Strawberries Anyone? And Happy Memorial Day!

Look at all these! Paul is prancing around like a proud papa!

These are actually 2 separate "pickings".  And then there are the ones we pick and give away.  The strawberry patch is being very good to us!  And what happens during strawberry season around here?

Yep! That's Paul in the kitchen! And he's making his amazing strawberry jam.  And he's one happy chef when he's making jam.

And here is the "fruit of his effort" (tee hee) after 2 baskets of strawberries.  There are still strawberries in the frig, and we are eating them, making smoothies, making strawberry pudding and there is a request for strawberry cake ... LOTS of things strawberry in the works!

For those of you who don't know, Paul is getting up at 4:35 AM(!) to be at work on the golf course by 6AM.  This is NOT his normal or his natural schedule.  He has been a really good sport about doing it though.  So ... staying up to make jam has a whole new meaning. 

We are getting the garden ready ... have some things planted, but most things will be going in this week.  We have potato plants flourishing now that Paul and Christian planted on Easter.  And I've put some herbs in ... but we'll be putting in food now.  YAY, YAY, YAY!

So that's our gardening update ...

Look at this little guy!  I am sorry this photo is not in better resolution and etc. but I snagged it off of facebook.  Do you know who this is?  It is Christian, of course!  If you are a facebook member you can go on Victor Hall's profile and see this much better.  The point is, look at this incredibly healthy young man who is growing up all too fast! We are blessed.

And finally ...

Thank you, daddy, and the other gazillion young men and women who go honor bound forward to protect our country from the evil that lurks out there.  We appreciate your guts and fortitude.  My dad left a small town in Virginia on a train bound for California, and there found he was to be stationed in the jungle of Burma, India.  He boarded a ship and they all set sail with butterflies in the guts and their hearts in their throats.  At 18 years old and straight out of high school, this kid, my dad, took a 3 month "travel expedition" that landed him smack in the middle of a nightmare.  WWII.  He would not talk about most of it.  After my mom passed away, he told me just a little bit.  I know he spent 30 days in a foxhole eating canned rations, that mostly included pineapple, and he wouldn't eat pineapple after he returned until the day he died!  He also refused to camp out ... said he'd had enough of that.  He was promoted once to a corporal, but got busted back down to private ... just didn't like the officer rank~or what all that involved I suspect!  The men of that generation were different from the men of this day and time.  Thanks, dad.  To the rest of you civilians, remember a soldier today.  The modern day soldiers have so much to deal with because of the evolution of weaponry, strategy, complications and etc.  And when it's all said and done, the task at hand is the same today as yesterday, and war is war.  I don't understand it, and I'm sure I never will. 

God be with you, men and women of the serving forces.  Happy Memorial Day!

Blessings to all!  Enjoy the day! It's beautiful here ... guess we'll pick some berries!

Happy trails!

Paul and Cheri

Once Again

The sky is blue and the flowers are blooming!

We have had so many days of solid rain and dreary cold grey that I am pretty sure this day warrants a happy dance right on Main Street !!!

Paul remains busy with the golf course maintenance, miscellaneous welding, social delights such as the girl's soccer team play off games and a friend's birthday party attendance ...

Happy Birthday Beckye!!

you know, normal Paul type stuff! He was able to attend pottery class last week ... that was one happy man, I tell you!  This is a peek at this glass display in the shop!

He has to get up at 4:35 am now! Not his natural wake up time.  It's very different and difficult to change from a night owl to an early morning riser.  We're still working on it!

I am busy with the store (The Rusted Periwinkle in Elk Park) as we are getting ready to open a coffee shop and I am practicing my barista skills! I'm hoping being an active coffee addict will benefit me by just having an instinct for it! We'll see!  The store is looking great! COME AND SEE US!

Also, Shannon and I are preparing for art show season.  The task list is overwhelming, and although I prefer to NOT talk about it, I'm forcing myself to face the fact that I HAVE to produce copious amounts of art in a very brief period of time.   You can check out the art stuff in our lives right here.

Remember this????

 I am also signed up for a weaving intensive the week of June 6th.  I cannot wait!  I've been on the waiting list for the past 2 years!!!! She (Lisa) called and told me I'm in this year! YAY!!!  Now I am very excited!  I am a weaver ---- soon!

