Blog History 

July 1st-September 6th, 2011

Last Updated: September 29th, 2011

 

 


<>
<>Summer at the Cabin
<>
<>
<>We left the cabin on September 6th and drove to Thomasville, Georgia.  We have decided to sell our house in Jacksonville and spend our winters in a delightful two bedroom cottage on a small lake.  I have been very busy with the move and havent completed by blog for the summer. I hope to add a section on our P3rd Annual Folk Festival and my daughter Laura, her daughter(my granddaughter) Eliza, ans Laura's husband Steve's visit with us for the Folk Fest and for a few great days afterward.
<>
<><>August 29th (Monday)
<> My sister Barbara left this morning with her Beagle Maggie and Nicholas Valentino, litter mate of Little Bear and King Tut. We had a great 10 day stay and Diana, the "dogggies" and I will miss them!   I didn't do any reading or blogging during her stay prefering to keep her busy during the day with trips around the area and nights enjoying the cool weather on our cabin porch with a fire burning in our "bear" chiminenea. I'll be spending the next few days updating the blog with pictures and a discription of our activities during her visit.
<>
<>
<>August 28th (Sunday)
<>
<>We were all quite tired Sunday morning and slept in. Barbara and I took the three puppies on a drive up Roan Mountain.  The weather was cool and clear.  It was the first day this season when I wore a flannel long sleeved shirt with along sleved T shirt.

Barbara and Nicki in a pasture near Culver Pass at Roan Mtn.
Bo and Little Bear and King Tut at Culver Pass, Roan Mtn.

<>August 27th (Saturday)
<>
<>We had an interesting day today visiting the Wolf Sanctum on Cane Creek east of Bakersville.  We showed up at the gate just prior to noon, gave the contact number a call and Liz (a retired Georgia police officer) showed up on her golf cart and gave us a tour.  It was exciting seeing the mostly pure wolves in decent confinement.  After the tour, we visited the Wolf Sanctum store and purchased some stuffed animals and pictures in addition to sponsoring two of the wolves; Esholokee and Ho'Kee.

Wolf Sanctum Director Liz with Rosie.
Rosie is an almost pure northern wolf.
Rosie likes women as Barbara demonstrates by petting her.
Rosie had only a deep growl for me!

We have sponsored Esholokee who is a beautiful tri-colored pure wolf who lives in a beautiful wooded area with Ho'Kee.
We have also sponsored Ho'Kee who is young and very shy.
He reminds me of Nardo.


<>August 20th (Saturday)
<>
<>I conducted an eight hour Bo's Mine Tours tour today of Kona Sinkhole Mica Mine, Jack Dellinger's grist mill, the Crabtree Emerald Mine, and a stop by Emerald Village Mining Museum for a look at their three large Feldspar Mines.  We took a break after mining at the Sinkhole Mica Mine for lunch in Bakersville.

At Crabtree Emerald Mine
Grinding corn with Jack Dellinger

<>August 19th (Friday)
<>
<>My sister Barbara arrived from New Jersey this afternoon.  She brought her Baegle, Maggie, and Nickie, one of our Shih Tzu puppies with her.  After a short period of reaquaintance for the doggies, we went to Anchors Away to for a seafood dinner with our friends Judy and Andy Weber before going to the Burnsville Town Center for a Balsam Range (our favorite Blue Grass group) concert.

from left to right; Andy and Judy Weber, Diana, and Barbara
Balsam Range was recently voted one of the five best Blue Grass groups by the International Blue Grass Association

<>August 18th (Thursday)
<>The big event of the day was getting all five doggies groomed at "Waggin Tails".
<>
<>

Diana with from left to right;
Panzy, Little Bear, Bella, King Tut, and Panda

Panzy (11 year old part Shih Tzu part Peekinese)
and "The Enforcer"
Panda (7 year old AKC toy Shih Tzu)
and the father of the puppies
Bella (2 1/2 year old purebread Shih Tzu)
and the mother of the puppies

King Tut (1 1/2 year old puppy)
The 1st born and Bo's puppy
Little Bear (1 1/2 year old puppy)
Little Bear is avialable for stud services and for sale for $800 and just the right family.

