Mountain Musings

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Things On My Mind Today

1. We just found out my mom is coming this weekend. Lots of cleaning to do before she arrives--moms always notice everything!
2. The sunshine on the spotty windows tells me they need washing from all the rain these past few days. I'm thankful they are the kind where I can wash the outside from the inside.
3. The weeds that have arrived from all the rain need pulling; grass needs mowing, new flower bed near the shed needs to be completed, and the mulch needs to be finished.
4. The birds have noticed the feeders are empty I'm sure. I'm not friends with ladders, so someone else needs to do the climbing.
5. The newly scrubbed kitchen floor needs to be re-scrubbed. Who knew I'd have dirty delivery men on the floor installing a new dishwasher?
6. The weekend's menu needs to be planned. Micah and Elizabeth will be here Sunday in addition to my mom and her husband. The girls are taking over Sunday's cooking for me, but I would be happier helping.
7. Groceries need to be bought--watch out Walmart!
8. Tomorrow Pepper's stitches get removed; I think she's tired of bumping into the wall with her cone-head.
9. Thinking about my sister and doggie Barney visiting sometime this summer. I'm trying to come up with a plan and some neat excursions.
10. New neighbors? The five acres to the side and back of us have been sitting empty since we've lived here. This morning we hear bulldozers behind the trees clearing the land. Seems like the country spaces are filling up all too quickly.
11. Tom mentioned again the need for us to have all our neighbors over for an ice cream social. I've been putting it off with the wedding excuse, then the allergic reaction excuse, then the July mega-history conference excuse. Let's see, any suggestions on what I could use next?  Wait for cooler weather, maybe?
12. Some definite prayer requests have been on my mind today. My friend across the country needs lots of prayer support. You don't know her, but strangers can pray for strangers. Pray for Lissa.
13. Family--always my family is on my mind. I am blessed with one of the best.

~Deb

Southern to the Core

A new-to-me blog, A Home Away From Home, is written by Tori, a missionary mom in Croatia. One of her latest posts will let you know a little bit better where I'm from. Here are just a few snippets. If you'd like to know more southern-isms, go over and read the rest.

In the South, y'all is singular. All y'all is plural.

Only a Southerner can show or point out to you the general direction of "yonder."

Even Southern babies know that "Gimme some sugar" is not a request for the white, granular sweet substance that sits in a pretty little bowl in the middle of the table.

And a true Southerner knows you don't holler ugly words at little old ladies who drive 30 mph on the interstate. You just say, "Bless her heart"...and go on your way.

Hat Tip to Susan for pointing me to Tori's blog.

~Deb

Small Package, Big Gift

There have been way too many secrets, whisperings, and mail to be opened "only by Tom" going on around Mountain Musings lately. I think it all has something to do with a birthday coming up this weekend--namely mine! Why do folks think they have to surprise me for it to be a happy birthday? I promise to be happy--just let me in on what's happening, please?

A mysterious delivery person called yesterday and confirmed directions here for a delivery today. Fortunately for everyone involved in the scheme, someone else besides me answered the phone, which is unusual in itself; I could tell Hannah was giving the usual turn here, turn there, and come to the end of the cul-de-sac instructions to someone. Turns out they were supposed to call Tom's work number to keep it secret.

Then to top it all off, when I came downstairs first thing this morning, I saw this bag which said, "Do not open until Wednesday, 10:00 a.m.!" What in the world! Okaaay. What is this all about?

And, of course, the hands of the clock were slower today than normal, and I thought 10:00 would never come! Thing is, it's not even my birthday yet! Of course, my imagination was running away from me. I was conjuring up lots of neat things that could be in that bag!

Precisely at 10:00 (I didn't cheat) I opened the shimmery blue bag and found a colorful, computer-printed note stating...Ta-da...."a new dishwasher is being delivered this afternoon at 1:00." (Compliments of both my mom and Tom; hence, all the hush-hush phone calls and notes in the mail.)

We have needed a new dishwasher so badly. The one we have is not even four years old, and we've had so many problems with it. It doesn't clean the dishes is the main problem! I am so very thankful for a new one.

What a big gift in such a small package! And, it's a Bosch to boot! I love it!

