Cannot believe it is the end of the summer in a few weeks.  Have not "blogged" in a year!

 We are still working on the chinking of the old house from the Arrowood family who settled in the area around 1790's.  They had moved down from the Maryland area.  It is a very large family in the Rutherfordton area.  Our little log house dates from around the 1870's and the family who built it are descended from Drearie Searcy Arrowood, I think.  The family who sold the property were the Hills.

Last year we welcomed numbers 6 and 7 grandchildren, James Petros Sarantopoulos and Keegan Lyla Fahy.  This year Austin James Fahy arrived, in fact, just last month. Kent is in 5th grade, Dominic in 3rd, and Zoe and Xavi started kindergarten this year.  Getting smarter everyday!

My mother moved in with us in late June.  She is 86, very active, still traveling yearly.  We had a large two story addition built onto our house in Weddington.   A story in itself.....She has the first floor part and I got the 2nd story part.  My part is not completely finished, little things needing to be done, but it is my "bat cave" , as the grands call it.  Art and craft studio for me and play area for the little ones.  I am still decorating and organizing, but can't wait to start painting again.  Watercolor.  And back to sewing again, and of course my other crafting projects.

Work continues on the orchard.  In fact Jim and I worked on it last month.  And we both got "chiggers"! Yecch!  The various apple trees have done ok without a lot of assistance, but now it is time to pay more attention.  The deer and marauding goats have done some damage, but I am not really interested in fencing yet.

We spent Labor Day at the farm with Dominic, Xavi, Zoe and Lily.  And of course, my mother, Betty (Oma).  It was a little loud at times but a lot of fun.

We look forward to the Autumn Season in our little corner of  The Blue Ridge mountains....and of course, living the life of Riley....