CoffeeCoffeeCoffee

WNC mountains.... we are home!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 20:26:00 +0000

My granddaughter, modeling the completed table.


Designed and built a table for the deck.

With the help of my son-in-law and sweetie.

Gray, the new cat (came with the house) enjoying the deck.

Sugar enjoying the deck.


A new planter for the deck, thanks to my kids for a gift card from Lowe's for Mother's Day.

Made a house sign.

New screen room for the deck up.

Culture...Friday Drum Circle, downtown Asheville.

Local talent... our new favorite singer, Peggy Ratuzs

Downtown Hendersonville, our new town.

New fire pit.

First Fire!

New starts for garden.

Soldier fly bin to recycle organic scraps.


New flowers.....

Beautiful views from the car.....

First dinner at a real table!

Woof!

Meow!


Ouch.... shot myself in the foot with a pellet pistol!

Deployment Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 19:41:00 +0000

Today, at the Crown Coliseum, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the 30th Brigade began the final days to departure with a Deployment Ceremony for family and friends. Why is this important? Because my baby, Kyle (newly married), is one of those soldiers. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Stumble It!

Dun dun it!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Mon, 14 May 2012 04:19:00 +0000

Packed up the fairies and moved to the hills..... ok, I brought Sugar, the Wonder Poodle, and my Sweetie...
Been here for almost a month now..... loving the hills, loving the quiet... We wanted to do this for a long time... and the time finally came.

And we now have a new family member.... her name is Grey, the Wonder Cat! She came with the house and made us feel right at home.

Zazzle store

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 18:06:00 +0000

create & buy custom products at Zazzle

Does Your Solar System Multi-Task?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 19:57:00 +0000

How Long Will It Last?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:24:00 +0000


The day is warm and the wind is blowing.

My flowering quince is in full bloom.

The bulb garden is flowering in February!

From Here to There.....

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:31:00 +0000

Mountains and lakes and waterfalls and mansions.....

.......to the most beautiful collection of orchids I have ever seen!

I was ever so fortunate to take a little getaway trip with my sweetie. We rented and jeep and set our sites on the road heading west..... western NC anyways. We got to Asheville Monday afternoon. We met up with family and friends. We sampled some great farm to table restaurants(Home Grown, Early Girl Eatery, and Tupelo Honey Cafe). We drove the Blue Ridge Parkway and explored the River Arts District (and got to chat with artist Jonas Gerard). We toured the Biltmore Estate and grounds. We took a tour of the Biltmore Winery and sampled some very nice wines and some not for me wines.

The moral to the story is..... it is always nice to get away for a few days. If you are thinking of heading west (western NC, that is) Asheville is a great place to stop. If you are looking for a place to lay your head down while you are there, I definitely recommend the Grove Park Inn. The Grove Park Inn is an historic destination in is own right. Friendly and relaxing place to end up at the end of the day.

PS.... didn't need the jeep.... alas... no snow :)

Wanted.....

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 00:02:00 +0000

Posting from my Driod

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:02:00 +0000

Maybe this will help me post on a regular basis!

Kids..... ain't they sweet!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 18:55:00 +0000

Hello?????

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:59:00 +0000

Wow.... yes, me again..... still keeping busy. It is amazing how when you have family nearby, how little time I have to keep up with my blogs.... so here is a few pics of life....

OMG

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:11:00 +0000

Has it really been this long?

Time just flies by.

Kyle has been back for his mid tour leave and now he is back for good (til next time, anyway).

My daughter and her family have relocated to NC. (YEAH!)

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years have come and gone.

I hope everyone is doing great. I miss you all!

Christina

What's Up?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:18:00 +0000

Hanging out at the Homestead......

(whistle) How did that cute tushie get in here!
My, how I love the view!

Watching the sunflowers....
My fav "Homestead" tv channel!

What's the country without...
you got it... a little front porch pickin?

and off to a lovely summer wedding!

