37 years...

 and wouldn't trade it for anything..

I was at lunch today with my mom and looked at the date and realized it was my anniversary.  Isn't that crazy? Just forget something like that?

This guy is amazing. I first met him in St. Elmo all those years ago. It was like we looked at each other and knew each other. I didn't live here. Me and a friend had come up here looking for her friend. And met my future husband. We stayed here a few days, then went back to South Ga. I had his phone number. I didn't call him for a few weeks. When I did, he said he wanted me to come back. He had a little house he'd just bought and it would be perfect for us. So I did. I was just 20 years old. He was 30. That was in June. We got married in October.

I loaded up all my belongings in my Pinto and drove up here to Chattanooga. Been here ever since. 37 years now. This is home. We've raised to beautiful daughters. And now have 3 beautiful grand daughters. It's been a good life. Not always happy. Not always fun. But we never gave up. There were times when I wanted to leave. And did a few times. But I could never give up on what we have.

Tiny is a good man. And good father. A great husband. He'd do anything for me. And for his kids. And for his friends. He's so giving and loving and kind. And such a hard worker too. I love this man. Through thick and thin. Good times and bad. Rich and lean. It's always been good.

I hope to have 37 more years with him.

Mrs. T.

 This is Mrs. T. I am just one of her many caretakers. She's 98 and says she feels it every day. She's a sweet lady. Her kids send her flowers about once a month. My friend Faith owns the flower shop shop now. She did this arrangement herself, just for Mrs. T. She really did a beautiful job on this one.

                                                                       This is the back.

                                                                      And the front.

Just beautiful all the way around. And it smells amazing too.

Rainy Monday

It is really raining out there today. Since this morning, nothing but rain. It's cold too. Going to be like this til Thursday, according to the weather people. My husband pulled up the weather app on his phone and asked if I wanted to see it. While he's got the weather channel on tv watching it. Really? No, I can look out the flippin' windows! Thanks anyway.

I am cold and tired. Long weekend.

I need to make soap but don't want to.

Why are potato chips so good??????

And apples with peanut butter... and roasted almonds.,,, and cottage cheese with pears... UGH!

It's so quiet in my studio, except for the rain falling outside. Freja was making a lot of noise when I first got here. Even she's quiet now. All I can hear is rain.  

The buck jumped over the fence last week. He's been with the girls since. He likes it this way.

Happy Monday!

This Old House. And barn.

 Yesterday, I got a call from the caretaker at Cloudland Station. It's about 12 miles North of me on 193. A beautiful gated community where the homes are built like they were from a hundred years ago. I don't think they use power tools. They were having an open house this weekend. The reason he called was he heard I sold honey. I told him I had bees but don't sell the honey yet. We got to talking about other things which led to goats and goat milk soap and he asked me if I'd like to come set up at the open house? Well yes please, I'd love to! He said there was no vendor fee. Another yes! And the location is amazing! Another yes. And it's from 12-6. BIG YES! ( I love spur of the moment things like this. No time to think about it. Just do it.)

So that gave me plenty of time to get home from Mrs. T's. I had to stay til 6. Got home, wrapped the rest of my soap. Got everything packed up and ready to go. Got it all loaded up this morning with plenty of time to get there and set up. And I made a LOT of money! So I am going back tomorrow. My daughters are going to take care of my booth til I can get there about 3:30.

It was so much fun! Met lots of great people. So many from out of town. Lots of people have built homes there and come up for weekends or vacations.

The vendors were in the old 1800's barn. They bought this barn from somewhere in Pennsylvania and had it taken apart and brought here. They have weddings and other things in the barn. There was a wedding here last night. It's beautiful.

My booth is right at the door to the right. I have a really good spot. People came in through this door and a back door, right past me both ways. The smell of the soaps lured them in!

                                                This is inside, looking up. I love these lights.    

                                   From upstairs. There were several other vendors in here too.

      Not sure what this used to be, but now it's the bridal house. I love it. It's a little back behind and to the side of the barn, which is to the left here. There were bands playing during the open house.

And this house. Oh my goodness. It's so cute! This Old House, from the PBS show, came and built this house. I want to live in this house. I love every little thing about it. And the doors are all bright green! Loved it. But it was already sold. I wonder for how much?

I had such a good time today. Can't wait to go back. I sold a lot of soap. And lotion bars. And I sold a hat! My first hat I ever sold. It was from a pattern I got from Taproot magazine. I have to make more now. I also sold a lot of my salves too. So fun! I love good shows like this.

I hope you all are having a good weekend!

Knitting with the bees.

 Thank you all for the prayers and your kind words. I know her family will appreciate your prayers so much. It's still like a dream. I think everyone out here is still in shock. It's horrible. The local news did a story tonight about Mindy and the wonderful work she's done with handicapped children. I forgot to write about that. She  has horses and is a occupational  therapist. She started having children come to her ranch and ride her horses. So many children have been helped by Mindy. She just loved helping people. And her work will go on, with the help of her husband and friends now. She will be missed.

