Big Falls Creek - quick trip

Yesterday was my first trip to the "corporate retreat and conservation center" - aka Big Falls Creek. Nice little place. Off the grid. Propane heat, appliances, etc. Gravity fed water system from the waterfalls.

I could spend a lifetime up there I think.

She's rooting for Spain

Last night my wife and I were discussing the upcoming euro2008 final. We're spending Sunday afternoon glued to the tube instead of my normal afternoon nap that day. 1430hrs normally finds me snoozing on the couch.

I think Germany will likely win the game and I'm actually pulling for them.

She, on the other hand, is all about Spain taking home the win - and I quote, "I hope Spain wins. They haven't been in the final in a very, very, very long time . . . I think."

She always pulls for the underdog - unless it's the Yankees.

Baseball still rules supreme in our household, much to my chagrin during (real) football season.

Just about here

My youngest son picked the first ripe blueberry out of our orchard yesterday. That means we'll be picking in earnest by the vacation weekend of the 4th!

I can hardly wait since last year's crop was abysmal due to a late frost. Abysmal as in we didn't get an entire gallon from all 18 bushes.

This year's crop looks to be one of the best we've seen in our 7 seasons.

Of course, next year we hope to have about 50 more plants in the ground and maybe get some muscadines and scuppernongs off the 30 yr. old +/- plants given to me by my uncle.

The plum trees are growing nicely as is the Granny Smith green apple tree and the pear tree actually has two pears on it. Quite the surprise since this is only it's first full growing season.

The peaches never produce. I have no idea why.

Euro 2008 - Turkiye!

You can read all the details here but the important thing is that, even though Croatia kicked the Turks in the mouth (yes, literally - this is football, after all) in the first half, the persistence of the Turks paid off and they won in penalty shootouts.

Maybe, just maybe, the Brit announcers will learn how to pronounce Galatasaray, Beşiktaş, and Fenerbahçe properly during the Semi-Finals. Their emPHAsis is on the wrong syLLAble.

It's hard to get good football (yes, I know we Americans call it soccer, I played it all of my formative years) on the tube, and even harder when the games happen in the middle of the work day. That's why I was awake unto 0330 this morning - watching the replay.

I may have to call in "well" Wednesday.

Fun new things

I can't wait to get my hands on these

I love cool old things

I think finding old things is just super cool. Old, empty bird's nests; old houses (especially the ones turned into waterfront cafe's in Instanbul); old bricks; old shoes; old barns; old ferry boats; old rocks (OK, not too many new ones around); and old books.

My latest favorite is an old book I found buried in the recesses of our attic back when it was temperate enough to actually go up there. The Political History of Slavery - that's the official subtitle, the whole title takes up the entire page - written in 1858. Quite an insight into the history and the machinations of several countries prior to the upheaval that split a nation only two years after it's publication. I really have no idea how it got to my attic. It was with a bunch of other old books that belonged to my great-uncle, Rumsley T. Bennett who was lost at sea during WWII. This book was re-printed in 1969, so I know it wasn't his. I'm left scratching my head trying to figure out how it got to me. Most of the other old books up there went to people such as my sons' math teacher who will appreciate Plane Geometry much more than I. One went to an elder at church who has a serious affinity for reading only dead authors.

One of the other present favorites is the old truck pictured here and found over at a local farm.

It's just too damn hot to pay attention to signs like that!!!