While I was scrolling through my blog, I had to stop to reflect... and... I would like to re-post one of my favorite blogs from this time last year. Thanks for allowing me to reminisce...

We all will enjoy the cooler days of Fall that is certain, but I will miss the hot days of summer. I enjoy all that summer can bring.

I will miss the thunder showers and the dew covered mornings. I will miss the yellow squash and the fresh tomatoes hanging on the vines. I will miss the smell of hay that is newly mowed and the cool nights after the sun sets with sheet lightning in the distance. I will miss fireflies lighting my sky.


I will miss the frogs groaning in the pond, and the I will miss the barefoot opportunities that exist to wander about my yard. I will just miss the whole season.

But Fall is in the air, and so the farm, grass, and animals are welcoming the cooler evening temps. And, I guess that I am too.

'Fall' conjures up visions of gourds, pumpkins, fodder shocks, and colorful leaves. The local farmers market is still being stocked with fresh veggies, herbs, and flowers each week, but I suspect it won't be long before those wonderful Fall colors will splash through the market and give everyone Fall Fever.

Yes, it has been a while, but what better time to post a new blog when telling about a fabulous trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina!

We rented a newly constructed beach house in the 4-wheel drive section of Corolla. Letting air out of your tires to drive the beach was fabulous.... and the scenery was breathtaking!

I woke up and walked out onto my balcony from my master suite to this view every morning. Sheer bliss!

Of course, this gorgeous new home was just as inviting in the evenings spent watching the wild horses, the sunsets, listening to the ocean, and dining from our spacious kitchen/dining area.

Everyone had the chance to cook each evening and we enjoyed everything from crab legs to Daniel English's "world's best fried chicken." Local pizza and Miranda's famous "caribbean shrimp" were also favorites!



The Outer Banks of North Carolina is one of very few places in America where wild mustangs still roam free, stubbornly surviving in this once remote coastal environment. Descended from Spanish Mustangs which arrived close to 500 years ago, these hardy, tenacious wild horses have lived here since the earliest explorers and shipwrecks.













We saw Mama and baby roam the beaches and dunes around our house everyday... what a treat!










...and of course this is the happy photographer, hanging out truck windows, and lurking in the dunes to get these gorgeous photos each day. Yes, I am a very proud mom!






We had one unbelievably nasty day when we could not only leave our house, but could not even find the beach road due to squalls (bad storms), but no one was too upset. We holed up in our beautiful beach house, played games, took photos, ate scrumptious food, watched funny movies in out theatre room, and enjoyed great company!!!








The hot tub and the pool was also a big "hit" during the week! Of course enjoying the trip with good friends and family made it all the better. Thank you Lisa, Daniel, Miranda, Trey, and "hubby" Kent for such a fabulous and fun vacation!










...I think they forgot about me!


ZZZzzzzz...









One of Miranda's beautiful captions right off our balcony. WOW...














Enjoying one of the last mornings with good company at OBX! I could not have asked for anything better.

Someone told me that "bloody marys" were the breakfast of champions! hahahaha! It proved for a nice and relaxing trip.










Anyone interested in a very relaxing, educational, and fun time at the beach... I highly recommend the 4-wheel drive section of the Outer Banks, North Carolina. It will capture your heart and bring back the kid in you!

Yes, you read that correctly.... I titled this 'hodgepodge'. Not a word I use a lot or one that I have heard in many, many years, but I thought it appropriate for this particular blog.







We have had so many nasty storms come through the valley these past few weeks, I wanted to share some of the fabulous photos that my (daughter, Miranda) own little prof. photographer captured as well as some mobile pics I have. There were numerous reports of funnel clouds, sighted tornadoes, and rotations in clouds in our area during this time. It just amazes me, because for many years, this was not something we were accustomed to ever experiencing. I have been in awe!




My daughter (Miranda) and I really enjoy taking photos of this old farm, but it's even more exciting when something captures your attention..... and makes you realize how "great the powers that be"!



In this photo, you can actually see something dropping down in what will actually become a funnel cloud. Pretty amazing!



















And this, of course, is our backyard, being belted with heavy winds and rain!!!



