Enjoying summer...

The weather forecast did not look good for our Friday ride. There was a brief conversation of whether we should cancel or not since the forecast was "SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST" and the radar had it sitting right over where we were going to ride. As I was loading up the car w/ everything - we were going camping afterword - it downpoured on me and there was lots of lightning. But, we decided to make the call at the trailhead and when we got there it was dry...and it didn't rain the whole time.

After our ride, we hiked to a shelter to sleep. We wanted to stay at the shelter so if it rained we would not have to stay in our individual tents. The weather was wonderful and we had a great time roasting marshmallows! We hiked out Saturday morning and went to breakfast at a delicious cafe in Black Mountain...we ate so much that when we got home we couldn't really do anything we were too full.

We checked out the first Shindig on the Green for the summer. There were a ton of other people checking it out as well. There were tons of amazingly talented people there playing. We wanted to take out the camera because it is a fabulous opportunity to take photos, but the forecast was for rain. We had parked several blocks away and when it started feeling like a storm was gathering we told our friends good-bye and started walking. Well, we didn't get very far before it downpoured on us. At first we were running in our flip-flops getting drenched and then we realized that it was pointless, we couldn't possibly get any more wet than we all ready were.

Our rain barrels are happy and full now. Our garden is also loving the good soaking it has gotten the past several days. Before that we were having a dry spell. Mat took these nice pics of our flowers.

Quick trip to Roan Mountain

Last year we had a spectacular hike out at Roan Mountain with rhododendron and flaming azalea at their peak color. We decided last year that we should make it an annual trip to see it so amazingly beautiful. Well, June has flown by and we didn't make it out until this past Tuesday after work.  I just looked at our blog from last year and it was about this time we went out, but it bloomed earlier this year than last because there wasn't much going on bloom-wise.  But we still had an amazing time watching the sun set. Maddy loved getting out and running around too. Mat was able to practice exposure settings on his new camera. He is taking pictures at our friends' wedding in August, so he wants to practice all the different capabilities of the camera before the actual day! Here are some pics, but you can see more on flickr.

I took this photo of Mat in action...it's a tad dark. But he's looking good! And Maddy's exploring in the background.

The Weekend

While out at Mat's parents we walked down to the river on the property and went exploring up the river. We were going to try to spot a rare plant on our way down, but there was WAY too much poison ivy, so we just walked in the water. Here are some pics from the walk.

We also went on a beautiful bike ride out in Dupont State Park where there was some different types of terrain. We rode up the side of a waterfall on some slick rock after riding some regular single and double track trails and roads. We also pushed our bikes under a waterfall at the top in order to cross the creek/river. It had some awesome views. (Sarah and Mom, this is the same park we hiked up to with all the waterfalls, just a different area.)

Our garden is doing great. I spent the afternoon weeding it yesterday. Seems like if you don't weed for a couple of days, the garden is full of them! I planted sunflowers at the top of the garden and the are starting to bloom. Sunflowers are so cheery!

Don't think it won't get worse...

because it will. Today we decided for our sanity to put Shelby in her crate and take Maddy to our house to spend the day. Before we left for work though, Shelby decided to go roll in some fresh horse manure! When we called her, she came back a different color...slightly green. So we hosed her down and put her in her crate w/ windows open because we couldn't get rid of the wonderful smell. Mat got off of work before I did, so he picked up Maddy and came out to Weaverville. He found that Shelby had pooped all over inside her crate and outside of the crate too.

Shelby seems to be having a hard time without her owners! Mat was super nice and had it all cleaned up by the time I got home. :)

Sara and Mark came out and made us dinner and did some laundry this evening. We had a wonderful time and Sara & I were talking and enjoying our ice cream when all of the sudden Maddy starts her heaving and barfs over the carpet. (Out came a whole rabbit that Tillie had killed, it was gross!)

We yelled for Mat and Mark's attention and they didn't understand what was going on because I was just yelling and standing on the couch not looking. It was so loud that Maddy moved over to the wood floor and barfed 2 more times. Mat, again, cleaned up the mess and I tried not to throw up. This is a serious deterrent for owning pets. I did assist in cleaning the blood and guts out of the carpet.

It's been an interesting week. Now I'm just hoping to be able to handle whatever happens for the next couple of days.

I'm sure you guys will all be excited for me to move on to another topic!

I wrote (spoke) too soon...

I put everything, I thought, into the bathroom and shut the door. I gave them their kongs with peanut butter and left.  Mat came home to Maddy's dog bed torn apart and stuffing everywhere.  And the loveliest part, a library book that I had forgotten I'd left on the far side of the bed on the floor, eaten.  Now I know why they have the saying "But the dog ate my homework."  Because dogs really do chew up books/papers/etc.

We can't have any more of our stuff eaten, so we put Shelby's dog crate back together tonight and that is where she'll spend the day tomorrow.  The bummer of that deal is that we then need to take Maddy to our house so she doesn't make Shelby jealous by roaming around.  Luckily, I just have one more day of work this week and when I'm at home both the dogs get to chill and hang out.

House/Dog/Catsitting...

Mat, Maddy and I have been enjoying housesitting here at Mat's parents' house. They have air conditioning. Since we are going through a heat wave, it's a nice feeling to walk through the door and find it to be cooler than the outside! We've also been enjoying the sounds of the 17 year ciccadas outside.  We definitely are happy to be able to watch their dog and cat because we REALLY appreciate all that they do for us and that they are very willing to watch Maddy.

