Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!  It will be another quiet Halloween at the farm.  We do not get trick or treaters for a couple of reasons.  Number one, we don't have any kids living on our road and number two, we live too far off a main road to get kids trick or treating.  Getting trick or treaters was always a fun part of Halloween and Tim always enjoyed giving out candy! Have a Happy Halloween!

The New Purchases Are Hung

The first couple of fall festivals that we attended were successful for George and Lisa to find some new decorations for their own house.  Yes, they have been buying things for the new guest house but they are also still looking for some different decorations for their house and they found some.  The first is a framed picture of some farm animals.  It is one of those unique pieces that will start a conversation.  It is adoreable!  Another decoration is one they can keep up all year long because it covers all the holidays.  It's Happy Everything!  The third items is a sodden pumpkin sign that is cute and fun.  They just happened to have one wall that the decorations could go on and it looks great!

The Guest House Purchases Part 3

Along with the purchase of the prints and the storage bench one more item was purchased from the Parrottsville Harvest Festival this year and it was this really nice mirror/coat hanger. It is made of the same wood and has the same finish that the bench has so they will look great together.  The prices on all the items were really very good and it helps support the local artists in the area.

The Guest a House Purchases Part 2

On the same day that the prints were purchased for the guest house so was two pieces of furniture.  One of the pieces was a bench with cubbies.  This will be placed at he entrance into the guest house so that boots and shoes can be removed before entering the guest house.  With snow or muddy condtioins this is an excellent piece to have because the red clay mud really can mess up the floors.  The bench also creates storage so it is a win win piece to have.

The Guest House Purchases Part 1

George and Lisa are adding on to their home by building a three car garage and a guest house all in the same building.  On one side will be the garage and on the other side, facing the view, will be the guest house.  Remember the slab that was poured this summer?  That is where this will all take place.  Since the guest house will also be a summer kitchen for pickling, etc Lisa wanted to make sure it had a well functioning kitchen for us to do our thing as "pickle queens"!  The first purchase for the house is some prints done by a local artist that we both just happen to bowl with too.  She is very talented as you can tell by the prints.  Her name is Joan Beiber and she makes some incredible items.  These prints were building in Parrottsville when it was a "big" town.

Gearing Up For A Guest House

While Tim and I have been enjoying a family vacation at Disney World George and Lisa
have been busy looking and getting items for their guest house that will begin being built pretty soon.  Check back over the next couple of days and see what they have so far.

Ummm, Here Boy?

I know Shadow misses us but he has a funny way of showing it.  Lisa and George have been great taking very good care of Shadow and we thank them both very much.  The latest picture of Shadow is snuggling up to George on the couch.  I would be worried except that I also heard when Shadow goes out for his morning walk he sits on our deck for a while. Thanks Lisa and George and Shadow, we love you buddy!

Happy Birthday Tim!

Happy Birthday Tim! We are celebrating Tim's birthday at Disney World with our girls, Carrie & Jenny, son in law Nate, granddaughter Rory and my sister & brother in law Pam and Brian.  This is a big birthday for Tim as he turns 60 years old.  What a great place to celebrate your birthday but at Disney World?  We spent ALL day at the Magic Kingdom and had 15 hours worth of fun.  What made it even more special was getting to experience the joys of Disney through our granddaughter  Rory. Today we are headed to Hollywood Studios then on to the Wilderness Lodge for diner.  Happy Birthday Tim!

Shadow Is Getting Spoiled

Shadow has always been a floor sleeper.  The only time he sleeps on the bed is when it gets really cold.  Well, I think that has changesd.  While staying with George and Lisa our boy is now sleeping on the sofa.  Roxie, George & Lisa's dog, has even moved from the sofa to the recliner. See, Shadow is getting spoiled and thank you George and Lisa for taking such good care of him.  Miss you Bud!

Wears Valley Fall Festival

George and Lisa and Tim and I both attend Fall Festivals yesterday but we were at different ones in different states.  While Tim and I were at the Orange Park Fall Festival in Florida George and Lisa went to the Wears Valley Fall Festival in Pigeon Forge, TN.  We had heard about the Wears Valley one when we were at the Newport Fall Fest from one of the vendors.  They had told us it was a big one and it was.  Lisa said cars were lined up for miles to get parked.  It cost $3.00 a piece to get into the festival but Lisa said it was worth it.  This one was the biggest fall festival in the area.  Next year we will have to check it out.  She said it was great and she even managed to pick up a couple of items.

And Shadow Stayed Home!

Tim and I have made it safely to Florida and it was strange not to have Shadow with us.  He loves to travel but we couldn't take him this trip because we will be at Disney World.  Disney World now has four resorts that you can have your pet at and we are actually staying in one but not the area we are staying.  George and Lisa are taking good care of Shadow and as you can tell by his first day he is really missing us...not!  He is staying with Lisa & George and Roxie, Angel & Chance.  Yesterday he went to Travis's house to play in the back yard with Nix, Gaia and Ajax.  There were a lot of happy dogs.  Thanks George and Lisa for taking such good care of Shadow.  Shadow, we miss you buddy!