<>Oliver Status Report
<>
<>
Oliver had another round of tests this week at the UNC Children's Hospital.  His counts were almost down to normal and Stacy and Jed are relieved that he has passed through this first important phase of his long term full recovery.  He should be through with chemo for now and we are all looking forward to Oliver growing strong and  seeing his hair growing back.
<>August 16th (Tuesday)
<>
<>This was a big day for Diana and me as it was our 3rd Wedding Anniversary and Diana's 70th birthday. Diana had received a birthday recognition brunch at the Richmond Inn the day after our Folk Fest but Alice and Ginny wanted to do something extra special for her actual birthday.  So, we set up a surprise dinner for her at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, a very special evening. Diana was completely surprised to see Dana and Naomi at our table in the Horizons Room and then was overwhelmed when her daughter Ginny walked up to the table.  We all had a great time!

(left to right) Ginny, Diana, Naomi and Dana Groover
 
<>August 15th (Monday)
<>
<>Diana and I had coffee with Randy Bonner, our Pastor at Western Carolina Church (WCC) at DT's Cafe and Coffee Shop in Spruce PIne this morning to get to know him better.  We enjoyed a couple of hours with him which concluded when Bonnie Schmink and a couple of other ladies came in to have lunch with Diana at 12:30.  During our talk with Randy, I had received a call for an afternoon tour.  So, I spent 4 hours in the afternoon with a nice couple from Naples, Florida at the Sinkhole Mine.  They brought their bulldog along for the trip, a real rockhound.

Barbara hauled away two 5 gal buckets of Sinkhole treasures
Their bulldog seemed to enjoy the tour!

<>Reading Status Report
<>
<>It has been 30 days since I've updated you all on my reading status; its been a busy month. Well, I received my copy of David Curtis Skaggs' "Biography of Oliver Hazard Perry" and finished reading it the other night. I do most of my reading these days at night on the back porch with a fire in the chiminea; it's been in the high 50s to low 60s at night the last few weeks. I really enjoyed reading David Skaggs' books about Thomas MacDonough and Oliver Hazzard Perry; two of the leaders of the early American Navy in the War of 1812 in the battle for supremacy on the Great Lakes with the powerful Royal Navy and experienced British Army.  I only wish, I had read them long ago.  I did not have the opportunity to be force fed this part of naval history as a plebe at the Naval Academy.  It would have been nice as Executive Officer ofthe USS Saratoga with the "fighting cock" as her mascot, to know that the origin for this mascot was an actual rooster which was present in the rigging of the USS Saratoga, Thomas MacDonough's flagship in the Battle for Lake Champlain in1814!
My current read is Francine Rivers' novel "Redeeming Love"; OK now you can get up off the floor. You say, what is Bo doing reading a romance novel? Well, you might remember that I read and thoroughly enjoyed her three volume series; The Mark of the Lion.  I did some research on Francine Rivers and learned that she considers "Redeeming Love" as her favorite novel. So, I bought it and have completed  320 pages in three nights. She is a wonderful writer!
<>August 14th (Sunday)
<>
<>Today was the day for our little choir to sing for a second time during the church service.  It went well.  It's always good when the only requirement is to sing praises to the Lord; how well is not an important factor.  After church, we had an omelette and salad with Bonnie and Bill Schmink and Judy and Alex Alexander at the Foxfire Restaurant on "lower" street next to the railroad station in Spruce Pine which is becomming a tradition for our group.
<>August 13th (Saturday)
<>I had a busy day today with Bo's Mine Tours.  I met a couple at 10:00 for a three hour tour for Rock Mine Tours at the Martin Feldspar Mine. Next, I took them to Kona for a bit of local history and then to the Sinkhole Mica Mine for some nice garnet specimens.
<>
<>

<>August 10th through August 12th
<>Three days of normal errands and enjoying the August weather in the mountains (Highs- low 80s; Lows- low 60s)
<>
<>
<>August 9th (Tuesday)
<>Diana had lunch with Judy Weber today at Mary Jane's Cafe in Burnsville.  While Diana was discussing lillies, I had a mine tour to the Sinkhole Mica Mine with a father from Tampa and his two sons.
<>
<>

