HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

I'll be flying around tonight....got a new broom! I'm so excited!! See yall later!!!!

Well I thought it was the prettiest stump I'd ever seen...does that make me weird?! LOL!

It's opening day of hunting season here. I had to find a good place to hunt, a place where I know I could spot "The Big One". A real hunter knows what to look for. Pawed out places under a limb, scrapes on trees, and of course tracks! I knew I was in the right place when I spotted this scrape on this pine tree. They love to rub their antlers on trees and you can see the visible marks left. I was thrilled to get a picture of this monster before I took him down. Not the best rack but it will do!







OK so I'm lying...I can do that, it's my BLOG!! It is opening day here in Georgia for deer...yes I did go hunting....no I didn't get anything. I did see a button buck, a doe & 8 turkeys. I love to hunt.....something I look forward to every year. ......When Danny & I were in the Smokies we got to see the Elk that has been reintroduced to the area there. This is the first time elk have roamed the area in over 150 years. So far they are doing well & some have moved out of the original valley they were released in. I hope they make a come back. It was an awesome experience to hear the elk bugle! I will post more pictures of them in the future. They all are tagged or have a collar on..not because they are pets (they are very much wild) but to keep track of the herds and to study their progress. One more thing...if any of you have husbands....show them this scrape. If they hunt they will appreciate this massive mark....very big compared to a deer scrape!

Loins...Tigers....and BEARS..Oh my!! Cades Cove had more bears this year year than I have ever seen before. This mama had 3 cubs with her. We seen several males & several female bears. Most of the females had 3 cubs...I think there was only one that had 2 cubs. That is a good year for bears in the cove!

"A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the LORD, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked road shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation.' " Luke 3:4-6 & Isaiah 40:3-5

You've Got Mail!! ........





The weather has been so nice today. I never looked to see what the high was but I am sure it was in the high 60's. Gandalf & I just kind of lolly gagged all day. When I went down to check the mail I caught Gandalf checking out the night watchman. This guy has been posted at the end of the road in hopes he will detour any rodents that keep gnawing into the irrigation system. I have really enjoyed my day at home. I can't help but be thankful for all God has entrusted me with.

The Harvest tour continues. The pecans are starting to pop open. Some of the early varietys are already open. There is a debate on whether or not the prices will be good this year. There are thousands of pounds in cold storage. Here on our farm, we don't have half the crop we had last year but so far they look like good filled out nuts.

Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe..Joel 3:11. Gandalf & I took a tour of the farm this morning to see what all is ready for harvest.

Danny & I have been cooking some fine meals on our new "Old Mountain" cast iron cook stove! Some fine corn bread and fried chicken! Danny bought this for me at a flea market in North Georgia.

A Mountain Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away....that's what my Mama always says!

Spinning her wheels.....she was using alpaca wool..I guess that is what you call it. It was neat seeing her spin. You can see some of her products in the back ground. Very Pretty!

Aint it funny how something so simple can remind you of the Creator? I have been listening to Dr. David Jeremiah on the radio in the mornings. He has been doing a study of King David for the past few weeks. It has been a while since I thought much of David but listening to Dr. Jeremiah has sparked my interest agian. What a remarkable human being. I am so thankful God made sure that David's life was recorded for us. David's life was so full of real life stuff we go through now. Death, friendship, love, depression, and fear. Since I quit teaching Sunday school I have found that I have a hole. Even though I read my Bible daily & read a devotional...it is not enough after feeding on HIS WORD daily in preparation for Sunday School. I have found a study by Beth Moore on King David. I read her book called "A Heart Like His" a few years ago but I did not do the study she had to go with the book. The book was great. She has a new study out on David...I have it ordered & I'm excited about getting to know David again. There is nothing more rewarding than studying the Bible. I'm hungry...I need some SPIRIT FOOD!!

Have you ever made Apple Butter like this??

Pioneer Days......this fella was showing how they grind cane to make syrup. This was just one of the demonstrations they had at "Old Timers Day" in Townsend, Tennessee when we visited the Smoky Mountains.

If Blogger had a neck I would wring it!! Scroll down and you will see the new post (below the one I made yesterday morning). I dont know why it is acting crazy....well it could be my dead turtle slow internet! I haven't been able to use spell check either and well my spellin aint so great!! LOL!! I really shouldn't complain...I am too Blessed!! Oh one other thing....friends dont give up on me...I'm still trying to catch up on blogs and everything else around here. I added toooo much work to myself yesterday after picking peas & sweet taters, being gone on vacation and working! ARGH!!! I dont know if I will ever get all these peas shelled and put up!!! Hope yall have a good day!!

It is 54 degrees here this morning!!! While in the Smoky Mountains the temps were mostly in the 60's but varied depending on which part of the mountains we were in. The lowest temp was 42 degrees in the Blue Ridge. There was a little bit of snow on the sides of the road. I didn't believe that it was snow until my husband made quick stop to scoop some up and then it all of a sudden landed on me!! This picture is of a trail leading up to the Doc Caldwell cemetery in the Cataloochee Valley. Sure was pretty!

In Townsend and Cades Cove there were piles of little groups playing Blue Grass & Mountain music. Now I didn't try to take a picture of this mans backside.....There just wasn't any way to get a good picture. He was playing some kind of homemade base string. What you cant see is the one long string that is attached to the top of that wash tub & then he is holding the other end in his right hand and playing with the left. Now this fella was wearing some thick gloves & I can see why with the way he was having to slap the thing to make the deep base sound. Pretty neat huh? There were many instruments that I had never seen before....many being homemade. I reckon in Pioneer days you had to make music with what ever you had. If it sounded anything like what these folks were playing...well I would be tappin my toes! The bottom picture is one of my favorite places to take a picture regardless of the season....the Carter Shields cabin located in Cades Cove is such a pretty place! This cabin is a fine example of hardwork and good craftmanship! I could live there!!

Several of my friends wanted to set aside 2 days without modern conveniences and live as they did in the Pioneer era. At the last minute, Danny and I decided to take a quick trip to The Smoky Mountains. So, I did not actually participate in my home but was able to do much reflecting as I walked around in living history in the Smoky Mountains where so much of that life has been preserved. I will share with you over the next few blogs some pictures of our trip and things Danny & I learned as we went back in time. Speaking of time...Townsend, Tennessee (where we always stay when we go to the mountains) and Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountain National Park were celebrating "OLD TIMER"S DAY". It is "A celebration of the heritage of Townsed, Blount County and the Great Smoky Mountains". There was gobs of people there playing Blue grass and Mountain music, there were demonstrations of cornmeal making, chair caning, blacksmith, beehive observation, lye soap making, sorghum molasses making, apple butter making, a moonshine steal, Spinning and Flaxing, corn shuck doll making.....the list goes on!! People dressed in period clothing...oh yes our timing was perfect to reflect back on Pioneer Living!