September 2000

Justin Wizard, caretaker    HC88 Box 216a    Chloe, WV 25235

This place sure makes it easy to include pretty pictures. Flowers grow thick in many colors and varieties.

The locals know which plants are edible. "Ya, over top of yonder hollar up the four wheeler road I found a mess of poke weed in the meada." "A nice sweet pile of that with butter and corn bread is shore a fine meal."

If you are driving slow lollygagging and looking out the window, drivers behind slow down and give you 200 feet so you can have a better look. So patient. No honking.

I went to a ramp dinner to help out. I though a ramp dinner was like a California tailgate party. Nope. Well ya see, you get a small group and go up to the mountains and collect ya some greens called "ramps." They’re like a thin spinach on top and a mild small onion on da the other end. You cleans ‘em, chop them and cook them in bacon grease.

I got to be the ramps cook. What an honor. I did 15 big pans full. People brought in all kinds of food and goodies as this was a fund raiser for a school educational center. Three guys got up to play some good country music. A neighbor and co-cook washed her hands, got up on stage, helped sing a few songs and went back to the kitchen. What a fun day.

I’m finding out about fashion around here. People here are modest, and wear jeans. No showing off or keeping up with the neighbors. I was relaxing in the motorhome when some guys came by to say hi. It was a warm day and I was wearing flourescent purple gym shorts. Oh oh. They just don’t ever, never wear things like that even if threatened with their life. They came to talk to me. "Do you know how to cook a squirrel?" "How ‘bout a groundhog?" "Boy, you don’t know ‘nothin’."

I feel like family here. When a car or tractor drives by they yell out "Heaah Justin! I honk back with a ridiculous sounding portable purple bike horn "beepa beepa!"

We have whip-poor-wills, a fine bird indeed around here - which is a thrill to hear at night. They got their name from what they sing out. The frogs sing every night. What a happy sounding valley.

No car alarms. No "club" anti theft devices. When the alarm goes off at the local bank the police don’t show up. "It’s probably just a false alarm."

Such a peaceful place. No stress. A nice garden. All the natural food you can eat. Fresh spring water. Fresh air. Lots of birds and big colorful butterflies. Go for a good walk in any direction. Discover something new every day. Have fun visitors.

They have flying lightning bugs around here. The edges of the woods start to twinkle around dusk. Such as magic sight.

Country communication system: Need some tractor work done? You won’t have his phone number but the next person you see will be his brother. He passes the message along and your helper shows up in the late afternoon. You have a beer and sit for a spell explaining what you’re wanting done or not. He has another beer and tells how his family used to live on my farm and his daddy was borned right over there. After a while he has to go and may give you a price or not. A nice afternoon spent.

If you ask people hereabouts their nationality they just look puzzled and say "West Virginia Country".

This is a friendly place . Everyone waves at you. If you don’t wave back they think you’re mad at them and that they must have done something grievous to you. Whatever it is they’re sorry - "here I baked ya a pie!"

Running a business out in the country works. The UPS and Fed-ex drivers often have to chase me in the back field to get a signature.

There is a really good garden club hereabouts. We go to somebody's house where they show us their garden then provide a nice lunch with dessert. They’ll be meeting at my place on the

17^th for a plant and seed swap, potluck dinner and nature walk. I just got a picnic table yesterday so I’m ready for entertaining. Come join us?

These are purple coneflowers -echinacea - a great illness/snakebite healing herb. Easy to grow.

Ever heard of Stevia? It’s a small, bushy plant with leaves that are 300 times sweeter than sugar. It’s an easy to grow sweetener. I recommend trying this in your garden.

The mountains stay green because it rains for a couple hours at least once a week. I love the thunder and lightning shows - what a thrill! I have a big garden that waters itself. The rest of the time the weather is often cool and sunny.

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They have great yard sales all the time. You have to figure them in when traveling. Bought a slider rocker. Now I can be off my rocker for sure.

I did a goals and dreams presentation for a auditorium of kids recently. They liked it including a song I did called "My Gold Sparkle Shoes." If I promote this I can probably rake in $30 to $40 a year being an entertainer. Ladies please make note of this - I’m going into the big time.

Banks will loan to you once they get to know you - usually one or two generations. No credit = debt free.

I found that straight baking soda works better than store bought deodorant. Just wet a bit in a dish and apply. No smell. Long lasting. Cheap. Let me know if it works for you. It will never be commercially advertised as a year’s supply is about 7c.

I’m staying in the RV till a house of some sort gets built.  The whole house will run off only two solar panels. No utility bills!

RV parked at home! Woodsy!

My front yard view down the hill

The RV refrigerator decided not to work giving me a wonderful learning experience in eating totally fresh. I grind my own flour then put it in a bread machine, make soups from scratch, and pick from the garden.

I did have one disaster. I was making blackberry wine (don’t tell mom) in two glass jars. I had them sitting on the counter as I drove in the motorhome down the driveway. Crash! On the green carpet. Oops! It will be hard to explain. Does anyone know what will remove blackberry stains on carpet?

I’ve been teaching by example "live and let live" around here. Stop killing anything that scares you. Snakes, wasps, bugs and such. Let them have a curious look and they’ll be on their way.

I went to visit the local police department Tuesday but he was at lunch. One guy. Now I know.

Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm.                   Robert Louis Stevenson

I am helping get the locals into computers and technology offering free computer training and cooking classes. They’re really getting into it. I’m doing dream-making meetings that have had dramatic results. I am so proud of their accomplishments.

A big, out-of-breath deer with antlers just crashed by 30 feet away. I wonder where he was going in such a hurry? What a sight.

I hope you enjoy my country newsletter. I appreciate those of you that write back with bold ideas, wacky plans, recipes, silly cartoons, news and encouragement.

                                                              Justin!

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