UFO Sighting

Friday evening, July 8, 2016

After feeding the cats, I hurriedly took a sample of my freshly baked Cherry Berry pie to Edith's.

Not wanting to get caught in the soon-coming rain, I didn't hang around to chat. However, as I crossed her yard, the brilliant rays of sunshine, coupled with the burgeoning clouds, grabbed my attention. I made a quick detour to the grassy area just outside the milk barn to get some photos of our beloved Pilot Mountain. The sun was at such an angle that I couldn't see what was showing up on my phone screen. Pointing and clicking, in the space of a minute or two, I blindly took 8 or 9 photos. When I got home, I checked out the photos, deleting the obvious junk. That left the five photos below.

Photo #1, taken at 7:07pm

Photo #2, taken at 7:07pm

Photo #3, taken at 7:07pm

Photo #4, taken at 7:07pm

Photo #5, taken at 7:08pm

Photos 3 and 4 are lovely, but nothing out of the ordinary. In photos 1, 2, and 5, however, a little sphere of light caught my eye. Do you see it? First I thought it must have been the sun peeking through the clouds, but NO. The sun is shining brilliantly in the upper left corner of the photos. Oh, maybe it's the moon. Again, NO. The moon would be on the other side of the sky, totally outside the range of these photos. The very strange thing is that the orb shows up in 3 different places: photo 1, directly over the Pilot; photo 2, way to the "left" of the mountain; photo 5, to the right of the mountain!

Next step: I enlarged/zoomed in on the specific area of the photos. See them below.

Photo 1, zoomed in.

Photo 2, zoomed in. This one totally amazed me.

Photo 5, zoomed in.

Weldon was intrigued. He studied my phone, turning it this way and that, asking questions. Then he asked me to send him the photos. His verdict?

Unidentified Flying Object!

Still Farmin'

This is Farm Muse, but it's been a while since I actually posted about the farm. (I'm better at musing than farming.) You may have questions about how Weldon spends him time now that he's "semi-retired." I have answers.

1. Does Weldon still have cows? Yes! Although he stopped shipping milk commercially in January of 2015 and sold his best milkers, he has plenty of cows and calves. He's currently milking nine cows, and just yesterday I had to yell, "Cows are out!"

Youngsters

Milkers

2. Does he still bale hay? Yes! He bales the "good stuff" for the cows and bales the junk just to get it off the land.

Do you see him down there?

A man and his tractor. It's a beautiful thing.

3. Since he doesn't have so many cows, does he still plant corn? Yes, indeedy! But he doesn't have to plant as much as in years past. He planted early corn that's already about 8 feet tall, and the "regular" corn is coming along nicely. This year will be kind of sad because he won't have corn growing on both sides of the road coming into the farm. Neighbors and passers-by will be surprised.

This corn, planted in front of Edith's house, has grown quite a bit since I took this pic.

The corny blogger standing amidst the early corn.

4. Has anything else changed on the farm? Nope. Deer still eat corn. Coyotes still eat kitties. Machinery still breaks down. Following are a few miscellaneous photos.

The manure spreader broke down some time ago ... obviously. Makes a nice planter, doesn't it?

Manure still has to be moved, so Weldon hauls it in this wagon and dumps it on/near the fields.

Flat tire on the truck.

Kitties are still a joy and a heartbreak.

They can also be a "neckbreak" if you don't keep your eyes on the ground as you walk.

 5. So Weldon is as busy as ever? Not quite. He admits he has slowed down some and can't "keep at it" as hard as he used to. His favorite pastime, when morning chores and breakfast are finished, is computer time with his "tractor nut" friends. But, sooner or later, the real world of farming and it's never-ending needs call him back to the great outdoors. Somebody's gotta do it!

A Day in the Kitchen

Whew! I was hoping to get off the farm today and "do something." I did something, alright, but I didn't get off the farm. Actually, I barely made it out of the kitchen.

After breakfast and washing up the breakfast dishes, I started a loaf of bread in the bread machine. I had a black banana that needed using or pitching ... so I pitched it into the bread maker to make Banana-Raisin Oat Bread. I realized I didn't have any milk, so I walked down to the milk barn and filled a jug. Look at that! I got out of the kitchen! After all the ingredients were in the machine and it was merrily doing its thing, I washed up everything I had dirtied in the process, and filled the sugar and flour canisters.

Next, I tackled the "stupid" black raspberry jelly that didn't gel when I made it last week. It was barely syrup consistency, so I opened the jars and poured it all into the pot. I washed all the used jars and got them ready for the new and improved product. I boiled the flopped jelly till it reached the jelly stage and ladled it into the waiting jars. It's now almost the consistency of gummy bears. Not quite, but ... :)

I washed the pot and utensils, wiped the sweat from my brow, and started a raspberry cake. I'm never surprised when I do something goofy in the kitchen. Sooner or later I'm going to drop, knock over, or spill something. Sure enough, the edge of the bowl caught the handle of the measuring cup, spilling the sugar in the process. I started to sing, "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child." Don't ask me where that came from, but it certainly made me laugh.