~Deb

Live-Labor Blogging

Sorry for skimping out on posting today. One reason--we've been addicted to going back and forth refreshing the screen to find out if Kim over at Life in a Shoe has had her baby--she's live-labor blogging each step of the way and has written (along with her hubby) 15 posts today as of 6:35 p.m.

Kim has 7 girls, and everyone in blogland is waiting to see if they add their number 8 girl or get their first boy. Her blog stats must be terrific today if everyone is as nosy as we are and keeps checking to see if she's updated with a new post. We certainly pray they have a healthy and safe delivery.

Let's hope that baby is born before my bedtime! Her live-labor blogging has tired me out!

~Deb

Coffee, Tea...For Me??

The Carnival of Beauty is back and in full swing after taking a few weeks' break, and this week's theme is "The Beauty of Coffee and Tea" hosted by Sallie at A Gracious Home. All the participating links are posted, so be sure to read all the entries.

Well, can I really participate this week and write on the beauty of coffee and tea when I don't like either? It really is awkward for both my husband and me to not like coffee or hot tea, especially when we're at someone's home and they offer it after a meal with dessert. The couple feels hesitant about going ahead and having their coffee without us drinking along. I admit that I love the smell of coffee beans on the grocery store aisle, and just the idea of "taking tea" or "going to a tea party" is sooo romantic. Sipping a hot cuppa 'round a fireplace in winter with friends makes such a cozy picture, don't you think? 

A beautiful blog I've been reading recently is all about homemaking and especially tea. Mrs. Wilt over at The Sparrow's Nest has been writing a series on Hostessing a Tea Party here and here and will continue soon with more posts on "a proper tea." I dutifully go check out her posts and ooh and aah over the lovely tablecloths and all the various flavored teas and sandwiches you can serve--it is definitely romantic and very old-fashioned, and I love the whole idea of it!

I even recently wrote to a lady asking for a tea cozy pattern--the one at Elizabeth's wedding luncheon at the spa--for my friend who loves teapots and tea parties. The lady ended up sending me an actual tea cozy, and I don't even own a teapot...yet. My girls each have several tea cups for their hope chests, and even I own one beautiful tea cup given to me by my sweet tea-party-loving friend.

Well, after writing this and seeing as I absolutely love hospitality and having friends over, I think I actually could get into the whole idea of it all. Do you think if I gave a tea party anyone would notice if I slipped Diet Coke into my tea cup?

~Deb

Walk Humbly With Thy God

"If you walk humbly with God you will feel safe. What can harm the man who sits at the feet of the great Lord? Ah! now you feel that, happen what may, nothing can harm you, for you are ready to bow before it, and let the Lord alone reign. What peace it gives when you feel that if there be anything about you which grieves your God, you will gladly let it go, you have already surrendered it, you would not retain it for an hour. The tempest rolls overhead but all is calm below when the heart has learned full surrender." 

~Charles H. Spurgeon (from October 7, 1880)

~Deb

Doggie L-O-V-E

Today's Saturday Scavenger Hunt theme is: Love. Can't think of a better picture of love than a girl and her dog!

Poor Pepper had surgery this week--a tumor removed from her right eye. She has to wear this collar for 7 - 10 days until the stitches are removed so she won't disturb them. Poor baby!

~Deb      

Where I'm From

I am from the country and its dusty roads, from going barefoot all summer long and catching lightning bugs in a jar. I am from bee stings, mosquito bites, and poison ivy; from June bugs tied to a string and watching them fly. I am from sliding boards made slick with wax paper, from playing with dolls until I was...old, and believing in Santa for just as long. I am from Vicks Vapor Rub heated wool cloths Mama put on my chest when I was sick; from a broken arm, mumps in fourth grade, and skinned knees.

I am from the little white house on 58, the kitchen with the wringer washer, and the blue hydrangea by the back step. I am from the days of waving at truckers on their routes and loving it when they blew their horn. I am from the house in the city where we moved when I was 11; from the carport where I bounced my ball a thousand times against the brick and skated down the steep driveway into the street. And biked for hours, played hide-and-go-seek, and sledded in the dark.

