Snow, The Unexpected, and a 50th Reunion

The past two winters have been pretty benign up here in the hills.  This winter has been more severe, but still can't hold a candle to the winters of 2009-10 and 2010-11. Those were the winters when I earned the name "Rapunzel", owing to the fact that I was pretty much stuck up here on the mountain. Still, we had about 10 1/2/ inches of snow which is nothing to sneeze at.  The video on the right was taken at the heavy part of the storm.  It snowed like this for many hours. Update:  I don't think this video works and I can't figure out how to delete it.  Sorry!

Before

After

Navigating my driveway is interesting under the best of conditions, but when the snow piles up around the dog-leg, it is treacherous.  It takes quite some time for the snow to melt there due to it being on the north side of the mountain, and to the presence of copious amounts of shade.  It is often a serious impediment to getting back to normal here, so I have decided to cut some trees to allow the sun to more easily strike the surface.  I'm sure the change will be stark, but there's no help for it.  This picture was the early after...it's really different now!

 I did enjoy the white stuff though.  It is very pretty when it is falling, and I've never outgrown the childhood joy of snowman making.  I made a single small snow person, and dressed it in male and female attire, thus creating the first snow person who is also a cross dresser!

Pretty

I am not a particularly sanquine person when it comes to dealing with unexpected crises.  So when, in addition to the snow and to the severe thunderstorms that came shortly after, we suddenly found ourselves out of water and the electronic gate wouldn't close, I became agitated.  The gate was one thing, but being without water was something else.  It happened on a weekend so we had to wait for the plumber.  Water and electricity are two things that are so central to existence that they are used unconsciously until they are not available.  Then, BAM!!  Extreme consternation!  A bushing in the water gizmo at the spring had frozen in the sub-zero cold a few weeks previously.  It was an easy fix, thankfully.  The gate...well, the electronic control board had chosen this time to retire.  Haven't gotten the bill for that one yet.

I commissioned a potter to make 12 place settings and some additional serving pieces for me.  I have been wanting new dishes for about five years, but wasn't sure just what I wanted.  I am not really a person of vision, but I know what the perfect thing is when I see it.  I saw this potter's work at several shops in the area, and everytime I saw it, I could see it gracing  my dining room table.   I picked them up today from her studio in Weaverville.  Aren't they beautiful?  They look like the mountains.  And I love the soup bowl!

Salvaterra Pottery, Weaverville, NC

When I was visiting my son and his family in Texas in December, my daughter-in-law ( a brilliant person) had a new vacuum.  It was the coolest thing...small, light, and perfect for small jobs that involve dog hair.  It has a number of attachments and is easy to carry around.  Not good for heavy duty vacuuming and it works better on bare floors than carpet, but it sure beats getting the big vacuum out for small chores.  It is a Dyson something or another, and generally costs about $400.  Jim found one for me on close-out at Sam's Club in Hickory for $263.  I love to save money.

The Dyson

This weekend we journeyed to Asheville to watch one of our Charlotte granddaughters play in a soccer match.  We were so proud of her!  She punched in one of the three goals that was scored by her winning team!   Lauren is the little one in the green jersey and the orange shoes.  It was a pretty exciting game and it was extra special to see her and her Daddy.  I wish we could see more of them, but families these days seem to be non-stop involved.  I'm sure I couldn't keep up the pace!

Lauren on the Soccer Field

My 50th high school reunion is this year.  My, has it been that long?  I have only been to one other, but I'm going to this one, so I've been doing some thinking about it.  I wonder how many of us will try to lose weight or will consider a facelift in an effort to recall a half century?  I know that 50 years has certainly changed me.  I have grown from a shy, tentative teen-ager into a strong and confident woman.  I have lived through good times and bad; made my share of mistakes and tried to learn from them; and been successful in every way that matters...in my marriage of 45 years; in the parenting that resulted in the development of two strong and independent adults; in many long standing friendships; and in my professional career.  I have found that in the larger scheme of things, high school makes little difference.  Nevertheless, a reunion is a reconnection to people to whom we may never have been connected except for that accident of residence.  Even though I do not remember all the members of my very large class (and I daresay they don't remember me), my slightly pudgy and somewhat wrinkled self will greet them with a smile on my face and joy in my heart!