And with all of this in mind... we decided that we needed something to look forward to ---- a vacation!!! Wheeee! Since Kent and I have been married, we honestly have not been on a vacation together other than our 'honeymoon'. Granted.... that was pretty special! So we perused over a gazillion different beach houses all over the Outer Banks, NC. (We love the Outer Banks ---- so romantic!) And voila! We found the perfect get-away!

Yes, it might seem a bit over the top.... and with 8 bedrooms, it is a bit large for us, but by the time we found everything we wanted in a beach house, this was what was left. Plus!!! We fell in love!
It is not only in the 4x4 section of Corolla... which means 4-wheel drive only vehicles, but it is pet friendly (you all know how much we love our animals!), and has a heated pool and hot tub. And with all of that... there are wild mustangs that roam the beach. Oh wow! We are so very excited... and it is always nice in life to have something to look forward to, isn't it? Like a little light at the end of one's tunnel, so to speak.

As you can see, the view is spectacular!


















And since we will be miles and miles away from restaurants, stores, etc.... we will be taking advantage of this beautifully equipped kitchen and dining area. I have already contacted a family owned business back in Alaska that is going to ship Alaskan King Crab for a dinner on the beach! Oh yum! Something else to look forward to....











Besides Kent and I, my daughter, her boyfriend, a couple friends of theirs, and some wonderful new friends we have made over the course of a few months will be enjoying this fabulous beach retreat around the first of September, 2009. I will be sure to update and share photos after the big event.


Until next time....

Phew! I've done it again, haven't I? Neglected my blog and stayed away too long. But I've taken care of the farm, garden, house, cabin, etc. enough that I should be able to get back into the swing of things again.


This particular blog is "all" about my dad, a.k.a. "Buddy" or Larry Carty. I got to spend quite a bit of time with him this past weekend due to the Powell Valley High School 1960-1969 class reunion held here in Big Stone Gap, VA. He and my mom were the first graduating class at Powell Valley in 1960. I think that it is pretty cool... as well as the fact that I graduated from PVHS, myself, only 20 years later in 1980.






n.

My dad also made a big announcement on his visit here with friends and family. He brought along his lady friend and fiance, Wanda. She was a delight! We got to spend a lot of time with both of them at our cabin up at Huff Rock the Sunday/ Monday after the reunion

















Toward the end of the visit, we retreated back to the old farm house and dad took Wanda on a tour of the area. And my daughter (the photographer), Miranda, got to spend some quality time shooting their engagement photos on and around the farm. Lots of good food, laughter, and memories shared that weekend. I'm glad I got to share it with my "blog" friends.






Until next time...

"Miranda is my cabin bunny!"


It's been a while since my last post, but I do like to keep everyone up on our cabin adventures. We enjoy our trips up on the mountain at our cabin. The last trip that my husband, myself, my daughter and her boyfriend took was especially fun.





We tilled up a huge area in the field above our cabin for corn and clover for deer, but we also spent a lot of family time together... cooking, grilling, mowing, sitting around the pit fire outside and enjoying each others' company.






We also rode 4-wheelers out on the trails and played with the dogs. I love spending time with family.

Kent and I spent most of the weekend doing yard work. Cleared the rocks, sticks, and large branches from around the trees and hauled in mulch, mulch, and more mulch.









After several hours taking care of the three large trees in the front yard and replacing the stone border, it was time to take care of the ugly patches around the house. We're going to add the stone border next and do some reseeding.




Sheesh! The grass took a beating this winter, huh?


...and look at my famous "mulching outfit". Ha!

Filling in holes, raking it smooth, whistling a tune, and dancing in clogs. Wheeee!


Yes, I'm a yard-workin' fashionista.










We finished the weekend tilling the garden and mulching our little fire pit sitting-area.

It's small, but so nice for hanging out in the evening.

Note: the grill is close by. Ah yes. Nothing better than grilling fresh meat and veggies and then sitting by the fire with a cold one. It won't be long now.







Mister Bunny is back where he belongs, now all that is left is to fill the garden with lots of beautiful flowering plants and veggies.

I can't wait!


More yard work is on the way, along with repainting the large wrap around porch, flower pots, and rockers.















Yessss, I love Spring!

Phew!