<>August 8th (Monday)
<>I have a lot of catching up do do to fill in the blanks from July 16th.  We have been very busy with visits from two of Diana's children and their families; Alec, Alice Hickox and their family members and Hampton and Susan Groover and family; Diana's sister Linda and her husband Edwin; my daughter Laura and her daughter (my grand daughter, Eliza) and Laura's husband Steve.  We had a very successful 3rd Annual Picnic and Folk Fest on July 23rd and I have conducted numerous mine tours as well as doing a lot of work on the McBee Mica Mine as well as other activities. I received a CD from Laura today with lots of pictures so am ready to begin the task of bringing my blog up to date.
<>
<>
<>August 7th (Sunday)
<>After church today, we had brunch with friends at the Vance Toe River Lodge in Plum Tree, Avery County.  We had driven past the lodge on several occasions as it didn't look like much.  We discovered that it has clean cheap rooms inside the lodge and cabins outside and a good restaurant.   It has a nice pool and is the  location where the Plum Tree Zip Line Attraction is  operated.
<>
<>

<>August 6th (Saturday)
<>This is a big weekend in this area as Burnsville is hosting the Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair and Spruce Pine is hosting both the indoor North Carolina Gem and Mineral Show and the outdoor Grassy Creek Gem and Mineral Show. Diana and I have attended both Gem and Mineral shows a few times and are avoiding them this year to avoid spending money.  The traffic in Burnsville is terrible during the crafts fair so we're staying put between the two areas.  However, I received a last minute call from my friend Lud to do a tour to the Martin Feldspar Mine for Rock Mine Tours.  So, I met  a very nice guy from Tampa and his very noice daughter and young son at 1:00 for a tour. We had a good time. I especially liked working with the daughter, Zoe.  She will be getting a Bo's Mine Tours T shirt.
<>
<>


<>August 5th (Friday)
<>Happy Birthday Hadden!  (13 today)
<>
<>
<>August 3rd and 4th (Wednesday and Thursday)
<>Wednesday was supposed to be a workday with Chris Wyatt at the McBee Mine.  We had planned to remove more dirt from either side of the tunnel entrance and then to enter the tunnel to measure the water and air temperatures inside and to provide a light source in the hoist room to explore it in more detail.  But, I got a call requesting a tour for a family at the Martin Mine for Rock Mine Tours in the afternoon so we ere ready to leave McBee earlier than planned.
<>
<>
<>Chris and I received a shock when we got to the McBee Mine.
<>
<>

A very large rock and some smaller rocks and a quantity of soil had fallen from above blocking the entrance.  There is now some question as to whether the large rock in the upper left of the picture is stable. So, we have closed the mine entrance and tunnel for tours, Details at the Bo's Mine Tours website.
As a result of the cave-in, we couldn't work in the tunnel.  So, I measured the temperature of the cool air coming from the mine tunnel (58 degrees F) and we walked back to the Marble Mine trailhead.  As a result, I had plenty of time to meet the tour group in the afternoon.
I met up with the family at 2:00 for a Rock Mine Tours trip to the Martin Feldspar Mine.  I got along great with this group and not only did we meet up the next day, August 4th,  for a morning tour to Kona and the Sinkhole Mine but Diana and I met them  that evening at the Switzerland Inn for dinner and then came back to our cabin for a fluorescent mineral demonstration.  I look forward to  getting to know them better during their next trip to the area.

 
August 2nd (Tuesday)
Diana and I went to a free concert at Jack Dellinger's Grist Mill this afternoon.  We saw many friends there including all the musicians; Terry McKinny who was the front man for our music at the July 23erd Folk Fest and the other musicians who were at the "Christmas in July" concert at the Burnsville Town Center.


