The Mountain Thymes

Days and days and days of rain.  We were water-logged and weary of clouds.  After looking at the SC coastal weather and seeing that the rainy system wasn't reaching the coast, we packed our bags with shorts, capris, sandals, and sunscreen and headed to our hotel in Charleston. Fresh seafood is a treat when you live so far from the ocean so we chose a seafood restaurant with an outside dining option and order scallops and shrimp.                                                  sun salutations and yoga on the beach Where was the sun?  We did see a few morning showers, which were not in the forecast at all, but had  mostly sunny days during our visit.  The ocean water temperature is still too cold for us in February ye...

Valentine's Day on the mountain. That's as far as I got when the computer quit, died, rolled over on its back, belly up.  Thursday we drove to Canton, GA to our nearest Best Buy store where the computer selection was larger.  I stood and watched while Cliff studied the computers looking for one that would fit my simple needs; blogging, emails, Amazon Prime and Jet online shopping, and once in awhile playing Cowboy Rummy.  It's nothing like picking out a new car where I choose the interior and exterior colors, look at the design lines, and all the dashboard gadgets.  Whatever he chose, I nodded my head in agreement.  My new HP computer is up and running and I'm getting used to the new feel of the sleek keyboard.  It's a good thing I'm married to a computer geek because I'd be lost.  I told him that I feed him a good healthy diet and take him to the gym with me so we can live a long life together and he can keep me technologically savvy. So, back to ...

Cliff: "Did you see the long-range forecast on TWC app?" Me: "Yes!" Cliff: "Hide the dull butter knives and lock the sharp knife draw!" I think we've done more weather whining this year than in past winters.   Temperatures have suddenly modified from 20 degree days to 60 degree highs.  No complaints about that.   But we noticed as the woodland animals watched us unload lumber from the bed of Cliff's red Toyota, they began lining up two-by-two.  And it's important we keep a low eye open when carrying in groceries ensuring our small grey mouse doesn't try to get in out of the rain.  We're under flash-flood warnings until tonight and the rain is forecast to continue for the next 15 days in a row.  It could be worse.  It could be 15 days of snow.  I'm not sure how this will impact my 35 garlic bulbs that were set last October.  These warm days will deceive some plants into sprouting early only to be shocked when a freak snow day sne...

Saturday before heading to the Longhorn for Barb's birthday celebration, we drove to Wayne's Feed Store and purchased two new catch-and-release traps for the grey fur ball.  Late yesterday afternoon, a fresh new snack went into the new trap and it was set behind the TV stand again.  I figured it would be an easy catch after two days routine of free meals.  Then we walked up the road to our new neighbors home for a little wine and conversation.  About an hour later we returned to find the mouse sadly looking up at me from the green trap.  With flashlight in hand, I made my way out in the 35 degree night air, and released it deep into the woods.  We'll have to be cautious for the rest of this cold winter when using the back porch doors. Barb and I talked gardening yesterday afternoon after the Longhorn.  I'm going to build a raised garden near the porch steps for a kitchen garden to include herbs and shade vegetables, move the rhubarb to a sunnier spot...

When I was  little girl, I couldn't kill spiders, insects, or bees when they infringed upon my space.  Any tiny insect was scooped into a jar or gently picked up in a tissue and released to annoy someone else.  Summertime fire flies lived a few hours captive in a jar so I could watch them blink off and on then enjoy their flight back into the night air. When our children were young and we had moved to Florida, we had a small kitchen on Albury Ave  where a mouse resided under the refrigerator.  I don't remember how that came to be.  So you probably know where this is leading. With so many ups and downs in our temperatures lately, we've only had a fire about once a week, just on the dreary cold days.  The house overheats with the fire going and the sun pouring in all three sides of the house.  A few days ago Cliff brought more wood up from the stack in the backyard, split some for kindling, and brought in some larger logs for a long burn....