Often the Christmas Classics have an unscrupulous or “misfit”character that is central in the story. As the Christmas story unfolds, that unruly character evolves and begins to change over time, reaching a new level of understanding and empathy. The Grinch is no stranger to this scenario. The Grinch has a unique meaning for me this 2025 holiday season.
The Grinch… the neighbor North of Whoville who hated the entire Christmas season.
The Grinch…hated the thought of the people of Whoville experiencing joy on Christmas Day. He stole all of the Christmas presents, stockings, Christmas trees, feasting food and even the firewood logs!!!
The Grinch…hoped the joy of Christmas would be spoiled, every home had been emptied by him as he taken all of their possessions. But, it didn’t happen. The people of Whoville celebrated Christmas anyway.
The Grinch… eventually realized that Christmas had come without all the excitement of Christmas presents, toys, wrapping paper, and all the other components of how we often celebrate Christmas Day. Christmas was about something so much more.
The Grinch… Experiencing Cancer, sickness OR even the loss of a loved one during the holiday season. These life altering events can definitely steal the Joy of the Holiday Season and leave you feeling sad, stressed or “Grinchy”.
The Grinch…personally present for me this holiday season, but NOT stealing the hope for healing, or the joy of celebrating the holiday season with family and friends. Will the holiday look potentially different? Yes. But, so will the next few months. Meeting my care team, Surgery, radiation, and ❤️🩹 begin the process of healing and recovery.
The Grinch… learned that the Whoville community gathered together to celebrate what was wonderfully good about Christmas, ultimately making his heart grow bigger.
The Grinch… has nothing our own hardware community….We are blessed. I always look forward to your smiles, laughter, and conversations as you have continued to shop with us for the last 10 years. You have become a part of our family.
The Grinch… The arrival of Cancer within my own life has made me very thankful and grateful for my community of family and friends who are supporting me daily as I embark upon a journey to find wellness once again. My heart is full of strength, hope, and courage as I continue to live ONE day at a time.
The Grinch… Unable to steal Christmas away, because Christmas is so much more than the day itself. Christmas is more about tiny acts of kindness, compassion, community spirit, and finding Grace in second chance opportunities.
The Grinch… Often when sickness or grief comes, we don’t allow ourselves the opportunity to live in full grace. The daily mantra should be for us all, not just cancer patients to live ONE DAY AT A TIME. When experiencing grief, anxiety, sickness, or cancer, every single day can be challenge with ever changing health conditions, or emotions. Through God’s grace, tomorrow is a uniquely different day. Celebrate the positive days and allow ourselves to rest when we need to.
Foot Note: Earlier this month, I was officially diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer, my Grinch. This cancer was found after my regularly scheduled mammogram. I strongly encourage everyone to keep all medical screening appointments. It’s so easy to get “busy” in the moment and forget about or delay them months down the line.
My initial prognosis is good and surgery will be scheduled soon. I have two appointments this week in Winston Salem. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the next few months. I covet your prayers.
I know many of you that might be reading this today, have faced similar health challenges whether it was long term sickness, loss of a dear loved one, or a personal battle with cancer and can empathize with my personal situation.
Moving forward, we may find it necessary to alter our store hours to accommodate my appointments. Please be patient with us as we try to navigate this new “un-normal” phase of life for us.
Please also consider that if you reach out to our social media pages that a response might be delayed due to this new phase “unwellness” I am experiencing. That being said, If you need an immediate response to a specific product question, please call the hardware store for further assistance. We thank you for your support and understanding.
Wishing y’all a very Merry Christmas season! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
A basket of potatoes, prepped and ready to cook. What’s your favorite potato 🥔 recipe???
The Morning Drive
As I started my car and headed towards work, a conversation on a morning radio show ensued about all the ways in which a potato could be made and eaten… from baked, mashed, to French fries. On that ride into work that morning to the hardware store, I was pleasantly impressed with all of the phone-in callers who were discussing their favorite ways to make their favorite potato dish.
Which, in turn, got me to thinking about the topic itself… yes, the potato is a versatile ingredient.
The humble potato… so much can be done with the potato when it comes to meal prep. Sometimes the “rut” of meal preparation can be daunting and the same old foods are seemingly always on the menu. My hope is that this “spud fest” will be an assist or inspiration to you in future meal planning or thinking about holiday cooking.
What potato dish will complement your holiday feast this year??? 🧐
A Slice of Spud History
Potatoes come in a variety of sizes, colors and shapes. From the traditional Russet baking potato, fingerlings, red, purple, Yukon gold, white, bite size potatoes, and sweet potatoes, just to name a few!!! Each potato variety also holds a unique starch profile… adding to the complexity and flavor of the spud. The Potato is a global staple in the diets of many cultures across the world. Potatoes are grown in most states in the US!!!
North Carolina hosts a Potato Festival each year in Elizabeth City… did you know that NC ranks FIRST in production of sweet potatoes???
The Spanish Conquistadors brought the humble potato back into Europe after their explorations into the New World. Who would have thought that the potato would ultimately end up becoming the first vegetable planted in space and also the same plant that led to a famine crisis centuries ago in Ireland???
Chunking It Down: Why the Potato??
Potatoes are nutrient dense and a high quality carbohydrate food source . The humble spud is an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and potassium. The potato has a much potassium as a medium size banana!!! Plus, they’re a good source of niacin, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, and copper. The potato skin holds a whopping 55% of total iron, 34% of calcium, and 17% of zinc. While the flesh of the potato has most of the Vitamin C (30 % of daily requirement) and potassium. The potato offers a boost of energy, a good source of fiber, and a sense fullness and satisfaction from eating the “spud” may serve you well.
Ready to “Dish It Out”
Beautiful handmade dishes to serve up a scoop of your favorite potato dishes available at WCH
Ready to “slice into the world of potatoes”??? Grab a napkin to savor the flavors of the potato and let’s read about a few favorite potatoes that I came up with after that thought provoking conversation from the radio about the humble spud. Enjoy!!
“Soupy” or Stewed Potatoes
These chunks are the perfect size for soupy potatoes… you can take skin off if you prefer
Growing up I will admit my favorite way to have a potato on my plate with vegetables, was stewed or what I called “soupy” potatoes. Mom always scooped them right out of the pot placed them onto my plate before she used the potato masher and made mashed potatoes. That sweet, simple gesture was always appreciated by me. A special little gift to me each time she made potatoes. 😊Much to my dismay, my husband was unfamiliar with this “style” of potatoes! What!!! How on earth could he have never had “soupy” potatoes???? Now, we traditionally have them on New Year’s Day to accompany our pork, cooked cabbage, and black eyed peas Unfamiliar with this style of potatoes??? The Potatoes are peeled, cubed, cooked down perfectly, softened, buttered well, and seasoned with salt and pepper. “Soupy potatoes” alongside a chunk of cornbread, black-eyed peas, or fresh green beans, made the meal complete and hearty. A must try!!!
Garden Potatoes: New Potatoes
These enamel dishpans are perfect for garden chores, canning prep or many other uses!!! Stop by WCH to pick one up
As a girl growing up at home, I didn’t fully appreciate or understand why I had to help with harvesting vegetables in the garden. As a young kid, working outside never appealed to me. I would rather be inside watching my favorite cartoons or Scooby Doo episodes. But my parents insisted that we all pitch into help with the garden harvest, so my sister and I did. I can remember that Dad and Mom always did the heavy lifting in the garden (like digging out potatoes) as we were too young and maybe a bit unmotivated to do much… because our dear little hearts were still wrapped around those Saturday cartoons. But, I helped to pick fresh green beans off the vines, harvested squash, cucumbers, green peppers, and tomatoes.
Whether you need tools to dig or harvest in the garden, WCH has what you need
The garden haul of freshly dug “new potatoes” were quickly rinsed off with the water hose and carried inside. The smell of those new potatoes, mingled with dirt and earth is one smell I won’t forget. I do remember the love of the cooking of the garden feast… fresh greens beans prepared with those smallest “new potatoes” dug from the garden a true treat each summer!
The classic green garden hose is always available at WCH
Baked Potatoes: Using Russet Potatoes
In the Crock Pot…Baked potatoes in crockpot??? Try it if you haven’t done that before. Yes, save electricity by using your crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours (increase your time with the size of potato) instead of using your oven. I brush mine with olive oil, silt each side of the potato with a knife, and salt pepper and cover it and walk away for a few hours.. dinner success!
Traditional Oven Method… Preheat oven to 450. Use knife to cut slits into baking potatoes, I place mine onto my Lodge skillet and don’t wrap them in aluminum foil. Add olive oil and salt and pepper to exterior. Bake potatoes for about 1 hour. For larger baked potatoes, a bit longer baking time might be needed.
I often use my large Lodge skillet to bake my potatoes 🥔. It works really well!!Lodge skillets are always available for purchase at Wilkes County Hardware.
Side note Ok… I’ve viewed and tried the new trend of cutting baked potatoes in half and I do realize that it reduces the amount of time to bake… my take… I’m just not a fan of this method using a roasting pan. It changes the texture of your baked potatoes in the end. Want a different texture of a baked potato??? Try doing a Hasselback potato. This is another great variation.
Want to add more protein to your meal??? Serve up a baked potato with a hearty meat chili .
Chili Beans Recipe: For Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 lb. Browned ground hamburger
1 can (15.5 ounce) light red kidney beans
1 can (15.5 ounce) pinto beans
1 can (15.5 ounce) cannellini beans
2 cans (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Dash cayenne pepper
Making it…Chili Beans
1. Brown hamburger, while hamburger is cooking combine spices in a small bowl and mix well.
2. Add chili spice blend into hamburger, stir well.
3. Add beans (drain well) and tomato sauce into the chili/hamburger mixture.
4. Cook on low heat until beans have softened for at least 20-25 minutes.
5. Top baked potato with chili
Mashed Potatoes: Using Yukon Gold Potatoes
Potatoes are not a high calorie food in themselves, what WE ADD into the potato makes them a higher caloric source and less nutritional… sorry, this recipe is decadent and rich with butter, heavy cream, and cheese. This is a definite, delicious special treat when I make this side dish.
Recipe for Cheesy Mashed Potatoes:
Ingredients:
Peeled Yukon Gold potatoes -cubed (small chunks of potatoes will cook faster)
Heavy cream/or whole milk
1 stick softened unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
Cheeses: Parmesan, cheddar, Gruyère, whatever you prefer or have on hand
Making it: Mashed Potatoes
1. Begin with peeled and cubed potatoes in cold AND salted water in pot. Beginning with salted water will lock in the flavor of the salt. Cook on stovetop until potatoes are fork tender.
2. Drain potatoes after potatoes have soften in texture.
3. Cube up softened butter and add to potatoes, add black pepper potatoes to season to your liking.
4. Add a very small amount of milk or cream to begin with. You can always add more cream/milk … it is harder to take away the liquid without losing flavor!
5. Using hand mixer or stand mixer, mix the butter/milk mixture until smooth and creamy adding small amounts of milk/cream as you go.
Sometimes I’ll do a quick chop to make mixing potatoes a bit easier, especially if I’m making a bigger batch… these are a staple at WCH year round!
6. Once potatoes are creamy, add cheese (1/4 cup each) stir into potato mixture.
7. Serve immediately OR Keep potatoes warm by placing into a well buttered casserole dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Mashed potatoes can also be a “topping complement” to a Shepherd’s pie!!!!
Using your Potato Leftovers
My Granny never wasted a bit of food. Growing up in the Depression, she always would save the smallest amount of food from any meal. These leftovers were always used in creative ways…add ins for soups, stews, or served up at the next meal of the day. Potatoes that are leftover can be used in creative ways from making Twice Baked Potatoes, Fried Potato Cakes, to Creamy Potato Soup!
Leftover Mashed Potatoes: Potato Soup
Ingredients:
Leftover Mashed potatoes.. no leftovers… 1 container of Bob Evans mashed potatoes works well
1 stick of unsalted Butter
Heavy Cream or Whole Milk
Cubed and diced potatoes (russet or Yukon gold)- potato skin off
Salt/pepper
See note below for extra ingredients to add as a toppings for finished soup
Making it: Potato Soup
1. Cook the cubed potatoes in well salted cold water in a large stock pot. Drain 3/4 of water once potatoes are softened.
2. Add black pepper, butter to pot. Slicing butter into small chunks will allow butter to distribute evenly into soup and melt faster. Do not stir to keep your potatoes intact.
3. Add milk or cream to pot. Filling above the potatoes. I like to do a combination of these ingredients (half/half)
4. Stir in the leftover mashed potatoes the more you have, the creaminess level will add to your soup!
5. Let soup simmer on low heat for at least 15-20 minutes.
6. Add ins… chopped crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, or serve along side with hot cornbread!
Cornbread is ready to go into the oven!!!
The Humble Potato… The Casserole Side Dish:
Thanksgiving isn’t complete without the sweet potato for most. I know my dad always loves sweet potatoes for holiday meals, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sweet potatoes can be baked, served up with a bit of even more sweetness with melted marshmallows on top of them, or served up as a casserole.
Not a sweet potato fan??? Well, truth being told, I’m not a fan of the sweet potato. But serve up a potato augratin in a casserole dish! I’m all in!!!
Au Gratin Potatoes are different from the scalloped potato… the main difference is that a scalloped potato is absent of cheese while Au Gratin potatoes have cream base and cheese. Need a potato dish in a hurry??? Try the option of using shredded hash browns instead with the cream, herbs and cheese layered into your Lodge skillet or casserole dish.
Recently made the layered hash browns with cheese and cream, it was delicious! Will continue to develop this recipe… so stay posted!
The Hot Dish: A Nod to Minnesota
Ever heard of this???? A Hot Dish??? Southerners may not necessarily recognize this staple but after reading about this potato dish you may want to incorporate this spud into your fall recipe lineup. According to my very good friend Barbara, who grew up Minnesota, the hot dish appears at every church potluck just like the typical potato casserole dish or infamous potato salad would be served at any Southern gathering. The traditional hot dish is topped with tater tots. Those of you who love tots, you will love this dish!!! The base of the hot dish is usually hamburger, mixed vegetables, cream of mushroom soup, and cheesy. I made a few last Fall and winter. I’m a fan!
My first Hot Dish Attempt… needed more tots on top!!! The base was hamburger and mushrooms with taco seasoning, cream of mushroom soup, and cheese. It was great comfort meal food!!! A must try!!!
Easy Potato Sides
These dishes would be perfect for picnic lunch!!! Found at your local hardware store… Wilkes County Hardware
A picnic, covered dish luncheon, or cookout isn’t complete without at least one bowl of potato salad. Weeknight meals are sometimes served with the frozen varieties of the humble spud… fries, or tater tots. I love a good crisp tater tot to add to a grilled cheeseburger for a quick evening meal. My favorite way to add a bit of variety to the weekly menu selection is to do Oven Roasted potatoes, fried potatoes, or Steamed Potatoes. Fingerling, small baby red potatoes, or small new potatoes work well with this recipe below.
Steamed Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 bag of Fingerling potatoes, red, or new potatoes
4T unsalted butter
Spices: Italian seasoning, dried onion, salt, pepper to taste . Add your favorite ingredients to make this dish work for you!
Non stick Covered pot: Need lid for steaming (I use a Le Crueset casserole dish or a covered Lodge would work)
Making It: Steamed Potatoes
1. Allow butter to melt slowly in bottom of pot.
2. Add small potatoes, I do cut my potatoes in half if they are on larger size to allow for even cooking of the smaller ones.
3. Add spices. Add extra butter if potatoes are not fully saturated with butter. You do not want them to stick to bottom of pot! Add lid. Turn burner heat to a medium low.
4. Potatoes will sizzle as they steam. I shake/slide back and forth the steaming potato pot every 8-10 minutes to prevent them from sticking.
5. Allow potatoes to steam on low heat for at least 45 minutes. Smaller sizes potatoes will steam faster… open pot, use a fork to test for doneness. Fork should slide easily into done potatoes.
The Addictive Potato Chip
Ahhh the potato chip… You can’t eat just one
A little trivia tidbit… North Carolina potato growers also grow more than just the good ole sweet potato. About 70 percent of the potatoes grown in North Carolina are used in the production of potato chips!!! No wonder I love me a bag of potato chips so much!!! Leave me with a bag of potato chips and I can eat the whole bag😬. “Betcha you can’t eat just one… “ the old slogan from many years ago from Lays potato chips. Yes, I think I could eat the whole dang bag!!! Crushed Potato chips do make a wonderful topping for casseroles, and can be added as a topping for proteins like chicken or even fish! Oh, for unique twist, try Potato Chip Cookies!!! Yum!!! A Huge Thanks to Uncle David and Kimberly for sharing the recipe!!! This is always a favorite cookie shared during the Christmas holiday season but would be a nice treat anytime of the year.
Potato Chip Cookies:A Delicious Twist on the Potato
Ingredients:
1 C Butter
1/2 C Sugar
1 t Vanilla
2 C white Flour
1/2 C potato chips (Utz brand works great) crushed
1/2 C chopped pecans
Making it: Potato Chip Cookies
Preheat oven to 350. Mix and cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add flour, crushed potato chips and pecans. Drop by teaspoon onto a cookie sheet placing each cookie about 2 inches apart from each other. Flatten each cookie by using a glass cup, coated with sugar to enhance flavors. Bake 10-12 minutes on 350 degree oven. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
Last, but not the least “Holly Taters”
The Holly Farms poultry industry has been rooted in Wilkes since the 1950’s. In the late 1960’s, Holly Farms branched out into the restaurant industry. I can remember the good ol’ days of The Holly Farms Restaurants. We had one right in Wilkesboro which was always busy! Holly Farms Restaurant became known for two key foods… fried chicken and Holly Farms Tater Wedges. Many people have tried to replicate the potato wedges recipe, some finding success with a similar flavor profile. Below is a revised recipe for Tater Wedges that have been a staple for me. Thanks to my friend Susie for sharing her delicious recipe several years ago.
Holly Farms Tater Wedges
Ingredients:
1 c self rising flour
1 c Parmesan cheese (grated is best)
1 stick butter (unsalted)
Chicken Seasoning
Black Pepper
Freshly cut Russet potato wedges (uncooked)
Making it:
Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut potatoes into wedges, wash well. I usually place wedges into a bowl of salted cold water while I’m prepping. Roll/toss potatoes into flour/cheese mixture. Line the tossed potato wedges onto baking sheet. Don’t crowd wedges. Use extra baking sheet if needed for even cooking. Sprinkle seasonings- chicken and black pepper. Cut butter into small chunks, dispersing along the baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes or until fork tender. Turn once during baking cycle.
So that’s it. Time to get off the “couch potato” and go make your favorite potato recipes! Hope y’all enjoyed this “mash up” about the potato.
Are you a Sky Watcher? Do you find inspiration or joy each day by the watching the bright blue skies? Ever find yourself looking up for the storm clouds that are forming around the edges of the skyline? The Sky is a magnificent canvas that “paints” our daily world. The Sky “canvas” changes from day to day, as well as our weather.
Storm clouds rolling in Summer of 2025 near WCH
It was another ordinary teaching workday. By October in the “teacher world” we are fully engaged into our curriculum and integrating every single factual nugget into any conversation. I’ll admit that Seventh grade science and Social Studies provided an excellent opportunity to learn more about our weather. We routinely followed storms in the Atlantic, all the while, honing our Social Studies skills of mapping, and plotting latitude and longitude coordinates. This wasn’t a unit that we completed and left behind in the Fall, we continued to discuss it as the year progressed as the seasons changed. But let me get back to the subject here…
Graphic notes were a standard form of learning in my classroom to help students piece information together in a new unique meaningful way.
It truly was a typical day, a Monday. Normally, I would stay and work and prep for the next school day, until around 5pm. There was always plenty to do, papers to grade, grades to put into computer after grading, run copies, set up graphics for the next day, the list was long. But at 4:00 pm on Monday October 23, 2017, I decided to go home. Actually, something told me internally to go home, so I did. I’m very thankful that I chose to go home.
My drive home from work averaged about 20 minutes, by the time I arrived there, the weather was changing rapidly. I’m not really sure that I was noticing the dramatic weather changes from the skyward view.
My son was already home from school, snacking, doing homework. We both quickly realized that a significant thunderstorm storm was approaching. The sky was painting up a stormy forecast. Gathering up the pups and ourselves, we sheltered in place in the bathroom, this was a first for us.
We had 3 sweet pups at that time…Bella, Elvis,and Gigi
I had gotten a text message from my brother in law who said a tornado warning had been issued for our area. This was significant news for me because he works for the National Weather Service in another nearby state. Shelter in place was necessary. Meanwhile…. Richard was trying to get closed up at the hardware store, but the storm came up way too quickly and he had to wait it out. The storm rolled through our area and caused significant damage in our local communities.
Trees were uprooted along Greenway
In the aftermath of the storm, Richard had a difficult time finding a way around the storm chaos, broken tree limbs, downed trees were scattered across most major avenues.
These items are always in demand after a big storm
If you are local, you probably remember this storm, because it did cause significant damage to our community and the National Weather Service surveyed our area and found that an EF-1 tornado touchdown had occurred.
