A Surprise From John

I looked at the date on my last post and could not believe how long it has been. I have gotten a little behind on blogging lately. John has been out of town a good bit for his job and I have been trying to keep everything together here at home. With school to teach, animals to feed, and kids to taxi there is not much time for anything else. I always miss him so much when he is gone.

He has been building a Family Dollar store in Hurlock, Maryland, near the Chesapeake Bay. I had the opportunity to travel with him there a couple of weeks ago and loved the area. It has some of the most beautiful farmland that I have ever seen. Another thing about the area that I noticed was the many places that sold Adirondack chairs. These stood out to me because I have been looking for some new chairs for our pier. We have had the old ones since we got married and they have seen better days. Unfortunately, we had to hurry home and did not get to stop to check the prices.

Imagine my surprise when John came home last Thursday with a something special for me. (Now, he is not the most romantic man in the world, but every once in a while he does something that totally catches me off guard.) It was about 9:30 Thursday evening when he pulled into the drive from the long trip. He called me outside to show me something....two beautiful chairs and a table! He said that it was a gift to celebrate the anniversary of our first kiss. Can you believe that? He always remembers that date. Isn't that sweet?



















He set them off of the truck in the side yard.




















They are still there today. It is the perfect place to see the pond and to view the moon and the stars.




















I don't think that I want to move them to the pier. What do you think?




















Maybe we need to purchase two more.



















Even the kitty likes them exactly where they are.




















Can't you just imagine cool fall nights with a blanket and a glass of wine under the light of a full moon?

Now, if we can just get rid of the ninety degree days here in North Carolina, maybe I won't have to imagine.

I thank God everyday for my wonderful husband! He is always full of surprises.

The Blue Ridge Parkway

This weekend our family traveled to the mountains with the youth group from our church to go rafting. Spending the weekend with over forty teenagers just about did me in. Just kidding...they are some of the best young people around. After a rainy day of rafting, an evening of bowling, and night with little sleep we left the group to travel from Asheville to Boone to explore the campus of Appalachian State University. Catie has decided to leave the five year early college program that she is in to graduate this year and attend a four year university. One of the schools that she is interested in is ASU, so we decided to take a look at it. Instead of traveling the highways, we decided to ride along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. I took a few pictures on the way.



I love the shadows of the clouds on the mountains.



This picture makes me wonder what lies around the bend.



I love this one with the light and trees at the end of the tunnel.



Can you see a little glimpse of fall color in this one?



Of course, what would a September visit to the mountains be without a trip to an apple orchard?

Hopefully, in a few weeks when the leaves have changed colors I will get to take another trip to the mountains to enjoy the beauty of fall.

Sunrises and New Beginnings

Over Labor Day weekend our family decided to bid farewell to summer by taking a trip to Oak Island, NC. Those of you that are familiar with my blog know that this is one of my favorite places in the world. I can't think of any better way to spend one of the last weekends of summer.



On our last morning there, my mom and I decided to take an early morning walk on the beach to watch the sun rise over the ocean.



There is only one problem with that... the sun on Oak Island does not come up over the water.



That may be hard to believe since the island is located on the east coast.



Due to the curve of the land on Oak Island, the beach faces south. That explains why the sun appears to rise over the land and set over the ocean. Isn't that neat?



I just love the early morning hours when everything is quietly coming alive. The sky appears to be an ever changing canvas as the sun begins to peek through the morning clouds.



Watching the sunrise, I can't help but think about new beginnings. You see, in order for a new day to begin, the sun must set on an old one. There has to be a period of darkness while we wait for the sun to reappear.



As I write this post I think about my youngest daughter's first heartbreak. Unfortunately, it happened on Monday while I was traveling out of state on a business trip with my husband. I was not there with her. However, her older sister was right there helping her through the night.



I know that there are worse things than a breakup; however, when it is your first broken heart, it seems like the end of the world. I remember my first one, don't you? Whenever someone is experiencing an ending of any sort there is a period of darkness that follows... a time when the world as you know it seems to stand still.



Her world, for a little while, may seem to be a little dark, but the sun will come up on another day... another beginning... another opportunity... and yes, another love. (If her dad has his way, it will be a long time coming!)



I think that when we are experiencing darkness of any kind in our lives, it is important to remember that we are not alone. It is also comforting to know that with each ending comes a new beginning. After the darkness, praise God, the sun does come up again. And oh what beautiful sight that is!

Two Friends and a Boat

As I sat on the pier watching Carson and her best friend Abbey laughing and having fun in the canoe, I had no idea that I was learning a valuable lesson in friendship. In fact, it wasn't until days later, while viewing the pictures that I took of the two friends, that I realized I had witnessed some of the best traits of a true friendship.



One of the first being that real friends truly enjoy each other's company.



Another trait of a true friendship is that when one friend gets tired, the other one will take over and row for a while.



Still, another is that a true friend doesn't mind trading places once in a while just to see things from the other's point-of-view.



Lastly, and probably the most important trait of a true friendship is that once in a while, when one friend is going through a tough time, the only thing the other can do is sit quietly in the boat and just be.

When I began blogging in January it was mainly so that my girls could one day look back and see through my words and lens straight into my heart. Little did I know that I was opening the door to some wonderful friendships. At that time, I promised myself that, for the sake of my girls, I would be totally transparent with my feelings and not only blog about the good days, but some of the bad as well, so that they would never see perfection in me... and see instead someone who trusts in the one who is perfect. I hope that this is what all of you, my friends, see as well. This week, after having had a particularly tough week, I posted about not feeling well. I was truly touched by all of your kind comments and the prayers that were sent up on my behalf. I felt the presence of your friendship with each and every comment that I read. Thanks for lifting me up.

