Prepare your home for winter

This weekend we will see some pretty low overnight temperatures. While we have had a pretty mild fall, it looks like the winter will be coming in fast and strong. Now is the time to prepare your home for the really cold winter days. As a homeowner or renter, one of the main things you worry about in the winter is freezing water lines. Frozen lines have the potential to burst and split. The real damage to your home comes when the frozen pipes thaw and water leaks from the cracks and breaks. Often times we are unaware of the issue until it has caused significant damage to the home. 

Here are some pictures of what can happen.

Ways you can prevent this from happening:

1. Know where your shut off valves are located. 
   
2. If you have a crawl space, make sure all vents and openings are closed during the winter and opened again in the spring. If you have an unheated basement, make sure that all openings are sealed. 
   
3. Insulate all exposed water pipes, pipes in unheated basement areas or inside water lines that are near exterior walls. 
   
4. Shut off and drain all outside spigots. If you do not have a shut off for those, you can purchase insulated covers that will protect them. 
   
5. Make sure your heat is set an an appropriate level (especially if you will be away from your home). In the event that the temperatures and wind chill drops below 20 degrees, make sure all cabinets under sinks are open to circulate the warm air onto the pipes. 
   
6. If you are away from your home for an extended period of time over the winter, make sure to shut off the water coming into the home and drain all the pipes to prevent freezing. For seasonal homes, contact a professional plumber to "winterize" your home. They will shut off your water, drain all the water lines and toilets then place anti-freezing agents into the lines. You can contact them when you are ready to inhabit the dwelling again. At this point, they will turn on your water, fill all lines and inspect for any leaks.

Keep the name of your insurance agent handy in case you have a claim. We are always here to answer questions and give you ideas to help you prevent losses.

I hope you have a warm and dry winter!

Barbie Lambert

Manager

Barbie's Apple Pie Recipe

I love having family over for dinner and treating them to some good home cooking! This weekend we had some family over and I made an apple pie. This does not go with our diet, but sometimes you just need some extra goodness. It wasn't too bad for us since after we all had a slice, I gave the rest to my brother-in-law.

I will start by saying, I have not perfected the art of making pie crusts, so I leave it to the professionals (Pillsbury). It saves on time and frustration. I also started with a Betty Crocker classic apple pie recipe and added my own twist.

Ingredients:

1 Pillsbury deep dish pie crust

1 Pillsbury pie roll

8-10 small-medium golden delicious apples (you can use granny smith apples or a mix of both)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (you can use to 1/2 tsp, depending on your tastes)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel apples and cut them in thin slices (I cut mine from the outside working in - I don't like to have to core apples). Place the apples in a large mixing bowl. It will seem like a lot more than your crust can hold, but the apples will cook down when you bake the pie. Add the lemon juice, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix until apples are evenly coated. Add flour and mix again (the flour helps thicken the juices when the pie bakes). 

Once everything is combined, pour the mixture in to the pie crust (I poke a few holes in the crust so it doesn't bubble up when cooking). Unroll one pie crust and lay over the top of the apples. Fold up the edges of the crust along top rim. Use a sharp knife to place some slits in the top pie crust (this helps the steam vent). I lightly brush the top of the crust with milk and sprinkle sugar and brown sugar on the top.

I usually place some aluminum foil around the edges of the pie crust, making sure to leave the top and vent areas open (this will help the edges from over browning). Place in oven and cook for 40 minutes, then removing foil and baking an additional 10 minutes.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

I hope you enjoy as much as we did. Happy baking!

Barbie Lambert

Manager

East Tennessee Mutual Insurance Company

With the fall comes the time change......

This weekend we "fall back" an hour, gaining us an hour of extra sleep. The daylight hours are getting shorter, meaning when most of us are traveling to and from work it will be twilight or dark. The weather is getting cooler and winter will be here soon. Here are some tips to help keep you safe and prepared for your commute!