Sadly, another tornado touchdown was confirmed in April 2024 in Wilkes. Hurricane Helene hit our surrounding communities in September 2024. Severe Weather can leave a defined impact upon our communities.
That’s thing about Severe Weather… it can occur anywhere and seemingly anytime under the right conditions. What is classified as Severe Weather??? Thunderstorms, flash flooding, damaging winds, tornadoes, large hail, extreme temperatures (hot or cold), and winter storms (ice/snow).
Ice Storms can create power outages
A heavy downpour can quickly wreak havoc. A large, powerful thunderstorm cell can unload a large amount of rainfall in an area in a short period of time. We have personally experienced the power of water. A very short, severe thunderstorm brought flash flooding into our hardware store in August of 2020.
Several inches of water infiltrated our hardware store 5 years ago, in an unexpected and very heavy rain storm
Water is a powerful force, you can’t physically stop the flow of that water. Think about the power of water flowing in a river and going against that flow to stop it. Yes, not happening.
Severe weather happens. Is it happening more frequently??? Last September, our mountain neighbors, witnessed devastation with Hurricane Helene. For our mountain neighbors, it will be a long recovery timeline.
I know my storm experiences aren’t unique by any stretch. Living life today, we all probably have personal stories of how storms have impacted our daily lives. Trees land in precarious places, power outages occur, bursting water pipes from extreme temperatures, technology failures happen, shortages of needed supplies, the list is long!!
WCH has ready stock of storm suppliesFolding pruning blade would come in handy to quickly trim up any smaller branches from a downed tree after severe weather
But, how can we be always ready for impactful weather, whenever it happens? Now, is a perfect time to gather together any needed essentials as 2025 Hurricane season is churning up OR even before the cooler “BER” days begin.
Keeping a few essential items on hand for such emergencies will help eliminate the stress of locating needed supplies after a impactful storm.Severe weather can occur in any season: winter snow/ice storms, thunderstorms, flash flooding, damaging winds, tornadoes, hail, or temperature extremes.
Begin by building OR refreshing your Emergency Kit:
When the lights go out… you will need batteries, flashlight, oil lanterns, lamp oil, matches, battery powered lightbulbs, and think about how will you power up your devices during an extended outage… like a power bank.
WCH Recommends: Portable, multi purpose power bank to charge your devices, can be used as an air compressor, and jump start.WCH Recommends: Keep your batteries well stocked! WCH Recommends: These absolutely work beautifully during a power outage!!!Flashlights are readily availableWear this headlamp after the power goes out… you can clearly map out an area in your view Pop up lanterns are great for a power outage, place them around the house WCH “Old School” Essentials
Brrr… it’s cold!!!
Power is out, and it’s freezing outside, do you have an alternate heating source? Make sure that your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly as well!
Kerosene heaters offer an excellent alternative for heating during an extended power outage. WCH services these heaters each season for our customers.Plasma lighter would be perfect inside your emergency kit or for camping trips Need a quick warm up??? These logs will work great, burn for 3 hours. WCH Recommends: Protect outdoor faucets before frigid temperatures are forecasted.
Helpful tools- quick repairs might be needed during a severe weather event like having to turn off the water, taking care of fallen branches, securing items down, etc. Here’s a quick list of some basic tools that might be helpful: multi-tool, tarp, rope/ paracord, gloves, folding pruning saw, chain saw, duct tape, hammer, wrench, pliers, shovel, whistle, dust masks… just to name a few!
Hand tools are always readily available at WCH Tarps and rope… severe weather essentials
Food: Planning for this can be tricky during a power outage : Refrigerator and freezers need to stay closed in a short temporary power outage. Food will spoil quickly in a matter of a few days without adequate cooling. It is Always good to keep bottled water, a manual can opener, and non perishable food on hand. It is also good to have extra paper products on hand (plates, cups, paper towels, trash bags)
An old fashioned hand held can opener always a kitchen staple… two styles available at WCHGood for cleaning up around the house or after severe weather events
Thinking about food preparation– do you have a way to warm food safely without power? Camping size grill??? Gas grill??? Camping stoves???
Lodge makes a Cast Iron Grill… a great camping essential or great for power outages New item alert!!! WCH “Old School” Essentials These always sell out during power outages, storm season
Pets: don’t forget to include your pets into the food equation!
Jethro says to keep all medications ready to go as well as food
First Aid kit and Personal Care: in addition to the basic first aid kit, make sure needed prescriptions are included, alongside the daily essentials like toothpaste, shampoo, etc
Documents: In case of an emergency evacuation, have your important documents AND an extra set of keys ready to go!
WCH Recommends: Having an extra set of keys… house and cars… or other important keys you might need access to kept with your most valuable documents.
WCH can order a fire safe box for all of your documents… ask us about that soon if that’s something you need!
Coming soon to WCH… Fire Safe Chest 14x11x6 Coming soon to WCH!!! This document bag will stand up to basic fire and water resistance standardsWCH Recommends: Milwaukee Marker… writes on sawdust, wet or almost any surface!!!
Stay Connected: Emergency information is available for many types of situations at Ready.Gov or stay tuned to the ever changing weather conditions locally OR use the National Weather Service as a resource. Free apps to download: American Red Cross, FEMA just to name a few. A weather radio is always a great way to learn more about fast approaching storm fronts when the traditional outlets (internet, radio, tv, etc) are not available.
Lastly, don’t forget the fun… board games, puzzles , legos, card games… things your kids don’t always have the opportunity to enjoy everyday when the power is out.
It is so hard to believe that the Summer of 2025 is coming to an end soon! This blog post is devoted to my photography favorites from this Summer as a reminder of some of my treasured moments. I hope that you will enjoy these photos that I have complied as the Best of Summer in photographic form… a “love story” of Summer.
Life is Always Better In The Garden…
First Blooms of Summer Bursting Open Searching for the Sun Flower Tower Power!!! “Heavy Metal” ProjectThe garden tableDaisy ShowButterfly 🦋 Moment Double Butterflies 🦋
Summer Snapshots…
Blue Skies AheadSummer Hay Season Storm Clouds Rolling Darkened Storm SkyGood Day Sunshine! Sleepy Sunrise Summertime Color ShowSummer Morning Hues Clementine SkiesFresh Blackberries… it’s Sonker time! Sonker SummersHeavy Metal Object
July 4th Fireworks…
Summer Mountain Time… Wespentsome restful, quality time this summer at our friend’s cabin on Buck Mountain. I’m always amazed by the beauty that surrounds me there. I hope you enjoy these captures as much as we did.
Dimensions of A SunsetDefinitely 💕Movement of Fog at Sunset Fog Hugging the Ridge Where the Clouds Meet the Blue Ridge Sunset RaysSleepy Sunday Sunrise Hues of the Blue Ridge Glory of SunsetSerenity of the Blue RidgeGolden Hour in ProgressMeet Jethro… our newest family member Just A Peachy Little Summer!
The world of flight and aviation offers a unique experience, viewing our world in a very different and special way. Air flight offers one the opportunity to be “in the clouds”flying through and above the clouds. Being in and above the clouds presents the possibility to witness a place where our humanity is not truly visible everyday, a new and unique experience.
When I have the opportunity to fly, I always reserve a window seat so I can watch the clouds, and the sky. Graciously, my husband always grants me the courtesy of the window seat. My mind always soars with excitement once the plane begins to reach elevations above the clouds. From the safety of my window seat, I’m able to enjoy the beautiful sight of mountains, river valleys, oceans, and the cloud line below.
Air Flight is a beautiful experience
I grew up in Wilkes County, where our daily view includes the Blue Ridge Mountains. Simply, as one steps out the back door step, those mountains are sending a glorious daily greeting. I must admit, these mountains “ground” me as I continue to age. Even in the mundane activities of the day, like running errands, or maybe even if you’re headed off to work …those mountains are not far from our view. The mountains “grounded” in nature without the need to explore air travel in order to experience our surrounding beauty.
Watching a Sunset in our Mountains is simply the best view in the world
Our home county of Wilkes is rich in local history. Here in Wilkes, Brushy Mountain orchards are bursting with many different varieties of apples and peaches that are harvested each season, bringing the only the best fruits to market and our local festivals. Trees that are typically successfully grafted are fruit trees. Grafting a tree in its absolute simplest form, occurs when two different parts of the tree are joined together as ONE over a period of time.
Beautiful Parker Orchard local peaches in a handcrafted wooden bowl by Keegan Watson
Several months ago I wrote a blog post about being “Rooted in Wilkes” and how “Grafting” has taken place over time in my own life. I’ve been taking time to reflect, and as we head into year TEN in our hardware store ownership, that journey exemplifies grafting. I still can’t believe we are beginning year number TEN in August of 2025.
Our old historic building was home originally to a local poultry processing plant, our logo is nod back to those times . Check out the link The Chicken Hat
Who would have thought that the girl who spent her summers running in the grass, barefoot, with a view of the Blue Ridge in the distance, and loved chasing lightning bugs, would “graft” and be firmly “grounded” into the hardware life?
Summer in the Blue Ridge Mountains
“The Hardware Life”, started TEN years ago, as Richard and I began our new journey into hardware store ownership inside the 1904 era vintage, historic building that still exists on 10th Street in Downtown North Wilkesboro.
Early Spring 2025
It was an exciting, challenging, scary, and ultimately life altering, a full-fledged “grafting” experience. We were going to have to find our “footing” in this new adventure. The thick fog and clouds were looming. We were flying into those unknown/unfamiliar clouds of business ownership. Initially, it was a total cloud fog. Would the skies eventually become clearer???
Morning fog always clears away
For us, navigating the thick cloud bank, of hardware store ownership for the first time caused a bit of anxiety. But, I’ll reference a flight analogy, with the sure and steady handiwork of an “experienced flight crew”, the heavy cloud bank was easily navigable. As the aircraft began cruising at higher altitudes, our “clouds” disappearing from view. Yes, we have experience turbulence over the last TEN years. It has been a bit of bumpy ride navigating this new Hardware Life.
To those who helped us navigate through the first stages of hardware store operations and ownership, we are extremely grateful. Thank you for helping us navigate to higher altitudes and enabling us able to gain some “grounded” confidence in our new normal in The Hardware Life.
Soaring
With this new lesson in being “grounded” in hardware store ownership underway, Richard and I have somehow managed to survive this ever changing economic climate by continuing to adapt to our customers needs and wants.
Just because our building is old, doesn’t mean that we are the keepers of everything of times past. Don’t get me wrong, we treasure those legendary stories of our old 1904 era building and the rustic hardware store. But, holding onto and keeping the “dusty old items” on the shelf that no one is purchasing or needs anymore, will not help us make our bottom line. We have worked hard to build an updated inventory of hardware store essentials. All the while, building a unique hardware community. Richard and I have formed many new friendships with so many great people. We are truly thankful, grateful, and blessed.
When we began this new business venture, Richard was excited about beginning a new career path, and exploring the opportunities to learn more about the inner workings of the hardware industry. He had always been around it, as he worked for a major paint manufacturer for over 20 years. Richard pushed hard for the first few years without me at Wilkes County Hardware.
In those first few years of business ownership, I continued to work full time as an educator. My main initial contribution was setting up the social media platforms for our hardware store. Those platforms were maintained and updated regularly by me and I also helped out on weekends and summers as I could. We reset the hardware store to be more accessible to shoppers so merchandise was easier to find. Slowly over time, we have steadily grown a loyal audience on Facebook and Instagram, our hardware community has expanded.
Serenity
In 2018, I began a blog, The Hardware Life Wife, to share stories about our business and our products. As a novice writer, my blog pieces were fairly short and mostly without pictures.Initially, in early days of blogging, I honestly couldn’t devote much time to focusing on the blog. It was mostly a “summertime project” and I worked on blog posts between planning school lessons while teaching full time.
Reaching Towards The Sunlight
But, after a few years of consistent blogging, it became a goal of mine to add as many authentic pictures as I could to help break up my longer content pieces that I was now beginning to write.
My blog was changing and grafting into a new direction. I had found that my photography was providing a visual experience for the reader, adding an extra dimension, or as I could say “branch” to the story that was needed. This visual graft, a realistic view, and a liaison to my personal experience, an offering from me to others as a shared experience.
The Blue Ridge Mountains… where the clouds meet the horizon
Surprisingly, my personal photos were well received. I was stunned. This new finding was giving me the confidence and the opportunity to share more of my personal photography for which, I’m thankful and extremely grateful. I enjoy sharing snapshots of my daily life. In the last few years, my photography has been featured in the annual Blue Ridge Photography Overview at Wilkes Art Gallery. Local amateur photographers from all over our surrounding area bring their best work to our local gallery to display in this juried exhibition.
Now, in 2025, my blog is a creative outlet for me as well as a way to share with others about our hardware store ownership journey. I am continuing to grow my audience and readership slowly and steadily “grafting” our daily lives into our hardware store business.
As life would have it, after those first few years of business ownership, it was becoming apparent, to both of us, that we needed to grow our business or simply move on. Richard and I decided to be firmly committed and “grounded” in our hardware store business and “graft” together. I launched into early retirement, leaving my 26 years in educational world behind.
Branching Out
How would two very different people manage to work together and still be harmonious? We now had the basics of hardware store ownership “grounded” into our reality. It took a bit of time to adjust to our new daily normal. “Grafting” together our skill sets, combining our strengths and weaknesses, utilizing them to bring the best hardware store experience possible our customers. Grafting at its core definition.
Almost Ready
Fruit farmers often graft their fruit trees to create a new variety. The act of grafting… taking one plant cutting and merging with another, creating a unique union and the growth of a new species. Together, we grafted a new hardware reality working together to meet our customers needs, while continuing expanding our hardware store knowledge base.
Our shelves are fully stocked with customer favorites and needed items
Working together, Richard and I have slowly made changes inside our historic hardware store walls, such as resetting our shelves and changing the flow of customer traffic. Other avenues we have explored included adding a vast new variety of hardware products into our existing lineup, “Grounding and Grafting” our way through the hardware life.
But probably the most distinctive aspect that we are becoming known for, is finding and curating locally sourced handmade goods. All of these changes, within our small town hardware store “grafted” or combined together, we have tried to create a unique shopping experience for all who visit our old-fashioned hardware store in Downtown North Wilkesboro, locals and visitors alike.
As “grafted and now more grounded” business owners, we know the positive impact of being active within our community. In the last few years, Richard and I have worked alongside other Downtown Merchants, to form The Downtown North Wilkesboro Merchants Association. We both actively participate in this group and we are excited to see this group grow. You may recognize this organization, as we have collectively worked to create, The Spooktacular Festival for our community when the Greenway Trail of Treats was cancelled several years ago and TheSpooktacular would serve as an alternative event.
Spooktacular Festival Fun
In closing, as we begin year TEN, our Hardware Life story is simple. We thrive on interaction with our customers and our greater community. Without that, we would not exist. That’s how we stay connected and grounded. We have heard too many stories over the last ten years about how old, vintage, authentic hardware stores are just not around anymore. Richard and I are very thankful that our community still supports our local hardware store. Thanks for the opportunity to keep us firmly “grounded” in our community!
As a kid of the 1980’s, the era of music was diverse. In that decade, I found myself driving on my own for the first time during the summer days of the late 80’s. The car radio was usually blasting favorite tunes from Hysteria, and several other popular songs from that time. As a kid of the 80’s, and as Joann Jett would say, “ILove Rock and Roll”!
I Can’t Drive 55!…
Using the music as my guide into this new blog entitled, Heavy Metal Project, I hope you will find it as an engaging and entertaining way to explore a recent gardening project that I completed earlier this Spring using repurposed materials and other supplies available from your local hardware store.
This blog post may not be what you are envisioning. So I’m going to “Jump” right into it. Sorry, Van Halen, simply couldn’t resist this one so here we go!
Photograph …
Welcome to the Jungle: Cleaning out the Garage
Our “Heavy Metal” story began a few months ago. We were cleaning up the garage a bit, and I came across a galvanized tub that I had totally forgotten about. Have you ever found something you bought and think to yourself … Why do I have this?? But in this case, the memory came back to me quickly, we had used it a few years back during a summer party as a “cooler” to hold canned drinks. The heavy metal tub had worked out well for the party but ultimately the tub had gotten placed on a shelf in the garage, totally forgotten. Ugh, decision time, how to repurpose this tub??? The “wheels” began to turn in my mind and I was “Back in Black” with an idea forged into my current to do list.
Living on A Prayer: From Idea to Action
As the garage clean out concluded, I found that I had two different size galvanized containers. I only needed one more to complete my collection. Three different tiered metal tubs would work. So, off I went with my goal in mind, and I found the third one to fit my working vision with ease inside the hardware store.
Walk This Way…
Sharp Dressed Man: Heavy Metal Lifters
Materials in hand, and two semi-willing fellas (B and Richard) to assist me with a bit of heavy lifting… I would need a large amount of potting soil hauled home. Once that was done, I would need a willing man to volunteer to drill several holes in the bottom of each metal container while I plotted out my plan for assembling the plants into the each section.
Here I Go Again…
Kickstart My Heart: Working Up A Sweat
Plant shopping was finished, and I was also ready to transplant a few perennials from other areas of my garden that needed a new home. The collection of newly found plants and my perennial transplants would find a new, Home Sweet Home in my tiered planter soon! Meanwhile, my guys worked through drilling holes into my new tiered galvanized metal planters, and the heavy metal lifting was almost complete.
Round and Round: Galvanized Tiered Planter Comes Together
Caught Up In You…
Knowing the potting soil in the middle would eventually make the top two tiers sag, I needed to install this “Sweet Child O’ Mine” correctly. Richard had a small stack of bricks left from an earlier project, so that was the best way to prevent the tiers from falling apart. The bricks were placed around the center of tub, added in potting soil, then finally the plants were added. My ultimate goal was to use mostly perennials, so the maintenance would be minimal going forward.
Hold on Loosely… well a good grip on brick required!
Rock You Like A Hurricane: Tiered Planter Completed
Bricks, soil, plants. Each of the following tiers were planted and watered in. Is it hurricane proof? Probably not, but it is a welcomed enhancement to my landscape. The overall look is a bit rustic, but I’m fine with that. It is a nice addition between our two garage doors. Morning is shaded, and my Heavy Metal tiered planter gets a bit more sunlight in the afternoon.
Sweet Emotion…
Is This Love… Galvanized Tiered Planter Review
The picture above was taken shortly after I finished this metal planter back in May. I was a little unsure how the plants would ultimately fair in the summer heat. But, I had intentionally installed perennials that were heat tolerant.
Paradise City…
The hot days have definitely increased, and would I have enough drainage holes to keep the plants healthy and growing??? Time would tell and it has. The heat of the last couple weeks has been very telling and my results are conclusive. Success!!! My plants are thriving and growing nicely. The deer have stayed away from this mix of flowers and plantsin “ The Still of the Night”.
Dream On…
Bang Your Head: Heavy Metal Dreams
My Heavy Metal Project dream is now realized and I’m ready to keep the newly planted flowers growing and well watered during the summer season. My desire is to enjoy them year after year. I hope y’all have enjoyed this lighthearted look at a fairly simple garden project that can easily be completed in a short period of time. Most of your needed materials can be found right inside your favorite hardware store! No headaches or head banging required.
Right Now…
If this blog post leaves you feeling like you need to go listen to your favorite 80’s tunes, “Turn Up the Radio”, and do it! Having a bit of musical fun while you work on your next DIY project is half the battle. Linked below are my favorite watering tips to help keep your plants happy and healthy this summer. Thank you again for reading and sharing my blog, I truly appreciate it!!!
The Southern vernacular is distinct. Case in point, Buggy. If you are from the South, you know this IS your grocery store shopping cart. Those common Southern phrases that are used in everyday language makes total sense to the user, but, for someone who has never heard that phrase… it can be a definite learning experience.
Rows of Grocery Shoppin’ Buggies
The Southern dialect is deeply rooted in our colonial past with the integral interaction of various immigrant cultures. Likewise, other regions of the US developed similarly with native dialects and spoken vernacular.
A Southerner can speak to a “non native” of the South in welcoming, hospitable terms… because that’s what we do. We welcome folks here to our corner of the world. But don’t underestimate that “sugary, sweet tea tone” nor the intelligence of the Southern speaker. A true Southern knows that “you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar” with the power of words and actions… AND because those same words can leave you “wondering if your cornbread ain’t done in the middle”. That’s right, I surely reckon a well versed Southern can easily complement you and “Bless your heart” all in the same sentence. 😬
Cornbread and buttermilk crumbled together… a snack or a meal????
As a hardware store owner, I have had the opportunity to converse with our customers each day. We have have had the pleasure to meet and talk with people from all over the globe. That’s right, from literally every corner of the world in our small, Southern town, inside our hardware store.
As conversation would have it, we have been able to learn a few “new”Southern phrases over the last ten years and even shared a few iconic phrases with non-native Southerners to take back home with them to their corner of the world.
A powerful conversation starter for us at the hardware store most days is the status of the weather. Whether it is freezing cold, pouring rain, or a beautiful sunny day, Southerners say it perfectly, as we often experience the ever changing weather conditions within the same day/week.
I’m Just Sayin’… Southern Phrases and the Weather
It’s Hotter than blue blazes! meaning it’s hot outside and the blue part of flame is the hottest!
