view

view
Along the Natchez Trace

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Trivial Trivia....

Time goes fast when we're up here on the Ridge.  Knowing we're here for just over a week makes us hustle to see everyone and get all kinds of things done.  We try to visit with family and friends and that usually means eating out a lot.  The closest town is 5 miles or so away and being a small college town (Ohio University) there are lots of places to eat... many ethnic cuisines...  vegan...  organic foods...  you name it.   Our Texas daughter flew into a small West Virginia airport last week so she could be with her husband as they drive their 5th wheel rig back to Texas.  Victor has been working as a consultant on an oil/gas job in WV.  They'll be taking their rig to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta for a vacation.  Celeste was able to catch up with several of her friends while here and even eat some of her favorite home-town foods.  Our farm is only about 30 miles from the Ohio River, the Ohio/WV state borders, and Victor's job is about an hour's drive away.

They're on their way back to Texas as I write...  but we'll see them in a couple of weeks when we're all in ABQ.

We seldom grill out - not because we don't like grilled foods, but I guess because I usually have something planned inside.  However....
I may not have a Weber Q, and it looks like we've already taken off some of the veggies, but we managed to round up an old grill that some renters left a few years back and make dinner last night.  George would probably be mortified at my efforts...  but really, it was delicious!

Dizzy often writes his blog about little-known facts or what some would consider trivia.  He'll often tell about something that makes me want to pursue the thought further.  (yes, he makes me wonder about things too).  Anyway, recently he wrote about the 1913 Buffalo nickle.
I had to get out my Mom's coin collection and have a look....
Of all these nickles, most were worn so much that the dates were completely worn off.  There were only 4 coins that I could read the dates...  all 1936.  So, Dizzy...  no raised mounds....  
I had fun looking at Ma's collection...  it's a whole 'nother story about how she managed to acquire these coins.  While some are fairly old (late 1800's) I doubt if any are really worth much as they were all in circulation before she got them so many are well worn.  I'll put them back in the coffee can and return them to the safe deposit box at the bank...  makes me wonder how many safe deposit boxes hold some family treasure that is valuable only to the family....

Bill's been working on the old farmhouse since we've been here.  The renters had a baby in May and by this coming spring, Michael will be walking and doing all those toddler things.  The back deck needed a new rail around it, so Bill & Victor headed to Lowe's and bought some sections of fencing? railing? whatever....  and replaced the old railing.  And the new has slats (or whatever you call them) that are only about 3" apart so a kid can't get through to fall over the side.  Also, the roof on the farmhouse got a leak somewhere and they bought some stuff to repair it.  We're coming into the rainy time here in SE Ohio... quickly followed by the snowy season, so we hope it works.
Almost finished...  a few more slats to add.

Old farmhouses often have old, mostly unfinished basements...  places that used to store coal or canned goods or sometimes root cellars.  Also great places for black snakes to live.  Usually snakes take up residence because of the mouse supply, so they aren't bad housemates.  However, sharing a house with them can make some folks a bit uneasy.  Seems a black snake has taken up residence in the basement of the old farmhouse.  I've told the renters that I'll be happy to catch and relocate the critter if they call me next time they see him.  Our RV pad is only about 500' behind the house and we'll be here a few more days....  wouldn't be the first black snake I've carried away to a new home.

So...  we're catching up with things here....  taking a break between our summer life and our winter life.  Just getting a few things done and then it's on the road again....

Bill does work on the place all day, but come evening....
Time to relax with a glass of wine and let me practice using my new camera....

That's All For Today!


7 comments:

  1. I just love to eat. In fact, it is one of my most favorite hobbies. You can invite me to dinner any time (grin). Sorry you couldn't find any nickels with the buffalo standing on the mound. Keep looking.

    ReplyDelete
  2. An interesting 'pot luck' of information. How do you catch the snake?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Who me mortified? Now way for decades I cooked on a charcoal grill or a wood fire and love the smell of the real fire. And the extra taste it imparts into the food. Your meal looks amazing and sure brings back memories.
    But being fulltime I had tried a few gas grills because of the convenience. Then I discovered the Weber. It works so well I can cook on it most every night year round.
    Those old coins are probably worth a lot more than their face value, A good coin dealer can appraise them for you. I took some old coins Suzie Dad had to a dealer this spring and got about 5-6 times their face value because of their silver content.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, by the way, you mentioned that your son-in-law is working a consulting job in West Virginia. Our son took a job at an oil rig located on the north shore of Alaska. The only thing further north of him is the north pole and some Russian icebreakers.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great shot of Bill with the new camera. I removed a number of black snakes from a friends basement in Connecticut one year. They were babies and more worm than snake, but our friend would scream, run back upstairs, and call us.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I had to look up and read about black snakes then. I like snakes, but have only handled a few varieties other than the common garter snakes that are everywhere around here. Your vegees look delicious! I keep a few old pennies, not sure why. they're from the 20's.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What kind of camera did you get?? I missed that I guess. I'm rather erratic with my blogging these days. Nice photos you posted, and I especially like your "cobweb" Header! Fabulous!! Oh, and it's usually the bigger Bull Elk that wins the contest.

    ReplyDelete