A Carolina Fable ....

Well this is one of my favorite cards (I am not as happy with the scan images as the real card though). The idea came to me after messing around on the boards. What happened was .... Mama Buck planned on being in Charlotte with some friends for a scrap-booking get-away weekend. Mama Wolf was going to meet her Friday for lunch and take her off boxing a little ..... well .... the Wolf reports in Friday afternoon about the nice little boxing lunch they had .... BUT .... no word from Mama Buck ..... Friday ..... then Saturday ..... then SUNDAY .... still no Mama Buck ..... Ok well ... we all start questioning the Wolf ... "What did you do to her Mama Wolf ?" ....... Thus this card was born .... the stamps are planted as a traditional series. :O) This card is put together like a book with multiple pages to tell the story:

These are a few of my favorite things .....Sunflowers

ElectricMedic started this LTC swap. I could not resist, since one of my favorite things in the world are Sunflowers. I LOVE THEM, they are just bright and beautiful. They just make me smile and feel warm and bright inside. I made this LTC with a stamp carved by 't' of dtandfambly. The stamp is mounted on a seed envelope and I included Sunflower seeds inside the envelope to be planted. I hope you enjoy my Sunflowers!

Sean Trooper

This card was an idea by my 7 yr old Sean Trooper. It is his alter ego, and he helped create the card, even helped with the carve. The stamp is now his signature stamp.

Bee Happy

Just realized I never posted a picture of my Bee Happy LTC. Each one of these cards is different, same idea just created a little different. Just to make you smile.

Woman Pirates: Mary Read

My partner Sith, started a Woman Pirate Swap. I have had this image transferred to the PZKut for a few months now ... Afraid to start it. I loved the image and wanted to carve it soooo bad but knew I would mess it up somehow, so it just sat ! This swap kinda forced me to carve it, and while I am no Mama Wolf, I am pretty proud of myself for this card.

HIKE !

This card was made for The Shirt Rack swap. The idea was to design a mini t-shirt and make cards...... My shirt is HIKE !

GAQ Witch Hunt

This card was made for the GAQ Witch Hunt ..... wonder what that is all about ?
Hummmmmmmmmmmmmm...........

Gobble, Gobble ?

This card was made for the Hand Turkey swap. NO STAMP .... use your hand or fingertips to create a "Thanksgiving" related card. This was a lot of fun !

Ugly Paper

This swap said to use the UGLIEST paper you have and a stamp .... Nothing else... boy do I have some UGLY paper laying around! The first swap filled up so fast a 2nd was added which I also joined .... told you I had a lot of UGLY paper hanging around.

Ugly paper I: It seemed like a good idea at the time!



Ugly Paper II: 40 sheets 12x12 and I only paid $1.99!

Hearts Delight Jr: Luvdisc

This was a swap for kids age 9 and under, and Sean Trooper has really enjoyed these kid swaps, so I helped him with this card for the swap. Rules were there had to be a heart on the card. Since he LOVES Pokemon.... this was a natural pick for him. Luvdisc is a water type pokemon from the Hoenn region. The Luvdisc does not evolve.

Looking Back ....

This LTC was created for the Silhouette #2 swap. I LOVE this image and wanted it to stand on it's own.... so the card is basic with just the stamped image, and some black chalk to soften the white card some. I think it fits nicely with my True Image card. The back of the card contains a quote I love:

"As a horse runs, think of it as a game of tag with the wind." ~Tre Tuberville

Holly by any other name is still TROUBLE!!!!!

This is a very limited LTC and only the second LTC I ever made. Since I tend to get myself in trouble A LOT, and tend to have a few partners in crime, I have awarded 8 of these cards to some of those people...... There are 4 left ...... who will they go to ?

Hiking with Holly

This is an earned LTC. If you go on a hike with me, you can earn not only this LTC but also the Hiking with Holly PT. Felt like there has to be some sort of award for torture !

True Image

This is an LTC that I made for a swap hosted by Dixie. You were to express your light. I tried to express my true image. The back of the card has the following:

Sometimes the best cowboys
ain't cowboys at all
She's got my back
Even when it's against the wall
When I need a friend
She's the guy I call
'Cause sometimes the best cowboys
Ain't cowboys at all




This stamp too was sent out to the BoxHounds08 as part of the GAQLBE08. A true cowgirl belongs in Texas anyway !

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle

I carved this stamp for the GAQLBE08, for the BoxHounds08 of Portland, Texas. I am VERY proud of the stamp and had to make a few cards before I sent him off in the wild. The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle is a critically endangered species of sea turle and you can learn all about him at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kemp's_Ridley

Nothing beats a FLUFFY robe in the morning ....

This is an LTC that I made for the Fluffy Cow Tribute swap hosted by Sweet N Sour. I love this card .... it makes me smile !

Extreme Hiking Boot Camp ...... WOW

A week or so ago, my sweet partner in crime asked me if I would hike with her. I never say no to 't'. She thought maybe The Hornsbees (my other partner in crime and sith) would want to go too. She had it on her mind to hike to El Lieutenant.

This is the information that 't' provided about the hike:

El Lieutenant is a huge rock dome at an elevation of 3,048 feet. It is a smaller version of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
Trail: 4.6 miles
difficulty: Very Strenuous.
Conditions are rugged, traffic is light.
Recommended for experienced hikers. (lol)
Elevation drops about 1000 feet and then regains the 1000 feet (it's a loop). Table rock has a 2,000 foot elevation gain, so it won't be as bad as that!
This loop is a combination between two trails, The Bill Kimball Trail is more difficult and spectacular while the Coldspring Branch is more restful.

Bring first aid supplies, hiking staff, water, food and BRING YOUR CAMERAS!!!

No problem I say as does Hornsbees.... and the plan is set.

We all meet here on the farm and head up to Caesar's Head. We are on time schedules, so no sooner do we hit the trail 't' is leaving us in the dust ........ The hike starts on the Coldspring Branch Trail and is uphill at the start ....... then it connects with the Bill Kimball trail. The trail is tough, pretty rugged with a lot of elevation changes, at one point there is a chain that helps you safety navigate a piece of the trail.







Then you approach El Lieutenant ..... Very Very AWESOME, you get 3 different views of it along the trail. Very much worth the hike to see it.










The Bill Kimball trail then connects again with the Coldspring Branch trail to make the loop back. This has the 1,000 feet elevation gain ...... BOY DOES IT !!! This was tough ...... it is a constant gradual uphill walk for over 2 miles. TOUGH, my calfs were a screaming ! 't' just walked and walked .... leaving Hornsbees and I in her dust ! The trail is beautiful both of them ..... the river is constantly there with it's sounds and cool air, you cross it many times, and it is a very beautiful hike .... even if it HURTS ! At one point Hornsbees and I were convinced that the sweet innocent 't' was trying to do away with us siths. She even went so far as to say ..... Ya know if you two were not on the DARK SIDE .... we could call this Jedi Training ! ..... Then I knew it ........ She said ya know if you two can't keep up .... I could just leave you here ..... We looked at each other as 't' stood there with that huge smile on her face .... I think I heard the other sith say "I don't care just leave us aughhhhhhhhhhhhhh" .... But like good siths we stuck together and walked through the PAIN and walked and walked. Finally we were there ... we could see the road. Right on the schedule 't' wanted to keep. We hopped in the van... 't' high tailed it down the mountain and THREW us out her van at the farm. Hornesbees made her way back up the mountain and I came in the house to PEEL my wet clothes off me ! I felt really good... we started the tail about 10:30/10:40ish .... and we were in the van at 1:19ish ..... so about 5 HARD miles, less then 3 hours, 2 boxes planted, 1 additional find for Hornsbees, and a GREAT DAY with 2 of my favorite boxer friends .......

What will 't' cook up for our next hike ...... Be afraid ... Be Very AFRAID !

TRIED to create a LTC *Spoiler*

Well I tried to make a LTC yesterday. I have received a few LTCs at this point, but have not tried to create one yet. I am not that creative so I have not really gotten into this yet. It is very so-so but I tried, so that is an accomplishment for me. Being around all these great carvers (Mama Wolf, Knit Wit, Mama Fox, Dixie, 't', threespoiledboxers, etc.) is wonderful, it challenges you to carve better, BUT it also makes you want to hide your stamps (in a box on the craft table instead of where people could see em !). I only made 6 cards, so I listed it as a limited series (I think that is right!) and have one already promised. I thought I would post my first attempt here so....

SPOILER ..... if you don't want to see it close the window now.

Talley Valley Farm Clan's first LTC

Grima Wormtongue 1/6




So there I tried..... not sure that I will get into LTCs like the rest of you, we will see.

