A View Through the Lens With Mike & Gerri

Finishing our Hike in the Woods

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As we rounded a bend we came across an area with a lot of camellia bushes and thought we would share some of the flowers that are now in bloom. It was a pleasant surprise to find them on our hike.

I backed away to take a picture of a little creek bed falls and was able to get this picture of Gerri texting or reading a text from our son.

As we ended our hike, we came to an area that was created about 10 years ago in the gardens. Although there were no azaleas in bloom at this time of the year, the view is still very peaceful and serene.

Thanks for tagging along as we finished our hike.

A Walk in the Woods

2012-01-02T20:34:00.001-05:00

Today Gerri and I went for a hike on one of the trails at Callaway Gardens Resort. It was sunny, windy and cold, but the hike was very refreshing.

Along the way we passed a small creek bed with neat little waterfalls.

As we were following to the creek to where it emptied into the lake we came across a tree that a beaver was working on taking down. It was interesting to see how well the beaver can accomplish it’s task.

We hiked our way over to the Butterfly Center to walk through the climate controlled area for the butterflies and we saw quite a few beautiful butterflies.

On the way back to our car, we walked through an area of the gardens that is full of blooming camellia bushes. Tomorrow, we will share some of those pics as well as pics of the rest of our hike.

Thanks for letting us share our hike and sights with you today!

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T23:59:00.001-05:00

Gerri & I wish all our friends and fellow bloggers a very Healthy, Happy New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. John 1:1

And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. John 1:14

Gerri & I would like to wish all our friends and family a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy Happy New Year!

The Bug Got Me!

2011-12-14T20:46:00.001-05:00

There is a “bug” going around and it found its way to me! I have had it for over a week. A wicked, mean “bug.” A deep, down in my lungs, type cough. I lost my voice and just felt really awful. Now I’m having trouble eating. This isn’t the flu or a cold it is probably some type of virus. One of the meds the doctor prescribed contained codeine so I don’t remember much about last week. I slept my way through most of it. I have tons of blogs to catch up on. Just wanted you to know why I haven’t commented.

Sunday, as I drifted in and out, I noticed a beautiful bird at our little bird bath by our sunroom door. It took a minute or two for me to finally realize it was a Bluebird. I love Bluebirds and have tried to lure them to our yard. We had a few drop by this past spring/summer but they went on to better pastures. That might be the problem. We have a very woody back yard and blue birds like open areas. But on this chilly Sunday afternoon there sat a beautiful Bluebird. As luck would have it…I had NO camera. I did call Mike to come and look because I didn’t want to be accused of hallucinating on my meds. I wasn’t sure any stayed around in this area during the winter but apparently one did.

Same day but a little later……I was once again waking up from my codeine induced slumber when I noticed this larger bird sitting on top of one of our bird houses. I looked at him for a minute or two and then realized he was some sort of hawk.

I called Mike to come take a look and he also thought it was a hawk. We got out our binoculars and quickly noticed why he was perched on the bird house. He was having lunch. Obviously he had killed his prey and was dining on top of the bird house.

Mike got his camera and we began to snap a few pics. We think he was a juvenile Red Tailed Hawk but we are not certain so if any veteran birders out there have a different identification please let us know. We are still in the learning stage!

So the excitement for the week has been, to sleep rest and begin to feel better which is just what is happening. Today is Wednesday and it has been my best day so far.

Now I need to get my Christmas shopping done….quickly!!

Reflections on Change

2011-12-05T21:47:00.001-05:00

I received my monthly bulletin from Wild Birds Unlimited today and as I was reading the article titled “Reflections on Change” I started thinking about the concept of change. In the past year and half “change” could have taken on our middle name. We have certainly experienced some during this time. However, I started thinking about change in relationship to Christmas. The message of Christmas is timeless. It has not changed in thousands of years. In all the “change” that has occurred in our lives and in the world around us this message remains a constant. God remains the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He does not change and isn’t that a comforting thought in this world of constant change??

So this is our first Christmas in our new home. It has been fun to unpack many of the cherished items of Christmas’ past. I have enjoyed finding just the right spot for items we have bought through the past 29 years. Then there are the ornaments given to me by students that I have taught through the years. What a joy to remember each child!! I can’t forget to mention the little handmade items Stephen made as he journeyed through grade school. All special, and all part of our lives. It has been fun but the thing that makes it special is the love felt by this family. It is the same love we felt last year and the year before and so on. It is a love that binds us through life’s rough times as well as the smooth times. Even though it has been fun seeing all my cherished “things” this is not what has made it special. The family and friends make it special. This is a beautiful lesson I learned while full-timing. It is all about the heart, the people, The Love!

