I am so excited for Dr. Willis Martin of Martin Innovations! We have followed his progress with his incredible inventions for years! Dr. Martin has put in countless hours to improve the quality of patient care! His hard work, care and concern will change the way Patients and Hospital employees interact with safety in mind for all! The Chair-A- Table and Zero Lift Exam Tables are amazing! Check it out below!
If you are a Doctor or a Nurse or you have ever been a Patient then you can relate to the need in all Hospitals and Doctor Offices. What a life changing blessing this invention will be to so many in need right now!
Congratulations to Martin Innovations for being a 2011 winner of The de Vinci Awards!
Martin Innovations
2555 Wendell Blvd
Wendell, NC 27591
Fax 919.829.8045
Phone 888.833.5173
Local 919.833.5173
Nothing makes me warm up to fall like an outdoor fire! I love this time of year in North Carolina when you can enjoy the lake by day and fall weather by night! As you know by now, life in North Carolina is awesome all year long! This is the perfect fireplace to slow down, watch the leaves turn and let the fire burn! Looking forward to the next NC season!
Everyone loves Smores!!
Spending quality time with dear friends is so important especially since we all live in the fast lane!
Leslie was born and raised in North Carolina! She not only has a beautiful voice but is also a SUPER nice person! Let's all help this sweet "small town girl" get her Big Break!
The best part about the Shrimp and Grits dinner made with country ham is the "country" brunch leftovers I easily prepared for my husband! Eggs, cheese grits with a side of country ham! This is not his normal breakfast so he was super excited!
Leftovers do not have to be boring! Everyone seems to love my homemade spaghetti sauce, so I always cook a large pot since it is a long process to make! Extra sauce makes it easy to recreate the dish to share with friends later! I like to prepare lasagna and baked ziti for the freezer.
I always add sauteed onions and garlic as well as top it off with basil to give it a burst of fresh flavor! I love having fresh herbs on hand! I use the basil, mint and rosemary often!
You might remember my post from May 26th sharing the UNC-TV news inviting us to visit Flavor, NC on Saturday mornings! I have enjoyed all three episodes which you can view online. Lisa Prince, our host was in Boone, NC in today's episode. They shared a go to ingredient for Shrimp and Grits that I also love to use! The ingredient is country ham! The salty goodness of country ham naturally adds the perfect flavor!
I love that they were using NC country ham from Goodnight Brothers. The Shrimp with Red Eye Gravy was shared by The Gamekeeper in Boone NC. I learned so much from this episode such as an ingredient I would have never thought of using which is coffee! This dish is a hit especially with local Bogue Sound Shrimp!
You can also order country ham from the Danl Boone Inn which is a wonderful stop while you are in Boone for family style comfort food! I added mushrooms to the sauce and a little white wine and as always Texas Pete!
I love North Carolina Blueberries and as they say we should eat them everyday! I try to get my NC Blueberries in at breakfast on my cereal! My husband however has a sweet tooth, so dessert is on his mind this wet weekend not Blueberry nutrition. I decided to make my Grandmother's Blueberry Cobbler!
This is such an easy recipe!
1 cup of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of milk
1/2 stick of melted butter
Whisk ingredients together and pour into a greased baking dish and top with fresh blueberries!
Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for an hour at 350 degrees.
Top with fresh whipped cream!
NC Blueberries are perfect year around right out of the freezer!
Earth Wind and Fire was in Durham on Sunday night at DPAC! It was a perfect time to drop off our husbands for girls dinner while they had a blast from the past enjoying their era to "Groove tonight"! We had a great dinner at Dos Perros! I highly recommend it as well as check out Tyler's Taproom, voted one of America's 100 best beer bars. All in the American Tobacco Historic District.
The last time I was at a Durham Bulls game was as a volunteer with Civitan years ago. Being in Durham made we want to make plans to attend a game! There is so much fun stuff going on Downtown!
The cool weather, boots and lots of State red started the perfect tailgate time for fall football! This is one of my favorite times of the year with family and friends! GO PACK!
The South is the best for many reasons and football is one of them! Southerners pull out all the stops for the over the top tailgates which of course next to winning is the best part! NC State tailgates at Carter Finley Stadium are a guaranteed good time!
