Vollis Simpson, called the
Junkyard Poet of Whirligigs and Windmills
by the New York Times

Vollis Simpson is a craftsman of brightly painted metal art –
giant creations he calls windmills and we call whirligigs.

Driving through eastern North Carolina looking for Lucama and Vollis Simpson's Whirligig Farm, you begin to wonder if you are lost. And then around the corner, there they are – colorful, folksy whirligigs erected atop tall poles, all spinning and creaking and shining in the sun. With reflector tape on the spinning blades, they shine in the moonlight too.

I met Mr. Simpson last summer. He was working in his shop – I was kinda hanging around and he invited me in. His workshop is stuffed … really stuffed with his metal creations, all made from objects he has collected. I saw a slight grin when he told me about the 85- foot whirligig he made for the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore; I think he used a toaster in that one.

Just this week we had fun mom and daughter guests Anna and Kate, who drove all the way from Philadelphia to see Vollis Simpson's art work and to stay at Big Mill B&B.  Kate wants one of his creations and I bet she gets one.

This is American Folk Art, sometimes called Outsider Art. Whatever the name, it is worth a trip to the small eastern North Carolina community of Lucama.  But go now, you might be able to sit and talk to Vollis Simpson, still working at 92.

And buy something. I did and my wonderful helicopter whirligig loves living on the farm at Big Mill Bed & Breakfast.

Try to go on a windy day or a windy night with a full moon.

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Everywhere you look, it's planting time in eastern North Carolina

Nephew Monk Gurkin above in 1959. Monk and Aunt Chloe (that's me) had our own garden that year. We raised tomatoes to sell to local restaurants – and for our tomato sandwiches. Note the hog pen in back.

Seems we all dig in the dirt – some of us in our gardens, some in patio gardens and some in the fields with those big tractors.

The field outside my kitchen window was planted this week with tobacco.  Brother John oversees the farm, so I can enjoy just looking.

I have a great raised bed cook's garden right on top of where chitterlings were cleaned when we had hog killings on the farm. For my flower garden, guests Bentley and Betty Ann Mohorn brought me some new Evening Primroses, so if you're here in June, you can join our nightly "Flower Party" as we watch each primrose open.

One of my guests took this delightful video of the yellow evening primroses last year. But don't blink during the first few seconds or you'll miss a magical moment!  It's only a couple minutes long, but listen to all the sounds Mother Nature packed in there. More videos of this year's blossoms are a promise!

Every plant has a perfect planting time – this year I am following the almanac and the moon phases. It works! I found this list of "when to plant" that my dad "Ops" wrote years ago. I love it. But it won't work every year, because the moon is different …. really.

Monk again watering. (See our bird dog, Don, in the background)

In early spring, my dad would get Mary the mule and plow our gardens. Mary lived for forty years in what is now the "Mule Room," our long-term rental here at Big Mill. We had two gardens, an early one for potatoes and early crops, and another for our summer garden. Mother canned everything from the garden and she taught me how.

So now I am anxiously watching my blueberries and blackberries so I can be ready. Guests love the jams that I make. Search the recipes on Chloe's Blog and the recipe page on www.BigMill.com for jam and jelly recipes. Here's the recipe for my blueberry jam – Soooo good!

It's a FUN time to be on the farm!

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