Give Me Your Halibut

Cynthia had some Halibut in her freezer last weekend and I felt like cooking. So, I made her a deal: Give me your Halibut and I will give you dinner.  I was inspired. Fresh mango, banana, add a secret ingredient...fresh asparagas and tomatoes with mozarella cheese and basil from my herb garden.  Top that off with wonderful fresh bread from the bakery.  Not too bad.

Earlier that day I filled up the bird feeders, something I have been neglectful of the past few weeks.  I am tired of feeding Grackles. You know, those big black birds that are the size of a small pony.  I have fed birds for years, but do not have much luck in this neighborhood.  Mostly I get those sweet love birds, red finches and I have spotted a few hummingbirds recently. 
  

I don't like the Grackles, but I like the other birds that show up so I will keep feeding.  And I will keep feeding my sister anytime she wants to entice me with something like Halibut.

On The Way To Blackwater Falls

My weekend plans keep changing. I ended up back in Roanoke with my sister a few weeks ago, arriving just in time for my niece’s birthday dinner.

Thursday we shopped. I am not very good at shopping so my sister offered her car for my escape. Thank you. Friday was a workday. That work is really what brought me back to Roanoke. I came to help get my nephew’s recently purchased house move-in ready. Our family is project oriented and it never occurs to us that our impossible list is impossible. That weekend was no exception. We stayed focused.

We worked very hard and accomplished

 a lot. The house was not quite move-in ready, but close.

At the end of the day, we were dog tired.

I was supposed to spend some time with a cousin before going to Roanoke, but had to move those plans to the following weekend. That got cancelled, too. But! I went to one of my favorite hang out places with one of my favorite friends.

 

When I arrived at Gail’s Friday evening, she was making dinner, which included a wonderful take on blueberry cobbler. The blueberries were straight from her garden, of course.

   

Gail and I like to take road trips together. Just for the day. Some of our road trips have convinced us we need two things during our road trips: binoculars and a gun. On this trip, we kept to main roads and would not need the gun. Gail lives in a beautiful part of the world. It really doesn’t matter in which direction we travel...it's all good. Saturday, we started out on 220 North to 28 to 33 to 32. Or something like that. For once, it was not raining and we had a picture perfect day. A shop owner told us it was the first time since Mother’s Day that there was no precipitation. I could not have told you that, but I believed it. A little cloudy, a light breeze, low humidity. All was good as we crossed the Eastern Continental Divide. I feel confident in saying most of you reading this have never crossed the Continental Divide at this particular spot. I apologize for not having a photo for you armchair travelers. My camera would not have done justice to this scene. Nor did I want to stop or interrupt what I was feeling. Sorry. That moment belongs to me.

Gail and I went to Davis and Thomas, WV where we explored a few shops, mostly art galleries. 

 

 
...and we attended a wine tasting at a fabulous

art gallery.

We had lunch at the very popular Purple Fiddle. The food is very good and there is an unbelievable list of musicians who perform there.

The reason for this day trip was to see Black Water Falls.  Gail knew it would be spectacular because of all the rain we have had.  It was amazing.  That is not mud you see. The tanins in the water create a beautiful amber color in the water.

 From Wikipedia: Blackwater Falls State Park is located in the Allegheny Mountains of Tucker County, West Virginia, USA. The centerpiece of the Park is Blackwater Falls, a 62-foot (19 m) cascade where the Blackwater River leaves its leisurely course in Canaan Valley and enters rugged Blackwater Canyon. It is among the most photographed venues in the state and appears on calendars, stationery, advertisements of all kinds and, most famously, on jigsaw puzzles. The River is named for its tannic acid-darkened water.

Gail drove the same route back home.  Clearly Rt. 28 is now my favorite road. Beautiful. That evening we had dinner with our friend Donna. Perfect ending of a perfect day. Breakfast on the porch Sunday morning...

When I got home that evening, I discovered my Gladiolas had bloomed.

  Ahhhh. 

A Little Time With The Family

My brother and his wife came for a visit from sunny CA.  Drawn by the need to spend time with an aging mother, they have come to VA once a year for the last few years.  This is their first visit since our mother passed away. 

Steve and Moncy were here only a few days this time, but I was fortunate enough to make dinner for them, which has become a traditional part of their visit.  Cynthia joined us. As usual, the entree was an experiment.  Stevie pointed out that I have never had any fear with experimenting on my dinner guests.  What is the point if you cannot try out something new on others?  I served Swai, scallops, corn, salad, really good bread with optional butter or olive oil and balsamic vinegar (of course) and some fine wine. 

Timmu and Sara hosted the summer family get together.  Some of us had pool time...

 and talk time...

and lots of laughter.

 Steve shocked us with his presentation of a family history project he worked on for over a year. Each of us received a large notebook filled with the results of his geneology research. 

