The Mountain Thymes

The fall/winter Farmers Almanac predictions certainly were off.  Our area's Christmas forecast was supposed to bring a snowstorm around December 24-26.  Like most of the eastern U.S., we've had unseasonably warm nights and days.  Thank goodness it's been warm because with all the rainy days we've had, we would have had snow accumulation like New England had last winter. Our little mountain waterfall.  One of the three sinkholes seen from the 4-lane heading to town.  This is the largest and is located in one of the bank parking lots.  Another is in the Wendy's drive thru and the smallest is near the entrance to Eller and Owens Furniture.  Christmas Day shared with Mike and Barb. Barb and I made the dinner while the "children" fooled around. We had apple and pumpkin pies for dessert.  These two had their dessert but evidently not enough whipped cream. So............... the week before Christmas, Mark called to tell us that he and Jen we...

I've sat down three or four times to post, typed a few sentences, but then got disrupted by the baking timer or something else that took me away from my thoughts.  So, it's 6:12 am, I have my coffee with me and I intend to finish a post this time. Our weather has been mild, as it has been in most of the east.  The temperature has been in the 50's in the morning and peaks around 68-71 by afternoon, which is another reason I don't complete a post.  With weather this mild, I'd rather be outside.  Starting Monday, we're due to have 5-6 days of rain with more mild temperatures.  The warm will keep us from getting seven feet of snow.  A few weeks ago we did have flash flooding from days of torrential rain. On the way to the gym, I pass acres and acres of cow pastures.  The flooding covered the corn field and drove the cows up to the fence. One of our local church ministry thrift stores.  Flash flooding went into their greenhouse and all the...

Mark and Jen arrived in Murphy ten minutes before our two o'clock Chop House Thanksgiving reservations.  They left Missouri Wednesday afternoon after work, caught some zzzz's in Marion, IL, and forgot about the hour time change here.  For the past five years we did the Brothers Thanksgiving buffet because, even though the vegetables are out of a can, the price was right at $21.99 a person.  Senior discount another 10%.  Everything else was real food, oven roasted turkey, a good variety of buffet choices, and restaurant baked desserts.  This year the priced jumped up to $29.99.  Chop House Thanksgiving dinner seemed more reasonable at $25.99.  It's not a buffet but portions are so ample, your leftovers make another meal at home.  AND it's all delicious real food.  Since Mark and Jen have become engaged, they are more settled and content, kind of like "old married" people.  Next year when they come for Thanksgiving, we've decided to let th...

I find the names for full moons fascinating.  The November full moon occurred at 5:44 pm (EST) on the 25th.  Native Americans named the November moon Beaver Moon believing it to be the best time to set beaver traps.  Beavers are busy this time of year preparing for winter and their fur was at its most perfect stage.  Soon the beavers would be sleeping and the swamps frozen over.  Their names for a moon were for the whole cycle of that moon. Their month was about 28.5 days and so they named thirteen moons. The Mourning Moon is a Celtic name and November is the Celtic New Year.  They mourn the descent into darkness as the seasons change.  Weather related names include Fog Moon or Snow moon according to where you reside.  Sometimes it's referred to as Frosty Moon because it's the time when we wake up to morning frost.  Today we woke to 39 degrees in town and about 33 here.  We'll see 63 this afternoon and a very pleasant 69 tomorrow. We'...

On the way home from my dermatologist appointment in Blairsville yesterday afternoon, we stopped at Cabin Coffee Company.   Blairsville's busy rotary area has many diverse stores and restaurants.  On Friday nights during the summer, there are outdoor concerts and classic cars shows.  I think this coffee house has been open for about a year or so.  We've just never stopped to see what's going on inside.  "Just Be Happy and Have Fun" is the motto and it has a relaxed happy atmosphere.  There are hot drinks, an espresso bar, cold espresso drinks, a breakfast and lunch  menu with signature and specialty sandwiches, soups and salads.  Cliff ordered a fruit smoothie and I went for a Mocha Frappe with two shots of espresso, topped with whipped cream and drizzled with dark chocolate.  Between the nearly full moon lighting up the entire woods last night and the two shots of espresso, sleep didn't happen easily.  But the drink was worth...

Birthdays are meant to be celebrated with family and friends and celebrated for as many days as one can squeeze out of them.  Thursday we spent the day in Kentucky with Matthew, Taelor, Alexandra, (1 yr) and Christopher (will turn 3 in Jan) celebrating Mathew's 26!!! birthday and my birthday.  We took the children to a nearby park so they could climb on the fort and slide down slides. Christopher talking to the ducks.  Taelor brought 2 bags of frozen peas to feed the ducks.  Alexandra with the ducks.  Papa with Matthew and Alexandra Alex is wearing her cupcake hat.  Christopher wearing Alex's cupcake hat.  They both love hats. Feeding the ducks peas.  In the background is the play area.  It's a huge wooden fort with four slides, towers and many climbing levels.  I worked up quiet a sweat climbing, bending to fit through the openings, and sliding with Christopher.  Temperature was 59-60 with full sun and brisk breez...

According to The Old Farmer's Almanac , on this day back in 1946, the low was 25 degrees with a high of 48.  A U.S. postage stamp was $0.03, one year tuition at Harvard ran a student $420, a loaf of bread cost $0.10, a gallon of gas was $0.21, and a gallon of milk was $0.67.  But Federal minimum hourly wage was only $0.40.  We bought our eggs fresh from the farm for $0.50 a dozen and the milk man from Suzuki's farm placed our milk bottles, with whole cream on top, in insulated containers at our back door.  Joe-the-Baker stopped by for friendly conversation and to see what breads the neighbors needed.  A lazy summer afternoon was spent laying on the grass, gazing at the sky to watch the ever changing shape of white clouds.  When the hollyhocks were in full bloom, my sister and I swirled the water in shallow pans to dance our hollyhock dolls. Me in the spring of 1947, sitting in a wash basin at Grandma Still's house.  We were living with my grandmoth...