wild Saturdays in Raleigh

Patt and I are known to enjoy wild times, travel to exotic places, go on Treks, speak French -- in Russian, and though we don't always drink beer - when we do we drink ... You know the drill, well Patt and I are not necessarily the most interesting people in the world. A recent Saturday found us wandering a local mall, (and not one of the flagship malls either). On our adventure (sic) unfolded as follows:

This guy and his son were day dreaming about riding the wave runner, or I am guessing at least the guy had at least a fleeting thought of how nice it might be - I know I did
and I was accosted by these thugs/gang members/terrorists/well "almost teenagers" who asked to sing happy birthday to me in honor of one of these threatening types who was turning 12 this day. (Told you we were frequenters of wild and dangerous adventures).
I will tell you one thing though- we were not dressed alike though we observed at least one pair of dress-a-likers and were able to document said pair as presented here. We are somewhat interesting- at least a little bit- I think. --

See this Stone Wall

See this stone wall, people tell me it looks nice, I think it looks nice, it should I built it about four times before I finished, I loaded the stones on a hand truck and I moved them down to the back yard, I dug the foundation for the wall, I set and re-set the stones, I cussed the wall, and then I cussed it some more. I sat on the deck and drank beer looking at the wall. After building the wall, my back hurt. Notice the use of the pronoun "I" - well that wall you are looking at is the last one I build. However I can give advice on how to build a wall

and now that my helper people practiced yesterday leveling flagstones in the front, and dug out the bank and were ready to learn about building a stone wall.
They moved stones down the hill on the hand truck, they dug out the foundation, leveled the ground, picked up and moved the stones, leveled and re-set them one more time. If they cussed, I did not hear it. James and Maddie stayed at it. (It was another very very hot day.)
See these stones - I did not carry one, not one of them down the hill, might have carried one over to the work area, not more than that, (I had helpers) and besides
when I needed something done, I could point
since I was sitting on the steps, my stone masons had to build their own seats.
Later they even moved and transplanted perrywinkle from the front to the back. I got to water the freshly transplanted ground cover. There is a skill level required here.
and this wall got built, without my lifting more than one or two stones. Love having helper people. and if you are in need of stone masons - do not call me unless you need help pointing or watering - call James and Maddie - they may or may not answer.

got some help

There are some things I do not do much any more. Shoveling, pushing wheelbarrows, chopping stuff are examples of some of those things. Today I had some help on some projects here at 4307. James and Maddie were in town and on a high humidity - high temperature - high heat index day we had some sweat. and early too.

Got started early (sic), or about 8 AM if that is early for you -- and apparently it is. Anyway, we paused for a refreshing drink from the hose and soon I had a helpers sitting on the steps. Now I know, because I have tried, but a lot is not going to get done sitting on those steps.

Having looked at the time and curious as to what time my helpers thought it was - and by extension, just how long they had been working, as I reminded them that we started about eight. I asked my helpers what time they thought it was. James opined that it was about 10:30 and Maddie figured it was later, like about 11. Well being as it was not quite 9:30, I was thinking I had some workers in need of encouragement.

So I said in my most encouraging tone, "well, lets get back to work" -- and we did. We were preparing to put in a stone wall- that will come tomorrow. I may actually do some pointing then too. So far I have kept that to a minimum.
In the later part of the day, my helper people worked on leveling up the pathway stones that wobbled or were being pushed out of line by roots.
I am so glad I have helper people.

a back road

As I have mentioned here in NC, we frequently find a landfill in some attractive or scenic local. Well, here in eastern NC in the midst of industrial sized hog farms and chicken and turkey operations, that may be debatable.
In more than one county in eastern NC, the landfill is the highest "peak" in the county offering views of corn, pine, soy, cucumber, cotton and more pine. Add in a little 90 plus degree heat, few clouds, high humidity, recent heavy rain and we are having a beautiful day.
The tobacco is tall, extremely well tended (grass will not grow here for a generation or more I bet)(the wonders of Dow and other chemicals)(now you probably could grow some broad leaf weeds, but not grass.)
below are cucumbers,-- I think --as we are near Mt. Olive, yes that Mt. Olive, as in the one on the jar of pickles in the grocery store.
and you think we import all that corn from Indiana and Illinois to feed those millions of pigs that provide the aroma that wafts by ever so frequently?

On the way home in the late afternoon, I enjoyed stopping by and looking in on a couple of "seen-better-days" corner stores.
There was some old equipment and even one heck of a smashed car at this corner
and I think this house is about 11 miles west of Mt. Olive. You can see all this stuff, even the wrecked car on street view from google, amazing. and you know, it was kind of scenic after all. --off the interstate.

