December 2012 Update

Finished garage apt.

Garage apt. 

House foundation

Great grand (Jr.) staying with Papa (Larry) and Neena (Darian)  for a few mos.

 

Papa and Jr. playing in the snow..

Our road into the Hollow..

 

You all know to click on a pic and they'll all show in a row..click on each one and view LARGE size.

So!  It's December 2012 and the "kids" are cozy in their garage apt. which will be the game room/music room/guest apt. in the future.  The house foundation is done..all by Larry and Darian..and the "dry in" (building of the shell of the house) will be started after Christmas.  All is well in the Hollow.

Merry Christmas! 

An October visit to Rolling Meadows Orchard and Farm 2012

Bebe needed a hoodie this visit..got a little chilly..

View from the Lake Norris home we rented...

Some random views to and from the farm...

A little color..was just really beginning..

Love these misty blue ridges!

A drive out and about Claiborne county..

Some flowers/weeds at the farm..

More blue ridges...

We couldn't wait to get up to Tennessee to see the beginnings of Autumn!  Colors were just starting..we stayed 8 days and the color was coming in big time.  The garage apartment was well under way and the foundation of the house has begun...so very exciting.  Will add updated pics of the apartment when it's done..driving these foothills of the Appalachian chain is just breathtaking..every time we come up..no matter the time of year..no matter rain or shine.  I am in love with our future home! 

Jacksonville, Fl. St. John's River/marsh

 

It's all really happening!

Rolling Meadow's Farm view

Framed in garage apt. in the metal bldg.

More garage apt. framed, wired, windows and doors

and lights..getting ready for sheet rock, bathroom,

kitchen, and floors.  Lot's of work to do yet.

Windows and back door installed..this is the garage

apt.  Soon to be the music room, guest apt. and man

  cave! The daughter and son in law will live here       

while they build the house!

 

The building site..looking down from the wooded

ridge on the back side of the farm..

The house building site..

The back meadow at night..great pic for night time!

 

 

 

The "kids" have been on the property for 2 weeks..accomplished a lot!  The apartment they're building in the pole building will be ready in another 2 weeks.  The bathroom, kitchen and flooring going in after the sheetrock this coming week.  They have been working so hard but they enjoy their mornings and evenings watching the deer in the meadows and the sun come up over the ridge to the East and the beautiful sunsets behind the West rolling hills.   I can't wait until we visit with them in Oct. It's really happening!  I also can't express how proud I am of their efforts and my daughter's capacity for learning all of the building skills she has been able to absorb.  Wiring sockets last week! I am still landscaping and gardening***virtually*** on my pages on-line. Between FB, my photo pages, and Pinterest.  It's lots of fun, but can't wait until I can physically carry out some of these ideas!  Bis spater! 

Georgia Sunrise over the Marsh....


The "kids" are on their way Northward..N.E. Florida to N.E. Tennessee..or Bust!  Just took off about an hour ago and Darian just sent this pic. from her phone..from the bridge that crosses the massive marshlands in coastal Georgia.  Some beautiful sights between here and there.  About half way through S. Caroline they head N. W. to Ashville N.C.   The Blue Ridges are so very beautiful..then a direct Eastward route to N.E. Tn. and the Cumberland Mtns. (Cumberland Gap).    

The first task at hand is to make the contruction trailer (a 30+ft. R.V. trailer) livable for the next month or so.  Just a few modifications to make my comfort prone daughter more.....comfortable!  :o)  Then Larry will finish the "guest" apartment/man cave he's already framed out in the steel building.  That's where they will stay through the Winter as they begin building their new house on the 26 acres we call Rolling Meadows Farm!  

Safe travels and lots of luck (good wishes and prayers) for my "kids"!

Tennessee or Bust!

Oh my Gosh!  Daughter and Son-in-law have sold their house, are living in a condo beach rental now until Sept 5, and then moving to Tennessee.  Things are rocketing forward.  A 5 year plan has come to fruition in 3 yrs and moving right along. 