Albeit brief and not very informative at all, this is the update for now.  I'll be back with more soon.  As soon as the blue sky and blooming flowers set in and improve my attitude, I'll be back!

Blessings to you all,

Paul and Cheri

Happy Mother's Day!

Frances Johnson Taylor, my beautiful mom.  This picture was around 1942 (I think).  Isn't she something? Her mom, Muriel Tyler Johnson, was ever so beautiful as well, with coal black hair and Cherokee Indian cheek bones.  These ladies set the standard for women in our family.  Momma, thanks to you I have an appreciation for all living things.  I have the understanding of unconditional love.  I have faith.  I have self respect.  I was loved by my mom.  I know security.  I learned everything you tried to teach me ... eventually.  I keep striving to be the woman you were hoping for.  I wish I could thank you in person. I love you. And I miss you.

 

This bloom opened today in honour of Mother's Day! Isn't she a beaut???

And these pansies just make me smile!

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!  And all you moms who are watching over us from afar. 

Blessings to all. 

Update and then some

We've been BUSY! It feels so good.  We've been able to move about without layers of long johns, long sleeves, coats, hats and gloves! It has been HEAVEN!  In spite of the impending cold front coming through, spirits are lifted with the recent warm air and flowers blooming.  The beautiful spurt of color is so heart warming and uplifting.  Look at the gorgeous day this past Saturday!

First of all, Paul has been working at a golf course since March.  He's doing his very favorite thing - mowing! (this is a sarcastic comment, by the way) However, he does seem to enjoy being outside and he's already getting tanned!  His allergies are out of control though.  The poor man is basically trying to survive on memory of how to breathe!  If you are allergic to grass and/or have hay fever, mowing for a living is an interesting endeavour!  He is such a good sport, and just keeps on smiling in spite of it all.  I love this guy!

During one of Paul's trips to and from the course, he found a job site that was changing out some windows in a house.  Those of you who know Paul know he simply is NOT ABLE to pass up windows.  So, he was able to score some AWESOME windows for us.  Well, we really don't need windows in the house, BUT I've been wanting real windows in the screened in porch since we moved in.  The transformation has begun!

Now we can make the porch an extension of the house, clean it up, paint, etc. and it will be a PERFECT Florida room.  Yeah, I now ... we moved from Florida.  That was because of the heat.  I LOVE the windowed rooms there though.  Here's the beginning of the project ... so incredible to see the transformation take place.  I will say though, those things are heavy and our backs were sore by the end of the weekend!  But the spaces in between where the windows go have to be modified and reworked.  I'm always so impressed by Paul's ability to do things like that.  These are things I wouldn't know how to even begin going about doing!  He's amazing!

Still have some trimming out to do (not EXACTLY a perfectly straight line or right angle on ANYpart of the project) ... and the windows for the end of the porch (right side on the end as you are looking at it here) are HUGE - almost floor to ceiling.  They are going to be INCREDIBLE as that is the "view" we have of the mountain (back side of Beech Mountain).  I can't wait to get that part in!  Then there is the front of the porch, which I think we'll have to redesign a bit, but nevertheless will be so nice to finish and live in!  Then we can use it more than the 4 months of the year that are warm!  YAY!

In other news, our friends, Darin and Tracy from Orlando are up in "our neck of the woods" and came by for the evening on Sunday.  It was so lovely to see friends from Orlando.  They hadn't been here to the house since our very first winter here (we were still living in one room the) so I thought it would be appropriate for them to come to the house.  Even though I think there is so much to be done, a lot has been done in the 5 years we've been here.  It was fun to see their responses.  We had a a lovely evening, good friends, good food, good fun, and wonderful conversation.  Thanks for coming up and visiting, you two!

Most of you know I've begun the art gig in full swing.  You can check out what's happening with all that at http://www.artsymatilda.com/.  Please do check it out if you get a minute.  I'd LOVE to have some input on what you think!  I'm also working some at the antique/vintage shoppe.  We're getting ready to open a coffee shop within the store so it's been GREAT fun.  You know, coffee passionista that I am! I am going to get to learn how to work this beautiful thing!  Whoo hoo!

Shannon and I have art shows coming up every month through October beginning in June, so I'm trying to stay glued to the chair in preparation.  Better get going ...the chair is calling me! 

Happy May Day Week!!

Happy Trails,

Paul and Cheri

and the boys

Spartacus



Artemis



Sulu