Mountain Pool, July 4, 2008

Bessie and Millie at the cabin during summer vacation

Cabin during the summer of 2008

"End cap special" tiles set in first floor bathroom

The new tile finished with "biscut" grout - only the trim needs be painted

Old frig door painted with "chaulkboard black" paint to cover rust spots...so much better (it still runs so why replace it)

A bit of personality added with notes and magnetic poetry

We saw some kyackers during our visit to Wilsons Creek - very cool hand paddles

I uncovered a mountain laurel on our property that once had a rock planter surround that I reconstructed

Mom gave us one of her old bird feeders to put up at the cabin - the squirrels found it first but eventually the birds started to use it about a week later

There is a plethra of animal life on the mountain; this trip we spied a bobcat out our kitchen window one morning (in addition to having to take care of a timber rattler again near our front porch)

The mountain views are green and beautiful from our community

Sunset from about the same location on our mountain

View from the pool on a very clear summer day (usually much more "smokey" - they call them the Smokey Mtns for a reason)

At about $4 ea., these vinyl blinds are the ticket for the basement windows

The old east side deck finally has chopped legs courtesy of a sawsall and a farm jack (with some 4x4s for cribbing) - - now only to level it and set it on foundation piers

The new H2O heater is installed and operative on newly constructed base of pressure-treated wood

This Broyhill heirloom collection headboard was originally $500, on sale for $260...but then special for $149 - - we got the last one at the outlet center for $49 (some inserts installed and then bolts to the bed frame made it ready for Zzzzzs)

A hornet's nest in our master bathroom window being removed, after the hornets were long sence toast

Two stories in the air and repairing, reglazing and painting an old double-hung window (oh joy)

A view from inside as I remove a pane of glass from a double-hung window in Andrew's room

Cynthia and Elizabeth at Lake James State Park

Moon rise on the mountain the summer of 08

Elizabeth and Andrew enjoying the mountain pool

The new wire shelf in the basement; this space use to be REALLY grose but now is a very workable laundry room (still need to replumb that work sink)

On a trip up past Lake Lure and Batcave, NC, I spied this falling down inn

A Rugid dump cart is very useful behind an ATV when you're a half-mile up on a mountain

My sister and I with my kids near the mountain lodge

Well, the second timber rattler of the season decided to try and make home on our cabin deck, not successfully thanks to Mr. Remington's 870 12-gage shotgun

This timber rattler was nearly 4 ft. in length and had 10 rattles and a button

I replaced the french doors in May but needed to blend in the stain on the cedar siding on the west side of the cabin (and now the rest of the cabin needs such TLC)

We love visiting Manual Woodworkers and Weavers to get very cost-effective textiles like this tapestry

Another tapestry for the cabin

I first thought these were "skinks" but after getting the Peterson guide on Reptiles and Amphibians I now stand corrected that this is a "whiptail"

Overlooking Wilson Creek during the summer of 2008

Another view of one of our favorite places in Western North Carolina

Sundown is a special time on the mountain

Colors appear as never seen by our eyes

You really understand from on top of the mountain that God is real and present in everything