That rain was a Gully washer! short heavy rain storm
Boy, that was a Frog strangler… a big rain storm
It’s RAW outside today… meaning it’s cold and wet/moisture in the air
It’s hog killing weather. VeryCold Weather
It’s cold as all get out! Brr…
Looks like it might be blowin up a storm out there.
Storm Brewin’
8. It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity
9. This is front porch sittin weather- mild weather, nice weather
10. Too hot to heat up the oven in this weather…
I’m Just Sayin… The Southern Greetings and the Long Goodbye
The Southern hello or greeting can take you back home… even though your Southern roots/home might be hundreds of miles away. It’s a way Southerners“visit with each other”. Likewise, the long Southern goodbye, makes total sense if you ever grew up in the South, and spent 30 minutes in a parking lot trying to leave somewhere saying “Let me let you go…” or watched your Mama try to get off the rotary phone with a friend, that’s in essence, the long Southern goodbye. Here’s a few of my favorites from this category:
Many Southern conversations take place inside our vintage walls at Wilkes County Hardware
Hey, not hi!
Howdy, how y’all doin?
I’ll holler at you later! I’ll call you later
You good? Do you need anything? How are you?
I guess I’d better Skedaddle– get out of here, it’s time to go
I haven’t seen you in a Month of Sundays– it’s been long time since we’ve seen each other
How’s your Mama and them? How’s the family doing
How you been doing? I’m upright and taking nourishment… meaning doing ok
How are you doing?? Fair to middlin’ Doing ok
How are you doing? I’m finer than Frogs Hair! Doing great! Couldn’t be better
Boy, you are a sight for sore eyes! Good to see you!
So, who is your mama and daddy??? Meaning, you meet another person for the first time and they ask… who are your people… making connections and learning about who you are
I’ve known her since she was knee high to a grasshopper- know her since she was a young child
As part of that long Southern goodbye, you might possibly hear this phrase, Lord willing and the creek doesn’t rise!
Finally, finishing off the long Southern goodbye with this final phrase, We’d better hurry up, we’re burning daylight!
I’m Just Sayin…The Southern Meal
Dinner and Supper are the terms Southerners use to describe the afternoon and evening meals. Supper doesn’t have to be a formal affair. It can be a casual family meal where everyone gathers to eat a simple meal. The Southern table is no exception to amazing food and fellowship. You probably have heard of a few of these phrases as you have entered the Southern kitchen to help prepare a meal or gathered at the Southern table.
“Mess of green beans with new potatoes”, this gorgeous white enamel bowl is available for purchase at WCH… great for all kitchen or gardening tasks!
Many hands make light work. Working together we can get it done quickly
Sop– soak up … like a biscuit soaking up the last bit of gravy from your plate
You didn’t eat enough to keep a bird alive… meaning you didn’t eat enough
I just need a smidge more of this… a little bit more
I got a Hankering… craving for
I’m so full, I’m about to bust my britches!!! Or I’m full as a tick!
Grab me a pack of Nabs… Lance peanut butter crackers, can be eaten for a snack, substitute for dinner/lunch when you are on the run…
Pack of Nabs to go…always available for purchase at WCH
8. Don’t throw out that bacon grease, put it in my mason jar. It’ll keep.
Bacon grease jar… do you have one???
9. That’s Good potlikker… when cooking up a mess of collards or mustard greens, the remaining liquidgold is the potlikker.
10. Stringing up a “Mess” of green beans and “new potatoes”. A mess of green beans, not enough to run a full canner, but enough to feed the family… new potatoes, smallish potatoes just dug from garden and cooked with green beans usually. Now that’s summer cookin’.
11. Sit down and “fix you a plate”, meaning… make yourself at home, grab a plate, and load up on the good food!
These enamel plates are new, at WCH!!!
12. Sonker, nope, that is actually a dessert! Read more about it here using the link… Sonker Summers
Peach Sonker ready to go into oven
13. Mater sandwich– tomato sandwich 🍅
Summer “maters” means a good sandwich is on the way…
I’m Just Sayin…Strong Soul-StirringSouthernPhrases
These phrases are iconic and unforgettable… I’m just sayin’
Well, I’ll Be… a form of exasperation
Heavens to Besty! Similar to the phrase, oh my goodness!!
Lord, just kiss them up to Heaven! only the Good Lord can help them now… I’m at my wits end
Bless! Or Bless Your Little Ol’ Heart…
Aren’t you just precious! Listen for the user tone with this one
I’m just worn slap out, Plumb tired – exhausted
Look at you… all gussied up! All dressed up
It’s all cattywampus … all out of sorts, not quite right
If it had been a snake, it would have bitten me! It was right there under my sight, just couldn’t see it!
Take your own sweet time
Boy, that really “got my goose”…got the best of me, stumped me
You’re just cute as button! Pumpkin or Sweet Pea… terms of endearment
Smack Dab– in the middle of doing something
“I’ll get to it dreckly”, meaning I’ll do it soon
Mash that button for me, like in an elevator you don’t push a button, you mash it.
I’m just gonna “Hunker” down over yonder … I’m staying home , not moving around, staying put
Fixin to… getting ready to do something
I’m Just Sayin…Phrases A Southern Kid Never Wanted to Hear
If your Southern Mama or Daddy used these phrases in conversation with YOU growing up, you might have been a bit of trouble or needed to rethink your current situation… just sayin
Southern Word… SAAVE
“You weren’t raised in a barn”shut that door please!
Mind your manners/ Act like you have been to town before… meaning behave yourself in public places
Don’t make me tan your hide! Warning… trouble ahead 😬 if you don’t straighten up!
Y’all quit that wrasslin, or I’ll come over there and jerk a knot in you.
Hold your britches, I’m comin!
Piddlin… messing around, not doing much or Lollygaggin, “movin slower than molasses”
Who is making all that ruckus? Who is making all that noise
Over there havin a hissy fit, all tore up over it, or don’t fly off the handle!
Quit being ugly– stop acting out
We need to have a come to Jesus meeting… we need to have a talk and come to terms about this situation
Let me put some Saave on it… the A sound is long… Salve- a cream or ointment put onto skin to soothe or heal
That’s not cutting the mustard, in other words, you probably need to redo what you’re working on, not meeting expectations
Quit making a mountain outta that molehill… it’s really not that big of a deal as you think it is
OR as a kid if you ever said this to your Mama or Daddy before school… I just got Bus left… meaning youmissed the school bus and you need a ride to school!!!! 🚌
I feel confident that there are a ton more Southern phrases that are very commonplace within our Southern community. But I’ll stop while I’m behind… 😂😬
I’ll close with one that Wayne, who worked many years at our hardware store used everyday as his daily farewell. This phrase maybe unfamiliar to you, but it is too good not to share his classic farewell with you todayfor my closing… “If you need me, I’ll call you”-Wayne Matherly
Spring officially began on March 20th. It’s absolutely amazing to see the changes that surround our world each and everyday during the Spring season. If you blink, you could absolutely miss it! From the tiny, first buds, early flowers, greening of grass, to trees achieving full leaf maturity once again. The Earth is vibrant with the colors of Spring.
The days become longer in this season, bringing us closer to nature as we spend more time outdoors. The entire Spring process is a gradual progression of warming our outer environment all the while, warming and feeding our souls for renewal. Spring… a time of rebirth in nature and also for me. I hope you will enjoy the evolution of Spring of 2025 through my camera lens.
Floral Spring, A Peak Inside The Garden
From the earliest of blooms to the heartiest flowers beginning to emerge as the warmth begins to encompass the outdoors…
First Blooms of Spring, Forsythia Field of Color…TulipsDancing with the SunSnap!!! The colors of SpringYellow Beauty Iris Glory Double White Amaryllis in BloomPeonies are almost ready…In Full Glory…Peony Strawberries 🍓 growing Lettuce!I’m personally experimenting with growing Microgreens for the first time!!! These gems offer a BIG nutritional boost!!!When ready to harvest… Cut, rinse, and dry … store in refrigerator after drying thoroughlyCabbage growing along the Greenway
Landscape Capturesof Spring
As the early days of Spring begins… the leaves were noticeably absent, but as Spring temperatures rise, the changes begin to slowly emerge. How many slight variations can you find from beginning to end of this sequence???
Hues of Blue Cloud Action Crisp Sunrise Light Frost… the greening of grass begins Monday Sunrise… it’s the simple things Contrail Sunrise Breaking ThroughDark Clouds, April Rain Quiet April Morning Sunrise Sunset Hues and a different viewFoggy Morning in the GardenGolden SunriseThat Touch of Pink Evening Sunset
Spring Mountain Time…
A Spring trip back to Buck Mountain to watch these beautiful mountains grow into Spring, and oh my goodness… I’m in awe…
Mountain Laurel in Bloom
Cicadas…
The arrival of Cicadas in our neighborhood this year is a first. My initial, first memories of these bugs dates back to my childhood playing in my grandparents front yard listening to the consistent, noisy music of these creatures in Elkin, oblivious to their impact on the surrounding landscape.
Now, in present day, each time I go out my back door, those childhood memories come flooding back to the forefront, of those past, playful days, and now, in the process of adding new memories of cicadas in my garden.
I completed a of research about how cicadas life cycle to learn more about the impact of these creatures. My poor little dog, Cookie is so intent on hunting these critters each trip outside that it has become almost impossible for her to accomplish her “natural business”because she gets so distracted by them.
Finding Bigfoot
The legend is strong, about the wandering Sasquatch, in our foothills… Can you believe that he has been spotted at our local grocery store this Spring??? I simply couldn’t resist taking a moment to grab a quick peek for myself and a couple of pics.
Happy Springtime everyone!!! Hope it has been an adventure filled season for you as well!
From the exterior view of Wilkes County Hardware most would just visually see an old, vintage hardware store. But these old walls within this building holds many stories. If you never wander inside, that’s probably all you would ever see. But once inside the hardware store, you are transported back into an earlier time, the gravitational pull of the inquisitive forces takes hold. The questions may begin and the walls reveal its past through the stories that Richard and I have come to know and love about 324 10th Street.
When you walk into Wilkes County Hardware, it is a step back into time… concrete floors that are authentic, wood stove for heat, all natural AC… doors open letting the wind blow in from front to back door.
Some stories are legends of sorts, while others are definitely true. Tall tales have been spun as folks have gathered in our space, sitting around the wood stove, and life events have unfolded inside this old hardware store. After all, the building dates back to the earliest years of 1900. These aging walls hold all the tales of our past.
Our historic hardware store is often a comfortable place for sharing and relating stories. Richard and I have been the keepers of these stories for ten years now. As a wise soul said recently, “nothing ruins a good story like the truth”, but truly these walls need to reveal a few of these stories. It is my hope that you will learn something new about our business on 324 10th Street that you didn’t really know until now…letting the pictures and captions tell the stories.
Here’s our building in 2015, it was a bit of maze as you entered…shortly after we purchased the hardware store. Every surface was lined with merchandise One of the first things that came from our home, initially, was a rocking chair that WE rocked our son in when he was a baby. Richard and I wanted to create a more “homey” /welcoming atmosphere inside our business.Harry spent everyday at WCH and many hours in the rocking chair. Richard and I loved him dearly and considered him to be our family.In memory of Harry💕, to read more about the rocking chair The Wooden RockerIn 2015, a good chunk of the front windows were covered over with pegboard. They used this area for hanging long handle tools. To make better use of our shelf space, Richard and I decided to uncover this area and use our space differently! My what a treasure we found!! These beautiful old doors!!! And MUCH needed light streaming in!!!Wayne worked diligently to get the old, vintage door lock working again. During the hot months of summer, we now open these doors for extra air flow. And it helps tremendously!!! All natural AC!!! This wood stove is a treat and a treasure during the winter months… keeping us warm. To learn more more about the history of the stove, use the link The Warmth & Sweetness of the Winter ChillMany folks have gathered to warm by the stove or even to sit by the stove. We have been told that a handshake deal was made inside the hardware store to begin Vannoy and Lankford Plumbing 🪠 many years ago. As good friends gather around the stove, ideas often emerge. Friday morning meetings are regularly held inside the hardware store now. Coffee, laughter, stories, and business matters are often central. It’s not just guys, I’m there quite often!🤪Friday morning Small Business Advisory Council in full force… this Friday group of minds spearheaded the process of creating a Downtown Merchants Association and eventually, the festival known as Spooktacular. This ladder spans the back wall of the hardware store… and yes, we use it every single day! Still working on researching this little gem.., more stories to be told later. One of the unique features of our “Old School Hardware Store” is the freight elevator. Secret being told, the remaining oral history that we have been given is a bit disjointed. So we have in earnest, started trying to track down some information about this elevator from the direct source… the company that built it, Park Elevator. Park Elevator is one of the oldest, independent elevator companies in the Southeast, dating back to 1898. Yes, the elevator still works! This was the original wall of owners as we were told… BUT… the far left gentleman… well, that was not Mr. Eller…revealed to us by his descendants when they visited us a few years back.This restored photograph arrived from Mr. EE Eller’s family. Now hangs in its rightful place on the owners wall. Read more here Mr. EE Eller, Chickens and Turkeys… Nothing but Clucking, Gobbling, and Plucking out the TruthWe always get lots of questions about why our picture isn’t up there, we feel it’s proper to wait until our time as hardware store owners is up to be up on the wall, keeping up and honoring the previous tradition. Pictured left to right ( Ellers, EE Eller Produce Company, Mr. Yates- began hardware store for his “friends” who were working in moonshine, Harvey Barlow hardware store/began locksmith business next door , Gerald Lankford continued Wilkes Hardware)Due to the impact that Mr. Eller had upon our community, dating back to 1904… we decided to honor the building’s heritage, by using the chicken as the basis of our hardware store logo.The Chicken HatWords truly can’t express the agony… a summer storm brought immense rain into our building in 2020. Days of cleanup and a tremendous outpouring of love… thanks to a wonderful group of friends who spent long hours helping us clean up the mess.Water entered the back door of our neighbors at the lock shop. Their front door was locked, and the water quickly piled up inside to knee deep…😬Our key desk was originally close to the lock shop which held a connected door. In 2015, we decided to move the key desk to its current location, near the back door. Harvey owned both businesses for many years. The connecting lock shop door was a revolving door that folks moved in and out of often prior to 2020. After the onset of Covid, and the massive flood event, access was closed.After the flooding event in the summer of 2020, Sandbags were placed under the connected lock shop door. We now use this area as needed retail space. We occasionally get folks in who wish to head towards that door… but they quickly find out, it is not accessible. Key desk current location! You may or may not notice differences in our brick at the back door, well, here’s the reason why… a runaway truck from the Lowe’s warehouse which sat up above us (looking out our back door)Look up the next time you drop in… see if you can find the tell-tell signs of the runaway truckSmashed right through our walls Ugh… The aftermath… And this happened on our D Street side several years later… Can you notice any differences in the brick??? We updated the side of D Street with our logo chicken , thanks to Andrea Baldwin for her artwork! A perfect photo opportunity!A lot of people are confused about the location of the original Lowe’s. The common misconception is that it was in our building. Looking out our back door, you can view the home of the original Lowe’s.This old safe, it’s not going anywhere fast!!! It’s a beast!!!
One of the stories that has been passed down to us … a downtown bank was unable to get the safe open to begin the banking day. The bank manager called down to Mr. Yates and asked for his assistance. Could he loan him the cash to open up the bank while they worked on opening the safe? Mr. Yates agreed to help. The bank sent two guards down and wheeled back the cash from the hardware store in a wheelbarrow. Problem solved!
The day we will never forget, the fire across the street at Goodwill. A Story in Pictures
This was a life altering experience. The uncertainty was very real, our neighbors down the street were worried about the fire spreading down the street to connected buildings. We were asked to vacate our building in a matter of an hour. What could we do??? Nothing, but pray and wait. We spent many long hours waiting across the street at Dom’s Bakery. Thankful for our neighbors and friends there. 💕
Our community of firefighters and rescue workers came from all over the county to help fight this fire and stayed all night. Every single fire company in Wilkes responded to this fire. Very thankful.
When we began in 2015, Richard and I knew only a small portion about this old hardware store. We have come to believe that this old hardware store building is like an onion, and we slowly peel a layer away at a time, learning a bit more each passing day and asking more questions about what we don’t know.
We sincerely appreciate and wish to say “Thank you” for sharing all of your stories about 324 10th Street. It has been an honor and privilege to gather these memories and stories, helping to keep this building and business alive long after we all are long gone, in hopes of creating a lasting legacy of intertwined experiences of Life in Wilkes… as our building history boasts the beginnings of the poultry industry in Wilkes, the legend of moonshine, and the hardware industry rooted right here in Wilkes.
The weather this week is warming up nicely. It’s time to take a quick inventory of some of the essentials that you might need to replace or upgrade this Spring to make your outdoor gardening experience go smoothly. Nothing is more annoying to go look for a needed garden tool to find it is gone and or completely out of sight… leaving you to think where on earth did I put that???? 😬
With 10 Gardening Seasons now under our belt, here’s a quick guide of some of Wilkes County Hardware’s BEST SPRING SELLERS… year after year.
Thanks Susan for the picture!
Spring Gardening Essentials
1. Water hose/replacement sprayer nozzle – Yes, this has happened to us too! We quickly realized that our old water hose nozzle needed to be replaced in the middle of a project. Luckily, we knew where to go get one…
If you water frequently during the spring and summer months, you need to evaluate the wear and tear on your water hose AND also consider the consistent sun exposure on your water hose! Did you accidentally leave your water hose outside during the winter season??? It might be a good idea to replace the old worn hose or stop by to pick up a new hose washers, or replacement sprayer.
Wilkes County Hardware also has a good selection of replacement parts for hose ends, washers etc.
2. Pair of new Gardening gloves-Can’t find your trusty gardening gloves??? 🧤 Why should you replace those old, dirty, grungy gloves??? First of all, the wear and tear factor of your old gloves, notice any holes??? You probably need to get rid of them. Then you must consider the dirt itself… soil does what is does… soil has bacteria and fungi that are constantly breaking down organic matter, wearing gloves just makes good sense as you garden. Been fighting in the weeds already??? Notice a patch of poison ivy? Definitely replace your gloves after the exposure. It’s definitely a good idea to get rid of those old ones for a new pair. I must admit I’m guilty about this one!!!
Two of our best sellers!
3. Hand clippers- I cannot tell you how many times I have misplaced my handheld clippers that I frequently carry around as I’m working in the garden. It’s always good to have an extra pair!
Good stock of garden trowels, and stop by to pick up a new tool, the Hori, Hori. A fantastic addition to your garden tool collection
4. Grass seed- Need to fill in a small area with grass seed? Wilkes County Hardware stocks 1 pound to 5 pound bags.
5.Weed Eater String – Check your storage cabinet to make sure you have enough weed eater string to finish your garden chores. No one wants to stop halfway through a garden weeding eating task and have to run out to the hardware store to grab another roll. But if you need us, we will be there!
A variety of different types and lengths are available for purchase
6.Pump Up Garden Sprayer- Two sizes are readily available… 1 gallon and 2 gallon pump sprayer are our best sellers at Wilkes County Hardware.
7. Potting soil– Get growing with a fantastic growing medium. Baccto is definitely in order to refill your pots this Spring. Our repeat gardening customers love this potting soil AND it is a fantastic value!!! Other potting soils price their bags per quart or by Cubic foot(based on volume of product and additives) but not this brand! It’s priced by the gallon, making this a very affordable option and a much better value for quality potting soil! As a FULL service hardware store, we load these heavy bags into your vehicle for you!
8. Weed control sprays and concentrates– As the weather warms up the weeds seem to grow better than flowers 😳enough said right ??? Wilkes County Hardware has a variety of different type of ready to go sprays and concentrate weed killers suitable for your specific needs. Stop by to chat with us about your garden care needs soon!
9. “Critter Control”- Many questions arise in the Spring about how to deal with pests in the lawn or garden. Moles, grubs, deer, slugs, snakes, and other insects… the list is long but Wilkes County Hardware has a few product solutions that are readily available.
Deer repellent- This is a vigilant and necessary action in our area. It is also very frustrating for homeowners who have a high deer population in their areas to work so diligently for months on creating a beautiful landscape to wake up the next morning to find their hard work all eaten up by 🦌 deer. Ugh!!!
In order for this product to work Effectively , you MUST reapply after a rain storm, or weekly to keep those pesky deer out of growing gardens.
FYI: On a personal note, I have had to switch methods from using pods to sprays/ granular to keep deer activity to a minimum in my yard. If one method doesn’t seem to work well, don’t feel guilty about moving to another method to see if you can minimize the damage to your plants.
Moles– Tunnel networks visible in your yard??? The food source for a mole is the GRUB. If you can get rid of the grubs, the moles will go away. Wilkes County Hardware has options available for mole control or grub treatment.
A variety of options are available at Wilkes County Hardware
Snakes– Ugh! I definitely don’t want to come face to face with these critters in my backyard! Repellent options are available in store.
10. “Wheels”- That’s right… when working in the garden or lawn you need a good set wheels to get the job done. A wheelbarrow or a garden cart can help you move debris, mulch, or even load it up with tools to work efficiently.
