Tuesday, May 15, 2012

My garden this year


So I've been asked what I am growing this year.  I am going to run down the list.  Also, keep in mind, I am growing all this in a duplex apartment, with no outside faucet.

*Sugar Daddy Peas

*Super Snappy Peas

*Blue Lake Pole Beans

*Red Beefsteak Tomatoes

*Zuchini

*Straight Eight Cucumbers

*Garlic

*Mediterranean Oregano

*Basil

*Mint julep

*Pineapple Mint

*Chocolate Mint

*Golden Cayenne

*Yellow Bell Pepper

*Spinach

*All Seasons Romaine Lettuce

*Looseleaf Lettuce Mix- includes Black Seeded Simpson, Red Salad Bowl, Royal Oak Leaf, Lollo Rossa, & Salad Bowl

*[5 peppers from a Hot Pepper Mix

*[2 Peppers from a Sweet Heirloom Mix


I think that's everything!  If I could figure out how to grow more, I totally would!

Revolving list of places I want to camp/hike

So, if you are curious about where I want to camp and/or hike, check back here frequently.  I will keep adding to this list as I can.  I also plan to try and write on each hike.


*Bald River Falls just outside Tellico and our second favorite campground. North River Campground: Adjacent to North River. Some sites overlook the river. North River is floatable at most of the year Ten tent sites. No flush toilets, no hot showers. Water spigot. Directions: From Tellico Plains, TN, take State Rt. 165 east 9.8 miles to the North River campground sign (Forest Rt. 217). Turn left onto Rt. 217 and go 2.7 miles to campground sign. Turn right into campground. Thanks to my friend Angela Kelsey for the info and inspiration!

* Panther Creek State Park: Maple Arch Double Loop.
   TNStateparks.com
   Found in -Five Star Trails Knoxville, Johnny Molloy
   *** difficulty
   5.5 mile double loop
   dogs allowed?

* Smoky Mountains: Alum Cave Bluff.
   nps.gov/grsm
   Found in -Five Star Trails Knoxville, Johnny Molloy
   *** difficulty
   4.6 miles out and back
   No dogs allowed, don't go on weekends

* Smoky Mountains: White Oak Sink.
   nps.gov/grsm
   Found in -Five Star Trails Knoxville, Johnny Molloy
   ** difficulty
   4.6 miles out and back
   No dogs allowed, don't go on weekends

*Cherokee National Forrest: Slickrock Creek Loop
   http://www.fs.usda.gov/attmain/cherokee/specialplaces
   Found in -Five Star Trails Knoxville, Johnny Molloy
   *** difficulty
   6.4 mile balloon loop
   Dogs?

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Thoughts on upset folks & family



So I got married.  I had a beautiful ceremony with some of the people I love best in the world in attendance and helping with the ceremony.

I am Pagan.  This means that it was not a traditional Christian ceremony.  I did that once.  This was so much more me and more important to me than that first ceremony ever was.

So, I am getting a lot of hurt feelings vibes from members of my family.  I am trying to figure out how to handle those hurt feelings when I made my own decisions and purposefully didn't invite a bunch of people out of respect for their religion and their comfort.

I wish that my dad could have attended, but let's face it, he would have been intensely uncomfortable and I would have spent a large part of the day worried about him and his comfort and not enjoying my wedding.  That doesn't sound like what this special day was supposed to be to me.  

Since the wedding, or, more accurately, the handfasting,  I feel like I am getting the silent treatment from my dad, his fiancee, and a lot of the rest of my family.  This really hurts me.  I have went out of my way to not offend them or make them feel uncomfortable.  This includes withholding my religion from them.

I know my family, and I know that my dad would be the most understanding of all of them and he would still be very disappointed in me because he feels like the only way to heaven is through Jesus.  It just isn't the way I feel.  It's not my path.


So for my trouble of trying to spare other people's feelings and emotions, I feel like I am being shunned from my family.  My dad hasn't returned my phone calls, and I am worried that he is mad at me, which is what I do- I worry.   So I am almost ready to be over it and come out to my family.  I just hope that I can do it in an appropriate way and not totally alienate everyone.  I do still care what they feel, even if they don't care about what I feel.

I'm just frustrated and hurt.  I thought my family cared more about me than that.   Maybe my true family was with me that day, and those are the only ones that matter.