Meet Thor

It was 6 A.M., very quiet outside, beautiful day when all of a sudden we heard someone pulling at the screen door and making a sound that was at first hard to identify.  Maybe it was two cats getting ready to fight, maybe a flock of geese flying just overhead?  We do have lots of geese that fly directly overhead, circling and joining up with other groups all headed to who knows where.  Whatever it was, we did not immediately recognize the sound.

Jill opened the door and there stood Thor ready to be held and spoiled.  Thor will forever be a mystery.  He is 6 week old Siberian Husky and when he arrived he had a full belly.  What makes his appearance a mystery is that we live 800 feet off an "out-of-the-way" county road. It just seems unlikely he would have found his way up our dive-way even if someone had let him out on the road, and it is even more unlikely that anyone would have brought him up our driveway.  Folks around here don't just walk or drive up someone's drive at 6 in the morning.  So, we will ponder the mystery while enjoying the puppy.

The Bounty of the Harvest

Jill and I got up early this morning and went to the garden to pick beans.  Considering the beans were planted in "new ground"; I think we did well.  The photo shows a portion of our harvest - there will be more to pick next week!  The homemade sourdough bread (2nd. plate) will be enjoyed during our reflection time this evening when all the work around our placed if finished for the day.

We harvested 50 carrots all of which look like these. We found they grew just as big and straight when grown in 2" pipe as they did in the 3" pipe.  The 2" will conserve soil and space (in our window sill during the winter months).  We did find that the carrots were more difficult to remove from the 2" tubes because the growth compressed the soil around them, but just a few more shakes and they were released.

That Rascally Varmint

I saw a fox coming up from the woods this morning.  He/she approached within 50 feet of the house, looked around, and casually walked over to the property next door.  The sight of the fox gives me pause about the chicken coop and chickens I was planning.  I alerted my neighbor who does have chickens. All chickens in the neighborhood must be on the alert.   They must ban together for protection.  Perhaps the chickens could form a civil defense force to stand guard against the onslaught of the fox…that rascally varmint.

The days pass quickly and each one presents a new challenge and new opportunities.  The challenges of graduate school confront me daily and the opportunities to exert a positive influence on the lives of my grandsons are also present daily.

I just read a short essay by Leonard E. Read (I, Pencil) which is a study of the free markets in action.  If you want to understand the free market concept; I invite you to click on the link and spend a few minutes devoted to awareness.  I also recommend “The Law” by Frederick Bastiat for an understanding of what freedom means and how we can so easily loose it – not because it is taken from us by force, but because we give it away by our inaction.

Ethan

Evan

Our grandson Ethan will graduate from kindergarten tomorrow.  He is a very smart young man and Jill and I look forward to doing so many things with him this summer.  We have new kites to be flown, and tree houses to build.  Evan is at the “Big House” today learning to use the telephone (he’s 10 months old and just about has that phone thing down pat).

More later as developments occur.

Spring 2011

I have neglected the blog for almost a year as I pursued so many other things that both interested me and demanded my time.

Bubba-D, our good dog died since I last posted.  Bubba-D was truly a friend to all – a “good old dog”.

I still manage to maintain a 3.96 GPA after completing 25 semester hours of graduate school.  I have only four more courses - required to complete the degree.  I expect to graduate in the fall of 2011.  My degree will be a Master of Education with a concentration in Educational Media and Technology.  I look forward to applying my new found skills in some venue that will allow me to ignite the passion for learning in young and old alike.  Jill and I are traveling to Johnson City, Tennessee this weekend where I will be initiated into two honor societies; Kappa Delta Pi and The Golden Key International Honor Society.  The Kappa Delta Pi event is on Thursday evening and the other event on Saturday evening.  We will be staying at the oldest home in Tennessee (The Hawley House) which has been for the past many years a Bed and Breakfast.

 

I recently resigned my employment as a technology help desk specialist.  After being promoted to instructor, I decided the demand on my time was just too much.  I left in good standing and may return in the fall when there is not so much to do around our home.  I discovered that doing “call-center” work from home can be far more demanding and challenging that it might first appear.  After all, there are tree-houses to be built and grandsons to be taught some of life’s lessons – what could be more important than that?