Well, that is part of what been goin' on
at the Homestead this summer....

more to follow!

I hope you have had a fabulous summer, my darlings!

The MailMan Honks Once

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:57:00 +0000

The Mailman brought me a surprise.
A big brown box.
It didn't say Avon.
That was the only thing I had order recently.
MMMM Marketing Departmet?
Who Markets Meeee?
So I grabbed the scissors.
I sliced open the tape.
.... lo and behold ~ a brown bag with curly ribbon!
It's too early for my birthday!
(It is a month a way.... HINT HINT)
So what could it be?

Well, check it out!
My comment buddy, BarbaraRae, had a little contest
over at her blog, Goal For The Green!
And I won!
Yes, ME!
I won a prize!
I couldn't believe!

Green Batteries!

I thought, ok, I will probably get a pack of AA's.

But, NOPE!

I got a whole bag of batteries!

Thanks BarbaraRae!

Check these batteries out at www.greenfuji.com

They are landfill friendly.
Cadmium Free
Mercury Free
PVC Free

Fuji EnviroMAX batteries!

A ECO-Friendly battery alternative!

What do these images have in common?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:24:00 +0000

ME!

I am off to Indiana on an airplane to attend a wedding!

My niece is getting married Saturday!

As most of you know, I am originally from Indiana. It is not my favorite place in the world, but it is where my mommy and some of my family live. So needs dictate that I must return occasionally. I am glad this is one of the happier reasons to return!

Here are some facts from Enchanted Learning:

Indiana was the 19^th state in the USA; it became a state on December 11, 1816.

State Abbreviation - IN
State Capital - Indianapolis
Largest City - Indianapolis
Area - 36,420 square miles [Indiana is the 38th biggest state in the USA]
Population - 6,080,485 (as of 2000) [Indiana is the 14th most populous state in the USA]
Name for Residents - Indianians or Hoosiers
Major Industries - agriculture (corn, soybeans, wheat), manufacturing, mining (coal, limestone), steel-making

Major Rivers - Ohio River, Wabash River, White River, Tippecanoe River
Major Lakes - Mississinewa Lake, Lake Michigan
Highest Point - Hoosier Hill, Wayne County (near Richmond in east-central Indiana) - 1,257 feet (383 m) above sea level
Bordering States - Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio

Origin of the Name Indiana - Indiana is a word that refers to the local Indians.
State Nickname - Hoosier State
State Motto - "The Crossroads of America"
State Song - "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away," by Paul Dresser

BANG!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:56:00 +0000

Time for a new post! Life just keeps on ticking away.....

This is my new adventure "PyraBang!"

I was cruisin' my friends from CommentExchange.net, and went to Diane's Blog. I read her post.

It's free to join! If you like what you see, then there is a gold membership for $5.95.

Check it out.... give me some feed back.... I am still learning what it is all about!

What are you up to?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Here it is ~ almost the end of July.... summer is flying away. I just ordered Kyle new strings for his guitar. Sweetie is playing with the dogs on the front porch. Most of all I am enjoying my rare, sort of, day off. There is so much to catch up on. Bill harvested this years garlic crop. It is drying in the barn. The first round of corn has been harvested. We are working on food preservation this year. We have dried corn, carrots, green beans and a few onions. Easy to throw in to a hearty stew this winter.

We are missing Kyle tremendously. He does call when he can. It is hard on his new wife. But the time is passing, just a bit slowly for her. He will be home for his mid tour leave in September. We are all looking forward to that.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

Together Forever!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:10:00 +0000

ALLTEL/VERIZONWIRELESS are one today!

Some of you know that I am an outside sales consultant.

I sell the VZW product and plans.

A little over a year ago, VZW announced the acquisition of Alltel.

The deed is done. Not with out many headaches.

So all of you former Alltel users, visit your nearest VZW outlet
and find out what options are available. I am on call today and
have not had a day off in 14 days..... Yes, I will be glad when all
of this settles down! The unknown was horrible, as always!