Felt like an eternity, but I'm back in the blogging world with my new laptop. Just in time for lots of spring photos of farm life, preparing the garden, grown puppies, cabin adventures, wildlife, and my crazy day to day life.

I never knew how much I could miss my little blogging world and I'm so looking forward to posting my hum drum albeit silly life adventures again.

Just for grins and giggles; I must first include a photo of my big baby...... Buddy. yes, he is one of the adorable little puppies that we decided we had to keep. He also is one that survived the ugliness of parvo.

If you notice his lip, you will discover some missing fur and skin... all due to his discovery of super glue. Yes, my big baby is a doofus! But we still love him. After taking care of the glued lips, he is feeling much better.

He's usually found near the dining room table, scarfing for crumbs.


It's good to be back! Look for lots more posting soon. Hope you're enjoying some nice warm weather.

Yes, I'm still alive, just temporarily out of order due to my latest computer blowout!

I'm hoping Santa will be quite generous this year... or family members will at least take pity on my blog-a-holic tendencies, and allow me a few minutes a week on their laptop. In either instance, I hope to back to my blogging-self within the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, I would like to share some photos of our day to day life over the past couple of months.

Here's wishing you the Merriest of Christmases and a fabulous New Year!

Yes, I've been gone a while...

I've spent the past two weeks at our cabin with the remaining parvo pups that lived. We had to be quarantined to ensure that the pups at our house did not get contaminated. Phew! It's been crazy, but the things we do for our babies.

I can't say that it was a difficult time or that I did not enjoy it. The Fall colors, the morning fog, and the breathtaking views everyday definitely made life on the mountain a pleasure that I already miss. I think the puppies miss it too.









Kent and I celebrated our wedding anniversary on Oct. 7, and since I was quarantined to our cabin, we invited my daughter and her boyfriend up for fillets on the grill (compliments of my wonderful in-laws) and a good glass of merlot.


Quarantine or not... it was a very happy and peaceful anniversary.

Trey and Miranda hiked down in the woods to retrieve photos from their deer cam and found quite a surprise! Apparently a pretty large black bear decided to play field hockey with the camera. But they managed to get some really nice photos from the battered camera before taking it to be fixed.

I'll be sure to post a lot of the photos from that trip for all of you wildlife enthusiasts very soon.

I'm having great difficulty posting this, so please bare with me. The story of the past week brings tears to my eyes, not to mention that the horrible nightmare that is called "parvo" for dogs is not over yet for us.

So far it has taken the lives of four of our beautiful 4 month old puppies, two still in vet care and mom and another puppy still at home.

The complete story in detail can be read on my daughter, Miranda's, blog:
MirandaBlogSpot

I had planned a complete blog with photos of our new deer cam which I promise will be up soon. This whole ordeal has taken a toll on my whole family and with tears in my eyes I can barely type at this point.

So far we have had to put 4 of our beautiful babies down, so please pray for the two puppies that are still in vet care and not out of danger yet. We have two more at home. We also are bleaching our clothes, shoes, and will have to burn the puppy pen itself tomorrow. This is a horrendous disease which reminds me of ebola. We are strong, but we also are praying for strength. This is the ugliest suffering I have ever had to watch in my life...... even cancer in my own family.

Thank you so much for your friendship and support.

Susan, Kent, and Miranda

Our Cozy Cabin in the Woods



I'm getting ready to pack the truck and 4-wheeler with cabin supplies for the weekend. And then Kent and I will make the drive up the narrow, rocky road to our cozy retreat. (As soon as he gets home from golfing. Ha!)






We put up a deer cam about a mile from our cabin last week, and we're pretty excited about it. We'd like to check on it to make sure it's still in place. With deer and bear running through the woods, you never know what shape it might be in.






There were many days that I stood on our cabin porch last Summer and early Fall and watched the deer graze in the field above us. It was usually the same doe and her two fawns. Occasionally a large buck would run through the middle of them and down the hill through the woods. I swear the porch shook as he thundered past our cabin.

With that in mind, keep an eye out for a new post with deer cam updates and our latest cabin adventures.

I hope everyone has a nice and relaxing weekend.

I was tooling around the grocery store today and felt my buns clinching along with my wallet. My eyes even began to water as they bugged out on prices.

