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I am Sandra - faithful steward. listener. shepherd. dream believer. hard worker. collects brass bells, boots. Jesus follower. contented. star gazer. homemaker. farmer. prayer warrior. country woman. reader. traveler. writer. homebody. living life large.

Friday, October 09, 2015

I'm So Far Behind, I Don't Know If It's Dusk or Dawn


There's been a little of this...Yellow Tail Sparkling Wine...on the front porch where I sit and sip. There's not nearly enough of this, compared to the work, but I'm getting a better handle on the proportions. I think.

Last month, I took sisters Faith and Becky to my Cherry Grove condo (Thistle Cove Cottage); neither had ever been to the beach nor seen the ocean except in photos. sigh, generational differences. Yes, as it happens that is a mobile phone in her hand...I often forget to turn mine on and she's glued to hers. Just goes to show you...she has a lot more going on outside her life than do I. I don't know that many people I want to be connected to.


Tis the season for fall festivals; this one has been happening, so says memory, for 28 years. I went because I wanted to buy 'lasses but no one had any; they had tons of apple butter which I did not buy because I've been making apple butter. Quarts and Quarts and Quarts and pints and pints and pints and half pints of the stuff. I'll just buy a 25 pound sack of flour and this winter will eat biscuits slathered with home churned butter AND apple butter. Overkill can, sometimes, be a Very Good Thing! (After leaving the Garden, I found 'lasses raised and made by Jaimie; the son of my former mail carrier. He's a delightful young man and he and his father farm...pretty much everything!)


Burkes Garden has signs for residents...you just drive around until you see who/where you want then head in that direction. Essentially, Burkes Garden is a circle; some say a thumbprint; a lot of photos here. I won't show the most famous photo because I don't have permission and consider property theft to be a very bad thing. (Local government has no such pesky conscious and regularly use other people's photos without giving compensation or credit to the owner. I've found my photos several places around the i-net from when the county used them without permission or credit.)

For a donation, the Amish would give folks a wagon ride. No, the gent you see isn't Amish, he's a passenger (just in case you were wondering).

How many remember doing this...front little girl standing on the pedals while sister sits on seat and pushes her feet on the road to propel them along. Both had pretty smiles and were having loads of fun.


I got lost decided to take a road I'd never taken that started out asphalt, quickly turned to gravel then to one lane. Fortunately, it had a (very) few pull-offs so when I met a car we'd both pass slowly. About a mile before the top of the mountain, I met a truck, no pull-offs, and decided he could hit the ditch to pass me while I hunkered in the almost middle of the road. I had my window down so I could apologize, "I'm sorry...it's been raining so much and I'm afraid of soft shoulders. I didn't want to get close to the falling off edge. Can you get around me?" He smile big and said, "Don't you worry none; we're just fine. Do you know where you're headed?" I said, "I think this might be the road to Ceres; is it?" He nodded and said, "You're about a mile from the top of the mountain; at the top, you might want to turn around and come back this side. The other side is a mite slick today."


That's exactly what I did after some folks took a picture of me standing at the Appalachian Trail.


One more reason it takes me so long to do everything...Kit and the rest of the animals all have to be a constant, immediate part of my life. And I wouldn't have it any other way!

Canada Geese came back August 1 and, every morning, just like clockwork they come to the cut corn field across the road. It's impossible to get them all in one photos; there must be hundreds!

Hunting season: hunters watching me watch them. I was impressed because they're wearing blaze orange; a lot of them don't. I left a note on their windshield letting them know; they probably think I'm crazy.


Home of the free,
Land of the brave.

Things to stay away from:



And, finally, I think this might be my new header photo.
Do you approve?


Blessings ~ Canada Geese ~ Appalachian Trail ~ my life ~ my farm ~ my animals ~ sparkling wine ~ Burkes Garden ~ the Cove ~

22 comments:

  1. Beautiful, beautiful. All of it. Gods Country.

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  2. You are living the life a lot of us wish for.
    Now, about those hunters !!!
    Not sure they would have like my note at all since I am absolutely against sport hunting, trophy hunting of any kind, any where. I believe if you seriously need food and you are a fair, honorable hunter, who does not stalk animals with high-powered rifles/guns/weapons, maybe it's OK. But, you could eat fish or chicken too. I know, I know, I'm ranting.

    I love you, Sandra, cause you are a wonderful woman.

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  3. I have a real love/hate relationship with cell phones, my own and those of others. I wonder about future generations and their relationship with them. I'm worried. Love the new header, love the geese in the fall too. I'm getting used to hunters, as long as they eat what they shoot. We just bought a house surrounded on 2 sides by wetland. I hope those hunters wear orange!

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  4. You are one blessed woman to live where you do! It's gorgeous! Great photos of all the beauty you observed. That's some nest you have there--yes I approve! Great photo of the bald eagle. Enjoy your wonderful world. ♥

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  5. The Appalachian trail has been on my husbands list of want to do for as long as I could remember, perhaps one day he might get there :-)

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  6. Gorgeous photos!
    I'm glad you got away to the beach and then came back to your land!
    The pets are so cute.

