Many things are changing in the world today compared to a few months ago. In recent years in the United States, grocery stores have become our florists. For me, Sam’s Club is where I buy flowers during the offseason when I do not have my own flowers. Now, with closed borders, flowers are not arriving in the United States in the same manner if at all. These are my last purchased flowers for what will probably be a long while. They are two weeks old. I trim them, cull the dead ones, and stick them back in the jar. They have a few more days left.

Looking at this picture reminds me of the two milk sources we had as children. They were Foremost and Pet.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am less wasteful. This is a good lesson. Green peppers freeze well so when they look a little soft, I dice them and put them in the freezer. Grocery stores no longer are “safe” places for many Americans. I use grocery pickup every 7-10 days now.

Everyone I know plans to put out a big garden this year, and we are no exception. Mike had his tractor serviced last week, and we’ll be planting potatoes on Good Friday, green beans shortly thereafter and so on.

I felt that the restrictions on going out would increase and this weekend, while early in the season, I called Evergreen Garden Center in Kingsport to see if they had any of my favorite hanging plants — bridal veils. They had three. They offered curbside pickup with little contact, so I ordered three hanging plants for the back porch. Drove up–called then and told them what vehicle I was in. They told me to open the trunk. They came out, placed them in the trunk and handed me a receipt — from their gloved hand to my gloved hand! I’ll have to move them in and out until it stays warm but I’m so glad I got them. I’m hoping I’ll see some ferns at the grocery store on my next visit since I put ferns on the front porch.

Each day I am going to journal. I love doing this, but honestly, I’m on a MacBook Air now vs. my old trusty Toshiba laptop that was under $400. It’s on its last leg so I’ve had to transition to this Mac, and it’s just so difficult. Now all devices in our house are Apple so we should be working smoothly, right? Well, it’s a heck of a learning curve.

As I journal each day, I’ll note what was accomplished. This will keep me from drifting. Some days they will be little things. Yesterday, it was junk drawer day for two drawers.

The above was the “before”. The drawer had stuff that had fallen behind it. What a mess. Here’s after it was done. Full disclaimer…Mike did this one. Impressive!

I reorganized the armoire in the bedroom and organized sheets and quilts. Unfortunately, I did not take a picture. However, the good thing is…we made progress. We are not just watching tv or sitting around getting depressed.

Here’s what Tippy Jo is doing. Tippy is a little stray dog that arrived here in July of 2019. She could not be touched for at least a month. Now, she’s very loving with us and she’s full of energy and a precocious pup!

https://www.facebook.com/eva.beaule/videos/10215757726280954/

This little dog! She is so stinkin’ cute.

Last Saturday I attended a craft class at The Store@Mendota. It was a pumpkinpalooza of sorts! There were five of us, and we each paid $25 which included everything for two pumpkins. It also included refreshments. Here’s what we were making.

We could either bring our own fabric or pick a fall fabric that was on hand. I brought my own fabric and made two white pumpkins. Everyone else used fabric that was provided by The Store. Here are some pictures…the one below is a sweater pumpkin!

And more…

And more…

And it’s just so fun!

My pumpkins where out of a white cordouroy that I brought with me to the class. I wish I’d used the fabric that was provided as mine was a little harder to work with and I think the others are a little prettier than mine. Also, who in the world wears sunglasses to a 6 pm craft class? What was I thinking?

I am loving these pumpkins. Here’s a few I have in a bowl at the house. One is white sweater pumpkin. It’s 95 degrees. Why is my pumpkin wearing a sweater? Because she looks good in it.

Finally, here’s a few on top of my hutch in the dining room. Some of these are old pumpkins that I made a different way a few years back. Here is the post on that. They’ve held up well except for the one that Tippy Jo (my rescue dog) destroyed last week. It’s gone — went to pumpkin Heaven.

So that is what we were doing in Mendota last week. This week, we had the Hawk Festival and sadly, I did not go. I am still catching up from the summer and I had an agenda for today that didn’t allow much fun in it. Bad me!!

If you are interested in taking a pumpkin making class at The Store, please call 276.669.2401 and ask for Katie or Dottie. If you wish to buy one of the sweet little pumpkins already made, please give them a call. They’ll fix you up.

A little over a week ago, Adventure Mendota hosted a kayak day as our part of the Virginia Rules Camp. This is an awesome camp for Washington County, Virginia students entering sixth grade. It’s first-come/first-serve and there are two sessions. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office applies for a grant from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and they’ve been awarded it for the past three years, and Adventure Mendota is fortunate enough to have the gang out each year.

