Wednesday, August 10, 2016

It's MountainMama's Birthday!

Exactly one year ago today I hit 'publish' on my very first blog post. 

265 posts later, I can't believe how many of you have stuck around to read the drivel that pours from my head to my hands, and ends up traveling the globe via the WWW. 

I thank you for your amazing sweet comments, and your dedication. It's incredible to me how many wonderful blog friends I have made in the last year, and I cherish you all. 

A year ago, I decided to start blogging because I saw so much beauty in every day life, and I felt I had to at least attempt to capture it and share it....along with some recipes from my little country kitchen, and a bit of home decor, albeit certainly not the 'trendy' decor that's all over blogland. Just my simple, country home, complete with the dog hair and dust. 

This little blog of mine has developed into, I suppose, a chronicle of my mountain top life, and all the bits and bobs that go along with daily living. 

Who knows where it may head in the future (I still can't believe I'm nominated for an award - pinch me!) but in honor of my blog-birthday, I thought I would take you back to that very first post. 

Thank you again, my sweet friends. Cheers to another great year!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday, August 10, 2015


And So It Begins.....

Monday Morning Musings...

It's a glorious day here in the mountains of Upstate NY, a day filled with all the beauty nature has to offer - blue skies with puffy white clouds, green all around, the odd leaf changing color already. The kind of day you'd like to share with your friends and family...if they were all here right next to you, sharing a pot of coffee. Since they're not, I have, after much consideration,  decided to start blogging about the things that make me feel blessed....the things that touch my soul, or just make me feel. Feel anything....sad, happy, mad, elated, fortunate....scared. I'm not sure that anyone will actually ever read my blog with the exception of my two beautiful daughters, but perhaps they will....so here goes. 


This is a sampling of what I am so very fortunate to see from the deck of my home. The home I moved into this spring, the first home I have owned completely on my own, with only my name on the deed. It was a scary move to buy a home on my own at this stage in my life, but now that the boxes are unpacked and the dust has settled I just feel incredibly blessed. 


When I stepped onto my deck this morning I had to run back in and grab the camera - the sun was just peeking over the edge of the mountain - what a glorious way to start the day. 


The Morning Glory seeds I planted in the spring have finally started to bloom. They climb up the lattice on the deck, entangling the Gloriosa Lilies with the Nasturtiums and it all becomes a jumble of bright, beautiful blooms. 


The Gloriosa Lilies were successful this year - last year at my rental house the tubers I purchased were a complete flop. Now they make me smile as I see their bright colors right outside the window over my kitchen sink. 


The Coneflowers mingle with the Bee Balm and Queen Anne's Lace - the hummingbirds have been visiting them regularly, attracted by the bright colors. I have yet to see the birds enjoying the new birdbath, but the Japanese Beetles seem to love swimming in it. The beetles are not welcome in my garden and there has been a Beetle Battle for the past few weeks as I try in vain to eradicate them from my vegetable garden. The beetles are especially fond of the Morning Glory leaves and the climbing bean leaves. The leaves are unfortunately looking more like lace than leaves these days. 


The Clematis happily scrambles up the arbor I installed over the veggie garden gate. For a new vine just planted in the spring it's putting on quite a show! I look forward to seeing how it covers the arbor in years to come, to mingle with the climbing roses that were also planted in the spring. 


I planted an assortment of tomatoes in the veggie garden but with the exception of a select few teaser tomatoes they have yet to ripen - the many cool, rainy days we had on the mountaintop earlier this summer mean our tomato harvest is still a ways off. 


The banana peppers are happy and coming along nicely. You can see my one lonely tiny baby eggplant in the distance on the right.....I'm not sure if there will be any more so I had better enjoy that one!


The butternut squash vine has scrambled all over the veggie garden, over the garden fence, and into the lilac tree....I'll be overrun with butternut squash in the fall - which means lots of soup to fill the freezer!


The cucumbers have more than made up for the eggplant's shortcomings by happily rambling all over the garden and producing a mountain of cucumbers! It's incredibly fortunate that I discovered last summer that cucumber infused tequila makes an EXCELLENT margarita!! Batch # 1 of cucumber infused tequila is in the fridge 'cooking' right now! 