** update ** here is the image it came from ..... I thought it was cool and very evil looking ..... http://farm1.static.flickr.com/74/199397635_3433b24d83.jpg?v=0

Proof in the pictures .......

OK .... well y'all .... you can say Holly you Lie all you want but I have PROOF that strange things are happening:

I went down to the campsite to see if I could get a picture of the pixies.

Here is where I heard their little voices and heard the leaves move... I thought again I saw something over there .... do you ?



I was letting Sean and his friend EJ play in the river while I looked around.



Then strange things started happening again .... this butterfly landed on me .... and would NOT leave... it would fly off and land back on my hand again.



See I told you strange things were happening here !

Strange things keep happening .....

I am not sure if we are disturbing the balance around here with all the preporations for the event or what but ..... weird things keep happening.

This morning ...... the 't' boys went fishing in the river and they called the walkie talkie in a panic, saying they saw the panther in a tree over the river .....YIKES .....

This afternoon I was down at the campground just double checking (I mean I don't want any of my friends eaten by a panther while boxing) and I am telling you .... I heard voices, small little voices. I looked around thinking maybe 't' had come back over and you know she has that sweet little voice .... no 't' .... so now I am a little worried... but panthers don't have sweet little voices, I walk around looking and listening ...... I hear something ..... I see leaves moving across the river where my horse trail is ...... I freeze... hide behind a tree and look ..... I saw them ..... I did NO LIE .... I saw 2 little pixies running around across the river! They were cute little things ...... I know they are there. I am going down to the campsite later and will take my camera in case I see them again !

Stay tuned !

The scene of the "crime"

Well by now y'all have heard the story of (my sometime partner in crime) 't', here on the farm. It was a wonderful evening .... I have a bunch of fun with 't'.

It all seemed to go "south" when we went to the dock:



The Troll built this dock some years ago and it is a special place. You can hear the river flow and it is a cool place to escape the heat of the summer sun. Since Sean was a little guy he has loved to throw sticks and leaves off the dock, these days he has also been known to cast his fishing pole into the water from the dock.

Well I am not gonna repeat the story, just add some details. The "growl" 't' describes seemed to come from here:



I don't know what it was y'all, a panther ?, could have been. But like 't' said instead of taking a chance and leaving our children motherless, we used this escape route:



We waded the river until we came to the campground.

Last night while some friends were here visiting, we were sitting on the dock and heard something that seemed to scurry under the mayapples, I don't think it was a panther, I think it was a pixie or two, you know they call mayapples pixie and/or fairy umbrellas. I think I spotted something here:



and as I looked back up the river .............. I was SURE I heard MUSIC.



Oh my .... what is going on around here lately ?

365 ....... up to the top !

OK .... so here it was the day ..... ResQlou's 1st Cake Day ..... a day that she has been talking about and looking forward to for as long as I can remember. Not only was it her 365th day..... her goal was to also make it her 365th find, and what box does she have in the scope?

Adrenaline Junkie ....... Huh ? What ?? AJ ?????

This box makes it home at the top of Table Rock. Yes .... dear friends ... all the way at the top. Now while this is a 7 mile hike round trip (give or take), for those of you that have never hiked Table Rock, this is a VERY TOUGH 7 miles. The RED Table Rock trail goes up and up and up and up and up and up and up !

When Lou first announced that this would be what she would be doing with her partner in crime .... a certain Clown .... I got a little concerned. Neither of them were familiar with the trail and/or what they were in store for. They had hopes to drop the little hounds and clowns off at school at 7:45 AM in Simpsonville, drive the hourish journey to Table Rock State Park, hike the trail, and be back in Simpsonville to pick the little ones up from school at 2:30ish. So I offered to take a vacation day and guide them up the mountain, and pretty much "demanded" that they have a backup plan for picking up the kids (since I KNEW that they would never make it off the mountain in time and be there for the kids). After my offer, the day turned into an event. A wolf, a bee and a 't' decided to join the fun. That was as they say the beginning of the end ! :O)

OK .... so there is your cast .... ResQlou, Woody Clown, Mama Wolf, 't', Hornesbee, the Troll Master and an elevation of 3,124 red trail. Standing at the Trail Head (making last minute "pit stops" using both gender bathrooms :O)) A ranger asks us what trail we are hiking ....... Hornesbees says Table Rock, he makes a face and says: AH...... THE HARD ONE ! They all spin around and look at ME !!! Like this was MY IDEA !!!! I said ..... look I told y'all .... there is NOTHING easy about this thing ..... it is up and up and up and up and up ...... :O)

We register at 9 AM .... say we will return at 2 (LOL not gonna happen)... and who do I put as the Emergency contact ..... YEP the TROLL .... heck I figured we might as well really have fun if we never return of this crazy mountain ....and with that we are on our way.

So we are talking and laughing and walking along .... then it starts ..... up ..... and up ....... and up ...... rock stairs, wooden stairs, a climb here and a climb there. I keep wondering why everyone keeps looking at ME ...... so we climb and we climb, Lou determined .... leads a little then falls back while a Hornesbee takes the lead, and we keep each other going.

"ARE we THERE yet ??????" Lou yells (too many times to count), "Keep going Lou ....", I encourage her (laughing just a little because I warned her !)

"Who's *bleeping* idea was THIS ?" she asks.

"Just keep going LOU, you will be fine!"

And on we go ....... we take turns leading .... (read this as some drop back thinking to themselves ..... what in the WORLD are we doing ...... this is CRAZY ! Who in their right mind would hike this trail..... LOL)

AND THEN it is in our sites the famous CCC shelter. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH ! We stop. We sit. We take pictures. We drink water. We do a few exchanges, OH but wait. Here we are LOU's cake day.... LOU'S DAY ........ and she does not have her STAMP ! WHAT ??? You don't have your stamp ........ LOL .......... What a "word play #3" !!! "No proof you were here then" we tell her as she cusses us all ! (you just can't make this stuff up !)

The clown decides she is gonna get a head start on us and heads up the trail, and then we follow along. At this point, 't' and I know we are only at the shelter, but Lou has it in her head the TOP is only about 5 more minutes from here ....

So back to the climb .... we climb ....... we climb ..... we KNOW we should have NEVER stopped for that rest ...... only makes it worse to start going again ..... we climb along. 't' in her wonderful 't' way announces that she has NEVER seen anyone get to Governor's Rock without panting ...... I totally agree .......

We catch up to the clown (who found a piece of balloon along the way .... go figure)... and then we are there ...... Governor's Rock .... but some of the cast thinks ... we are there ..... at the top, of Table Rock (LOL silly hound !) ...... we climb the carved out steps.... PANTING (just like 't' said) and they think we are there!! ........ NO WAY y'all this is just Governor's Rock ......*Bleep* *Bleep* *BLEEP!*


More pictures ..... pictures of Lou walking away from us because she is not STOPPING and is kinda peeved, since she thought we were there and NOPE ....there was still more to go .... so on we hike, the trail gets a little "funky" up here as you have to climb up on the face of rocks at times. A few times I heard ...."do you mean we have to climb up that?" ....... Then Lou asks ....."How much further Holly? " ..... "We are almost there, I promise Lou.... keep going" as she turns around and looks at me with that LOOK.

Then my cell phone rings....... FFQ boxing at the bottom with FFP and Justink ... "where are you ?" ....... "We are almost to the top I tell them !"

We climb, we climb and we climb ....

"YOU LIED HOLLY YOU LIED" starts to be the chant ....... I assure them we are almost there ....... "YOU LIED HOLLY" ...... heck it is all relative ....... almost is almost ! :O)

We climb and we climb and we climb ....... then we see the SIGN ... 3124 ..... SEE .... it wasn't that bad we are almost there !!! I tell them !
"ALMOST THERE HOLLY.... YOU LIE !!!" 't' backs me up on this one...... (thanks 't')

The moment ..... the moment when you walk out on that rock ...... at the top ....

SMILES all around and the pain and the "lies" are totally forgotten for now and I mean FOR NOW !

The cast breaks out cameras as Lou goes in search of Adrenaline Junkie, which is the reason for us fools to be on top of this mountain right now ! :O)

Click ..... Click ...... Click ....... as Lou emerges from the bushes with box in hand .......


We had done it ...... we had reached the top ..... all 6 of us (well 7 if you count AJ .... Lou's boxing buddy named AJ after Adrenaline Junkie) ..... Box in hand ....

Hornesbee's presented Lou with a special stamp carved just for the milestone..... (good thing since Lou DID NOT HAVE A STAMP !!!!!)
't' broke out the wine .....(gotta love 't' !)
I had made a special card for the day to go in Lou's logbook with all our stamps on the card ...
Lou had made a 365 box to be planted while we were up there ....