The Baseball Season Is Over For Me

With the Cubbies losing last night and ending their season the Baseball season is done for me too!  I love my Cubbies and I am a proud Cubs fan. This was their third post season play in a row so they are doing well.  The Dodgers are just an amazing team this year. Their bull pen was amazing and they had the bats.  Good luck to the Dodgers in the World Series but more importantly Thank You to the Chicago Cubs for another successful season.  Go Cubs Go!

Prepping For A Trip

Today I have the challenge of packing for the next 12 weeks.  Tim and I are headed to Disney World for a week long vacation then I will be staying in Florida for a couple more days until I fly to San Diego for three weeks.  I will then be returning to Jacksonville, FL where I will stay through the New Year helping our daughter Jenny with her business for her Christmas rush.  I will gone from the farm for quite awhile but Tim will be returning after Disney but will head to Florida for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Getting ready for three different trips is a chore and today will be devoted to getting all my ducks in a row and getting packed up.  I will miss the mountains but I am looking forward to my travels and spending time with my girls!

Jeep Shopping - Not For Us!

Tim and George spent all day Tuesday out Jeep shopping but not for themselves or Lisa and I.  They were shopping for our son in law, Nate.  His car died and he really wanted a Jeep.  After shopping in the Florida area and finding nothing he reached out to Tim who gladly helped.  Tim and George headed to the Tri-Cities and after looking at a few jeeps they found one that they are hoping is going to end up being as good as they think it is.   Tim and I were heading to Florida on Friday and now we both will be driving!  Nice job Tim and George I know Nate and Jenny are very excited!

It's Jewelry Cards Time Again

With the Holiday season about to begin in a couple of weeks it is time for me to get busy and make Jenny a huge supply of jewelry cards.  We will be heading to Florida this Friday and I want to make sure I have enough supplies for Salted With Jen to last until Thanksgiving.  This is the biggest order I have made and it has taken some time to get it all ready.  I even had to make a run into Morristown to Hobby Lobby because I needed some new tools.  I am in the process of finishing up making over 1000 jewelry cards.  Only 400 left to stamp and I will be done.

Always A Cubs Fan!

The Chicago Cubs are playing against the LA Dodgers for the National League Championship Title and a chance to play in the World Series again.  They are down by two games but there are still 5 more games to go and they are at home the next three games.  Last year I got to experience the team that I have loved since I was 7 years old win the World Series and it was a wonderful feeling.  Do I want that feeling again?  Yes of course but if it doesn't happen I will still support my Cubbies; win, lose or tie!  Go Cubbies!

Parrottsville Harvest Festival 2017

Parrottsville Harvest Festival 2017 was a big success and Parrottsville, for being such a small town, really put on a great festival this year and the best part, no rain.  It has seemed that it always rained when Parrottsville Harvest Fest was going on but not this weekend.  It was sunny and warm.  There were several vendors, live bands, car and tractor show, helicopter rides, a beautiful baby contest, a beauty contest and a dog show.  The park where the Harvest Festival is being held is all decorated for Autunm and looks so festive.  We all came home with goodies made by the local crafts people and we all had a great time at the Harvest Festival!

More Bears At The Farm

There are more bears here at the farm and we love it!  A couple of months ago Lisa got a bear caerved from a stump and it turned out great.  While we were there picking it out there was another couple of bears that would be perfect for the farm because an outhouse was involved.  George has wanted an outhouse for a while but not for the purpose that an outhouse has but for decoration.  Lisa purchased a downsized outhouse that came complete with a couple of bears and more.  Check out the pictures; so cute!

Way To Go Cubbies!

What a series for the NLDS (National League Division Series).  It took all five games but my Chicago Cubbies pulled off the win and I could not be happier.  I even wore my lucky Cubs shirt for the Game.  Every time I have worn the shirt the Cubs have won!  It was a tough series for two evenly matched teams going back and forth but the Cubs prevailed and won.  The 5th game was played for almost 5 hours and as a Cubs fan it was a very long  game. Now it's on to the Dodgers for the NLCS (National League Championship Series).  Way to go Cubbies and Go Cubs Go!

More Fall Colors

I know I may be going overboard with the Fall colors but it is so pretty and this week end should be the peak for the colors.  We will be taking a drive to view the colors which means there will be more pictures.  You have been warned!  For now, just enjoy some great colors!  Happy Fall Y'all!

No One Wins

The NFL took a firm stance against President Trump's remarks a couple of weeks ago and demonstrated by kneeling during the National Anthem.  This has caused a huge controversy between the NFL teams and their fans.  A lot of fans walked away from football and are continuing because some teams are continuing to kneel.  No one wins this argument.  Ratings are going down, sponsors are pulling ads and fans are not buying merchandise.  Today the NFL is considering changing the rule that players must stand.  I hope they do but it is a shame that they have to make this rule to make sure all the players do stand.  To the players "using this platform" please stop.  You are working.  Protest on your own time like the rest of us have to do.  See, no one wins and I miss NFL Football.

