A Bit of Birdwatching

Time to head back home after a week in Boone enjoying the hummingbirds, chipmunks and sparrows here. The week before we came, I spent time with camera in hand, capturing some of the wildlife in our yard...in particular, birds. My Mom and I love to watch the birds and have been beefing up our birdseed to attract more songbirds and woodpeckers. We've also been keeping a close eye on the bluebird house for signs of activity.  Here is a bit of what I saw...

Sorry this next one is blurry. It's pretty far away from our house, but I just had to show Daddy Bluebird keeping a close watch over his brood. Then Mama Bluebird came out of the box and looked around for a bit.

 The eggs a few weeks ago...

 The four sweet little babies all hatched and huddled together...

Part of our cardinal family and a woodpecker...

We're still working at it and hope to continue attracting different varieties, and more of each, as the weather gets warmer. And last, but not least, is this little guy who LOVES to devour all the birdseed. He can't get past the baffle at the birdfeeding "station", but he sure can spend time at the seed tray.

 Enjoy your weekend and keep an eye out for some backyard birds!

 

The Blessing of Friendships that Stand the Test of Time

EZ and I first met Shelley and Butch when we both lived in Florida, attended the same church, and our husbands worked for IBM. Eventually we were both transferred to Raleigh and once again became members of the same church, and picked up where we left off. Our lives have been intertwined through the years in many different ways, from bible studies, to weddings, to work, to kids at ASU, to funerals for parents, to the births of grandchildren, and even cancer survivorship. We love and appreciate their friendship so very much and are thrilled that not only do we both live in the Raleigh area, but we also both have places in Boone and are now retired! Seems like we were rarely ever here at the same time until this week, so we made the most of it and got together multiple times to walk our dogs and share a meal. 

First they had us over for dinner at their place. Butch grilled a delicious marinated "Tri-Tip" roast, and paired with Silver Queen corn on the cob and some fresh cantaloupe...YUM! Their view of Grandfather Mountain is spectacular, so of course we had to snap some pics. 

Next, we ladies took a break from cooking and all went out to a small local restaurant here in Boone, right down by the college. It is known for certain signature dishes such as macaroni and cheese, fried catfish, waffles with fried chicken and a peach/turkey bacon compote (say what?), and peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream...so of course we had to give them a try. Everything was delicious!

Last night we had them over for dinner and a campfire. I made Pioneer Woman's Pasta Carbonara for the first time and we all loved it. Will have to use her pictures...we gobbled ours up before I snapped a single photo...oops! Dessert was PW Apple Dumplings, and of course, S'mores by the campfire!

 

The guys got a blazing fire going and we relaxed and talked about life together over the past 25+ years.  Note EZ  is SITTING by the campfire for the first time (and the guys look much more pensive than the girls)!

Thanks to Shelley and Butch for a fun three days! Looking forward to making many more great memories in the years to come.

 

EZ's Hiking Again!

A year ago EZ was recovering from pneumonia. Fortunately we managed to keep him out of the hospital, but it's always a bit scary none the less. This year we are taking hikes off the Blue Ridge Parkway! We weren't quite sure what the trail to Cascade Falls would involve, but EZ was game, so off we went...dogs and all! A little plaque described it as a "30 minute leisurely walk". It is part of E.B. Jeffress Park.

It didn't take long to hit some steps...of course we had to remember that what goes down must also come back up! A bit of a challenge with peripheral neuropathy and a damaged sacrum with lots of mangled nerves, but EZ LOVES mountain trails like this and wanted to give it a go; he used to walk them all the time before MM sidelined him.

Before long we spotted the Falls. The sound of the rushing water, the cool misty air, the rustic trail...it was all so beautiful!

Soon it was time to head back up! We took our time, rested when we had to, and felt great about this milestone. We look forward to taking many more hikes in the woods discovering hidden treasures like Cascade Falls!

It was a gorgeous sunny day and we couldn't leave this spot without a few pictures of the view from the top...just love the endless mountains!!
 

 How's this homesite for a little bit of heaven?

Comfort Food - Perfect Pot Roast

Sometimes you just need a little comfort food! That was the case last Friday for me. So what recipe came to mind? Pioneer Woman's Perfect Pot Roast. So easy, so wonderful to smell cooking for 3 1/2 hours, and delicious once it is time to serve it up. Nick even gave it high ratings...10 out of 10! Temps in your neck of the woods might be a little cooler this week, so why not give it a try along with some homemade mashed potatoes? Just click the link above for her step by step pictorial instructions...you'll be glad you did!