So we had a SIP of wine and our lunches, stamped in ..... and SAVORED the moment ..... but wait ...... we only had a SIP of that wine ...... where did it ALL go ??????????? ....... hummmmmmmmm ......... only one person "smelled" of wine ..... hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm could it be while we were busy stamping .... the wolf drank the wine ...... no she wouldn't ...... Would she ??????

Hummmmmmm gotta watch out for that Darth Wolf ..... hummmmmmm .....

OK well TIME check .... I think it was noonish ..... I did have a SIP of wine too !

Lou plants her box, we return Adrenaline Junkie to it's spot safe and sound at the top of Table Rock and start on the way DOWN.

" HOLLY ..... I thought this was DOWN !!!" yells Lou

HUH ????? Like I made this trail ????? KEEP GOING LOU .... I tell her ......

As we climb up and UP ..... HOLLY YOU LIED ..... this is NOT DOWN this is UP !!!! WHY ARE WE NOT GOING DOWN ??? ..... just keep walking I tell them !!!

Again ....... it is in our sights ..... 3124 ...... and we stop for Lou's 366th find. Now..... this would be a 't' box .... she is not sure where it is (like I said you have got to LOVE TO DEATH 't')...... I think I am there .... the wolf reaches for the box and comes out with just a plain plastic bag... with a container in it ........

I look at 't' ..... VERY CONFUSED ..... "'t' this is nothing like you ???? A plastic bag ????? no box ???????"

She looks at me and shrugs .............. "I don't know Holly, maybe ?" .....

I am still in total disbelief ...... NO WAY 't' hid a plastic BAG all the way up here - NOPE .......

Mama opens it .................. WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, what in the world ...... GARLIC......

Again ......... I look at 't' .............. "what in the world is wrong with you I ask her ?" She still has this very confused look on her face and says "I don't know Holly ......."

"A FLEA", Mama says

and 't' reaches over and holds up a normal and natural 't' box !

3124 and a garlic flea were ours !

Cell phone rings ...... and rings ..... and rings ... I try and call it back, very confused - there is ernie and burt talking to each other and then a kid singin My Bolonga has a first name ......... I can't get a good enough signal to call them back so we go on....... I am thinking this is another of Lou's tricks .... but she is here with me ..... but I ask anyway ..... Lou did you have someone call me ? NO ... Holly ...... DUH ????

Down and up and the DOWN and DOWN and DOWN...... now up is bad but I personally thing down is worse since you have to step DOWN these steps and such with JELLY legs.... but we go on .....

THEN

We hear it ....... a SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

OMG

then we hear "GET THE CAMERA"

OK well you remember how I describe the trail up here as a little "funky" since you have to climb up rock faces at points ...... well we are now going DOWN .... so you have to climb DOWN the same rock face again with jelly legs. We look below us and

OMG

there is LOU laying on this rock face on her back .....legs in the air ..... in a very compromising position .... Darth Wolf breaks out the camera....... I comment this will be the next "naughty" stamp carved .....

Now we are starting to question where all the wine went .......No worries we have a nurse with us !!!! (just for the record she did not seem too concerned ! :O))

OK .... no major injury .... Thank GOODNESS because I am not really wanting to carry Lou off this mountain .... nor get the wrath of the SNOB when someone has to take her home all banged up ...... a wanked knee is all that was reported ... so we get her up ..... and continue down......

ANOTHER SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

LOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

This time it was he own doing .......... she decided to slide down the rock ..... UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM cell phone in back pocket ....... *sigh* LOU ... she scared the *bleep* out of all of us !!!

We are now back to Govenor's rock ...... and another box we did not get on the way up ........ another 't' box ..... she stands there and says "I am not telling you where " as most people know I LOVE 't' boxes .... so someone is reading the clue and like a fool I go to get it, slap dab in the stickers on my knees ..... I hand it off to Mama Wolf as I unstick myself.......

We PLOP down to stamp in .................... Then we hear it AGAIN

another SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Lou JUMPS up ......... yelling (and they call me Hollerin' Holly !!!!)

ANTS............... Lou has dang ANTS in her pants !!!!!!!!!! OMG ......

Like I have said before ..... somethings you just can't make up ..... a drunk wolf (well maybe .... still not sure what exactly happened to that wine ..... but that wolf did smell like it ..... hummmmmmmmm) and Lou with Ants in her PANTS !!!!!

OK ..... we gotta keep going DOWN .......

Off the ROCK and down ... side step ..... side step .... everyone OK ???? .... side step ..... side step ........

Again another milestone .... the CCC shelter ..... "We are almost there LOU!" I say ....

"SHUT UP HOLLY YOU LIE !!!!!!", I hear ! LOL

OK well there are 2 nice older men resting at the shelter ..... then another family walks up with a little boy in tow ...... We have 2 boxes to get here, within site of the shelter ..... Lou says to me FORGET it really too risky ...... let's just go.... so we start traveling down again ......

Mama the Wolf that she is stops us and says we can do this...... as she proceeds back to the shelter to talk to everyone as a distraction .... I raid her pack for her log book and stamp and we obtain Happy Hiker and a very special box .... that traveled up to the shelter ! :O)

Time check ......... OK well better invoke Hornesbee's plan B

MOM ?????????????????? Could you PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE pick up Nick at school for me ??????????????? Big SMILE !!!!! OK everyone's plan B (as I insisted) had been put into motion !!!!!!!!!!!! We were all good (I actually had a plan B too .... even though I live 5 minutes from Table Rock and the calf gets off the bus at 3:45 or so)

A text message ...... AHHHHHHHHHHHHH the person calling me while we were up on the mountain ................. We are at the cars !!!! it was Justink ...... Tried to call again ..... with out luck .....

Down we continued ..........................

" OK Holly ..... what box is next ?"

" any rock will do ", I say ............... keep going ...........

Down and Down and Down and Down we goooooooooooooo.....

"Are we almost there HOLLY ????" Yeah .... I snicker

YOU LIE HOLLY is all I keep hearing

and then ...... slience is broken

WHAT ?????

Someone is singing a BARNEY song..... Sun Sun ... Hello Mr SUN ... Please shine down on me .............

The WOLF?????? The wolf ???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO .....the wolf is singing ..... OH MY ...... no one will believe this one ......... we only have cameras no video ......

"Mama is that you ?????", I ask ????

"NO ONE WILL BELIEVE YOU HOLLY .............. YOU LIE !!!!!", She laughs .....

Then the clown starts ......................... It's a small world after all .... It's a small world after all .....

OK now I have ZERO idea what really did happen to that wine !!!!

On we hike ..... down ......... down ........... down ....

"WHERE IS IT ????? I KNOW WE PASSED IT !!!!" .... yells Lou !!!

NO we did not keep going I tell here

YEAH you guessed it

YOU LIE HOLLY YOU LIE !!!!!

Every time we approach a rock ...... we look .... Lou is flipping out that we passed it ...... I keep telling her we are not there yet .......

Down ........ down ....... down ......... down .....

YEEEEHAAAAA

Success ...... Any rock will do ..................... we stamp in

My cell rings ...... FFQ ....... I tell her we are at her box .... Any rock will do and we are be down SOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNN

On we gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

What is next Holly ???


West Wind .....

well since we are doing this "backwards" we pass it ..... I find the canoe and arrow ..... so yep we have to climb back UP the trail ...... I crawl up to read them the wooden clue....... they LOOOK at me because now they have to go back UP the trail a little ..... who passes us as we are going back up ????

The two older men that Mama befriended at the shelter ...... GOING BACK UP ??? they ask .....

Lou answers, "Yeah we just can't seem to get enough !"

Wise arse !!!!!!!

I climb up to them (I already have this box)

No box ....... ughhhhhhhhh we climbed back UPPPP the trail and it is missing .... OK lets go almost home I say one last box and then we are like off this mountain .....

Eastatoe Green Bird is next (I need this one too .... have walked past it like 100 times .... not sure WHY I don't have it ) ..... back down ..... and down ......

some talking but no singing LOL

we stop at the foot bridge .... YOU MAY CROSS announces 't' .....

That is the Troll's line I tell her !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then the very cool Eastatoe Green Bird would be ours ........ I color an we all stamp.... We are HOME FREE I tell them ...... They don't believe me .... BUT we really were !!!!

Down .... Down ..... the rest of the way ........ and I drop the pink slip in the trail head registration box ..... about an hour off our time .... it was about 3:00 but we all had plan B in place .....

A YELL ..... SUCCESS .... we did it ................. Then the Car horns .... FFQ and FFP and Justink were waiting on us at the cars ....... to share in our success and celebrate Tink's 17th birthday ..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TINK ..... we all love you !