I am from the tobacco fields, handing leaves, with sticky juice on my clothes in the summer; from the honeysuckle by the cedar tree and the rosebush near the front porch I watered and cared for. I am from the leaves I love to rake and the grass I love to mow. I am from hayrides and cookouts and homemade peach ice cream. I am from pinto beans, buttered tomato biscuits, and cinnamon rolls on Wednesday nights after church.

I am from the Solomons and the Snows, Ed and Mill--and from uncles, aunts, and cousins we vacationed with; from "See Rock City" painted on every barn roof between home and the mountains where we always headed. I am from the quiet steadiness of my dad and the go-get'em of my mom and from living with them until I was 28 and still wishing things could be as they were for just one more day--with Daddy still alive.

I am from Casper the Ghost, Lassie, and Sky King every Saturday morning; from Gunsmoke and Lawrence Welk, from Little Joe, Hoss, and Adam; and from laughter and card games with Arnold and Margaret...until Tom started calling. I am from snowy Christmases celebrated with shoeboxes on the sofa full of apples, oranges, and candy; from secretly opening and rewrapping my gifts and fooling no one.

I am from "pretty is as pretty does," "because I said so," and "y'all come to see us when you can."

I am from Sunday homecomings, gospel singings, and dinner on the grounds; from church outhouses, funeral home fans, and fire-and-brimstone camp meetings. I am from Bro. Maze revivals and the Inspirations on stage; from Troy, Archie, and the Old Bear Hunter singing "Little is Much if God is In It" and "On the Sunny Banks." I am from walking the aisle and accepting Christ, just as I am, and from thanking Him every day for making me one of His own.

I am from the South; from a small town in Virginia with Main Street and Riverdale where everyone cruised to see who else was cruising on Saturday nights. I am from branching out to Hampton to Richmond to Charlottesville to Williamsburg to the Valley. I am from pulling up stakes, leaving friends, and always being ready to follow the Lord wherever He leads. I am from this old world but headed to a better home.

I am from the heritage of grandparents I never knew; from Eddie and Lucy and John and Maggie; from English, Scottish, and Irish descent.

I am from pictures tucked away in shoeboxes taken with Mama's treasured Brownie camera; from memories of days gone by when we were a family of four. I am from honesty and caring and doing the best you can, and sticking with it when the going gets tough; I am from faithfulness. I am from a marriage to a godly man and four great kids; and Lord willing, I am from many more memories to come.

That's where I'm from. Where are you from?

~Deb

Peas, peas, peas, peas!

From 6 inches...

to 6 feet....

This week, after picking some of the last strawberries (they're starting to wind down for the season now), I picked about 8 lbs of sugar snap peas. They ended up getting cooked for lunch (with a little olive oil, garlic and basil) and then blanched and frozen, as I referred to my handy Keeping the Harvest handbook.

From just picked...

to ready to eat...

In other garden news, deer finally discovered the growing corn in the field and nibbled away at many of the leaves, leaving the stalks. Now we have erected some stakes and string at different heights to hopefully keep them away from the remaining plants.

Today's temps promise to climb to the mid-90's--time to go water the garden!

~Hannah

First Day of Summer

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language."   ~ Henry James

Summer ~ hot summer ~ is ahead. We actually usually spend our summer days basking inside in air-conditioning rather than basking in the sun! We venture out to check on the flowers and garden either early morning or late evening when the weather is more bearable. I commented to the family recently that my favorite season is ANY season that doesn't include air-conditioning or heating--one where we can just open the windows and enjoy comfortable air!

Growing up, our summer vacations always took us to the Smoky Mountains and Gatlingburg, Tennessee, and always the first week of July when my parents were off work. I have such great memories of those summers and the early morning breakfasts cooked outside on a wayside grill. My sister and I would wade out in the rocky stream that seemed to always flow right by wherever we'd stop to picnic.

I'm not sure our kids have such memories as I have of growing up. They will remember autumn family vacations we've taken that include hiking, D.C. sightseeing, and battlefield cannons.

What do you remember from your past summer vacations?  Are you looking forward to a special trip this summer? Last year we were preparing for our August anniversary trip out west, so this year seems anti-climatic. Hopefully we can plan something fun...maybe an excursion without cannons. :)

Why not make some homemade ice cream today and celebrate the first day of summer!

~Deb