Mr. Nub

It seems there's a new fresh organic locally-grown fairtrade fruit and vegetable market opening in every town nowadays. All the suburban families pull up in their hybrid Hondas and peel off twenties to purchase organic cage-free chickens and rosemary/lavender blocks of soap.

I'm thrilled these places are popping up like weeds, but let's not forget who set the example for these oh-so-quaint and cute markets. The local farmer. His stand is a mess of wooden crates,corn husks and handmade signs. There's usually some homemade fig preserves for sale and most likely some mason jars of rattlesnake beans hidden away for his special customers.

The stand wouldn't pass a health department test and you might step on a snake, but thank the Lord for farmers. Next time you drive by a true farmer's stand, stop and spend a few dollars. They might not be the prettiest 'canlops' you've ever seen, but I guarantee they'll be the freshest!

Nub's is really puttin' on the dog with his new fancy sign!

Bless his sweet, ever lovin' heart. I asked him once where he got the nickname, 'Nub' and he lifted up a stump where there once was a finger. Publix could only hope for that kind of branding... (although Mama once referred to it as 'Pubic's', it's just not the same)

So fresh corn tonight for dinner...and hopefully I won't hear rattling from inside the brown paper bag. ( Last time there were apparently some of those big ol' corn worms that live in the tassels. I had to quickly run outside with the bag at arm's length and throw all the corn on the deck table.)

*It's been years since I wrote this blog post and Nub has since passed on to the great By and By. I think of him every single time I drive past his spot on Highway 54. God Speed Nub. Have some rattle snake beans waiting for me when I get there.

Melts in Your Mouth

Alright, alright....I'm well aware there has been a virtual flurry of blogging today but there's lots to say when Dirk isn't around to absorb some of the words.

Speaking of salmon patties ~ Apparently, I have been cooking up these little crispy delights all of my adult life and no one, repeat no one else likes them. How can you not like red salmon mixed with crushed crackers, garlic, olive oil, basil, mustard, lemon juice, worchestershire, flour and egg? I mean what is there not to like?

Just look at the golden brown crispy edges...and don't you know there's those little round bones mixed in, like little prizes just waiting to be discovered. Reminds me of Cracker Jack. Mmm Mmm Mmm.... But alas, I eat alone.

Anna was talking about 'branding' in her blog which reminded me of M&Ms.. Remember how they reminded us "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand" even though us kids knew that wasn't the truth.

Not only were we certain they would indeed melt in our hands, we found they could melt in our pockets, cars, and purses too. Even today, I find no improvement has been made in the realm of M&M melting claims.

How to Wash Your Clothes For a Nickel Per Load!

I love to save money AND do crafts!






When a new big box of Tide costs $16.99, it's time to make homemade laundry detergent. (Yes, honey, I returned that $17 box of detergent you just bought...you knew I would..) It's easy and only cost 5 cents a load. First, google coupons for Arm and Hammer Washing Soda, Arm and Hammer Baking Soda, Fels Naptha bar soap and 21 Mule Team Borax. You won't believe how cheap the ingredients are!  I have found all of these ingredients at my local grocery stores and also Walmart.

First, measure out 1 cup of the Borax. This is safe for the environment, including septic tanks. Sometimes the borax will clump in the box so just mash those lumps up.




Then, measure 1 cup of Washing Soda. (Washing soda? Who knew!)

Add to that, 1 cup of Baking Soda. (make sure to refill your baking soda box in the pantry!)

Add the last of the powders into the jar.  Next, get out the cheese grater for the laundry bar. Fels Naptha soap is found on the laundry aisle and is usually around 99 cents.  ( And did you see my jam jar funnel?  Love, love my wide-mouth funnel for this!)

Grate about 1/2 a bar of Fels Naptha with a cheese grater (the fine side) or a food processor if you know how to use it. (I don't)

Pour all the pretty bits of soap into your jar. This is my favorite part. It looks like shredded cheddar cheese and smells all clean and soapy!  If your husband happens to walk by, resist the temptation to ask if he wants some cheese.  That wouldn't be nice.  Funny.  But not nice.

Everything is now all there and is ready to be shaken up.

This batch will do 32 loads of clothes using 2 Tablespoons per load. That's right. 2 Tablespoons!  You can add an extra tablespoon if your load is large or especially dirty.  And how pretty does it look in an antique Ball Jar?  If you like a stronger scent to your clothes, you might add about 1/2 a teaspoon of that new Downy Unstopables. It's a laundry scent booster and comes in a tall bottle that will last you practically ALL YEAR and make you feel better about your own occasional misspelled word.  I'm guessing they're acting like they MEANT to spell it wrong but hey, maybe they haven't noticed.