Love to all of you!  And, now, today's porch portrait:

The Texas Wild Women and Other Stuff

When I last spoke to you, I was planning a trip to Texas to visit Adam and his family.  I did go and I had a stupendous visit!  The girls, Gracen and Avery, who are so shy around non-family, lose all their inhibitions when they feel comfortable, and can aptly be described as "wild women".  I had such a wonderful time with them and got to spend some precious one on one time with my youngest son.  His wife Shanna and her sister Annie also contributed mightily to my enjoyment!

Shanna and Annie

I used to like to fly, but the hassle of dealing with rude TSA agents has tarnished the magic of "slipping the surly bonds of earth".  They fail every test aimed at stopping a terrorist event, but seem to love the power of being able to treat the traveling public like something lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut.  Nevertheless, I got to Austin safely.  The weather was very cold:  so cold, in fact, that  the night before my trip I had to repack my whole bag to accommodate the warm clothing I would need.  Normally, it is much colder in my mountains than in Austin, but that was reversed during this visit and I spent the time in sweaters and warm coats, a completely different feel than the shirt sleeves that were needed here.

Adam was very attentive to me which warmed the cockles of my heart.  I see him so infrequently that anytime spent with him (or Jon) is a precious memory.  We ate lunch out several times, took a tour of downtown Austin, went to a short concert provided by a radio station at the University of Texas, grocery shopped (where, since I didn't have my purse with me, I asked for everything in the store...payback is hell, I hear).  We also went with Shanna to a movie (Catching Fire) at the Alamo (not the historic site, but the eat, drink and be merry movie house).  I have known that those places existed where you could order food and drink while enjoying the movie, but had never been to one.  (It's amazing how little I get out!)  Shanna and I went Christmas shopping for the girls and had a wonderful time.  She is such a sweetie, and I felt really good about choosing gifts for the girls that I knew they wanted.  It's hard to do that long distance, and since I really don't keep up with the latest in child offerings, I appreciated the assistance.

Cookie Monsters

And the girls...what fun!  We did all the grandma things like reading books, snuggling on the couch, and making cookies.  I also cooked "MiMi beans" several times.  "MiMi beans" are what Gracen calls fresh green beans that I cook differently than her mom does.  I took them to school and picked them up most days, and just loved the interaction and conversations that I had with them.  Jim came for part of the trip and Gracen decided that we should have a "fake" Christmas dinner before we left since we wouldn't be there for Christmas Day.  So Adam cooked a small turkey and I cooked "MiMi beans" and we celebrated the season in fine style.  The girls opened a few of their gifts and it was almost as good as the real thing!

The Opening

Just a Few More

Their Christmas decorations were region specific in some ways and they had this wonderful Christmas cactus in their yard.  I loved it, and briefly considered getting one for myself, but then common sense intruded and I resisted the temptation  of ordering one from Home Depot.
 

Merry Christmas!

Mama

My mother, who has been rather unwell for some time, has improved a great deal in recent weeks and we are grateful.  She maintains a good sense of humor and gracefully accepts the vagaries of growing old.  She posed for this picture as a Christmas card.  I messaged it to everybody she knows (mostly) with her wishes for a happy holiday season.









Patti, my daughter-in-law, sent this picture of the Charlotte grandchildren.  Aren't they pretty?  I haven't seen them in a while so am planning to get down there for some ball games pretty soon.

Jonathan, Katelyn, Lauren

We had some friends over for New Year's Eve and, though none of us could stay up until midnight, we made it until about 11:30.  The new year came anyway, and time marches on inexorably.

Chris and Curt

Karen and Joe

Here is hoping that all of you have a happy and successful 2014, being grateful for the opportunity of life and love, and using each day to add to someone else's happiness.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Silly PapaJim

I leave you with a porch portrait taken from Adam's deck in Austin.  Beautiful!

What Have I Been Doing?

I read some time ago about a mathematical explanation for the phenomenon of "time flies".  Specifically, it referred to our belief that time passes faster as we age.  The explanation offered the following:  When we are, say, 5 years old, any 24 span is a larger proportion of our lives up to that time, so it seems bigger (longer?) than when we are, say 67.  Because the proportion of any 24 span is much smaller, it just seems like it occurs at a faster rate.  I'm not at all sure that this theory is even plausible, but it does offer a convenient excuse for always being so tardy with my posts.  I will, however, endeavor to catch you up with the comings and goings of the Riggsbees.  The problem is that, though I have been extraordinarily busy, I can't remember all in which I have been involved.