What's strange is the past few days have been really nice here. But not a single bike rider has been out here since this happened. Not a single one.

This afternoon, I sat out on the studio porch with a nice hot cup of mint tea and honey. I had lots of visitors! I had to rescue several that took a dive in the tea. They were all over me and everywhere! I love my bees. I had to drink the tea fast to keep any more from diving in and possibly stinging me accidentally.

Several landed on my hands while I knit. I finally got a good shot here. I love this picture. It's now my FB header.

I finished the neck ribbing finally. I have it on the table, blocking it before I do the front ribbing. The bottom was really tight and not quite as big around as I'd like it to be. I like sweaters to be big.  I really like this sweater so far. Although I wish I had knit the arms a bit longer. They are 3/4 length.

So hopefully it'll be dry by morning and I can take it with me to Mrs. T's to finish it. Well, maybe not finish it yet. I still want to add pockets to it.

Mindy

Yesterday, I wrote about a bike rider killed not too far from here. I just assumed it one of the many bike riders that ride down out road all the time. I found out later last night it was my friend Mindy. She was my bike riding partner when I first got my bike last Spring. She lives up the road from me about a mile. My husband was sitting outside yesterday about 3 when he saw 2 people riding side by side heading North. He said it looked like 1 bike, they were pedaling just alike together. Talking and laughing.

Mindy had gone to Bible study and it had just let out. So her and her daughter Jessie headed out for a bike ride. I do not know why they went all the way down W. Cove Rd. and got on 193 heading North. They were right at Prospect Rd. when a guy turned into the road and hit Mindy. Knocked her so hard she was airborne. Said he never saw her. Jessie saw the whole thing. If they had just been 10 seconds sooner or later, it would not have happened.

So there is an investigation. They are doing an autopsy and her body will be released Saturday. Funeral will be Sunday.

I am still in shock. She is the sweetest lady. Just so gentle and nice and patient. A little younger than me. Such a good friend. And neighbor. Her and her husband Bobby came a few years back when my husband was so bad off and brought us some fresh deer meat he'd just killed. Mindy had just sent me a text a few days ago asking us to come to their place for a Sunday afternoon church get together.

I just don't understand this. We are not promised our next breath. Or hour. Or day. I know she was prepared. Her heart was right. I know where she is right now. But I still don't understand how something so horrible could happen. Just like that. Here one minute. Gone the next. This world has lost an angel.

I'm going to plant some forsythia bushes along my driveway for her. They were her favorite spring flowers. She called them "ForMindya" bushes.

And I am going to sell my bike.

Circle of sheep.

This morning, I had to go with my mom for her eye appointment. Then we ate lunch at the Acropolis restaurant over by the mall. I have lived here for 37 years and have never been there. It was SO good! I had a corn chowder first. Then leg of lamb with roasted red potatoes and spinach with feta cheese. It was good! I ate it all. Mom had grouper, roasted squash and rice and a chicken gumbo soup. We will be going there again for sure.

Then we went to the mall. I really hate the mall. But I am looking for some clothes for winter. Like warm clothes. Well, I couldn't find anything I liked. Of course, my mom finds all kinds of nice clothes for her. She's only like a size 4 so it's easy for her to find nice clothes. I will keep looking.

Took mom home, then went the back roads home. It's getting to where I really hate driving. Especially in Ft. Oglethorpe. It's awful. And people are crazy. Most people there think they are the only ones on the road. So I went back roads home.

I was going to Lafayette to the co-op for elastrator bands so I can get Inga's horns banded. I went down Straight Gut Rd. I saw a sign at this really pretty house with an amazing yard and gardens. The sign said eggs for sale. And I need eggs! So I turned around and went back. This nice older man was in his flower garden planting mums. He had eggs! I bought 3 dozen. Then I said something about his nice patch of turnip greens in the garden. He told me to go pick a mess. I did.  Then his wife came out and asked him if he'd told me they have sweet potatoes for sale. So I bought about 20 pounds of good looking sweet potatoes for $5. They were the nicest people. Roy and Sue. Roy even invited me to their church. I love people like this! Makes me happy to know there are good people in this world.

I went to the co-op and got the sheep and alpacas a mineral block. That's what they are all over in these pictures. They love this stuff. It's 25 lbs. and won't last long. Less than a week.

Got all the animals fed and moved the goats back to the back pasture with the little girls. I wasn't going to put the does in with the buck this morning, but I saw Freja jumping on Olga. So I put them both in the back yard with Oden. He jumped right on Olga. She was in standing heat! I think he got her! So I'll try again in 21 days. But I think it might have worked. I was getting worried that Olga might not get bred because she's so flighty. But she just wasn't in heat yet.