• Inspect your car's headlights, tail lights, turn signals, etc. and make sure they are all working properly
• Put together a travel bag with necessities in case you happen to get stranded, such as: Flashlight, first aid kit, phone charger, blanket, a couple bottles of water, granola bars, road flares, jumper cables (anything you think will help)
• Have your emergency contacts written down and put in your glove compartment
• Check your tire pressure! As the weather cools, the air in your tires will constrict and will more need more added
• Check the tread on your tires! The better the tread, the more traction you will get to the roads
• Check your anti-freeze levels. If you have not had it serviced in the last couple of years, it would be a good idea to do so
• Make sure your windshield is clean. This will help in the event the sun glares through your windshield

Most importantly, watch out for deer and other animals in the roadways! With the decreased daylight hours, they are out looking for food and shelter at the time we are travelling to and from work. Their food source becomes limited in the fall and winter, so they will seek out new places to eat.

You can always contact us for more tips and ideas on how to keep safe.

Safe travels!

Barbie Lambert

Manager

East Tennessee Mutual Insurance Company

Barbie's big pot of chili recipe

In our house, the fall and winter means it is time for warm and hearty meals. Here is my recipe for some warm and colorful chili. This recipe is pretty mild. If you want to add some heat, you can always add a couple cans of Rotella, chipolte or cayenne pepper. Be forewarned this recipe is made for a HUGE pot of chili!

As with most cooking, I found a recipe for the spices because we have been limiting our salt intake. I found the original spice recipe on wellnessmama.com and tweaked it to adjust to our taste.

1/2 cup + 3 Tbs Chili powder

1/4 cup Garlic Powder

3 Tbs onion powder

1/2 cup Oregano

2 Tbs Paprika

1/4 cup Cumin

1 Tbs Thyme

1 Tbs Salt

2 tsp Chipolte chili podwer

1/2 Tbs Salt

3-4 lbs lean ground beef (ours came from a local farmer that raised the cow for us)

2 medium onions, chopped

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

1 orange pepper

2- 15.5 oz can  Bush's Low sodium Dark Kidney beans (mostly drained)

1- 15.5 oz can Bush's Light Kidney Beans (mostly drained)

1- 15.5 oz can Bush's Low sodium Cannellini (White Kidney) beans (mostly drained)

4- 15.5 oz can Hunts No Salt added Petite Diced Tomato

2- 8 oz Hunts No Salt added Tomato Sauce

1- 12 oz can Hunts Fancy Tomato Paste

1 can Rottella

2- 15.5 oz can Sweet Corn (drained)

Spice mixture- In a mixing bowl mix all spices, set aside.

In a large pot (I used a cast-iron) brown ground beef and onion. Adding in cut peppers toward end. Add in about 1/2 of the spice mixture, continue to finish cooking beef (this will help bring the flavor into the meat). Add in cans of diced tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, Rotella and corn. Add remaining spice mixture. Let that simmer for about 1/2 an hour to an hour, making sure to stir often as it has a tendency to stick and possibly burn. Then add the tomato paste. I like to leave the chili on low and let it continue to cook for several hours (this will help all the flavors marry and enhance the chili).

Serve and enjoy! 

Have fun with this dish, play around with different flavors and veggies. I love to take a recipe and either try to make it healthier or make it to satisfy our tastes more.

Happy cooking! I will be posting more of my favorite dishes throughout the fall and winter.

Barbie Lambert

Manager

East Tennessee Mutual Insurance Company

It's going to be a cold weekend!

The weather reports are indicating that it is going to be a cold weekend with close to freezing overnight lows. As the cold weather comes, we all want to stay as warm as possible! So, here are some tips to keep you safe as we transition our homes to fall and winter heating.

Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors. Make sure to test your smoke detectors to ensure they are working properly. Most will start beeping when the batteries are going bad (mine did this weekend), but it is better to go ahead and replace them in the spring and winter.