<>July 31st (Sunday) and August 1st (Sunday)
<>Normally pleasant days in the mountains! :-)
<>
<>
<>July 16th (Saturday)
<>As I write this, Alice, Alec, and Seth are enroute having been delayed by a broken serpentine belt. They were lucky to get it changed in record time and we hope to have a later that planned dinner and then a fire in the chiminea on the back porch.  We expect low of about 60 degrees tonight!
<>
Oliver Report
<>
<>

<>Oliver was released from the initial phase of treatment today after his second round of chemotherapy following his surgery.  There will be many tests over the next several months to monitor his progress. Oliver has been quite courageous throughout this ordeal and his parents, my daughter Stacy and her husband Jed, have weathered the storm bravely with incredible support from Oliver's parental grandparents, his maternal grandmother, Mary, and Stacy and Jed's many friends in the Raleigh area.
<>
<>
<>Reading Status Report
<>I finished reading David Curtis Skaggs' "Thomas Macdonough: Master of Command in the Early U.S. Navy". I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have ordered Skagg's latest book, a biography of Oliver Hazard Perry. 
<>
<>
<>July 15th (Friday)
<>I received a call at 8:30 am or so about a tour and met a woman and her son at the North Carolina Mineral Museum. Despite a the drizzle and cool temperatures, we spent three hours at the Crabtree Emerald Mine. After a successful mining experience finding several small green samples in the traditional matrix, we made a short visit to Emerald Village to get a photo in front of the Bon Ami Feldspar mine. After a successful tour the mother and son returned to Beach Mountain near Banner Elk and I went back to the cabin for a well needed nap.
<>
<>

Son William and mom Cristina at the Crabtree Emerald Mine

<>July 14th (Thursday)
<>I ran various errands in Spruce Pine today and had a good meeting with Bud Phillip. I discussed our successful July 2nd tour to his Marble Mine and McBee Mica Mine. I also told him of our plans to camp overnight at the Marble Mine on Thursday, July  21st and to conduct work on enlarging the McBee Mica Mine tunnel entrance.  Bud gave me more information about what to expect in the tunnel.  I learned that he last worked the mine 50 years ago (1961).
<>Diana and I went to a dinner party at Marc and Linda Stevens' beautiful vacation home on the steep southern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains not far from the Parkway. We had a great time there with Marc and Linda, our friends Bill and Bonnie Schmink, Linda's mother, Gracey (a liflong resident of Jacksonville), and Judy and Alex Suarez and their daughter and several grand children. It was great seeing one of Bella's puppies, Ginger, who now resides with the Stevens and their grandaughter, Halley.
<>
<>
<>July 13th (Wednesday)
<>We spent the day preparing the cabin for the various visits and activities of the next few weeks. Chris Wyatt came equipped with his weed eater and mower to prepare the grounds for camping and the Folk Fest on the 23rd. Diana spent the day working on the guest bedroom and porch for Alice, Alec, and Seth's visit which begins on Saturday.
<>
<>
<>Reading Status Report
<>I just finished the C.S. Lewis autobiography, "Surprised by Joy; The Shape of My Early Life" .  I enjoyed  learning about his  early life from his boarding school days through his first few years at Oxford and his experience in World War One.  I found his philosophy challenging mostly because my background in the classics  is deficient to read Lewis but I struggled along following his transitions from Aethiesm, Absolutism, Theism and eventually to Christianity.
<>My next book is David Curtis Skaggs'  "Thomas Macdonough: Master of Command in the Early U.S. Navy".  This is another book in a series of books I have been reading about the early history of the Navy when the sailing frigate was our primary weapon along witht the privateers who operated during the period. Thomas Macdonough is famous for his victory at the battle of Lake Champlain in September, 1814 and for his style of naval leadership.
<>
<>
<>July 12th (Tuesday)
<>Quentin and Docia left at about 10:00 for their drive back to Jacksonville. We had a great visit with them and look forward to seeing them in mid September after they return from a month long misssion trip to Argentina.
<>
<>
<>July 11th (Monday)
<>After a "miners breakfast" of saugage, hashbrowns, and poached eggs, we set off at noon for JackDellinger's Grist Mill.
<>
<>

Jack describes the design of the steel water wheel
Jack tests the coarseness of the grind.
<>Our next stop was the Sinkhole Mica Mine in Bandana.
<>
<>

First, we checked out the mine shaft and mineworks
Quentin found an outstanding garnet sample.
Docia found several nice Apatite samples
<>After mining, we stopped at Kona on the way home and visited the Silver Church Cemetery and Jacob Silver's log cabin.
<>
<>