As we enter this Christmas season I am reminded of the blessings of Christmas. These blessings are constant. They were with us when we decorated our motor home for Christmas, they are with us now in our new home. It is certainly not the size of the “home” that determines the blessings. It is the love!

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2011-11-24T09:51:00.001-05:00

Gerri and I would like to wish all our friends and family a Happy Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for my wife, Gerri and our son Stephen. We are thankful that we live in America, still a land of freedom. We have so many freedoms and many of which we take for granted. We are thankful to be able to freely worship God at church and in our daily lives and that God created us with remarkable bodies that modern medical science still doesn’t fully understand. For our minds, emotions and our conscience that no computer will ever match. We are thankful for the Lord who gave His life that we may have life and life everlasting in and through Him.

We are also very thankful for our friends, though some we have never met.

There are just so many things to be thankful for, we sometimes forget or take them fro granted.

To all, Happy Thanksgiving!

A Fall Morning and God’s Glory…All in Our Backyard

2011-11-09T09:05:00.001-05:00

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~Stanley Horowitz

Just wanted to share the beauty of God’s painting from our backyard and patio.

We hope each of you have a grand day!

Good Food and New Friends

2011-10-31T20:27:00.001-04:00

This morning Gerri & I decided to drive to the Country Store at Callaway Gardens for lunch. They make a mean Brunswick Stew with cornbread and biscuits with homemade Muscadine Preserves. We were able to sit in the area overlooking the nature of Callaway.

At a distance, we could see where they were getting things set up for the 27^th running of The Steeplechase.

As we left the Country Store, we walked across the street to the overlook area and enjoyed spending a few moments viewing the sites there.

Right across from the Country Store is the entrance to FDR State Park. While you are making that drive in the park, The Pine Mountain Hiking Trail crosses this road in several locations.

It is a very popular trail and Gerri & I have hiked several portions of it. Being that it is the fall season and the trees are beautiful, we wanted to drive through parts of the state park to meet Susan and Sam who are presently hosting at FDR campground. They contacted us when they arrived at FDR and we have wanted to meet them since. We have been reading each other’s blog for some time now and were anxious to meet them. We recognized each other right away and after the “formal introductions”, we sat out and visited for about 2 hours as if we had been friends for a long time. We had wanted to meet them for several weeks and glad were able to make that connection. They volunteer a good bit at state parks and do a great job for them. You can read about them on their blog Beach Bummz. We really enjoyed meeting Sam & Susan and had so much fun just sitting out in the campground enjoying the fellowship and the beauty of the day. When it was time for us to head home, we decided to get together later this month and visit some more over a meal…sounds like a lot of fun!

We took some pictures of the trees in the campground and wanted to share them with you.

It was a refreshing drive and visit with Susan and Sam. Life is good and God is great!

Fun Food and Fellowship

2011-10-29T23:39:00.001-04:00

Friday Gerri and I got an early start by going to the pier in Fairhope on a bright and sunny day. Not only is there a pier, but also a little park and beautiful roses.

We walked around the park and then onto the pier, it was so relaxing and peaceful.

While we were there, we met a really nice older man, Mr. Simms. He came up to us and started sharing information about Fairhope as well as himself. He is a retired pilot and his wife has Alzheimer’s disease. He enjoys his daily trip to the pier and visiting with people while there. To him it is his way of sharing with folks as well as a time for himself. Before he left, he took a picture of Gerri & me and we told him our next time down, we would look for him on the pier.

When we left the pier, we spent some time in town going through many of the very unique shops in Fairhope. It really is a very unique town and we really enjoy our times there.

We called and talked with Darrell and Judy and decided to meet at Big Daddy’s Grill for lunch and fellowship. So a little after 11:30, we got together and had a great meal and even greater conversation and fellowship time.

Isn’t it really neat that you can be apart for about 2 years, yet when you get together again, you just pick up where you left off like you had just seen each other the day before. Darrell and Judy had to go to Pensacola to pick up his glasses and Gerri & I wanted to go to the beach at Gulf Shores. So we went our separate ways and had a very relaxing and peaceful time at the beach.