Jim's niece and her husband came up over Labor Day.  I can't remember what we did, and I couldn't find any pictures either on my iPhone or on my camera.  Anyway, they were here.  We always have a good time with them.

Alice, Herb, and Lynn

In September, a really great weekend happened.  Back in the 80s I taught special needs kids at Olympic High School in Charlotte.  I had several colleagues while there, but the best two were Alice and Herb.  Around the middle of the decade Alice decided that she was tired of choosing between electricity and food, so she went to work in corporate America.  In '88 I left to do another job in the school system, and Herb left for another school.  Thus broke up the best team in the world! I had not seen either of them in quite awhile until the spring when Alice (who now works for a different corporate entity) came for a weekend visit.  We hatched a plan to get Herb and Libbie (Herb's wife) up here and had a wonderful reunion weekend!  We didn't do much (generally owing to the fact that it poured rain on Saturday), but we never stopped talking and we got caught up on each other's lives.  I love being with people who have played very important roles in my life...and both of them did.  I love you guys!

Alice, Herb, and Libbie

Jim and I have whimsically thought to open up a "Brunswick Stew Camp".  We really like to make the stuff and have discovered that many of our friends like to eat it so we have spent several weekends helping direct the rendition of the delicious brew.  Our guests bring their own ingredients, we help them prepare them, and then we cook and can.  It is so much fun!  Our friends, Karen and Joe, were the latest to take advantage of free labor.  I think we are going to have to make some more for them after the New Year as they have planned to give away most of theirs for Christmas gifts.  Here are a couple pics of work in progress.

Joe

Karen

We also had our annual get together with our college buds, The Big Chill.  I know, I know, it's not a very imaginative name, but it is an awful lot of fun.  This year we had the Shopes, the Blaylocks, the Teasleys, and Chapin.  We ate, sat out by the fire, reminisced, talked about our aches and pains, and what we were going to choose for our health care option during Medicare open enrollment.  I remember wondering why old people spend so much time on health topics.  Now I know!  On a lighter note, though.  Chapin, who was always a ladies man, continued charming all the "girls".  In his other life, he is a Santa Claus, charmer to a younger group.  We look forward to this every year, and I intend to host it as long as I am able.  Apparently, this group intends to come as long as they are able!

Back:  Chapin, Dave, Bob, Jim, Ken
Front: Marti, Claudia, Lynn, Jane

Chapin and the Girls

My good, good, friend Wilma came for a visit in October.  She lives in the north eastern part of the state and the trip is a long one, so she always brings someone with her.  Often, she brings people that I do not know.  That was the case this time when she brought Linda.  Linda's husband is a farmer (retired he says), but still works with Wilma's son doing that farm thing.  I really liked Linda ( as I do everybody Wilma introduces me to) and we had a really good time.  The only thing is that they like to shop so when I went with them they made me buy things!  Truly, not such a bad deal since I did get things for the grand babies!  This picture was taken at Bridal Veil Falls between Highlands and Franklin.

Wilma and Linda at Bridal Veil Falls

I took myself to Charlotte for a couple days right before Thanksgiving.  I usually go because I have an appointment of some sort, but this time I went to see my oldest.  Jon and his family are very busy, and I don't see them very often.  I was missing him, so I went to see him.  We had dinner together with two of the grand babies (Katie and Patti were doing a school project).  It was fun.  During dinner he asked me why I came.  I said "To see you."  I'm not sure he was expecting that answer, but I love his little face!  I did take advantage of the time there to catch up with some friends and my sister, Mary.  Always a highlight is lunch with my friend Chris, who always manages to make an old lady feel like a beautiful woman!  Thanks, Bud!