"A friend loves at all times, and brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

Still Standing

What do I have in common with this old house?



It may have chipped paint, falling chimneys, and some termite damage... however, after many years of abuse from the elements it is still standing.

Although I have not suffered for years like this old house, I have been a little under the weather for almost a year now with not much help from modern medicine. I feel a bit like my paint has been chipped away a little, however, Praise God, I am still standing!


"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:19

Back to School

Although technically it is still summer, I have always considered this time of year the beginning of fall. I think this line of thought dates back to my early school days. Beginning a new school year signified the official end of summer. Am I the only one who thinks that way?

We have officially started back to school in our household this week. Catie has started her senior year in the Early College program and Carson and I have started her seventh grade year here at home. I think it is going to take a while to get into the swing of things.

At least the temperatures have dropped a little and the evenings have become quite pleasant. We are once again enjoying our nightly ritual of porch sitting.

In honor of new beginnings, I thought I would share some pictures of the lovely apples that were at the farmer's market in Charlotte last weekend. Apples always seem to accompany the beginning of a school year, don't you think?

Cooking Class at the Mimosa Grill

If you have been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I am in a book club that meets monthly. We call ourselves the Magnolia Readers. Every month we chose a topic or genre and then we each select a different book on which to report. We also take turns hosting the meeting at our homes; however, whoever hosts can choose to do something different if she wishes.

Well, my friend, Lynn hosted the club this month and treated all of us to something extra special. The topic was cooking, and rather than hosting at her house, she took us to the big city of Charlotte to a cooking class presented by Zink American Kitchen. It was held at the beautiful Mimosa Grill in the downtown area. I was so excited. I love watching cooking shows, but I had never been to a class before.



After driving for over and hour and relying on a GPS for navigational assistance, we arrived at our destination, The Mimosa Grill. It is such a lovely establishment. We were greeted with drinks and had a little time to sit and relax before the class started.

The class featured produce from local farmer's markets, and each dish was prepared by a chef from Mimosa. They each shared great tips for preparation and information on where to find the best local ingredients. After each dish was demonstrated it was served to us by the waiters. Each of the four courses was paired with a wine that was discussed by another chef.

Everything was scrumptious! The meal lasted for several hours. I wish that every meal was served that way, instead of in the terrible American habit of eating hurriedly then rushing off to do something else. It reminded me of my trip to Europe and the meals that I enjoyed there.




The first course was Yorkmont Tomato and Peasant Bread Salad paired with Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc, from Marlborough, New Zealand. This featured local tomatoes, organic cucumbers, red onion, basil and goat cheese. It was named for the Yorkmont Farmer's Market located near the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport.

This dish was my favorite of all of the dishes. It also happened to be the easiest one to prepare. (I will share the recipe later on in the week.)



The second dish was North Carolina Shrimp and Corn Etoufee paired with Silver Ridge Pinot Noir from California. This dish was made with fresh North Carolina shrimp and craw fish from Louisanna. It definitely reminded me of my trip to the gulf coast many years ago. I love it when a dish evokes a distant memory. Isn't that part of what enjoying a meal should be about?



The etoufee looks yummy, doesn't it? The local produce featured in this dish was okra, heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, and hot summer peppers.



I had my doubts about the next dish because I am not fond of turkey, but the American Turkey Melt proved that with the proper ingredients and techniques almost anything can become a gourmet dish. The smokey blue cheese, tomato, and crispy squash made this open-faced turkey burger special. It was paired with a very nice Ruta 22 Malbec from Patagonia, Argentina. I had never had a wine from Argentina before and enjoyed this one very much.



Plum Upside Down Cake with spiced gelato and spearmint simple syrup was served for dessert. I was especially glad to learn the proper technique for making a mint simple syrup. The trick to great taste is to remove it from the burner as soon as it comes to a boil. I think I would like to make some of this to keep in the fridge to add to tea. This dessert was paired with a sweet Gekkeikan Plum wine from Japan. I do not care for sweet wines at all so this was not my favorite pairing. I would much rather have a good cup of coffee with a sweet treat.



Of course, after this wonderful cooking and dining experience we were all stuffed. We decided to take a stroll down some of Charlotte's beautiful streets. If you ever get a chance to see this city, you should take it. There are fountains and beautiful artwork all around. Most people who come here are amazed by the abundance of trees. Charlotte probably has more trees than any other city of its size. That can be a problem when a storm with lots of wind blows through, but I think they add so much beauty to the cityscape.



I just had to throw in a picture of Mimosa's outdoor dining area. I love dining AL fresco, don't you? It seems that food just tastes better when enjoyed in the fresh air. I just wish this summer had not been so hot so that we could enjoy dining outside more often. Maybe the fall will bring better temperatures for that.



After a cooking school featuring local farmer's market produce, we had to visit the one on the square before our trip home. This seemed to be the perfect way to end the day. I took many more pictures of the produce at the market. I think I'll save those for a rainy day!

I would highly recommend a cooking experience like this one. If you love to cook or just love to eat, it is a fun thing to do. Thank you, Lynn, for giving us such a treat! The only negative at all is that next month it's my turn to host...whatever will I do?