If you're like me, and feel like you've been paying more for groceries lately, you're definitely onto something. Why the difference? Unfortunately, the rising gas prices that are pinching your wallet at the pump also have a big effect on groceries. Fuel is needed to process the foods and truck them across the country. Prices for fruits and vegetables as well as milk, wine and ground beef are all on the rise.

Also, the high prices of gasoline have increased the demand for corn-based ethanol, which drives up the price of corn as well as other foods. Half of the corn produced in the U.S. is used to feed livestock that supply meat and dairy products, and corn is used in many food products (just think how many items contain high-fructose corn syrup or use corn oil).

With this is mind, if we are all to keep paying these prices, we should definitely be paying it locally. Support your local economy and your local farmers by patronizing our local farmer's markets, local grocers, and produce stands.

After I put away my grocery purchases and sat down at the computer, I decided it was time that blogging to my friends and readers wasn't all that I could do. I think a letter to the editor of my local newspaper is in order. I will let you know the outcome soon.

I just can't get this little tune out of my head tonight:

All around the mulberry bush

The monkey chased the weasel;

The monkey thought 'twas all in good fun

Pop! goes the weasel.

A penny for a spool of thread,

A penny for a needle—

That's the way the money goes,

Pop! goes the weasel.

Goodnight my friends!

We all will enjoy the cooler days of Fall that is certain, but I will miss the hot days of summer. I enjoy all that summer can bring.

I will miss the thunder showers and the dew covered mornings. I will miss the yellow squash and the fresh tomatoes hanging on the vines. I will miss the smell of hay that is newly mowed and the cool nights after the sun sets with sheet lightning in the distance. I will miss fireflies lighting my sky.






I will miss the frogs groaning in the pond, and the I will miss the barefoot opportunities that exist to wander about my yard. I will just miss the whole season.





But Fall is in the air, and so the farm, grass, and animals are welcoming the cooler evening temps. And, I guess that I am too.

'Fall' conjures up visions of gourds, pumpkins, fodder shocks, and colorful leaves. The local farmers market is still being stocked with fresh veggies, herbs, and flowers each week, but I suspect it won't be long before those wonderful Fall colors will splash through the market and give everyone Fall Fever.

I've also noticed that the new market grows each week. Each Saturday, the locals ascend upon the town for a few hours to pick over the freshest of the fruit and veggies as they socialize and catch up with friends and new neighbors. There are a smattering of children from time to time, but they're usually running about playing with new friends or shyly hiding behind mom's skirt. I think it would be wonderful to include the young in this new market; teach them about the farms and what they produce for our table. With that in mind, I will close this blog. I think I will be bringing that idea up this Saturday. "Children Grow at the Market".

Oh wow. I feel so unabashedly ashamed....well.....maybe a little bit apologetic for neglecting my readers.

Hello. My name is Susan, and I am an Olympic-aholic!

I promise to blog on my regular basis as soon as this entire Olympic TV Feast is over.

Michael Phelps, Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, swimming, gymnastics, weight lifting, diving, rowing, pole vaulting....... uhm..... and so much more. I get to watch a plethora of all-time star athletes perform in one location. WOW!

Until then... I leave you with this thought:

No matter how many material possessions you accumulate in your lifetime, the only thing you will ever truly own is your reputation.

I returned home to the Appalachians of Southwest Virginia a couple of years ago. After the deaths of my mother and grandparents, I decided it was time to bring my daughter and my soul back to my roots. I grew up in this mountainous land; proud of our Scotch-Irish and Cherokee heritage along with the coal boom that made us who we are.

I still wear jeans and boots in these woods, and I still use coal on my fire for warmth. And now I'd like to share an article about the necessities of these things within a community bonded by a railroad.

I wrote this article for a webzine that I introduced to this area in an attempt to bridge the gap of time over state lines including, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina. The webzine failed after only a few months, but much like my very stubborn predecessors, I haven't given up quite yet.

For over two hundred years now the people of the Appalachians have believed in this area we call home.

Those Things That Bind Us

by Susan Carty Okeson

Like most small-town kids, I grew up in bib overalls.