Later in the day we got back together with Darrell and Judy at the pier to take some pics of the sunset over the bay. Unfortunately it was cloudy and very windy and the waves choppy.

Since there was no sunset to be had, we decided to go to Ruby Tuesdays for a dessert and coffee. After about an hour and half of visiting over our dessert, we did our hugs and “see you down the road “, we headed back to the hotel.

It was a great day and we had a grand time. Life is good and God is great!

Change of Scenery

2011-10-28T23:05:00.001-04:00

Time for a getaway!! Mike and I decided that we needed a change of scenery so we decided to head south. After all that’s the direction most folks are taking about now.

Some of you might remember that Mike and I spent the winter of 2010 at Rainbow Plantation. This is the Escapees park located in Summerdale, Alabama. We loved our time spent at this awesome park and met some of the most wonderful people!! We haven’t been back to this area since that winter so we decided now was a good time. So Thursday morning we set our sights for Fairhope, Alabama. Fairhope is located just a few miles west of Summerdale. We love Fairhope!! It is such a quaint town and has a really interesting history. Check out our blog entry January 11, 2010 for some of the facts about this unique place.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay at Rainbow this time since we don’t have a rig yet, so we found a rather nice motel in Fairhope….Key West Inn.

We also haven’t seen Darrell and Judy Patterson since we left Rainbow Plantation and really wanted to see them before they left to do their Amazon gig. So as soon as we got settled we drove over to Rainbow where Darrell and Judy have a lot in the ERPU section. Darrell and Judy prepared a wonderful meal of hamburgers, salad and deviled eggs followed by a yummy raspberry squares dessert. We enjoyed talking and catching up on what we’ve all been up to since our last visit. Good food, great conversation and lots of laughs!!

We made plans to get together again on Friday for some more good eating and lively conversation. Mike and I also plan to revisit some of our favorite places while we are in this area.

Colors of Fall

2011-10-22T22:17:00.001-04:00

It was such an incredibly beautiful day, so Gerri & I went for a drive and a walk to enjoy the crispness in the air as well as the array of the colors in the trees. Instead of having a wordy blog today, I would just like to share some of the pics of what we saw.

We hope everyone had and has a great weekend and enjoy the beauty God has given us as He paints His creation in beautiful colors.

Remembrance

2011-10-16T13:41:00.001-04:00

A year ago today our RV and blogging world lost two very special friends; Bruce & Margie, in a senseless accident.

Many of you got to meet them and many of us were looking forward to meeting them. We very much miss you! Margie was so good about making comments on blogs and so interested in the events that we each encountered. It still seems incomprehensible that they are gone, but we have definitely not forgotten them.

To their family, our thoughts are with you and may you have peace knowing their love.

Fall is in the Air

2011-10-13T14:15:00.001-04:00

There is no doubt that fall is my all time favorite season of the year. It is the time when you have enjoyed all the sunshine, warm temps and humid weather you can possibly stand. Just when you think you can’t stand another day….low and behold you feel the tinge of cool crispness in the air.

In the south you feel it first with the lack of high humidity! You can actually “see” the crispness in the air. No more hazy lazy days of summer. Suddenly the sky is a clear blue and you begin to see signs of fall.

There are colors that we naturally associate with fall. The oranges, yellows, browns, greens come to mind first. What does nature say to us? Well that is what Gerri and I set out to explore….camera in hand of course!! This is what we saw!!

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird, I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” George Eliot

Our Golden Cody

2011-09-25T21:32:00.001-04:00

Sue (Big Dawg and Freeway) was writing in her blog the other day about all the Tuckers that have made their appearances on the blogs lately. It seems there are now three Tuckers. Two of those Tuckers happen to be Golden Retrievers. All pets are special and all have certain qualities that make them who they are. Goldens are no exception. They are people pleasers all their lives.

Our Cody came to be a part of our family some 12 years ago. In dog years that makes him pretty elderly. Does he know he’s elderly?? Nope!! His little heart and mind will forever remain a young Golden.

He didn’t always live inside. He once owned a huge backyard with his lovely mate….Jessie. They were inseparable and where you saw one you saw the other. Jessie loved to fetch anything and Cody loved to stand and look at you like “now why did you go and throw that?” They remained together until Jessie passed away. He laid beside her body all night and refused to leave her even after we buried her in the backyard. He loved her completely and totally. That is the love of a Golden. He loves us the same way.