Our team at Wilkes County Hardware is ready to assist you with your lawn and garden maintenance this Spring. Let’s get growing!
The Winter season officially began December 21st and will end on March 20th. From cold wintry temperatures, a few snowy days, and even icy morning conditions the winter weather has been season to remember in 2025. Thanks for the beautiful photographic memories Winter!
FYI: Two photos below have active links to more recent blog posts!!!! (New Orleans and Cloud Dancing) Please check those out as well 😊
Winter Solstice Sunrise New Beginnings… January 1, 2025 Golden Sunrise Icy morning Waiting on the SnowIt begins… A new coat of white… snowy afternoon Snowy Morning Snow Day Snowy Branches Crunchy! A Walk into the Woods Snow on the Mountains Sunset at Buck Mountain after the Snow Snow Capped Golden Hour Looking into the Valley January Wolf MoonWinter BeautyHello Sunshine Colorful Sunrise Pink Sky Winter Sunrise Glory Drama in the Sky Rainbow SunriseWinter Days are Lazy Days, JOY All wrapped up, COOKIEWinter BloomsMorning CoffeeNew OrleansCloud DancingButterfly SkyMarch MasterpieceMagical March Sunrise Lavender Sky A Little Floral Volunteer… a prelude to SpringReady to emerge In full bloom Hello Buttercup!New Growth
Artistic expression of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina across from the convention center where the Spring Orgill Hardware Show was hosted.
New Orleans… A culturally rich city filled with fantastic food! What more could you ask for in a host city for a hardware show??? We first experienced New Orleans in August 2015, at our first hardware show, and 10 years later, we have returned again for another visit to this wonderful city.
We have found that getting to show early helps us navigate the day (less crowded) and we can explore the city later in the afternoon .Early morning at Orgill Hardware Show… the exhibition floor is full of people getting ready to take it all in…Fun with friends! Eric and Chelsea explored the Orgill Hardware Show with us the first day of the show. Always lots to see!!! Million square feet of space in 2 days… We go in with a definite plan now at each show, finding those vendors we need to reach out to, make orders, then we can “shop” for new products that our customers will enjoy. Richard is checking out a new key machine at the show. We ordered a key machine and it will arrive sometime in April. Our Orgill Representative, Steve Foster is set to retire later this year. He has helped us navigate our first show as newbies, and we were thankful to have his expertise in year 10. We will miss him tremendously.
The 2025 Orgill hardware show marked our third trip to New Orleans. We accomplished a lot on our to do list! Now it was time to explore the city a bit. A few constants remain from each trip… beignets at Cafe DuMonde, Mardi Gras celebrations in February, and rich, vibrant culture exemplified everywhere you go, along with the AMAZING food. Sharing my unique photo journey from our recent travels, enjoy y’all!
Hot beignets, just can’t be beat!Always a sweet treat with music on the street Beignets are everywhere!
Mardi Gras celebrations were in full swing in late February. Homes were decorated with colorful Mardi Gras trees, colorful lights, and outdoor fence areas were lined with decorations to mark the celebrations.
Beads and a Bird Outdoor Fences were adorned with beads , a visual reminder of Mardi Gras in progress A Colorful Walk
A Somber Reminder along Bourbon Street…
This makeshift memorial on the corner of Bourbon Street was moved just two days after we arrived to a permanent museum location.
Security along the Mardi Gras parade path was noticeably tighter…
Heavy equipment trucks moving into place prior to the arrival of one of the Mardi Gras parades.
Mardi Gras Parade Highlights…
I loved all the colors!!!
We walked to many places during our trip, even though the cold weather and wind was significant… I quickly noticed that city sidewalks were a treasure trove of design… “judging a block by its cover”, literally by the manhole covers and drain covers. Here are just a few captures from New Orleans…
Can’t you just see the history in these old Church Doors??? Blockbuster And Wall Inspired Art
Good food always can be found in New Orleans, some places never disappoint us when we are there in New Orleans and we always make plans to return.
A new wonderful addition to our New Orleans lineup this year! We will go back! Turtle soup to start… Blackened fish with crabmeat sauce Chocolate flourless cakeThe line was out the door to wait for lunch!!! Menu boasts Sandwiches and unique salad options… best French fries in town!!! Sorry, no picture, I ate them all!!! 😂Our order reminder.., just too cute! Grand Isle… Our favorite place in New Orleans!!!! Never disappoints!!!Pan roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and mushrooms Cheesecake for dessert Wood fired gulf fish with creamy grits
Thanks for the memories!! Hope to see you again New Orleans!
FYI: New product arrivals from our shopping days at the New Orleans Hardware show are beginning to arrive! Stop by and shop today at Wilkes County Hardware.
Have you ever heard of the expression, “Get your head out of the clouds?” If someone says something like this to you, they want you to be more “grounded in reality”… focusing less on daydreaming.
Air flight offers us the opportunity to be “in the clouds” andto Cloud Dance… flying through and above the clouds. Being in and above the clouds offers us the opportunity to witness a place where our humanity is not truly visible everyday.
Soaring Above
The world of aviation offers a unique experience to be able to see our world in a very different and special way. When I fly, I always reserve a window seat so I can watch the clouds, and the sky. Graciously, my husband always grants me the courtesy of the window seat.
These clouds are tightly packed together
I will admit that some flight opportunities are a bit rougher initially, in what I like to call the process of clouddancing (turbulence) where the journey into the thick cloud line that permeates the sky is like playing a game of hopscotch at times. You must get above all the clouds in order to see clearly, gaining visibility.
Cloud Dancing
One of the last flight memories that I recall during takeoff, the sky was looming with clouds… gray and dark. Snow and ice was forecasted to arrive later in the afternoon. The sun appeared to be lost. As the final preparations for our flight began, The pilot came over the speaker and said to all flying companions on board, “Folks, this might be a bumpy ride ahead.” Once in flight and our elevation increased, the clouddancing experience began.
Silence expanded in the main cabin and the motion and movement into the cloud line, and a small amount of turbulence was underway.
Sun beginning to set over the Clouds
Flying into those clouds, it was a total cloud fog. I couldn’t see anything for what it seemed like several minutes. A bit of anxiety rushed through my mind. But, the sure and steady handiwork of our flight crew, we were quickly approaching higher altitudes.
That cloud filled experience…
Another quick glance out the window restored my sense of confidence. The plane was now above the clouds and the flight path was visibly clear. The immensely thick cloud layer was visible and comfortably below. I immediately caught the first glimpse of the sun that day and I was stunned momentarily…a revelation was beginning to unfold in that moment of Cloud Dancing.
There it was… shining above that cloud line, it was so bright that I began to instantly squint my eyes with the light bouncing against the white, fluffy cloud line. I was in awe. There was the SUN unseen to me earlier that day because my actual physical location was below the clouds. I was having a moment of wonder and enlightenment after that Cloud Dancing experience. I’ll elaborate a bit.
Low level, stratus clouds create fog. When our heads are “fogged over with the mundane things” we may not have the opportunity to CLOUD DANCE. Once above the cloud line, we can see the light, the SUN.
Fog rolling into the Valley
Once above the cloud line, a clear flight path creates less resistance and the thinner air allows for a higher speed for the aircraft to move forward. The time to reach your destination will literally just “fly” by! My thoughts were racing with this idea of the sun being above the clouds… the metaphor was felt internally. Maybe we need to get above the clouds to find our path(light) and soar.
Filtered Light
Which brings me to the mention of Thin Places and connecting to my experience of Cloud Dancing. A dear friend, Sheree Sloop, shared the concept of Thin Places with our retreat group several years ago. A Thin Place is an experience or a place where you feel at peace or have a close connection with God. In ThinPlaces, the distance between heaven and earth becomes “thinner” with these encounters. These experiences are not usually destinations that you visit… these are personal experiences that are unhurried, unique to the person, where we can catch a glimpse of heaven and beyond. The experience can be transformative and inspiring.
A Thin Place
Cloud Dancing was a Thin Place experience for me. The awe and wonder of being above the clouds was breathtakingly peaceful and the message that was delivered from the “holy ground” experience of CloudDancing was received.. finding the light above the clouds. He’s the light always. Being in a place where humans rarely tread… in the clouds.
Every Thin Place experience is uniquely different in the eye of the beholder… Cloud Dancing may not be a Thin Place for you. I have flown several times prior and not had this experience before.Why this time?? I believe that I was in a quiet reflective state and receptive to God’s message.
The beauty of Thin Places is the nearness or connection to God is key. Yes, you can find your own Thin Place. It could be a walk in the woods, driving alone in your car, a quiet reflective prayer, finding solace in a communion service, rocking on your front porch, or even simply enjoying a sermon in the church pew… the common factor, the “Holy Ground” experience… the sense of sacredness, and the connection with God.
Sheree shared a mediation with me as I began to work on this piece. She included this meditation in her last labyrinth group walk that she recently facilitated and I’ll share a portion with you today. Thank you Sheree! “as we set an intention for our labyrinth walk, I would like for us to think about the labyrinth as “sacred space” or “holy ground.” The Chartres labyrinth and others from the Middle Ages were often referred to as a “Road to Jerusalem.” When the Crusades and poverty prevented Christians of the Middle Ages from making pilgrimages to the Holy Land, Church officials commissioned the building of labyrinths in seven of the great European cathedrals. Christians could then make a symbolic, spiritual journey by walking a labyrinth. I often think about the places I consider as “Holy Ground”. I remember how it feels when I suddenly find myself in that thinplace. For me, the grounds at St. Paul’s are “holy ground.” The labyrinth in Coventry Chapel especially, seems to be a very special thin place and I know I’m walking on holy ground when I enter it. Sometimes I feel it in my chest, sometimes I feel the tingle on my arms or a shiver up my back. I think of all the dear souls who are resting there and wonder just how thin that veil really is.”
St. Paul’s Coventry Chapel and Labyrinth
If you have ever had a “holy ground” or a Thin Place experience, I hope you can connect to my feelings of Cloud Dancing. The next time someone says, “get your head out of the clouds”, let them know that Cloud Dancing is a way to find light above the clouds, and maybe even much more.
The constant hum of the key machine, regular background noise inside Wilkes County Hardware
When I taught middle school students, Discovery Channel had a television series called Myth Busters. Using the Middle School science curriculum, I could easily fit in a few of these segments from Myth Busters and students absolutely loved them!
A recent trip to grocery store… golf balls everywhere in the parking lot… how random??? Or was it???Hmmm 🤔
Learning from this series was relatively easy and definitely related to something that students could make connections to, using real life experiences and experiments shared in that series. That memory got me to thinking about doing some serious Myth Busting in our own business life. Why not share the same type of experience with you on social media about a subject that is in need of myth busters???
What ONE 🔑 “key” topic immediately came to my mind??? KEYS of Course !!! Wilkes County Hardware answers lots of questions daily concerning KEYS.
Why all the confusion and questions about Keys and where to go??? This is probably due in part because one of the former owners of the hardware store used to own BOTH (Lock Service and the hardware store) . Life in a small town, things never change… right??? But, we all know, that everything changes! The old assumptions remain, people still believe that things are the same… but time and ownership of both businesses changes things. What remains between the two existing businesses that is a constant ??? The sharing of information and consistent referrals across the board. If we can’t help a key customer at the hardware store, we refer them to the Locksmith next door.
Hopefully, we can together BUST down the mystery and myths that exist around making keys. We will examine when you should use the services of the local locksmith, with a business location next door to our hardware store.
Welcome to Wilkes County Hardware! Keys are duplicated individually, uniquely crafted by our staff members, designed to work every single time! Guaranteed!
MYTH 1: Wilkes County Hardware can unlock my car door for me, if I have locked my keys in my car.
Fact: Sorry, you will have to call the Locksmith for this one! Bill’s Lock Service is next door to us. Wilkes County Hardware and the Locksmith shop have been separate businesses for 20 years now!
MYTH 2: My existing house key is broken. It can’t be fixed! 😬Ugh!
Fact: Bring in the pieces, sometimes Wilkes County Hardware can “piece” the key back together carefully and make a new one!
MYTH 3: Wilkes County Hardware can only duplicate a few different type of keys.
Fact: Wilkes County Hardware has hundreds of different key blanks! We cut house keys, vehicle keys, boat keys, RV keys, 4 Wheeler keys, etc. The “box stores” in our area are very limited in what they can do as far as key cutting and they regularly send customers to us each week!
Personalized service, and the ability to duplicate a vast number of key blanks is absolutely a game changer, KEYS, at Wilkes County Hardware.
MYTH 4: The Locksmith is located inside Wilkes County Hardware…. I need to talk to the locksmith, is he in here??? Where is he??? When will he be back in office??
We get these questions (via phone and in person) at least once a day… for the last nine years, y’all it’s a lot, just saying…😬
Fact: Bill’s Lock Service is highly mobile. He goes out to help customers and meet their needs, unlocking vehicles, rekeying, etc. We have no idea where he is on a daily basis or when he will be back because he is a different existing business owner. Please contact him directly if you need his services.
MYTH 5: All rekeying of door locks has to be done at the Lock Service Shop, not the hardware store.
Fact: Wilkes County Hardware rekeys locks. Bring your existing lock to us, we can rekey it for you. If you need locks rekeyed on site, then please use the lock service.
Rekeying often takes a bit of time. Customers can drop off locks and return later in day.
MYTH 6: I only have one key to my vehicle. If you make me another key, it will start the car.
Fact: Not always will this be true! If your original key is a computer chip key, and you decide to only purchase a replacement key to unlock the door, it will NOT work in the ignition. The computer chip inside that key sends a signal to your vehicle to activate your ignition. We urge our customers to decide what’s best for your budget, and Wilkes County Hardware can help you with your key needs. It’s never a good scenario to have only one key.
This machine lets our key cutting staff know if a key is a chip key, if it not marked on the key itself.
MYTH 7: My Key fob died and I have to make an appointment at the car dealership to get it fixed.
Fact: Wilkes County Hardware has many types of key fob battery replacements that are readily available for purchase. We can easily replace your battery for you and you can get back to driving in most cases and save you the time and money.
Many times the battery just needs replacing inside your key fob, our staff replaces these for our customers often. We keep the batteries in ready shelf stock.
MYTH 8: I’ve lost my Tool box, house key, file cabinet, or safe key. I’m sure you can make me a new one right?
Fact: You will need to check with the Bill’s Lock Service. He has the capacity to possibly help you. Wilkes County Hardware duplicates existing keys. Think of it this way, when I say duplicate, and I’ll use this analogy… it’s like putting a copy into the printer and a new copy comes out, exactly like the original. You have to have a copy to begin with in order to get a new copy. That’s what we do with keys at Wilkes County Hardware. Whereas, the Locksmith is more specialized, and he can create new keys without a copy, using existing locksmith technology to make a key.
MYTH 9: I thought you guys had stopped making keys!
Fact: Absolutely untrue!!! Wilkes County Hardware has been a destination for KEYS for many years. We duplicate keys all day long and have expanded our key selection in the last ten years! We make each key individually. Wilkes County Hardware also has the ability to offer the following key services: rekey a new door lock to match your current key, Keyed padlocks, and chip keys for several vehicle types. We will be exploring adding additional machines/key blanks in the upcoming future, so stay posted for more details.
The KEY desk is usually humming with activity. We are blessed with a staff that can work seamlessly side by side making keys successfully for our customers.
MYTH 10: I can call the hardware store to ask about a specific vehicle key to see if it can be made there.
Fact: It’s definitely better to see the key you need in person/in the store rather than discussing it over the phone, due to vast number of key blanks that we have. Every key is slightly different. Often, we have customers who believe they have a vehicle key that isn’t a chip key and then after a quick analysis by our key staff, the key, they soon realize, it is a chip key 😬.
Those are our top 10 Myths that Wilkes County Hardware encounters on a daily basis. I hope that this information has been helpful and useful to our customers concerning common key questions. Always, if in doubt, please stop by and we will be glad to answer any questions or concerns you might have about keys.
Sharing a few more thoughts about keys and why our customers keep coming back to us at Wilkes County Hardware with each key…
1. When we duplicate KEYS at Wilkes County Hardware, we have always urged customers to check keys before leaving store (if making a vehicle key) and always bring any key back in if the keys need to be tweaked, no charge!
2. Normally, the key desk has minimal returns. But, all KEYS are not created equal! The quality of the original key is definitely a factor in the making of the new duplicate key, and some keys are harder to cut accurately, especially if it is worn out.
3. If you have a KEY, we will do our best to help you get a duplicate made. 99 percent of time we can probably do it in house, but sometimes we refer people to the Locksmith for a more specialized key.
4. NO KEY… well that is a locksmith job and we will definitely refer y’all to Bill’s Lock Service. Hope that we have busted the MYTHs around 🔑 keys!
Getting back to where I began my opening story I always had my students do a brief summary of the myth that was busted in that Myth Buster video series and tell me what was actually the truth/facts after the fun of the video viewing was concluded. We could expand on these findings and bring it into our science discussions later on, connecting back to what we learned.
So in my final report to you today concerning the actual Facts, not the myths about making keys at Wilkes County Hardware: Key Duplication has been a integral part of our work inside the hardware store for many years. If you have an existing key, we can probably make it for you. No key, please call the locksmith. No more MYSTERY and MYTHS around 🔑 keys! Expert status! Bravo!!!! 👏🏻
How did you score on that MYTH v. Fact checklist today initially before reading the answers??? Just curious 🧐???
Thanks for shopping local with us at Wilkes County Hardware for your key purchases and much more!
Beginning in early 2024, I wrote these opening lines: “I have decided to take this year and document and capture memories… from our everyday life activities. Everything isn’t glamorous, we work long hours, 6 days a week, but Richard and I find time to share and unwind. I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite collected moments via photography.”
What a journey it has been! Here’s a look at a few of my photo favorites from each month in 2024. Below each photograph, I will include the original link to each month from 2024, in case you missed it or would like to see more photos from each month.
The festivities of Christmas and New Year are complete. The decorations are boxed up for another year, and the cold, brisk winter weather looms ahead. Will we have snow to look forward to this month???
The answer is yes! Snow on January 10th, 2025!
January can be a bit of “let down” after the holidays. So how do we celebrate one of the all time coldest months of the year? January is like eating an elephant… you can’t tackle it at once, but you can manage it one bite at a time, as the old saying goes.. January, take it ONE day at a time!
Here’s to celebrating the long, cold, brisk, windy January days, one day at a time, breaking it down into manageable chunks, offering a bit of sunshine on an icy, bitter cold January Day. Have fun this January with a few trips and stops inside Wilkes County Hardware this January, warming by the old-fashioned wood stove. You never know what you might find that you need!
January Days
1st- New Year’s Day– a feast of cornbread, black-eyed peas, greens, and pork, and New Year’s Resolutions. Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to grab a new cast iron skillet this month!!
5th- National Bird Day– Winter is the perfect time to watch and enjoy the birds feeding in your yard. Stop by to pick up a new bird feeder, suet, or bird food
Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up your winter suet, feeders, feed and more!
6th- Epiphany (3 Kings Day)– Celebrating the arrival of the Wise Men, many observe this as the official end of the Christmas season
9th- Static Electricity Day… no one likes this problem during the winter! Bring more humidity into your home, add lotion to hands to help fight it. Carry a coin with you or even a bolt 🔩, pocket knife…. You get the gist to reduce the risk.
These lotions are selling fast during the winter months at Wilkes County Hardware
10th- Houseplant Appreciation Day. Winter is the perfect time to enjoy those green plants!
11th- International Thank You Day- send a note of thanks to someone today!
12th- National Sunday Supper Day– Gather around the table and enjoy family time. Make it a weekly tradition in 2025.
Handcrafted by Keegan… a beautiful piece to add as a centerpiece of your Sunday Supper celebrations… Supper vs. Dinner
13th- Clean Off Your Desk Day– Time to tackle your desk, or any other surface areas that need to be cleaned! Stop by Wilkes County Hardware for some cleaning essentials.
Did you know that Wilkes County Hardware has a great selection of cleaning products???
15th- Hat Day– it’s definitely time for a new Wilkes County Hardware Hat today!
17th- Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day… Don’t give up! It takes time to create a habit (like a few months of consistent practice ) remember the phrase, eating an elephant one bite at a time…
19th- National Popcorn 🍿 Day- Go watch a movie today at our nearby Liberty Theater and eat the famous popcorn!
20th- Blue Monday/Take Walk Outdoors Day- it’s time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine! Check out the blog post for more ideas on how to beat the winter blues
A brief dusting of snow began December 2024, making me long for a bit more.
December marks the beginnings of the winter season. Winter… a time of perseverance and optimism for spring will come.
December, Christmas is near.
A Light DustingSnowy Morning SurpriseSnowy Stack At DuskWinter Solstice SunriseWaiting on SunriseDecember 31st… That Touch of Pink
Random Happenings
You never know what you will find in the middle of a grocery store parking lot! Parking lot golf????
