1. The Deer Hunter made his first knife. He used an old saw blade and a piece of rough lumbered black walnut. Turned out pretty good if you ask me. I love the shape of it. He said he had an old trapper’s knife in mind when he was cutting it out. The metal is pitted but that doesn’t effect the usefulness of the knife and I think the patina adds to the appeal of the whole thing.
2. One of my eyes has been giving me a fit since back before Christmas. Well truthfully it’s been bothering me on and off for at least 2 years. One of the times Pap was in the emergency room at the VA it was so red one of his cardiac docs asked me if it was ok. Anyway my eye doctor has been treating it for the last 2 months, but not much has helped. At one visit I told him my husband’s friend said he had the same problem and his daddy made a liquid from sassafras roots and put it in his eye and it cured it right up. The doctor looked at me and said “So how long have you been putting sassafras in your eye?” I laughed and said “I haven’t actually put it in my eye, I’m just telling you what my husband’s friend said.” I should have shared the Appalachian cure for a stye with him. If you haven’t heard it before you’re supposed to let a black cat rub it’s tail across your eye to cure a stye.
3. We’ve been thinking about the coming garden, you know making plans for replacing the raised beds and dreaming about what we’ll grow this year. Chitter and Chatter cleaned up the greenhouse without even being asked to. I think they’re ready to stick their hands and feet into some dirt. Chitter is planning to expand her medicinal herb garden and Chatter hopes to plant some flowers along with our usual veggies.
4. I’ve been greatly enjoying the old time banjo playing of J.D.Wilkes. I think I originally found him on Instagram or maybe it was Youtube. Either way I’m glad I found him. I especially like J.D. and Charlie Stamper’s version of the old song Glory to the Meeting House. You can hear the song here.
5. I was featured in the February/March issue of Smoky Mountain Living. Blind Pig Reader Jim Casada wrote the piece. I had nary a clue that he planed to write it nor that it would be in the magazine until it was! In the coming days I’ll share the article with you, even though it makes me turn several shades of red every time I read it or someone mentions it to me.
Tipper
New reader here from the wonderfully written article in SML!
Hi Tipper and Crew! I enjoy the Five Things blogs. The knife, she is a beauty. The irritated eye could use the sassafras root juice, indeed. If Chatter wants to plant flowers among the veggies, marigolds will keep the bad bugs away – I always plant them alongside my veggies. I’ve been itching to start some seeds and dig in the dirt here it’s been so warm lately, but I’m holding my horses for a bit longer . . . although they get restless on these sunny days!
Congrats on the article – you all are popular! Love from the riverbank in Marshall –
How exciting for you to be in a publication! What a nice surprise!
And about that eye, are you sure it’s a stye, or do you have a foreign matter stuck in there that you don’t know about?
For styes, we use to make black tea, then when the tea bag had cooled a bit, we’d lay back and put it on the eye.
I don’t know if it cures it, but it’s said to be drawing, and it does make it feel better, while not having to worry about overdosing on it, no matter how many times a day you use it.
Prayers everyone’s having a wonderful week, and a safe one too.
God bless.
RB
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Everything very good — except I worry about your eye, Tipper. Please keep us posted, and I’ll keep you in my prayers for healing.
Tipper,
I love Deer Hunter’s knife. I happen to love the pitted blade. Some how it reminds me of those old black fallen walnuts when the shells are decaying and goes perfect with the beautiful walnut handle. What a great combo!
No fun having eyeball problems! I had me a bit of a hemorrhage a few years ago behind my eye. It started burning like crazy and I thought I had a bursted blood vessel like I did one time when I was a kid. When my eye appointment time came, I had to have the shot in the eye thing. Watch my blood pressure, etc. All better now but try not to stress out on things like before!
Wish we still had our greenhouse. So much fun starting seeds and cuttings this time of year. I actually kept mine going thru the winter with plants and house plants growing and blooming. Thennnn, it became very expensive to keep it heated just for a hobby. Eventually, sold off most of the plants and just start seeds in the sunny windows nowadays!’
Listened to Glory to the Meeting House! Why don’t you take up the banjo! I betcha you would be good at playing! I would love to learn!
I’m going to have to make a trip to the book store in town to purchase The Smoky Mountain Living magazine. I have been meaning to subscribe to it for a long time since I saw another article in it written by Jim. Can’t wait to read about the Blind Pig and the Angel of Brasstown!
Thanks Tipper, Great Post as usual!
I really like The Deer Hunter’s knife. Beautiful!
Reading about The Deer Hunter’s knife brought back fresh memories of my husband, Hans. He, too, made a knife from a saw blade and adorned it with a curved handle, though I don’t know the type of wood he used. It’s in our garage cupboard and I use it for all sorts of things. It would even serve as a weapon if necessary. Some of these men are mighty handy with all sorts of things. Eleanor Loos, Columbia Station, OH
Tipper,
I heard another song by Paul and Pap and the Gang, “Angles of Mercy”. That was real nice. …Ken
Tipper,
I was watching the Fox Channel this morning and that blooming Ground Hog saw his shadow up in Pennsylvania. I guess that means we’re in for 6 more weeks of Winter.
The Deer Hunter’s Knife looks really nice, and I bet he’s feeling good about it. I was wondering awhile back when his ambition would take over. I hope your eye gets better cause I know a little bit about eyes and it’s problems. Looking forward to getting in the garden too. …Ken
Beautiful knife!
