The first one in my whole life without my mom.  :(

 

If you love me, and want to show it:  do something kind for somebody today.  Not for me, for them!!!!

 

 

THANKS!!!!

 

I'm just guessing, but I think this is another Indian Trail Tree, right here in our neighborhood!!

 

I wrote a nice article on Indian Trail Trees back on October 31, 2017.  No sense repeating myself;  just go to the archives and look for that date.  You can read some interesting info on these special trees.  There's even a link to a website about them.  Please go read it;  it's fascinating.

 

Then on November 2, 2017 we saw another one in Meeks Park, and I wrote about it too.  Great picture of that one.

 

Well, on my walk yesterday, I saw another one!!!  It's on Beaconhill, just past the Quinns' house.  It made me wonder:

Were these trees the guide for laying out the roads in Five Forks?  They seem to be located at some of the major turns in the roads.  Another question that came to mind:  Do hunters and mountain people still practice this, as a way to know where they are in the woods?  Got any ideas about Indian Trail Trees?  

 

I love discovering these trees.  Can't wait to find the next one.

 

HAPPY MARCH!!!

 

We can hear the creek from our house!!!  We can also hear the frogs' chorus.  Sweet!!!

 

I took this photo live, so you may be able to long hold on it and see it move.  Not sure, but it's worth a try.  

 

Haven't been able to get out much this week, but hate to complain about the weather.  Thank goodness for indoor projects.  We have enough to keep us busy for a very long time.  Years!!!!

 

Seeing a lot of moss on the hillsides, and in the garden.  I guess it's not hurting anything, and the green is pretty.

 

Hope you are hanging in there waiting for spring.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!

 

Saturday night the sunset was so pretty, I took another picture.  Then I saw these houses on the ridge.

 

Patty said it looks like they forgot to turn off the lights before they left.  Hahaha!!!!

 

I'm certain they didn't forget, but it sure looks that way!  

 

We NEVER get tired of our sunset pix.

 

 

HAPPY FEBRUARY!!!!

 

 

Today is Groundhog Day.  It has been celebrated in the US and Canada since 1887.  Legend has it that if the groundhog sees his shadow, he'll freak out and rush back into his burrow and spring won't come for 6 more weeks.  Actually, spring comes in 6 weeks anyway, but it's interesting to contemplate the arrival of spring like weather.  

 

I don't know about you, but we've been anticipating spring ever since winter started!  Sorry...All the seasons are good!  Without a certain number of cold days, we'd have no daffodils. OK, I'll take winter, just on that premise.  

 

Back to the groundhogs.  They are also called woodchucks, whistle pigs, and various other names.  We have lots of groundhogs  in our neighborhood.  I wish we didn't.  They burrow under decks, under houses, and wreak havoc in the garden.  But they're here, so we just deal with them.  

 

Ask Mark Mobley about his experience with the groundhogs and his ingenious solution.  I'd tell you, but I'd mess it all up.  I think it involves ammonia and a tennis ball.  Just in case they get under YOUR house, call Mark.

 

Let's hope that Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow this morning.  Then we can look forward to spring like weather. I'm ready to start planting seeds.

 

 

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!!!

 

 

 

Al took this picture on Wednesday when he was driving in.  The haybale snowman looks SO good with snow on the ground.  He looks in his element.

 

Too bad the other snowmen got put away with the Christmas decorations.  They would look good too.

 

Honestly, that's why I decorate with snowmen, they can be left up til Spring!!!!  Wait til you see what we have planned for the haybale for spring!!!!!   But not yet, winter isn't over.

 

 

HAPPY WINTER!!!!!

 

We were walking up Clifford's hill today, and saw this.  According to Siri it's called needle ice.

 

It occurs when the ground is wet and the temperature drops below freezing. It looks like ice is growing up from the ground.  It's beautiful!!!

 

We learned something new today. We'd seen it before but didn't know what to call it.  Now we do:  needle ice.

 

I hope you see some in your hikes around the mountain.

 

HAPPY TUESDAY!!!

Thanks to a question from one of the neighbors I had to do some research to learn something. If we have a gate closed all the time how do the emergency services get in if they dont know the new code? Our gate system has a service called “SOS”  or Siren Operated Sensors. You can read more about how this works and what this is here: Www.sosgate.com

 

The next time you come in look on the keypad post and see this box..

 

 

We woke up to this today!!!!!  "Yikes," said Sandy Bradley, from Florida.  

"Impressive," said Mark Conde, who's here.  He was responding to the temperature, and this:

 

 

Both "impressive!!"  Tere Christensen's response was "Ahhhh-magical!  She's in Florida too.

 

We are so fortunate to be viewing the Super Blood Wolf Moon.  This picture is looking west watching it set over the Southern Appalachians.  

 

My understanding of the title is this:  Super moon because it is in perigee, nearest to the center of the Earth right now. Blood moon because it was in eclipse last night about 10:30, (we missed that part.)  Wolf moon is the name given by Native Americans for the January full moon, when wolves climb the hills and sing together.  

 

I hope you you got to see it.  If not, you can enjoy my picture.  I went outside in 10 degrees so you could see it.

 

 

You're welcome!!!!!

 

 

 

Jon took this picture this morning as the sun was coming up. 

 

A beautiful reminder that it's a new day with no mistakes in it.  

 

I hope you're making the most of it.

 

 

Happy Thursday!!!