We stayed home for Thanksgiving this year and shared our bounty with friends Chris and Curt and their family.  We usually go to Charlotte, but this year we decided that the season (May to October)  with its non-stop activities and Jim's frequent business travel had left us somewhat drained.  We came home after TG dinner, watched some movies and some football, did a few chores over the weekend, and generally chilled.  It was nice, really, being less frenetic than usual.  Still, I missed being with family.  Here's a pic of the TG crew. I hope all of you had a blessed day, and were able to be thankful for all the bounty in your lives.

Thanksgiving with the Longs

Tomorrow I leave to go to Texas for about 10 days to be with Adam and his family.  I can hardly wait to see the girls!  Gracie told her parents that she wanted "Mimi-beans" for Christmas.  Those are beans that I grew in my garden.  I sent a dozen jars home with them when they were here this summer.  I wish I could figure out a way to get some to her now!

Probably will not be in touch until after the holidays, but I hope each of you has a wonderful season with family and friends.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I leave you with a "porch portrait" and with something I saw at the vet's the other day:

WAG MORE; BARK LESS!

October Sunrise

Summer Overview

Usually, when I add to this blog, I am hard-pressed to figure out what I have done with my time, but this time that is not the case.  I have been busy, busy, busy with summer activities...and they're not over yet, but it's been a fun time up here on the ridge.

Jim, Elyse, Lynn

The daughter of our friends, Chris and Curt, got married this summer.  Elyse and Shep have been an item for a long time, and finally decided to tie the knot.  I helped Chris with a shower early in the summer, and the wedding was held in Raleigh in Shep's grandparents' beautiful garden in early August.    It was a lovely event, and we were happy that we were part of it.








I had great plans for July 4.  Adam and Shanna and the girls were here and I planned to have Shanna's parents as well as some cousins from Alabama over for a cookout and fireworks.  There were going to be about 30 people in all.  But, as is sometimes the case, events conspired to thwart my well-laid plans. This summer has been very wet and cool.  It rained daily for weeks it seems, but the day before the celebration, the amount of rain that fell was just obscene!  Not only that, but the forecast for July 4 was for more of the same (a forecast that played out just as billed).  Even as big as my house is, I couldn't have 30 people in it with no opportunity for anyone to get outside.  Even the covered porches were wet and there was not a single dry chair anywhere.  So, I had to cancel the celebration.  I hated that because I was going to get to see cousins that I had not seen since they were small, and their toddler children.  Anyway, it turned out to be just Adam, Shanna, and the girls, and we had to forego the fireworks until later in the summer when there was actually some clear weather.  I'll bet many of you experienced the same thing.  The rain and cool weather have continued but we are now in a period of little precipitation.  I'm loving it!!!

Joe with Lynn and Jim

Our friend Joe (who lives in Virginia) came to the area for a short visit this summer.  His sister has a place in Brevard, so we met them for lunch one day and they came up here for dessert.  Joe and his wife Bev lived next door to us when we lived in Charlotte.  They were wonderful friends and we have kept in touch all these years.  Joe wasn't used to the cool mountains.  I had to get him a jacket!

Bob, Barbara, and Joe

Jon and Adam and their families were all together with us for a few days in July.  About the only time that we can all be together is during the youngest Riggsbees annual visit from Texas.  It is always fun and we spend a lot of time laughing.  Jon and Adam are like brothers everywhere, and Jim always eggs things on!  The cousins always have a good time together, and MiMi just loves the togetherness.

Adam, Shanna, Avery, and Gracie

Jon, Patti, Lauren, Katie, Jonathan

Nub's Babies

Last summer we had a bird couple build a nest on the ground under a bathroom window.  They hatched 3 babies, one of which had a very short tail.  When it became time for them to leave the nest and perfect the art of flying, the one with the short tail was identifiable as a "special needs" bird.  We named this little thing "Nub". The mama bird worked and worked with this fledgling and it finally got the hang of this very necessary skill.  This year another bird couple built a nest in one of the ferns that hangs on our front porch.  Imagine our excitement when we discovered that the female unit of this couple was Nub!!!  She and her mate built a beautiful nest and reared 4 little hatchlings, none of which had a short tail!

