Tallahassee

After leaving the cool temperatures of the mountains, we spent a few days in Tallahassee getting the townhouse (aka football crash pad) ready to use for football season.

In the crepe myrtle tree that hangs over the driveway, a large spider web had formed. Now this wasn't your usual web. It was a heavy-duty, industrial-strength type of web, and it was yellow! It was positioned in such a way that depending on what direction you were facing, you either saw it or you didn't.

In the middle of the web was a HUGE spider with very long legs that were kind of pointy on the ends (almost looked like claws). It 'hung' upside down and had 2 smaller spiders that scurried all around the web.

We didn't do anything with it as the bug guy was coming in a few days and we wanted to get him to tell us what it was. (We didn't have access to the internet to do any searches.)



Unfortunately the flash on the camera wasn't cooperating and I was not able to get some good pictures of the web and spiders, but I was able to do a short movie! (Update: video to big to post.)



Turns out it was a banana spider (or a golden silk spider). Harmless and good skeeter eaters. So the bug guy moved it to a different tree where it could live happily ever after and we wouldn't run into it. We also learned the big spider was the female and the smaller ones were males.



I couldn't help but think of, " 'Welcome to my parlor', said the spider to the fly."

Andersons come to Boone

Our good friends Tom & Raquel drove up from Rock Hill, SC to spend a few days with us in Boone. They were the inspiration and helped develop the plan for the back yard. We enjoyed yummy food and explored the Moses Cone Museum and trail.

Overlooking Bass Lake

In front of the Cone House/Museum. "The Denim King" Moses and his wife did not have any children and after his death, the property was bequeathed to the National Park Service.

Front porch of the mansion.

View from the front porch.

The Cones would walk the "figure eight loop" every morning. A very pleasant trail through the woods.

Raquel, Tom, Leann & Frank

After going through the museum, we headed toward the carriage house for a pitstop. We barely got inside and the skies opened! After the rains stopped, we headed into Blowing Rock for a tasty lunch at the Pub.

We'll see the Andersons again when we head to Clemson for the FSU-Clemson game in November. Won't be long!

Dinner at the Cleavers

While we've been in Boone, we've done really well with our commitment to spend more time friends. At the beginning of the season, we hosted the first Potluck Supper Club dinner. Last night's dinner was hosted by Ray & Bonnie and the theme was "What Would June Cleaver Serve?" - a 50's inspired dinner.

We all had a great time and if anyone went home hungry, it was their own fault! The food was great, the music was all 50's and we always have lots of laughs when this group is together.

Frank, Leann & Terry

Hostess Bonnie "Cleaver" and Barbara

Frank, Bonnie and Terry

Bob and Frank

Don & Barbara

Leann, Don, Toby & Brenda

Toby & Frank

Ray & Bob

Don, Brenda & Ray

In honor of June Cleaver, we all wore pearls!

Bonnie, Barbara, Bonnie, Leann & Toby

Frank & Brenda

Brenda, Barbara, Bonnie & Terry

We all had fun thinking of dishes that were from the 50's:

Appetizers - Ritz crackers with Cheez Whiz, Ham roll-ups, stuffed celery, Rumake, and French onion dip and Lays chips.

Meal - Iceberg wedge with thousand island dressing, meatloaf (with ketchup and gravy), mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, green bean casserole, corn casserole, and dinner rolls.

Dessert - Banana pudding (with vanilla wafers) and brownies


(Frank and I made the pudding - from scratch!)

It was all de-licious!

We are so fortunate to have this wonderful group of friends! Everyone also has places in Florida so during the winter, we'll be able to continue our Potluck Suppers.

Our version of "Farm to Table"

Today was the first Saturday since we've been in Boone that we've been able to make it to the local Farmer's Market. We really didn't have a plan or list, but for certain wanted to see if anyone had squash blossoms. I've been looking forward to making them for some time.

We cruised through at record speed and found a plethora of goodies:
purple basil, red tomatoes, goat cheese with chives (to stuff the blossoms), cantaloupe, berries (straw-, black-, and blue-), fresh corn, pork chops and portabello/onion/asiago raviloi. Enough for two days' dinners.

I had researched a few recipes for the stuffed squash blossoms and there were a few comments about how delicate they were and the importance of gently washing them. Well, delicate is an understatement! The closest analogy would be - tissue paper! Nonetheless, got them rinsed.

Rinsed squash blossoms drying before being dredged.

Squash blossoms stuffed with fresh chive goat cheese, ready for their coating.

Blossoms 'dressed' (in a light dusting of flour, egg wash and Panko bread crumbs) before their dip in the "hot tub".

First batch out of the oil was perfectly golden brown!

Photo was snapped before the plate was formally dressed, but the sauces we had to dip the blossoms in were yummy! (Peach Chipotle from Krueger's in Oregon and Tomato Basil from Flatrock, NC.)

While we enjoyed our appetizers, the pork chops were on the grill and the corn was on the stove. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and the purple basil was a nice addition. And what is mandatory with pork chops? Applesauce of course!

Pork chops with a tasty rub, bi-color corn as sweet as candy and the ripe red tomatoes.

I don't imagine the Queen of England butters her corn on the cob this way (if she even eats it). But it is the easiest, most efficient butter-maximization method for buttering corn!

Dessert (Three Berry & Nectarine Cobbler) will follow tomorrow.