Saturday, September 27, 2008

Seatbelts - A Lesson Learned!






When our son was younger, during that strange age between 5 and 10, we waged a continuing battle about seatbelts......The family rule was, the car did not start until everyone was belted in....his sister and I remember many times sitting in a hot car for 10 to 15 minutes 'till the little twit buckled -up!! Yesterday, after a hugh hug...he thanked me for always making him use his seatbelt.......here's the reason why:


This can be explained in a very few words.........mountain roads.........rain, lots of rain........hydroplaneing............upside down in a creek.........reallllly cold water!!!



Praise God.........the son and his passenger were both wearing seatbelts.......they both climbed out the driver's window and walked away!!


"Little Blue "bit the dust.......here are a few more pictures for the extended family out there.....

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Crop Dusting






Our house is built on an old Christmas tree farm.....we still have many 12 to 20 foot trees on the property and we are surrounded by Christmas tree fields......yesterday the question of how to spray the trees for bugs was solved!




Helicopters!!!




This one came swooping in about 2pm and in 15 minutes had all the fields sprayed. Wish the "Triple J's " could have been here to watch with us......miss you boys!!


The tanker truck was parked in a field across from the house and the helicopter would fly up and down, back and forth...then swoop in for a refill........it was better than watching the soaps on TV!!.......BRB

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

As Promised.....Pickled Eggs


City Boy has been in the grocery business all his

life.......He grew up working in the family owned

grocery stores and when the larger chains

forced their closing....He moved to a job with a

wholesale grocery business.....serving south

Florida and the Caribbean Islands...And now

works in a local high-end grocery store in

the area.


Well... all that to tell you he "can not pass up a bargain on a food source!"


When he noticed that cartons of eggs were being thrown away because some of the eggs were cracked and therefore unsellable.......guess where they ended-up.....You got it!!......My refrigerator!! Something had to be done.....we were up to 7 dozen and counting......I'm allergic to eggs and City Boy can't eat them (another story ... another time).......Looking around the store one day.....in the deli he discovered "pickled eggs!" The deli girls assured him that "they sell reaaallll good at lunch time." That was all he needed to know.....a new idea had formed in his head.....


In the words of Jeff Foxworthy....."Christmas Presents!.......Go Figure!!!


Now how do you make Pickled eggs?......don't know.....Thank goodness for the internet and a phone call to the daughter (a canning guru).....City Boy found several easy reciped for making these critters......Now shopping for the "stuff" to make them....wide mouth jars or regular jars?....executive decision...flip the coin.....I don't care! Large boiling pot....4 jar size or 6 jar size? another executive decision.....flip the coin......I don't care!......Should we get a gallon of vingar, 10 pounds of sugar...real beets or canned......onion, garlic or hot peppers (gourmet pickled eggs ......Oh Lorrdy!!) I DON"T CARE......I'm not carrying all this up the stairs!!!


AHHHHHHH...all the stuff is bought and the cooking process can begin....


1. Boil the eggs


2. Peel the eggs


3. Have BRB make the pickle juice...vingar, sugar, beets...ect.


4. Have BRB place cool eggs in the jars....don't squeeze'm in!!!


5. Take a Nap while BRB continues the egg pickleing process


6. After the jars have boiled ten minutes...Have BRB remove HOT! HOT! jars with special gripers and place on a clean dish towel...while continuing nap.


7. Once the lids have sealed or "popped" have BRB write on lids and place in neat rows on the shelf......Oh Yes....continuing Nap!


8. Now BRB can watch me napping while she cleans the kitchen


9. Whoa!!!!....nap over....look at all my eggs!!! Why is BRB giving me that evil stare? I'm making Christmas Presents.....saving her all the work of shopping!!


Somehow, I knew this was the way things would turn out!....Now he wants to decorate the jars with holiday greenery and ribbons....wonder who'll do that ???!!!


OHHHHHH....Here he comes with more jars and a crate of apples!!! Applesauce?! I don't think so!!!


Later.....................................................BRBoomer





Saturday, September 13, 2008

My New World......



In my new world, there is a new job..........I work for the State Parks Department..........doing office work, being helpful and charming to the visitors and most important of all.......answering the phone! There are two parks in my new world and I bounce back and forth between them .........they are eight miles apart and are extremely different.