To my regular readers, If it isn't family obligations~it is work!

So once again an apology to you!

I miss my blogs and blog friends....

... where did I put that coffee cup?

Hey, anyone see my coffee Cup!

You know I don't have blood....

I run on CAFFIENE!

Have a great day!

My son turns 21 ~ A view from Iraq

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Kyle has been in the middle east now for 2 1/2 months.
He turned 21 yesterday! I miss him alot.
Communication is surely different today!
He has his cell phone and computer.
Skype makes it realtime. He called this AM and I missed it.

Happy Birthday, Kyle!

Summer is here.... what are you up to?

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:16:00 +0000

MY, MY, MY.... one of my friends at the CommentExchange kicked me in the butt this week. She essentially said (paraphrasing) ~Get off your lazy rear and post something new!~ So here I am, at 11:17pm going through all the other "web" stuff I have put off this month. So what do I post about? MMMMMMMMMMMM Well, I keep trying to figure out how to make money on the internet. I am not so successful at that. Oh, I make $5 here and $2 there. Money is Money. But, as much as I love selling, I would rather be selling for me. Not for "The Man", you know. Catch 22~I have to keep the job with the man in order to live and thus not enough time to build a business to earn enough to live. (Are you confused yet?)

I want to hear success stories. Lots and Lots of success stories. Are you or anyone you know actually making enough money to live on? My friend John over at Potpolitics is running a series of posts by La Teasa at Home Business Success. I just really haven't had the time to really, REALLY read the articles. So that is my goal..... I am going to read the guest posts and really search La Teasa's site and see what I learn. If I learn something really good, I will let you know.

Until then....
The strawberries were great this spring
Green beans are going gangbusters
The first round of corn is days away from harvest
The bees are doing there thang (I hope there is enough honey to harvest this fall)
The girls are still blessing us with eggs
Buck is growing from a puppy into a lovely dog
Sugar has the patience of Job
And my Sweetie of Sweeties is the best Sweetie in the world
........ and he's all mine! :P

Just when...

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:21:00 +0000

...you think life is slowing down a bit~it speeds up tenfold! My grandkids have been visiting the last week and a half. Needless to say with work and play, the blog has suffered! Hope everyone is having a great beginning to a great summer!

Make Money on the Internet

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:29:00 +0000

Making money on the internet...... I just ain't figured it out yet. Most programs and schemes out there want money. Now, I am not opposed to investing in an opportunity. I just don't like to go around and throw the money down the toilet. Being burned makes one more cautious. I ask questions of people and get snide answers about doing homework. Well, part of my homework was trying to get a response out of someone who is actually working the program and making it work. I don't want the company hype. I want a real conversation. I am a sales person. I know the buzz words. I want to make money, but I don't want to be suckered in to suckering other people. There are many people out there who are more gullible than I am. I do not want their money.

I try to live frugally. That means controlling my money and resources. I try to make the world a better place. That means not scamming people into giving up money just so that I have it.

So here is my challenge:

If you make a living on the internet, tell me why I should use your program. Tell me why the program benefits you and others.

Remember, I am looking for a REAL conversation!

If you prefer not to converse here, just send me an email.

theoriginalcoffeecompany at yahoo dot com

Stumble It!

The GMO Bandwagon is in Town!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:54:00 +0000

It's been a while since I blogged about GMO's.... (Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are the result of laboratory processes which artificially insert foreign genes into the DNA of food crops or animals. Those genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. GMOs are not safe, but have been in the food supply since 1996. Most Americans say they would not eat GMOs if labeled, but the U.S. does not require labeling.)

I got my copy of Spilling the Beans newsletter today. In it was a fantastic article on GMO's. Spilling The Beans is put out by the Institute for Responsible Technology. You can get your copy by signing up here.

You can join the 30 day challenge by clicking on the image above! We need to put our foot down. We need to shout from the roof tops. We need to pass this on to everyone we know!