Replace the Air-filter to your HVAC unit. I try to change mine out every month, but sometimes I forget. It is very important to have a new one in place before switching from your cooling to the heating as dust and dirt from the filters will be sucked into the unit and could catch fire on the heating elements. It is also a good idea to call your local HVAC carrier to come and do a quick check of your HVAC unit to ensure that it is running properly and ready for heating your home.

Many people may not be ready to turn on their heat just yet and may choose to use space heaters. Make sure they are plugged into an outlet that can support the wattage of the heater. Make sure that the heaters are not on carpeted flooring and are at least 2 feet away from walls and 3 feet away from drapery or furniture.

Wood stoves and fire places can be a lovely way to heat your home. Make sure that the wood stove has been installed properly and has protective flooring underneath and protective wall covering around the stove. Make sure that fire places have been cleaned out of any ash and soot. Most importantly make sure that the flue has been cleaned out! If there is any old debris in the flue it could catch fire. If you have a propane gas fire place, I recommend having a professional come out to inspect the gas lines going to the fire place and that the flue is clear.

Fall is the time to enjoy family, friends and the fall harvest. Enjoy the beautiful scenery, the wonderful food and a warm home. Stay safe and warm!

Barbie Lambert

Manager

Fun Events for this Weekend

Friday: October 9th

Allison Gap Community Jam

Friday nights at 6pm at the Allison Gap Community Center in Allison Gap, VA 

Free 

Call (276) 496-7590 for more information

Scarecrows on Main
Stroll down Main Street in Mountain City and see all of the fun and spooky scarecrows that groups have created. The “People’s Choice” voting is still going on until Friday, October 9th at 5pm, and people are encouraged to visit Mountain City Antiques to cast their ballot for their favorite scarecrow exhibit. “Scarecrows on Main” exhibits create a visual feast in the downtown area while entertaining locals and tourists alike throughout the entire month of October.

The 2015 Battle of Blountville Civil War Reenactment

Fri, October 9, 11:30am – Sun, October 11, 12:30pm at scenic Old Hawley Farm, located at 1173 Hawley Road, Blountville, TN

Step back in time with re-enactors at this award-winning event as they perform continuous living history demonstrations including infantry, mounted cavalry, artillery drills and full-scale reenactments of the Battle of Blountville! The main battles will take place at 2 PM on Saturday and Sunday, and skirmishes at other times during the day. Period Civil War music will be on hand throughout the weekend. School Days activities will take place on Friday, along with a Ladies Tea and Civil War Bonfire on Saturday. This year's event will include a special Memorial Tribute to Joe Adkins (1957-2014) at 11:30 AM. The weekend event is hosted by the Battle of Blountville Civil War Military Park and Reenactment Committee in conjunction with the Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism. For more information, please call the office at (423) 323-4660 or Bob Dotson at (423) 276-2362. For other upcoming events, please visit historicsullivan.com. 

Top Gun Showdown

Oct 9-11 at Muddy Creek Raceway

It is one of the premier amateur motocross events in the country.

Saturday: October 10th

Patriot 5k

In Gate City, VA, USA 

Run the standard 5K or try the Rucksack Rush Challenge and run the 5K with a 30-pound backpack! Non-runners will also enjoy coming out to participate in the 1.5 Mile Walk! When: Saturday October 10, 2015 Where: National Guard Armory, Gate City, VA (Next to Gate City H.S.) Proceeds will be donated to local National Guard Family Readiness Groups Presented By: The Boone Brigade Military Officer Association Register online at www.werunevents.com Like us on Facebook or email at boonebrigade@gmail.com Rucksacks not provided, bring your own!