The River.......is one of only two rivers in the world that flow north!! The parks system has a 26 mile section that we maintain and care for.......along with the water, there are rolling meadows, tall timber, evergreens and wildlife galore! We even had some bear and panther sightings this year. My favorite call that came to the river this season, was the mother that called to ask if we could remove all the poison ivy before her son's cub scout troop came camping...................Huh!?
The Mountain........What can I say about the mountain.......It's my favorite! Everyday is different...because it's over a mile high, the weather can change as you are driving up to the rangers station! One day it was bright and sunny at the bottom and snowing on the top! Here's a kicker.....there are 6 species of orchids that live on the mountain!....plus hundreds of different wildflowers, herbs and tall timbers.......another kicker.....we have an 92 year old gentlemen who walks to the summit and back everyday! My favorite phone call from the mountain was the lady that wanted information on what to bring for nosebleed!..................OK!
Well, there are many new strange and wonderful things that I've learned this season in the parks.......I will post some pictures of the stranger one soon

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Questions...I've got questions!!


"The daughter" would call this a rant......but these are things that I pray, ponder, study and wonder about........................Here goes!


Why are baseboards white? I agree with "the daughter" on this one...who decided white was the appropriate color for something soooo close to the floor.


Why can't dogs learn to wipe their feet?


Why is that stuff under the bed called "Dust Bunnies"?........mine are the size of small children.


Why can men stay in the house all day with the AC off and no windows open?


Why do men like strange things to eat?.....like pickled eggs, sausage with peppers and beef jerky.


Why do car sales people assume that women know nothing about cars?


Why can't I balance the check book?


Why do stores put out the Christmas displays in September?


Are bugs happy?


Why are people in such a hurry? Slow down ! Enjoy the view!!


Why can't I write a post without an error.......I edit, proof read and spellcheck..over and over and over......it never fails! After I post I find at least one error....so if you find one .....Sorry!


More questions later........................................BRBoomer

Saturday, September 6, 2008

The Three M's

Most people when hearing the phrase 3M think of that company that makes office supplies....but, around our place 3M stands for Mia, Max and Miss Kitty. These are our four-legged, hairy babies......all rescues!!



Mia came to us shortly before we moved to North Carolina....she was the produce of a broken home and as a result was spending at least 14 hours aday in a crate! She is a tri-colored Jack Russel Terrier...she was 18 months old and weighed 10 pounds when she arrived at our house....being caged for that length of time each day had created a HYPERACTIVITY problem, to say the least! The first night was rough...after running our 1 1/2 acre fenced yard until she was too tired to move, we though she would sleep like the proverbial baby....NO!! Every sound had to be barked at...every movement had to be investigated.....sleeping on the bed was new...sooooo we had to jump up and down...up and down!!! But, we had raised JR's and knew what we were getting into! JR's need special understanding and love......She is now a "DIVA"! Loves the front porch, her bling(collar), ice cream and her personal chew toy.....Max.



Max came to us during the building of our cabin...via one of the Mexican construction workers...the worker was giving him to another worker....this second worker was going to keep the puppy in the back yard with "the rest of the dogs!" Well.....at the time Max was named "Zorro," was eight weeks old, weighed 4 pounds and was a wet, cold ball of black fuzz....One look and City Boy was in love!......there was "NO WAY" that freezing little fluff ball was going to live in a backyard! Several hours later....when Mom and I pulled up at the building site, "Zorro" was wrapped in a towel and stuffed inside City Boys jacket. I knew I was lost....we brought him home....gave him several baths....warmed him up and renamed him "Max." He turned out to be a mix between a Chihuahua and a wiener dog, with some long-haired dog thrown in somewhere!! He's now 16 pounds and his body is like a "slinky".....When you pick him up...the body keeps going....he's like a long, skinny 60's era shag rug! He's a happy little boy and loves to ride in the car, ice cream, his blankie and chasing Mia! He also like hot sauce....GO FIGURE!!!