We talked .... drank some water (the wine was long gone ..... still not sure about that LOL) and did a few more exchanges ! ..... Everyone packed in the cars and we were off .......

I was home in plenty of time to get Sean off the bus..... and everyone's plan B appeared to work ..... All was well

A very wonderful day...... Great wonderful friends ..... could not ask for better... I wonderful trek to the top of Table Rock ..... One of the hardest trails in the area (IMNSHO).... No need for resQ planes, no mad troll, kids picked up from school ... and 6 very crazy women came off the mountain in one piece .... laughing....

Congrats Lou and Paula on #365 plus and for making the hike and not calling it quits

Thanks Mama Wolf for all the great company and going with us - it was a honor

Thanks Kris (one of my favorite partners in crime) for coming off your mountain to spend the day with a few other NUTS

't' for being 't' and making my day since you are my other partner in crime :O)


Thanks for letting me be a part of this day ...... Love y'all

Troll Rehab

Not only is the Troll a Troll but at times he is more like a caged animal. You see we live in a tiny little 1,000 sq foot old farm house, and between him being in the hospital all day Thursday, Friday FORCED to take it easy, and the rain keeping him in the house all day yesterday, he was in RARE form this morning. So I thought maybe a little fresh air and a short walk might do him a little good. A little Troll Rehab - NOT!!!!

"ONE.... I MEAN IT HOLLY.... ONE BOX!" as he agrees to go.

"There are 3 boxes on this one short trail", I tell him.

So off to Oconee Station we go.

We get on the trail and DUH it is wet and slightly muddy. The Troll checks up on a tree root. "You have me out here a in the mud and I just got out of the hospital, HOLLY", he grumps.

I find the first box, and we hike on to the falls. It was so quiet, spring starting to show in the forest, little critters walking around. It really was a beautiful space to be in, with the exception of the Troll complaints. SIGH, he really can be a Troll.

Like with most of Trivia Daddy's boxes, I have problems with the next box I look for. I find it but not quickly and easily and the Troll is pacing waiting for me, while I have my traditional conversation with Trivia Daddy. :O)

The 3rd box is on the way back - "Why did we just not do this on the way, HOLLY?"

"BECAUSE, the clues are written from the FALLS BACK - TROLL!!!!!!!, We have to walk back ANYWAY don't we ?, So just BE QUIET already and walk!" I snap back at him, asking myself why in the world I even bother to do this with him anyway !

I find the 3rd box and we walk the rest of the way to the car. We get back in the car and drive back to the valley.

I ask him WHY in the world he could not just have a good time?

"I don't like letterboxing HOLLY, I don't mind hiking if we were just hiking but I don't like letterboxing !" says the Troll

If you can understand that one .... let me know ..... it is just Troll logic I guess.

Well we are back home in the valley, he is outside doing something and I logged my finds. Tempted to go out a little longer and grab a few more, but you can rest assured if I do, the Troll can stay here !

A morning in the life of Hollerin' Holly the Troll Master !

I solemnly swear I am up to no good ...........

:O)

Yesterday was April Fools Day. I am NOT at all good at pranks, I am really not creative at all. I am amazed at the pranks people play and how much fun it can be. So yesterday like every morning when I sit down at my computer, I log onto Atlas Quest and check the boards and mail and new boxes, and WHOA !!

The RED and YELLOW was blinding and the McDonald's takeover was on.

The "Go Letterboxing" Happy Meal was launched in 100 test markets, it was MADNESS, total MADNESS. If you walked away for 1 minute there were 50 to 100 posts to some of the boards when you looked again. My head was totally SPINNING and I was out of headache powders !!!

The McLetterboxing website instructed you to register at Atlas Quest with a Mc in front of your trail name. This is where a LOT of madness really started. Including my own.

I solemnly swear I am up to no good .......

Just for fun and with no ideas on what I would do next, I registered as McTroll Master. Then I posted to the NC board. Then it took on a life of it's own. I started fighting with myself. I was hoping to get Mama Wolf or Dixie or Knit Wit or someone to "bite" but Zoemomma does. She starts being the wonderful Zoemomma she is and sticks up for me. So I email her and fess up. Then my cell rings and a sweet Clown is on the phone telling me she is on my side. I get off the phone and feel SO guilty that I call her back and fess up.

BUT then some of them do at least bite just a little and I tried to PLAY with it as long as I could.

I actually had a lot of fun, I needed a little stress relief, it has been a tough week or so.

So this is my confession y'all.

;o)

A funny thing HAPPENED AT the Doctor's ....

The day was here, it has been a little stressful. The Troll was referred to a specialist and we were both a little stressed. It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the doctor, and the Troll was ready to leave like 90 minutes early. SO .. I say OK, as I grab my backpack.

"NO WAY !!!!!!", He grumps at me...... "NO WAY HOLLY!"

"We are going to the Doctor, we are NOT letterboxing"

"BUT, there are several drive-bys on the way that I NEED", I tell him, with backpack still in hand.

"NO NO NO and **beep** NO!" in the best Troll voice he has.

So I relent and put my backpack down, and we go. I point out several places on the way that I could just run and grab the box while he stays in the car, but I don't have my STUFF, thanks to him.

We get to the doctors with TONS of time to spare, and I remind him yet again that I could have grabbed just a box or two in all this time. He just gives me that Troll stare.

OK

So here we are in the office and the Doctor comes in. Super nice guy, and he sits in the chair next to me, the Troll is on the exam table. So he is talking to us and I find myself in a mini trance staring at his hands as he is talking. I guess he realized I was staring at them and he stops talking, looks at me, and says,

"I apologize for my hands being inky like this I was coloring with my son at lunch time."

I smile and reply, "OH my hands always look like that" as I produce my ink laden hands for him. "I letterbox" I blurt out before I even knew what I was saying.

"YOU DO THAT ????" he says with a HUGE smile, "my kids LOVE doing that..... what is your Trail Name?" he asks me.

Now the Troll's eyes are rolling into the back of his head and he is about to come off that exam table and wrap his grubby troll fingers around my throat.

So the doctor and I have a little letterboxing conversation before he continues on with his analysis of the Troll's condition.

It was sooooooo classic!

Recon Mission

I have been reluctant to write about this until now and do so with a heavy heart!

You see I have been on a mission since December 17, 2007. There is another one of those special boxes close to my home and I have been OBSESSED with having it, obsessed but unsuccessful.

My first attempt at this special box was back in December, it was a beautiful day and I was in need of some stress relief, MAJOR stress relief. I went down the road to Table Rock with 4 boxes in mind but REALLY only one, this very special, coveted box. The thought going through my mind was, WHAT in the world is wrong with me, NOT knowing it was RIGHT here!

I knew pretty much where the clue was sending me, I was on a quest. The other boxes I could not find did not PHASE me at all, they would be there forever, not this box, this was a once in a lifetime find, and it was sitting there waiting for me. (yeah I really am this nuts !)

I approached the spot from a different direction then the clue but I KNEW, YEEEHAAA, this is it. With it being a weekday, there was no one on the trails, so I climbed onto the ROCK, and went across and climbed the hill to where the box rested. My heart racing, I reached into the small little cave - nothing ! I looked around under the larger rock, nothing, I grabbed a stick and started pokin around inside the small and large cave, nothing, I took the stick and whisked the fallen leaves back and forth in front of the 2 caves, nothing, I climbed above the caves to a smaller cave and a hollowed out root ball, nothing .............. I read the clue again, yeah this was it ..... I was POSITIVE, but no box. AUGHHHHHHHH I probably did scream into the sky, I was this close, THIS CLOSE, and someone beat me to it. You see this is one of those special boxes that when you find it you TAKE it with you.

I was MAD, my Irish blood whirling, ERRRRRRRRRRRRRR, I climbed back and navigated the trail back, again looking for the other boxes I had come for with no luck - I was too mad that I missed my window of opportunity.

I drove home mad at myself, walked in the house, over to the computer and emailed the owner of the box. Now that I think about it, she probably thought I was totally RUDE, because my email was something like this:

OK ...... WHO HAS IT .......... Who has _ _ _ _ _? Who has it because if I know them I am going to their house and stamping in that BOX ! I can not believe it has been there over a month now and I just found out about it and I MISSED IT!

(you have to again remember about my stress levels with my job, I get a little wound too tight at times, and yeah there is that Yankee in me that shines through at times!)

The email back was short and sweet:

No one has it HOLLY ! It is still there.

OMG..........

Now I am FLIPPING ........ Beating myself up, HOW IN THE WORLD did you miss it ??? I went to bed mad and thinking about it.

