1996 ARTICLE FOR YOUNG DRIVERS

I didn't feel quite as foggy this morning as I did yesterday after the Nyquil dose last night. I can't take that stuff if I have something I have to do the next morning because it really fogs my brain until I get up and get going.
It was sure nice having hubbie here this morning to help. He feels a little better so maybe the meds are kicking in.
We made it to market on time but it was a very slow day today.
Hubbie was planning on an early Thanksgiving lunch with g-son today at his school but g-son had that dreaded stomach virus last night and is staying home today. Hope he is selfish with the virus and keeps it all to himself !!!
I have been watching my hens to try and pick out the ones who are laying so with hubbie home today he can keep that up. The man is picking the ones for sale up at 5:00 today.
I got a little Christmas decorating done on my market tables today but will wait until Tuesday to finish everything since Tuesday is a big Thanksgiving sales day.
Since it was so slow in market today I eased out about 30 minutes early to give myself a head start on my errand and shopping time.
After stopping at the bank, the PO , Ingles and Aldi I made it home at 3:30. We got everything unloaded and then headed up to the chicken pens to get all the "for sale" hens and roosters in the big hen house so the man could pick them up at 5:00.
We both put on the good Painter's mask with the charcoal in them to ward off the dust from catching the hens plus the smoke from the fire is moving back into our area this evening.
We accomplished getting them all up without too much trouble and the man came as promised right at 5.
He thought the hens were super nice and paid me more than I had advertised them for which surprised me. I asked $2 and he insisted on giving me $3 as they were so nice.  I love doing business with folks like this man.
After he left I cleaned out the big hen house and moved all the this years pullets in there. I put all the older hens I have caught on the nest in the last couple days in the lower lot. So next year when it comes time to sell older hens I will know exactly which ones they are. I have 13 pullets in the big lot and 7 older hens in the lower lot so I will definitely have less feed to buy.
All the little Silkies acted like they appreciated having their little lot back to themselves also. Now it will be a challenge for a couple days to keep everybody where they are supposed to be.
I came inside just after dark with everything done.
The smoke suddenly filled the air this evening with a think stinky fog as the winds change to blow in a cold front with the coldest temps of the season this weekend.

Now we have fires on both sides of us as the Table Rock fire continues to climb the back side of Pinnacle mountain into Henderson county from Pickens SC. I have made many pics of this mountain on our trips to the Pickens Flea Market.

Unfortunately even with todays calmer winds the Party Rock Fire in Chimney Rock grew another 1000 acres in the last 24 hours to more than 6700 acres this evening.

The govenor made another trip to Lake Lure today but with the drought situation only getting worse in our area there isn't much anyone can do to ease the fire dangers.

The first winter storm was named today as Argos sends blizzard conditions across many mid western states with more than a foot of snow  but this storm is going north of us with no moisture this far south.

We continue to pray for rain to aid the exhausted firefighters fighting all these fires.
As I went through decade pics search I ran across this letter to the editor published in November 1996.
I kept this cut out pasted to my refrigerator all during my kids teenage years in hopes that they would drive more carefully after reading it.

Thankful tonight for the protective arms of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and praying that He gather all the hard working firemen under His great loving care.
In my heart I know that there is a reason for all this dry weather , there is a reason God is holding back the rain from our area, is it a test of our faith , is it a warning of things to come, is it a chance for His name to be glorified as all Christians come together in our area to minister to these fire fighters, I could go on and on with "is its" but the bottom line is God is in control and His Will will be done.
Ecclesiastes 7:14   When times are good, be happy:  but when times are bad, consider:  God has made the one as well as the other.  Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.
God Bless and Good Night