Miss Kitty also came to us during the building of our cabin.....we were living in my parents summer home and had to walk the dogs several times aday....During one of our walks this "tortoise shell" colored cat "dive bombed" us from out of the woods.....over the next few days, we would watch "the Cat" outside, taunting the dogs....she would give them a.."NA..NA..NA..NA...Boo...Boo" look thru the window! And then dive at us when we went for our walks!!! Well this went on for about a week....with us yelling/barking...stamping our feet...throwing things and trying every which way to get her to go away........Then it snowed!!!....City Boy opened the door and said "come on in" .... she did! She now loves laying on the railing of the front porch (about 20 feet in the air) and looking over her domain, loves Tuna and kitty treats...she also loves to let "Mia think" she rules the roost!


They are all spay, neutered and chipped .....never to be a rescue again!
Hey!...........Hey!............WE'RE NAPPING HERE!!!!




OOOPS!!!!..........................Mommy's Sorry......................................Later, BRBoomer









































Thursday, September 4, 2008

View From My Front Porch



This is the view from my front porch.........WOW!


Being from a long line of porch-sitters.....when we built our new house I insisted on a large front porch. What I ended up with was a 52'x10' porch across the entire front .....Whoopeeeee!!!!


Early mornings are great....all the little critters are starting to stir and most of the bigger human critters in the neighborhood are going to work. Mia, Max and Miss Kitty sit with me as I drink my first (and only cup of coffee for the day) and watch the sun appear over the mountains, which begins to light our world. Some days there is a cloud cover...some days there is a mist...some days there are dark clouds on the horizon....and some days are just strange!...but, everyday is beautiful.


Evenings are great, too!! City Boy joins the 3M's and I, as we watch the coming home parade...The neighbor gradually settles down to a peaceful silence...the wind starts to blow and before we realize it.....the temp is 62!!! time to go in and start over again tomorrow!


Later.....................BRBoomer

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

What Is a "Baby Boomer/"

It's my understanding that a "Baby Boomer" is a child born in the years following the end of WWII to approximately the mid-50's and has now reached retirement age.....well being born in September of 1950 and retired from one career.....I guess I qualify!


A bit of history.....I'm a native of south Florida and worked in a very large school system for 24 years, have been married to my husband "City Boy" for 32 years....we have two children (one of each), are dedicated animals lovers, believe that God does not give us more than we can deal with and thought we had a pretty good handle on life.


Two years ago City Boy and I decided to "retire," sold the house, packed up the dog, a small amount of furnitue and moved to a little teeny, tiny, can you say"small" town in the northwestern mountains of North Carolina. Since my parents have a vacation home in this area, we had visited here many times.....however, living here is a different story!!! Life here is a learning experience everyday!! What was that song..."country life is the one for me!" ....UGH!! Visions of Ava Gabor in my head...."Go away...go away!"


Having a strange childhood I though I was prepared for "mountain life." When we were children we worked on Aunt Bessie's tobacco farm in the summer and spent spring, fall and winter in sunny Florida...well...picking tobacco leaves and tomatoes from the garden does not a mountain girl make!


The City Boy and I were completely out of our element!!!


We've learned to live without AC 24/7.....We've learned that "back to nature" is not just a saying, but a way of life.....We've learned to shop in bulk, cause the nearest discount store is a 3 hour drive through the mountains.....We've learned to drive in morning fog or snow (a rare site in south FL).....swerve around deer, wild turkeys and groundhogs.....We've learned that you NEED 4-wheel drive and when to use it....We've learned to wave at every driver you pass, wither you know them or not.....We've learned that neighbors are really nice people, that you can talk to.....We've learned there are communities that still value Church, Family and State.....We've learned you can never retire....we both have part-time jobs....We've learned how to dehydrate, freeze and can food for the winter (called "putting away" like squirrels), which has caused a flurry of canning pickled eggs on City Boy's agenda (more about that later) and best of all ....We've learned to dress in layers.....cause mountain weather can change at the drop of a hat!


With all this said....I REALLY DO LOVE MOUNTAIN LIFE AND HAVE NO DESIRE TO MOVE BACK TO SOUTH FLORIDA......I'll take a good snow over a Class 4 hurricane anytime!!!


Are there any others out there like me? If so, please respond...I'd like to know I'm not alone on my mountain top.............BRBoomer


PS......bare with me this is my first blog and i'm just learning!!! Maybe I'll learn pictures soon!