I went ahead and subscribed to J.D. Wilkes. I hadn’t heard those tunes on a banjo for a long time. I had a neighbor years ago that played a lot of those tunes. He was good until he hit the sauce. Then you never heard such a racket. We always called claw hammer style overhand.
Sorry Tipper I don’t have a black cat but have you tried B-50 COMPLEX?
Beautiful knife!
I went ahead and subscribed to J.D. Wilkes. I hadn’t heard those tunes on a banjo for a long time. I had a neighbor years ago that played a lot of those tunes. He was good until he hit the sauce. Then you never heard such a racket. We always called claw hammer style overhand.
Sorry Tipper I don’t have a black cat but have you tried B-50 COMPLEX?
Beautiful knife!
I went ahead and subscribed to J.D. Wilkes. I hadn’t heard those tunes on a banjo for a long time. I had a neighbor years ago that played a lot of those tunes. He was good until he hit the sauce. Then you never heard such a racket. We always called claw hammer style overhand.
Sorry Tipper I don’t have a black cat but have you tried B-50 COMPLEX?
Beautiful knife!
I went ahead and subscribed to J.D. Wilkes. I hadn’t heard those tunes on a banjo for a long time. I had a neighbor years ago that played a lot of those tunes. He was good until he hit the sauce. Then you never heard such a racket. We always called claw hammer style overhand.
Sorry Tipper I don’t have a black cat but have you tried B-50 COMPLEX?
I truly enjoyed reading, and seeing all ‘five things’! I hate it about your eye, though, and hope for a cure soon. I’m sure looking forward to reading Jim’s article, as well.
That’s one cool looking knife. I see The Deerhunter keeps a keen sharp edge like my father did.
I have been putting off making my first knife. I have an old lawnmower blade picked out for the blade and a piece of boxwood for the handle. All I need now is to get a round tuit.
Tipper–That’s a mighty impressive looking knife, although as a blade aficionado of sorts, I’d love to see a side view. Maybe more to the point, perhaps it’s time for Matt to take a note from the younger generation and get him an Etsy shop or whatever they are called where he offers home-made knives. I’ll be first in line to buy one!
Now, since he’s off and running in this direction, I reckon it’s time to suggest that he turn his capable hands to a related chore–crafting a sheath.
Jim Casada
Kudos to The Angel of Brasstown on the Smoky Mountain Living article, and to The Deer Hunter on the splendid craftsmanship of the skinnin’ knife. That perfect grind on the sharp edge is impressive.
That’s the very first knife the Deer Hunter made? Gosh! that knife is a beauty – in my kitchen, that’s the one I’d reach for every time!
I sympathize about your eye, especially since for the past couple of weeks my little cat Della has been having eye problems requiring three trips to the vet and eyedrops every few hours. I can honestly say I’d rather it was me having the problem, because at least I’d understand what was going on. Anyway I hope both you and Della are soon 100% well!
How nice to be planning your gardens…and to have a greenhouse all tidied up and ready to be filled with the smell of damp earth and the sight of little sprouts poking their heads up. Won’t be long now!
Can’t wait to read Jim’s article!! He’s such a good writer, and he certainly chose a good subject 🙂
Always a fascinating read!
With temps in the upper 70s and 80s, planting the full garden has been tempting; however, any groundhog or similar critter here in Central Texas would have seen his shadow today – and Easter isn’t until April – and even in far south Texas, Grandma was hesitant to plant much until after Easter.
I’ve got bottoms cut out of clear water jugs so I’ll set some out next week if I can figure out how to anchor the jugs against the fierce spring winds.
I’m looking forward to Jim’s article about you.
Also – Deerhunter’s knife is a beaut!
I like the looks of that knife to. It was the look of a family heirloom handed down for generations. And somehow it just looks like it will work well.
Sorry to hear about youe eye hurting, especially for so long. I have hard contacts and am all too familiar with eye pain. I have heard that being sprayed in the face by a skunk is good for the eyes but I am not recommending it as I do not know by experience.
Good for the girls! I am thinking the same way and plan to start cleaning up the garden today.
Thanks to Jim for the tribute and for surprising you with it. Even without reading it, we are sure it is well-deserved and doesn’t overstate the case. Looking forward to reading it.
WOW! Tipper, you covered your POST like the frost covers the grass! I would like very much to make one of those BOOK EVENTS!
I am going to be presenting “Fiddler of the Mountains” and “The Matheson Cove” to the members of the Historical Society in Clinton, TN on 02-23-17 – MY FIRST BOOK EVENT IN 2017!
Eva Nell
We planted ourctaters yesterday. I just couldn’t eating any longer go feel the dirt!
How talented deer hunter is. So many skills have been lost. Growi g things brings us all closer to our natural selves, good for both of the girls. With 2 black cats I have had a tail in my eye more than once. Must work no sty here.
Hope you get your eye problem squared away. I looked for the “Angel of Brasstown ” online, and couldn’t find it. Perhaps it will show in later archived articles.
I found your blog through the Smoky Mountain Living article. I keep it on hand to remind myself who the people are who you nickname!
Am truly enjoying the blog…it somehow has a calming effect on me….even through the humor.
Tipper, I’m so glad you’ll be sharing the Smoky Mountain article . I’ve seen it and it’s a wonderful article!
Thank you, Jim, for writing about Tip and the Blind Pig. She has devoted a lot of time, thought, and energy into making the Blind Pig the wonderful resource on Appalachia that it is!
I am so impressed with the Deer Hunter’s knife. The man can make anything he sets his mind to. He’s never made a knife before and just look at what he produced on his first time out!!