He came to live inside when we moved into the motor home to full-time. Mike and I were both a little concerned. He had never been housebroken, what would he do?? Well, I’m happy to say he did GREAT!! His desire to please was so strong that he quickly learned that during his walks on the leash were the times he did his business. He loves to walk with Mike on the leash. He begins to smile and shake his big body whenever its time for a walk. He loves to walk!! He does not love to swim…nope! Unlike Sue and Doug’s Tucker and Sam and Donna’s Riggs, he would rather walk along the edge of the water and splash a bit but no swimming. Perhaps this is due in part from a lack of exposure when he was younger but remember, he’s not much on retrieving either!! His love and devotion to his family is heartwarming and we love him in return.

Age is taking its toll on our Golden Boy!

His muzzle is now growing whiter and his hearing is failing. He has to be looking at you for him to know what you want him to do. We have to make sure we are with him wherever he goes….even in the backyard. At night he still sleeps beside our bed….there is no room on the bed because our other loves are there, Casey and Nick, our Shih Tzus.

Cody is special…..he’s a Golden!!

9/11/2001

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May we always remember those whose lives were lost and the lives that were given and their families. We will never forget!

Hummer Wars

2011-09-05T15:33:00.001-04:00

Hummingbird wars!! Yes, we have been the host home for some truly territorial wars lately. We have the best seat in the house….literally! We are able to view four hummingbird feeders from our sunroom. The other feeder can be viewed from the dining room.

It seems arial hummingbird combat is pretty high right now and most likely will continue until the middle of September. At this time they will begin to realize that migration is about to begin. They will need all the food they have been eating to be stored as energy for this long journey to Mexico and South America. They don’t need to be wasting all their energy dive bombing each other. At this time they will begin to settle down and feed more peacefully with each other. A few weeks after this occurs most all of these fascinating birds will be gone until late March when they will once again ready themselves for another migration.

Needless to say these little birds are very territorial. We have been especially fascinated by one little Ruby-throated Hummingbird that seems to enjoy sitting on top of the pole the feeder is attached to. He sits on the very top and stands guard over the feeder. Whenever another hummer attempts to eat from the feeder he dive bombs and chases that hummer off. Every now and then he allows a particular hummer to eat from the feeder and at times he sips from the sweet nectar himself….perks of the job.

Do we know this is a male? No, actually both the male and/or the female can defend a feeder (after breeding season is over). In fact, several different hummers may take turns defending the feeder during a day. It does appear that this particular hummer really likes to perch on top so he can observe his domain a little better.

At times we have observed as many as 15 Hummingbirds flying around on the patio waiting turns to sip from the feeders. They do chase each other off but they continue to swarm waiting turns to slip in for some food. Even as it is pouring rain, he still sits on the pole and guards his food…. Nature at its best!!

A Birthday Celebration

2011-09-03T19:13:00.001-04:00

A quick entry today!! Yesterday was Mike’s birthday and in our family we really celebrate birthdays…..no matter how old you might be. I got that tradition from my mother and carried it on throughout my career as an early childhood teacher and of course, most importantly, wife and mother!! Birthdays are to be celebrated!! So yesterday we had the best part of the celebration…..THE CAKE.

We have decided to break from the traditional birthday cakes and go with the “decadent cakes” at Publix. We have tried several different flavors so yesterday Mike chose the “Midnight Fudge Fantasy.” You guessed it….pure chocolate. Oh well, you only celebrate this special occasion once a year.

Today, Saturday, we will continue the celebration with lunch together. We waited until today because Stephen is off on Saturdays and can join us. The birthday person always gets to choose his/her favorite place to eat. Mike chose The Mellow Mushroom. So the three of us journeyed to Peachtree City, which is about 35 miles from here, to enjoy a wonderful, delicious pizza. As usual, it did not disappoint.

Since The Mellow Mushroom is located quite close to Wild Birds Unlimited we decided to stop by and purchase another bag of food and a seed cylinder for our feathered friends. A stop at Barnes & Noble, Belk Department Store and Target and we were on our way home.

Good food, good fun and good fellowship…..Happy Birthday, Mike!!!