Enjoy your new laundry detergent knowing you made it and are saving your family massive amounts of money while getting the clothes clean!

My Sandwich Love Affair

I am having a love affair with a sandwich. Daily, we're having a clandestine meeting at lunch. Oh, the ectasy! Grilled grainy bread in olive oil with sharp cheddar cheese, avocado, tomato and fresh basil leaves. It's a culinary symphony in my mouth!

The 4th in Ellijay!

Last evening we went to downtown Ellijay and attended the 4th of July parade. It was a far cry from the parade we usually attend in PTC, where folks are claiming dibs on spots literally the day before. Here, folks moseyed up an hour before the parade and set up their lawn chairs. The parade was made up of fire trucks, boy scout troops, local search and rescue dogs and the local famous barbeque restaurant represented by a little yellow car 'oinking' as it went around the roundabout.

There was a flatbed float with elderly ladies sitting next to black and white photos of loved ones from WWII, and there was also a float with the local mentally challenged adults waving as they said the Pledge of Allegiance. We ate our chili dogs and drank Dr. Pepper and waved to the smiling parade participants, so thankful we weren't having to dodge frenzied children risking their lives for candy.

This was what 4th of July parades should be...local folks celebrating soldiers, old folks and boyscouts with the odd oinking car thrown in. Next year, though, I'll leave off the chili dog...

Blackberries

Today I picked blackberries and a rooster crowed while I was gathering for my cobbler...in fact, he crowed the whole time. The sun was way up, and there wasn't any reason to crow, so I guess he just wanted to hear himself. I wonder if the other chickens were like, "Shut UP already!"

And..a dog down the lane tried to attack me. She growled and barked, which is fine, but then.....she began snarling and her back hair rose up like Cujo and she started lunging WHILE she snarled and frothed at the mouth.

 I actually got scared. I thought about throwing my blackberries at her, but I really wanted that cobbler. Betty White would have just sprayed her in the face with mace and kept picking berries. I gotta get some mace... Thanks Dirk for saving my life!

Midnight on the Mountain

So today we take ownership of a 3.9 acre plot of trees. We'll sign the papers, walk the land and promptly take an ax (or is it axe?) to some of the tallest. They're blocking our view of the mountains, and while it seems quite the necessary thing to do, it doesn't feel like a noble cause for the trees to die.

I wish there was logs-for-love like the locks-for-love, so we could at least donate the felled wood for some suffering carvers....or ukulele makers.

I have a new favorite show...Hot in Cleveland. Betty White and three other women share adventures in life. It's hilarious!

Last night there was intrigue on the mountain. At precisely 1:20 a.m., the sound of crunching gravel woke me from a fit sleep and I knelt by the open window to watch headlights slowly move up our road. Most all good christian folk are tucked tightly in their beds in the wee hours on Friday mornings, so the chances this was someone up to no-good were quite high.

The car paused by the entrance of our driveway, backed up (thank God) and headed down our neighbor's long driveway that leads deep into the wood down to their farm. They must have visitors coming in for the holiday weekend, having driven in from New Jersey or some other far-away land, I figured.

Satisfied, I crawled back under the covers. Two minutes later, the whine of an engine in reverse echoed through the night and I knelt by the window again and watched the car, moving backwards quickly, turn around, and leave the mountain.

 We discussed how someone must have been lost and most likely was surprised when they drove that long distance in the woods and ended up at someone's farm. (I'm thinking the farmer was at the door with a 12 gauge shotgun to emphasize that they were indeed at the wrong house).

So I got back in bed. However, not five minutes later, lights flashed on the walls and the car came up the mountain again, this time driving with purpose back down the long, wooded farm driveway. Someone was convinced this was the right drive. I stood by the window, listening for gunshots, hearing nothing but the whippoorwills, frogs and crickets. The air was literally vibrating with a cacophony of night noise, so I'm not sure I would have been able to hear any middle-of-the-night mayhem anyway.

 Two minutes passed and the car was back again, up out of the woods to head down the mountain. What was this? Late night pizza delivery? A lost holiday cabin renter? I'm guessing the farm family wasn't too happy.

Betty White would have just gone out, sprayed mace in the driver's face and happily crawled back under the covers.

So I'll be taking a nap later today...