The weekend following the Crabtree Falls hike, I felt like hanging out at home. I needed the comfort of home. I felt like cooking. I don't like cooking for just myself, so I called on some of my people. I invited my sister, Cynthia, with the requirement of bringing Sammie, and my neighbor, Shawn, for dinner on Saturday. Harold, whom I had not seen in many months, called Saturday evening, so he was my guest for Sunday evening. I went to my favorite grocery store, Martin's, Saturday morning to get things I needed/wanted. Like the stuff above, which I put in my wonderful dough bowl made by the Bowl Digger in NC. It made me feel good everytime I looked at it and made me hesitate, only a little, about taking anything from the bowl to the cutting board.

Sammie arrived with Cyn. We sat outside enjoying the flowers in my pots. The weather was perfect. We both felt like we were on holiday.

Shawn checks out some photographs while dinner is nearing the table.

I served Sockeye Salmon, Scallops, baked sweet potato, steamed asparagus, salad and bread. The herbs were cut fresh from my herb pot. Not too bad.

Always the ambience queen...

Cyn liked the dinner and my friend, Shawn.

Cynthia, Sammie and I watched a movie later that night. The next morning I made French Toast from the leftover bread. Yummy. Right, Cyn? Then we watched another movie!

After she and Sammie left, I headed back to the kitchen for the next meal preparation.

Going back to the dough bowl, I considered my options. It is always good to start with sauteeing something, so I picked from the bowl yellow, red and orange peppers and a Vadallia onion. Not only are they delicious, but they look so pretty in the pan.

Add some smoked Italian sausage, and later some of the barbecued pork loin that I baked yesterday. Now we're cookin'.

While all that simmered, I decided to experiment with some fennel and red potatoes.

The bowl seemed to be challenging me, so I tried another dish with apples and mango.

For ambience, candles inside and out.

Then, of course, there is the dinner guest.

Hey, Harold, remember a couple of years ago you met me and some of my friends for dinner at the Blue Stone? Now do you remember..?

I don't have any pictures to prove it, but Harold and I kicked back the rug in the living room and danced for 2 hours after dinner. Man that felt good. And then the night was done.

Crabtree Falls

Looking over my life-to-do list recently, I decided to hike the Crabtree Falls trail. My friend, Cynthia, went with me. Between that hike and the walk we took the dogs on before setting off on this trail, we walked 7 miles on Memorial Day. Crabtree Falls, the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River, is a popular attraction located in Nelson County, Virginia, just six miles off the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 27. Crabtree Falls features a series of five major cascades and a number of smaller ones that fall a total distance of 1,200 feet. My body was screaming at me after a while, but oh the reward. The mountain laurel and rhododendron were in full bloom. The view from the top of the falls is wonderful and there is something other-worldly about the sound of that water falling with such force. And, oh, the things you see along the way. The beauty in this world never ceases to amaze me.

I love moss. I was so happy to see this wall of moss.

Getting closer to the top.

Nothing like being on top of the world. Cynthia and I sat on a huge rock resting and eating the lunch we brought along. I felt I had really accomplished something getting to the top.

Then there is the hike down. Don't ever think down is easy. I did not realize that I would be checking two things off my life-to-do-list, but now I count the hike down as a separate accomplishment. I was certain I had blown out my knees. Two days later I called in sick and slept the better part of 24 hours.