Visiting Lower Suwannee NWR

2011-08-29T23:52:00.001-04:00

One of the things Mike and I wanted to be sure to do while in Cedar Key was visit the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge. We have a real love for the wildlife refuges in our country. In 2009 we volunteered at Hagerman NWR in Texas and have been in love ever since. Once we purchase our next RV we definitely want to get back into volunteering in the various wildlife refuges around the country.

The Lower Suwannee NWR is quite large….53,000 acres to be exact. This refuge was developed to protect one of the largest undeveloped river-delta estuarine systems in the U.S.

It consist of natural salt marshes, tidal flats, bottomland hardwood swamps, and hardwood forest making an excellent habitat for thousands of large and small creatures.

The first day out we decided to take the Shell Mound Loop which is the closest loop to Cedar Key. This loop took us down three driving paths…..Dennis Creek Trail, Shell Mound Trail and the Shell Mound Fishing Pier. This was a very nice peaceful drive showing the different habitats provided by this NWR. It was on the Shell Mound Trail that we spotted a beautiful hawk sitting on a cable wire.

We weren’t sure which hawk he was but after consulting a few pictures we felt he might be a Red Shoulder Hawk. When I posted the picture on Facebook one of my friends said it was a Coopers Hawk. So if we have any birders reading perhaps you can shed some light on this beautiful creature. I was so excited that I was able to get such a good shot of him with my little Sony point and shoot camera. YAY me!! A few very distinctive looking Vultures were sunning themselves on an overlook. Must have been an off day for them!

The next day we set out to drive the 9 mile Lower Suwannee Nature Drive. We were in hopes of spotting some birds or other wildlife on this drive but I am afraid it was just too hot. The heat index was probably near 105 and the humidity was extremely high. That was disappointing but the drive was not. It was also a very beautiful peaceful drive showing a much larger area of the habitats this refuge provides. The most impressive area we passed through was the swamp area.

It seemed to go on forever and was definitely a swamp land. We saw some beautiful wild ferns growing among the trees, many lily pads and huge cypress trees growing right in the shallow water. We drove through the flood plain hardwood forest, scrub oak communities, and of course the pine plantation in the upland area.

A great day and a great drive through what is proudly known as “old” Florida showing the huge amounts of vegetation that provide for the creatures that call this Suwannee River Country their home.

Unique Cemetery

2011-08-28T22:57:00.001-04:00

Gerri and I went to one of the most unique cemeteries we have ever seen while we are in Cedar Key. This is an old cemetery that dates back to the mid 1800’s and the locals view this as more of a park than a cemetery.

The cemetery actually sits right on the gulf and they have a boardwalk on the back side of the cemetery to walk out on. The cemetery has hills with graves on them and randomly scattered throughout…some were just giant stone mounds or slabs up to ten feet large. Some of the graves were surrounded by iron fencing that is starting to fall while others were simply covered in sea shells…WOW!

Basically this is a sea captains cemetery and fishermen along with those that died in storms and pioneers to the area. This is probably a main attraction for most amateur ghost busters who come here after their conferences to look around. It is said to be one of the most haunted cemeteries in Florida and we can see that by the way it sets. There are many large oak trees with moss hanging down almost to some of the graves.

Gerri and I drove and walked this cemetery several times and were amazed at the uniqueness of this place. While there, we sighted a rather large bird perched high in a tree and upon taking pics and looking at them, we discovered it to be an Osprey…wow.

Looking further, we saw its nest on the outskirts of the cemetery in a DEAD tree top. What an awesome nest it is!

For us, this was a truly neat outing and experience/adventure.

Cedar Key, Florida

2011-08-26T14:55:00.001-04:00

Off to Cedar Key, Florida! That is where we headed Wednesday morning. The trip took us a little longer than we thought but we enjoyed every mile!!
It has been too long since we have been able to “hit the road.”

As you know, we haven’t purchased our “downsized” RV yet so we were destined to stay “sticks and bricks” style. We reserved a cottage at Pirates Cove….sounds nice doesn’t it?? The pictures were nice as well…..the reality not so much. Our cottage was rather small and uncomfortable with the A/C not doing a very sufficient job. We decided to go ahead and stay the night since it was getting late and regroup in the morning. Oh how we miss our wheels!!

This morning we located a very nice place called The KingFisher where we were able to get a really nice rental.

We have a one bedroom with a nice kitchen and bath complete with a new tile floor and a lovely dock overlooking the Gulf! It comes at an affordable price and best of all….it is pet friendly. Everything worked out very well. Did I mention that we really miss our wheels???