  We will increase the size of our garden this year.  In addition to our “pod” garden, which has been very productive for us for the past 2 years; we will be growing bush beans in the traditional way.  We will also, for the first time, be growing carrots in 3 inch tubes.  We started some of the carrots this winter in the house and placed them in the window seat which extends for 20 feet across the room.  The windows’ catch the morning sun and the carrots are thriving.  We may have stumbled upon a way to grow carrots 12 months out of the year.  The greenhouse was a big help and all of Jill’s plants survived the winter in fine shape.

My bid for a seat on the local school board was unsuccessful.  I include a link to one of the web sites I created during that campaign, just to preserve the effort. Campaign Web Page 

I will post an update after we return from Johnson City, Tennessee.

Summer 2010 - It Is Humid

June 13, 2010, so much has happened since my last post.  Sherisa and the baby (Evan John) are fine.  Evan will be born July 1st.  We are going to the hospital today for a tour of the delivery area.  We will decide what part we will each play in Sherisa and Evan's big event.  Jill or I one will be in the delivery room for this cesarean birth.  Jill was with her when Ethan was born so I may be there this time, for Evan.

This year we planted only tomatoes and a few squash plants in our garden.  A few pepper plants, but nothing like in past years when we tried to grow the whole variety of vegetables.  I think this fall we will remove the blackberries from the garden and put them in an area adjacent to the greenhouse.  They tend to spread out and make it difficult to navigate to the tomato plants.

We recovered the greenhouse and hopefully came up with a solution to prevent the covering from being blown or torn off again, as it was last winter. We still have to trim the front and back to make it look neat, but I believe we have it secured at the bottom, on both sides in a way that won't come loose.  Jill has planted "monkey grass" on three sides and her usual scattering of wild flowers.  You can see some more pictures of our garden this year, if you click HERE

Ethan began Mandarin Chinese lessons with a tutor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and he is doing really well.  He also completed a one week camp at the Hunter Museum of Art in Chattanooga.  He made several musical instruments and had a really good time and more importantly - he began his journey into the world of art and the appreciation of art in all its forms.  Check out his week by clicking here: Hunter Museum of Art  He has his own blog now and we invite you to check it out at www.EthanJamesKutz.Blogspot.com

I successfully completed my 1st semester of graduate school with a grade point average of 3.85 and was very relieved.  I have enrolled in two accelerated courses for this summer, which will keep me very busy.  You can read further about my grad school experiences at www.jamesepowers.blogspot.com  I also entered the race for a seat on the Bledsoe County School Board and you can view my political blog at: www.votejimpowers.blogspot.com

New neighbors next door are very nice and always willing to help and surprise us with gifts of firewood and excess bedding plants.  Good neighbors are a true treasure.  I am going to wonder out in the yard and see if I can be of help to Jill with any of her many projects.  Until that day....Jim

A Walk In The Snow

Jill, Ethan and I just back from our walk in the snow this morning. I really snowed hard last night and covered the tree limbs and everything else it could find to sit on with 4 inches of soft, fluffy, dry snow. When we returned from our walk, we put a few more logs in the stove, Jill made some hot chocolate and we laughed at the photos we made. It was a good walk!

My studies are going well and I am pleased to have learned so much, so fast.  I am now able to do a number of "digital things" I could not do just a month ago.

I activated my Facebook page again and you are all invited to visit me there.  Just send me your email address and I will invite you.

Until the next time

Jim

It Is 2010

2010 Wow! - We all made it.

For me, and the Powers Family, 2010 holds the promise of undiscovered truths just as 2009 presented us with challenges, rewards for the challenges we faced and met, and the increased awareness of our limitations and potentials.

In 2009, Jim graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a bachelors degree in University Studies, John, Sherisa and Ethan moved from California to Tennessee and Jill, bless her pretty heart, keep us all focused and moving forward.

The first day of 2010 was dreary here on the top of the mountain, and this night promises to be very cold, in the low 20’s. The fire is lit in the wood stove, lots of wood brought in to prevent the trip outside to the woodshed at night, and we are all at peace with each other and the world around us. Oh…I forgot to mention that Sherisa is pregnant and Jill and I hope for a granddaughter…but will be thankful and blessed with a boy or a girl.

I have been accepted into the graduate school of Education at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and I am very excited about the possibilities.

Our dog Tag “came up missing” don’t know where he went or who took him, but we think of him and hope he is well. Bubba D is in poor health, but is still with us - and - more spoiled than ever.

We look forward to the challenges and rewards of 2010 and wish all our friends and family a prosperous new year.

Jim