Sandy was kind to us ......

We were very lucky and had no damage from Hurricane Sandy. There was heavy rain to the east of us, snow to the west of us, and rain and wind to the north of us. We got two inches of rain over two days and had moderate winds that just blew leaves off the trees. My heart goes out to all those who lost property and electricity during the storm. I was prepared with fresh batteries in the lanterns and plenty of food that didn't require cooking, but our lights didn't even flicker. I'm truly lucky to live in a region that does not flood and seldom has snow. I will keep those less fortunate in my thoughts and will donate what I can to the Red Cross.

The kale in my garden square is growing and will be big enough to pick soon. I love kale, so I'm looking forward to a big pot of greens. The last several nights have been in the lower 40s and upper 30s. I don't like it when I have to keep my windows closed and bundle up to go outside. The kitties have been staying inside more since it has gotten cooler. They've decided they want to snuggle.

My phone has been ringing all day long with political calls. I will be so glad when the election is over!

Our fall ride .....

The first of this week was simply beautiful - sunny, warm, and dry. We decided Tuesday morning to take a ride toward Charlottesville to view the fall leaves. I also wanted to get some apples, so our first stop was the Carter Mountain Orchard and Vineyards. It sits on top of a mountain and has wonderful views.



They had all types of apples, pumpkins, and gourds for sale as well as some delicious apple cider. The orchard also has peach trees and grapes that are used in local wines



After loading up with apples we drove down the mountain and stopped at Michie's Tavern.



We visited the old mill



and toured the old shops and buildings on the property.



Next we decided to tour Ash Lawn-Highland, the home of James Monroe which was only a few miles away.



Our tour guide was an actor by profession and gave us a very entertaining and informative tour. The trees in the parking lot were gorgeous so I had to get a picture of them.



By this time we were getting hungry, so we headed on home stopping at Lumpkins in Scottsville for a delicious lunch.

We had an enjoyable day and got to view many colorful leaves.

Enough is enough ........

Since I live in Virginia, which is considered one of the battleground states in the upcoming election, I have been inundated with political ads, flyers, and phone calls. I counted the ads on a local TV station during one hour this evening. There were a total of 22 ads! That is overkill. I can't believe that there are many truly undecided voters who will be swayed by these ads. Many of the ads are filled with half truths, words taken out of context, and downright lies. I watched the debates and they were full of talking points and promises, but very few explanations of how the promises would be met.

I consider myself to be well informed on politics. I try to consider both sides of any issue and form my opinions based on my core beliefs. I worry that there are many voters who form their opinions based on the misleading and false ads that they are subjected to every time they turn on the TV.

Many people are very passionate when it comes to their political choices. Its fine to support your candidate, but some people have gone to extremes in attacking the opposition and anyone who supports the other party. Facebook is full of nasty comments and personal attacks. I try not to discuss politics with people who are so passionate, since my view is usually opposite of theirs.

It will be a relief when the election is over. Go to the polls and vote for your candidate on election day.

Willie ......

I live outside a small rural Virginia town. Not much ever happens here. We don't even have a proper grocery store. If Dollar General doesn't carry what you want, you drive over ten miles to another town. My home town has gone the way of so many small towns in America. I can remember when I was in school, main street would be a bustling place on Friday afternoons. There were several grocery stores, a couple of drugstores, hardware stores, clothing stores, a 5 and 10, an appliance store, a furniture store, and several car dealers. Today main street is almost empty. People go out of town to shop and for entertainment.

Tomorrow night, people will be coming to our town. Willie Nelson will be giving a concert at Hooper Park. He is a legend in country music. I may not be a huge country music fan, but I can't pass up the opportunity to see him in person. This sleepy little town will be bustling again at least for a night.

Under the dome .......

There must be a dome that covers my little section of the world. It lets in sunlight and heat, but prevents rain from entering. It rains to the west of us, to the north of us, to the east of us, and to the south of us. We see lightning and hear thunder in the distance, but not a drop of rain will fall on us. When we have drought conditions, I'm afraid to use my well for watering outside. As a result my garden has dried up, the yard is covered with dust instead of grass, and several of my shrubs have died.



I was a bit concerned about the trees we had planted on 125 acres in an adjacent county, so we checked on them today. Evidently that area had gotten more rain since things were greener and the trees seemed fine. They must not be under the dome. See my little pine trees in the picture above.

Summer is going by so fast. School will be starting in a few weeks. We haven't been anywhere on vacation yet this year. We've been relaxing either in the backyard pool or inside in the AC. This week we've been watching the Olympics. Have any of you been following the games?

Wildflowers .........

The other afternoon, I walked through the fields behind my house. Hubby had cut a path with the lawnmower so I could walk without becoming covered with ticks and chiggers.





The wildflowers were blooming. They may be weeds, but they are colorful and pretty weeds and made my walk more enjoyable.

Garden update ......

Thought I'd give you an update on my little garden. We got a nice rain Monday, so everything is looking so much better than it did.



In the front are onions - red, yellow, and white. Next we have three cucumber plants, then 3 zuchinni squash and 3 yellow squash. The cucumbers and squash are blooming and we have a couple of zuchinni that are ready to be picked.




Look closely and you can see a zuchinni.



This is the other square. We have green peppers in front, then cherry tomatoes, and regular tomatoes in the rear (Better Boy and Early Girl). We've gotten about 6 tomatoes so far off these plants. I had tomato sandwiches with them. Yum...



This tomato should be ready in a few days. The tomatoes have been small so far, but they've been blemish free.