I am going to worry, and wish we were up there too, but they have much to do before we can join them..building their own house..building a Mother-in-law suite, etc.

So, I'm taking care of the grand-lab along with my own menagerie and looking forward to visits as the projects progress. 

Onward and upward!!!

It's been two (2)!!! months since I've been here!  My daughter's Florida home is sold.  They will be in Tennessee in a month.  It all seems to be happening  too fast! It was years in the making.  Lots more work to come, but things are moving right along.  Daughter is ambivilent..she cries about leaving the home she bought all on her own.  But she's so very excited about her new adventure.  We all love the beauty of Tennessee and can't believe we'll be living there full time.  I have "friended" several more Tennessee professionals (photogs, crafters, artists, etc.) on facebook and we have met up with many of our future friends/neighbors. 

My front yard..Florida (it's the monsoon season)..

I live just about 25 miles from the Fountain of Youth..

A lavender farm and store just up the road from our property..found them

on Face Book..

My daughter's step grandchild..he accompanied them to Tennessee in June.

J.R. eating straight out of the garden..

Buttercup? and our favorite black swallowtail butterflies..

April visit to Tennessee 2012

 I just wrote this on another's blog:  I have to say..I try to catch up on a few blogs about once a month or so. I just signed in to update my blog, which I haven't done for over a month. It's so easy to get caught up in other things..and I don't just mean the mundacity of life..I mean facebook..reading..watching old movies. Lazy, entertaining, immediate gratification. I'm sorry I'm not more supportive of the blogs I follow..and that I'm not more creative on my own.

I had just signed in to add a note and pictures about and of our last trip to Tennessee and the property.  I read the other blog and realized, I'm not just lazy and forgetful about my own blog..but about the blogs that I follow.  Many have links from Facebook, and I'll link over and read an article or comments..and then link back to Facebook, not realizing that I never left a footprint on the other blog..no comment..not even a thanks for the smile, or an atta boy/girl.  Sorry about that!  It's partly lazyness, I think..and partly that thing we've developed, and raised our children with..the need for immediate gratification/entertainment. 

We call this the "tree of life"!  Looks like it..no?

Fencing the orchard..

What is it about blue birds!?  I love them...

Went into the 20's 2 nights and all the blooms frosted..including in the orchard! This little, old, gnarled dogwood suffered!

Darian mowing the orchard..

The first building (the shed)..built by Larry, with a little help from his cousin, cousin's wife and son, and Darian..I mowed!  :o)

The new building..this trip was to pour the cement floor..

If you look closely, you can see both Larry and Darian mowing!

On the road to Virginia...

On the road to Virginia...

Livestock dog..Great Pyranees, and below, the goats..I LOVE these dogs!  They're like polar bears!

Deer prints down by the lake..deck side of the lake rental..

Larry's tractor finally made it from Florida to Tn.

Self explanatory..yes? 

Bebe has turned into the BEST travel buddy ever!  Bebe's 2nd trip with us.  For a rescued little sad sack, she's turned into the best little companion ever!

From the lake rental deck.

So..back to our last trip to Tn.  We (daughter's family and my own) rented the lake house in New Tazewell, Tn. that we like so much.  It' costs about the same as one hotel room, and we sleep 4 to 6 or more people there, comfortably, and less expensively than we would using a motel.  The blue birds were busy feeding their babies.  The swallow was feeding her nest in the deck eaves.  They were all so busy we were able to get lots of pictures.  Bebe discovered and chased a few rabbits.  She was SO full of herself over that!  Saw a few deer, but not at the lake as we have in previous visits.  The property is developing nicely.  Lots of mowing whenever we go up.  Darian worked herself to the point of exhaustion this trip..Larry put up a solar elec. fence around the orchard to try to keep the deer out..we'll see how that works.  More fruit trees were added. The cement floor was poured in the pole building.  And then we all piled into one car and drove to Virginia (ha, ha..about 25 miles or so) to visit a goat farm one day.  Lots of fun!  So, I've posted some of the better pictures, and comments.  And thank you, whoever reads this..