My garden this year has had mixed success.  The green beans have done very well (I have canned 30 quarts), as has the cabbage and pepper.  Squash was attacked by cut worms, and I lost 3 out of 6 plants.  Replacement plants decided to die on me, so I just decided to quit worrying about them.  Not sure what happened to the cukes, but I suspect that the rain and cool weather just didn't set the optimum growing condiditons.  I got some, but not enough to do anything with.  And the tomatoes, despite a great beginning, finally succumbed to blight.  I pulled green tomatoes and made relish, but I'd rather have been canning red ones.  I bought corn and creamed 40 quarts, and put up 40 pints of peas (also purchased).  My sister and I made 40 quarts of Brunswick stew, so I'm pretty well set for the winter.

Sparkle

One of the casualties of the long, wet summer was a little female raccoon.  She appeared on our porch one rainy afternoon, drenched and exhausted, trying to get enough bird seed to slack her hunger.  She was obviously heavily nursing, so we decided to give her some dog food.  She ate with a ravenous appetite, ignoring the frantic barking of the dog inside the house.  Daily we have put out food for her, but she has not brought her babies up to feed (though it is past time for them to be traveling with her), so we think that she may have lost them in one of the deluges that plagued the area.  Gracie and Avey were here when she came and the christened her "Sparkle".  I have been reducing the amount of food that I have been giving her to encourage her to do some foraging for herself, but just haven't had the heart to stop completely.  She is not scared of us and allows us to walk out on the porch while she is there. We don't want to domesticate her, but we are silly softies when it comes to living things in distress.  By the way, she isn't afraid of the dog, either, though we don't tempt fate by letting him out while she is in transit!

One of the best things this summer was a visit from my first cousin, Bill, and his family.  They live in the Dallas, TX area and I have not seen him since his wedding in 1999!  He is my first cousin, but is  about Jon's age.  We met him, Yvette, and their three boys in Charlotte at Jon's house, where we all enjoyed a cookout.  Bill and Yvette's boys are SO nice...polite, respectful, and just generally good kids.  They are about the same ages as Jon's three, so after a little circling around, they started playing together.  I wish we could have had longer with them!  One of the things Bill asked me was "Are we going to make "The Hillbilly Chronicles"?  So, yes, Bill.  Here you are!

Bill, Yvette, Joshua, Willie, David

The Crew at Jon's House

Still have a few more good times waiting for us this summer.  Jim's niece and her husband will come for a Labor Day weekend visit.  We will all have a cookout with my sister and her friends from Atlanta over the weekend; we are going to have a reunion with some colleagues of mine from Olympic High School in September, and, of course, the annual Big Chill with our college friends in October.  After that things slow down for the winter.  Only Susan wants to come when it snows!

Enjoy the slide into fall.  We love you!  I leave you with another Porch Portrait.

Summer Begins

I know I say this every time, but I have no idea where my time goes.  It's been 2 1/2 months since I last posted.  I guess my life is boring, but somehow or another, I've just never noticed!

Wilma, Lisa, and Marianne

Starfish Sculptue

Went to the beach with some friends in May...Wilma, Lisa, and Marianne.  I didn't know Marianne before the beach trip, but found her to be just delightful.  Wilma has been my friend since dirt, and Lisa has been a friend for maybe 12 or 14 years.  I don't go to the beach too often, so this was really a nice treat.  We stayed at Atlantic Beach at a place called Peppertree, apparently a very popular spot for tourists.  While there we spent precious little time on the beach, but went to Beaufort, Swansboro, Emerald Isle, Harkers Island, and other places that have escaped my memory.  I didn't know much about the history or the geography of the area and learned a lot of interesting things.  The respite was fun, and being with good friends with whom one can laugh and cry is always therapeutic.  The starfish sculpture was done by some children playing on the beach.  I walked past them while they worked and when I came back they had abandoned it to the tide, so I captured it in photo for posterity.

Our grandson (the only one) Jonathan, Jr. received his first Holy Communion in early May.  This event is a special time in the lives of young Catholics, and we are always honored and proud to be a part of this family celebration.  He wouldn't stay still long enough for me to get a picture of him alone, so you'll have to settle for one with big sister, Katie.  Well, I tried, but the pic kept posting sideways and I couldn't figure out how to get it right.  Sorry!

