western North Carolina
Circles in the Snow: After the Thaw
Drip, drip, drip. Everything is dripping. Dripping off the cabin gutter. Dripping of the chestnut tree. Dripping off the bee hive. Dripping extra fast when the sun comes out. And dripping off the shovel that I forgot in the snow. After two weeks of snow, it’s all melting. This morning Julia and I stepped into the forests and what did we… Continue reading
How Wild Bees Winter in Insulated Horizontal Hives
A January storm dumped five inches of snow on us this weekend and I wondered how the swarms of wild bees I’d caught over the last few years were faring. Here’s what I found.
The bees live in five insulated horizontal hives that I built in our hay barn and then placed around our property. Unlike the standard Langstroth hives most beekeepers use, these heavily insulated horizontal hives… Continue reading
A Cast Iron Cauldron, a Busted Ear, and My Summer Movie “Ants”
On this, the first day of summer, may I present to you my summer movie, “Ants”!
The Backstory
A few weekends ago, I wanted to plant some rhubarb. Here in western North Carolina, unless you’re at really high elevations, summers can get too hot for rhubarb, so I decided to plant them in a planter close to the chestnut tree behind our cabin. Instead of making a planter or buying a new galvanized stock tank from the farm supply store,… Continue reading
How to Install a Wood Stove in a Covered Wagon
The Friday night moon was coming up over the wagon. I fired up the wood stove and kerosene lantern for the first time and thought you’d enjoy the scene. Have a great weekend!
Hay Bales to Hydraulic Fluid: How to Help After Hurricane Helene
Got any hay bales, hydraulic fluid or paper towels you’re not using? Do you want to help out folks that have been impacted by Hurricane Helene but don’t know how to get things into the right hands? Here’s how to get those supplies into the hands that need them.
In… Continue reading
How To Help With Hurricane Helene Relief
Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina and folks from across the US and even abroad have been contacting my wife Julia and I about how they can help. I brought a load of hay to Black Mountain yesterday and was devastated. Sometimes you don’t comprehend the damage until you’re staring at it through your windshield. Here are some photos below.
There are two ways. You can help physically or you can help financially. But first, a few photos from a… Continue reading
Man-length Rat Snakes and Salamander Drowners: Western NC Summer
I often write about particular things that happen here up the Shoebox Canyon, from untangling a rat snake that got caught in our stove to what it’s like to split locust posts to make a new fence.
What I’m less good at is providing an overall view of what my wife Julia and I are up… Continue reading
Road Training a Haflinger Pony: Pie’s First Day Pulling a Cart
Just too nice a day to sit inside today so we hooked Pie to the cart and took her… Continue reading
Sunflower Sunday Morning
It’s been a good sunflower and peach year here in western North Carolina. Last week we were enjoying Taylorsville peaches from 20 miles away. This week, it’s Kings Mountain peaches from a wee bit farther afield.
I’m a big fan of saving good pits and seeds. Right now the fridge is full of baggies filled with the season’s best peaches. Others go on the windowsill until I put them in a paper… Continue reading
Where is Home?
Where is home? Where, indeed, is home when you sleep in a tent one night. Or your sleeping bag cast out under stars. Or the horse trailer of someone you met 2 hours ago on the side of the road. Or someone’s spare bedroom. Where is home to the man who is traveling the land with his mules? Where is home to a Long Ride
Ride Out the Front Gate: Let the Photos Speak
Some days words capture our mule ramble best. Other days it’s photos. Today’s one of those picture days.
Read more posts from this ramble: Ride Out the Front Gate.
Julia’s side of the ramble at Saddle Under the Stars:
Chris the Worm Wrangler: A Character We Met on Our NC Mule Ride
The man hunched over the plastic container on the side of the road was grabbing at the dirt. We’d seen all sorts of sights on our mule ramble. So far, though, nobody shuffling through the damp leaves on the shoulder looking for, what the hell….? Meet Chris, worm seeker.
My wife Julia documented the whole ramble on her blog Saddle Under the Stars —
August,
September,
and October.
Her posts are worth your time and will give… Continue reading
Dave Demour: Singer, Stone Artist, and ex-Monk of Todd, NC
It’s a rainy Sunday. We’re taking a short break from the mule ramble to wait out Hurricane Florence. We’re sorting photos, editing footage and reflecting on some of the interesting people we met during our amble through the western North Carolina hills.
One of the memorable people we’re thinking back on is Dave Demour. Dave’s an amazing stone artist, ex-monk, singer-songwriter and resident of Todd, NC. We could tell you more about Dave but this video sums up Dave’s talent… Continue reading
Carpe Cool: Morning Mule Rides in North Carolina
Shadow cast: Left to Right they are mule Dusty, Julia, mule Brick, me and mule Polly.
Carpe Cool. Julia, the critters and I try to be on the trail first thing in the morning while the western North Carolina trails are still cool. Here, we’re riding out behind our house. We try to spend at least one or 2 hours in the saddle every day (Monday – Friday). This helps the animals’ hides – and ours – toughen up for… Continue reading