Christmasat Home 2024
Fresh Mistletoe for Christmas! Thanks to Kim Reid for the adventure!New additions this year to my green plants to add a festive flare, pine cones and berries for the holiday season Our Christmas clock is a family favoriteBobbles and Santa Handmade Christmas Handmade Christmas Handmade ChristmasThis Christmas was the first year we put our inflatable back out in several years. Our sweet little neighbor has enjoyed it so much this year. Our original “Snowy” the polar bear was injured by heavy rain earlier this month. Santa was our quick find as a replacement.Cookie watching over her neighborhood
Thank you to everyone who has followed along my year long photographic journey in 2024 exploring the everyday life of #thehardwarelife. I’m excited about new opportunities in 2025! Coming soon, the Favorites of 2024 revisited. Stay posted on the blog.
Acorns are in abundance this year, according to experts were having a Mast year.
Daylight Saving Time has come to a close for the year. Our clocks turned back one hour this weekend. With this shift in time, we gain an extra hour of sleep, and gradually see those beautiful evening sunsets around 6pm. Darkness will find us earlier and the shift is often hard if you’re not prepared for it.
The “Fall Back” sunsets at Wilkes County Hardware are often spectacular!
That being said, It’s time to think about a few things that should be done around the time change of “Falling Back”, making the shift much more manageable. Sharing a few maintenance tips on the blog today for the “Fall Back” time change.
Around the House (Interior Maintenance)
Check and Change all of your batteries in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detectors. Time changes are the best time to check these devices to make sure they are functioning properly.
It’s also good to Note: Smoke Detectors should be replaced EVERY 10 years!!!
2. Review your house and car key inventory. Make sure you have extra keys for yourself and those who need them. This is a simple one BUT, no one ever wants to be locked out of the house on a cold and wet wintry day. 😬
All types of keys are made daily inside Wilkes County Hardware… house, car, motorcycle, boat, RV, ATV keys and more!
3. Evaluate all of your light fixtures and replace any light bulbs that need replacing (indoor and outdoor) Nightfall comes much more quickly with the Fall time shift.
Lights! These are a wonderful addition to your emergency prep list!!! Addtimers to your lamps for extra safety if you arrive home after darkness has settled in for the day
4. Find your flashlights and replace batteries as needed. Prep your winter emergency kit.
Great selection of flashlights and emergency lighting at WCHGreat for emergency lighting source
5. Replace furnace filter. Ask us to help you find your size.
An abundant supply of furnace filter sizes are available at Wilkes County Hardware.
6. Do a quick maintenance walk around your windows. Look for visual signs that windows have gaps or cracks that could impact your heating system this winter. Use caulk, gap/crack filler as a barrier to prevent cold air from penetrating into your home. Replace any broken windows or screens.
Brr!!! No one wants to be caught in the cold! 🥶WCH does window screen repair!
7. Fall is a good time to tackle the dryer venting system. A clean out is in order! If you haven’t cleaned out your dryer vent system in a while, now is the time to do it!
8. As cooler weather approaches, don’t forget to reverse the direction of your ceiling fans and replace batteries in your fan remote if needed. Clean fan blades.
Need a new pull chain for your ceiling fan??? We have those too!!
9. As the holidays will be approaching soon, your stove and refrigerator will appreciate a good cleaning. A total clean out of your refrigerator BEFORE the holiday season begins, the easiest way to begin the holiday cooking season! Check water filter systems on your refrigerator and replace if necessary.
Large variety of cleaning products in stock at Wilkes County HardwareOnly $3.99 for the pack!!! Great for cleaning 🧽 Works great as a stove cleaner…without heating up your oven
10. Check the function of every toilet in your home. Do you need to replace a handle, flapper or do a complete overhaul of the “guts” of the toilet???? Now is the perfect time to replace these ahead the holidays… no one wants to be plunging into that messy job with company in house.
Our plumbing area is always busy at WCH!
11. Do a quick assessment on your heating system. Do you need a supplemental heating unit? What maintenance is necessary??? Many of our customers use this time of year to prepare for cooler temperatures. Kerosene heaters are brought in for repairs/new wicks. Replace aging stove pipe, and more!
Repairs are completed all season long! Cold weather essentials available year round at WCH
Now’s let get outside the home and enjoy the beautiful Fall weather and check out a few other things around the exterior of the property of your home.
Hope y’all can find time to unwind and relax and enjoy the beautiful Fall season!!
Around the House (Exterior Maintenance)
Add a faucet cover to your outdoor faucets. Water hoses should be stored for the winter.
A necessity before the freeze 🥶 sits in!!! Throw away old leaky water hoses. Plan ahead… Replace them at WCH and be ready for the next season!
2. Clean Gutters of all leaves and debris
3. Complete any remaining Fall Lawn Maintenance tasks… clear leaves, other debris, etc.
4. Put away and clean lawn hand tools for the winter months.
WD-40 works great after HAND tools are cleaned and dirt/grime removed , spray WD-40 onto surface, let sit for a few seconds, wipe again to clean. If you need to remove rust, let it sit for a while, and then use steel wool to clean surface. It is not recommended to use this cleaning method for power tools.
5. Clean the Grill- As the grilling season begins to come to an end, for some, Fall is a great time to get your hands dirty and get that grill clean before your store it away for the winter if you don’t grill much in the colder months.
WCH is an authorized Traeger Dealer
6. Be mindful of Pests! As the cooler months begin, rodents, spiders, stink bugs, and a host of others will look for ways to make way indoors. Keep debris away from house, seal gaps and cracks and be ready with pest control options if you see or hear them.
Bugs will look for places to come inside as the weather turns cold! Pest control made easy!
Car Maintenance
Tire pressure sensors often go off during the cooler months. Be ready, for those mornings to check your tire pressure with a new tire pressure gauge.
2. Be prepared and go ahead and do a Fluids check… oil, windshield wiper fluid, antifreeze, etc
3. Frosty mornings will be here to stay! Check your car for a ice/snow scraper
4. Do you have a battery charger or charger cables in your vehicle? No one wants to be out in the cold with a nonfunctional car. 😬
Air compressor and battery charger in one!!!
5. Check and replace old windshield wiper blades!
Wilkes County Hardware now has Rainx
I hope that you find these tips useful as the next phase of time change occurs. What other things do you do to prepare for yourself for the time shift???
Please stop by Wilkes County Hardware for all of your hardware needs or questions. We will be glad to assist.
Wilkes County Hardware Store Hours 8am to 6pm Monday through Friday 9am to 3pm Saturday
Most folks know to stop by Wilkes County Hardware for a key that works… but did y’all know that we do all of the following things each and every single day as services???
Hundreds of key blanks available for duplication!!!!
Key duplication- need an extra key or lost the extra key to your car. Bring your original key 🔑 into Wilkes County Hardware and get a new one made.
Chip keys are also available and coming soon, Sidewinder keys!!!
2. Rekey door locks- sometimes for safety reasons you need your door lock rekeyed or would like to have your NEWLY purchased door lock keyed to your current key. We rekey in the store with locks in hand. You must call the locksmith for on site services with rekeying door locks. Ask for assistance inside Wilkes County Hardware for this service in store and pricing information.
Deadbolts and door locks can be keyed to the same 🔑 key
3. Padlocks keyed the same- want to use the same key 🔑 for multiple padlocks??? We have options for you to key padlock to your key.
4. Pool Water Testing- Summer splashing fun requires a bit of maintenance… bring a sample of your pool water to Richard for a quick test (for free) to see what needs to be addressed, chemicals added, etc.
5. Chain ⛓️💥 Cutting- chain cut to exact length, by the foot. Please note: once the chain is cut and purchased it is not returnable!
6. Pipe threading- Galvanized and black pipe cut to size. Threading is also available if needed.
Wilkes County Hardware has a good selection of Galvanized and Black Iron pipe that are available for cutting and threading. Fittings also available in store.
7. Window screen repair – old screen doors or window screens looking a little bit worn out? Bring them by for a quick update.
8. Roll pipe cut to length – this stuff is a bulky beast to cut and many other hardware stores now will NOT cut it to length. Instead, you are forced to buy the huge roll 😳. But at Wilkes County Hardware, we cut it by the foot for our customers. Thanks for supporting local!
9. Glass cutting- Glass cut up to 36 inches long, bring exact dimensions. Glass expert on staff, thankful to have Tim Billings experience and expertise!
10. Tool Handle Replacement- old wooden handle all busted up? Stop by to pick up a replacement tool handle or leave it with us and we will do the work.
This oldie goldie tool is used during tool handle repair… shaving off the excess
11. Kerosene heater repair- Wick replacement available with many popular styles in stock.
12. Knife and scissors sharpening- if those knives seemed to be a little bit dull, drop them off and we can give them a sharpen for you. Scissors need a bit of TLC??? Fabric scissors require more time and effort to sharpen- bring a piece of small fabric with you so we can test them as we work on them to make sure they are perfectly sharpened.
13. Free Assembly- Purchase a large item from Wilkes County Hardware like a Traeger grill, wheelbarrow, etc and we will assemble it for you prior to pick up.
14. Special Orders- We order new or needed products for our customers every week! Sometimes you find the hardware store product in stock but you might need a larger quantity, ask us to order it for you!
Gallons are common in store but we have the capacity to order 5 gallon bucket for a much larger job!
15. Carry Out- We carry out packages, or bulky large items to the vehicle for our customers all the time!
Pool chemicals, large bags of bird seed, and potting soils tend to be bulky and heavy and carry out is standard in store.
Someone shared this thought with us not long ago, it is definitely worth sharing… “We all make choices as a consumer, so choose to support your favorite small businesses so that they can continue be open. If we choose not to support small businesses they cannot thrive and survive. “
Thank you for supporting local businesses in our community!
I had no idea when I began in early September with the idea of focusing my monthly photography blog post from one specific location in mind, that by the end of the month that it would become bittersweet, touching, and memorable. Friday September 27, 2024 was a game changer day in Western North Carolina.
The Western North Carolina landscape has been critically altered due to the forces of nature. The beautiful Blue Ridge has been changed by the devastating path of Hurricane Helene. Towns have been erased by this path of destruction.
My heart hurts for so many families and mountain communities as they begin to try to recover and rebuild. Numb might actually be a better word. Mountain Communities are now isolated from the outside world grasping for all avenues of assistance and support, losing everything they own while helping others all at the same time.
My family, like many of you, experienced several days without power and full internet connection. In our many years of married life, this was the longest stent of power failure that we have ever experienced. I now have two completely clean refrigerators/freezers… all food was not salvageable. But, it’s ok. We are literally several minutes away from a path of destruction and very lucky that our storm damage wasn’t more severe.
During the stent of no power… We had time with family, time to laugh while playing board games, and dinners with friends who had power at their home.
I’m also thankful for the many people who stopped by the hardware store to check to make sure we weathered the storm well , or sent us messages. We simply live in a great, giving community. Thank you!
The news of the storm’s fury was front and center in my social media feed when I had the opportunity for a moment to visualize the aftermath of Helene during the power outage and still almost a week later, it dominates our news cycle. It has been hard to imagine this type of devastation in my mind. Towns and communities are literally gone.
We as business owners, do fully understand the power of water and the force behind it. Flooding is not an experience that we wish share with anyone else, a tremendous amount of empathy lies within.
Last Saturday morning, we began to witness the influx of customers who are traveling down from their mountain homes to find needed supplies. This trek still is continuing into this week. Supplies are selling out quickly and we are trying to reorder as fast as we can to accommodate our customers needs.
Western North Carolina communities need our support wherever you can give it. Do what you can to assist Western North Carolina Relief Efforts. Donate time, resources, or money to those charities that are well vetted where the most money can benefit those in need.
Mountain Communities are requesting that only relief workers be allowed into the area so the clean up can continue and allow for the arrival of much needed materials.
My hope is that this September montage will bring solace to your Blue Ridge Mountain wandering soul and lift your spirits in the coming days. A simple pictorial offering… a remembrance to our beloved Blue Ridge Mountains prior to the devastation we witnessed last week. I present to you, The Blue Ridge Mountains are calling and I must GO! My photographic Blog Journal from September 2024.
An Afternoon Wandering at Doughton Park
Blue Ridge Parkway Sunsetsare simply stunning
Price Lake Never Disappoints
Saturday Evening Sunset Drive
In closing I’m sharing one of my all time favorite benedictions and prayers: The Franciscan Benediction, as we all continue our work to restore and rebuild in Western North Carolina.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU with discomfort, at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears, to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done, to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Looking back at where we started in 2015 to now present day in August 2024 as we roll into year number NINE in the hardware business, I’m just shocked and amazed at the amount of change we have been able to accomplish over time. When you are there everyday, working amongst all this, it’s harder to see the progress sometimes. As the old saying goes, “can’t see the forest, for the trees”.
A small stack of old pictures were gifted to us by our friend, Steve Foster, who is our Orgill Hardware representative. Orgill, is our main hardware supplier. When we purchased the store in 2015, a new layout was in order. Initially, Steve took some photos to share with the Orgill layout team who helped us to reconfigure the best use of the available space. Did we follow the design they planned out??? Well, no. We modified a few things to suit what we wanted and needed our business to be after reviewing the blueprints with them. But those pictures are a good reminder of what the hardware store was, A Blast From the Past.
The original blueprint developed for us after we purchased Wilkes Hardware.
Those photo memories stirred a bit of excitement in me to create a pictorial version of that journey. Here’s an insider blog post reflecting upon some of the changes that have been made over time since our beginnings in 2015. The series of photos that follows in this blog will be featuring the 2015 photo then 2024 pictures will follow highlighting certain aspects of the hardware store.
2015 outside view 2025 outside view, exterior holding area for bagged goods which was not available in store prior to 2015. 2015 front door view… one thing I noticed was the lack of light 💡 interior of the hardware store2024… LED lights installed, and artist inspired designs on the front doors. Seasonal Flowers blooming at the front doors.
Initially, we were encouraged to paint the interior ceiling white. I pushed back hard. I wanted to keep it as “vintage, old hardware store” as I could. The ceiling and posts are still intact with original wood.
Summer of 2015: view around wood stove Summer of 2024: New work areas for staff has been created over time and in 2024 a new point of sale was added. We moved from the era of simply using a cash register to a full scale point of sale system in the first few years of business. 2015: Sink area used by employees but surrounded by merchandise2024: Now mostly a true work area for our staff, same area in view but this area is less customer friendly due to the proximity to the key desk work area and pool water testing computer work area. I noticed the amount of light is much more visible in this recent photo!2015: Back door entrance, note that the key 🔑 desk is not here!!!2024: Back door entrance. Key desk area present AND more light! 2015: Work area at back door entrance 2024: Key Desk area at back door entrance Behind the scenes of the key area Rekey area Pool computer, chip keys and more! 2015: Front Entrance View, it was a bit of a maze to find what you needed 2024: Front entrance view, we have tried to created a more open flow for customers to walk through2024: Front Door View2015: Key Desk was tucked away in the back of store… near the stairs leading to the second level2024: This area is currently being updated… it’s a work area for chain cutting, kerosene heater repair, stove pipe replacement parts, etc 2015: The back front windows of the hardware store were covered with pegboard, which was used to display long handle tools. 2017: These doors were uncovered and the pegboard removed! Wayne worked on the old lock mechanism so the doors were moving and mobile to unlock. Look at that beautiful door handle!!! 2024: Doors are open on the warm, summer days to add extra air flow into the hardware store 2024: Same view as the 2015 picture 2024: Lawn and Garden has been moved up to the front of the store 2015: Lock shop entrance door opened 2020: Covid AND the flooding of our hardware store with the water originating from the lock shop created the need to close the connecting door permanently. Due to the nature of the lock shop business, they are often gone on call. The security of the lock shop is more secure with the hardware store door closed.2020: Water entered from the back door of the lock shop, pushing the doors open. Water entered into our building as a result from the massive amount of water coming into flooded lock shop. The water was knee deep inside the lock shop! 2020: Water, water everywhere!!! It took several hours, lots of friends helping us to push the water out, and days of drying out. We were extremely lucky that the water level never reached higher than it did! 2024: Threaded rod, wooden dowels are right at home in front of the old lock shop door. Believe it or not, we still have folks who still try to go through this door to get to the lock shop. They are shocked to find it closed when they come in and find that they must use the main front entrance. 2015: View from back of store
Richard told me the other day the staff used to keep and carry a small flashlight (in pocket) with them as they worked inside the hardware store when he first started in the summer of 2015 due to the lack of light coming into the space. I had no idea that was how they were working. Adding light was a key factor initially as we began to analyze what should be done. Slowly, the light has been expanding and more work is yet to come!
These pictures are a treasure to me. Steve thank you! One of my biggest regrets is not taking enough pictures to photograph our beginnings accurately as we have grown and evolved.
2024: This area is currently being reset now!
Thanks for being part of our hardware journey. Stay tuned in for more updates! We appreciate your continued support.
If these walls could talk… the stories they could tell! Our hardware store is located at 324 10th Street. The outside brick exterior of the building looks well-worn… a few signs of old age are visible, as it should have, this building is approaching the age of 120 years old!
As you enter, you will probably find the front door open most days, weather permitting. The interior is full of beautiful treasures of the past, a fully functional freight elevator, wood stove, rolling ladder wall, and old wooden cabinetry lining the entire back wall. That venture into 324th 10th Street, through the hardware store reveals some of the days from long ago… the legacy and memories of times when hardware stores were simply different.
Yes, I believe that our hardware store is definitely a unique shopping experience that is worth exploring, even in 2024, as the days of ordering online has become a staple for many people. You can’t find some of these unique items online… Only inside these vintage walls. There’s no connecting or having a longing to go back to an online shopping cart versus wandering throughout your hometown old school hardware store. The experience is distinct and rare in today’s modern retail world. The two can’t be compared.
I definitely feel that a stroll back into time to get a visual sense of the origins of this old building is definitely blog worthy. So here’s a more detailed look at some of these iconic, vintage pieces found inside 324 10th Street revealing what we know as the true history of 324 10th Street.
The Freight Elevator
One of the unique features of our “Old School Hardware Store” is the freight elevator. Secret being told, the remaining oral history that we have been given is a bit disjointed. So we have in earnest, started trying to track down some information about this elevator from the direct source… the company that built it, Park Elevator.
Park Elevator is one of the oldest, independent elevator companies in the Southeast, dating back to 1898.
I continue to be absolutely fascinated by the fact that such a massive machine as this one was made in Charlotte, NC!
How very fitting that the former owners at 324 10th Street sourced materials locally and from our state. Richard and I are honored to carry on that tradition still in 2024.
Locally made items are available year round inside Wilkes County Hardware
Our old freight elevator has to be inspected by the state each year. The state elevator inspector requested a full load test in 2023. To be honest, we were very worried about that requirement to continue to have it in use. We debated for several months… what to do… is this a safe thing to do for such an oldie Goldie??? A full load test is a tough thing for an “old school elevator” to handle. Uncertainty loomed in our minds.
We decided to make a few phone calls. The elevator experts were very helpful. We actually have a few elevator technicians who frequent our hardware store and they often speak about how special and unique this old elevator is! They love it! So drawing from their experience and expertise, the phone call was made.
After speaking to the elevator experts about the situation concerning the full load test, we were pleasantly surprised to find out that the needed test was NOT a full load test but instead, a NO load test. Our old freight elevator has wooden side rails, therefore a full load test is impossible to do!! A full load test could literally shred the wooden side rails 😳. We had a path to keep the elevator moving!
State inspection done ✅ . Still waiting on the No Load Test.
The Wood Stove
Likewise, the wood stove was manufactured in Greensboro, NC. The wood stove has been quite a showcase for many of our visitors and regular customers. Check out the blog post that includes details of the information we know about this old classic wood stove below.
Researching and LearningMore About 324 10th Street
Ask and ye shall find! So, here’s the thing, we need your stories about this old freight elevator, and we need more history about our building. I actually had started doing my own research around the time the Smithey building burned down… but I haven’t had an opportunity to get back into it since then.
Life sometimes gets busy and projects get pushed away for a space of time. But here’s a quick rundown of the main essentials on what we know via oral history and research…
1. Building dates back to 1905.
2. EE Eller Wholesale was located at 324 10th Street until 1941 when he moved his business to Forester Street (advertisement in Journal Patriot – 1941) the space was used by ______________________ after Mr. Eller left???? we are unsure of what type of business existed after that…
Learn more about Mr. Eller’s Legacy: Mr. EE Eller, Chickens and Turkeys… Nothing but Clucking, Gobbling, and Plucking out the TruthThis photograph was sent to us by Mr. Eller’s Family and will be hung in its rightful place on the owners wall soon! The original photo hanging on the wall that had been identified to us as Mr. Eller was not really him! To read more about this click the link above about Mr. Eller. Look for this beautifully restored photograph the next time you come by Wilkes County Hardware.
3. Yates Wilkes Hardware began 1940’s???? No definitive date has been discovered.
Legendary Stories: We have been told that Mr. Yates began a hardware store for supplying his “moonshine friends” with needed equipment/supplies… as they say, nothing ruins a good story like the truth. I bet the truth lies somewhere between the two, the legend and the facts.
4. Glascock wood stove- Giant 24N style stove went into production 1930’s-1940’s in Greensboro, NC and unsure of date when installed in building (Nollie Neill, Glascock Stove Historian) Linked in blog today is a detailed overview of what we know about the wood stove.