Cocktails, Carolina Boiled Peanuts and Carolina Caviar kick off the afternoon of tailgating,
Carolina Style! The cocktail of choice was mixed with Makers Mark!
September is National Bourbon Month!
For this cool game day with a little misting rain, we knew my husbands famous chili would be a big hit! It was the first pot of the season! Everyone brought lots of yummy stuff for the table from chicken wings, tenderloin rolls, and the list goes on which attracts neighbors from all around!
The Wolfpack pick nick basket has made many trips to Carter Finley for decades with my parents before my generation! The plates from Mears Etc Etc are perfect to serve the festive red velvet cupcakes!
While online looking for North Carolina items I can ship to a family member in school out of state, I stumbled across an awesome company founded just last year! The North Carolina BBQ Company based in Greensboro, ships anywhere in the United States.
My favorite package is the NC BBQ Battle Box! Growing up in Eastern NC of course I love Eastern NC BBQ but since my families best friends live in Lexington NC, home of the Barbecue Festival, I can appreciate both! The North Carolina BBQ Company has a great sense of humor in their beach tips video below!
Whether you are entertaining at the beach or at your tailgate, if you want your guest to enjoy both Eastern and Western style BBQ, start a "Battle with a Box"!
Also if you are curious about BBQ from Southern state to Southern state, Check out the BBQ song by NC's Rhett and Link! Too Funny!
Lake Gaston is one of the most calming places I have been blessed to spend my time! The photos below capture a lifetime of favorite views! It is always fun to get up there and enjoy the peaceful pastime with family over the weekend! I will be back soon when the leaves start to change..if not before!
Saturday night, the full moon over the lake lit our way as we boated over to The Pointe! Although my camera did not fully capture it, the lake was bright enough to ski, well if it were legal! The Pointe special was Rock Fish which Gaston Lake is well stocked! My husband highly recommends it!
The local Rock Fish!
The weekend was topped off with a Bloody Mary Sunday Brunch at WatersView! The Eggs Benedict was delicious! The view and September temps made sitting on the porch a perfect "Sunday Funday" but harder to face the fact manic Monday hides behind the fun of Sunday! Until next time!
Seven Churches in my hometown gathered together to remember September 11, 2001 during a Community Memorial Service. The service started with the beautiful sounds of "God Bless America" performed by the Tar River Children's Chorus. All the Ministers serving each Church spoke and the choir members from all seven Churches sang "Amazing Grace".
The message of remembrance and hope was special to all who attended.
Our thoughts and prayers are focused on all who suffered great loss through the 9/11 attack on our great Nation Under God. We honor the men and women answering the call to risk their lives to save others through their service in Fire Departments and Law Enforcement.
If you have ever spent time in a small Eastern North Carolina town you know there are some events that are old fashion traditions like chicken plate fundraisers at the Fire Department and a Friday fish fry. The Volunteer Fire Department in my hometown has sold chicken plates as a fundraiser twice a year for as long as I can remember! They work so hard and they sell about 2,600 plates!
As the apples fall from the trees at the farm we also know it is time for fried apples to be frozen for Christmas morning breakfast. A family tradition! Apple Pie is also requested!
You can also count on Nello's fresh fried cat fish or trout fried in a cast iron pot, of course! Served with the best slaw you have ever tasted! Nello just so happens to be the only person I have ever known to serve a perfect baked Alaska! If we are lucky, one day Nello will share his Mac n Cheese recipe with the world!
This is our friend Nello! He has been a family friend my whole life! Nello is not only one of the best cook's I know but also one of the nicest people I have ever known!
Nello's perfect hushpuppies!
zac brown band video
"Its funny how it`s the little things in life that mean the most
Not where you live, the car you drive, or the price tag on your clothes
There`s no dollar sign on a piece of mind this I`ve come to know"
The unofficial last days of summer on the Carolina Coast were perfectly beautiful! The calm after the storm was enjoyed by everyone as we all recuperated from cleanup! I thought I would share a few photos on the water, some with signs of Irene! I am sure these will not be the last! Fall is a favorite time at the beach! Fall is actually fabulous everywhere in North Carolina!
Come visit!
Click on the photos to see the beauty of each full image!
