fan, because if I were I would never pull for Duke, ever.  But, not so my friends, no so!  That's just your opinion!  

The only problem is when they play each other.  Wednesday night was basketball rivalry night.  The North Carolina and Duke game, one of the most notorious rivalries in all of sports.   It was an awesome game!  Which team was I pulling for?  I was pulling for both teams to do their best and may the best team on Wednesday night win.  It could have gone either way, but the outcome was a win for Duke.  Was I happy Carolina lost?  No.   They played a good game and almost pulled it off.  But I was happy for Duke.  And that's just the way it is!  The only problem I have right now, is Wake.  I hate it that they aren't even in the mix.  It's a lot more fun when all three teams and my family are mixing it up.  Just keep it fun kids, it's just for fun and it's just a game after all!  I am an all ACC mom!

A True Southern Lady and The Lazy Susan

When I was in the third grade my family moved from Indiana to North Carolina.  Through family friends, my dad found a much better job opportunity.  As it happened, my mom had family in NC.  Several of my grandfather's (her father's) brothers and sisters lived here.  After our move, we lived in a small house at the end of the street and just down the street from Uncle Cliff and Aunt Jenny's house.  I loved living there because my mom's first cousin Hazel and her two children (Dee and David) lived with Uncle Cliff and Aunt Jenny.

Having spent so much time at my grandma and grandpa's house I was accustomed to having cousins close at hand to play with.  David was my age and in my class at school.  However, I spent most of my time with Dee.  She was several years older than me but we were two peas in a pod (okay I stole that from Forest Gump).  I always thought it was cool that Hazel, Dee and David lived upstairs in the attic.  It had been finished and there were two bedrooms up there.  I'm not sure why I was allowed to call Hazel by her first name.  As you know in the south a child just does not call an adult by their first name (at least 45 years ago they didn't).  Coming from the heartland, I had a lot to learn about living in the south.

We spent a lot of time in Uncle Cliff's home.  We always had Sunday lunch after church there.  Aunt Jenny was a good southern cook.  I had never had scratch biscuits before!  Aunt Jenny's dining room table had a huge lazy susan in the center of it.  Uncle Cliff made it!  On Sunday every inch would be filled with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and everything else good and always dessert.  Usually a pound cake.  You get the picture.  I loved eating at their house.  I especially liked the biscuits and spinning that lazy susan to get seconds.  Later when my dad and mom bought their first house, we were loaned a second table just like Aunt Jenny's that Uncle Cliff had made.  Wish we could have kept it.

Aunt Jenny and Hazel took it upon themselves to school me with southern manners (or else).  It was the two of them who impressed upon me the importance of saying yes ma'm and no ma'am, yes sir and no sir.   I guess I was pretty hard headed, but when they leveled their (stern) southern gaze upon me, it didn't take too long before I didn't forget to say my ma'ams and sirs! Looking back, I am grateful!  Once my Uncle Cliff jokingly told momma we were living like heathens because daddy had mowed the yard on a Sunday.  One of his neighbors had told him about it.  It was a message delivered with humor, but another lesson to be learned none the less.

I remember one particular Saturday not long before school was to start, mom had told me that we would be going shopping for school clothes later that day.  I took off on my bicycle to meet Dee at her house.  After grabbing a couple of Aunt Jenny's left over breakfast biscuits we headed out on our bikes.  That morning we decided we would form a club and our mission was trying to find a good place for a meeting place.  So just down the road we parked our bikes and headed into the woods.  We scouted out several different places, but eventually found fault with all the possible sites in that area of the neighborhood.  Scouting the woods apparently took us a great deal of time, because as we were emerging from the woods and approaching our bikes, our parents drove up.  Not realizing anything was up, but were just surprised and curious why they were there.

Well, remember I mentioned that day we were supposed to go shopping for school clothes.  When it was time to go, Dee and I were no where to be found.  We had both forgotten.  At the time I never fully understood why we were in so much trouble.  I mean there was still time for shopping!  Never the less, Dee and I were punished.  Our punishment was not withholding our bicycles or no TV.  It wasn't even early bedtime....to our sad astonishment, we were not allowed to play with each other or talk on the phone for two weeks!  Needless to say we did not take it well.  There was much crying, complaining and pouting and that was just on my end.

I only lived in the little house down the street from Dee for about a year.  Then we moved a little further out into the country.  Daddy and momma rented an old farm.  The man that owned the property, his wife wanted to live in town.  So as part of the rent daddy agreed to feed and tend to his cattle.  There were a lot of barns and buildings on the farm.  It had been a small old dairy and just behind the house was the building that had been the milking parlor.  As you come out of the parlor there was door to the left which led into a shower.  On the other side of that was a storage area which was probably where the milk once once stored.  Mom had a lot of extra stuff stored in there.  In the summer when it was so hot we would take our showers out in that little milk barn.  It was just made out of concrete blocks and the walls and floors were cool to touch on a hot evening.  When you were finished and walked out into the dark night air it would feel so cool and refreshing.

In the shower there was only one door in and at the back of the room was a two pane window that set up high above our heads.  We kept the shampoo and soap on top of the ledge there in front of the window.  One night when Dee was spending the night with me we were out there taking our showers.  Of course we were playing and taking entirely too long.  Well, something hit the window above us.  We screamed and crouched down against the wall under the window, we were scared to death.  We couldn't run over to get our towels or clothes because they were on the other side of the curtain, and whatever or whoever would be able to see us!  So we had crouched there for a good while and then we got to discussing who or what could just come around the building and come in the door.  So we screamed and grabbed our towels and ran to the house crying.  After daddy was able to understand what we were saying he went out to turn off the water and lights.  He searched behind the parlor and in the pasture and of course he found nothing.  Honestly, when I look back it was probably a bird, a bat or a bug!  But we just knew something was out there.  

I wish I had some pictures of Dee and myself to share.  I will have to get some from my mom!  We shared a lot of adventures together as young girls.  Interesting that JoCasta and Wayne now live just minutes from that farm near Pittsboro.  The first time I visited them after they moved it was like going home.

You know everyone who has lived in the south very long probably has someone they think of when they imagine the ultimate southern lady.  My Aunt Jenny was that person for me.  I told Harland once that in order to become a true southern lady there were a few things I had to accomplish.  I had to learn how to make scratch biscuits, make a pound cake and have a magnolia tree in my yard.  I still need that magnolia tree!  So tell me, what other things do you think a woman has to master to become a southern lady?

Busy Day Tomorrow

Just a quick post tonight.

After several days of gray weather it looks like we will finally see some sunshine tomorrow.  Good thing because it is going to be a busy day.  Franklin and Butch will be back to work on the smoker/grill.  It's coming along beautifully.  Harland is still counting down the days until he can fire it up.  I think we are at day 24.   I am planning to work on sorting, organizing and purging in the storage building.  Also, Bill is coming to replace the sliding doors in the basement with window.

JoCasta was working on getting her videos off all of their SD cards and posted some on YouTube.  There is a oh so cute video of Charlotte twirling with Bubba.  Charlotte loves wearing her tutu and of course Bubba had to wear one to.  I've watched it 10 times already!

There will be 5 guys for lunch tomorrow.  So I am trying to decide what to feed them.  Harland suggested a meat loaf.  So I think I will go with that.

Just want to leave you with a few pictures to update the smoker/grill project, a beginning picture of my storage building project, a before picture of the sliding doors and Butter's calf.  Hope everyone has a wonderful day tomorrow.  It's going to be cool, but get outside and enjoy the sunshine!  Even if it's only for a few minutes!