At remote rural crossings, we used to wave at the engineers that donned those same overalls and count the cars as they rolled by

Growing up in southwest Virginia during the height of the Cold War, it was the reassuring sound of a distant train whistle in the early hours of the morning that meant all was well.

There is a story behind the shapes of the rivers, mountains, and caves, and even behind the locations of forests, roads, railroads, historic towns, and cities in Southwestern Virginia and Eastern Kentucky.

The mountains of this area are unlike those of the Big Smokies to the east, or the Rockies to the west. This area has been described as a deeply-eroded plateau, with chasms, called hollows, following creeks, many of them several miles long. Natural springs are common and widespread. In the early years and even now they are the source of water, not only for livestock, but for family use as well.

The mountain people that poured into this region following the opening of the Cumberland Gap by Daniel Boone were predominantly of Scotch-Irish descent. They brought with them their traditions and customs from the old country. The social structure of the original Scotch-Irish people was built around the greater family.

With the coming of the big coal companies, soon followed the large-scale building of roads and railroads throughout the mountain area, followed by more and better schools.

The success of this area is inexorably linked to the expansion of those railroads along with the one mineral resource that still shapes the economy and culture in southwestern Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. After the Civil War, Northern capitalists financed railroad expansion into the coal fields of this area.

The railroad had been planned from as early as 1835, but it was many years later before any semblance of construction was begun on what would later be referred to as the costliest railroad in America. The average cost per mile was upward of $125,000, and ultimately culminated into over a thirty million dollar project as one article states back in July, 1900.

That particular article contained the story of this great railroad. It was the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railroad, completed from the great bituminous coal fields of southwestern Virginia and eastern Kentucky to the cotton mill district in South Carolina. The promoter and builder of this magnificent road was George L. Carter. Today it stands as a monument to his genius; one of the greatest pieces of railroad construction east of the Rocky Mountains.

The name "Clinchfield" is derived from the coal region of Virginia as the railroad carried the products of the Clinchfield Coal Corporation from the coal fields and mining camps of the region to distant markets in need of coal for fuel.

..... and what a railroad it was. The Clinchfield line was designed and built by Chief Engineer M. J. Caples to construction standards unheard of for its time. This railroad almost a century after its completion, remains a marvel of construction and civil engineering as it forms the backbone of the CSX railroad system today.

The Lexington and Eastern Railroad that was completed by November of 1912, which became part of C&O Railroad, ran from Breathitt County along the North Fork of the Kentucky River to McRoberts in Letcher County, Kentucky.

Today, the former Lexington and Eastern Railroad along with The Clinchfield are an integral part of CSX Transportation, which has continued to expand after its formation by merging the Chessie System and the Seaboard System into one vast transportation conglomerate.

After the railroad began to arrive in the 1880's, the Appalachian Plateau - especially those counties near the Cumberland and Pine Mountain range - shifted from subsidence agriculture to a cash economy based on lumbering and mineral extraction. Company towns were constructed and new employees recruited to man the deep mines.

A prime example of this is Pike County, Kentucky, located in the heart of the Appalachian coal fields. Pike County has been one of the principal coal producing counties in the nation since 1910. Though exploitable coal deposits in nearly every section of the county were known to geologists and others before the Civil War, their large-scale commercial development awaited the coming of the railroads in the first two decades of the twentieth century.

All of this shows us that indeed, Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky was once a destination, a place to settle between 1750-1800. That's when the valleys between the ridges were converted from forest to farm. And we have seen that the region then became a destination for capitalists and their hired labor between 1880-1920, when the timber and coal barons "harvested" the natural resources of the region.

This area is still unusually rich in minerals; however, our high school graduates continue to move away for schools and jobs - and never return. It has been rumored that we are destined to wither on the vine.

As our mothers' always told us, "don't believe everything you hear." Just because this region has always been isolated physically from population centers and market cities does not mean that circumstances can't change. We shall rely on our natural beauty, reliable workforce, relaxed way of life, easy commutes, and other characteristics of our rural communities as advantages in order to once again become that popular destination as well as bond our communities together again as it was meant to be.

,As printed in the Roanoke Times.
Roanoke, VA

Praising those who helped pass the farm bill

John Eckman, Roger Holnback and Jim Baird

Eckman is a member of the Valley Conservation Council. Holnback is a member of the Western Virginia Land Trust. Baird is the Mid-Atlantic States Director for the American Farmland Trust.

