Day two

Lincoln and Tina went to Buena Vista to pick up McKay, back to the Hotel where we ate a great breakfast and then back to Lexington for medications.  Sorry if this is a little long.  There are more pictures than narrative.

On our way back from Lexington, I asked Lincoln if we could stop and see foamhenge.  It was interesting.

It was quite the climb because this was on a hill top.  It was just starting to get warm.

 This is where we started our long trek to the bridge. 

I love huge trees and this is just one on our way down the path to the bottom.

From the bottom of the path to the top at Lace Falls  it was 1000 yds that we did in hundred degrees, but we did it leisurely taking lots of stops.

The other side of the bridge

Most of the path was in the shade and there was this wall that was cool to sit on and there were benches also to sit on.  This is one time I was drinking water and sweating ( I don't usually sweat, but it was hot).

When we finished the hike, we ate at the gift shop and then went downstairs to the toy museum and then to the wax museum.

After the museum Sid, Lincoln and McKay went through the caverns and Tina and waited for them.

We went back to Lexington and ate at the Tong Dynasty.  It was really good.  It reminded me of the New York Buffet here in California. The sweet waitress couldn't speak very good English but she wanted to take our pictures.

Then back to the Hotel for more games and a good nights sleep.

Day one of Being in Virginia

Our oldest daughter and her husband invited Sid and me to go to Virginia with them to pick up their son from efy. We left Friday afternoon about 2 o'clock and took our car with Lincoln driving.

I thought the road was delightful driving to the Natural Bridge Hotel. We are almost to the Hotel.

The Natural Bridge Hotel is famous for both it's southern hospitality and for the authentic southern cooking served up in the Colonial Dining Room.  The Saturday buffet was delicious.

I loved these two busts in the lobby.

That evening we went to Lexington, Virginia and found this Mexican restaurant.  It was really kewel inside but horrible food.

After the meal we went back to the Hotel and played games until bedtime.  As we sat down to play games we discovered that Sid had forgotten his medicines.  I called Kroger Pharmacies and they called Rite-Aide here in Maryland and so Saturday morning at nine back to Lexington we would go.

Swimming

Today I went with Trudy to swimming lessons.  Stevie is doing great and so are Zane and Noah.

After the swimming lessons we went up to Tina's and spent most of the day in the pool in back of her house.

This is the crew after the whistle blew and the kids had to get out of the pool.  It was a fun day.  I noticed after I got home that I had gotten more sun than I thought I had.

Green Beans

In Utah I tried growing green beans.  I don't think there was a year that I didn't try something new so that I could grow green beans.  They just didn't like the alkaline soil.

Last year I grew pole and bush beans.  They did wonderful but I didn't know what to do with them.  I did freeze them and they are okay.

This year I only planted bush beans, 4 rows.  They are growing like gang busters.  This is the second picking and I have more in the refrigerator and more to be picked.  This is a bowl of Sweet-Sour Green Beans.  Oh soooo Yummy!!!!!

Here is the recipe if anyone is interested.

Sweet-Sour Green Beans

3 lbs green beans

3 onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings

1 1/3 c. vinegar

1 2/3 c. sugar

2/3 c. water

3 tblsp. salad oil, I used olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

.Cut off tips of beans; leave whole.  Cook in boiling salted water until tender.  Drain.

. Combine beans and onion rings in a large bowl.  Stir together remaining ingredients.  Pour over beans.  Refrigerate at least 24 hours, stirring occasionally.  Makes about 3 1/2 qts.

Tina's Cookout

Last Monday Tina called to see if we wanted to come out to a BBQ.  We love BBQS.  I made a potato salad, I was hoping for some leftovers, but that didn't happen.

Lincoln cooked up some chicken that was simply delicious.

Kids on the trampoline while waiting to eat all the delicious food.

Eating Lincoln's fresh salsa while we wait.

Visiting and playing after a great meal.  Besides being thankful that we live in this great land, I'm thankful for living next to family so we can get together once in awhile.  It is great being a mother and grandmother.

Those pesty squash bugs

The other morning I was out in the garden and noticed some of my squash leafs turning yellow and then I spied some pesty squash bugs.  I got on the internet and put in squash bugs.  It said that controlling this bugs could be done by planting later in the season but in the southern states the cycle of bugs happens twice in the growing season.

I had been putting sevin on for about two weeks and it didn't seem to be doing the job.  This article went on to say that you can kill them by putting the eggs and adults in soapy water, soooo today was the day I decided to try it.  I put some clothes soap in a ice cream bucket and filled it half full with warm susdy water.

Pretty eggs

Tomorrow I'll go out when it is cooler to see if I can find some more of those pesty squash bugs.  We will see who wins this battle.

Color over Black and White

Just wondering how many of you like this picture in color or black and white.  Just curious.

Scroll on down to my first blog of the day.

Our 4th of July

I stayed home from church with a cold that I caught Wednesday.  I felt a lot better and when it was time to see the fireworks of the Bainters Grandpa and I went out and watched them.  They were good, we found out the bigger the firework the longer they were.  You can't buy the ones that go up in the air and explode.  If you get those you have to go to South Carolina like our sons went to Wyoming for our fireworks.

This is my most favorite picture.  This was after it was all over and about 10 pm.

First Fireworks of this year

Last night Noah and Stevie came in and said they were going to do some fireworks and did we want to come watch.  Of course we did, it was a cool, clear evening and very enjoyable watching the kids.  More to come on the 4th of July they told us.

I have always loved sparklers.  It is fun is see what the kids try and draw or just the figures they do.

Happy 4th of July to everyone.