The next day was still a really nice day, I called the school, I went and picked up Sean after school instead of him getting on the bus. He had NO IDEA. He gets in the car and says "Why did you pick me up MOM?", I said, "You need to come to Table Rock with me there is this SPECIAL box that you need to help me with that I could not find yesterday and we need to FIND IT !". It really is a good thing my child is into this hobby, because if anyone else witnessed this conversation .... well ..... I am sure I was something like HEMI (over the hedge).

Over to Table Rock (GOD BLESS Park Passports!), and I drag my child down the trail. We get to the spot, I read him all the clues and we climb onto the rock, up the hill, to the caves. NO BOX........ CLIMB in there I order him, climb up under that rock and look around in case it washed down. I hear, "NOTHING MOM".

AUGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Ok I relent and back down the trail we go and head home.

The Troll wants to know where we have been, LETTERBOXING we say!

I go to the computer, email again and tell her:

I went back again today and I can not find the box. I am almost 100% positive that I am in the right spot. The clue is very specific, and the box is not there!

The owner and I both email the last planter, I describe where I go, they have a picture (not great) but a picture of the spot - It looks right, I FEEL TERRIBLE, I know this box is missing, I don't want to say that but in my heart I KNOW it is missing.

Last Sunday, Sean and I went for try number 3 - NO BOX - it has been now 2.5 months we have been in search of this box. I email the owner yet again and tell her that I tried yet again, no box.

The last family to plant this box (who shall remain nameless to protect the innocent) was going to check on it today. My GREATEST fear was to be sitting here when I received an email saying:

HEY HOLLY, IT IS STILL THERE !!!!!!! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH YOU !!!!

SO .......... I told them I would LOVE to meet them and go with them to check on the box, to see where I was messing up.

About 1:00 I got a call, grabbed my pack, the purse of communications and a water bottle, made arrangements for someone to get Sean off the bus and headed down the road to Table Rock.

I was really thinking that I was an idiot, honest, I wanted her to tell me, HERE IT IS, but when we got to the spot and crossed the rock and I showed her, she said YEAH that is where we planted it. I was crushed. We looked everywhere around, moved thousands of leaves, followed the terrain in the direction that it appeared water would flow, we spent a lot of time (not that I have already spent 5 times this amount of time in my last 3 attempts). NO box.

She was as crushed as I was. OH how I just wanted someone to say Holly you idiot and hand me the box, the last thing in the world I wanted was this thing to be missing or muggled. But I guess at this point we can honestly say it is not there, and AGAIN, I say that with such a heavy heart!

I sit here tonight yet again CRUSHED and feeling sorry for the owner and the last planter, because this is a total heartbreak.

SORRY ....... how I wished this story ended happy with Holly being the village idiot !

BTW

the one other box I have also searched for 3 times - I found today - thanks to my companion - TINK - your Couch Tater is fine and resting!

Introducing Fred .......

What a glorious day ...............

Sean planned on riding horses today. He has two of his own horses. A miniature horse named Dolly, that we bought him when he was first born. At this point he is too big to ride Dolly, but I would never part with her, she is part of the family. Here is a picture of Sean riding Dolly when he was 6 months old.



His other horse (technically a pony) is named Buster. Buster is close to 22 years old and was born here on the farm. From what I understand, the Troll had bought a horse, and one day when he looked out the window there was a colt next to the horse. Back in 1999 when the Troll and I were first together, we gave Buster to a little girl named Kimmie that I used to ride with. Kimmie is now all grown up and too big for Buster, so last year she gave him to Sean. So Buster has been more then full circle. He is your typical pony, he is grumpy, smart, fat, and aggravating! I LOVE BUSTER. So after breakfast we walked out into the pasture to get Buster. We had a grooming session and then we had a ground work and riding lesson. Sean wore his brand new Justin cowboy boots that he picked out all by himself. It was a very fun morning.

After lunch .... the Troll was off to the Clemson baseball game. I talked Sean into going letterboxing with me, and I told him he could bring FRED.

Fred is Sean's puppy. He is a dachshunese, you see we had a little accident here with my dachshund, Sebastian Alexander VIII, and our pekingese, Penny, who was abandoned here on the farm over 2 years ago (I thought she was spayed). Fred is now about 5 months old and the cutest little thing you have ever seen.



Sean decided that Fred needed a signature stamp, so I helped him create one.



I think so far he has used this stamp once or twice but he was NOT with Fred (and that was kinda the "rule" that they had to be together but he was so proud of the stamp, I think he did an exchange with 't' and Mama Fox one day ).

So off boxing we went, to Table Rock. I was in search of the one J Walkers box that eluded me the previous weekend, PLUS that trail is so nice and secluded that I felt it would be good for Fred's first time out. Fred did well and we were able to find come to the table. I helped Sean and Fred find the previous 3 boxes so they could add their stamp to the logbook.

It was such a nice day and it was only 2:00 and Sean actually ASKED if we could go up on the "regular" trails. I told him it would be WAY too crowded, but there were boxes up there .... so ......

We found your so vane and for the THIRD time I attempted Justink's everyone knows couch potatoes don't go hiking. ERRRRRRRRR yep THIRD try. I just don't get it, this one is another one that bugs me. (TINK HELP !)

Well needless to say it was SOOOOOOOOO crowded, Fred did well but he was on sensory overload from all the people wanting to pet him, and all the dogs. It really was too crowded to box.

BUT we had a great day and now Fred is an official letterboxer and the official Fred & Sean stamp is inky. If you see them together, please ask them for an exchange, they will be THRILLED.

My boxing of age moment...

If you read my blog or my board posts, you know I have this small "issue" with J Walkers boxes. They really challenge me for some reason, and at times I find myself talking to Trivia Daddy in the woods.

Like most mornings, I log onto AQ check the boards, new boxes, mail, etc.

AND THERE IT WAS - my Boxing of Age moment!

I got an email from Trivia Daddy, I was able to find a box he could not !

I know I sat here with a huge smile on my face.

I was never really sure when you in the eyes of other boxers would lose your "newbie" status, but to me that was my moment, maybe not to others, but to me that was my boxing of age moment !

thanks td

Caught inky handed ....

The Troll and the "calf" were off to Clemson with tickets in hand for the baseball game, all dressed in orange, so much so they almost hurt your eyes looking at them. Last minute they invited me to "ride along" so I could box in Clemson while they went to the game, I was not ready, nor prepared (read no clues printed), and they really did not want to wait on me so I sent them along their way. With the house to myself and about 1,000 things to do, I made the decision to blow off all the things I should be doing and go run out for a few local boxes and enjoy the day by myself. It was such a beautiful day .....and I would just get a few and be back and do my chores.

Things were crowded, so I selected a unpopular trail that I knew would not have a mass of people around. I always find J Walkers' boxes rewarding as they normally are a challenge for me, don't know what it is, we just don't vibe the same I guess (and I mean this in a WONDERFUL way). I found 3 of the 4 I went in search of, which is GREAT, now it was not a 1,2,3 find, I retraced a lot of steps, read clues multiple times, talked to myself, etc. Now that I sit here writing this, I think back to the moments and yeah I know I am nuts, but I find myself standing there sometimes, clues in hand, and talking out loud to Trivia Daddy saying things like:

"OK Trivia Daddy, I am NOT GETTING THIS !"
"HELP ME HERE ..... what did you see that I am not seeing"
"OK I know how to use a compass and this is 310 degrees and NO BOX, Trivia Daddy, why are your boxes so hard for me !"

If anyone walked along the trail and saw this crazy person with a piece of paper in hand, searching for things under logs, and talking out loud to NO ONE, they would run to the nearest park employee and have someone come take me out of the woods! Like I said I love the challenge that I have with his boxes, and they are a great reward for me when I find them. SO like I said 3 out of the 4 is GREAT for me, and it was a beautiful day, quiet and peaceful (when I was not talking to trivia daddy that is ) and did not see another soul on the trail even though there were TONS of people in the park.

On my way out, as unbelievable as it was, the overlook was empty. I parked all the way at the end, facing the opposite direction of the view, and ran to grab the box. I was sitting in the car, stamping in, and a car drives past. It gets all the way past the overlook and stops and starts reversing. I watch it for a minute in my mirrors, then put my head back down to finish my stamping. I look in my mirror again and I notice a women walking up to my car.....

BUSTED ....

Caught inky handed ................

I yell out the window "Are you trying to spy on me ???"

It was Kya and Karver ..... :O)

No great adventure tales to tell of the day.... sorry ..... just a nice quiet day of boxing !

EWWWW Gross

This is too funny not to share.



