We're Baaack

Well, We're back from Tidewater again. This was a very pleasant trip to see my father and step-mother for Christmas. It was very quiet and I got to spend some good quality time with them. We also drove to my brother's house in North Carolina for dinner one night. One of my cousins and his family also came to dinner and it was nice to see them. But as much fun as it was, it is GREAT to be home! I don't sleep as well in a strange bed as I do in my own and the dogs can lie about and sleep all day if they want. I'll have to take the car to a carwash soon as they aren't calling for any warm weather here for a while.
I will be bringing in the new year quietly here at home. I purchased two bottles of old fashioned southern wines, have some hoppin' John and fresh oysters to bring in the new year and will be baking again tonight! If you are going out, be safe above all else. Use a designated driver if you need to and enjoy yourselves. I hope you all have a wonderful new year and will be writing again after the first. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Home again, home again....

Well, the dogs and I are off again tomorrow. Back to Pop's house for a quick Christmas visit. This will be the third time I've been back to Tidewater in the last month! That's more times than the last 2 years! We'll be back by the first half of next week so I can rest up for the New Year and head back to work friday. I'll be glad when my schedule gets back on track. Sleeping in can cause trouble when it's time to go back to work!

Southern Style

The cap says it all. From the mountains of Virginia to you where ever y'all might be...

T'was the night before Christmas...

It's Christmas Eve, the tree is up and lit, there's a fire in the fireplace, 'White Christmas' in the DVD player and I'm baking cookies. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Santa brings you what you most hoped to get!

YIKES

It's 14* outside this morning! I'm off to try and get the 10,000 bulbs in the ground before it freezes solid. Pray for me!

Foggy Morning

The snow they predicted for last night didn't materialize, but the fog this morning was spectacular. I think they are now calling for a possibility of snow tonight. Too bad! That might affect the morning commute for me and I have 10,000 bulbs to plant before Christmas! Santa, help me!

The View

Happy Faces at Christmas

This is one of the containers at a property I tend. Luckily it is on a blue stone patio so the deer won't eat it! I planted two like this. They frame the view from the patio.

Christmas Greens

This is one of the properties I take care of in Albemarle County. I dressed the front pots with greens to protect the pansies from the deer and add to the holiday atmosphere.

Blighted View

Back from the Tree Farm

The tree hunting went well yesterday. I got a nice one (although I must admit that I didn't see any ugly ones there) and will post a picture of it when it is dressed for Christmas. It was a beautiful day on the tree farm with lots of families wandering through trying to decide on which tree was tall enough or fat enough and et cetera. It was fun to watch the trials and tribulations of brother against sister with Mom and Dad moderating. In the end they all seemed to find a mutual choice and left laughing and anticipating the decorating to come.

Christmas Tree hunting and dining in Lexington

This is my favorite place for dinner in Lexington. I highly recommend it if you are ever in Lexington. I also recommend The Palms for lunch...their 'Palms Hot Brown' sandwich with onion rings is hard to beat. I'm off to the Christmas Tree Farm on top of the mountain today. Maybe I'll treat myself to The Palms this afternoon....

More Sights in Lexington

This is the memorial to T. J. 'Stonewall' Jackson in the cemetery named after him. Oddly enough, it is his second resting place. His body was exhumed from his family plot a few yards away (along with most of his family members) and reinterred here. His arm is still buried in Orange county in a private cemetery where it was amputated after he was shot. The arm's resting spot is the only marked grave in the cemetery This is the Barracks at VMI. All of the cadets that attend the college must live here.

Sights to see in Lexington

Lee Chapel on the Washington and Lee campus is where Robert E. Lee is entombed. The main building on W&L's campus

Puddle of Face

Bubba has been having a trying weekend with me home and all. He needed to catch up on his rest last night.

Main Street Lexington, Virginia, Christmas

Downtown Lexington, Virginia at Christmas

Too Short

I just received a message that a friend where I used to work died Sunday. Everybody called her 'Robin' even though it wasn't her name. She was 41 years old and leaves behind an 18 year old daughter. We'll all miss you, Robin, I hope you are somewhere peaceful and resting easy.