National Fossil Day

10am – 3pm at the Gray Fossil Museum

Visitors are invited to meet paleontologists, dig at the site and participate in all-ages activities at the East Tennessee State University and General Shale Natural History Museum at the Gray Fossil Site for National Fossil Day. From 10 a.m. – noon, preregistered visitors are invited to dig on the Gray Fossil Site with ETSU paleontologists. This program is limited to the first 25 registrants. To reserve a spot, call 1-866-202-6223 or email grayfossilinfo@etsu.edu. Participants must be at least 7 years old. The cost is $5 plus general admission. From 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., the museum will offer a variety of activities for all ages. Visitors can learn about picking for microfossils, water screening techniques and the types of fossils found at the Gray Fossil Site. There will also be a museum-wide scavenger hunt with prizes. At 1 p.m., Dr. Blaine Schubert will give a presentation about the Saltville, Virginia, excavations where ETSU paleontologists assist with an Ice Age dig, which has yielded mastodon and giant short-faced bear fossils. Schubert is an associate professor in the Department of Geosciences at ETSU and director of the Natural History Museum. At 3 p.m., visitors are invited to attend a public lecture presented by ETSU geosciences professor and museum curator, Dr. Mick Whitelaw. Whitelaw’s presentation will be about trilobites, which are ancient arthropod fossils that appeared over 500 million years ago and continued until about 240 million years ago. The talk goes along with a trilobite-themed temporary exhibit featured at the museum, “Trilobite Treasures: Arthropods of the Ancient Seas.”

Family Fall Festival

1pm – 4pm at North Kingsport Church of God, 2409 N John B Dennis Hwy

A Work of Art Reopening

3pm – 6pm

A Work of Art Gallery & Gifts in Downtown Bristol, will host a Grand Re-Opening Celebration. We have doubled the square footage in our space, painted walls, added signage, revamped carpet, created a classroom space, and gained new members! We proudly boast a membership of over three dozen local artists who collectively own and operate the gallery, and who specialize in crafts like woodwork, furniture, stained glass, photography, paintings, wine bottle art, encaustics, soaps, jewelry, dolls, wall art, postcards, notecards, pottery, and more. We invite you to join in the celebration by stopping by our renovated space from 3pm-6pm to see the changes, listen to live music, enjoy drinks and snacks, and meet some of the members of Bristol's best artist cooperative gallery, A Work of Art! A Work of Art Gallery & Gifts | 600 State Street | Historic Downtown Bristol, TN | www.aworkofartgallery.com | 423.797.0089 | info@aworkofartgallery.com

A Spot on the Hill

6:30pm – 7:30pm

A Spot on the Hill: Original Play Returns to the Old Jonesborough Cemetery this Fall. The original, research based play by Anne G’Fellers-Mason, returns to the Old Jonesborough Cemetery this October. The show premiered last fall to sold-out performances, and this season’s production will feature a number of changes, including new stories, live music, and a stationary location inside the cemetery. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to sit on. Come and listen to real stories of real lives among real tombstones. Performances for A Spot on the Hill will take place at 6:30 p.m. on October 10 and October 24. Tickets are limited, so make sure you buy yours today! Tickets are $8 and proceeds benefit the Heritage Alliance’s cemetery preservation and tombstone restoration fund. Audience members should arrive 15 minutes prior to show time. Parking is available downtown. It is a short walk up East Main Street to the cemetery. A golf cart courtesy shuttle will be available for guests who park behind the downtown Courthouse. This program is not suggested for children under 10 years of age. In case of inclement weather, performances will be moved inside to the Jonesborough/Washington County History Museum. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time. To purchase tickets, visit jonesboroughtn.org or call the Heritage Alliance at 423.753.9580. On the day of the event, tickets should be purchased at the 

Top Gun Showdown

Oct 9-11 at Muddy Creek Raceway

It is one of the premier amateur motocross events in the country.