Sean had already had his bath, and had his PJs on and his fleece robe. We were in the kitchen and he was allowed one cookie as a snack. He offered me one too, so I took it and, reverting back to childhood, I dunked it in my coffee. He looked at me weird and said, "EWWWWWW that is GROSS MOM!!!" I replied, "NO it isn't, you are Gross". So like two kids in a school yard we go back and forth, You are gross, I am not, you are gross .......



ALL while the Troll is watching the Daytona 500 !! About to kill the both of us !



I walked away laughing and said, "Well you have cooties!!!"



AND WHAT DID MY SON SAY ???????



"I do ???, where??" as he is looking around and feeling the collar of his robe and checking his pockets !!!!! "Mom did you cootie me ??? "



PRICELESS



What in the world have I done to my child ?



:O)

Letterboxing by proxy

I like puzzles, I am NOT great at puzzles, but I like them. Logic puzzles are my thing (imagine that, a programmer that likes logic puzzles), I can't do a crossword puzzle to save my life (heck I can't spell without my computer!), and when you smart folks start that taking in that code stuff (YES you know who you are !), forget it, I just ignore the posts because I just get frustrated.

Having the job that I have, and being on call 24x7/365, I spend a lot of time late at nite/early in the morning/or at any given moment, working and on conference calls. When you spend hours on conference calls, at times just waiting for "your turn" or monitoring or at times "just because" someone wants you on the call, you find things to occupy the time. These "things" have ranged from doodles, to games, to surfin, but now that I am a LB addict at times I carve, but most of the time I am on AQ just seeing what is going on. For those of you that don't lead this kinda life, you should understand that in the middle of the nite when the pager goes off, it is like turning on a light switch. I have to be AWAKE and ON MY GAME and 99% of the time, even if it takes me 5 minutes to fix something or answer a question, I am done for the nite as far as sleeping is concerned. If I go back to bed, there ususally is no sleep, your mind is awake and thoughts whirling, so you learn to just stay up.

About a month ago, I again, was awake most of the evening on a conference call. My work laptop in front of me and the phone on speaker/mute, and to my right is always my personal computer. So as I am working and waiting for them to "need" me, I was messing around on AQ. Looking for boxes that are in areas that I would like to visit, looking for interesting things out there, solving puzzles.

I remember the moment well, it was about 1:20 in the morning, and I did it, I solved a puzzle. The excitement was such a rush, I wanted to yell .... I DID IT OMG.... but couldn't because we live in a small old farmhouse that is a whole 1,000 square foot, and it is bad enough I am awake working at 1:20 am but if I woke Sean or the Troll up it would NOT be good. I wanted to tell someone, I wanted to get in the car and go get it right then and there (this was not possible... but), I just wanted it in my hands so bad, I could not contain myself. Yes this was at least a month ago.

You see, when the Troll woke up, I asked him about the place, he knew it ! You see he is in this area ALL the time. I asked him to take me, he said yeah sure I will take you there one day! I told him NO you don't seem to understand ......... this is NOT A SOMEDAY TYPE OF THING... I NEED THIS BOX. I WANT IT RIGHT NOW !!!!! He laughed at me like he normally does when it comes to letterboxing, so with my spirit crushed, I placed my notes and the solution on my desk, and forgot about it for the time being.

A few weeks ago, the Troll was in the area, I reminded him about the box, he said "HOLLY, I am not going to get that box, I have meetings and things to do, I am not letterboxing, I am WORKING!" Again my spirit was crushed and I looked at my notes and thought I really, really want this box !

Yesterday when I talked to the Troll and he told me what his plans were for his Wednesday, I brought up the box yet again, and grabbed for my notes. He said he would try to get it for me. OMG, you see the last couple of weeks have not been very good for me, and I could not believe he would even agree to try. I make him get a piece of paper and TOLD him to write the clues down. He told me that he did not think he would have a cell signal in the area so I made sure he knew EVERYTHING I knew, I made him read it back several times. I was quite excited, since like I said, I have not been in a good way the last 2 weeks, and this was something pretty important to me.

About 1:30, the phone rings and it is the Troll. He says, "OK I am here, but I can't find the *****!". I read him everything again, he says, "HOLLY, it is snowing here, the wind chill is about 5 below, I am freezing !" I reluctantly said, "OK, just forget it then", and hung up. My spirit yet again crushed, I look at my notes again, push them aside and go back to working.

The phone rings again, he says, "Tell this Park Ranger what I am looking for!", I totally panic, OMG I think, TROLL, you can't tell people what you are doing - HE KNOWS THIS ! HE KNOWS that he is not allowed to tell people what he is doing, OMG, I am totally panicing. This very nice park ranger, Dave gets on the phone. I explain what landmark the Troll is looking for. Dave says, "hummmmm, you have me stumped, not sure what you are talking about". I say, "OK, thanks." My spirit yet again crushed and my hands ready to WRAP AROUND THE TROLLS NECK ! He gets back on the phone...I say "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, you know you can't tell anyone what you are doing, are you CRAZY ?? ...... Just forget it, don't worry about it, forget about the box!" "OK he says, "they have no idea what you are talking about anyway Holly, they don't know where the *** ***** ***** is." I hang up, VERY DISAPPOINTED and totally in a panic! I could not believe it, if he messed up and told the rangers about the box and they got it and confiscated it, I would never be able to apologize enough. What was I thinking asking him to do this for me .......... sigh .........

The phone rings again. "the ******** is in my sight, it is still snowing, the wind is blowing and I AM FREEZING !", he says. OMG, my heart is racing again, I am excited, I am upset, I want that box, but I don't want any issues with park employees and boxes confiscated and being ostrisized from the letterboxing community because the Troll don't get it .......................... BUT I want that BOX! This is what I remember ....

TROLL :"ok, I am here, now what"

I tell him...

TROLL: "ok, yep found it, OK what next?"

I tell him..... my heart racing like I am there with him........

TROLL: "ok yeah now what?"

"Look UP!" I can hardly speak at this point, I am about to burst.

TROLL: "NOPE ......................"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOPE ???????????????? "

TROLL: "not here Holly................."

TROLL: "Wait a minute, let me look over here"

TROLL: "ok, wait, read it again ......"

"LOOK UP !!!!"

TROLL: "OK, HERE IT IS, I GOT IT !!!!!"

I am about to BUST A GUT and I YELL ...... "DO NOT LOSE THAT BOX ..... GUARD IT WITH YOUR LIFE, do not get into an accident, BE CAREFUL and BRING IT TO ME !!!!!!"

I hang up the phone, jump out of the chair, jump up and down like a crazy little kid, yelling YES, YES, YES !!!!!! It is now about 2:30. The Troll has actually been letterboxing for almost an hour in the snow, freezing. I can hardly believe it, not only that I solved the puzzle, that I was right and the box is mine, but that the TROLL actually got it for me !

OK ...... now before anyone starts panicing thinking that I let the Troll remove a letterbox from a hiding spot and bring it home - THIS IS NOT THE CASE, this is one of those very special letterboxes that you are ALLOWED to take home with you ! Thus, why I could send him to get it for me, letterboxing by proxy.

He calls when he is warmed up safely back in his truck. I GRILL him about the park rangers and ensure that he has not told them too much. He said he would not have been able to do it without their help, because they really did not know the landmark that I gave him. I think in the end there were about 3 or 4 rangers that ended up putting their heads together and ultimately pointing him in the correct direction. So this was really a letterboxing by proxy quest. I promise to go with him one day to visit this place and touch the spot where the box was just to make it totally totally official.

I was out feeding hay to the horses when he pulled up. He got out the truck with a camo lock and lock and handed it to Sean. Sean brought it to me and said is this THE ***** ? I said it is a ***** but it is not that one this one belongs to ______________. (I will explain that story another day).

With huge smiles the two of us run in the house and unlock the box. Wonderful Quest, wonderful stamp, wonderful letterboxer !

THANKS

This was a lot of fun, it made my day a little brighter .......... I will take very good care of it while I have it and I hope the next person to grace this logbook has as great of an experience as I did !

Letterboxing by proxy .........

Royalty for the day

The plan was meet at DD at 7:30 am. It had to be DD because Leopard Forest is not open on Sunday. :O(


This was a day we had been planning for a few weeks, pretty much since the Mountain Mystery event. It was a special invitation to box at America's Castle with dtandfambly (at least 2 of them .... 't' and 'j').


After some coffee and donuts, the 4 of us loaded into my expedition, backpacks secured and clues printed and headed up the mountain to be royalty for the day.


