USMB Coffee Shop IV

[Pogo]

After getting repped for my berries (why does that sound dirty?) Meister and I started talking currant events ( ) and he mentioned huckleberry picking. That made me think of my favorite hiking spot down the Blue Ridge Parkway (lots of huckleberries there) and since I've done about all the chainsaw work I had but still needed some exercise (and so did the MINI), I jumped in the latter and went there. I was keen to do the hike with my new reduced weight.

Attached is the view from up there. It's not nearly Ringel's level -- about maybe 6000 feet -- but always a majestic view. Unusually windy up there today too. When I left the house I had 72° and by the time I got to the turnout for the hike it was in the 50s.

Not a lot of huckleberries though; they're still maturing. Will have to revisit in August. For those unfamiliar, they're like blueberries but smaller and much more flavorful.

 

[Bloodrock44]

 

[Ringel05]

The wife told me last night she hates her new laptop. Not that it's Win 8, she hates the keyboard and the touchpad so she's back to using the old Dell for now. I'll take her to Beast Buy and have her try out different laptops to find one she likes.
Looks like I now have a new laptop......... Good thing I waited to buy one for me.......

 

[Ringel05]

I just looked at the time, it read 7:11....... Now what was it I needed at the store?

 

[Pogo]

I just looked at the time, it read 7:11....... Now what was it I needed at the store?

j/k

 

[Ringel05]

I just looked at the time, it read 7:11....... Now what was it I needed at the store?

j/k

Whatever floats your boat..........

I was thinking some of the more classy items like stuffed Doritos, 1/2 pound (2 day old) dogs, a slice of pizza and some heart attack causing energy drink.

On second thought I'll pass, had heart attack fried chicken for lunch........

 

[SFC Ollie]

 

[Sherry]

It seems a very good thing for civilization when county fairs include events on writing.

Good on ya Corvus!

Not that far from here (Jonesborough Tennessee) is the International Storytelling Center, where they have oral tradition events throughout the year and a big festival in October. It's a welcome artistic alternative to the same-old. Quite a treat for the heart.

Oral traditions you say......Tennessee is it?

Yes, eastern Tennessee, the other side of the Appalachian ridge. And a beautiful drive on the mountain passes.

Is there a joke there? I don't get it.

I did just get a "502 Bad Gateway" message as we see when the CS is dragging the site servers. But it could have been on my end; I've had spotty internet since yesterday's T-storms... anyone else?

I had trouble getting into the CS tonight...every place else on the site was easy access.

 

[Lumpy 1]

Oral traditions you say......Tennessee is it?

Yes, eastern Tennessee, the other side of the Appalachian ridge. And a beautiful drive on the mountain passes.

Is there a joke there? I don't get it.

I did just get a "502 Bad Gateway" message as we see when the CS is dragging the site servers. But it could have been on my end; I've had spotty internet since yesterday's T-storms... anyone else?

I had trouble getting into the CS tonight...every place else on the site was easy access.

Haven't you heard?

 

[Sherry]

Yes, eastern Tennessee, the other side of the Appalachian ridge. And a beautiful drive on the mountain passes.

Is there a joke there? I don't get it.

I did just get a "502 Bad Gateway" message as we see when the CS is dragging the site servers. But it could have been on my end; I've had spotty internet since yesterday's T-storms... anyone else?

I had trouble getting into the CS tonight...every place else on the site was easy access.

Haven't you heard?

What?? You were bracing yourself against the door trying to keep me out??

 

[Mertex]

Spent the weekend with the grandbabby, and took son to a concert last night.

Well, we know grandparents take lots of pictures, so post 'em up or it didn't happen....

"Babby"? I missed that...

Oh, uh, maybe it's not a grandbaby....I don't know what a grandbabby is....

 

[DriftingSand]

Well, we know grandparents take lots of pictures, so post 'em up or it didn't happen....

"Babby"? I missed that...

Oh, uh, maybe it's not a grandbaby....I don't know what a grandbabby is....

A grand babby is a very, very large babby.

 

[Mertex]

are you in a dry area?

It didn't use to be, but lately it seems that every year they declare it a drought!

We've been getting some rain this year, but we just never seem to get enough. We're just lucky that our well is holding up, what with all my watering.

Sounds like you're a country gal, the less neighbors the better for me.

It used to be "out in the country" when we first moved...then there was a invasion lol - but most of the homes in our subdivision have 1 1/2 to 3 acres or more. The neighbors are not close enough that you can hear them, which is good, unless they're having a party and decide to get amps for their music.....

 

[Mertex]

I'm so jealous.....maybe we'll get some Thursday, so says the weatherman, who's right about 15% of the time....

Reminds me of the time Mrs Jughead dropped me off to get a haircut, while she did the groceries. Soon after she picked me up, it started raining. All the groceries in the back of the truck were soaked. The weatherman had forecast 0% chance of rain on that day...

They're saying a 30% chance for Saturday, the day of the pig roast. It rained off and on most of this past weekend. We're supposed to be getting into the hot dry part of the summer when lawns get mowed once in 10 days rather than every five. When tomatoes are supposed to suck up that hot sunshine and ripen into the gems we long for all winter after being fed truck ripened tomatoes driven here from Florida and Texas.

Anyway, I'll keep mowing on the "April" schedule rather than the typical "July/August" schedule. I'll keep waiting for red ripe tomatoes and I'll pack a rain poncho for the pig roast.