I was astounded by the volume of information he had collected.  Steve also gave each of us a hard bound pictorial family history.  Every time I look at it, something new is revealed about someone in my family.  Some of these tidbits and stories shock me, some beg more information, some make me laugh and some make me cry. This book is the best gift I have ever received...by far.  Thank you, Stevie, for your dedication and hard work in putting this together for us all. I need to make you a nicer dinner the next time!

The following weekend, I went to Roanoke to spend some time with my sister and niece.  I occassionally show up with movie options that I hope the three of us will enjoy so I arrived with an arsenal of films.  To change the visit up a little, I suggested we explore the downtown Market area on Saturday afternoon and Mill Mountain after dinner.  So off to market we go...

 

 We loaded up bags with all kinds of vegetables that would become dinner.

We had lunch at On The Rise...one of the best sandwiches I have ever had! After lunch, we explored a couple of shops.

After lunch we drove around town as I had not been in that part of Roanoke in years. A little depressing, but hope floates in renovation efforts.

We made our way to Green Valley to see the house my nephew recently purchased and then picked up Marsha's dear friend Cricket. We went home and everyone did their part in making dinner with all those wonderful veggies from the market. 

Cricket was very fond of our mother and has known the family for years.  Sharing Stevie's family history books with her was very touching.

Marsha, Cricket, Kristen and I drove to the top of Mill Mountain after dinner. The night sky was so beautiful.  I could not resist a separate blog about the Mill Mountain Star...check it out. 

Cricket loves the vanilla ice cream at Sonic so we all had that treat to finish off the night. Alas, too late for a movie.

Miss Dolly and I drove home Sunday after I filled myself up on Mike's pancakes.  I was tired when I got home and decided I would be lazy that evening.  My friend Harold is always up for a movie, so I invited him to watch Hemingway and Kellhorn. Never heard of this 2012 movie featuring Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen?  It got terrible reviews.  Someone wrote that Clive Owen could have called in his performance. Still, Harold and I did not complain as we watched all 155 minutes.  Thanks, Harold.  You are always there when I need ya. 

Wow. This blog took a while.  What shall I do now?  Dolly seems to be contemplating the same thing. 

Mill Mountain Star

                         

Last weekend I drove up to the top of Mill Mountain to see The Star up close and pesonal and to take in the view on the night of the-reallhy-big-moon. . My sister, Marsha, remembers going up there when we were children because the train ride up scared her to death.  I do not remember that ride. My older brother, Steve, does not remember a train ride, but remembers going up to the star several times. He assures me I did, too.  But their memories are not mine. I do not recall going to Mill Mountain at all. If I had those memories, my visit last weekend would have stemmed from wanting to see how the top of Mill Mountain had changed or stayed the same.  With no memories leading me up the mountain, I went to see what I could see...fresh and for the first time. The night was spectacular all on its own and made a wonderful backdrop. I was not disappointed.

A lot of you reading this blog know Mill Mountain Star eiher from current visits or from childhood memories. Whether you know The Star or are just learning about it, I offer itshistory, which is taken from Wikipedia.  The photo was taken by me.

The Roanoke Star, also known as the Mill Mountain Star, is the world's largest freestanding illuminated man-made star, constructed in 1949 at the top of Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia.   It was the largest star ever assembled until the El Paso Star was completed I El Paso, Texas.  However, the Mill Mountain Star still holds the claim to world's largest illuminated man-made free-standing star, as the El Paso Star lies flat on the ground. After construction of the star, Roanoke was nicknamed "Star City of the South". It's visible for 60 miles from the air and it sits 1,045 feet above the city of Roanoke
Initially, the star was illuminated in all-white. Later, the star's color would change from white to red to indicate a traffic fatality on that day. As part of the bicentennial celebration in 1976, the design was changed to an outer single star of red encompassing inner double-stars of white and blue. Generally all the colors have been lit at once, but occasionally the colors have been lit in a repeating sequence: each color shows exclusively for a second or two, or in succession. To commemorate a tragic event, the red outer star has been used alone, in a manner akin to a lowered flag. Such commemorations have been made for national and local events. After the September 11, 2001, the star was kept in a red, white, and blue configuration for nearly six years, until April 2007.
On August 12, 2006, the star was turned off for eight days for the city to perform significant electrical upgrades. Outdated junction boxes, transformers, wiring, and conduits were replaced. Many of these devices are from the star's original 1949 construction.
On April 17, 2007, the star had to be turned off because one of the power lines had been heavily damaged by a tree. When the star was relit on April 22, 2007, officials changed the color configuration to all-white "as a symbol of hope" after the Virginia Tech massacre.  Red, white and blue colors were restored May 24, 2007  and remained that way until returning to all white on September 12, 2011.

