Blue Ridge blog

Last year I bought my husband a Christmas present that would not only fix a problem that we have with our well but also would suit his personality and apptitude. I found plans for a Brakedrum Windmill. Every year, our electricity goes out dozens of times and when we lose electricity, we lose water. My husband is the sort that never leaves a good machine alone. It must be some kind of inner calling that makes him take things apart and place his own magic within the combustible engine. It is because of this particular obsession of his that we pieces of every machine known to man littering our back yard, barn and workshop. This is also why I thought it would be a good idea for him to have these particular plans for a windmill. You see, the booklet shows how to build this contraption out of parts from a Ford transit double wheel van or Ford 3/4 ton truck--both I am sure currently reside on our property. A true redneck windmill. I don't have a windmill yet...but I'm sure he'll get around to it in a couple of years.

I had to purchase a new SUV recently and I was not happy with the choices on the market. What I really wanted was a Toyota Hydrogen SUV , but it is not yet available, and I needed a 4 wheel drive vehicle immediately. I settled on a Jeep Liberty because I was tired of car shopping. It doesn't get great gas mileage (heavy sigh) , but it does possess the ability to manually go into 4-lo (It is trail rated, but not pig trail rated) . If you saw where I live, you would understand. Even with 4-wheel drive, I am often forced to abandon my vehicle and hike a mile up our gravel road to get home. I really don't mind...it is a pleasant walk.

I am trying to learn more about Hydrogen Power and came across this site A Hydrogen Powered World which was fairly informative and encouraging. If I had money to invest right now, I would be tempted to put it in hydrogen wind ships.

First encounters...of the snow kind

These children were having fun in Blowing Rock park with the newly fallen snow. The first child deflects an incoming snowball fired off by his father, while the younger brother takes cover. I have created a new photo album of snow photos taken on Saturday.

It is snowing in Boone

Yep! The wind is whippin' and blowin' snow so fast that I swear it is not fallin' on the ground, but rather, landing in Wilkes county. I'll try to get off my mountain tomorrow and show ya some photos.

Feeling Stuffed Yet?

My parents brought up a bag of tennis balls for Harley to feed her addiction. As you can see, she is quite content with her Thanksgiving day feast of tennis balls.

Alpaca Smooches

We toured a 'Choose n Cut' Christmas tree farm yesterday and alpacas had been brought in to amuse visiting children. And no, alpacas are not indigenous creatures to the NC Mountains. This area grows Frazer firs and it is becoming a tradition for all the city folk to come up here for Thanksgiving, visit a farm and pick a tree to take back home with 'em. The 'Choose and Cut' phenomena is sweet sentiment and good opportunity for families to spend time together. However, I am grateful that my children haven't strayed too far from the land and when it is time for us to put up the tree, we climb our mountain and find a suitable one to chop down. Our tree is never perfect and we giggle over it's imperfections for the entire season. That is what makes it a perfect tree for my family.

Here Comes The Sundog

The holidays always mean extra hours to me and my fellow workers. Today I banked up on several shots that I would like to share with you, but I still don't know your particular tastes in photography. Would you rather see people photos or landscapes?

Tonight I share a photo of a Sundog that appeared over the community of Foscoe. I was traveling home along Hwy 105 after having dropped my daughter off at ballet lessons and saw this little aberration in the sky. A sundog is a tiny rainbow that happens often in our area during the winter months. It often is adjacent to the sun and sometimes has a twin on the other side. I don't know alot about them, but do know that the upper atmospheric conditions have to 'right' in order for us to view them. Maybe there is a knowlegeable person out there that can explain them to me in lay terms.

I love Thanksgiving, not for the meal, but for the hours and hours that I get to spend in my kitchen preparing for the event. Tomorrow I start the pecan and pumpkin pie baking. I will also make cranberry bread, but that is all for tomorrow. My folks are coming up the mountain to spend a day or two with us.
I will be sure to post a couple of photos over the holidays. Too bad they don't make scratch and sniff computers yet...or do they? Ya'll be careful in your travels.