Despite the Japanese Beetles putting forth a valiant effort to destroy the bean plants, the bean crop has been terrific so far this year. Once dry, ends trimmed, they go into a freezer bag in small portions to enjoy in the long winter months ahead.


Other winter preparations ensued this weekend with 2 cords of wood neatly stacked and ready for the wood burning stove, which I use as my primary heat source. There's nothing quite like a crackling wood fire on a cold night....perhaps along with a lovely glass of vintage port!


But for now, the lilies are blooming and winter is far in the distance. There is a large female deer who visited the property frequently at the start of the summer and had a feast on the lily buds further away from the house. Fortunately she left the ones closest to the house alone so there were plenty of beautiful blooms to enjoy.  The lilies put on quite a show!


The ornamental grasses are gorgeous, this is the first time I've used them in my landscape but it surely won't be the last!


The Achillea (Yarrow) is coming into bloom everywhere I look, which is a wonderful spot of sunshine in the August garden.  


And summer nights in the mountains are cool enough to end my day like this. 

I am so blessed. 

47 comments:

  1. Congratulations!!!! Love to read about your mountain top.

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  2. Congratulations! I thoroughly enjoy your blog journal of your beautiful mountain home and I hope you continue for many years to come!

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    1. I truly hope I do also - I enjoy coming on here and connecting with all of my wonderful readers!

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  3. i am so proud of you and happy to encourage you further on this journey- you're doing great, mountain mama! xoxo

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  4. Oh those blue and white morning glories are fantastic!!! Have a wonderful week!

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    1. I have morning glories in so many colors this year, and the Heavenly Blue ones just bloomed today - they are gorgeous!

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  5. Thanks for sharing your first post. Awesome! Rhonda

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    1. Thanks, Rhonda! I still can't believe at times I had the courage to click 'publish' - and look where it's led me, down this amazing path!

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  6. And in that time, we've become fast friends! Congrats on a year of Mountain Mama!
    Brenda

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  7. Congratulations, my little friend, on your blogaversary! I love reading about your mountain top life!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia :)

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    1. Thanks, Shelia - you're probably one of my closest neighbors in this little blogland we have!

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  8. Kudos to you on your year-long adventure. So glad we found you. Enjoy!

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    1. Thank you, Daisy! I really do love blogging - if only I had a tad more time to really devote to it - perhaps some day!

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  9. Congrats on your one year anniversary in blog land.

    Your happy spirit inspires many.

    FlowerLady

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  10. Congrats on both. I voted for you and look forward to reading for a long time to come.

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  11. Congrats! And guess what??? So many of us are real happy you started your blog!

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    1. Thank you so much - and you know what? So am I - this little blog led me to all of you! :)

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  12. Congratulations. I am not brave enough to have a blog, but I thoroughly enjoy yours. I voted also. Good luck!

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  13. Congratulations on your blog milestone and on your award nomination! (voted!) I always love my visits to your lovely blog!

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  14. Congratulations, so glad you joined the blogging world and congrats on your Amara nomination! It's very exciting!! :)

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    1. It's so nice to be part of this blogging community, Kim, I truly love it!

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  15. It's your first blogiversary! Congratulations. Love those flower photos.

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    1. It is - and I think I need to celebrate with a glass of bubbly!

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  16. I enjoy your blog. Happy Blogiversary!
    Lisa

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  17. Congratulations on your first blogiversary! I find it hard to believe you've been doing this for only a year; you're a pro at it! Here's to many more posts! :)

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    1. I'm hardly a pro, that's for sure....I have a ton to learn yet! Cheers to many more years as mountain sisters!

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  18. I didn't realize you had only been blogging a year! Congratulations! Here's to many more years to come!

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  19. I bet the year flew by, because time flies when we're having fun :)

    xxx

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  20. Congratulations!! I love the beauty you share and the conversational style of your writing. :)

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    1. Thanks, Stacey! There is so much beauty around me, I am truly blessed!

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  21. Replies
    1. Thanks so much, Debbie! I can't believe it's been a year!

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  22. Very slow to join the party...Happy Blog Birthday! ...and many more...

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    1. Better late than never, right, Donna? Thanks so much, my friend!!

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I thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking time out of your busy day to leave a comment...I truly love reading your comments and I try to respond to each and every one of your sweet comments right here on my blog page!

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