Cake in the oven. Previous stack of dishes dried and put away. Newest batch of dirty bowls, measuring cups, and spoons washed and stacked. What now?

Hey, I know! As long as all the jelly making paraphernalia is out, why don't I make another batch of black raspberry jelly? I had juiced enough berries last week for two batches. I made the one batch that didn't gel, but surely I'd have better luck today. The timer rang, I pulled the cake out of the oven, and I got everything ready for more jelly.

Made the jelly. Cleaned up the mess. Washed the dishes. Again. Timer went off on the bread machine. I put the loaf on the cooling rack.

Edith called to say she was going to come mow the yard, so I left the kitchen (yay!) and went outside to pick up sticks from the yard. Came back in to get supper on the table. Fortunately, we had leftovers. Thank God for leftovers. BUT, we had fresh raspberry cake for dessert. And then I washed the dishes. Again.

The cake was supposed to have a glaze over the top, but that's just more sugar and more calories that we don't need. Instead, I sprinkled mini chocolate chips on top before I baked it. End result? Delish!

It looks like the new batch of jelly did what it was supposed to do. Weldon will give the final verdict at breakfast tomorrow morning. Or maybe tonight when he comes in from chores. And, yes, I had a little chunk of the bread - because I can't resist fresh, homemade bread.

The photo is a little disappointing. I worked way harder than what you see here :) It was a good day, but I won't do a repeat anytime soon. Whew!

It Takes a Village

When I first started toying with the idea of writing a book (almost 4 years ago), I never imagined where it would lead. All I knew was that I wanted to write. So, I wrote. And wrote. And wrote some more. Then I learned about editing. So I edited. And rewrote. And edited some more. I did all of this by myself, sitting at my desk, pounding away at the keyboard when no one else was in the same room with me.

This is good work for an introvert. But, as the "book" looked more and more like it could really be a book(!), I had to start reaching out to people. Gasp. "Will you please read my book and give me honest feedback, including corrections, additions, and questions about farm stuff that doesn't make any sense to a non-farm-type person?"

It's one thing to have a book on your computer, but quite another thing to turn it into something you can hold in your hands. I had no hopes of getting a publishing house to take my book and, after lots of studying on the matter, I was pretty sure I didn't want to go that route anyway. Instead, I read many books about self-publishing. I had pages and pages of notes about what needed to be done, but if I had to learn how to do all these things, the book might still be locked up in my computer.

Enter daughter Katie, with years of computer savvy under her belt and the patience of a saint. I told her what I wanted/needed and she did it ... or gave me an idea for something even better. We spent hours working together; she in New York, I in North Carolina. The innards started to look like the real deal, complete with chapter titles, headers and footers, table of contents, source page, and even drop caps. Then she continued her magic, turning my ideas into a gorgeous, funny, eye-catching cover.

On October 31, 2015, Crap Happens...Wallowing Is Optional went "live" on Amazon.com. A real book was born. Then, after reaching out to the expertise of a few more people, the e-book was born on Thanksgiving Day, 2015.

I would have sat back and said, "Whew! That was fun. A lot of work, but fun!" End of story. But, no! The story was only beginning, because I have a whole village around me, encouraging me to sell, write, and get out there! A whole village of naggers ... and I'm very thankful!

My book is in five local stores, four bookstores, and one gift shop - and actually selling in all those locations. Family members carry books with them to sell to others, and friends buy the book and share it with their friends. Crap Happens...Wallowing Is Optional was reviewed in Yadkin Valley Living Magazine (March/April) and Foothills Times Magazine (Mar/Apr), and I was interviewed for an article that will appear in Forsyth Woman Magazine in June. I can assure you I didn't approach any of these establishments on my own. It's this village of family and friends who are pushing me to walk through the doors they've opened for me.

Local magazines are spreading my name around town.

Scuppernong Books in Greensboro, NC

Writing a children's devotional each month for Forsyth Family Magazine has been a "side note" blessing, again because of a friend who put my name out there. It keeps me writing without having to deal with too much crap :)

Devotion in May issue of Forsyth Family Magazine

I can take full credit for reaching out to one venue only: On June 4, I will be selling my book at NOMAD Farms Festival of the Arts in Tobaccoville, NC. Even so, I will depend on my "village" to help me find a tent to use, give me some pointers on making my little area interesting and inviting, perhaps sit with me for an hour or two during the afternoon, and then help take it all down and get me home again.

Whew! If this had depended on my marketing skills, I would have sold a handful of books. If I had relied upon Amazon's selling platform, I would have sold less than 100 books. But because of my awesome village, I have sold and/or given away almost 400 books. Writing and selling a book involves a whole lot more than I ever imagined. I'm loving it, but I couldn't have done it without a village! Thanks, peeps and neighbors, friends and relatives. You're the BEST!

