Winter Wears On

Though sadly I've remained busy attending funerals, I've done a heap of other things as well.
I've been doing my winter dates with Ol' Mother Hubbard's Cupboard.
Baby Boy was first and we checked out a new place in town that had his most favorite foods- pizza and ice cream.  I was anxious to talk to them  find out how they were settling in on the farm.  Wow, he's growing up and while he's remained the baby boy of their bunch, he just isn't much of a baby anymore.
Miss Linee wanted to learn to fix corn chowder.  She's been cooking some with her Mom and already knew how to make a roux. She was very impressed with the flavor from roasting the corn and other veggies.  We made a good soup.
Annabellie wanted to do a craft crawl, so we spent the evening at our local craft stores. My goodness, we could while away days planning things do with lots of bits of ephemera. So fun.  She requested Panera, and we finished up at a new ice cream store that serves ice cream in antique teacups- be still my heart.

Today I was scheduled for Ol' Henry.  Unfortunately, he is under the weather, so we postponed it.

I decided I'd use that time for a much needed nap, after a very lovely, exhausting weekend. I'll come back to that.

Remember the post of Bean with the pheasant?  Well,  the Captain prepared them for our supper.  

So, here I'm going to just jump in the deep end and say something that for some is emotionally loaded.  He didn't fix it by himself.  It was a most lovely evening. For some months he's been dating  a really nice, umm, girl? lady? friend?    Just plain likable she is, and for the same time Ceece has been dating a guy.  And though I haven't met him, I'm guessing he must be a likable type as well. I've been very mindful to stay silent on social media until they were ready for the world to know.  These are very strange waters to navigate when you feel like opening your heart to someone new means hurting the heart of someone you still love, and hope to not only always love, but have a good relationship with.   You dream of a perfect scenario, where everyone gets along and has a grand ol' time.  Ahem. I not only have dreamed, but have also prayed.   So pictures after today may contain some folks you don't know.  I hope so.  I want them both to have a love, a helpmate, and a happy life.  

We attended a fundraiser for Drummer Boy's kid's scouting group.  My good friend Deb's grands also attend this group, so we were able to have our yummy potato bar supper together.

Around Christmas time, Drummer Boy said he'd like to take the kids to Corbin, where my parents are from and for me to show them around.  We planned to go this past weekend on my break.  It turned out all the grands could go.  Of course, some of these piks look just like a Playdate, that we've had many times, but is actually the first time we've all gone off on a trip together.  The Captain had a military obligation, but otherwise we were all at Cumberland Falls.  We had hoped to see the Moonbow, but Mr. Moon didn't cooperate with our need for sleep after rock climbing with littles all day. So we settled for a beautiful, sunshiney rainbow. 

I am so my Mother's child.  Scrambling over her mountains and keeping this crew fed is my joy.

Rae captured the rainbow on this glorious morning.

On one of Mom's many moves, when she was no longer concerned with wearing jewelry, I took her costume jewelry for her Great Grands to enjoy.  Tears. 

We picked up my cousin Myra and drove around showing the old farm and my aunts and uncles places,  where I stayed when we went back, which was often in my childhood. When we passed the garage where Mom's brother Estill worked during all of my memory,  I shared with the kids that I learned to pour peanuts in my Coke in that garage.  They'd never heard of such a thing.  On our way back to the cabin I commented that I needed to stop and get gas and Bugg said, "And peanuts." 

So the tradition lives on. 

Another cousin came to visit, so I sat and had some good conversation on the balcony in the back, but games went on inside. 

After Cumberland Falls, our next stop was the Cumberland Gap.  Good thing we had a big lunch before we tackled that climb.  Wow!

Did you know there are hiker crowns?  Yes sir. 

This was an awesome cliff face and Bean is an awesome climber, so up he went.  You will have to click on it to see if you can spot the kids at the bottom. 

The distance was a bit deceiving and almost more than Pap and I could manage. It went from an elevation of 1100 feet to 2000 feet.  I knew that it wasn't likely I'd get this opportunity with all my people, so we persevered. 

Next stop, Pine Mountain.  Thankfully, I've seen the chained rock, and Pap said he'd be content looking at the pictures, so Michael hiked in with the troops. 

Too bad this kid isn't cute.  He took a lot of these pictures.  He and Bugg were such a help to me this weekend.  I don't know what I would have done without them. 

And little Missy Buttercup is growing up and a big help as well. 

Overwhelming gratitude that we got to go, that it was beautiful all weekend long, that no one fell off anything and that even though she's gone, it still feels good to do things that would make my Mom smile.   Thank you Lord!