Visiting Aunt Elsie

Aunt Elsie

The hermit does not just keep me home. The hermit keeps me from doing. Last weekend's visit with Timmy was one of the nicest I have had in a while. I came home to a clean house Sunday, thanks Angie, so I was free to just do. I finished the last of 4 drawings I started a couple of years ago. I started an oil painting that kept me painting for nearly 4 hours. I entered Edith Wharton’s world for a while when I continued my reading of Age of Desire. I took a nap so I could watch 2 hours of Downton Abbey followed by Scandal…I am addicted to both.

I went to work Monday feeling relaxed and satisfied and wondering if I might venture out during the upcoming weekend. I had no idea what might get the hermit going again. Then the phone call came from Aunt Elsie in Midlothian. Cousin Ginny is bringing Uncle Billy and Aunt Jo Ann for a visit from South Carolina, would I like to come? Few things will get me off the couch quicker than an opportunity to see my Uncle Billy. I was so grateful for the invitation. Sisters Cynthia and Marsha agreed to come along. The Sisters Three never do anything together, so this was going to be extra special. And it was. The Sisters Three made the drive in just under 2 hours. Cousin Julia Ann, her husband and 3 beautiful daughters also showed up.

To lay your eyes on your seldom seen relatives and to learn about their lives is a wonderful thing. To bask in my Uncle’s humor is a wonderful thing. To see our Aunt Elsie doing so well is a wonderful thing.

As you get older, you realize how much family history has not been captured. So, we had questions for the Aunts and Uncle. Most significant for the Sisters Three, was what we learned about our father from Uncle Billy. We learned our father was a very good man when he married our mother. Sadly, we did not know that good man who did not drink and did not abuse his family. For all these years we could not understand how our mother, a very good woman, could have chosen this man for her husband. Now we know that she had chosen a very good man who did not drink and did not abuse his family. Things later went very wrong, but our mother chose a very good man who was liked by her family. Confusion left the Sisters Three and was replaced by comfort in Aunt Elsie’s living room.

Another favorite story of mine was learning that when Marsha’s daughter visited Mom’s gravesite back in the fall, she saw a white butterfly dancing around and a black butterfly that had trouble flying at all. I then shared my experience last summer while walking Dolly in the field next to my workplace. Every day since Mom's death a white butterfly followed Dolly and I in that field. One day, the white butterfly was accompanied by the strangest black butterfly. It was very large and it had trouble flying. As I watched them, the black butterfly dove toward the ground. I walked over to the spot curious to examine this very strange looking black butterfly. It was no where to be found. It was as though it had gone into the ground. Hhhmmmmm.

Not sure what I might do next weekend, but for now I am going to see what Edith Wharton is up to.

The Hermit Ventures Out

I have become a hermit. Sister on the go quit going. I needed to be forced out of the house so I called my brother to invite myself and Dolly to visit the compound. Sara was going to be with her family for part of the weekend so Timmy enthusiastically said yes. He invited sister Cyn, and arranged for us to have lunch with sister Marsh in Roanoke on Saturday after his guitar lesson. During the week, Sara agreed to drive nearly an hour to my office to pick up my guitar so Timmy could deliver it the next day for new strings and a setup. His enthusiasm made me feel excited about leaving the house.


Cynthia left work early on Friday to head down to Clifton Forge. She had a wonderful visit with our old neighbors, Jess and Eileen. She visited Mom’s gravesite. She was feeling very good by the time she got to Timmy’s in the late afternoon and anxious to tell us about her day. We had a nice evening together and the five dogs were equally happy.

Leaving the five at home Saturday, Timmy, Cynthia and I drove the hour to Roanoke. While Timmy had a private guitar lesson, I enjoyed a private concert by someone trying out a guitar. He had his back to me and was not aware of his audience, which made it sweeter for me. Clearly, he liked the guitar. I couldn’t see his face, but I could read his pleasure in his body language. He was shyly pleased when I thanked him for his private performance.

After Timmy’s guitar lesson, we met Marsha and Mike for lunch. Usually our family gatherings would demand a much larger table, but this was a small group of 5 that sat comfortably at a bar table. The entire group could actually have one conversation at a time. That is rare when you have a large family. It was intimate and involved.

First picking up my guitar, we headed back to the compound and our dogs. We spent the rest of the evening in our comfort clothes, Timmy practiced his guitar assignment for the week, and conversation was easy. I felt the hermit in me calling and decided not to resist. I retired to my room to pick up where I left off on the book I just started…The Age of Desire. I felt a need to find out what Edith Wharton was up to.

I was glad I left the house.

Photos Tell The Story

My brother, Steve, has been working for months on a family history project. He asked me to send him photos, which took me on a fun walk down memory lane.  Here are some photos I sent to him representing fond memories from my past. Enough said.