Newport Fall Festival

We attended the Newport Fall Festival last Saturday and we, Lisa, George and I, were pleasantly surprised how much better this festival has gotten.  The first few years we attended it was boring and did not offer much as far as crafts.  It did feature a lot of local businesses and politicians.  Happily this year it had several craft vendors and only three politicians.  We saw some great things and George and Lisa came home with some really great items.  I will see if I can get some pictures to share.  Thank you Newport for making this year's Fall festival the best one yet in Newport!

A New Lawn Mower

George has a new " Toy".  Now George would be correcting me right now saying it is not a toy but an essential piece of equipment for the farm.  In reality, it is both!  George purchase a new lawn mower but this is not just any lawn mower this is a heavy duty riding lawn mower that puts some of the golf course lawn mowers to shame.  A larger more efficient mower was needed and this new mower fits the bill.  George can now mow in almost half the time and that is always good.  Congrats George & Lisa on the new toy, oops, essential piece of farm equipment.  May it serve the farm for years to come!

Red Sky In The Morning...

Red sky at night, sailor's delight.  Red sky in the morning, sailor's take warning.  This morning I woke up to a red sky and the beginning of a rainy day.  Tropical Storm Nate, once Cat 2 Hurricane Nate, has arrived in eastern Tennessee.  We will not complain because we need the rain as it has been dry here for several weeks.  We do not necessarily want the storms and high winds but we will just have to wait and see what happens today.  Welcome rain...for now!

Peak Colors Are Coming

With Autumn in full swing the leaves on the trees are starting to change colors and fall.  The peak season for Fall colors is in another week but it is starting to get pretty around he farm.  There are a few trees that are just beautiful with their red, orange and yellow colors.  It has been a very dry Fall so I am not sure how it will affect the colors on the trees but I am hoping it will still be pretty.  I love the fall when the weather gets cooler, football is on, the baseball playoffs begin (Go Cubbies) and the Fall festivals around here begin.  We are going to Newport's Fall Festival today.  Check back tomorrow to see how it was!

Odd Jobs Around The Farm

While I was in Florida Tim had lots of time to work on some things around the farm.  He repacked the axels on the LCOW (Little Cabin On Wheels) which is good because we will be using it again in a couple of weeks but more on that later.  The LCOW is now ready to roll with new tires and the axels completed.  Thanks Tim!
Just before I left for Florida the battery charger for the golf cart died.  Tim actually said it literally blew up last week.  So since I have to have a charger to charge the batteries Tim did some research and found a new charge on ebay for a lot less then it would of cost through a retailer.  It came quickly and now we have a new charger for the golf cart batteries.  Thanks Tim!

Happy Birthday Shadow

Today is Shadow's birthday and he is 8 years old (56 in dog years).  Shadow IS the best dog ever and we love him so much.  We got Shadow about three months before we started this crazy life of making our RV our home and he has loved all the traveling that we have done.  Shadow is a traveling dog and loves to ride in the car no matter where we are going.  All we have to do is open the car door and he is in it.  Shadow has been able to visit almost every place we have seen unless dogs were not allowed.  We love you buddy and that you have been with us during all of our adventures.  Happy Birthday Shadow!

A Secure Ride

Our drive back to the farm was another uneventful one which is good.  However, it was also a very secure ride.  There were police cars out all through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee.  South Carolina almost had a police car on the side of the road every 2 to 3 miles.  Most of the police were on I-95 but there were still some on I-26 and I-40.  We have no idea why the police were out in force but they were pulling cars over on the side of the road and on exit ramps.  Luckily Lisa drove the speed limit, used her signals, etc. so we were good.  It was a secure ride!

Headed Back To The Farm

Our week in Florida is over and we are headed back to the farm.  We, Lisa and I, both enjoyed our families and of course time flew by.  Rory and I had a great time together and I will miss her but in a few weeks we will be together again.  For today, we have a long drive ahead.  Tennessee, here we come!

More Fall Decor

Before leaving for Florida I spent a day making a few more decorations for Fall and one was a glass vase.  The vase is one I had but after making my autumn glass I wanted to make a vase too and it turned out great!  It took longer to design and cut the vinyl than I expected but when the vase was complete I was happy with it. Check it out!

The Screen Door Saga

Two years ago we attached a screen door to the Crafty Cottage so on nice days the door could be open but the bugs would stay out.  Unfortunately on it's way home from the store something in the truck made holes in the screen and I placed tape on the screen to fix the holes.  In the beginning of the summer this year Tim replaced the screen and all was good until one very excited puppy decided to run through the screen door.  We tried to repair the screen but it was a no go and I ended up placing tape on the door and screen to secure it.  That did not work especially with the door exposed to the elements.  Tim purchased more screen and yesterday replaced the screen correctly so when I get back to the farm I will have a good screen door again.  Since the Fall weather will start cooling down it is perfect timing.  Thanks Tim!