Once we got settled into our room we made our way to Dock Street….the main street that runs adjacent to the Gulf where we found a great place to eat lunch.

We always ask the locals to recommend places to eat and Coconuts came highly recommended.

We pretty much had the place to ourselves and a nice table overlooking the water. Mike had a pulled pork sandwich and I had the coconut shrimp. Both plates came with coleslaw and french fries.

I must say my coconut shrimp was crazy good!! It came with a zesty orange sauce that really tasted wonderful. Not only was the food excellent but the local dolphins put on a pretty neat show for us.

They were swimming and jumping a pretty good ways out. Mike tried to get a good picture but it isn’t easy from such a distance.

After getting our tummies full we decided to walk off lunch and explore the Cedar Key area. We walked through many of the stores on Dock Street and enjoyed the awesome water views. Before going to Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge and other birding spots we stopped by our “cabin” for an afternoon siesta!!

More to come!!

Lazy Days of Summer

2011-08-21T20:54:00.001-04:00

Lazy days of summer! Without a doubt it has been one of the hottest summers I can remember. The humidity has been high almost every day which makes it seem all the more hot when you step outside. It is hard to get motivated to do much of anything except stay inside where it is cool. We don’t like staying inside!!

Earlier this week it felt like there was a tiny (very tiny) bit of fall in the air. In actuality it was the absence of humidity I was celebrating. Whatever it was it sure did feel great!! It is amazing how a little cool air just lifts your spirits and gives you more energy.

Our dogs have even lost their energy….well, what little they had to begin with. Eat, sleep, go outside and start all over again. Needless to say we are all looking forward to FALL!!

We have a trip planned next week!!! YAY!! Mike and I will be traveling down to Cedar Key, Florida, that is pending Tropical Storm Irene. This is a neat little island nestled among many small keys on the Gulf Coast of Florida. A quiet piece of “old” Florida. There are several wildlife refuges in the area among many state parks and reserves. We hope to do some birding and photography and REST!! After staying put and going through all the medical issues it will feel great to explore again. We are excited!!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!

Auburn University

2011-08-19T14:50:00.001-04:00

Yesterday afternoon Mike and I decided to take a short trip over to Auburn, Alabama. When you think of Auburn, Alabama you just naturally think Auburn University. In fact the city of Auburn is mainly the campus itself.

Auburn was founded in 1856 as a male college. It wasn’t until 1872 that it became the first land grant- college in the south and was called Agriculture and Mechanical College of Alabama. It was also once referred to as Alabama Polytechnic Institute and wasn’t known as Auburn University until 1960.

The last enrollment number (that I could find) was for the fall of 2010 of 25,078 students. There are 140 degrees offered with 13 different schools and colleges for undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. It is quite large and in this part of the country….quite well known.

When you go there you immediately are met with the orange and blue colors and very large paw prints on the roads and store fronts. You know immediately you are in “Tiger Country.”

It was a beautiful day with an every so very faint feel of fall in the air. Maybe that was just the absence of humidity I was feeling but whatever it was it felt great!! There were many folks just taking in the campus “feel” and of course there were the students that will call this awesome place their home for at least 4 years, some may be on the five year plan.

We quickly found one of favorites places to eat….The Mellow Mushroom. The wait was almost 30 minutes….must be a favorite of the students as well. In any case, the wait was worth it. The pizza was great and the atmosphere very “War Eagle!” We walk around enjoying the day and took a few pictures. One of the pictures we took was of Jordan-Hare Stadium where the Auburn Tiger football team went on to win the National Championship for 2010! WAR EAGLE!!!!

We had a great day and it was fun seeing parts of the campus and eating at The Mellow Mushroom.

It Arrived Today…

2011-08-09T17:13:00.001-04:00

It arrived today!!! It what….. you might ask?? It is the special “Canadian Prize Pack!!” Today, when Mike went to the mailbox, he saw the brown package mailed to us from Doug and Sue of Big Dawg and Freeway. I might add that this is a first for us. This is the first time we have ever received a package from Canadian friends.

If you remember, the other day Sue wrote on her blog celebrating the 3,000th commenter and that happened to be us. We honestly just got lucky because Sue gets lots of comments on her blog every day. She has a great blog and if you haven’t visited you should. Sue is a great writer and has a way with the camera as well. They are working toward full-timing, but in the meantime, they have purchased a wonderful “Little Dawg” camper to enjoy the great outdoors!!

