My Dearest Friend….Princess Gracie Barker Beaule – September 26, 1999 – March 10, 2014
It’s Bristol Baby! Not Bangladesh.
Ever since the garment factory fire in Bangladesh last year, I’ve been increasingly aware of where I buy my clothes.
I’m really writing about Pointer Brand. L.C. King is manufacturing jeans that people from all over the world are noticing. Check out what the folks in New York had to say about Pointer Brand.
Mike and I recently purchased some new jeans at L. C. King (the official name for the Pointer Brand label). They have a little retail store now. We consider ourselves “regulars” as we’ve visited L.C. King for years. When I lived in Boston, I ordered my Pointer Brand bibs online. When buying in Bristol, until this visit, we went into the factory office, asked for the jeans, and someone would run back on the sewing floor and find us some. If they were too long, they’d cut and hem them on the spot. Now we have a real store to visit! Here it is. It opened during Rhythm & Roots, opened during Christmas…and I believe the plans are to keep it open.
Shiny clean windows…I’m loving this!
These are the best jeans you’ll ever wear. Made in the United States. Made in Bristol, Tennessee. I love the bibbed overalls. They are my favorite.
I also like this little apron. Very handy.
This is new, and I am going to get it. A Pointer Brand handbag. Yes! Yes!
And when you are wearing those jeans or carrying that cute little purse, you’re assured that they were made where working conditions are not deplorable…where the workers are paid a competitive wage…where there is no child labor.
I want my clothing and shoes made at places like L. C. King. It may mean that I have less clothing, but I will be able to wear it and know exactly where it was made and have some assurance of how the person who stitched those stitches was treated. They say you are the clothes you wear.
Here’s a few things I’ve found that influence this decision Here’s something to read that might help you make similar decisions.
Thank you for reading RiverCliff Cottage.
Sea Turtle Diaper Cake
Way back in 2003…eleven years ago…while I was Branch Manager of the Mendota Library, I met a little girl named Brittany. She was so sweet, and she read 700 books that summer — she was recognized in her age group as having read the most books for both the Washington and Scott County Library systems. She devoured them…especially horse books and recipe books.
Although I don’t see her as much as I used to, we’ve stayed close. She and I have a special relationship.
Brittany is in her 20’s now and she’s going to be a mother soon. I made her this Sea Turtle Diaper Cake for her little one.
Here’s the cake topper…if you touch this little sea turtle, it plays a happy tune.
Because I am lazy and I hope you won’t mind, I am going to link you to a prior diaper cake if you’re looking for instructions on how to make these little gifts. The instructions are here in my Shabby Chic Diaper Cake link.
Back to this little turtle….wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone we touched responded with a happy tune?
A Girl and A Horse
There’s a big wedding being planned in Mendota in the June timeframe. We’re all involved. My job involves transportation. I have some help from a four-year old. His name is Duke. He’s a handsome fella, isn’t he?
Duke wants to be in the wedding. He wants his mane braided. He wants a flower or two inserted here and there. Seriously. He really wants this. If you don’t believe me, you can get it “straight from the horse’s mouth.”
He’s not alone in this. He has a couple of pals…especially the young lady. He’s whispering to her now.
At first…she doesn’t understand.
But it gets easier. Horse talk is that way. The more you listen…the easier it is to understand what they are saying.
We’re not sharing any more details, but someone is very happy.
That’s the way we roll in Mendota, Virginia.
Dale Jett & Hello Stranger – The Cemetery Benefit
It’s March 1, and it’s time to start working on the Dale Jett & Hello Stranger Benefit which will be held the last Friday in April–April 25th. Each day, I’ll do a bit of work to nudge the publicity along. It’s our third year, and we’re always hopeful and nervous that we’ll fill the old Hamilton School Building auditorium up.
Tonight, I met with Oscar. Oscar is part of the group and is pretty famous for his autoharp talent. He lives and breathes music. We talked a bit about my blog and I explained why I had not been posting. He suggested that I post our “story” of how we put together the Dale Jett & Hello Stranger Cemetery Benefit. The picture below is the trio which makes up Dale Jett & Hello Stranger. Oscar is third from the right. Teresa is seated and Dale is standing beside Oscar.
The challenge for us is not the level of talent. We have that. Dale, Teresa and Oscar have been invited to play at the Grand Ol’ Opry. They’ve played at the Smithsonian. Our challenge is getting the word out and making sure everyone knows it’s worth the drive on a Friday evening to come to Mendota. We notify and appear on local tv stations, ask for media attention from the newspapers, and post on all electronic bulletin boards. I put together posters and have them printed that we place throughout the area. We hang banners.
I am so thankful that Domtar Paper provides money to assist with The Cemetery Benefit. We try and use every penny very efficiently. Another publicity item we use that has a minor cost is postcards. We have postcards to make sure that everyone in the surrounding community knows about the benefit. We distribute by mail and other means. Here’s this year’s postcard.