Mountain View

This is the view from the garden I worked in yesterday. They actually have panoramic views in several directions, but this one was best. If you 'Save' it to your computer and then view it full screen you can really see the mountains in the background.

Feeling Better

Garden Shot

This is one of the gardens we worked in today...clearing leaves! Shortly after this picture was taken we had a snow/sleet/rain shower. Nothing stayed on the ground long enough for me to get a picture of it.

Jump Mountain in Ice

Took this picture just as I arrived home tonight. Jump is the closest mountain to the house. What was snow (now melted) and rain down here is ice up there. This may not bode well for tomorrow's commute!

They Haven't Stirred!!!

Here are the kids after the big trip to Pop's house. It really wore them out. They may never be the same again! I don't think they moved the whole day while I was at work.

A Day in the Life of Garden Man

This is for my family and friends that asked about it while I was home for TG:

3:45AM-4:15AM: Rise and Shine, time to get up and prepare for a new day. The time I get up depends on how much prep was done the night before, dog health and weather conditions.

4:15AM-5:00AM: Shower, shave (you know the other s), walk the dogs, prepare lunch (if not done the night before) and check e-mails, posts to the blogs, etc.

5:00AM-5:15AM: Leave for work.

5:15AM-6:45AM: The drive to work.

6:45AM-4:00PM: The work day. This consisits of checking the assignments board to see which truck I'm in, what tools I'll need, who my helper is if I have one that day, loading the truck and hitting the road (hopefully by 7:00AM-7:15AM). I may spend the day at 1 property or at up to 3 or 4 properties depending on the work load.

4:00PM-5:30PM: The drive home. Both drives averege about 1.5 hours but can be affected by traffic, weather and really bad drivers. I've made the trip in as little as 1.25 hours and as long as 2.5 hours.

5:30PM-8:00PM: Walk the dogs, feed the dogs, feed myself, do laundry, pay bills, take care of seasonal chores here on the farm, clean house, check e-mails and posts again, etc.

8:00PM-9:00PM: Bedtime for Bonzo, and it seldom comes fast enough! (I also walk the dogs again just before hitting the bedto assure that they get through the night).

I hope this helps everyone understand why you don't hear much from me in person during the work week!

Back Home

We're back. The drive down and back was smooth and uneventful, just lots of law enforcement on the road giving out tickets! NO, I didn't get one.
It was great to see people I haven't seen in years. They all are well and doing fine and we had a good time catching up with each other's lives.
The food was delicious and I over ate both days that I was there.
The dogs are elated to be home where they are in charge of the house. My Father's dogs are a little bit yippy and bothersome for them, but mine handle them with grace.
Hope everyone had as good a time as I did. Now it's back to the gardens....

It's not quite 5:30AM and the dogs and I are getting ready for the drive home to see family and friends for TG. The temperature here is 18*! The frost is so heavy it looks like snow. Bubba (the older of the two dogs) is a little reluctant to walk across the grass when it's like this. Oh well, he's too heavy to carry and I parked the car as close to the door as I could! Have a good turkey day!

Fall Container

One of 5 containers made for a local farm

Tonight is get the house ready night! I have to have everything ready for packing tomorrow for the trip home for Thanksgiving. I have to work Wednesday so I won't pack the car until I get home. Then the dogs and I are off early Thursday morning. It will be great to see everyone. I haven't been home since January. Booger and Bubba know something is up...they are starting to circle the door and the travel kennels! They always enjoy Pop's house because of the fenced-in backyard. Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and a safe journey if you are traveling!

My first post to the new blog. Now I'm speechless! Looking forward to a short work week due to Thanksgiving. Fall is a busy time in the gardens cleaning up and getting ready to bed down all the plants for Winter. I'll soon be off to spend the holiday with my family in Tidewater. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and spends it with the ones close to them.