1. Almost all of the seeds we planted about a week ago are up. Even though the things we planted are cold hardy, it’s still late in the year to get them started. I think planting them in the part of the garden that gets the most sunshine helped with the speedy germination. The way the sun moves across the sky above our house is already changing to its winter path. In a few weeks the sun won’t shine in most parts of the back garden till next spring.
2. A couple of weeks ago The Deer Hunter showed me a video from Josh Turner’s YouTube channel. We’ve been fans of Josh for many years. In the video Josh and his friend Carson are covering Marty Robbins’s hit “Big Iron.” Wow do they do a great job! From amazing harmony to outstanding guitar picking their performance is top notch. You can see the video here.
3. Fall of the year has arrived, but my flowers are still blooming. It took most of them all summer to fully come into their own. The weather was so hot and dry they struggled to grow much less bloom. If you look close you can see a small bumblebee on the pink coneflower. It was moving mighty slow in the airish morning weather.
4. We haven’t built the first fire of fall yet, but at least the woodpile has been replenished and we’re ready when it’s time.
5. Most days I go sit outside to eat my dinner. If the sun is too hot I head for the porch swing. If I’m anxious to feel the heat of the sun while I eat I go to the back deck that isn’t covered. I love to sit and feel that amazing warmth beaming down. Even though I know fall of the year is here, one day this week I was surprised to find I was chilly sitting on the back deck. In fact before I was finished eating my daily allotment of watermelon I left the shade of the chair to stand in the sunshine by the door. The sun felt so good. It brought to mind the sunshine that comes out after storms—storms of weather and life. I pray the sun soon returns to shine on all those who have suffered from Helene and Milton.
Please continue to pray for the storm victims many of whom have suffered damage, destruction, and death. And of course remember to pray for all the people giving aid.
Last night’s video: Granny Answers Questions About Pap.
Tipper
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Close to 50 years ago my older brother Harold bought a used Sony reel to reel tape recorder. It came with two full reels of tape. One reel nothing on it. The second had nothing but Marty Robbins songs. I’m pretty sure “Big Iron” was one of them.
After listening to all of his songs repeatedly I decided that was the way country music was supposed to be. Marty’s music stood out above the cookie cutter musicians of the time and of today.
Josh does a good cover of Marty’s work here. I hope he does more of this kind of stuff!
PS: I’ve had most of this comment on my screen since early this morning but now it’s 5:30 PM and I just finished and am getting ready to click on “Post Comment”.
Loved the 5 things! We still have no power but thank the Lord no damage and all friends and family are safe. Thanks for all the prayers!
So glad your fall garden is coming along well!!! You live in such a beautiful and peaceful place. I can definitely imagine how beautiful the fall of the year is in your neck of the woods. Several years ago we made a day trip to the mountains of north Georgia and briefly crossed the state line into your neck of the woods—it was so beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed our day. We are very fortunate that a day trip can be made very easily. The drive up and back is very scenic and so enjoyable. When my husband and I got married in June of 1979, we spent a long weekend honeymoon in Helen, GA. We’ve made several return trips over the past 45 years and we really enjoy this area. I would definitely like to do it again soon, but definitely not this year. Still praying for everyone so severely affected by the recent storms. I am also praying for our country and all the turmoil that is likely coming with the election and its aftermath. I have a terrible feeling we are in for even more difficult times ahead!!!!! May God be with us all!!!!!
5 wonderful things & more ! Thank you , as always for sharing your dear heart !
Love & God’s blessing on all !!!!!
Thank you all who are praying for the volunteers. Our dearest friend is now in Orlando FL and there are 5 guys sleeping in a tent. He text me last night and said that he has had about 6 hours of sleep since last Sunday. He is a firefighter so he knows how to work those long and hard days. I pray that the Lord blesses everyone who’s helping those who are suffering. Amen.
Tipper, I shouldn’t be surprised by now that your family appreciates the same musicians that my sisters and I do. Josh Turner & Carson McKee are two of our favorites along with Alison Young (The Byegones). Also, Paul mentioned Doyle Dykes Sunday String-along that I also watch. All are the modern day superlatives who were greatly influenced by the older set. I thank God for those He has gifted with the ability to soothe our souls and lift our spirits when we need it. These are the days when we need it. Let’s keep our “kin” in TN, NC & FL in our prayers every day, and continue to help them financially as we can over the coming months as they struggle to heal and rebuild. Those of us who did not suffer loss are meant to be here for those who did. One Go Fund Me for”Support Farmers & Grassroots Food Systems ” is helping farmers to keep their land. These farmers have been feeding those affected by Helene in western NC. This link to the You Tube channel shows that the money reaches the community directly.
https://youtu.be/szFKrAq4ImU?si=Ngj-cfUZYDSTI2EX. Please give to whoever you feel comfortable giving too, but more importantly, pray without ceasing.
I was ready for fall of the year, it was hot and dry here this summer and the garden struggled. Because I just couldn’t stand not getting enough green beans this year, I did like you and Matt, I tore out the plants and replanted on August 4th. Now their coming on great and I’m trying to eek out as much as we can before frost gets em!
Good video last night with Granny! Prayers for all!
