Have you noticed? The light is changing outside. The sunlight is definitely beginning to take on that Fall look. And the temperatures are very pleasant during the day and at night. Ethel and I have been canning like mad. We’re just finishing some salsa and some tomato soup. We do so enjoy putting up the harvest, and we’re thankful for LC and Weezy’s help. One of the pleasures of the summer is sitting on the porch breaking beans and sharing the happenings in the community.

Did you stop by Rivercross Market this weekend? We had dropped by the Mast Store to get a couple of those fantastic fried apple pies from the Farmers’ Market and noticed that Rivercross had people going in and out of its doors. Being the nosy people that we are, we dropped in. Wow! It looks so different inside. We found lots of ideas for gifts – it’s a great place to stop for wedding gifts in particular.

One of the most fascinating things we saw as a “sculpture” that hangs on your porch or in a window with a motor called “Levitating Marbles.” They are made of large glass marbles in a spiral with another smaller marble below it. As it rotates, it looks like the marble moves up and down in the spiral. Pretty creative stuff!

[push]Here’s a good quote about light: We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own. – Ben Sweetland[/push]

I got some good news from my friend Tom at the Valle Crucis Conference Center. He told me that one of the little piggies from the sustainable farm is still with us. She was just moved to another place to have the pleasure of rooting up! Now, her compatriots, well, they are in piggie heaven.

I also heard some good news about Jillian Buchanan. She is recovering, but it is going to be a slow process. John says that she recognizes some things that are familiar to her, but she is not connecting totally with her environment. So, please remember to think of both of them – John and Jillian – they are in for an uphill battle as her brain continues to heal and she begins rehabilitation.

This week at the Park the concert will feature local favorites The Forget-Me-Nots. Once you hear them, you won’t soon forget them. These young ladies are very talented and have even written their own music in addition to playing traditional Celtic and classical pieces. Oh, and this week, the music begins at 6 p.m. Hope to see you there and remember to bring a jacket; it can get a little chilly.

Happy Birthday to Mike Taylor and Travis Donovan on September 1 and to Dede Workman on September 3. My best wishes to all of you for fine celebrations and lots of fun!

Ethel will be back with pen in hand next month. I’m sure there are lots of things that she will unearth to share with you. She’s always so good at getting the scoop. Please let us know about things that you know are happening. Just send us an e-mail at callieandethel@hotmail.com. If you need to send it by the postal service, mail it to:
Valle Crucis News
c/o Sandy Shook
Watauga Democrat
474 Industrial Park Drive
Boone, NC 28607

When we woke up this morning and glanced out the window we saw a big fog bank nestled into the valley. Can you believe that it’s almost time for Tom to start putting his beans in the jar? August is going to be here before we know it.

Check out the hummingbird visiting the feeder.

Ethel and I enjoyed a wonderful Sunday afternoon having a little porch sit with LC and a few other neighbors. We enjoyed a little breeze sitting on the front porch in the shade and watching the hummingbirds fight over who was in line next to the feeder. These birds are just fascinating. Did you know that they can live up to 10 years, but the average lifespan is 3-5 years?

It was nice to have a little rain yesterday. We certainly could use it. Ethel commented that she could walk across Dutch Creek without getting the tops of her feet wet. Currently, Valle Crucis and the rest of Watauga County is experiencing a moderate drought. There are 17 other counties in the state that are seeing moderate drought and another 66 that are abnormally dry. Who would have thought about that with the spring we had and the snow during the winter?

This week’s band at the Valle Crucis Park is Cruize Control. They play beach music. Ethel used to cut a rug doing the twist and the shag, which by the way, is North Carolina’s State Popular Dance. I hope you’ll join us at the Park for a night of fun and dance this Friday. Next week Southern Accent will be playing. Their repertoire includes Southern Gospel. When you’re at the park, make sure to make a donation, so we’ll be able to continue enjoying this beautiful area for years to come.

[push]Here’s a nice quote that is sort of about rain from one of my favorite poets: A bank is a place where they lend you an umbrella in fair weather and ask for it back when it begins to rain. Robert Frost. Have a wonderful week![/push]

Don’t forget about the Farmers’ Market behind the Original Store on Fridays. Folks are there from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. or until they sell out. Our squash hasn’t started coming in yet, so we picked up a couple of crooknecks last week and they made a fine supper. We love fried squash, but it smokes up the kitchen so much we are hesitant to fix it any more. Ethel was experimenting one day and found a way to make it without the smoke. She slices the squash longways, dips it in egg, and then rolls it in cornmeal. Then she places it on a cookie sheet that’s been sprayed with cooking spray and then she sprays the tops of the squash after she seasons them with a little salt and pepper. Put them in the oven at 450 degrees, and about 15 minutes or so later, there you are….oven-fried squash. Slap on a little mayonnaise, and yum, yum, they are good!

If you’re around on Saturday, you may want to stop by the Park and take part in the Watauga Riverkeeper Festival. It starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m. There will be activities for young and old including a nature walk, music, a fly-fishing clinic, and a watermelon-eating contest. It sure sounds like fun.

The festival is also dubbed “Hellbender Appreciation Day.” I caught one of those one time. It scared me so bad that I threw my fishing pole away.

We were sorry to hear of the passing of Catherine Taylor last week. Our condolences go out to her family, which includes the Jensens, and her friends.

The Valle Crucis Punkin Festival is looking for some craft vendors. The event is held on the Saturday after Valle Country Fair and is a kid-friendly festival. If you are interested in selling your crafts there or have a hands-on activity that might be good for young folks, contact Peggy at the Mast Store Annex (828-963-6511). The festival is a fundraiser for the Western Youth Network.

Happy Birthday to John Cooper and Alex Craig on July 22, Denise Ringler on July 24, Marcus Lehmann on July 25, Bob Darst on July 26, Sam Yates on July 27, and Ann Gerber on July 30. Happy Anniversary to Bob and Polly Capps on July 26 and to Jim and Muriel Moore on July 31. My best wishes to all of you for fine celebrations and lots of fun!

Please let us know about things that you  know are happening. Just send us an e-mail at callieandethel@hotmail.com or send snail mail to:
Valle Crucis News
c/o Sandy Shook
Watauga Democrat
474 Industrial Park Drive
Boone, NC 28607