Here’s the reverse…I tried to give the card an aged, western appearance. Dale Jett & Hello Stranger is a group steeped in Carter Family tradition and a love of things people from our area hold dear…our land, animals, Clinch Mountain, our music and faith– and our tender hearts. As I work with templates and design the cards, posters, etc., I try and capture that tradition.
Do you like them? I hope so. And now something funny to end this post and hopefully get you laughing as I ask for your help in getting the word out that something special will happen in Mendota, Virginia on Friday, April 25. CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Rhh_4GZmU
Barnrock Road March 2014
It has been 14 months since work began on Barnrock Road. Fourteen l.o.n.g. months. Much of it is almost done but the sharp curve where Barnrock meets Swinging Bridge is still there!
Remember this?
I wanted to walk to where the house sat. I parked the truck and walked out on the old road bed which is still in use…here it is…
I walked off the old paved road onto the new road bed which is packed mud.
After just a small bit, I’m right where the house sat. I’m not sure how we’ll actually get to Swinging Bridge..there’s no place carved out yet in that direction. I’m sure it will come.
The garage is still the same…I asked Sam Cunningham once if I could plant some flowers near the old garage. Sunflowers? Zinnias? Maybe this year is the year.
February Bloggy Vacation
I am taking a “Bloggy” Vacation for the month of February. I’ve got something else I’m wanting to focus on so this is a good time to be offline. Please come see me in March. It will be looking something like this around that time.
The Status of the Honeybees
It was in the 50’s yesterday, so I went and checked on the honeybees. I like chronicling them on RiverCliff Cottage because it will remind me next year what I did wrong or right. Doesn’t technology rock?
I’m embarrassed at how bad my efforts to sustain them through the extreme cold temperatures look. The bubble wrap is hanging down…the tarp is pulled back and looks nasty. However, my bees are alive so I’m pretty much over feeling silly about it.
I always say my bees are mean, but I’ll let you decide. When I recorded this, there weren’t a great many bees out but there were a few. I was in a short sleeve t-shirt, no veil, etc, and they never threatened me. They are just busy being bees.
I forget they are deaf so you’ll hear me chatting with them on the link below. And now, allow me to introduce you to Mendota’s very own Rock Star Bees!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoeZ6eAiLT8&feature=youtu.be
As We Thaw Out In Mendota
While the evening temperatures went back to -5 degrees last night, we welcomed the sun back yesterday. I promise this is my last drive around showing you weather pictures. However, I slap these up and get about 150 views in a short period of time, so someone enjoys them as much as me.
My girlfriend texted early yesterday and asked “how are the roads? Hmmm…that answer would be “negative, my dear!” This is the road in front of my house yesterday morning. This snow hung to the roads more than the grass and it was about zero degrees when this was taken. Brrr.
A bit later, Mike and I put the truck in four-wheel drive and drove down to the Mendota Bridge. Here’s the North Fork flowing toward the bridge. The ice backs up at the bridge.
On the opposite side of the bridge, the water is flowing more freely; and if you look closely, you’ll see four ducks enjoying the sunshine. And if you are a mountain person like me, you feel the “sigh” looking at Clinch Mountain. I never feel safe when Clinch Mountain is out of my line my sight.
Further down in Hiltons, there was more ice backed up. On this this day, our river is the bride of Clinch Mountain….all decked out in white!
And then a snake…
I took the picture below at the bridge below Lunford’s Mill in Hiltons. While not visible in the picture there are little animal tracks on the frozen part. I hope they are careful.
I’m sure these cows were enjoying the sunshine and I thought they were pretty crazy to be that close to the icy river. Cows…don’t you know it’s freezing? If you’re from the city, you may be thinking “ice cream.” Nope, think “chilled burgers.” These are beef cattle.
Here’s a little deer thawing out. I wonder if it’s a farting deer. If you don’t get that, please go here. You’ll crack up.
While it’s not the 7th Wonder of the World, a recent “wonder” topic in Hiltons is pictured below with the Black Angus cows. What caused it…what does it mean? Mmm…looks like a leaky pipe to me.
Went straight to the source with Neal Faust. He first told me that he was not allowed to tell because he’d been asked 501 times and because I was from around here I should know what caused this. Yep…it’s a leaky pipe.
Later in the evening at the Nordyke Bridge, everything looks blue. It could have been my camera setting, but who knows?
The extreme cold is “breaking up” tonight and our low will be about 10 degrees. However, I still think we’ll have snow in the next two weeks. It’s just a feeling.
I Cannot Stop Laughing
It’s been a good day.
1) Both of my bee hives are alive.
2) I’ve gotten old, but my vision improved (this happens when you’re nearsighted and start getting old…but hey…still good!)
3) And then there is this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6fWBXkCMHA