We're having a heat wave in Frog Pond Holler today, it's a whopping 33°! It's amazing what feels like warm after facing 8° mornings, ain't it?
The winds of change are blowin' around the holler. The Scottish invasion turned out to be a one nighter. The flags, balloons and chairs vanished after that weekend. I guess I can forget finding a nice Scottish man to keep me warm this winter.
There's something going on up at Cletus' place, but no one's sure what, exactly. There's a restaurant property adjacent to the garage, which has had previous lives as a pool hall, a burger joint and a steak n' seafood place. It was a gas station when we moved here 15 years ago. You could still detect the faint aroma of axle grease, mingling with that of the "fresh" shrimp before it closed down a few months ago.
When I drove by there earlier this week, I noticed they'd removed the door and replaced it with a pass-thru window. If this means what I think it does, it's a landmark event. The first drive-thru ever in Frog Pond Holler.
Nature is closed ya'll.
When I feel the need to connect with nature, I head down to the edge of town on the road that runs along the river. About 3 miles after the pavement ends, there's Moe Ray's picnic area with some park benches and little fishing docks. As most of ya'll know, I didn't grow up here and being a city girl at heart, I prefer my "nature" to be mowed and weed whacked.
Technically, I live in a national forest, with an internationally known hiking trail running right through my front yard. I could get in touch with real nature by walking a few feet from my front door, but with nature comes slithery things. I don't care how cold it gets, there's a part of me that thinks there's a snake around every corner.
Anywho, the last few times I've headed down to Moe Ray's for a little communing with all things natural, in a controlled, partially paved environment, they've had the gate closed. The road leads to the parking lot and circles around to the exit. The sign says "non-motorized traffic" is fine, so last time I went, I just parked my truck on the side of the dirt road and walked in. The only reason I can come up with for closing the road is to keep boaters from putting their rafts in, maybe because the water is low.
Who knows.
The winds of change are blowin' around the holler. The Scottish invasion turned out to be a one nighter. The flags, balloons and chairs vanished after that weekend. I guess I can forget finding a nice Scottish man to keep me warm this winter.
There's something going on up at Cletus' place, but no one's sure what, exactly. There's a restaurant property adjacent to the garage, which has had previous lives as a pool hall, a burger joint and a steak n' seafood place. It was a gas station when we moved here 15 years ago. You could still detect the faint aroma of axle grease, mingling with that of the "fresh" shrimp before it closed down a few months ago.
When I drove by there earlier this week, I noticed they'd removed the door and replaced it with a pass-thru window. If this means what I think it does, it's a landmark event. The first drive-thru ever in Frog Pond Holler.
Nature is closed ya'll.
When I feel the need to connect with nature, I head down to the edge of town on the road that runs along the river. About 3 miles after the pavement ends, there's Moe Ray's picnic area with some park benches and little fishing docks. As most of ya'll know, I didn't grow up here and being a city girl at heart, I prefer my "nature" to be mowed and weed whacked.
Technically, I live in a national forest, with an internationally known hiking trail running right through my front yard. I could get in touch with real nature by walking a few feet from my front door, but with nature comes slithery things. I don't care how cold it gets, there's a part of me that thinks there's a snake around every corner.
Anywho, the last few times I've headed down to Moe Ray's for a little communing with all things natural, in a controlled, partially paved environment, they've had the gate closed. The road leads to the parking lot and circles around to the exit. The sign says "non-motorized traffic" is fine, so last time I went, I just parked my truck on the side of the dirt road and walked in. The only reason I can come up with for closing the road is to keep boaters from putting their rafts in, maybe because the water is low.
Who knows.
The gate wasn't doing anything to keep the beavers out. Every other tree, all along the river looked like this one. Those little boogers must be everywhere. I saw several oaks down in the water. It amazes me that such a little critter can take down such huge trees.
Anywho, I'd best get up from here and try to roll the Amazon from her peaceful slumber so we can take a load of junk to the dump.
Ya'll enjoy your weekend.
Later Taters :)
12 comments:
There was a beaver site not too far from us a few years back, really in a residential area. A little creek was dammed up by them and became a huge spreading problem. It was fun though to stand nearby and look for them. After a while the water backup was jut too much for the neighborhood and the beavers were caught and released into a huge (24,000 acre) wildlife management area nearby.
The dams were so interesting and marvelous. And they were so busy and determined.
We've warmed up the same degree. I have to say, those mornings were so windy and cold! I'm not the winter fan I used to be.
I bet they brought your beavers here lol.
You could always go hiking with a hoe in your backpack. They're perfect for chopping the heads off of any menacing snakes. (Ever had any fried snake? Mmm...good times.)
I could never get close enough to a snake to kill it with a hoe. I can't stand to even look at them.
*shudder*
I have snakes in my yard too. I have to remind myself to watch where I'm walking. I forgot once last year and had a close call. There was screaming...
your porch sounds like my property right now....hubby has moved his shop to the property and there is stuff everywhere...along with his brothers 3 boats our boat...his brothers trailer...and our trailer...his parents to broken down vehicles....it's a beautiful piece of property...just a shame I can't enjoy more with out all of the extras....as for city gone country...that would be me as well....lived in the city my whole life up till 3 years ago when that all changed and I met and married my husband...I am in awe of the beauty that surrounds me...but it truly has been an eye opener....
I would have had to change some delicate undergarments Lisa lol. I worry about not having an outside cat this summer, keeping the critters ran off.
Bless your heart RN, your property does sound like my porch lol. Let some kudzu grow over it and no one will know.
My son-in-law built a stone wall that is in front of our parking area in front of the house a couple of years back. Looks really nice, it does. But about 2 years ago one day, he was out in the front yard and discovered a small snake slithering out from between two of these rocks there - just about scared the living daylights out of me to see that thing that close to our house. Initially, he thought it was a baby copperhead, which scared me even more, and he came in, got his revolver and shot it. Then our neighbor about two doors over, her then-boyfriend came over and informed SIL that it was a "hog-head garter snake" (I think that was the name of it -never heard of that before at any rate) and he informed SIL that said snake was also of the non-poisonous variety. But regardless - poisonous or not - I sure as the devil didn't want that critter or any of its siblings, cousins, aunt, uncles -you name it -camping out in our rock wall in the front yard! I am not a snake lover - can you tell?
Buh-bye chair!
Our outside cat, the one that recently died, used to chase black snakes up the chair ramp, right to the front door. Black snakes can get HUGE by the way.
I just keep moving the junk from one side of my porch to the other hoping the city doesn't think I've kept it there for 8 months now. Living in the city sucks sometimes. I'd rather commune with nature, at least when I see a snake I know its a real one, not some peckerhead on a power trip.
*snicker* peckerhead lol
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