5. Freight Elevator made by Park, based in Charlotte, NC. Research ongoing.
6. Rolling ladder Wall made by Putnam Rolling Ladder Company
Piecing Together The Puzzle of 324
A while back ago, I asked our social media followers to share their thoughts about painting our front doors at the hardware store. It was fascinating to find out everyone’s thoughts when we were curious about changing the paint on the front doors. Some people said don’t touch those doors, others wanted to make color suggestions.
I enjoyed the story one customer told us about the doors being a beautiful dark green color when she first came to the hardware store when she was younger which helped us connect the past to the present day.
These bits of information and history are the small pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that we are trying to “piece together” of our building and the objects inside. The timing of these stories helps us to “piece the puzzle together” and connect the jigsaw puzzleinto a whole. So we deem everything as important as we are gathering information and adding to our knowledge base of our building and its historical contents.
All of your stories are inspiring to us. Gathering these memories and stories helps keep this building alive long after we all are long gone, in hopes of creating a lasting legacy. Ourbuilding boasts the beginnings of the poultry industry in Wilkes, the legend of moonshine, and the hardwareindustry rooted right here in Wilkes.
Legendary stories, which maybe more fictional than fact, let’s face it, those stories are always fun to tell and listen to. But,ultimately, may not help us with our mission of fact finding concerning 324 10th Street and the ultimate dissemination of the lasting legacy at 324 10th Street. Truth be told, honestly, I believe we need a bit of both types of memories and stories for balance. I realize that we may not ever fully discover everything there is to know about this timeworn, treasure of a building, but it’s definitely worth the discovery in my minds eye.
Yes, in case your curiosity has gotten the best of you and are wondering… we ARE still planning to paint the front doors, BUT we know it will be a HUGE project. The doors will have to come down and be prepared for a full makeover. This old hardware store building is like an onion, and we slowly peel a layer away at a time and tackle what we can as we get time to do so.
As I have mentioned before, in an earlier written blog posts, Stories help keep our past history alive, & keep us linked together.
I feel that it is extremely important to undertake the quest of learning about a building that is close to 120 years old. Not many buildings in Wilkes can boast such a history! Sharing the legacy of a great old historic building in the center of Downtown North Wilkesboro for future generations yet to come should be a central part of who we are and why we are still relevant today.
Thank you for continuing to support us by shopping with us as we head into year NINE of business! We appreciate your willingness to help create the bridge between our past experiences to our present day by sharing memories and stories of a treasured building at 324 10th Street. After all, that is the heart of legacy.
A HUGE thank you to Kim Anderson Reid for this incredible address totem pole!!!
Cornbread, is strongly rooted in Native American tradition. Maize, or corn as we know it today, at its most natural form, fed and nourished the earliest settlers in our state. Native American “cornbread” was originally known as Corn Pone (meal, water, salt). Cornbread became a popular staple daily bread for many Southerners centuries ago when corn was a food source that everyone grew for themselves and could be used in a variety of ways.
I would venture to guess that cornbread made centuries ago is vastly different from what is served on our Southern tables and in local restaurants today. In order to have a tasty cornbread AND to keep the “A-Maized” factor high, view the slice of what makes cornbread so delicious and extra special…
Non-Negotiables for A-Maizing Cornbread
In need of a new cornbread pan? Wilkes County Hardware has got it!
1. Begin with a HOT and well seasoned Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. I always preheat my oven and melt my butter (or oil) in my cast iron skillet while I’m mixing up my cornbread.
2. Hot cornbread freshly baked from oven tastes the best! Enough said right???
3. The outer, crispy crust and the center must be cooked through. Nothing is worse than a cornbread that sticks to skillet or isn’t cooked all the way through. Ugh!
Now that we have a few of the absolutes out of the way, there are some things that are absolutely up for debate regarding cornbread, depending on how you were brought up, and your palate preferences.
Cornbread, An “A-Maizing” Debate
1. Yellow versus white cornmeal- The ultimate question… which do you prefer? People seem to have a definite preference over one or the other. My family prefers the white cornmeal overall and that was my personal experience with cornbread growing up.
2. Sweet, savory, or simple cornbread- the choices are endless! Most folks are probably in the sweet cornbread camp OR the simple cornbread crowd… I grew up with the simple cornbread without any sweetness attached. Savory cornbread adds flavor to any meal. Which do you prefer? Love all three???
3. Biscuits or Cornbread– why decide right??? Just eat both!
4. Box mix or Mill ground– Sorry y’all, for me, there is definitely preference. I don’t think I have ever made a box cornbread mix before. I’m sure they are perfectly fine, but it is not what I’m accustomed to making. Linny’s Mill cornmeal has always been a family favorite.
A Slice of Cornbread Perfection: Memories of Cornbread and More
Growing up at home, when I opened the pantry or refrigerator, I knew exactly which container to go for in order to find the cornmeal. As a hungry kid learning the kitchen basics, helping my mom cook, cornmeal was a standard pantry staple. I could easily navigate the cabinets to find the cornmeal in a tall, bright, Tangerine orange Tupperware container. Out the container would come, and learning to mix up a simple cornbreadwith Mom…we were well on our way to getting dinner finished and the cornbread sliced, perfectly wedged and onto the kitchen table.
My memories of helping in the kitchen are strong. I spent many hours prepping alongside my Mom for family meals. I recall Mom didn’t always make the traditional simple cornbread baked in the hot skillet. That’s the nice thing about using diverse ingredients like cornmeal. Many variations of the same basic recipe can be made. Mom often made variations of Cornbread… corn muffins, hush puppies, cornbread fritters, and my Dad even sometimes crumbled the last piece of cornbread in milk.
My favorite way Mom used cornmeal was in making cornbread fritters. Cornbread fritters are a fried version of cornbread, and they are scrumptious and flat like a pancake. These fritters were a summer staple to supplement our supper, going alongside the freshly picked summer garden vegetables. I’m getting hungry as I write this!
I feel sure we ate more cornbread fritters than cornbread that way the oven stayed off, not heating up the kitchen unnecessarily on those long, hot, sultry, humid summer days.
The one cornmeal variety that I have memories of BUT not made or personally experienced is cornmeal mush. My Granny used to talk about making cornmeal mush for her dad often. He would request cornmeal mush when he just needed a little something to eat for a meal. It was just enough to sustain him.
I had heard the stories about him wanting cornmeal mush so often, that I would relate to Granny when she was feeling poorly before she passed away. She would often tell me she wasn’t hungry or didn’t feel like eating much… The cornmeal mush was a story we shared… so when I told her that I would not make her cornmeal mush, and I would smile as I said it… she would always smile back, we both knew of course, if she really wanted it, I would have made it. We always giggled about it then went onto discuss other options for her supper, keeping things simple, as she needed them to be. I miss her everyday.
Cornmeal is such a versatile ingredient in the Southern kitchen. Roll fresh okra, squash, zucchini in cornmeal before frying.
All that being said, Cornmeal is a simple staple that can guide you into many different directions in the kitchen by creating Casseroles, dressing, and even a cornbread salad. Cornmeal has been also used in many Southern kitchens as a breading for fried squash, okra, zucchini, and let’s not forget about fish as well! The potential for new recipes are unlimited!
Cornmeal is used as a base in this fish fry and yummy hush puppies.
Ahhh Shucks, Cornmeal A Versatile Ingredient
The key ingredients that our ancestors used centuries ago, to make a Corn Pone (meal, water, salt), have been tweaked and refined in order to make the perfect slice of cornbread in the 21st century . As a result, your favorite cornbread is probably a bit more flavorful.
Whether you are adding in savory ingredients, flour, sugar, egg, milk, buttermilk, or simply using water or milk/buttermilk to mix… cornbread has definitely changed over time. Making cornbread is definitely not quite as simple as it used to be and the flavors and variations are limitless!
The Cornbread Mentality
Our memories of how cornbread be… it is my gut feeling that those memories of cornbread are strongly tied to our family experiences and traditions regarding cornbread. We make, what we love to eat, and what’s comforting to our hearts and minds.
Your personal routines about making cornbread are deeply rooted in the way your Grandparents and Parents made cornbread…hence what I’m calling, The cornbread mentality exists in my own personal opinion.
My guess, your basic cornbread recipe is similar to what you grew up eating and loving about cornbread. AND that is your traditional cornbread recipe, always. No specific formula or recipe exists for all cornbread, making it the heart of the cornbread mentality… defining it as your own personal cornbread story. Ahhh, shucks y’all!
Last Spring I was basking in the sunshine, kneeling in my front flower garden, while planting one of my favorite “memory flowers”, a little white geranium. I should provide a bit of background on a “memory flower” for those who are new to my blog. A “memory flower” is a specific flower or plant that I have associated with special family members/friend that either gifted the plant to me OR I have sweet memories associated with the flower. My personal connections to flowers and what I plant in my garden is deeply rooted… linked to my personal life experiences and memories of those who I love and those who are no longer with us.
Read more about Flower Memories in the blog post: Flower Power
As I carefully took that “memory flower” out of the small, green container and placed it into my hand, I realized the root system of the tiny, white geranium was extremely shallow and weak. I began to cringe. My first thought was that the white geranium wouldn’t make it.
White geraniums are a staple in my containers every year. This planter in my garden has a nice healthy mix of summer annuals
After lots of TLC, it did survive the long, hot summer season but it didn’t thrive like some of my other plants that had a stronger established root systems when they were originally planted.
This shallow planting experience began an instant stream of thoughts about, “Being Well Rooted”. Howwould that translate into my understanding of my own life experiences?
Beginning with the concept in mind, establishing a good root system offering a deeper and stronger bond to the plant, conveying nourishment to all the branches…This began a spiral of thoughts.What roots have I established in my life? Am I well rooted in Wilkes?
All images used in this blog post are courtesy of our beautiful Wilkes County. I hope you find a few familiar places or maybe even some new places to explore.
Life is different here from anywhere else in the world. The pace of living is slower. It’s a great place to live and raise a family. Wilkes is simply HOME. My Roots are here. That part was easy to discern.
All images used in this blog post are courtesy of our beautiful Wilkes County. I hope you find a few familiar places or maybe even some new places to explore.
This blog post was created out of my life experiences and memories… remembering and honoring those who helped me to establish and discover my Roots and in good time, cultivated my unique story.
A Bit of Personal Perspective: A Foundation of Memories
I grew up in Wilkes County, surrounded by the beautiful, majestic mountains as our daily view looming at our back door step. It was the perfect blue mountain scenery that surrounded me and greeted me, and hugged me from the distance. As a rambling traveler moving away from and returning to our county borders, a definite welcome sight, the Blue Ridge in the distance, whispering, “Welcome HOME”.
Summer at Buck Mountain
I spent my “kid summers” wading in the creek that was located in the woods behind my house. No shoes were ever needed on a hot summer day. Running in the grass, barefoot, was the order of the day. As a kid, summer days seemed endless… these days were marked with sweet memories. From eating a watermelon wedge, soaking up the last bite of summertime sweet goodness to a full on chase and catch of lightning bugs, all were definite summer staples. I can remember being absolutely giddy with excitement about the opportunity to put those little, bright yellow bugs into a mason jar and watch them blink away in the dusk of a humid summer evening. Then finally, reluctantly, releasing them from the jar before heading inside before my nightly slumber ensued. Summers were filled with the beauty of the natural world that surrounded me in Wilkes. Wonderful childhood memories marked by the love of family and HOME.
Growing into My Roots
Eventually, I grew up and went away to college and enjoyed the experience that a larger city offered. I came HOME to Wilkes often during those college years to visit my family. Little did I know, ultimately, I had unlocked my ROOTS. My foundation was strong and I was slowly beginning to find my center.
Each return trip back HOME was so similar… marked by the familiar smells of freshly cut grass, and sometimes, with the pungent smell of manure which signaled, the hard work of local farmers. The sights of rolled hay fields, and corn fields in full view abound in my memories.
The sounds of nature … birds singing cheerfully, and crickets chirping their solitary song each evening at dusk. You could also listen to the church bells ringing in the distance calling out to its members singing a soulful little tune on Sunday mornings. The sounds that are mostly removed from the ears…heavy traffic, sirens, and other street noise that tends to dominate city life.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
And if you could pause long enough and listen… the rambling sound of race cars in the distance could be heard certain times of the year. You just know, if you live in Wilkes, when to expect and hear the humming sounds of race cars churning around the race track. I could always hear the roar and hum of race cars rumbling through the woods when the wind carried just perfectly from my childhood home.
Thankful to see North Wilkesboro Speedway open again!
And lastly, the pinnacle view, that I always took for granted, as a young person, the mountains in the distance, all signaled that I was HOME. Those beautiful mountains, served as a big hug from my surroundings here in Wilkes County, HOME. All familiar, and part of my heart and soul from my own life experiences. Memories branching out becoming my ROOTS.
A view from my front yard… we are blessed to have Mountain View’s everywhere
Finding Support and Growth
After College Graduation, I found myself returning HOME again, looking to fully take up ROOTS as an educator in my community where I grew up. Those formative years provided me with a sense of belonging to a welcoming community, where Southern hospitality still exists and I’m grateful that we live in such a friendly place.
The colors of Fall🍁
I found work and I began to prepare for the future. I worked in middle school education for over 25 years before retirement. I enjoyed teaching. What I discovered in my educational years, Creativity was at the utmost importance as I planned my lessons to make middle schoolers feel more engaged with their learning, but, it still had to be challenging. Creativity was a central element that has become part of my internal root system.
Summer at Kerr Scott Lake
Sometimes we realize that change is happening, and I knew it was time to concentrate on my ROOTS again. People can be easily replaced at work with another person, but you can’t be replaced at home. HOME and FAMILY an essential part of my daily being, deeply rooting me back to where I needed to be, HOME.
Initially, my vision of work after retirement was not what I anticipated. The ultimate reality that happened… Staffing changes, COVID, and other factors have put me in the forefront along the side of my faithful husband and partner who definitely welcomed me with open arms. We are now ROOTED in the hardware industry that had such strong roots and ties within our local community.
All images used in this blog post are courtesy of our beautiful Wilkes County. I hope you find a few familiar places or maybe even some new places to explore.
Branching Out
When retirement came, it was a bit a relief. I was utterly exhausted. I had been as they say, “burning the candle at both ends”. I had been working as a full time Mom, as an educator, working as a part-time business owner for our hardware store, blogging, and lastly, beginning to care for my aging grandparents. My life was extremely full.
We have found a rhythm at work inside our “old school hardware store” and have launched headlong into helping our community as we can through our business ownership in Downtown North Wilkesboro.
Thanks Susan for the pic!
In the last few years, Richard and I have worked alongside other Downtown Merchants, to form The Downtown North Wilkesboro Merchants Association, and we both actively participate in this group. You may recognize this group, as we have worked to create, The Spooktacular Festival for our community when the Greenway Trail of Treats was cancelled a few years ago.
The Hardware Life: A Life Lesson in Grafting
Wilkes County hosts a Peach Festival in July and Apple Festival in October, so the tradition of farming is central in our community. Fruit farmers often graft their fruit trees to create a new variety. The act of grafting… taking one plant cutting and merging with another, creating a unique union and the growth of a new species.
One of the quickest ways to send information out to our hardware store customer base was using the different creative tools that social media platforms offered. I literally had to dig deep into these tools and just go for it. Over the last 9 years, we have slowly grown a loyal audience on Facebook and Instagram, growing and expanding our hardware community. We have been able to share our product offerings, and our staff personal skill sets that make our hardware store a unique shopping experience for our customers.
My blog has continued to grow since I began, The Hardware Life Wife in 2018. As a novice writer, the blog pieces were fairly short and without pictures. I have learned more about the “how to blog process” as I have had the time. Initially, I honestly couldn’t devote much time to it. It was mostly a “summertime project” and I worked on blog posts between planning school lessons while I was still teaching full time. My blog has been a wonderful ROOTED creative outlet for me to share with others.
After a few years of consistent blogging, it became a goal of mine to add as many authentic pictures as I could to help break up the longer content pieces that I was now writing. Photographs provide a visual experience for the reader, adding an extra dimension, or as I could say “branch” to the story that is needed.
Kerr Scott Lake Sunset begins
Drawing upon my experience as an educator, I knew that I must give reluctant readers a reason to engage with my blog, as my writing pieces grew into more lengthy content. Another overall goal was to increase my blog readership.
Using these new goals and being ROOTED in educational experience, I decided to use “Chunking”. Chunking is breaking content down into smaller sections. I could use photographic images to further break down the information which would help the reader to stay focused on the writing content and the images adding to the overall narrative. Grafting in action!
Sunset at Buck Mountain
The use of stock images was not my intention, so I opted to insert my personal images into each blog post where I could create a more vivid reading experience for my readers.
Surprisingly, my personal photos were well received. I was stunned. This new finding was giving me the confidence and the opportunity to share more of my personal photography for which, I’m thankful and extremely grateful. I have been able to “branch out” and graft my core ROOTS into new areas of creativity and it has been an amazing journey!
Slowly, my heart has been wrapped around creating more beautiful images to share with my readers. My love of photography has grown and developed over the last few years. Seeking my ROOTS of creativity… ROOTED in my heart, showcasing everyday life in Wilkes County as I see it through my life lens using my camera, Rooted In Wilkes. All of the images you see today are all my own, with the exception of the photo of myself and Richard. I hope that you find these pictures add to the story.
Closing Thoughts: My ROOTED Experience
I must admit that one does not have to be a native of Wilkes to enjoy the beauty our area. The sights, sounds, and scenery of our greater community where I grew up and discovered my ROOTS. As I age, my appreciation of the beauty of my surroundings has grown. Anyone can Experience life in Wilkes if you are willing to take a moment to “branch out” and look for new opportunities and places in your nearby surroundings. Grafting opportunities are endless. Change is constant. So no matter wherever you find yourself, share your roots/story with others.
All images used in this blog post are courtesy of our beautiful Wilkes County. I hope you found a few familiar places or maybe even some new places to explore.
The beauty of Wilkes is all encompassing and deeply rooted in my life and for that, I’m grateful. I encourage you to go ahead and make some deep roots here. I found HOME, multiple opportunities to grow into my ROOTS, expanding my branches of creativity and learning, and how to GRAFT when needed. My ROOTS have allowed me to stop and slow down to appreciate the small things in this world, which ultimately are the BIG things in life. I think you will be glad that you took time to be Rooted in Wilkes.
This piece is dedicated to all friends and family who have been such a supportive influence upon my ROOTS growing up in Wilkes County.
My grandparents grew up during the Great Depression. The one thing I learned from them was never to be wasteful with food. Granny always saved the smallest portion of food and they used leftovers at the next meal often as a new side dish. It wasn’t always a “reheat and eat” type of side dish… They also used leftovers as a soup or even made a casserole. Waste wasn’t part of growing up during the Great Depression. Everything was used to the fullest extent.
I must admit, leftovers do get away from me sometimes, and they end up not being eaten before the expiration. I created this recipe out of necessity, using what I had on hand in the refrigerator and using up my leftovers.
Leftovers are a great opportunity to experiment with pantry staples and mixing in your leftovers. Challenge accepted!
As you review my recipe, please feel free to add your leftover veggies, pantry staples, and spice blends into this recipe to make it your own. This would be similar to a Taco Soup flavor profile or Mexican Chicken Soup as far tasting and key ingredients. Enjoy!
-Chili powder, red pepper, black pepper, salt (1/2 tsp each ) I used these to make a blend of spices to sprinkle over pork chops
– Canned salsa or Rotel (I had 1/2 can salsa left so I used it)
– 3/4 c Button Mushrooms diced (sauté in soup pot with dried onion and dash of Italian seasoning)
– Shredded carrots (1/4 c)
– Beef bullion cube- see note below
– Water 2 cups ( Note: 2 cups of beef stock can replace water and beef bullion)
– 1 can dark red kidney beans (drained)
– 1 can White beans (drained)
– Tomato sauce (1 small can)
– Handful of Frozen corn (leftover roasted or grilled corn would definitely add to the dimension of flavor)
Prepand Make: Easy Stove top recipe or even Crockpot
1. Sauté mushrooms in spices (dried onion and Italian seasoning) in your large soup pot.
2. Add shredded carrots and sauté for a few minutes. Add the diced leftover pork chops, add black pepper/chili powder spice blend. This spice blend will give it a nice kick. Reduce the red pepper flakes to 1/4 tsp to reduce spice.
3. Pour in salsa or Rotel. Stir well. Add water and beef bouillon cube or beef stock (see note above)
4. Add tomato sauce, all drained beans and a handful of frozen corn. Stir well. Simmer on low until vegetables are cooked.
5. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and cornbread.
Are you muddling through January??? The holidays are over, the Christmas lights and decorations are tucked away for another year. The chill of winter has set in. The blustery winter winds can take your breath away from the sudden surge of Arctic air. Brrr!!!! Many of us may just want to retreat inside our homes for a few months to hibernate like a bear.
The frost was hanging heavy on the trees January 12th
I feel like that in the winter months of January and February. Simply ready for Hibernation…. Often in the winter season, I’m driving to work in the dark each morning and then driving home as sun goes down. Ugh…. Yes, the sun concludes its day even earlier in the winter! At 6:00pm it feels like 10:00pm, my internal clock is askew … ready to hibernate for the entire evening at 7pm, struggling to stay awake. My inner bear is showing its sleepy little self.
