Chaco & Toesock's Self-Propelled Adventures: Whisper Hill Farm

Chaco outside the USMC museum

            "OOH-RAH!"

"Like one that on a lonesome road
Doth walk in fear and dread,
And having once turned round walks on,
And turns no more his head,
Because he knows a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread."
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

  First an update as to why we had to cancel our planned AT hike. The day we left Sunny & Share's we had visited the ATC in Harper's Ferry and were on our way to the AT Museum in PA., the doctor called and said for us not to get on the trail. The bone marrow biopsy was botched by the lab by putting some samples into the wrong fluid. They did find in some tests that they had previously done that her marrow showed 10% blast. The doctor said that all her prior blood work in Dallas had only showed 2% blast and that it could be normal blood cell rejuvenation. The doctor said we would need to be back to the Cancer Center within 1-2 weeks for another biopsy and then they would know where to go from the new results. So now we are slowly making our way back to Dallas to begin these tests and/or treatments.
   While we were at Whisper Hill Farm we had the best time with James and Holly (Sunny & Share). Some of the things we did was pull weeds in the fields, pick different veggies, hand wash them, stake tomato plants spread chicken maure fertilizer and wire the barn with new lighting. We got to see how much work starting and running an organic vegetable farm really is. Both of us were sore from all the bending and leaning over while picking and weeding! We also went to the farmers market and helped Holly set up her booth and we got to see what a professional job she does with the customers, the display and with educating her customers on some of the more rare veggies you dont see in markets everyday, like chard. They have created a unique and interesting life for themselves in Virginia with nothing more than a dream and lots and lots of hard work! We look forward to the next time we can visit them and see how the farm changes and improves over time.
   Right now we are in Elizabeth City, North Carolina at an Econo Lodge Motel. Tomorrow we plan to go to the Outer Banks and explore the barrier islands as we make our way south along the coast as close to the Atlantic as we can. Earlier today we left the motel in Hampton, Virginia where we satyed last night and drove to Norfolk and just caught the Tall Ships Parade on the Elizabeth River at the start of a three day festival there. There were thousands of people lined up along the banks and food booths and even a retriever dog competition. We watched all the ships pass by and then had chicken on a stick, roasted corn on the cob and lemon-aid. The weather was beatiful and it all helped to take my mind off of the change of plans the doctor's report has caused. us. Yesterday as we drove south out of PA and back into Virgina we happened to pass right by the Marine Corps Museum near DC, so of course I had to go in and check that out. Tomorrow we hope to get to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and see the wild Spanish Mustangs living on the undeveloped north end of the islands. There are many free ferrys and a couple bridges from island to island, so it should be another interesting day.

            James and Holly's 1930 Farmhouse