Volunteering Makes You Feel Good.

Carla, Krysta and I went to the Wortham's Ferry boat landing in Little River, SC to help Waccamaw Riverkeepers clean up the area.  Though we were not out very long we had a good time and enjoyed the scenery.  It is amazing how time together and seeing things together builds the family bond.  There is nothing I would rather do than create memories with my family.  Below are a few pictures we took while there.  I look forward to our next outing.

On another note.  I put the event on my facebook and invited 93 people who live here.  My co-worker Kate Miller replied right away that she would be there.  Sure enough she was and the only one to come out to help.  Kate was not feeling well but still helped with the clean up.  It is a shame that more people are not like Kate.  She enjoys kayaking the Waccamaw and takes responsibility for it care.  

Thanks Kate for caring for our waterway and environment so our children will be able to enjoy it as we do.  I hope you feel better soon.

Cleaning Up & Visiting Friends

Had some nice weather so I decided to run by Home Depot and get some plants to draw pollinators for the yard.

We got out in the yard today to do some clean up too.  I trimmed up my little Loquate tree.  The Loquate (Eriobotrya Japonica, is a fruit tree in the family Rosaceae, indigenous to central China (Chongqing and Hubei province).  It is sometimes known as the Japanese medlar, Japanese plum & Chinese plum.  In China it is called "pipa". (wikipedia)

Loquate

 We worked on cleaning up Krysta's square foot garden also.  Even though it is late she planted butter beans, squash, cantaloupe, jubilee watermelon, tomatos and okra.  She added some Salvia purple rain and a couple other flowers to bring in some pollinators.
The little lights on the corners are solar and change colors at night.  She made a sign and will be putting it up later.

"Krysta's Krops"

We put some plants by the porch also.  These were transplanted into larger puts and the pots buried in the ground.  We then mulched around it.  Hopefully we can move them when we build our house.

Foxglove - Salvia purple rain - Squash - Unknown plant

More mulch less grass.

 Our neighbors father put up a dirt berm by our trees and flooded our yard.  The fruit trees seemed to have survived it.  I added some soil to them and mulched around them with pine needles we got for free.  The pear tree has it's first and only fruit on it.  I cannot bring myself to take it off.  I have kept the fruit off the others so they could focus their energy on their root system.

After a little work ing the yard we went for a drive.

On the way we came across this tree in a vacant lot at the corner of Perrin Drive and 18th Avenue South.  Evidently Krysta felt it was begging to be climbed.  I pulled over and told her to go.

Summing it up.

Foothold left by an old limb.

                                      

                                                   Success!

Climbing Higher.

Relaxing

Nice view.  Now how do I get down?

After Krysta conquered the tree we stopped by my friend home in North Myrtle Beach so I could introduce my family to them.  Loren & Marilyn Collins are an extremely nice couple.  I met them when I saw Loren working in his garden.  I stopped to talk and that was that.  Marilyn brought Loren & I a healthy smoothie she made.  It was loaded with natural healthy ingredients and hit the spot in the hot sun.
They invited us in and we sat in their sunroom for a while talking about all sorts of things.  Loren is an accomplished businessman with a hankering for farming.  He was a lifeguard for thirteen years when he was younger.  Marilyn is educated in classic medicine but has determined that natural and more non-invasive treatments go further in curing ailments than traditional medicine which just seeks to treat the symptoms.  Their daughter and two grand daughters were there and we had an enjoyable discussion.  It was nice to see the birds playing in the front yard by their bird feeder as we talked.
Marilyn and Loren were kind enough to give us a bag of Swiss Chard they had grown and harvested from their garden.
There is a small strawberry patch which Loren said his grandkids enjoy picking from.  I bet they make some good smoothies.
loren has a stack of rocks at the corner of his garden.  He said it is there to make people ask what it is.  He told me that there are twelve stones which represent the Twelve Tribes of Israel as told in the Bible. I find that nice and think it is important that we remember to thank God for what our gardens provide wether it be food or friends it brings by.
I look forward to many more conversations.

Loren & Marilyn

Strawberries

Tomatos

Chard, beans, squash, corn Grapes, Cucumbers, onions, peppers and flowers.

Twelve stones representing the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Peppers

Grapes growing good.


It was a nice day getting outside and making friends.  I look forward to meeting new people and discovering new things in the future.  It is important to me that we slow down and enjoy life, friends and the things around us that most fly by each day.  You must enjoy you blessing from God as they come instead of hoping one day you will be able to take enjoyment in something you have earned.   You never know what the future will hold.  

Meeting Jeremy

While driving through North Myrtle Beach I saw a man working in his yard.  He was putting Sea Shells around a tree to keep the grass back from the trunk.  I noticed he had two young Fig Trees planted in his yard.  I decided to stop and meet him.  Jeremy lives and works in North Myrtle Beach and has for several years.  He and his wife and son enjoy spending time together outdoors.  He said they recently visited the North Carolina Zoo which is in my Hometown of Asheboro.  Jeremy said he planted the two fig trees and one is already producing Fruit.  He told me his son is a little Clemson fan and has his own square foot vegetable garden that he tends.  Jeremy is a beach lover and surfer.  He and his family also enjoy kayaking the Waccamaw and Cherry Grove Inlet.  Jeremy makes Para Cord Survival Bracelets and other items by hand. You can check them out at his website http://www.etsy.com/shop/KnottiRoots

I enjoyed meeting and talking to Jeremy and his family.  They like many other North Myrtle Beach residents are friendly like minded people who enjoy spending time outdoors and take pride in their city.  I look forward to talking to Jeremy again and checking out those fig trees as they grow.
If you would like a US made survival bracelet that you can really use or a custom item Check out Jeremy's site or drop him an email at knottiroots@gmail.com

This is Jeremy Williams.

A knife made cool with a Para Cord handle.

A handfull of items made by Jeremy.

Jeremy' Logo on the back of his truck.

The first little fig tree that caught my eye.  Notice it is not just a tree in the ground.  It has been given it's own place in the yard.

This is the second fig tree.  Notice that soon they will be able to pick figs right from the deck and enjoy the afternoon shade it provides.

A Spring Recital

2012 FOREVERLAND SPRING RECITAL - Loris Nature Park

 Took off work today to attend Krysta's Spring Recital.  It was at the Amphitheater in the Loris Nature Park in Loris, South Carolina.  All the kid done a wonderful job.  I an including a few pictures of some of the performers.
Natalie Foreverland is the instructor for all the talented performers.

Krysta after her first performance

Natalie holding the mic for a little violinist.

Tebow Cheerleaders

Krysta playing piano and singing "Grenade" by Bruno Mars.

Getting ready

Introducing the performers

Setting up

Krysta watching the other performers.

Cheerleaders & rappers

Great rendition of Dolly Parton's "I'll Always Love You" done Whitney Houston Style.

Getting ready for second performance.

Krysta playing "Ash Grove"

A very cute monologue.

Krysta in the park after the show.

She said this bug was bigger than the one at Chapin Park.

Just a swinging.

The littlest drummer boy.

Getting ready for dinner at El Cerro grande in North Myrtle Beach.

Back at home.