January 24, 2024
This morning, after a cup of coffee, my wife and I drove into Wilson, while it was still dark, to pick up two large boxes of donuts. She ordered the treats from a place called the Wilson Doughnut Shop, which turned out to be a hopping place in the middle of nowhere. The donuts were for my wife’s office staff. Today was the last day of her general medicine rotation and she wanted to take everyone a treat.
The little donut shop was in a desolate corner of an abandoned area, but its lights were bright. A large table was full of older gentlemen, locals, having coffee together. The group, most dressed in camouflage, and one man completing his ensemble with camo Crocs, were talking and laughing. I always admire when friends get together in small rituals like this, although I have no desire to do so. One man kept referring to the “New Testimony”, which, after a while, we gathered he was talking about the New Testament. One of his friends chided him, saying, “Earl’s already preaching”. The coffee was a little watered down, but the donuts were excellent.
My wife worked late, which meant a late start. So, when we arrived home, we slipped on our boots and headed out into the forest together. This was a rare delight for a weekday. Like two children who were best friends, we explored the area, eagerly showing each other our finds. There were small bones we excavated from the top of a large rock. Then, at my wife’s suggestion, we made our way down to the creek, daringly crossing it by walking across a large slippery log.
This area looks strange. Over the years, trees have grown and fallen, filling the ravine floor with fallen trunks and limbs. You can’t see them, however, because tall grasses, some growing seven or eight feet, sprouted in the summer and then died, covering the entire ground with long golden strands. This created uneven footing with the dead trees hidden under the grass, mixed with areas of mud and water from the creek. It was adventurous.
On one large tree near the north stream, there were mushroom platelets growing up the tree, perfectly perpendicular to the ground. They looked like dozens of small shelves, and we even joked that we would return and place trinkets on them. On the way back home, we saw several swirls in the pine needles. Apparently, the squirrels were searching out and eating mushrooms growing in the grove. I was amazed that the squirrels knew which mushrooms to eat while I did not. I’m going to have to read up on this, although I don’t think I’ll eat wild mushrooms anytime soon. While ignorance can kill slowly, sometimes one’s stupidity produces quicker results.
It was oddly warm today, a pleasant reminder that spring was just around the corner. Although there have been no snowy or icy roads this winter, I’ve spent plenty of time outside in the subfreezing temperatures. Spring sounds like a warm welcome. I love seeing all the trees blossoming and flowers blooming. For about three days, the entire area will smell like a fancy perfume. There are hundreds of wild cherry trees on the property, especially in the grove where they’ve learned to mingle underneath the tall pines. In a few months, these trees will be full of white flowers that make the forest look as pretty as a postcard.
It’s nice having four seasons. In Texas, the weather is either freezing or unbearably hot; mostly the latter. The warm spring and cool fall days seem to be around for only a couple of weeks. In North Carolina, however, you get about three months of each season. So, although the summers are hot, you get some relief much sooner. I have enjoyed winter, but I am looking forward to the new season. For those who spend time outdoors, spring and fall are times of comfort and ease, while winter and summer require a more hearty disposition. It’s all good though. No matter how hot, cold, wet, or dry, I will always spend as much time outdoors as possible.
This evening, I drove into Nash County and picked up a nice marbled ribeye steak at the Piggly Wiggly. “The Pig” has some of the best steaks in the area, plus “all of what you need, and some of what you want.” That’s my personal slogan for the place. In the evening, I cooked myself dinner, since my wife would be home late.
After poking dozens of holes in the red meat, I rubbed the thick steak with olive oil and salted and peppered it liberally. Once the Traeger Grill was hot, I placed the ribeye on the edge of the grill in the highest heat. The fire from the pellet grill slightly exposes near the edge, which helps to char the fat line on the outer edge of a ribeye. After the steak was on the grill, I cut a fresh lime in half, squirting half of the lime on top of the steak. After ten minutes, I flipped the steak and added the other half of the lime to the cooked side. Ten minutes later, I pulled the steak off, let it rest, and sliced it. It was one of the best steaks I’ve had in a while. The lime juice really kept the meat tender and juicy. I saved some of the steak for my wife to try when she got home, which she promptly ate right from the fridge.
Tomorrow is Thursday. Just a few more days before my wife leaves for her next rotation. We are both independent and self-sufficient, but we prefer to be together. Neither of us is looking forward to Sunday, when she leaves town for a month. For now, we are consciously embracing each moment together.