A new year...a new day...a new me. I'm starting this blog at the urging of my niece, Kelli. She insists that I have something of value to share with the world. I insist that telling other people what I do (and what I think) on a daily basis is not really something that the world is interested in knowing. However, in trying to make my dear niece happy (and get her off my back), I am going to give it a whirl. So here we go...
This past December (2013), I quit my job due to the long commute from my home to my work location. For months I had been trying to weigh things out and decide if I wanted to spend the rest of my life waking up at 3:30 a.m., driving two hours to work, working eight hours, and then driving another two hours back home. With many a sleepless night and a good deal of stress, I finally came to the conclusion that I needed to take a chance and make a change.
I live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with one of the most wonderful husbands in the world. His name is Floyd, but (for the purposes of this blog) I'll call him "Charming" because he is my prince. Charming is the most intelligent man I know. He can create almost anything out of popsicle sticks and baling twine. My admiration of him is off-the-chart.
Charming and I live on a third of an acre in a quiet town. On this tiny plot of land, we have a grapevine, several fruit trees, and a decent-sized vegetable garden. My hobbies include: knitting, crocheting, spinning yarn, making braided rugs, sewing, quilting, making my own household cleaners and beauty products, growing and using herbs, gardening, and canning vegetables from our garden. I also can meat such as sausage, pork tenderloin, chicken, and roast beef. I love living as close to the land as possible. I shop at local thrift shops for clothes, household items, and stuff to support my crafting habits. There is nothing I like better than making something nice or pretty out of something that has been discarded by someone else. Charming's hobbies are: renovating our ranch-style house, anything related to computers, and guiding my eccentricities onto a productive path.
Generations ago, my Irish ancestors came to America and settled into the hollows on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in what is now known as the Shenandoah National Park. In the 1930's, my grandfather lost his land to "the Park". Many families were displaced by "the Park" and even now, a couple of generations later, the descendants of these families feel the pain of having been deprived of their mountain homes and culture. Although the fact that I am from "mountain" people doesn't totally define me, I do own up to having a certain accent and a penchant for certain phrases that make it evident that I'm from mountain stock. I will share some of those phrases with you in upcoming posts.
Lastly, I have a sensitivity to gluten (dadgumit!). After 30 years of suffering from "stomach problems", and with all the publicity regarding celiac disease, I had a long talk with my gastroenterologist. He suggested that I try a gluten-free diet. (In his words, "If it works, then gluten's your problem. If it doesn't work, then it's not. Sound advice without the cost of expensive medical tests.) I saw a huge difference after only a week on the diet. At the time, I was on medication for acid reflux and was constantly on the look out for the closest bathroom. At the risk of sounding like a "Gluten-free Evangelist", I am currently on no medications and feel better than I have in years. I cook from scratch because I'm cheap and because I like to be in control of what I eat, so I will occasionally share gluten-free recipes that don't require you to buy pre-packaged mixes at $5.00 a pop!
So this is me in a nutshell. I will try to post at least on a weekly basis. I promise the rest of my posts will be much, much shorter. Feel free to comment or ask questions…just please be kind.
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