The Kona area was first settled by George Silver Jr
His son, Jacob Silver, built this cabin bteween 1805 and 1809
<>We arrived back at our cabin about 6:00 and had a delicious fish and shrimp dinner with Diana's classic wedge salad.  After dinner, we relaxed on the back porch and at dark looked at the rock samples we collected at the Sinkhole Mine with my fluorescent light.
<>
<>
<>July 10th (Sunday)
<>Diana and I went to church in the morning and had a relaxing afternoon.  Our friends Quentin and Docia Miller arrived about 6 pm or so. We enjoyed their company over bruchetta and white wine on the porch and later had a dinner of Chicken Austin with some of Quentin's own delicious Chianti.  We enjoyed some time on the porch after dinner which included my demonstration of fluorescent minerals.  We retired about midnight.
<>
July 7th (Thursday), July 8th (Friday), and July 9th (Saturday)
<>
<>Diana and I have spent the last three days running errands in preparation for an active couple weeks of events which starts this Sunday. Quentin and Docia Miller from the New Day JAX Church group are coming for a visit Sunday through Tuesday.  Alec, Alice  (Diana's younger daughter), and Seth are coming up the next week before the Folk Fest.   Levi Bennett (Alice's son) is arriving sometime that week.  Hampton Groover (Diana's elder son) (Happy Birthday Hampton, July 8th), his wife Susan and their five children (Aubrey, Jacob, Malachi, Ethan, and Ellie) are coming the Wednesday before the Folk Fest. We have a group; Hampton, Susan and the five Groover children, Levi, Seth, and me are going to do the McBee Mica Mine/Marble Mine overnight camping and mining experience on Thursday/Friday before the Folk Fest. My daughter Laura, her husband Steve, and their daughter (my granddaughter) Eliza are arriving Friday after visiting my daughter Stacy, her husband Jed, and their son (my grandson) Oliver in Raleigh. The Folk Fest is Saturday, July 23rd.
<>Oliver Report
<>Oliver is doing great.  His "counts" are improving. They are all going back to the UNC Children's Hospital next week to consult with Oliver's oncologist.
<>
<>

This is Oliver in his play area.
Oliver loves trains, spaceships, and tractors.

<>Hot off the press-Jessica and Tom's "official" Wedding Picture
<>My daughter Jessica became Jessica Scangarello in St. Augustine, Florida on January 29th, 2011. I posted some digital pictures shortly after the wedding I took on my blog but did not have a proper official "wedding photograph" to share until just this week.
<>
<>

Jessica and Tom, the happy and handsome couple.
What a great photograph!
 (by Gus and Deanne Dunlop Photography)

July 6th (Wednesday)
I spent a quiet day doing errands and enjoying a rainy afternoon on the cabin porch.  I spliced the bitter ends of a new rope I purchased for use at the McBee Mine and read more of C.S. Lewis, quite a change from Steve Berry's adventures.
<>July 5th (Tuesday)
<>Casey Anthony 1- Justice 0 (perhaps not)
<>I enjoyed the day doing errands with Diana and Panzy and watching the boys, King Tut and Litttle Bear, chasing rabbits and frolicking in the pasture.
<>I was also gratified to discover that I had enough room in my MasterCard balance to make an order with JR Cigars for some more Romeo & Juliet Habana Reserve Toros.
<>I also tried an new single malt, Tamdhu a 10 year old single malt scotch, malted and bottled in the Speyside River valley in Scotland.
<>
<>
<>Reading Status Report
<>I finished Steve Berry's latest novel, "The Jefferson Key".  Steve's main characters, Cotton Malone and Cassiopia Vitt, continue to provide excitement with his easy to read writing style; not unlike Michael Crichton.  I look forward to Steve's next novel!  My newest read, a belated 70th birthday gift from Diana, is C.S. Lewis' "Surprised by Joy"  a tale of his rejection of his early Christian upbringing and eventual conversion back from Aethiesm to Christianity.  So far, Lewis is describing his boyhood in Ireland adapting to the loss of his mother and difficult transition with his father. He describes his early childhood and his English boarding school, a stark contrast from the beautiful landscape of his Irish upbringing and how he relishes moments of solitude when he can retreat to reading and drawing which are the foundation of his imagination and developing his philosophy.
<>
<>
<>July 4th (Monday)
<>
<>