My tomato plants look like they would like to peter out, but they are still producing, although not the big beautiful tomatoes I got in June and early July...I'm only getting enough to be able to use within a couple of days, so I'm not overwhelmed with them like I was in June. I was able to freeze a lot of them, and make a lot of salsa....it's the best when made fresh.

 

[Mertex]

I'm so jealous.....maybe we'll get some Thursday, so says the weatherman, who's right about 15% of the time....

Reminds me of the time Mrs Jughead dropped me off to get a haircut, while she did the groceries. Soon after she picked me up, it started raining. All the groceries in the back of the truck were soaked. The weatherman had forecast 0% chance of rain on that day...

You trust the weatherman??!!
Yesterday they said the t-storms had dissipated in the mountains, just as it got dark they reformed and nailed us with heavy rains and lots of lightning. Right now I'm looking west and can only see the base of the mountains because of the cloud cover (mostly moisture burn off).

No, I don't trust the weatherman....but sometimes he says what you want to hear and you really want him to be right.....

 

[Pogo]

Reminds me of the time Mrs Jughead dropped me off to get a haircut, while she did the groceries. Soon after she picked me up, it started raining. All the groceries in the back of the truck were soaked. The weatherman had forecast 0% chance of rain on that day...

They're saying a 30% chance for Saturday, the day of the pig roast. It rained off and on most of this past weekend. We're supposed to be getting into the hot dry part of the summer when lawns get mowed once in 10 days rather than every five. When tomatoes are supposed to suck up that hot sunshine and ripen into the gems we long for all winter after being fed truck ripened tomatoes driven here from Florida and Texas.

Anyway, I'll keep mowing on the "April" schedule rather than the typical "July/August" schedule. I'll keep waiting for red ripe tomatoes and I'll pack a rain poncho for the pig roast.

My tomato plants look like they would like to peter out, but they are still producing, although not the big beautiful tomatoes I got in June and early July...I'm only getting enough to be able to use within a couple of days, so I'm not overwhelmed with them like I was in June. I was able to freeze a lot of them, and make a lot of salsa....it's the best when made fresh.

Mine are coming along at a pace I would have to call "glacial". I can't get near more than one at a time, so far. Of course, I only have four plants.

But I'll trade ya some blackberries.

 

[Ringel05]

Reminds me of the time Mrs Jughead dropped me off to get a haircut, while she did the groceries. Soon after she picked me up, it started raining. All the groceries in the back of the truck were soaked. The weatherman had forecast 0% chance of rain on that day...

You trust the weatherman??!!
Yesterday they said the t-storms had dissipated in the mountains, just as it got dark they reformed and nailed us with heavy rains and lots of lightning. Right now I'm looking west and can only see the base of the mountains because of the cloud cover (mostly moisture burn off).

No, I don't trust the weatherman....but sometimes he says what you want to hear and you really want him to be right.....

I've found the really good ones have been in the area they report on for many years and have learned the local weather patterns and tend to get "it right" more often than not. They also are the first ones to admit meteorology is anything but an exact science and that weather can change at a moments notice. Meteorologists rely on computer models based on known phenomenon and current trends to make predictions. Again the good ones know these models only have specific percentages of being correct and that those percentages drop exponentially just a few days out from the model conclusions.
Plus the really, really good ones don't take themselves too seriously.

 

[Ringel05]

They're saying a 30% chance for Saturday, the day of the pig roast. It rained off and on most of this past weekend. We're supposed to be getting into the hot dry part of the summer when lawns get mowed once in 10 days rather than every five. When tomatoes are supposed to suck up that hot sunshine and ripen into the gems we long for all winter after being fed truck ripened tomatoes driven here from Florida and Texas.

Anyway, I'll keep mowing on the "April" schedule rather than the typical "July/August" schedule. I'll keep waiting for red ripe tomatoes and I'll pack a rain poncho for the pig roast.

My tomato plants look like they would like to peter out, but they are still producing, although not the big beautiful tomatoes I got in June and early July...I'm only getting enough to be able to use within a couple of days, so I'm not overwhelmed with them like I was in June. I was able to freeze a lot of them, and make a lot of salsa....it's the best when made fresh.

Mine are coming along at a pace I would have to call "glacial". I can't get near more than one at a time, so far. Of course, I only have four plants.

But I'll trade ya some blackberries.

I'll trade ya a crop of weeds for some blackberries...........

 

[Pogo]

My tomato plants look like they would like to peter out, but they are still producing, although not the big beautiful tomatoes I got in June and early July...I'm only getting enough to be able to use within a couple of days, so I'm not overwhelmed with them like I was in June. I was able to freeze a lot of them, and make a lot of salsa....it's the best when made fresh.

Mine are coming along at a pace I would have to call "glacial". I can't get near more than one at a time, so far. Of course, I only have four plants.

But I'll trade ya some blackberries.

I'll trade ya a crop of weeds for some blackberries...........

Did I mention what the only thing I have more than blackberries is?

 

[Mertex]

Mine are coming along at a pace I would have to call "glacial". I can't get near more than one at a time, so far. Of course, I only have four plants.

But I'll trade ya some blackberries.

I'll trade ya a crop of weeds for some blackberries...........

Did I mention what the only thing I have more than blackberries is?

I planted 4 eggplant plants and they have been very prolific. I'm the only one that likes eggplant....so I'm having to eat one every day......and still, many will have to go into the compost bin.