The Mountain Thymes

7:30 pm Last week at this time I was one of five continuing dulcimer students sitting in the music room at the Folk School.  That Sunday night was just a get acquainted time.  The playing began Monday morning and by that first night, everyone was pooped.  We strummed and sang, learned new songs, and listened to some interesting history with some personal adventures.  Our instructor, Betty Smith,  was (and still is) an 87 year old wonder with macular degeneration.  Someone from the school would drive 2.5 hours to Black Mountain, help her load up her guitar, dulcimer, and all her music, and bring her to the Folk School.  The week went so quickly with her personal stories and her teaching methods.  We even went on a field trip.........and didn't need permission slips .......... to Kelischek Music where I bought my dulcimer two years ago. The Folk School music room is situated on the second floor right above the teaching kitchen.  Last week was bread week so we smelled bread baking

Early Wednesday evening I walked down to the garden, emptied the kitchen peelings onto the compost pile, and picked peppers to share with the people in my dulcimer class.  I had thought about baking a coffee cake for our morning break but that seemed like too much work and clean up so they got peppers instead.  Anytime I go to the garden or do anything in the backyard I'm in the habit of scanning the woods for wild turkeys, deer, even little bunnies.  It's not unusual to head toward the compost heap and be greeted by a doe and her fawn standing in the middle of the rhubarb patch or the nasturtiums.  Even when I'm on the porch, I scan for wildlife always hoping to observe something.  Early Thursday evening I thought about running down to the garden to put in some fall onions.  Around 7:10 I walked out onto the back porch, looked to see where I should put in the onions, and spotted a black bear walking the outer edge of the garden toward the woods.  Cliff was in his radio roo

Just an observation..................... Are the cotton t-shirts and jerseys that come from foreign countries and are sold here in the US made from cheaper fabric or am I beginning to drool and drop more food on myself?  It seems that the front of too many of my favorite tops have stains that Shout won't remove. On a musical note............... Sunday evening I begin my continuing dulcimer classes at the Folk School.  My friend, Pat, noticed this class had one free to a local resident spot available.  The week-long class costs $594 for non-residents, half-price for full-time residents, and when a spot is available, it's up for grabs, first come, first serve.  I called and grabbed it.  It should be an interesting and fun seven days. The weekend of October 5-6 is the John Campbell Fall Folk Festival, a weekend that we so-o-o look forward to for the celebration of the area's rich Appalachian heritage.  There will be over 200 craft vendors, music and dance, and Cliff

Sept. 9, 1996 cloudy 60 degrees   7:20 AM  Dear Betsy,  I've been awake since quarter of five. I feel good today.  Probably because weather is cool. Been out in the yard and pulled a few weeds.  Weeds are everywhere.  All my flowers are passing the good stage.  Many look bedraggled.  Summer is over and the flowers know it.  Retta came yesterday and picked all the ripe tomatoes.  Trying to sweep down the back porch.  Lots of cobwebs and leaves in corners.  Am late making the aprons for our Church Mouse Fair on October 19.  Made one last week and will cut out two more today and tomorrow.......................... Love, Mom and Dad Every so often I go through my box of saved letters and spend time with my mother.  In many of the envelopes, I find little treasures, priceless gifts that I had forgotten about.  Today's find was two squares of cotton material from a quilt she was planning and a her recipe for "Crispy Cookies."  Her energy is forever with me.  Toda

September days are still warm but not oppressive.  We're running the A/C because it's a bit humid and uncomfortable to sleep without it and we do enjoy our comfort.  Some of the early spring blooming trees like the sourwood and the dogwood have begun their slow leaf color change.  Wild black-eyed susans and some other gorgeous purple-flowered weeds line the roadsides and spread throughout the fields attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.  I've neglected the garden for over a week so yesterday when I went to the compost pile to empty peelings, I walked around checking the poor exhausted cucumber vines, spoke to the resident box turtle, and noticed I actually had enough beans to pick and the Greek basil was thriving.  Cliff has been staining the porch rails, a slow and tedious job.  Yesterday he pressure washed the whole front of the house and this afternoon he began that staining. My latest sewing project was a prairie dress with apron for Sofia who now wants to d

 We have a resident bat.  Each night it cuddles upside down in its corner and then flies away as the morning lightens the forest.   On rainy mornings I take my coffee to the back porch to watch the crazy hummingbirds and I get to see it zip away.  I don't think bats stretch as they wake because this little creature takes flight at mach speed. What???   It's 5 o'clock somewhere!