Spring 2016

 In case you haven't noticed, it's been a while since I last posted here. I've been busy! I've been having fun! BUT, I know some of you have missed me, so here's a brief synopsis of the last two months. You'll most likely be terribly jealous, but try not to hate me.

March 5-9: North Myrtle Beach with the Ladies' Bible study group. Yes, we studied every day but we also ate well and played well.

When I got home, spring was bustin' out all over.

The yard was covered with violets.

Peach trees were blooming.

Even the tama-no-ura camellia had two flowers.

March 19-24: Road trip to Savannah, GA with my daughters! Waterfront, squares, parks, gardens, churches, cemeteries, FOOD.

Love the hanging moss.

Wormsloe State Historic Site

To the ocean again! Tybee Island.

Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden on our way home.

Amazing! See the movie: A Man Named Pearl.

April: Mama cats are having babies! And, yes, Rita has babies in the attic again.

Mrs. Mewer has FIVE babies.

 

Saturday, April 9: Weldon and I took a historic steam engine train ride from Spencer, NC to Lynchburg, VA. Up at 4am, back home at midnight.

April 22-24: To Lake Junaluska with our church youth director and two young ladies for a confirmation retreat. My first time to this beautiful location in North Carolina.

In spite of lots of rain and cold weather, the flowers have been blooming well, with no help from me. And the skies have been amazing, almost every morning and evening.

Early morning iris.

Confused Christmas cactus.

Peonies are showing off and standing pretty well against all the rain.

The skies displaying the handiwork of God!

I told you I've been busy :) Next post, I'll fill you in on my new experiences as an author. Till then, keep loving life!

Hidden Treasure?

"I kept a journal for years and years." That's what I've said to myself for years and years. But in the more recent past I've been asking myself, "If I kept a journal for years and years, where are they? Surely I wouldn't have thrown them away!" I had almost decided that, as is so often the case, my memory is a liar and I just like to think that I'd been writing for years and years.

About two weeks ago, a box in the corner of Weldon's closet caught my eye. What's in that big box? It's behind my carry-on and my little duffle bag, and that's my shoulder massage thingie on top of it. Hmmm. Three days ago I dragged it into my sewing room; two days ago I opened it up.

French books and a year of Reader's Digest in French; a few old photo albums; some commemorative magazines, including a National Geographic from May 1951; paraphernalia from my high school graduation, certificates of various achievements, papers I wrote during my two years at North Central Bible College; a little stack of greeting cards; a book in which I had written down quite a few of the songs I wrote way back when; AND thirteen journals!

I really did keep a journal for years and years! They span, approximately, the years from 1979 to 1994. In flipping through them, I see that, in my usual fashion, not every year is complete; but that's still a whole lot of reading ahead of me. I have no idea what I'll find. Will it be painful? Will it be like hidden treasure that puts a smile on my face? I'm hoping my memory cells will be jolted into actually remembering a few things.

I'm excited. I'm kind of scared. These books represent a couple of my previous lifetimes. But, hey! They're my lifetimes! I'm going to take a slow stroll down memory lane.
  

The Inconclusive Muse

Since retiring from milking cows, I'm not so involved with the daily goings-on of the farm, and I've been feeling like the title of my blog isn't as appropriate as it used to be. However, I still live on a farm and I still muse. Here's a definition of "muse" that is very me: to turn something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively. It's that last word that nails it. I can think and ponder and roll things around in my head for hours, and never come to any definite conclusion. So ... Farm Muse it is.

And where have my thoughts taken me lately? Well, I've realized how blessed I am to have such a wonderfully varied life. I can't believe all the "new stuff" I've been getting into. I attend the new youth service at our church on Wednesday nights, I recently went to a "pajama party," and I've taken up coloring. Weldon was a little concerned that I might be entering my second childhood, but I'm thinking a second childhood isn't such a bad thing.

We went to a birthday party this month. Ahhh. Family. Fun. Festivities.

I said goodbye to the piano I never played ...

and sang hello to a new autoharp. I didn't feel guilty about buying it, because I used money I had earned from my book sales. When the autoharp arrived, I realized I would need a pitch pipe to tune it. Drat! Then (don't ask me how my mind even went there), I found an online pitch pipe. Yes, I did. All by myself. And it works! And I tuned my autoharp. And I'm playing it. Yes, I am!

This month I pondered the life of this troubled man ...

and I wondered if my daughter had a subliminal message in mind when she sent me this beautiful shirt. In both cases, my thoughts were inconclusive.

Valentine's Day has come and gone. Hearts and chocolate and love. It's a nice holiday—especially nice for Hallmark. And Build-A-Bear! Who knew?

We're just 18 days into February, but I've had enough of winter. We haven't had much snow but, when we add all the rain and sleet into the slushy mix, it's too much. Come on, Spring (says the Minnesotan who has seen 40° below zero)! The kitties agree with me.

Now you're privy to some of my musings and have taken a glimpse into my world. It's pretty neat, isn't it? You should come visit sometime.