Mr. & Mrs. Greenwood?

It has been a busy week to say the least. We've been mostly playing because Nick has been off work. No time for blogging. Besides, the heat has been downright awful lately. Apparently it left our hometown & has followed us up here. Nick says "temperaments flare when temperatures rise..." I hate to admit it, but he is right. It is easy to dwell on the dripping heat when there is no air conditioning--no breeze even. In order to cool our temperaments & temperatures, we escaped to local pubs & shoppies around Baltimore. Here is a list of some of our escapes:

Ellicott Mills Brewing Co. sits amongst a line of historic buildings. Reminiscent of historic St. Charles, it feels like home here. Great beer & good people.

Fell's Point boasts a long list of must-see-places. The Bowery Antiques & Collectibles houses some truly one-of-a-kind-finds. I bought some stemware to be used for the wedding. (Yes, I am actually doing some planning out here.) I also decided that in my next lifetime, I will travel with Nick full-time collecting these vintage items. .
Also, Max's Tap House was a sight for sore eyes--or taste for parched lips--offering more than 100 brews. (Do you see the pattern here? Vintage shoppie, pub, charming shoe store, bar... Now you know the secret to my success. Do you really think he would willingly follow me with all this shopping? Not likely. You must lure him with a Honey Orange Ale or Imperial Stout.)

We ate at Liquid Earth (yes, I know it sounds bizarre but it was quite tasty.) The Espresso Chai Smoothie will soon be replicated at the Orf-Schaub residence in the near future. Schaub-Orf, Orf-Schaub...what a horrid hyphenization. We were thinking of nixing the two all together and going with something like Greenwood or...how does Mr. & Mrs. Leatherwood (borrowed from my honeymaking friend) sound?

BB

really??

Some days I wonder what the hell we are doing out here. Did we really leave our home for the wilderness? To sleep amongst the trees? Under the stars? Are we really traveling around in a rattling jeep & returning every evening to what appears to be a popcorn stand? Really?

I turn to look at Nick & he slowly nods his head "yes, yes we are".

beekeeping Pt. 1

"You're gonna' put me on the Internet?", he said after I asked him if I could photograph him collecting honey from the hive. Well, only a couple of people actually read my blog, so it's no big thing I answered. Needless to say, he agreed. His name is Mr. Rick Leatherwood. His family owns Ramblin' Pines--otherwise known as our home away from home for the last 4 months (only 2 of those accompanied by yours truly). The Leatherwoods have been here since 1864. There are approximately190 acres in total he says as we ride through fields boasting wild blackberries & wild asparagus. He lives in a log cabin between the tall trees with his dog, Bud.

"Believe me I've been stung, if you're a beekeeper, you've probably been stung at some point," he says as we approach the wooden boxes that I later discover are the hives.As he lights the smoker, the most important tool of the trade, I begin to think about the movie "My Girl" (1991) when Vada's best friend dies from an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Maybe this wasn't such a smart idea. I don't recall ever getting stung; I wonder if I am allergic. He did not have an extra bee suit. But he didn't seem worried, so I didn't say anything. He puffed the smoke all around the hives. "Bees think their hive's on fire, you see, so they go in & eat as much as they can because they must leave."He carefully pries off the lid, whistling. He peers inside & notices that it is completely full of honey! A great harvest will come from these hives, which is good news because meanwhile the sting bugs have ruined his crop of fruit from the orchard. The top section (a.k.a. Super) is capped off with wax & incredibly heavy--that is how you know it is ready for harvest. Rick says that each section of this rig will produce approximately 5 gallons of honey.

He leaves me with 2 handmade beeswax candles & a little jar of fresh honey. Phase II will entail a contraption he calls "The Slinger". ((stay tuned))

xoxo - BB

backpack, backpack...

Guess who got a new backpack?!

Yes, I am now trail-ready & completely self-sufficient...I carry my own water, bowl, & extra treats in case I get hungry. What do you think?

it evens out in the end...

We can now add Virginia & Pennsylvania to our list of charted territories. Along the way, I have learned the art of building campfires, roasting marshmallows, & melting bottles. The educator in me finds inspiration for future art lessons at local art museums & galleries (the photos are from the Baltimore Art Museum). Nick has been a good sport about visiting these venues. I guess he sort of owes it to me for all of the mosquito bites & late nights I have endured.

smokey smokerson...

Meet the Italian Model by Emile-Auguste Carolus-Duran, or as I like to call him, Smokey Smokerson. We saw this portrait at the Baltimore Art Museum today. I wonder how many cigarettes he smoked while being painted. I'm thinking 10 to 12.
Anyway, I am posting this to announce that Nick is (as of today) a month cigarette-free.
He would like to take this opportunity to thank e-cigarettes for allowing him to inhale nicotine without all of the harmful side effects. For all my smokers out there who know how delicious a cigarette can taste paired with a nice malt beverage, try it. If Smokey Smokerson were alive, I think he would like puffing on one. He would probably enjoy the menthol flavor best.

loveliness...

A front stoop is a special place. It's where friends gather & morning coffee is sipped. I think I'll pretend this one is mine for today.