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  7. oh my goodness all your photos could be headers!!! Your trip along the narrow road reminded me of my parents, my Mom would say left or go right and my Dad would do just that, we found ourselves in many a slick and silly position where only one half a car could pass, scared me silly but we always made it home...I enjoy how you are well entertained everywhere you are :-).

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  8. Yes on the Header Photo...just beautiful. Thanks for the showing your mountain tour and the incredible fall scenery. Enjoyed this post...Happy Fall, Ya'll.

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  9. Your header images are ALWAYS outstanding, Sandra - no matter how many times I see one, it never fails to make me smile and sigh :)

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  10. I love your new header photo---approved here!
    Glad you could take the girls to the beach...and sad about how kids today are glued to their cell phones.
    That is quite a story about the road you were on. Glad you got turned around and home safe and sound...not as quite scary coming back because you know the road by then.
    Hope you have a great weekend- I am back to blogging and glad to catch up with you here. xo Diana

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  11. Well, well . . . really liked this post . . .
    Phenomenal beauty . . . your pictures made me want to hike . . . walk . . . visit . . . see . . . be there!
    Burkes Garden . . . WOW . . . I need to read more . . .
    One question . . . 'lasses' . . . what???
    I saw more than one photo that would make BEST for a header photo . . .
    As sayings go . . . I think you are living in
    Gods Country . . .

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  12. All of your photos are beautiful, Sandra...gives us a wonderful little slice of your life in God's Country.Thank you for sharing!

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  13. Glad you got to go to the ocean and recharge. If you went I-77 you were within a mile of my home. Had I known you were passing thru I would have waved from the bridge when you passed by!!! We fortunately missed the severe flooding that hit our beautiful state but I am so proud of the way our people have come to the aid of those hit so hard. We will be back and strong as ever!!! Love the pictures and so glad your pets discern trouble when they see it. Saved you a lot of baths!! Enjoy the beauty of the season. Fall is my favorite.

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  14. Hi Sandra, You are on an adventure at every turn. Love your pics!! So glad you enjoyed time with the girls at the ocean. It is sad that so many young folks are constantly glued to their cell phones. I just had to smile at the dogs running away from the skunk. They are very smart!! Love your header.
    Have a great weekend. xo

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  15. Biscuits with butter and apple butter!! Drool! :)

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  16. Karen, I've spent the best 1/3 of my life on this farm. God has used it to heal and restore me and give me hope for the future.

    Marsha, I live in a part of the country where people hunt for FOOD. Fish and chicken are very expensive when compared to the amount of mean a deer, elk or turkey gives. I was raised with wild game on the table; my people have always been hunters. Oh Marsha, you're so kind to me. I'm not all that wonderful but I do admit to being proud I'm a good friend. Love you!

    Anita, most of the time I forget to turn my mobile phone on...blasted things.

    Martha, yes, I am indeed blessed but am looking forward to moving closer to my family...one day. God has a plan, I wish He'd let me have a peek.

    Dawn, that's the first time I've ever been on the trail; it's beautiful, at least the section in the Garden is beautiful.

    Karen, the beach trip was a working trip; I wanted those girls to say they've seen the ocean but I think they might have been totally overwhelmed.

    Lynn, Oh yes, I do have fun; make it my goal when I leave the house to enjoy whatever the day brings.

    Sue, happy fall to you as well; it's raining and cold, more like November this weekend. brrrrr!

    Quinn, thank you and it's difficult to take a bad photo when the scenery is as wonderfully beautiful as mine.

    Diana, I don't like being so connected; leaves too little time for what's really important. At least, that's how I think of mobile phones, etc. hey are for MY use, I pay the bill and if I don't want to turn the dratted thing on, I don't.

    Lynne, 'lasses are molasses...raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized...delicious, especially when eaten atop a hot biscuit slathered with home churned butter.

    Linda, thanks for visiting; even raining, it's still beautiful here.

    Sandy, had I known, I would have waved. BTW, you're settings are "no reply" to your comment; didn't know if you wanted that or not.

    Celeste, the dogs were called away from the skunk; they wanted to get closer and I kept saying, "Not such a good idea, come here...". Thankfully, they listened.

    Lisa...oh yeah...drool! I think I'll even fry some applies to go on top...overkill!










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  17. Love that last photo, Sandra. I think those lovely shadows would make a perfect pic up there.

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  18. My favorite part of this wonderful post was the part about 25 pounds of flour and biscuits and butter all winter!! haha I would do it if I could!

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  19. In the city we NEED hunters for the deer.

    They have to little to eat and live unhealthy lives, with 1,000's car collisions. Very sad. Humans are poor stewards.

    XOT

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  20. The new header-photo would be beautiful! A loving post with coloured impressions.The hunters are allowed to think, you are crazy, because you are one of the normal, who seldom are seen :) Heart- greetings!

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  21. I love reading your posts, I find them to be very grounding. Thanks for sharing your life and lessons.

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  22. This was a fun post to read. You make me want to bake up some biscuits, which I've never eaten with 'lasses before! Your photos are great, but my favorite is the one taken of you on the A. Trail.

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