Everyday Life

Life goes on, even though this blog probably looks like we're still traveling! Here's a quick catch-up on what we've been up to:

*The last of the garden canning is done. I put up 14 more pints of pepper mustard with the banana peppers that did just fine while we were away. The rest of the gardens, with the exception of a few tomatoes, cucumbers and squash, dried up.

*Pineapples were 99 cents each last week, so we bought a dozen and I tried canning them for the first time. I ended up with 15 very full pints of pineapple chunks and a gallon of juice made from the cores. Delicious!

*Larry gathered up the pumpkins and brought them in. I need to can some but I don't know when I will have time. My October storytelling schedule is really full this year.

 *I finished painting the dressing table I started before we left,

and Larry finished up the top to a Hoosier-style cabinet. We already had the base painted and it's been in our booth in Ravenswood for several months; now it has a top.

*I had a full day of storytelling at the local middle school on Thursday, and it was a fine time as usual. This makes 6 years I've been telling stories to the 8th grade there. This years focus was on aliens and immigration so I told the stories of my grandfather's attempt to emigrate to Canada, and the one about my parents meeting in England during World War II.

*In other storytelling work, several new performances came in so I got all the paperwork sent out for those and worked on program plans.

*My article for Two Lane Livin' was due--almost overdue!--so I wrote up a new ghost story for that.

*We loaded the van Friday morning for the sidewalk sale at Riverbend Antique Mall in Ravenswood, went over and got that set up. I worked all day in my booths there, just straightening things up and rearranging. The church pew sold recently so I had some welcome space to work with.

*Sadly, a neighbor's wife passed away unexpectedly so Friday evening we attended the visitation for her. A difficult thing to do but I have learned that it is important to those left behind.

*After the wake, we drove to Charleston to attend the CD release party of a friend's music group, Mountain Thyme. Their music is a good blend of Celtic and Appalachian with some original material mixed in. The event was at Taylor Books, a local independent book store that is a great supporter of local musicians. The CD is great, too--called It's About Thyme. Check it out on CDBaby!

*Saturday we were up early to load the van yet again and head to Marietta to restock our booth there. It's been a month since we were there and we knew it needed attention. Lots of sales, including an oak dresser, so we were happy to rearrange and get it looking good again. On the way home we stopped at Riverbend to help take in the sidewalk sale items. Then dinner at the local Mexican restaurant and home.

*Today? I've written blog posts in advance for this coming week since I will be away storytelling most of the week. I am still writing about our trip, believe it or not, and I'm not done yet! Larry cleaned up the van, worked on another piece for the booth, and did his grocery shopping for this week, since he will be without wheels--his truck needs some major work, again.

Tomorrow my van will go into the shop early in the morning for some tie rod repair, then I am off to Beckley for an evening performance. Tuesday I will head to the middle of the state for more storytelling at the Philippi Library, then to Jackson's Mill for the West Virginia Storytelling Festival. Hopefully I will get back in time Thursday to attend a meeting with the new WV state folklorist. Friday we'll be getting ready for making apple butter on Saturday. That's the plan, anyway, but we all know how plans can be.

The weather has turned chilly, and Janet reported seeing frost on a few rooftops. It's definitely fall, my friends! Time to gather up, gather in, and tell stories!





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