If the seasons were reversed, that would be the opposite during the summer. Summer brings a burst of longer daylight and ongoing activity. So, my bear-like self becomes more like a busy little hummingbird …. A stroll into the garden after dinner, doing yard work, the list could go on and on… Yes, darkness can be a stronger force during the winter season.
Winter… less hours of daylight! Stop by to purchase this unique clock ⏰.
Maybe you are always a hummingbird all year long, but I know as I get older, my “bear instincts” are growing stronger as I feel the need to rest more in the winter months. Winter is a perfect time for a respite… Time to rest, reflect, and prepare yourself for another year.
January sunrises
Did y’all know that several years ago, the third January Monday was actually coined “Blue Monday”? I believe it was a travel gimmick to get people motivated to begin thinking about spring and summer travel. The goal of “Blue Monday” was to get folks motivated to plan and book their summer travel… not sure how all that worked out for the travel marketing industry but honestly, less hours of daylight does impact how we think and feel… science proven! Regardless of the original intent of this, it’s worth a discussion about the winter lull after the excitement of the holiday season.
Finding the beauty in January… January can be stark, like the tree without leaves. But the beauty emerges when you stop to view the beauty of the tree itself. Allowing yourself to rest, reset, and reflect in January can be good for your mind, body, and spirit.
So we have already established that it’s hard for me to get energized on those wet, windy, nasty cold days. And this year, so far, without significant snow to bring a glimmer of winter bliss into our midst it has been tough for my inner “bear”.
As adults, we often don’t have the “childlike” mindset of the glorious event of a wonderful snowstorm… watching with wonder and excitement… viewing every snowflake fall by the window, snow days with no school, or gearing up for sledding.
Ahhh, the beautiful snowfall captured from a few years ago. This is a favorite photo of mine from the Greenway.
So how do we beat the winter “blues”? I would venture to guess that most of us can’t pack up and take an extended vacation until April. Wouldn’t that be wonderful!!! Yes, that’s not happening for 99 % of us reading this blog post. I also do realize that some folks do suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and if that’s the case these simple tips may not be enough to keep your spirit strong… seek out medical professionals.
But, if the “ winter blues” are simply getting you down in the dumps, here’s a few tips from your favorite local hardware store blogger to help make the winter of 2023-2024 a bit cozier and warmer.
Winter… bring warmth and cozy comfort to your daily routine
Tips for Fighting the Winter “Blues”
1. Go Green! Yes, that’s right, invest in a few good house plants. We spend the majority of our time inside during the winter, so add some fresh green plants into your home. Stop by Wilkes County Hardware for a fresh bag of potting soil, or a new flower pot. Me, I love plants… so this one is a no brainer for me… But, what if you aren’t great with live plants… substitute in artificial greenery. Hmmm… I’m not an artificial plant or greenery person… buy a beautiful bouquet of flowers to use as a centerpiece for your kitchen table to add a boost of color to your surroundings.
2. Get outside!!! Take a walk… when the weather allows. Take in some much needed sunshine/ vitamin D on a sunny winter day. Plan a fun family event… Build a fire pit and eat s’mores with family.
Outdoor logs are available for purchase at Wilkes County Hardware
3. Eat Cozy … Make your favorite soup and stews. Winter is a time to make the most of the cold weather by enjoying your favorite comfort foods, soups and stews. I know we are enjoying several of our favorites this winter.
Need a new Dutch Oven… this red, Lodge style one is perfect for all of your winter meals!
4. Feed the birds… watch your bird feeders from the warmth of your home and enjoy nature. They need a boost of nutrients too.
The birds need you during the cold winter months to supplement their diet.
5. BeWarm at Home … Yes, home should be a warm place to retreat. So take time to evaluate those cold areas around windows or doors, etc and make minor repairs if needed. Another tip to be warm at home… is to build a fire in your fireplace, or add candles to your non-working fireplace to add a little extra cozy comfort.
This is Great Stuff… yes, I said it 😂
6. Bring in the light… Who say that all the Christmas lights must go up! This year leave out a set of twinkling lights after Christmas OR add accent lamps to a dark room, set a timer for them to come on before you arrive home at night. Add night lights to areas where darkness is common like a hallway. Need any of these items… stop by and pick up a new timer, night light, or light bulbs at Wilkes County Hardware.
7. Drink in the warmth … nothing is better than a hot cup of coffee, hot tea, or hot chocolate on a cold winter day.
Need a few new mugs to get through the winter ???? Stop by Wilkes County Hardware for handmade mugs.
8. Add ambient light… Head over to Wilkes County Hardware for an oil lamp. Oil lamps offer a fragrance free ambient light that you often can’t get with a candle. The lamp oil that we stock on our shelves is also smokeless.
These are perfect to add a bit of cozy, and warmth into any room during the winter months. Perfect for power outages too! These strike anywhere matches are perfect for winter fires, candles, oil lamps and more!!!
9. Create Cozy… Rearrange a room to give it a fresh feel after the holidays by moving furniture etc, or do a small DIY to refresh your home.
Paint is an easy way to refresh a room, a well worn piece of furniture, or add a splash of color to cabinets.
10. Get Organized… Are you ready to Clean, and Declutter???? Whether you are doing a deep closet cleaning or just polishing up that old piece of furniture, Wilkes County Hardware can help you find the perfect cleaning products and tools to get it done ✅.
Wilkes County Hardware offers a variety of cleaning supplies! Stop by to view our selection soon.
In closing, fighting the “winter blues” for me, is all about finding the balance of being content and keeping the weather in perspective.
I can make the months of January and February dark, dank, and gloomy in my mindset OR I could immerse myself into the beauty of the season by finding the perfect combination of rest, comfort and coziness to make my winter a peaceful experience. I choose the latter.
I’m choosing to live up my winter this year by making yummy soups, savoring my morning coffee, adding some greenery into my decor, creating a small to do list of DIY projects and yes, cleaning out those closets!!! Ugh, maybe I do need to hibernate 😂. Enjoy the winter season and stop by for some winter warmth when you can!
The perfect spot to be cozy and warm and beat the “ Winter Blues”.
When people walk into our hardware store, they often say y’all have just a little bit of everything here don’t you!!! As we have entered into year number 8 of business, we have slowly expanded and refined our offerings to our customers. Here’s a sampling of our product offerings via ABC’s of Wilkes County Hardware.
Top down view overlooking the back corner of Wilkes County Hardware
Let’s begin by diving into the Amazing finds from All Around the Hardware Store! Sometimes our building might be considered an “Antique” due to its advanced age…1905 is A long time AGO!
A- Almanac, acetone, axe, American Flags, animal repellents
Deer repellent, snake and more!
B- bird feeder & seed, BBQ sauce, brooms, bi-fold door hardware, bungee cords, batteries, black iron fittings and pipe cut to size, bolts
C- Customers! We can’t do this without you!!!Thank you for shopping with local with us! It’s soooo easy to forget about local businesses when you’re busy running errands or just headed to that “box store” for something on your to do list. Keep the CASH in our community!
Thanks for shopping local and keeping the CASH in our community!
Sometimes all you need it just one bolt or fastener… that’s ok with us, no need to buy a whole box. This area of our store is often full of customers all day long.
G- Gardening tools, garden seeds, grass seed, gloves, glues, grilling accessories, Greased Lightning, gas cans, galvanized fittings and pipe cut to size, window glass cut to size
Lawn and Garden area has been moved towards the front of the hardware store. We are excited to offer new products in this busy area for our customers.
H- hammers, hooks, hinges, hand tools, hose barb, Howard wood cleaning products, honey(it’s local y’all!)
Only local honey sold at Wilkes County Hardware!!
I-I didn’t know you had this! I should have come here first… we have heard this a few times over the last 8 years when folks find what they need and more as they shop.
I- Iron Out, ice melt
J- Juxtaposition of old school hardware store with excellent customer service found in 2023 versus “the box store experience”in 2023, no self service checkout here.
J-Japanese beetle traps, joint compound
K-keys duplicated with ease, knives, kerosene heaters & replacement wicks
Wayne has been a fixture inside Wilkes County Hardware for over 20 years. He just celebrated his 85th birthday!!! I bet Wayne has made a key or two for you.
L- Ladder wall, this wall showcases some of our amazing local artisans work.
Our local artisans are prominently featured along the back ladder wall.
M- Mural.. have y’all noticed the new mural on the front side of the building? Why the chicken??? Our building was a poultry processing plant in its early years.
N-nails … we don’t sell these by the pound anymore but we have small size packs available for purchase as well as larger sizes, National Hardware what an amazing selection of all things related to home hardware and more!
O- Order it for me please! Yes, we special order items for our customers each and every week
O- O-rings of all shapes and sizes!
P- Pool supplies, paper towels, PVC fittings, PB Blaster, Pex fittings, plungers, plumbing supplies galore! PVC pipe, padlocks, potting soils, polyurethane and and plethora of so much more!
Our plumbing section has been recently updated
Q- Quite a step back into time.. our building dates back to 1905, they don’t build them like this anymore. You can quickly find what you need and save TIME by not driving to a box store fighting the traffic or the crowd… and if you need our help we are here to answer any questions you may have about your project.
Q- Quick knife/scissors sharpening done in a matter of a few minutes, Quartz piston clock… locally made
R- Repairs made to lamps, kerosene heaters, re-screening windows, and tool handle replacement
Fall and winter season is a busy time for Kerosene heater repairs
R- Ready Seal, rodent control products, Rid-X , rope cut to size or just buy it by the package.
Rocking chair… we brought this chair from our house once we bought the hardware store. I rocked my son as a baby in this rocking chair. It was a sweet reminder of home. Harry loved this chair as well.
S-Staff… we are blessed with an amazing team!
Richard & Coby … these two can fix just about anything! Wayne … the key master! Tim … expert in glass Lisa .. we can’t live without her! She is a gemAngie… I’m not sure what to say 😂😂😂Lastly, Carter Call … I don’t seem to have a good photo of him but he has been a star pool guy all summer long! Look for him at the hardware store in the afternoons and Saturdays to come!
S-snow shovels and sleds, locally made soaps, suet, screws ( sheet metal, lag, stainless, self tapping, wood, deck), spray paint, Shark Bite, sandpaper, stove pipe, screwdrivers and much more!
T- Take a few minutes to wander from the front of the store to the back of the store.. you never know what you might find!
We keep a variety of pellets in stock for our established Traeger customers.
U- U-bolts and unique gifts from locally sourced artisans
V- Don’t be vexed by our selection of furnace filters, we have so many different sizes in stock!
Furnace filters of all sizes!
V- Vulcan 55 gallon drum liners for your trash can
W- Wood stove… warm by the fire on those cold days
It won’t be long until this stove will be back in action again!
W- wheelbarrow, WD-40, window glazing, water hoses, locally made wooden bowls and boards, weed eater trimmer line, wing nuts, wrench
X- Xacto blades, Xtreme contractor trash bags
Y-y’all are always welcome
Our doors are normally open for most of the warmer months, and conversations are usually flowing most of the day… near the old wood stove.
Y- Yellow Quell- did you know that we sell pool supplies and test pool water???
Pool season runs from May to September for most of our pool customers. Thanks for shopping locally with us!
Z- Zep products, Zip ties(cable ties) , Zero-G lightweight hose
The best water hose for watering plants
That’s just a glimpse of some of the familiar hardware products that we have inside Wilkes County Hardware. Richard and I are proud to continue into year 8 with new products to be added into the hardware store lineup as the next year progresses. Thank you for your business and continued support.
April 25th is National Hug your Plumber Day. When you need a plumber, you usually need one ASAP!! I would say that a good chunk of our customers that walk into our hardware store are seeking help with some type current plumbing issue or seeking a replacement plumbing fitting. That being said, this might be a “fitting” blog post to “plunge” into today.
The plumbing aisle is usually a busy place on most days of the week inside our hardware store. Plumbing issues can become time consuming and can be expensive, especially if you lack the equipment and expertise that a plumber has.
As we all know, Home maintenance is ongoing, and can get expensive. Being proactive with your maintenance tasks, can give you an opportunity to move forward with other projects.
No worries y’all, just following these tips could add to your existing knowledge base about plumbing 🪠 so let’s plunge into the tips!
WCH Recommends … every home should have a plunger. Now, Let’s “plunge” into these great tips!
1. Know where your main water shutoff is located. Enough said! If you don’t know where your water shutoff is located, then make it your mission to find out ASAP! A water issue can be controlled much easier when you know where the main shutoff is found. Instead of a looming disaster with water everywhere inside your home, you can divert the danger by immediately turning the water off.
A very kind plumber who came to our home several years ago on a small plumbing project took the time to show me where our main shutoff is located. I value and appreciate his expertise and friendship .
2. Don’t use bleach to clean with regularly if you are on a septic tank system(Think about the toilet bowl drop ins and cleaning chemicals you are using the most often.) . The bleach can kill off the good bacteria in your system. When the good bacteria are destroyed, your tank won’t be able to break down waste effectively, meaning a clogged septic tank could be inevitable. 😳
Always available at Wilkes County Hardware!
3. What goes in must come out… and everything is not flushable! Yes, to most folks this is common sense. But everyone doesn’t know that baby wipes, Q-tips, grease, feminine hygiene products, diapers, paper towels, tissues are not flushable or acceptable for drains! Yes, even coffee grounds can clump up as well as cat litter and can lead to a clog. All of these items can reek havoc on your pipes/toilets and cost you a small fortune in order to get rid of a massive clog!
This 🧻 Decomposing at a faster rate! A camping & boating essential! Now available at WCH!!
4. When you do have a clog, deal with IT effectively. Using a Plunger or a snake is your first line of attack against a clog.Powerful Chemicals are secondary… especially if your plumbing lines are older. The harsh chemicals can break down your current, older plumbing lines even more quickly. 😳 AND if you have to use a chemical agent, read the directions and use it as directed!!! Be safe!
WCH Recommended item: if you need to deal with a clog, this is a good, safe option and eco friendly.
5. Check out your Insulation around water lines in basements and crawl space. If you don’t like what see, it is a good idea, especially during the extremely cold months to add insulation. Don’t forget to also check your Well pumps and pressure tanks, they should also have insulation around them too.
We stock essential homeowner necessities for plumbing….Glues, tape, fittings, insulation wrap, CPVC, and more!
6. Disconnect your water hose at the end of the growing season and cover your outdoor faucets. Outdoor faucets will freeze and create greater problems for you!
WCH Recommended item: These are great to have in hand before the first frost hits at the end of the long hot summer.
7. Do a bit of Reconnaissance work as a homeowner… a visual inspection of your plumbing . It is necessary as a homeowner- check your whole house water filters, look for any leaky hoses, or visible water around base of toilet( this can become a costly repair) are your toilets flushing properly, do you see leaks around hot water heater, visible water under your sink??? The small cost of a roll of plumbers tape is definitely worth the investment to add to your home toolbox. Lastly, Some leaks are not visible… pay close attention to your water bill each month to examine any spikes in your monthly costs. If you see a noticeable increase, definitely get this checked out!
WCH Recommends: A roll of plumbers tape is good to keep on hand at home for quick fixes.
8. Know when to call in an expert. Even the best DIY homeowners often know their limits and will call in the professionals when necessary.
That’s all folks! These tips are based on my own personal experience. Your experiences are uniquely relevant as well. I hope that you find this information helpful and useful as a homeowner.
Work… the mechanical manifestation of energy, according to science. Work it could be said, is the “nuts and bolts “ of what we do each and every day. After all, nuts and bolts are not the whole of a project, they are only a portion of a project.
The successful concept of work today creates within the soul a feeling of pride, satisfaction of a job well done, and contribution back into your greater community in some type of capacity. Today I’m offering y’all an inside look at our hardware work… the “nuts and bolts” view of what we do each day.
Walking inside Wilkes County Hardware may take you back into a time of nostalgia… viewing our old building, wood stove, historic elevator, or even remembering a time when hardware stores used to be full service for the customer. We still do that each and every day. Our customers always come first! Customers are the essential element in our business, and that is why we are customer service oriented in what we do! Wilkes County Hardware is definitely more than a place to go pick up a few nuts and bolts.
They just don’t build them like this anymore, check out the size of those beams y’all! Elevator view from top down Wood stove heat keeps us moving and going in the winter months. Our nuts and bolts aisle
Yes, we have several folks who stop by to shop our extensive selection of nuts 🔩 and bolts… whether you are looking to purchase one or two or even multiple boxes. But did you know that we do the following things as well??
1. Key duplication
Wayne is a popular guy in our key area! We duplicate keys, rekey locks, can make chip keys … ask us if we can help you out with your key needs
2. Kerosene wick replacement
Wick repair is ongoing, unsure which wick you need? We can find that for you too! A work area for repairs like kerosene wick repair, tool repair, lamp repair
3. Threading and pipe cutting
Galvanized and black pipe threaded… if you have never done this, it is a labor intensive job and takes time to do it well. Kudos to Richard who does most of this laborious task.
4. Glass cutting up to 36 inches
This custom piece was recently done for a customer and it is ready to go!
5. Chain cut to exact length
Our display showcases the chain we have in stockand ready to go home with you! Measure twice, cut once… cut chain CAN NOT be returned please know how much you need before we cut it for you. Folks often ask about what we use our upstairs space for… we measure and cut chain, tubing, rope, do window screen repair, window glass cut, and pipe threading is all done upstairs.
6. Basic lamp repair
Have a lamp that is acting all weird.. we can fix it for you or you can do it yourself with these simple pieces Light bulbs, extension cords, fuses, and basic electrical supplies we will help you find what you’re looking for in order to get your to do list completed
7. Tool handle replacement
Replace your own if you wish! Or we can do it for you! Our lawn and garden section is usually a busy spot year round. Ask us if you have questions about a project, or product.
8. Pool water testing for free!
Pool water testing is always a good idea when you’re a pool owner Wilkes County Hardware keeps a variety of pool chemicals in stock for sale
9. Roll pipe cut to length (most hardware retailers sell the entire roll) and copper pipe
Roll pipe cut upstairs Copper cut to length or sold by roll Need to do a small plumbing repair? We can cut these to length as well This display is found on the plumbing aisle.
10. Gas and plumbing fittings … including a good selection of Pex and Shark Bite
Compression fittings and flared fittings of all sizes Our plumbing aisle is a bustling place on most days
11. Vast selection of furnace filters
Ask us and we will gladly help you find your size of furnace filter
12. Window screen repair
This is a basic list of our service offerings.
13. Knife and scissor sharpening
Working on a knife 🔪 for sharpening
As y’all can see we work hard to be a full service hardware store for our customers. Our goal is to keep our customers coming back to us for all of the things that they need for any project. Thank you for being a great part of what we do each and every day whether it is a purchase of nuts and bolts, a key or even a bag of bird seed. We couldn’t be here without you!
Coles bird seed has become a very popular item for our regular customers You need to clean it or scrub it, we can probably help you!! And we have locally sourced items too!!! Locally made soaps, candles, pottery, & woodworking Stop by and find some “Great Stuff” that you didn’t know existed inside our historic walls. Sorry for the pun y’all.
So there it is… the “nuts and bolts” of the hardware life daily work. Stop by and see us soon. We appreciate your support of our small business. YOU are the part that holds all of our work together in our nuts and bolts analogy. Thank you for joining us in our journey of the hardware life for the last seven years.
He is the gentleman who built the current building that houses our hardware store in 2022. Mr. Eller placed his business, as you may have guessed, in our current building on the corner of 10th Street and D Street in North Wilkesboro.
Wilkes County Hardware in November 2022
To our best known facts, the building dates back to 1905. Mr. EE Eller was a premier poultry & produce dealer in North Wilkesboro. EE Eller Produce Co. was one of the largest turkey, and chicken wholesalers. EE Eller was a major processing center for local farmers to bring turkeys/chickens into North Wilkesboro. Ironically, it was probably one of the first poultry processing plants in our town.
An artist rendering of Wilkes Hardware from several years ago
Farmers would literally herd their turkeys from down the mountains in Ashe, Watauga, and Alleghany Counties in order to collect the cash proceeds from their labor filled task.
Eller’s staff would process/sell their flock. Could you imagine the sight that it must have been??? All of the sudden the flock of turkeys appeared on the roads in Wilkes!!!! Men guiding them with corn along the way, flocks of turkeys gobbling, wobbling with wings flying everywhere!!!! I would imagine that the sight of this was pretty common in the early 1900’s in rural Wilkes County. I bet the turkeys never suspected any “fowl play” on their journey. The old newspaper article did say that one of the largest turkey drives that ever was processed by Mr. Eller was 1,500 turkeys in one drive!!!
Signage like this one marked the path for local farmers to EE Eller’s Produce House. Thanks to Jerry Dameron for sharing this photo collection with me.
Once a flock of turkeys arrived at EE Eller Produce, they were processed/ dressed for shipped via train. Our local train station was just down the street from our current store location. The train destinations were mostly in Northern states after leaving the North Wilkesboro station. According to local oral history, it is estimated that Mr. Eller processed at his height of business, 1 million chickens and turkeys!!!! Guess that was all “gravy” for him after that!!!!