Our first stop was to visit a lady of biltmore. Then into the grounds of the castle and to Vanderbilt. We promised the kids a quick tour of the house, and they soon became members of the Biltmore Commodore's Cub Club. Like most kids they could have skipped the majority of the house and headed right for the basement. We left the house and had a snack in the stable courtyard. We were all ready, it was kinda windy and cold, but we were all looking forward to a day of boxing. We visited the garden, met Fredrick Law Olmsted & Richard Morris Hunt and took a ride gently down the stream. We made our way back to the castle and took the bus back to our car.


On to the river's edge we drove. Found a parking spot and went in search of the treasure that 't' was determined to find...... America's Castle. First things first, we visited the weeping tree. To us, this was a tree right out of Harry Potter. While 't' and I stamped in, the kids were having a blast pretending and running around. It was really windy but we were not going ANYWHERE without the treasure. We trudged on along the fence line, fighting the wind, 't' playing tow truck and pulling the 2 kids along (as they were getting very tired and it was cold). I assure you, she was as determined to have this box as I was to have her bloodroot box ! We finally reached the 3rd turn and the smile on 't's face was beyond priceless. I was speechless. This was worth every bit of the hunt, the wind, the cold, the whines, it was worth ALL of it. The kids got a little rest while we admired this wonderful piece of artistry. This is a must have for ANY letterboxer. PRICELESS


With the victory of this quest, there was one more that we had to find. We had to experience the toe cooler. The kids were so looking forward to this box, and after all we had already put them through, we just had to try. 't' had already told them we would need a flashlight as it was inside a bridge, so they were very excited. We went, fighting the wind, across the grounds, behind the castle, down the hill, till we reached the branch's edge. We followed the branch upstream. The kids were tired and cold. Above where we were walking, there was a one lane road. We had noticed one or two vehicles on the road while we were walking. SO ..... I told 't' that I would go get the car, and pick them up on the road, and we could see if we could drive to find it. SO .... I walk back to my car alone and left 't' with the 2 kids.


You see with most of my boxing adventures there always seems to be that one defining moment where things take a HUGE left turn, and the adventure goes a little ...... shall we say ..... HAYWIRE! I assure you this was that exact moment.



OK well back to the story ......



I get to the car, and head back aross the road to pick up the rest of the crew. As I turn onto the little one lane road, there are 2 oval signs that say :



NO Guests beyond this point.



OK -
I panic a little but I had to pick up the kids and 't'. I see them, I yell to them to HURRY get in the car. The kids are questioning me, WHY ???? Why do we HAVE to HURRY ?? I really don't want to scare the kids, nor do I really want to admit to them that I am "breaking the rules" so I say JUST GET IN. I try and whisper to 't' about the signs. Once on this road you are committed, there is no way to turn around, I mean it, this little road is hardly wide enough for my expedition. So we follow the road and low and behold it takes us right to the bridge. There is a large Biltmore maintenance dump truck parked near the bridge and my heart stops, until we realize there is no one in it. We drive across this BEAUTIFUL bridge (this is no Troll bridge) and I pull off the side of the road. I fumble for a small flashlight I keep in my pack and hand it to 't'. I stay in the car with the kids and 't' heads below the bridge. I am in a panic, trying not to let the kids see it, a million things running through my mind, including a call to the troll that we got arrested at Biltmore. We wait, watching the bridge, no 't'. Now I really start to panic. I see a better place to pull off the road a little way ahead, so I pull up there and get off the road more. Still no 't'. OK, I look at the 2 kids, I tell them to stay in the car, do not open the doors for ANYONE, I leave them with the purse of communications, lock the doors and go in search of 't'. I admit, I am scared to death, my heart racing. I find 't' under the bridge, my little flashlight not working. On either side of where the water runs under the bridge are "rooms", they are dark and cold and very scary. I found 't' in the first room, she reads me the clue again, and I see another "room" through this hole in one of the walls. I am about to hoist 't' up into this area, but thinking to myself, NO, they would not put it up there, would they? Then we decide to look in the other room, we jump across the water and enter the other dark, cold scary room. 't' pulls out her cell phone for a little light since my stinky little flashlight is not working (MAJOR SIGH), with hardly any light we are scared to death we are gonna grab a snake or something. HERE IT IS, I hear. We run out the room and above us we see a white Biltmore van, we duck back in - not that it really mattered because above us parked was my expedition with 2 children in it. So we run out, jump the water and run up to the car and the kids. No one in sight WHEWWWWWWW- I open the car and the kids are excited asking "did ya find it ???" WE HAVE IT we tell them ! We stamp in ......... The kids want to come with us to return it. We tell them to find the flashlight 't' brought.



NO SOONER....

I mean NO sooner, then the 4 of us get out of the car, a car passes us. It stops, and starts backing up. WE ARE BUSTED... I am not sure if I said it out loud - If I did not I was SCREAMING it in my head. The car backs up, a window rolls down and a woman with a white Biltmore Security hat sticks her head out the window. My heart stops. "Is everything all right ?" she asks. I know we looked like deer in headlights, my mind is racing. I open my mouth and "we just really wanted to show the kids the bridge ....... Is that alright?" comes out. It seemed like 100 years before she answered. "OH Yeah, that is fine!" she responds. 't' then says (in that sweet 't' voice) "thanks so much for stopping and checking on us". The car pulls off. I know we just stood frozen for minutes! My mind racing thinking OMG what just happened and how in the heck did we pull that one off ! Finally we break the silence with some major laughter. Off to the bridge to return the box. The kids loved the bridge - it really is cool (in more ways then one).



Back in the car, I say to 't' lets get out of here before someone else comes. We drive to where the little (No Guest) road intersects with the normal (Guest) road. Now that we were "legal" , I could really laugh about the adventure we just had !



The next stop was the winery. Our plans were to go on a wine tasting anyway BUT after what just happened we needed a glass of wine :O) We had a really nice tasting, ('t' was doing a comparison that was work related, I was settling my nerves !)



The last stop (and the last 3 boxes) was at the farm. We tried, we called for help (Mama Fox and Erica and everyone else that we left messages for - THANKS), we listened to the kids whining, we tried again, made more phone calls, we started over, finally with the sun about to set - I was CONVINCED I figured it out and I KNOW I was headed in the right direction (this is like another defining moment when boxing... when things just click, it is such a rush and a DRIVE), but like I said the sun was about to set, the kids were DONE (OH so done), they wanted to leave, and 't' and I wanted the last boxes. I guess that is just the addiction of this hobby, it is so hard to walk away knowing they are there! and that you have it within your reach. BUT, our motherly instincts kicked in and we turned around and went back to the car with our children, heads hung low, knowing there were 2 boxes down that path that we did not have! We did have the opportunity to have a quick visit with George though!



Oh what a day - the kids now were in a little panic that it was late and that we were gonna be "locked" in Biltmore. 't' and I told them if we got locked in then they could pick out whatever bedroom in the castle they wanted to spend the night in ...... that kept them talking and wondering what it would be like to spend the night in that castle.



We left the grounds and headed home, a stop for something to eat and a quick drive by at one of Frank's coffee stops. A few calls from the troll to ensure his son would be home in time for bed since the next day was a school day.



Again what an adventure, a great day boxing, with a wonderful boxer friend, I cherish these days, we may never be rich and live in a castle, but days like this make me the richest person in the world. True Royalty!

Mountains, Mysteries, Legends, and FUN!

The Mountains Mystery and Legends Event hosted by Dixie promised to be ........... well whatever she promised it to be it was and more! This would be only my second event, the first being Come to the table (I promise to write that entry very soon!). I was very scared, very nervous, all these veterans, all those boxes. It always seems so overwhelming to even think about going to an event. Once I talk myself into going (I even have to do that as I am driving there), I have the time of my life.

I was torn about leaving my son home. I knew it would be a long day, cold, maybe a little "scary" at times, so I gave him the option. "Is Mojo gonna be there?" he asks. While I do lie to the Troll at times (as most of you know) ........ I could not lie to those beautiful blue eyes looking up at me. "Yes, Mojo will be there", I inform him. Well that was all he needed, he was going. I think my little 6 yr old has a major crush on the infamous Mojo!

Saturday morning while trying to get out of the house and get on our way to Asheville, my pager goes off. This is part of my life and always goes off when I am trying to get out the door. So I join the conference call, type, fix the problem, pack lunch, print clues, print maps, solve a few PTs, etc. We are finally able to get out of the house. A bag of nerves we head up the mountain to Asheville.

I arrive around 11ish to a crowd already forming. Sean hops out the car grabs his stuff and goes in search of Mojo with a huge smile on his face! We visit with Mojo while getting into the country state of mind.




Then off for a few exchanges, We meet Sweet n Sour, Shoafsters and The Hornesbees, I say hello to some old friends, Dixie, Mama Fox, Knit Wit, Kya, Fire Fighter Family and dtandfambly. I am also able to grab a little bunny thief.