I’d used all of the picnic tablecloths on that day and then I threw them in the back of my car. It began to rain the very next day and rained off and on pretty much for an entire week. We are now getting ready to reopen for kayaking tomorrow (June 14), and I realized I’d never washed the tablecloths! I immediately tossed them in, and they are on the clothesline tonight as I go to bed. Someone has reserved the picnic tables for tomorrow and they’ll need the tablecloths. I like surprising our guests with these tablecloths and a small flower on the table. We do this at no charge. It’s based more on southern hospitality vs. profit. Plus I get the awesome task of taking them off the clothesline and breathing in that clean, sweet smell.

Just before Virginia Rules, we also did something else really fun. We made a promo movie for Adventure Mendota. I wrote a brief script story and gave it to Brad Deel. Brad then used his creativity behind the camera, and here is the end result.

Best yet, I get to see some of the people I care for over and over in the video. We’re currently working on a shorter version for Instagram. I’ve worked in so many jobs, but being an entrepreneur and owning Adventure Mendota is by far the most rewarding experience.

Do you like the movie? Tell me!!

So the movie is over, the second Virginia Rules is a couple of weeks away, and we’re back kayaking following the rain tomorrow. The only other thing that is going on are these two little beings that have been tossed away like trash on the Mendota Road. I can’t take in every dog that is dropped off around here–I am not above calling animal control–but occasionally, I can help out. I’m going to help these two out. They need it.

This is the puppy. Sorry about the small picture. I’m going to call this one Tippy while I am fostering it. I am assuming I can get it to stay here.

And the mother…looking pretty rough. I am calling her Dolly. Her boobs. Know what I mean? She’s the one that I”m more likely to have trouble placing because she’s not a beautiful dog. However, I think when she’s healthy and clean, she’ll show a different side and she might be a great pet.

They travel around begging food, but I’m giving them the best food — full of good stuff that they need right now. They’ve made it to my house three of the past five days — maybe more and I just didn’t see them. They get two cans of Science Diet and two cups of IAMS. They were eating River’s Blue Buffalo, but I could not afford to feed everyone that. (River has to have grain free in his diet or he itches.)

Today they were wormed. Tomorrow I’ll be treating them for ticks and fleas. They will be so much more comfortable. And then we go back to more worm treatments. As soon as possible–when they’ve built just a little more trust so I can catch and crate them–they’ll be crated and hauled over to Dr. Dotson for their shots and spaying.

So there is always something to do in this retirement life. It’s dogs and kayaks this week plus Mike’s son is coming in for Father’s Day so it’ll be a busy, fun weekend.

And one final thing, if you believe in karma, just imagine what bad things are going to happen to the person(s) who threw these dogs away leaving them on their own to suffer. I would not want to be that person.

This building has been a been a part of the fabric of the lives of those of us who grew up in Mendota. I took this picture a long time ago.

Today I did not take a new picture of the exterior, but it has not changed much since this picture except that now it is really a store! The store that was built in 1929….a building that has hand-made blocks that my father made as a young man…a building that closed in the 1980s…today opened again to welcome the public. It’s The Store@Mendota!

I’ve spent many hours in The Store. When I was a teenager, I got off of the Battle bus because my mother worked in the store. I’d have a Ginger-Ale with Terry’s potato chips and played Rook until it was time for Mom to get off work and for us to go home.

The only ones more excited than me that The Store was opening was the owner, Katie Benfield Harris, her Aunt Dottie, her sister Lisa, and her daughter Dawn. These four have worked their tails off. They really needed a few more days, but Katie said she was opening May 4, and she held to it. She’s like that. Bull-headed. Stubborn. Tenacious. Day and night, I saw her vehicle there as she and the others cleaned, prepared, planned and dreamed. Aunt Dottie is the only one that doesn’t smack you if you take a picture.

Today’s opening was a simple menu made up of primarily hotdogs. The staff knew that many would be coming and wanted to keep it manageable. The actual menu will include box lunches, hamburgers, etc. with soft drinks, tea, water and coffee. I purchased a Coke in a glass bottle. The profit margin on these small Cokes is less than the canned drinks, but how could The Store@Mendota not have them? I opened it and it went psssss. It tasted good. So good.

There were lots of people present. This is the Mendota Trail Head where everyone parked today. The Mendota Trail folks do not mind sharing a little parking space today as they know this store is a needed and welcome addition to the community; and as the trail continues development, it’s hikers and bikers will enjoy having The Store for refreshments, etc.