Some years ago I rode across North Dakota in the winter and did a lot of those miles off the interstate and likewise was a bit fascinated with old abandoned stores and houses - some day I may try a random post on them. I like back roads.

restaurant Review #7 at the beach

When I see a place like this, I am thinking "Brown Plate Special" . A Brown Plate Special, (named by brother Mark due to the color of the food on the plate) is a fried combination seafood platter. Well, this place at the end of the main street next to the Cape Fear River in Southport is where I most recently had an excellent Brown Plate.
We parked under the spreading Oak, in the late evening sun on a very recent weekend and as you can see from the photo below we had a wonderful table. (We actually switched after being seated-- we did ask our waitress-- if you do not ask?) anyway Patt had the seat to both watch the room and look out the window, me, just the window looking at the River and the boats coming in from fishing. The fried flounder was great!, popcorn shrimp wonderful, and the crab cake, - well, wish I had ordered the oysters.
After eating we of course walked down the bit of a board walk, and through town,
checked out a few of the older stately homes looking out onto the river
and as it was a windy day and I wore no hat, once again I learned that I do not have what I refer to as "beach hair" -- what I seem to have is a lot of head and some wild hair. I am thinking I should have worn a hat.

Hiking the Blue Ridge

While riding on the Parkway last week, Patt and I would occasionally stop
at one of the scenic overlooks. As I have mentioned the views are just super
At one overlook, pictured below, there was this short little paved path that lead to an upper overlook. As I walked up the path, "re-enacted below for photographic representational purposes, I remarked to Patt, If Jennifer were here she would say "we're hiking" (or perhaps we're mountain climbing") Jennifer is our favorite daughter-in-law and whom we love very much--- and one of the things we love about Jennifer is

that when faced with outdoors type activities, is quick to be impressed with the event. And becomes quite excited with the adventure- often making them out to be a bit of a cause for notation and indeed celebration. So Patt and I claimed a peak crested, a hike/trek accomplished, and an adventurous dangerous path explored.
all along the Parkway this time of year in addition to the beautiful views are of course beautiful flora and even some fauna -- we saw lots of wild turkeys for example.

a drive on the Parkway

A week or so ago Patt and I were in Asheville for a conference that Patt attended. I of course visited our Asheville office and went to one of our beautifully located western landfills. (Photos not included this post)
In addition to enjoying our stay in the west, dodging rain storms, we did find plenty of clear or partially clear skies and beautiful drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Parkway is just amazing. There are stretches like above where the road is just hanging on the side of the mountain or going through the hillside.
and of course places where you can pull over and see valleys that just seem to go on and on.

Restaurant Review #6 an NC great

yes -- another BBQ restaurant has been sampled and reviewed. downtown Raleigh, near the railroad station and relocated from a rather rough neighborhood in Wilson is The Pit. Unique in that the food is free range or organic or whatever. -- and really really good. BBQ with a cloth napkin if you will and reportedly without steriods.
You know it is authentic because the sign says it is so. The NC flag helps locate the authenticity of the BBQ so as to know you are not eating a verb. As the place is generally always crowded we sat outside and sampled Raleigh's new favorite controversy -- Bud-lite beer. -- a digression here, Raleigh is about to name an amphitheater the Bud lite Pavilion -- and good grief -- what a broo-ha-ha has been stirred up. We are closing libraries, laying off teachers, have overcrowded jails, potholes in the streets, and we are all in a snit about naming the pavilion after a cheap beer. Anyway, the four of us, Patt and I, Robin and Michael, enjoyed the early evening Raleigh street-scape waiting for our table
Inside of course we went with various delicacies such as BBQ, fried green tomatoes, collards and such. Please note that should Bud lite not be acceptable, there is one heck of a wine cabinet --- what a wine cabinet --- yes a wine cabinet -- in a BBQ restaurant, just what one would expect. Oh and we have been there before and will go back.

wild animals in our town

Documented here for all to see is the results of our brave intrepid wildlife photographer who risked life and limb to bravely approach the above wild animal on the north plains of our properties here. This beast had been seen on prior occasions but had never been recorded before on film.
As can readily be observed this species had been grazing on the flora, specifically some of the invasive species "wisteria" when captured on film. Prior to this moment, special care had been taken to return to the settlement aka "our house" to retrieve cameras, notebooks, and leave word with appropriate next-of-kin as to the adventure about to be undertaken
From more safe distances the beast looks less dangerous and much more gentl, but let not the tranquil setting lull one into throwing caution to the wind. Remember the words of the famous photographer Albert Edgemont Neindormfm.