Last month, Congress enacted into law a new farm bill that will give a helping hand to our nation's hungry, stimulate rural development, help Virginia's producers withstand drought, and provide much-needed resources to foster local agriculture.

The farm bill also contains vital resources to steward our nation's land, clean our water and build wildlife habitat, with an unprecedented federal commitment to conservation. In the face of a presidential veto, leaders from this state stood up for the needs of Virginians and pushed politics aside. American Farmland Trust commends them for this leadership.

Although it's known as the farm bill, it should really be called the farm and food bill, because it meets both food production and consumption needs in our country. The bill provides more than $40 billion a year to help feed our fellow citizens who are hungry. It contains new support systems that will ensure our dairy farmers remain viable in a challenging market environment.

There is also assistance for fruit and vegetable production and marketing, enabling Americans from seniors to students greater access to healthy foods and supporting local farm markets. For these reasons alone, this legislation is vital to our region. Yet the bill does so much more.

The 2008 farm and food bill makes an unprecedented commitment to conservation. Significant new resources are provided to help working farms, improve our water quality and wildlife habitat, clean our air and to preserve our most precious natural resource -- our land. The Mid-Atlantic region's farmers will receive about $88 million more a year to clean up the waterways leading to the Chesapeake Bay.

Virginia will be better able to permanently protect working farmland with new funds and reduced bureaucracy in the Farmland Protection Program and the extension of federal tax deductions for conservation easements.

Our region has directly benefited from the leadership of Rep. Bob Goodlatte, ranking Republican member of the House Agriculture Committee, who helped craft this bill and marshal it to passage. Sens. John Warner and James Webb also worked hard for this bill along with Rep. Rick Boucher and other Virginia representatives from both parties.

Our nation will benefit immensely from this new federal farm bill. Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region in particular will see tremendous environmental, nutritional and production gains.

We should all applaud those of the commonwealth's federal leaders who helped to secure these important gains.

I've noticed a few people have had problems leaving comments, so I had my daughter Miranda put together a little tutorial. The commenting is a bit tricky on blogger, but this guide should help you out!

Hope this helps! Thank you to everyone who sent me lovely messages about my blog. I appreciate you all so much.

This blog entry is brought to you in part by Miranda Wampler. haha Sorry, I've wanted to say that for a while. But seriously, I am guest-blogging today on behalf of my mom.

Yesterday we made super yummy blackberry jam. And when I say "we", I mean that my mom made it and I stood around (in the way) and took pictures. Hey, someone's gotta document it, right? I'm sayin.




In my own words, I will give you step-by-step instructions on how to make your own yummy blackberry jam (the yummy part is optional). Think of it as a "Jam for Dummies". Not that you're a dummy in any way. ;)


And now (in my best 'The Price is Right' model pose) I present to you to the easy peasy recipe:



Step-by-step with photos


1. Sterilize the jars. You can either boil them in a pot of water or wash them in the dishwasher. We opted for the dishwasher... A lot easier.





2. Get all your jam crap together. Totally not crap, but it's a mess of stuff. Jars, lids, fruit pectin, etc.





3. Measure the berries. Our recipe calls for 80 oz. (9 cups) of whole blackberries.





4. Pour all of your berries in to a large pot and set aside.





5. Measure out 7 cups of sugar and set aside.




6. Boil the berries and mash until juicy. Stir continuously until they won't boil down.




7. Stir in the fruit pectin




8. Pour in all of the sugar




9. Keep the seals and lids in extremely hot water (not boiling) until ready to use.




10. To test your jam, place a metal spoon in ice cold water. If the jam gels on the spoon, you've done well. If not, you might want to add a tad more pectin to your berry mixture.




11. Be sure to have all of your canning tools ready. This cute little kit can be found at most WalMart stores.




12. Fill each jar leaving half inch space at the top.




13. After tightening the lids, place the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes to properly seal.




14. Make sure there is at least an inch or two water covering the top of the lids.




15. Remove the pot lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Take out each jar and wipe it down.




Wait 12-24 hours and enjoy!