We got the wood stove working and fired up yesterday! My husband tried to get a fire going Saturday evening but it wouldn't draw the smoke up the chimney. The house was full of smoke. So we had to turn the electric money pit on. I could hardly sleep listening to it come on all night long. He tried again Sunday. He cleaned out the wood stove real good. But it still wouldn't draw. So yesterday, we took it all apart. Took the pipe outside and got the chimney brush and cleaned them real good. They were full of soot and creosote. So was the chimney. Got it all cleaned up and back together and built a fire. And it works just fine now! It was toasty warm last night. So we are ready for winter and all the cold now. Well, not really. I am not liking winter anymore at all. It's just too cold.

Anyway, tomorrow, we go back to the wound care center. My husband's foot is looking great! Almost all healed! We are hoping he won't have to go back anymore after tomorrow. And we hope the doctor will get him fitted for new shoes.  And I will be checking his feet every night from now on.

Oh, when I got home, my husband heard on the news that a bike rider was hit and killed about 6 miles from us. Probably one of the bike people that ride out here all the time. So sad. Also very scary. The roads out here are very hilly and curvy. I am really surprised it hasn't happened before. So I don't know if I want to ride my bike on the main road again.

Headin' home...

 This is going back to the house. This barn is a the bottom of the biggest hill after Mt. Cove Farm. I have always loved this barn. I've never seen any animals near it though.

                                                         Some more barns along the way.

This is on the Cross Farm. Used to be a dairy farm. The little dairy barn is in front of the red barn. I like this cattle crossing sign.

           This is the old house where Water For Elephants was filmed. Such a beautiful old house.

Can you see the cow with the huge horns laying down near the trees? Either Zeeboo or Watusi. There is another cow but different, past my house. So one is a Watusi and the other a Zeeboo. Both beautiful animals. I just can't see how they walk around with those huge horns. Looks like they'd be so heavy.

                                      This is the Cedar Grove Methodist church. It's really old.

                                                                    I just love this sign!

                                                   Farmers do have a sense of humor!

This is our new community center. It's supposed to be done by Christmas. They have a lot to do if that's right.

This is the old house next to us. It's for sale. 26 acres for just $139,500.00. Really cheap. Considering land out here goes for over &10,000 an acre. This is just a little over $5,000. an acre. With a creek and woods and pasture. Wish we could get it. The house will probably have to be torn down, which breaks my heart. I love this house. It's actually my dream house. It's been here over a hundred years. They built houses to last back then. It's just been abandoned for over 50 years or so. So really not much hope for it. My friend who comes to milk for me when I  need to get away, is trying to buy it along with her brother. I so hope they can get it. I want good neighbors and they would be really good to have here.

And this reminds me of the Bible verse that talks about God owning the cattle on a thousand hills. I think of it every time I see cows on hills. So pretty. It also reminds me of how big God really is. And how amazing.

So that's the tour of my bike trip. I sure need to go back every day.

I finally did it!!!

 Today is beautiful. So I decided to ride my bike to Mt. Cove, 5 miles from my house. My husband helped me get a basket wired to the front of the bike, so I could bring my camera.

So off I went. Isn't it beautiful?

This is looking back at the Cross Farm. I love that red barn. I've gotten hay here before. It used to be a huge dairy. They sold all their dairy cows and went to raising beef cows.

This is the old Underwood Farm. My friend Susie was raised out here, along with her 4 sisters.

Some of the cows along the way. They all said hello.

And this horse. He came up to the fence when I stopped. I got to pet him. I love horses and they smell amazing!

This is a road that goes way back halfway up the mountain, to a friend's farm. She has Finn sheep too.

Ok, this was a mountain to me. I had to walk up.

At Mt. Cove Farm! This is the barn, where they have events. Like weddings or craft shows. We also have the wild game dinner in February here now.

This is also where the Walker Co. Fair is held now. This is a plane runway, where they put all the rides and games. Pigeon Mt. is in the background here.

This was at the entrance to the big barn on the hill. A wedding today!

This is at the little general store out there. Also a bathroom out back of the pavilion! I needed that.

I saw so many of these little fluffy woolly caterpillars along the way.

On the way back now. This is a fork in the road, at the top of another big hill I had to walk up. To the left is Hog Jowl Rd. I will go that way some day. It makes a big circle back to my house. This is also the way the bike riders went for the Ironman race a few weeks ago.

This was painted on the road right beside Hog Jowl. I thought it was pretty cool.

And another hill I had to walk up. They sure could have done a better job at grading this road when they made it. I just have a Townie bike, not a mountain bike. Plus, the wind was blowing like a flippin' tornado. And right at me too. That just made it all that much harder to get up these hills.

I took lots more pictures. I'll post more later.

I hope you all got to get out today and enjoy it. So many things going on around here this weekend. But I just felt like I needed to get on the bike and ride. So glad I did too. Now off to Mrs. T's for a few hours.