Tillie has spared us from any more surprises on the doorstep so far. It has been awesome for Maddy and Shelby to have someone to hang out with together during the times that they are left alone. We were informed that we should be cautious about flip flops and put them away in the closet. So, one morning when I went to go to our house to check on it and water the garden, I took Maddy with me, I gave Shelby her kong with peanut butter in it. When we came back a couple of hours later, Mat's flip flop had been chewed up all over the bed along with a portion of the kong. This was my fault, as I had just pushed Mat's shoes underneath the bed. Now, I put all our shoes in the bathroom and close the door.

On Monday, when I went to go water the garden and run some errands I left Maddy here thinking that Shelby was probably lonely. So I left after giving both of them their kongs with peanut butter. When I got home, I found more of the kongs chewed up on the bed AND a big hole in the center of the quilt! I am crossing my fingers and really hoping that this is not a family heirloom quilt that has been passed down! Seriously. I gave Shelby and Maddy a stern lecture about how they shouldn't eat quilts. (I didn't see it happen, so there might be a chance that Maddy has decided to start eating things.) I am sure that they completely understood me...really, they probably just enjoyed my mouth moving.

Well, I had to go to work yesterday, so I put the quilt away and all the shoes in the bathroom and tried to keep these that looked like they might be interesting away. I placed one of Maddy's blankets on the bed, so if someone felt like chewing it would be okay. Mat came home and everything seemed fine. Nothing eaten, just a few more chunks of kong chewed away. YEAH! That is very acceptable. :) When it came time to go to bed, I found Mat's eyeglasses chewed up. I don't know why it was thought that it could be a toy since it was up on the bookshelf. And the glasses were metal and glass, not a very soothing chew toy.

Today, before I head off to work, I will place everything we own in the bathroom. And hope for the best.

Garden produce

We have been enjoy the salads from our garden, but now that it has become so HOT, our lettuce is getting a tad bitter. We did enjoy our first zuchini a couple evenings ago. Today, when I went and checked on our garden to make sure it hadn't burnt to a crisp, I found this:

I think we'll have stir-fry tonight...

Heat Wave

It's been in the 90s the past week here in Asheville. It is way too early for such high temperatures. I hope that it cools down soon. We checked out Laurel Creek near Hot Springs because we had heard there were some good swimming holes. It was a nice trail that was all shaded by the trees.

Maddy had a great time!

My daring jump! As you can see I'm ready for some big cliffs...

It was definitely an enjoyable way to enjoy the hot day! Afterwards, we went and got ice cream cones. Delicious on a hot day...I don't know how you Arizonians can survive the heat!?!

Friday ride

This week our Friday ride people decided to ride out near where Mat's parents live.  Which made it kind of nice, so I just had to meet up w/ Mat 2 miles down the road to carpool up to the trailhead.  While waiting for Mat to call to let me know I should head out, I was reading a blog that my brother and his wife love...and that day's entry was about eating a bug on a ride.  (I also find the blog quite entertaining.)

After getting setup at the parking lot we started riding down the road to the trailhead and I'm pedalling along enjoying the day talking to Mat and a BUTTERFLY flew into my mouth.  Obviously, I tried spitting it out at the same time I was trying to "avoid" it which involved me taking a sharp left and ending up in the gulley at the side of the road. 

The guys riding behind me were nice and polite and pretended like they didn't even see it happen.  Meanwhile my husband, Mat, was busting a gut laughing so hard. 

He said "Next time, try the brakes." 

I was using the brakes, BUT I really wanted to avoid the butterfly that was all ready inside my mouth and that required serious action.  

I am sorry to say that I didn't have the frame of thought to analyze if the butterfly tasted good or bad.Â

morning offerings...

Mat and I are out cat/dog/housesitting at Mat's parent's house for the next 10 days while they are on an Alaskan adventure. This morning, we woke up bright and early and I went to feed the animals. Maddy's food is out on the porch, so I opened the door and almost walked out. Luckily, out of my peripheral vision I noticed that something was on the rug that isn't normally there. So I stopped my movement and looked down.

On the rug was a baby rabbit.

It was dead. (DO NOT CONTINUING READING IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH IN NATURE!) The rabbit was not just dead, but it was in pieces minus a head and with guts strewn out. I think I saw it's heart...or liver. I yelled for Mat and he was a good sport and cleaned up the lovely offering that Tillie, the cat, had left for us. Hopefully, it was a welcoming present and not a precursor of things to come!

Tillie seems so innocent... (Aren't you glad I didn't take a photo of what was on the porch this morning?)

killer ride...

So, the prediction was 50% chance of thunderstorms and rain. We decided to chance it and headed out for our weekend ride. I was excited, Mat was stoked, and Maddy was just happy to have her head out the window for the ride out to the trailhead.



Once we got to the trailhead, it looked like it had just rained, but that we might get lucky and not have it pour on us. The ride was fun at times and very challenging at times. My most stellar moment was walking my bike across some mossy, slimy logs and slipping off into the creek.







I was so worn out by the time we got to the gravel road to ride back to the car, that I couldn't even pedal my bike up the very last hill.  But Maddy, she kept on running ahead of us!  I went to bed really early that night!

The Garden

When we got back from Utah the garden had grown!  Our squash now has flowers and the lettuce was huge...so were the weeds.



The lovely squash...soon we'll be eating zuchini and yellow squash.



We enjoyed a delicious salad last night with our pasta dinner.  You can see the weeds flourishing in this picture.