Alice

During my professional days, I abrutptly changed a position in an elementary school to one in a high school...pretty much a culture shock.  One of the high school teachers in my department took me under her wing, and I credit her with sheparding me through the adjustment.  We became very good friends and shared the joys and heartaches of our lives for many years.  Then she left education for work in the corporate world, and I moved on to other things.  We saw each other infrequently for some time and then sort of lost touch altogether.  But through the magic of Facebook we reconnected where we picked up right where we left off.  It is so wonderful to have never-ending friendships, and I count myself lucky to have a number of these.  Alice came to visit Jim and me one weekend and we had the most wonderful time!  In addition to never shutting up, we shopped a little, rode around and looked at the scenery, and cooked.  She brought her dog, Emmie, with her.  She and Chet got along very well, though they never did bond as good friends.  They are both rescue dogs, and it was very interesting deciding which one was the most neurotic.  I think Emmie might have taken the prize, though Chet is not the most fearless animal in existence!

Little Hearing Devices

I finally decided to get with the program and admit that I am aging.  Along with many other old age maladies, I can't hear very well.  It was really getting tiresome, as I was constantly having to say"Excuse me." or "Please say that again."  So I broke down and got hearing aids.  I LOVE THEM!!!  They have really changed my life.  I can hear sounds that I had forgotten existed, and I rarely have to ask anyone to repeat himself (unless he is really soft-spoken).  They are tiny little digital things that can be adjusted digitally to accommodate changes in one's hearing.  The only bad thing is...I could have had a very nice diamond ring for what those things cost!  I console myself with the knowlege that diamond rings can't help you hear.

Karen and Joe

Several posts ago I told you about my friend Karen from high school whom I had recently reconnected with after 45 years.  She and her husband Joe came to spend a weekend with us a couple weeks ago, and we had another great time.  They are so kind and let me stay with them when I am in Greensboro visiting my mother.  It's so good to be around them.  Jim really, really likes Joe and we spend a lot of time laughing.  They are so easy to be around.  We had such a good time that we asked them to stay for another day when they were here and they did!  It was very cool and rainy, so we stayed in and watched movies all day.  That is a luxury that we are rarely afforded, so it was really a special event.

I am planning a July 4 event with my daughter-in-law, Shanna,  the grandchildren, and Shanna's folks.  We did this last year and it was such fun that we thought a repeat was certainly in order.  In the meantime, a cousin who lives in Birmingham told me that he and his family were coming to Maggie Valley for that week and they would like to come see us.  Of course, I invited them to celebrate with us.  It is going to be quite a crew, but we will see people that we either have never met or whom we have not seen in a very long time.  I am looking forward to it.  I am also going to get to keep the granddaughters for several days BY MYSELF!!!  I am so excited.  I am planning to take them on a canopy adventure (benign for little people), and maybe to Chimney Rock.  Their other grandmother is coming to hang out with us, so we'll all have fun.  They live in Texas and time with them is scarce and precious.

Fo many years, my mother's family has had a reunion here in the mountains.  This year was the 122nd Coward Reunion. It began as a birthday celebration for my great-great-grandfather and was a very big deal when most of the family lived nearby.   For several decades, it has been relinquishing some of it's glamour, but in the last ten years it has been getting smaller and smaller.  This year there were only 3 attendees...Jim and I were two of them, and my cousin Jule was the other.  He has been the de facto leader of the group for a long time.  Sadly, we decided to end the tradition.  There are many reasons for its demise, but the biggest are time and distance.  My mother's generation was the last that really revered the tradition, and most of them have passed on or are very elderly and infirm.  Nevertheless, we will continue to carry on the tradition of family with our own nuclear units, understanding that we are all products of those who have come before.

Jule rings the bell for the last time

I'm going to leave you with a couple of shots, only one of which is a Porch Portrait.  Jewel the racoon is a little thief and I was able to catch her in the act!  The flowers were on a rhododendron bush that was particularly full this year.  All the rhodos bloomed prettily this year.  The flame azalea is just beginning so I will put it on the next post.

Have a wonderful, restful, summer.  Love to all.

Jewel, Birdseed Thief 

Blooming Rhododendron

The Little Things in Life

So many little things happen in the course of life.  Things that bring one sadness and joy and that are often forgotten in the rush of the day to day.  That's the focus of this blog.