You were right Tipper Josh and Carson did a great job singing Big Iron. I really enjoyed your 5 things list. Glad your seeds are up and growing, hoping they keep you growing greens all winter long. Prayers continue for all affected by both hurricanes and for all the countless numbers of volunteers helping in anyway they can.
Thank you for sharing the video! Not the Josh Turner I know about, but just as excellent! What a great job from both guys. Marty Robbins would be proud ☺️
Seeds, a song, flowers, firewood and sunshine , just simple things and simple pleasures. Yet a heart to appreciate them makes for a rich life. And one that longs for all others to be equally or better blessed is richer still. Just maybe that come close to summing up BP&A, if such a thing is possible. A friend sent me a post from WRAL tv about B4 BBQ from Texas coming to NC to serve first responders 2000 lbs of bbq. Of course that is only one among a great many examples. Wouldn’t it be something to know how many prayers, how many individual donations, how many tears or smiles? God knows. And He won’t forget.
It was 42 degrees here this morning. My flowers are still blooming and seem to like the cold mornings. But as soon as we get a frost, which is due the third week of October, they will start shrinking and dying off. Our four Knockout Rose bushes are full of red roses, too. The hummingbirds left Tuesday. I sure do miss see them flying around and playing with each other. They will return the first week of April. Prayers continue to go up for the victims of Helene and Milton.
Big Iron is one of my favorite Marty Robbins songs. Josh Turner and his friend did an excellent job on it. Thanks for sharing it.
Prayers continue for the impacted by the storms and those rendering aid.
Tipper, I’m thrilled to announce I have made an offer on a house near Abingdon, Va which is about an hour and half away toward better weather and less severe winters than are here. I will go a step further and tell everybody do not think about coming to broke down WV and expect anything good to happen. I cannot wait to get away from this place. It’s the only place I’ve ever been in my whole life you cannot get ahead no matter what. I’m excited to have a nice garden on a flat piece of dirt and it doesn’t snow as deep as a giraffe stands. I want you all to pray the insurance adjuster totals out my home and if it rains and it will the only thing holding up this 45 degree hill was hickory trees and now they are toppled with gaping holes 30 feet wide and 15 feet deep. There will be a landslide so that’s a fact…. Pray for me and add many more to the list of NC and TN devastation. It’s spread into WV and VA too. Prayers, well wishes and I like your Mary Jane loafers in the picture Tipper!!! They are nice. Will check out the song after I spend some morning time with the Lord… have a blessed day and I will keep you posted.
I love this post; I love your five things. Josh and Carson’s rendition is wonderful. Sprouting seeds–nothing better especially after a rough season, and the bloomers in fall just add luster to colorful tree backdrops. The last two are my favorites. The shoes look like TEVA shoes, my favorite brand. I have a pair that looks almost exactly like yours and the same colors. The woodpile, ready to go, is always my favorite fall event. So much work accomplished and work that saves lives and money. If you can heat and eat, you’re going to make it through winter. Stacks are also beautiful to behold. Well done, Matthew.
45 degrees this morning in southern Greenville County, SC, it will usually be a few degrees warmer in the city. The nighttime temperatures are suppose to get a few degrees lower next week. I did turn my heat on last night. The pile of firewood makes me think back to when my Daddy was living and using wood to heat his home, I kept him a years supply of firewood cut ahead each year. We had our own wood I would cut it on our property. Like other areas, trees are blown down everywhere you look now in our woods. I no longer need firewood and am unable to cut it anyway. Plenty of good oak trees on the side of roads and yards that could be used for good firewood after Helene.
It’s definitely fall, here, too. I, like you, crave the sunshine, knowing it won’t be a plentiful soon. I see Binks enjoying it, too 🙂 When I met my husband, he was from the “city” lol. He didn’t realize that we had to “pipe the sunshine into the holler”. We still laugh about telling him that all those years ago. It reminds me of that Patty Loveless song “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”; “where the sun comes up about 10 in the mornin’ and the sun goes down about 3 in the day”, because it’s so very true. We had our first spotty frost night before last but my little impatiens are still growing and thriving and my mums are coming in beautifully! Tell Matt he has a great listening ear and thank you for sharing that cover of “Big Iron”. I listened and they really make a great duo! His singing style reminds me of Paul, a bit! Lastly, standing in agreement with you for all affected by the hurricanes. Have a blessed day, Tipper and family, and all here at Blind Pig and the Acorn!
I have lived all of life out in the sticks of Southern Greenville County, SC. and wouldn’t trade my double wide mobile home and my property for a mansion in the city. I have always joked about piping the sunshine in to us and it being a day old when we got it. I also tease about the roads and say if they ever tried to paint white center lines on them the lines would be wider than the road.
Saw next week some 30 degree mornings predicted for us. This time of the year is my favorite time of all year.
I just love this post and all the topics you touch and share. Going from om season to another is always interesting because it is never the same from year to year. It is 59 degrees this morning and it was 72 yesterday morning about the same time. It is suppose to be up to the mid 80s today and who knows about tomorrow. We actually dodged the bullet with Milton, Praise the Lord and prayerfully this hurricane season is over for another year. Prayers for Granny and you guys…Hugs