I have written about the history of our store before but, new facts have come to light! Let’s “de-feather” this poultry truth!
To those loyal readers of my blog, this will be new information for you. All the “plucky” truth, as we know it… A few months back, we were lucky to have a few family members of Mr. Eller to drop in for a quick visit. Up high on the wall held 4 pictures of what we had thought were the past 4 owners of the building, but it was ultimately revealed that the charcoal drawing on the far left was not Mr. EE Eller.
Many of y’all know this was the Wall of Fame inside our hardware store… check the wall the next time you shop with us, it maybe a “feather” shorter than before Who really knows who this guy could be??? The truth is that we did not find any visible clues inside the frame or even on the back of this old charcoal drawing
Further reading and research has revealed that Mr. Eller moved from the corner of 10th and D Street building to Forester Avenue in 1941 to a larger location. Wilkes Hardware moved into the 10th Street location sometime later on, I haven’t been able to determine a definite date yet but we know it was sometime in the 1940’s.
It was fascinating to “pluck out” the facts about the origins of this historic building we currently reside in each day. As time allows, I’ll continue to research more about the history of Wilkes Hardware and even Mr. Eller. For now, I think we have “gobbled up” a few new fascinating facts about our historic past.
Hope I “beaked” your interest a bit in our history but just “winging it” and wishing y’all a very Happy Thanksgiving!
The Smithey Building has long been an anchor store on 10th Street. Our across the street neighbors for the last 7 years. Showcasing this 33,000 square foot building here in this early morning photo of Apple Festival from a few years ago A storm unloaded a lot of water onto our front sidewalks & back parking lot in a matter of 8 minutes! Some of our 10th Street neighbors experienced water inside their buildings after the rain. One marked component of the storm was intense lightning. The first capture of the flames from the fire on August 30, 2022 … Tuesday evening around 5:30pm as Richard & I saw the North Wilkesboro fire department pulling into 10th Street. Firefighters are quickly getting the hoses out and getting ready to work Wilkesboro firefighters also quickly responded to the fire and placed ladder truck into position The smoke was getting more intense. Businesses on the same side as Smithey’s began to move valuable goods to safer areas. Other business owners from 10th & Main Street were there to help. Cars were moved from 10th Street. It proved to be a challenge because of the firehoses, emergency vehicles, narrow openings, and difficulty finding a few of the car owners. Around 6:45pm NW police asked all businesses/residents of 10th Street to vacate buildings due to safety concerns. We stayed across the street at Dom’s Bakery. We felt we should stay as our livelihood was in danger. Firefighters were pushing a ton of water on the fire. Firefighters had to take the tanker trucks to nearby water towers to get more water. I think it was estimated that the fire consumed over 4 million gallons of water. It was at times, difficult to watch. The smoke billowing from the building. 11-12 different fire departments responded to the fire. The top floors have begun to fall through to the main floor of the Smithey building A fork-like piece of heavy equipment was used. It was interesting to watch it maneuver onto 10th Street in between the hoses and the buildings. Piercing through the old windows.. yes! The original facade was covered up with the existing Smithey exterior. Some of these firefighters have worked all day long and will continue to work into the late night Just no words.. 😢 Around 10:00-10:30 Wilkes Oil brought a truck to refuel the existing fire trucks. They have now been on scene for 5 hours. Richard & I spoke to the fire scene chief before we left for the night around 11pm. The fire was definitely under control and being well managed. The street would remain closed and we could open with back door access on Wednesday morning Firefighters worked all night long. Here’s a early morning photo from Wednesday morning. The extent of fire is quite visible. These hoses are HUGE!! At the height of the fire on Tuesday evening, firefighters had 4 different ladder trucks going at once!!! Wednesday morning, two remaining ladders are busy putting the flames down The buildings next door were very lucky that no substantial fire damage occurred. Water pouring through the roof Some of these firefighters had been on shift for over 24 hours.. working at fire department or other jobs. Exhausted but dedicated! Thank you! All ages of firefighters were on deck.. thanks for keeping our community safe. 📸credit: Monty 😊Bringing in the heavy equipment for demolition
Demolition started with the little corner building… the old gas station side
Building Demolition took only a few hours. We could feel a few vibrations during the demolition inside our building 10th Street was opened for full traffic by 5pm. All within 24 hours!!! The demo/ grading team has done an amazing job! The bricks seem to be a popular item for onlookers to stop by to take a piece of the building with them. We have heard many stories that so many people have shared with us over the last few days of experiences at Smithey’s Goodwill. A dear couple actually meet there and eventually married. 💕 We will miss our historic neighbors but looking forward to the next chapter that the new building will bring to our town, in whatever form. 📸 credit: Sonny
I really hadn’t thought much about Sonker since my teenage years but an early morning walk few weeks ago brought the word back into my vocabulary once again.
Our walking group had converged on the North Wilkesboro Greenway trail and we had begun talking about miscellaneous things, ie… who was doing what over the next few days… Summer fruits seemed to be on the agenda for discussion and the term Sonker came up… chiefly the origin of the term. One of my friends never had heard of the term and begun to ask questions about it and how it was similar or different from a fruit Cobbler.
My input into the conversation…Sonker was a common summer dessert in my home growing up and I also remembered my Granny used the term often. Cobbler wasn’t the commonly used term to describe the fruit-filled pan of goodness at our house nor in my extended family households.
Sonker can be made with any type of fruit. We often had fresh blueberries or cherries at home during the summer months.
As we continued our walk and daily topics of discussion changed, I made a mental note to ask my mom about the Sonker recipe later and if she knew anything about the origin of the name.
A week or so elapsed in time before I recalled the Sonker conversation on the Greenway when I was talking on the phone with my mom one afternoon. She immediately answered my questions. She recalled an article that she had read in Our State Magazine about Sonker. She relayed key details from the article, and encouraged me to go read more about it. Mom discussed the differences between her version of Sonker and Granny’s. Granny usually had leftover fresh biscuit dough which she topped with fruit. Mom’s recipe, y’all will be able to find at the end of the blog post today.
Granny would take her leftover scraps of biscuit dough to top her Sonker.
FYI, Mom is fantastic with last minute supper guests…she can whip up an easy dessert effortlessly. My sister & I often challenged her to this task, with extra guests at the table. Sonker was one of those perfect, easy desserts… baking and bubbling in the oven while supper was being served and consumed. The aroma filled the kitchen with dessert goodness waiting patiently for the final feature, a fruit-filled Sonker.
Blueberry Summer Sonker
For those of y’all who are still wondering what on earth is Sonker??? Sonker is a deep-dish fruit “pie”, usually served in a square/rectangular baking pan. Sonker is supposed to be “juicier” than a typical cobbler. Sonker can be a dessert large enough to feed a family or accommodate guests in your home. Sonker is NOT a “fussy” dessert. The ease of recipe is part of the charm of Sonker. On the other hand, cobblers, tend to have more of a thick biscuit texture to the breading and the texture on top appears to be “cobbled”. The dough is dropped or spooned onto the top of the fruit typically in a cobbler. The end result of a well baked Sonker, in my opinion, showcases your fruit, cobblers often showcase the beautiful breading.
Have an abundance of fruit??? Make a Sonker and freeze the rest of your fruit for a special Sonker treat for later on in the winter monthsPeach 🍑 Sonker ready to go into oven
Upon my Mom’s urging to further read & research, I also learned that Surry County hosts a Sonker Trail and a festival each October. Surry County even has a classic Sweet Potato Sonker with a creamy/milky type “dip” which is a finishing feature of the Sweet Potato Sonker.
Y’all still might be thinking …really, ISa Cobbler the same thing as Sonker??? In my opinion, these two are very “close first cousins.” Honestly, I simply prefer to use Sonker to describe my fruit-filled deep dish pies. My food memories linger there.
According to the research articles I have read, the term “Sonker”, was derived from a Scottish word meaning straw saddle. The Sonker experts tell us that they suspect that cooks used the analogy of the crust likeness of the fruit-filled pie to compare it to the Scottish word.
North Carolina settlers have connections to Scotland via the Great Wagon Road
Also, the Sonker experts believe that the term Sonker originated in Surry and Wilkes Counties. I suspect that if you aren’t a “native” to these two geographic areas NOR your parents, you may not know the term Sonker.
My husband had no clue what Sonker was all about, even though he has lived in Wilkes his entire life BUT his parents were not “natives” of Wilkes. Cobbler is the term he definitely prefers to use for the fruit-filled dessert.
My sister, on the other hand, a Wilkes County native, who now lives out of state, is teaching her young daughter to make Sonker… thereby keeping the legacy of our mom’s recipe going strong! That definitely made my heart smile.
I would suspect the term Sonker is locale specific. My grandparents lived in both Surry & Wilkes Counties during their lifetime. So I believe they were well connected to the locale and it was reflective within their vocabulary and local food choices. Sonker was definitely a sweet part of summer during my younger years. I hope to continue my Sonker Summers by experimenting with my mom’s classic recipe and just simply enjoying the “fruits of my labor”.
Your personal preference of the term Sonker or Cobbler could be ingrained into your vocabulary mindset. But cobbler makers & lovers, I hope that you will add Sonker into your vocabulary AND into your food palate. Let’s keep our local food history alive and growing! Go experience Sonker this Summer.
Mom’s basic recipe for Sonker :
Ingredients & Utensils
-Square baking pan (this recipe is easily doubled or even cut in half in order to accommodate the number of people you wish to feed, for my 8-9 inch square baker I use 3/4 cup instead of full recipe)
-1 stick melted butter
-1 cup self rising flour
-1 cup milk – (I added a dash of vanilla to mine but it is not necessary)
-1 cup sugar
-Fruit (fresh, frozen, or canned… use what you have on hand)
Fresh blueberries, a staple of Sonker Summertime
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Melt butter in baking pan.
3. Mix together milk, sugar, flour and dash of vanilla (if desired) into bowl as butter melts.
4. Once butter is melted, pour milk /flour/sugar mixture over the butter into pan. Do not stir!
5. Add fruit on top of milk/flour/sugar mixture. The breading will disperse throughout the Sonker as it bakes. Sprinkle extra sugar on top of fruit for extra sweetness if desired.
Canned fruit typically has plenty of extra sweetness, so skip the sugar topping if desired.
6. Bake until crust is golden brown.
7. Note: You may want to let your Sonker cool down for 10 minutes before eating. No one wants to get burned eating a hot Sonker.
8. Sonker is goes well with vanilla ice cream, enjoy y’all.
I believe y’all can find a few different versions of Sonker recipes online… this one is definitely nostalgic to me and my favorite one.
As your garden grows, so do the weeds😳! Weeds, the unwanted earthy material we desire to rid our flower & vegetable gardens of forever. Weeds can somehow creep into your garden and appear almost overnight. Weeds steal valuable water & nutrients from your growing garden. Before you know it, your once gorgeous garden is chocked full of weeds and struggling to survive. As a gardener, an ongoing “thankless task” is pulling weeds.
Some people say, that pulling weeds is a laborious task, while others seem to get lost in the joy of nature, connecting back with the earth. Regardless, of your mindset, it is a maintenance task that must be routinely addressed as a homeowner in order to keep an approachable, well maintained landscape.
Weeds and pollen.. Spring is here!
On the blog today , I have researched and found my Top Weeding Tips to share with y’all. These are not fool proof, but it could help with your Spring and Summer garden maintenance routine.
Top Ten Weeding Tips:
1. Timing is Everything … Pulling weeds is a much easier task after a good soaking rain. Those of us who live in red clay soil zones, can definitely attest to the ease of pulling after a rain versus the dry, hard clay soil. Smaller weeds are much easier to yank than larger ones. So don’t ignore the task of weeding. Pulling weeds in morning or later evening is definitely easier during those long, hot summer days.
After a rain is a perfect time to walk in garden to see the beauty of your labor & be active in weeding out those pesky little weeds.
2. Tools… the right tools for the job are important! I usually carry a small bucket for weeding to dispose of those pesky things. A weeding tool, gardening spade, gloves, and gardening hoe are essential for getting the job done, get the root out!
Great tools make quick work of weed control!This folding stool is great for gardening chores!!
3. Think about your mulch layer… If you mulch heavy( 3-4 inches deep) it should help somewhat with weed control. Simply putting down an inch or two of mulch around perennials, annuals and shrubs is simply not going to cut it. A shallow layer of mulch won’t keep weed seeds buried in the soil below from germinating. The key to weed control is to smother them out! Weed seeds need light, water, & air in order to thrive and grow. Make conditions harsh for weeds to prosper. Also, don’t forget to think about the birds who float in weed seeds that can get into the soil below to sprout and grow. Mulch in flowerbeds should be at a minimum of depth of 4 inches.
Available at WCH!
4. Tilling… the least amount of soil that is disturbed, the better chance you have to keep weed seeds from being distributed . Weed seeds are buried in every inch of your beautiful garden, but only those in the top inch or two of soil get enough light to trigger germination. Digging and cultivating brings hidden weed seeds to the surface. So don’t dig or till unless absolutely necessary!
5. Think about planting more… the unused garden space in your garden invites the opportunity for more weeds to grow. It maybe time to grow more veggies or flowers!
6. Turn the pages of your Almanac!!! Pulling weeds during a barren sign(Leo, Gemini, Virgo, Aquarius) is impactful!
I usually consult my Almanac before I go pull weeds. It is a fruitless task to weed control on a day that is unsuited for it. We are currently sold out for 2025! Please call us if you have questions about current signs or when to plant/weed.
7. Take a daily walk through your garden, & pull a few weeds everyday. Pick a section to focus on each day and just work in it.
8. Technology time… plant apps are readily available to help you identify plant material. Weeds can be identified and help you determine how to get rid of it. How does this weed spread… seed, runners, or rhizomes/root based ???
Consider using a plant identification app.
9. Talent… use your talent as an amazing gardener by never leaving the roots behind. If you pull only the leaves, weeds will grow back. Grab the weed close to the ground and pull straight up. Remove the entire root for a successful weeding session. For those really hard ones to kill, we have some amazing chemicals to try, if you need them. Our customers have requested chemicals that are people/pet friendly that work! We have them!!! Come stop by and talk to us about options available.
These products are all available at WCH!
10. Tenacity will pay off… my gut tells me, there will always be weeds in the garden, 😬hopefully less than more… maybe a few of these tips can help to reduce your weeding chores. Just don’t give up on your garden. The joy it brings is definitely worth it and persistence is key in weeding the garden. Go for it in 2025!
This blog post was originally published in 2022, but has been updated in 2025.
The tale I am about to unravel goes back way in history to the beginnings of our store… well, actually before it was a hardware store. Our original building was constructed in 1905.
In the early 1900’s, our building was known to all the residents of Wilkes as EE Eller Produce. Mr. Eller was a major poultry buyer/ dealer where local folks would bring in chickens, and turkeys for processing.
Here’s an old advertisement from local newspaper
The processed chickens & turkeys were loaded up on the railroad cars just down the street. The North Wilkesboro Train Station was a bustling center of commerce in our town.
It was a major operation that farmers routinely made their journey into North Wilkesboro from the surrounding mountain areas and nearby communities.
Signs like this one were placed along the route to guide local farmers towards EE Eller Produce. A big thank you to Jerry Dameron for sharing this picture with me!
I have been told that over 1 million chickens and turkeys were processed in year!!!! Now that you have just a bit of historical background information about our building, our story can officially begin. Here we go…
A few years back during the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival we had a gentleman who was visiting with us in the hardware store and he began to tell us about his experiences inside our old, historic store…. this gentleman had spent some time with our neighbor next door and he stayed in his “man cave”.
Our neighbor had let this man stay in his “man cave” for a few months until he could figure out where he wanted to go and what direction life would take him next. This gentleman said that he would often be awakened around 2 am.
He reported to us that he regularly heard at night… chains dragging across the floor and sounds of chickens. He never could see or find anything unusual once he went to investigate. This man then continued with his story, by stating “now I know all of this is true because I am a reincarnated Buddhist, Catholic priest, I can sense that things happened here”. After that statement, we just simply didn’t have any words.
Our conversation moved to other topics and we of course were super busy in the mix of Apple Festival Day and we all laughed about the story the man told us that day and continued on with our business. Maybe he was being a real “comedi- hen”… 😂
Sometimes when the shopkeepers bell rings attached to our front door, without an apparent reason, we always joke, “it must be the chicken ghost” going back to the gentleman’s story on that Apple Festival Saturday. Lots of times we think it is the wind catching the door, elevation change of the door position, etc. We can usually explain it away….
But it is hard to explain the random chicken feather that just floats down from the ceiling… you wouldn’t think that would still happen after all these years???
Now, I”ll share this piece of information with you as well… we have had a few paranormal/ghost hunters to come into our store to ask if they could set up after hours. They thought our store would be a great location to pick up paranormal activity. We have always declined the request of these folks.
The logo we choose is a chicken to honor our historic roots of our building
The last aspect of our story goes back to the blog post that I did a few weeks ago entitled “Messy Monday”, it was one of those very busy days and our cash register/credit card machine were not working-via no internet plus we had lots of other factors playing into that day that made it a very long and hard day.
After supper, Richard went back to the store that night to try to make sense of the day, clean up somewhat, etc. He did not get back home until after 10:30 pm that night— here is what he told me the following day.
“I was standing near the front cash register looking down at something and all of the sudden I heard a huge SLAM sound on the front doors, ironically, the shopkeeper bell never moved.” He then continued by saying that he looked up because he just knew someone was outside possibly walking a dog on the street or someone had run into the front door from the outside… it was dark of course but nothing had alarmed or signaled on the cameras at the front door. He could see no one or nothing alarming.
This picture was published on Facebook in 2021 after our store was closed on evening. A follower noted the figure was in the reflection of the window. No one was outside the building or inside when I snapped this picture
Could it be the “chicken ghost”???? I suspect it could be “fowl play”. OR even a “poultry geist”😂.
Sometimes in conversation as I remember talking to my Granny at the end of the day, I would ask her what they both had for dinner. As she began to talk about her meal, I soon realized that she was referring to her mid-day meal, not her evening meal. My vocabulary was not the same as hers. I quickly learned that her view of supper/dinner was different from mine. Does it matter? Well, I guess it is all about perspective.
A major NC magazine in our state just recently published an article about Sunday Suppers. It was well done. I’m not going to rehash the intent of that article. But, it did bring back up all those supper/dinner conversations that I had with my granny came to my mind when I read the article.
So upon reflection, I began to ponder my usage of “dinner”. I use the term “dinner” all the time to gather my family to the table, but the reality is that we really are seated for “supper” instead.
Why supper??? The word supper is less formal. Dinner can be a full fledged event with fancy dinner napkins, china, etc. But, when we gather at home, it is not a formal affair. Our family is blessed to have passed down to us, the antique farm table that was in my mother-in-law’s kitchen. The table is definitely not formal by any means, and it is the only table around which we gather to eat. At this farm table we engage in the conversations about the day, hold discussions about local events/news, and let the puns roll. (Our form of making our son roll his eyes 👀 at us.). Supper at our house is a time to simply gather, eat together & unwind from the day.
This was modeled well in my family as a young child growing up. All four of us always ate together at the table in the kitchen. As they say, “old habits die hard”. Meals gathered as our family unit or shared with friends are a strong part of my memories of home.
Now in present day, the weekends are probably the most relaxing suppers we get to have as a family unit. Saturday evening supper is probably one of my favorite times. This tends to be the meal when we can relax, kick back at the end of the day. Saturday supper tends to be one of our Traeger nights- smoking a good piece of meat, or grilling up fish, or whatever is on sale at the grocery store! Do you guys do that too???
Saturday supper doesn’t have to be all fancy, high dollar meals that breaks your budget 💵. Sometimes supper is quite simple at our house–homemade chili beans, or biscuits in a Lodge skillet & country ham, maybe even soup and Traeger grilled cheese sandwich, or lastly, a crockpot meal that we all love.
So I guess when I call my family to say, “dinner is ready”, I really mean supper because that equates to family time. 😊
From the last of the summer blooms to the changing of the leaves… Fall is Here! The Fall season brings apple and pumpkin season, gentle breezes and the solitary tune of the wind chimes. Fall hints at cooler temperatures, the changing of the sun cycle bringing less daylight creating a colorful change in nature through leaves turning and falling, crunching under foot. The vibrant colors that light the morning and evening skies… Autumn has arrived. As we head into the holiday season, here’s to celebrating Fall ONE last time.
Apples are in Season! Time for pumpkins!!
October Skies… Simply Amazing
Changing of the Leaves
Leafy Carpet Blown Away The Vibrancy of Fall Light filtering throughMajestic Colors Stumped Look Up and Enjoy the ViewA Sneak Peak of Fall In Full ColorAutumn’s Glory Fall Magic The Glory Days of Autumn Finding the Colors of Fall A Walk in the Woods Jethro is enjoying the Leaves everywhereWhere the Leaves Meet the Water Peaceful Retreat Fall Making a Splash Fall SerenityRainy Autumn Days Plentiful Acorns Abundance of Berries A Quiet Place
Thankful for the opportunity to enjoy another beautiful Fall season! 🍂🍁 Thank you for reading and sharing.
Living the "hardwarelife", join us in our journey of hardware store ownership
The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 