Friday Play Day -

The walls were closing in.

At least that is my excuse – and the push I needed – to get out and about for the day.

Hubster Dave had physical therapy and then was headed over to the center to swim laps.

Son Jeff had come early and had power washed the porch floor at the inn in prep for painting – it’s been 2 1/2 years and really could use a touch up. (Rain today, but good weather tomorrow and it will be done and dry before folks arrive on Wednesday.)

There was office stuff that I need to get to – but I looked around me after Jeff left and thought – I’m outta here!

First stop – the Farmer’s Market in nearby Independence.

Their Friday morning Farmer’s Market is a hit with many, and they there are lovely wonderful local things – but I rarely get there because of the goings on with retreat stuff.

It was noon – a lot of things had cleared out – but I did some visiting and made some purchases!

Not shown – the loaf of chocolate zucchini bread I put in the QPO fridge!

The pickles and the corn salsa were from Tom’s booth – You know that cemetery that we hike up to on Roundhouse road on the North Carolina side?

That’s Tom’s family cemetery and we also hike past his house on that road, along with his daughter and son in law’s place – they are restoring one of the old farm houses that also belongs to the family.

I got to chat with them and see their new baby! It is so good to see young families out here. Usually they graduate high school, go off to college, and then have to find a job somewhere – usuallyk somewhere else as we are so rural. Young family! Yay!

Funny thing…Tom’s hosue is in the VA side, and his kid’s house is a state away on the NC side. Less than a mile apart.

Can’t wait to open these!

I love home canned pickles.

Yum yu,m yum!

This is in the fridge chilling and I’ll be pulling out the tortilla chils to dig into this later today.

Whoooo doggy!

There was another cute young family with a wee little one – and they were selling jars of freeze dried veggies and fruits.

They are so pretty in the jar! Of course, color…always attracts me.

But here is something you might not know – I LOVE SPICY! The Hubster does not.

For him…taco meat without taco seasoning is just fine. Just give him plain fried up ground beef. (How I lived with this for 44 years I don’t know.)

So here are these freeze dried pepper rings…and you know what? You just crumble one over your own plate of goodness and it adds heat without adding all of the vinegar taste of hot sauce. Freeze dried just crumbles to dust. And they can be reconstituted with water if desired.

And I got the two jar special – adding this one to my purchase.

Hot wax peppers have a different heat than jalapenos. And I crumbled some over the leftover italian sausage/onions/peppers dish that the retreaters had left for me.

Hubster Dave was gone for cornhole night with his buddies last evening – so I could heat up some leftovers and add some MORE heat. Mmmmmmm! So good!

12:30 and most of the morning crowd had cleared out –

But I’ll be back!

There were some booths selling lunch things…but I already had in mind that I was heading for the Chinese Buffet in Galax.

Because, you guessed it – Hubster Dave doesn’t eat Chinese food. Being gluten free means he can’t have the deep fried things, and those things with vegetables? Don’t even get me started.

And the thing I hate to do more than anything else – try on clothes – yielded me two pair of jeans that I am really happy with.

And a gorgeous long raspberry cardigan that is coming with me on my trip next week.

I did it. I shopped. I tried on. I bought.

Hahahahaha! Please don’t put your germs on the whistles!

I also did a restocking trip for things needed at the inn. On my way back to deliver all of the exciting items (Like more hand soap refills and body wash. YAY.) I found Flash and Tula just unsure of what to make of the pressure washer and how things had been moved around from “normal.”

Besides…it was mid afternoon treat time and I better get on with it.

I spread the treats in a long line and usually they are both there getting what they can. yesterday Tula just watched.

And you know what?

I still had time for some sewing!

Four more Four Patch Fun Leader & Ender blocks were completed with the making of four more X-Plus blocks.

Today? Maybe I’ll get that deskwork done. A quiet day in the studio.

I need to think of kitting up some projects to take with me on this trip – I need a new embroidery to turn into a little quilt for our trip to Morocco in January…Maybe something with a sewing machine or notions on it? Back to the drawing board.

I need to kit up some of the large hexie motifs so they are ready to come with me for long plane rides, etc.

This is getting real! I’ll be on my way to Europe in a week!

If you’d like to travel with me – you’ll find my travel page HERE. We’ve got exciting things ahead for 2026!