You may or may not know that my mother has moved from her home to an assisted living facility.  I really hate to use the word "moved".  It has connotations of removing her while she was kicking and screaming.  (Now that I think of it, that isn't too far from the truth.)  But she has outlived her ability to care for herself and the decision had been put off as long as possible.  She is cared for and safe, but that is not to say that she is happy.  Her adjustment has been difficult, but she seems to have weathered the hardest part...hopefully.  We all visit often and my sister and brother continue to do many of the day to day things for her.

I do have a funny story about one of the residents there who lives across the hall from her.  He is a gentleman who doesn't appear to be as old as Mom, but I think his younger life was spent as a Casanova of sorts.  One day I was leaving and I kissed Mom goodbye and told her I loved her.  This fella was coming out of his room and asked for a kiss.  Thinking nothing of it, I pecked him gently on the lips and left.  The next day I saw him at "Happy Hour" and he asked me if I was Elaine's daughter.  I responded in the affirmative and then he asked me if I was married.  Again I responded affirmatively, at which time he stalked away.  A little later he came up to me again and said "If your husband decides to divorce you, let me know.  I love pretty women."  I assured him that I would do so and went about my rat killing which included trying to get Mom's door locked.  He apparently saw me struggling and volunteered to help, but only after he snuck up on me, poked me in the sides and tickled me.  I was talking to Jim at the time and screamed out loud at the surprise.  It was then that I decided that this was a little more than benign interest.  I avoided him thereafter and haven't been back to GSO, but it will be interesting to see what happens when I go back in a couple of weeks.  Who knew there would be such opportunity at a retirement home?

Lisa, Lynn and Chester

My friend Lisa came to visit one weekend.  Her husband and son were busy with other things so she ventured up.  I have known her for many years (she is about the age of my children) and worked with her at Ardrey Kell and Waddell high schools in CMS.  We had a wonderful time.  She is such a lovely person and I hope she brings her family next time.

My sister, Mary, and her children came for a couple of days this week.  We took a field trip to the Foxfire Museum in Mountain City, GA.  I think the kids were underwhelmed, but Mary and I had a good time.  We went shopping in Highlands on the way back.  I shopped until I couldn't walk into another store,  I went back to the car and played games on my iPhone while waiting for Ana and Mary to finish.  Zach went with me and he listened to music.  It was good to see all of them.  They brought their dog, Daisy, and she and Chester spent much of their time begging from the treat jar.

Mary, Anna, and Zach

The Beggars

Mary Fits This Coffin Better than Jim

Chester trapped a racoon one morning on the fence around the "puppy prison".  The spikes on this fence are very sharp and are designed to deter wild animals that might try to get to Chester when we leave him alone.  He has a crippled leg and defending himself is iffy.  Anyway, I let him out before daylight one morning and heard all this wild barking.  Upon investigation, I saw that he had a racoon trapped on top of the fence.  I believe that this is the little female that we have named Rachaela.  Anyway, it took hours before I was able to get him in, and was well up into the morning by then.  I thought she would just disappear, but she apparently was hung up on one of the spikes.  She chewed and chewed and I was preparing to remove her from the fence.  (I was going to throw a tarp over her, using thick leather gloves, and lift her off.)  But before I got all my equipment ready she had extricated herself.  I was afraid that she had chewed her paw off, but I only saw hair and blood, no body parts.  Life is hard for wild animals. I hope she will be okay.  I think that we get so used to our domesticated pets that we don't even think about all the unforgiveness that happens in nature.

"Treed"  Racoon

We had what I hope is our last snow in late March...about 4 inches.  The weather has been reasonably mild this winter (not as mild as last winter, but not as terrible as our first two winters here).  I am SO ready for spring.  Am going to plant some cabbage today, and may try some turnip greens.  Will soon get some small tomato plants and move them in and out so they will be bigger when I can plant them outside around May 15.  Seeds for squash and cuke I will start around the end of April so they will be a good size for planting at the same time.

Late March Snow

Will be traveling to CLT tomorrow for a weekend visit.  Adam is in North Carolina and we are planning a small family get together with Jon and his family.  Do you remember the days you couldn't WAIT to get rid of your kids?  Now I can't wait to see them!

Hope all is well with all of you and that the taxman hasn't been too onerous!

I leave you with a porch portrait.  Love to all.

Winter Sky