The 2015 Battle of Blountville Civil War Reenactment

Fri, October 9, 11:30am – Sun, October 11, 12:30pm at scenic Old Hawley Farm, located at 1173 Hawley Road, Blountville, TN

Step back in time with re-enactors at this award-winning event as they perform continuous living history demonstrations including infantry, mounted cavalry, artillery drills and full-scale reenactments of the Battle of Blountville! The main battles will take place at 2 PM on Saturday and Sunday, and skirmishes at other times during the day. Period Civil War music will be on hand throughout the weekend. School Days activities will take place on Friday, along with a Ladies Tea and Civil War Bonfire on Saturday. This year's event will include a special Memorial Tribute to Joe Adkins (1957-2014) at 11:30 AM. The weekend event is hosted by the Battle of Blountville Civil War Military Park and Reenactment Committee in conjunction with the Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism. For more information, please call the office at (423) 323-4660 or Bob Dotson at (423) 276-2362. For other upcoming events, please visit historicsullivan.com. 

Scarecrows on Main

Stroll down Main Street in Mountain City and see all of the fun and spooky scarecrows that groups have created.  “Scarecrows on Main” exhibits create a visual feast in the downtown area while entertaining locals and tourists alike throughout the entire month of October.

Sunday: October 11th

The 2015 Battle of Blountville Civil War Reenactment

Fri, October 9, 11:30am – Sun, October 11, 12:30pm at scenic Old Hawley Farm, located at 1173 Hawley Road, Blountville, TN

Step back in time with re-enactors at this award-winning event as they perform continuous living history demonstrations including infantry, mounted cavalry, artillery drills and full-scale reenactments of the Battle of Blountville! The main battles will take place at 2 PM on Saturday and Sunday, and skirmishes at other times during the day. Period Civil War music will be on hand throughout the weekend. School Days activities will take place on Friday, along with a Ladies Tea and Civil War Bonfire on Saturday. This year's event will include a special Memorial Tribute to Joe Adkins (1957-2014) at 11:30 AM. The weekend event is hosted by the Battle of Blountville Civil War Military Park and Reenactment Committee in conjunction with the Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism. For more information, please call the office at (423) 323-4660 or Bob Dotson at (423) 276-2362. For other upcoming events, please visit historicsullivan.com. 

Top Gun Showdown

Oct 9-11 at Muddy Creek Raceway

It is one of the premier amateur motocross events in the country.

Scarecrows on Main


Stroll down Main Street in Mountain City and see all of the fun and spooky scarecrows that groups have created.  “Scarecrows on Main” exhibits create a visual feast in the downtown area while entertaining locals and tourists alike throughout the entire month of October.

It's that time of year again!

Fall is a wonderful time to live in East Tennessee! Though the days my be shorter, they are filled with beautiful foliage, fall festivals, corn mazes, scarecrows and pumpkin patches. 

With all of the beautiful trees, we need to remember that those leaves will fall! That means that gutters will be filled. Now is the time to keep an eye on those gutters and be ready to clean them out several times before the winter. Keeping the gutters clean will help with drainage of rain water and will help when we get heavy snow. If the gutters are already weighed down with the leaves, then the heavy snow may cause them to collapse. 

As we are raking and getting rid of those leaves in our yards, we need to be cautious how we dispose of the them. Some cities have road side pick up for them, but for those of us that live in a more rural area this is not an option. Some people prefer to burn their leaves. While this method is effective, it is also dangerous. The leaves will burn, but if the conditions are dry the fire could spread (especially in high winds because the leaves are light and will fly away easily). A method our family prefers is to either mulch the leaves or put them in our compost pile.

Also be cautious driving with leaves on the roadways, especially if we have gotten even the slightest amount of rain. The leaves will turn very slippery and cause your wheels to loose traction on the pavement. Be careful with large piles of leaves that are on the side of the roadway waiting to be collected. Children love to play in leaf piles and may be not be aware how close they are to the roadways.

As we get closer to Halloween, please be extra careful for the children trick-or-treating.

Enjoy the beautiful sunsets and the time with family and friends. Stay safe this fall season and be looking for other tips from us on how you can prepare your home for the winter and some great fall recipes!

Thank you!

Barbie Lambert

Manager