Chinook helicopter and Fall foliage

Yesterday we had a Chinook helicopter doing practice approaches at the airport. They're big and loud!! They never stop for fuel - I assume they're flying from Ft. Bragg or Pope Air Force base. If they were to taxi onto the ramp, all the dust/sand, etc. would make a mess!! They're cool to watch and listen to....




I snapped these photos on my way to work this morning. The leaves are starting to be very pretty....of course, we don't have the vistas from which to take pretty mountain photos....I sure hate the cold weather that comes with Fall!!!

Chatham Arts Guild Fashion Show at Fearington

This is a long post, sorry for all the photos. I won't comment on each one. Sunday Diane and I went to the benefit fashion show put on by the local arts guild.

The theme of the show is to display fashion from the 1920's thru the 1980's. Neigbor Gretchen is in the show, modeling "hippie" fashion (very fitting for the flower child that she is/was!)

But first, I have a bit of a fashion emergency myself. Diane is going to pick me up at 2:30 - and it's 2:20 and I pull my ONLY solid black "dressy" socks on. OOPS - they have a "big-toe" hole... my only other black sock choices are either bulky boot-socks or they have sparkley Christmas snowflakes. Not gonna work - so I pull out the needle and thread and at 2:25, I'm in my mules, ready to rumble!


OK, maybe it's time for me to buy some new socks.....


We're at the Fearington House "Barn" - a "sell-out" crowd. I was surprised how many guys were there!


The guest speaker was Alexander Julian - he's a designer from Chapel Hill, but he's apparently pretty big in the fashion world - I've bought several of his "Colours" line dress shirts for Duane over the years.


He was quite an interesting speaker - talking about designing clothes/fabrics back in the early 70's.

The main "show" was modeled by the local artisans. They were dressed in authentic clothes from the different eras. I won't comment on each one - you can figure out what decade they are from just by the style. They start in order from the 1920's. Unfortunately, the dark lighting and quick movements by the models didn't photograph too well. I skipped a couple of eras just because my photos were too blurred.

















And here is our lovely neighbor Gretchen in her "hippie" outfit. I think she had a great time and looks terrific!!













Everyone seemed to have a great time!



Random model caught for photo op!


Ditto - we just "dug" this guys shoes!!

Diane, Katie (Gretchen's niece), Gretchen and Me!! Fun afternoon.

We had the strangest weather yesterday. It was supposed to be sunny and cool. I noticed the building getting dark....went outside and the sky was ferocious looking! It never did really rain - the clouds looked like snow at one point. I just waiting for hot muggy summertime!

Remote control helicopter flown inside the FBO

Lest you think we all work very hard all day, every day....here is proof that we do not.

This is one of the pilots playing with a remote control helicopter inside the FBO. He apparently is pretty good at flying the thing.


Here is another one - silly boys and their toys....

Poker tournament in Fayetteville

Yesterday we went to a poker tournament in Fayetteville. This is "free" poker - the prize for the winner is to a seat paid for in one of the tournaments you see on TV.

You had to qualify for a seat in this tournament by playing well in our local "tavern" poker game. I didn't qualify (you had to be in the top 10 locally - I was 12th) but Duane qualified.



He didn't win, but lasted a good long while. It was fun to watch - I sat and read outside most of the time.....

Nothing much going on - I threw together this quick dinner - fresh rosemary and lemon pepper chicken, the last of Eddie's wild rice and a easy eggplant/tomato sauce dish that I just made up as I went (using leftover roasted eggplant from a couple of days ago!).

I know it's not that cold...we usually wait a good long while before we turn the heat on. But I came home this afternoon and this is the thermostat reading. I am NOT HAPPY!!!



So, I went downstairs and lit the pilot-light for the little gas stove. NOW I'm happy! I can take a pillow and curl up on the rug in front of the stove and read. If I was a cat, I'd purr! Duane's not home yet - he'll kid me endlessly about being a wimp.... oh, I pulled out the little squirt bottle of "Mulled Spice" scent and sprayed it on my potpourri....I'm (almost) in the Holiday spirit!

End of garden herbs and veggies

Everyone seems to have a bunch of veggies out of the garden before the first frost....so here's mine: (from neighbor Dick and Lindy's garden, of course...)


Herbs - basil and rosemary. I'll wrap these up and use them fresh in the next day or two.



Cilantro - one of my favorites now - I'll use some fresh - but most of it I'll freeze. I stuck this cookie sheet full in the freezer for about an hour.

Kindof hard to see, but it's completely frozen now.


I just tear it apart and stuff it, still frozen into baggies. Then back into the freezer immediately. This keeps the leaves separated - when I want some I just grab a bag and break off whatever I want. Fresh Mexican dishes for the next few weeks without having to buy a fresh bunch at the grocery.


Next is some greens - this is spinach - I wrapped this bowl up in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge - this will be a dinner salad tonight.

My new favorite - arugula - I stir fried this for lunch (with some garlic and cilantro...yum).



And finally, some more eggplant. I'm glad this stuff is not high calorie, 'cause I'm eating a bunch of it!!




I just chopped it up and roasted it in the oven. These will be put in baggies to freeze for later use. That's all for now and probably my last "garden" post for a while!!