With Mojo as our guide we head for the facilities ! What ??? A line in the Women's room, how can that be!

With Sean off playing in the snow and mud, I try to confirm if, The hills are alive? I anticipated something incredible, but not this. I can dream that one day I could create a stamp like this but... WAKE UP HOLLY ..... that will never happen. What a treasure for my logbook.

I exchange with a few boxing buddies, Sarge and Peace then get to meet up with a rascally rabbit along with pawing the ground. Then off in search of adventures and BOXES. I team up with dtandfambly and the Hornesbees and we find some men that provide for the family, a one legged crow, then the dedicated checkmate and you've been ...

Along with the Fire Fighter Family we make plans to embark on an adventure at 3:30 no matter what! There was a deck of cards on the table but instead of playing, we went off in search of more boxes.

A story of twins floating down the river in a basket peaked our interest, but as as we rounded the corner we spotted the "dog park". Sean wanted to know why in the world all those dogs were locked up in that horse pen ! I tried to explain the concept of a dog park to him but he would have none of it, that was a horse pen and those people were crazy to be locking their dogs up in it ! One of the dogs was barking me, me, me, play with me. Still in search of the twins we meet up with Olive and Chihuahua Grande, they graced us with their stamps and a WOM clue so not only could Frank visit Alpha and Alpha visit Frank but we could visit them too. Then we found the Wolves among us: Etruscan. With a time check we headed back to meet up with the Fire Fighter Family, but on the way had to have a little tongue flapping fun back at the horse pen. At this point I realized, the next box would be #100 for us. So as we were walking back down the path I looked to my left and DING DING DING, I said "look it is a spring tree" which was a very fun #100 for us.



We found the FF Family and got several different version of directions to the Riverside Cemetery. I offered to drive if Hornsbees and dtandfambly would navigate, the FF Family was going to follow along with Mojo. Well not sure how I got there but we did, however at one point FF Daddy and Mojo felt I was going the WRONG way and almost did not follow, but never fear letterboxers know their directions LOL. At the cemetery, FF Daddy hands me the 2 page clue and I started to read as we wandered through the cemetery past ivy, Davis and Brown, past headless child and Dunn, an obelisk, a guardhouse, a path, a bench, past Lenz, Redwood and Reed, an oak, a boulder, flags, a lamb, and to a chamber to understand Mourning. Then it was Fire Fighter Daddy's special gift. I offered to read the clues again so he could navigate and find his treasure. It took us a few chances to get the right starting place, and as a group we navigated the path to Uncommon Valor. What a special treat to be able to share in this treasure. Thanks Fire Fighter Family for allowing us this special opportunity.

Climbing back up the hills of the cemetery lead us basically back to the start and into some historic helping hands. This was my first traditional box planted by The Wolf Family and the story behind it is very interesting. As I was waiting for everyone to finish stamping in, I looked in my logbook and a MYSTERY ...... somehow a Darth Wolf stamp had gotten in there ? WHAT ? How ? Who ? hummmmmm..... was this one of the Mysteries of the event ? Yet another treasure in my logbook.

At this point it was time........ Yes we dare, we dare to venture to the Old Craggy Prison. The FF Family left to meet back up with Dixie so I drove as The Hornsbees and dtandfambly navigated. A phone call or two to Mama Fox might have figured it's way in there too. We almost drove past, I turned around and we drove up to Craggy Prison. What an ominous feeling you get when you drive up to this prison. Fences, razor wire, and no trespassing signs warn you as much as the old prison itself does. The Hornsbees offered to go first and she found the last day of youth. dtandfambly bravely ventured behind the guard tower and up the steps to see the seance at craggy. I offered to accompany her to return it and that is where the little problems of our day start!

You see my son has this Halloween flashlight that makes Halloween noises and 't' loves this thing. So off we go up the steps with the sounds of wolves howling and electric crackling, when we get to the top 't' stops and with a very scared look on her face whips around and says "I think I heard dogs, Holly!", we look down at the prison and there are lights on and we hear a metal door SLAM. We did not say a word we just RAN - I mean it we RANNNNNNNNN down those steps, the flashlight still making noises and 't' saying "I can't turn this thing OFF !', we get to the guard tower and sprint the the car and LEAP in. The thoughts going through my mind were, PLEASE, PLEASE don't make me call the troll and tell him I have gotten arrested for trespassing at a prison, letterboxing ! While it is quite funny!!!!! believe me this is not a call that you want to make to the TROLL, especially since I had my son with me trespassing ! Safe and sound in the car, we catch our breath and I start to drive. While we were gone, the cell phones had rung, both mine and 't's. So we both call back - Mama Fox is on 't's and FF Daddy on mine - it seems that they are about to lock the gates at the park and there were cars still in there AND OH yeah The Hornsbees won the raffle. "DRIVE FASTER HOLLY" is all I remember hearing. The Hornsbees were a little freaked out at the thought of her car being locked in the park. I assured her I would get her home if that happened. NO worry I tell her and drive, but you see I have no idea where I am going - they are my navigators, and I am driving as fast as I feel safe driving with other people and 2 kids in the car, but I keep hearing "FASTER OMG they are gonna lock the gate!" Then the kids starting getting concerned, "what will we do?" they ask? I assure everyone that I will take everyone home if anything happens and just think it will give us a great excuse to come back on Sunday to get the cars and box some more. We arrive at the park - all is well except all this time 't' never realized her truck was there too ! :O)

We thanked The Hornsbees for boxing with us, we hope to be able to box together again. So now it was only the 4 of us left, Sean, 't', ARK and me. We decided we should meet up with Dixie and Mama Fox and everyone else for some food. Sean was trilled when we walked in and he spotted his Mojo. We had a great visit, be filled our hungry bellies and made one last plan. We actually tried to make 2 plans but Mama Fox and Dixie really did not want us to go to Chicken Alley with the kids at night, so we relented and went off to visit Helen.

Now what I have not told you is the Troll has called several times to REMIND me that I was not home YET ! I think while we were in the cemetery he even called for the ingredients he needed to buy for ME to make soup. With each call, I said, "I am still in Asheville darling, just a few more boxes and we will be on the way home, PROMISE!"

Again I drove and 't' navigated. We drive to the bridge..............the kids are playing with the flashlight figuring out which scary sound is best to SCARE someone with should they be on the bridge. I drive under the bridge - LEAVE MY LIGHTS ON- and run to Helen's Haunt. I run back to the car and stamp in. Another SUV goes past us and parks at the end of the road and a large group unloads and walks towards Zealandia. As I go to get out to return the box a car pulls up and stops under the bridge. Now I am stuck , we wait a few minutes , they turn their lights off, they take pictures, they flash their lights at us. I am sitting with the box in my lap. 't' tells me to pull up the road a little and park. I do this and then run back to see if they are gone. NOPE, now they are parked where I was with their lights out. So I go back to the car again. I pretend to be looking for something in the back as they pull up to me. "YOU ARE NOT DOING IT RIGHT!", they inform me. "You HAVE TO TURN YOUR LIGHTS OUT, when you are under the bridge and then call for Helen!". "OH ......... thanks, I really didn't know" I reply! LOL as they pull away - I run back to the bridge to safely return the box as I am walking back to the car a pick-up full of teenagers pulls under the bridge, to summons Helen. I get back to the car and we drive up the road and park in the curve. We get out and start walking up the road, the pick-up parks ahead of us and the pack of teenagers are on the bridge messing around. The kids are a little scared at this point but 't' has them repeat over and over "GO AWAY HELEN"! I meet The Hookman of Beaucatcher, as the kids and 't' ward off Helen! We get back to the car and decide we need to call it a day and head back to to good old South Carolina. I return dtandfambly to their their car and head down the mountain.

I admit I am tired it is about 10pm and Sean has fallen asleep in the back seat. The TROLL CALLS !!! I know I am in major trouble! "HOLLY WHERE ARE YOU?", he bellows! "IT IS 10PM and you have my SON WITH YOU", he informs me. I assure him we are on the way down the mountain and that his son is fine and asleep in the car. Next he advises me that I have made BAD decisions in keeping my kid out this late at nite to LETTERBOX ! It is not smart he lets me know. NOTE TO SELF: Next time book a hotel room!

I arrive home at about 11 PM, get Sean safely in his bed, calm the troll down, and savor the great day I had.

THANKS DIXIE, Mama Fox, Knit Wit and everyone for all the hard work you put into this event, Mojo for being Sean's special friend, dtandfambly and The Hornsbees for being my partners in crime and Fire Fighter Daddy for sharing his special box with us! AND EVERYONE ELSE for such a great day!

Where to next ????? :O)