It was a quiet July 4th morning as I worked on updating my Bo's Mine Tours and the the Abernathy/McBee Mine Tour websites.  Meanwhile, Diana was glued to the TV watching closing arguments in the Calyee/Casey Anthony case.  We were planning to take the doggies to the Marble Mine and walk from the gate to the camping area and back.  But, we decided to go for a short trip to the Sinkhole Mine instead due to a forecast of bad weather in connection with a frontal passage between 2 and 3 in the afternoon.  The forecast was right on and we left Sinkhole just as the rain began at 2:30. 

I left the Rodeo back hatch window open and Little Bear was out in a flash helping Diana collect some samples.
<>We are now safely back at the cabin after a deluge with some hail.  We plan a restful late afternoon and evening.
<>
<>
<>July 3rd (Sunday)
<>I was too tired from yesterday's mine trip to make church in the morning.  Diana went and informed me that I missed a great service which featured a solo by our friend Bonnie Schmink. I was rested enough to return to the Marble Mine mid afternoon with Chris to service the latrine.  It was a short trip and I was home in plenty of time to turnaround with Diana and attend a July 4th weekend picnic at the Grassy Creek Golf and Country Club at 6:00.  It was avery nice casual picnic with excellent music and many Schmink friends we had met on previous occasions.
<>
<>

We had a great time meeting some new people and catching up with folks we had met last year at a party at the Schminks.
The band members are from the "Praise Music Group" at the WNC Church.



<>July 2nd (Saturday)
<>Bo's Mine Tours conducted a tour today for six adults and two children at the McBee Mica Mine.  We met at 9:30 and then went to Kona for a tour of the Silver Kona Church and the Jacob Silver house built between 1805 and 1809 (see Bo's Mine Tours website for pictures of the house). After the Kona tour, we met Chris Wyatt at the Marble Mine Gate to begin the McBee tour.  Chris and I took  the supplies to the Marble mine campsite where we set up camp chairs as the family hiked down the road. After a brief rest there, we hiked the one mile along the railroad tracks to the McBee Mine.  The first activity was swimming at the river edge below the tailings.  We named the rapids there the McBee rapids. Several tube trips came down the river while we were there. After swimming, the family moved to the mine tunnel. I had gone in the tunnel and determined that it was safe for the boys to enter at the front. The boys had a ball.  After that, the group did some collecting at the mine tailings before returning to the Marble Mine. We completed the tour at 4:45.
<>
<>

Resting at the Marble Mine

Swimming at the river
The boys investigating the mine entrance




<>July 1st (Friday)
<>Diana and I did some exploring today and spent some time at the Sinkhole Mica Mine.  Both of us enjoy collecting at this mine because you can drive to it and spend an hour or so and then be on your way. It is also particularly nice as we have met the operators of the mine, Sam and Ed Silver and George Silver Jr. who works with them moving material from the mine and is curator of the Silver Kona Church and Cemetery.
<>After mining, we drove to the Switzerland Inn to meet Jessica Suit (Virginia), her husband David (West Virginia), and David's mother Sandy (Ohio). David and Jessica have purchased two quartz crystal mines in Arkansas and are interested in possibly working with Bo's Mine Tours developing the McBee Mica Mine and perhaps Bud Phillips' "Gold Mine".
<>
<>
<>Happy Birthday Oliver
<>
<>June 30th, 2011 is Oliver's 2nd Birthday.  He is resting at home after his first post surgery chemotherapy session.
<>
<>
<>
<>Reading Status Report
<>Today, I finished "Wild Bill Donovan", a biography of the founder of the OSS during World War II and and the CIA. I bagan reading Steve Berry's most recent book, "The Jefferson Key".  Steve usually produces only one historical fiction novel a year which comes out in early December.  This year, however, he published his latest novel in May.  It starts out with a bang and I look forward to gettingt into this one!
<>
<>

Website by Robert S "bo" Smith