Time Magazine's website lists all it's covers since the 1920's. Step back in time and find the cover for the week you were born. My week, April 1963, was some Malaysian dude that I have never heard of before.
I am sure that you have heard of the Gutenberg Project. My daughter found The Magna Carta as etext on the site.
It is now time for my links 'o the week. These are just sites that have caught my attention this week and gives me the chance to introduce ya'll to people you may or may not care for. The first one I only met today. It is 100% a chic site devoted to the life of a cosmo girl living in NYC. You've got to check out her shoes--they are completely mad. You have to see them! Find her here The second one is my faithful MishMash who has been following my 'blog from the beginning. He is actually a former Boonie and although we have never met, keeps me straight. And thanks to Aethele for introducing me to Everyday Stranger . Her post of November 19th still haunts me. And, for the record...I do not yet understand pings, RSS and Trackbacks so if I fail to use them correctly.. please bear with me. I am a novice.

What are they thinking?

I took this image over the summer when covering an assignment at the Bolick Pottery in the Blackberry community. I held on to it because everytime I look at it I try to imagine what the gentlemen were thinking as they obviously saw me point the camera in their direction. Personally, the two guys on the ends seem welcoming and amused, but the glare from the guy in the middle prevented me from intruding further.

Sit down for a spell....

The Mast General Store in Valle Crucis sports a favorite sittin' spot. I love this time of year because it is mostly locals who hang out on the back porch for a while swappin' lies. If the weather is too cold then we go inside beside the pot belly stove and play checkers and tell even bigger lies. Anything to make the winter go faster.
I had fun this afternoon testin' my a concoction that my daughter and I made this summer. I call it, "Marie's Mountain Brew" but really it is a precious Blackberry Cordial that I figure will be ready somewhere around the Winter Solstice. Between late July and early August, my daughters and I comb the mountains for blackberry patches. This summer produced some of the biggest and sweetest berries to date. We gathered more than 10 gallons of berries which to those who don't know a thing about berry pickin' means that we dodged a whole lot of snakes, poison ivy and received numerous wounds from the thorny vines. However, the promise of fresh blackberry cobblers is worth the price. I saved a couple of gallons to make my special 'cough syrup'. It is guaranteed to calm a winter's cough, richen the blood, or heck, enjoy a little sip after a huge Christmas meal.

I will share the recipes shortly--my daughter needs the computer to complete her homework.

Recipe for Marie's Mountain Brew
1/3 gallon of Blackberry juice (Warning-straining berries makes a horribly fun mess)
4 cups sugar
Mix juice and sugar together and bring to a boil. When sugar is completely dissolved add 2 qts of your favorite whiskey.
Seal in canning jars and let sit on a dark shelve for 6-9 months.

A more cordial Blackberry recipe
1qt of blackberry juice
1 pound of sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cloves
2 teaspoons each of grated nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice
1 pint of brandy
Crush enough blackberries for a qt of juice. Put in a porcelain saucepan with sugar, and the spices tied up in bag. Cook 15 minutes after it boils; skim, and cover 'til cold. Strain, add brandy, bottle and seal. This is what I am giving some of my favorite friends for Christmas. Yum!

King Street Cruiser

An ASU student wisely chooses alternative transportation to ride around town. The parking in Boone (or lack thereof) has always been a a problem, but since the UNC Board of Govenors and Molly Broad have dictated that Appalachian State University allow more students to tend the regional school, the university and the town are busting at the seams. Furthermore, the university officials will not publically speak out against students bringing vehicles to college. Instead, thay let good 'ol laws of economics rule by raising on-campus parking fees. The ASU workers and off-campus students have the following options: 1) They may pay $204/semester to park near campus, 2) Pay $5/day to park on the parking deck 3) Illegally park in grocery store parking lots, people's driveways...4) Ride bikes to school in the non-existent bike lanes or 5) Take the convenient AppalCart public transportation bus if it is on a nearby route. If I were a parent sending a student to ASU/or any college for that matter, I would advise them to look into all the hidden fees, such as parking that are not listed in tuition bulletins. I'm not ranting, just buyer beware!
Bear with me today. I spent my entire day yesterday at good Watauga High School covering events ranging from Band, History classes, basketball and much more. I haven't even had a chance to look over my shots, but will post some later this evening.