I had to actually stand in line for my hotdog!!

Want a Moon Pie?

How about a tee-shirt to help support the Mendota Trail?

Oscar played while I took pictures. This man knows his way around an autoharp! Some say he is the best in the nation. I think so. Each time he plays, he honors Jeanette Carter who encouraged him to learn to play the autoharp because she was afraid its music would be forgotten.

More pictures…Sew Lillie is the label that Katie Harris makes. Lillie Millard was her grandmother.

A beautiful, one-of-a-kind Katie-made dress. They are $50. If you have purchased nice fabric lately, you understand why they are $50. They are one-of-a-kind, custom dresses made by the talented Katie Harris. They are worth every cent. I hope someone sees this post and buys this little dress. There are lots of cute little dresses at The Store, but this one..with it’s color and those cupcakes! I love it.

And another..

This one (below) went home with Angela Hildebrand for her grandaughter, Ava.

Signs..signs…everywhere there’s signs!

The inside…those picnic baskets will be incorporated into basket lunches where customers may swing by for a picnic lunch which will include a deposit so the basket will be returned. The quilt is a family heirloom which is not for sale; but this is Mendota where we love quilts, so it would not be a proper opening without a beautiful quilt.

As the staff of The Store@Mendota gets their rhythm, there will be classes added. Classes to learn to sew, paint gourds, sip and paint, make baskets..

Classes to make things like these cute pumpkins…Mendota will probably have a whole field of these pumpkins this fall! There will be many classes of many different things…it will be so fun!

Outside, Vickie Roark sold plants. It gave it a sort of “Farmer’s Market” atmosphere. Maybe this was a first step to a small Farmer’s Market in Mendota. It’s not a bad idea.

A closer look at that chair…

I am so happy The Store@Mendota opened. It will be such a nice addition for Adventure Mendota. Our kayak guests will be able to drop in for an ice cream, a soda, or a lunch. They’ll be so appreciative. Likewise, folks who walk the Mendota Trail will enjoy The Store for the same reasons. And finally…people like me who live here and crave a candy bar once in a while. Boom! We’ve got a source!

Mendota is changing. It’s slow, but it’s happening. I call this Mendota Rising. I want Mendota to be more like the community of my youth, and this store is one more step toward that occurring. Mendota — we’ve been called one of Virginia’s lost communities — but there is a growing movement challenging that statement.

So if you are out and about, stop by The Store@Mendota; and if you get the Bristol Herald Courier, look for the article on The Store in the Sunday (May 5) newspaper!

I do not think anyone can look at a picture like this and not think how pretty the river valley community of Mendota is in the spring. This is Nordyke.

It’s lush. This is farmland on Appaloosa.

So when we drove up Nordyke about a week ago and discovered 160 tires had been tossed on the roadside, it was hard to imagine who would do such a thing. Furious did not begin to describe how mad our community was.

But sometimes, the long arm of the law reaches out and justice prevails. Last week, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and VDOT coordinated a clean up about the time the four litterbugs responsible were caught. They will have their day in court. What were they thinking?

So they were caught and the tires cleaned up and then there is some more good news. We’ve made great progress on the Mendota Cemetery Quilt. We had to sew more strips for the border today. It will have a red border.

And here’s the quilt draped over Chris’ couch. This is with the first border. It has a SECOND border that will go around it as well. Whew! This could be the quilt that takes forever but this beauty will be worth it!!

And the back of this quilt…it’s not what you think. We talked about muslin, but we decided on this.

Stunning.

Mike and I had a great drive over to the Devil’s Bathtub in Scott County, Virginia. Until kayak season opens, we’re going to absorb as much of Southwest Virginia as we can between working and getting ready to open Adventure Mendota.

I posted a whole post on our trip over at Adventure Mendota’s River Blog. If you want to read it, please follow this link and it’ll take you right over there.

I am enjoying taking my pictures in a raw format now as I get much better photographs to post on the website. If you have any photography tips for someone who knows nothing and is using a Canon EOS Rebel T5 camera with its in-the-box lens, please let me know. I need all the help I can get.

Speaking of pictures, we saw the rockiest creek yesterday. I explained to Mike that it “had to be the rockiest creek ever” and it was probably named Rocky Creek. I was close. It’s Stony Creek. Kind of famous in Scott County Tourism history.

It’s a busy day today. I’m heading up to see how the Mendota Cemetery Quilt is doing and then off to Horticulture Class this evening. I can’t wait to show you what progress has occurred on the quilt.