GMO's ARE BAD FOR YOU!

This month's article is

Doctors Warn: Avoid Genetically Modified Food

By Jeffrey M. Smith

Excerpt:

GM corn and cotton are engineered to produce their own built-in pesticide in every cell. When bugs bite the plant, the poison splits open their stomach and kills them. Biotech companies claim that the pesticide, called Bt—produced from soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis—has a history of safe use, since organic farmers and others use Bt bacteria spray for natural insect control. Genetic engineers insert Bt genes into corn and cotton, so the plants do the killing.

The Bt-toxin produced in GM plants, however, is thousands of times more concentrated than natural Bt spray, is designed to be more toxic,[10] has properties of an allergen, and unlike the spray, cannot be washed off the plant.

Moreover, studies confirm that even the less toxic natural bacterial spray is harmful. When dispersed by plane to kill gypsy moths in the Pacific Northwest, about 500 people reported allergy or flu-like symptoms. Some had to go to the emergency room.[11]^,[12]

[10] See for example, A. Dutton, H. Klein, J. Romeis, and F. Bigler, “Uptake of Bt-toxin by herbivores feeding on transgenic maize and consequences for the predator Chrysoperia carnea,” Ecological Entomology 27 (2002): 441–7; and J. Romeis, A. Dutton, and F. Bigler, “Bacillus thuringiensis toxin (Cry1Ab) has no direct effect on larvae of the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae),” Journal of Insect Physiology 50, no.2–3 (2004): 175–183.

[11] Washington State Department of Health, “Report of health surveillance activities: Asian gypsy moth control program,” (Olympia, WA: Washington State Dept. of Health, 1993).

[12] M. Green, et al., “Public health implications of the microbial pesticide Bacillus thuringiensis: An epidemiological study, Oregon, 1985-86,” Amer. J. Public Health 80, no. 7(1990): 848–852.

Another excerpt:

On May 19^th, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on “Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.”[1] They called for a moratorium on GM foods, long-term independent studies, and labeling. AAEM’s position paper stated, “Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. They conclude, “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation,” as defined by recognized scientific criteria. “The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.”

More and more doctors are already prescribing GM-free diets. Dr. Amy Dean, a Michigan internal medicine specialist, and board member of AAEM says, “I strongly recommend patients eat strictly non-genetically modified foods.” Ohio allergist Dr. John Boyles says “I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it.”

Dr. Jennifer Armstrong, President of AAEM, says, “Physicians are probably seeing the effects in their patients, but need to know how to ask the right questions.” World renowned biologist Pushpa M. Bhargava goes one step further. After reviewing more than 600 scientific journals, he concludes that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a major contributor to the sharply deteriorating health of Americans.

[1] http://www.aaemonline.org/ gmopost.html

Please go register for the newsletter, Spilling The Beans! Read it! Be appalled! Share it!
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/AbouttheInstitute/NewsletterSignup/index.cfm

Also visit the Institute for Responsible Technology here for more information.

Our future depends on the people speaking out! If we don't speak out, we may not have a future!

Join the 30 day challenge!

Stumble It!

News from the Homestead!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Sun, 17 May 2009 19:16:00 +0000

Meet the Queen of the Homestead!

Our lovely bees came home today and were given a new condo.
Rent will be in the form of delicious, natural honey!

They arrived in this box!

All 15,000 of them!

Except for the Queen and her 6 attendants.

They were given separate deluxe accommodations.

Getting ready to take up residence in their new home.
Sugar the wonderdog, ever diligent in her oversight of all homestead newcomers!

Let's do the bee shake!
With a rather rude awakening the bees were assigned quarters in the condo!

Settling in.

Senior bee master, Sugar, hard at work.

Welcome home little stingers! Make lots of honey!

Stumble It!

Have A Laugh!

noreply@blogger.com (Christina) — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:40:00 +0000

Stumble It!