Back to the package!! We quickly took a picture (for the blog of course) and rapidly opened our prize. What did we find??? Sue had chosen a fantastic Canadian cooking apron to wear whenever we are grilling out or cooking in. Along with this she sent us

Canadian napkins….”eh” and a Canadian water bottle cover. All with the Canadian symbol!!! We will remember our special Canadian friends each time we use our prize items.

Sue thank you so much for being such a fun blogger!! We are delighted that we were the lucky winners of the “Canadian Prize Pack” and better than that, we have wonderful special Canadian friends such as you and Doug along with Tucker and Oliver too!!

THANK YOU!!!!

Doug Dubrouillet

2011-08-05T22:57:00.001-04:00

I sat down with my computer ready to read blogs and make comments to my friends. The first blog I came to was Al’s of The Bayfield Bunch, and his heading said it all……Fellow RV Blogger Doug Dubrouillet Passed Away Today. Needless to say my reading and commenting got sidetracked. Instead, I went on a trip down memory lane. We had read and followed Doug and JoAnn (Living Our Dream) for several years but it was the winter of 2010 at Rainbow Plantation in Summerdale, Alabama that we finally got to meet this special couple. They came to our motor home for an afternoon gathering of friends….Norm and Linda Payne, Don and Gloria Martin and of course Doug and JoAnn.

We all talked and enjoyed the afternoon as good friends would do. Later in the evening we would venture to Big Daddy’s Grill for some yummy seafood with fellow Rvers Glenn and Sylvia Avery and of course Doug and JoAnn.

They didn’t stay long at Rainbow but we would see them again in April at FDR State Park and Callaway Gardens.

Once again we enjoyed spending time with this very special couple and of course their famous Standard Poodle….Filmore. We got together for dinner at each other’s rigs and spent a little time cooling off and eating a snack at Callaway in between walking the azalea trails. It was a beautiful spring and the azaleas put on a fantastic show for us all.

Yes, we enjoyed meeting this fine couple but more than that we enjoyed watching them live their dream and live their dream they did!! Never allowing the enemy (cancer) to take their desire to experience and enjoy this wonderful country and its amazing people. Tonight Doug is at rest, no longer in pain but he has left us all with the challenge to live each day, embrace it and follow your dreams.

"Follow your dream today. Not next year." Doug Dubrouillet

Dead Pine Tree, and We are the Winners

2011-08-03T17:27:00.001-04:00

About six months ago, unbeknown to us, lightning struck a very tall pine tree (about 125’) on our property. This tree was on the side yard….thank goodness! We hated to ask anybody to cut this tree down in this horrible heat wave but dead trees just don’t like to wait. So this morning, very early, the tree company showed up to take it down. In order to do this deed the electric company had to disconnect the electrical wires along with the cable lines going to the house. So for about two hours we were without power. I would complain but I stood outside and watched these men do their job and realized how much hotter they were than me. Heat index was 105 by the time they were through cutting and cleaning up. Even with a “Because the tree was dead….very dead…. taking it down was a little tricky. The main man could not climb the tree so each limb had to be tied and dropped.

As luck would have it they hit a few of the bushes below the tree so now we have a very ugly hole! Oh well, it will grow back and the tree could have caused lots of damage if left to fall on its own.

Yesterday, Sue, from Big Dawg and Freeway, contacted me to check out their latest blog entry. I always read her blog….love Sue’s writing and views!! So being a little more curious than usual I jumped right over and found out that she had hit a monumental point in her blogging…..her 3000^th comment and guess who that was???? You got it right…it was me!! I am very honored to be that 3000 person to leave a comment on her fantastic blog. We have been following Sue and Doug’s blog for quite a long time and have enjoyed getting to know them (along with Tucker of course). It still amazes me how close you become to fellow bloggers. Mike and I are proud to call them our friends and hope one day to meet in person. We will sit down and begin talking as if we have known each other for years. That is just the way it is with fellow Rv’ers and bloggers.

I read on Sue’s blog today that she has mailed a special 3000^th comment “Canadian Prize Pack” to us and we are excited to see what Sue has sent our way. We will let you know as soon as it arrives. Wow! Feels just like Christmas!!

Just Good to be Here

2011-07-20T22:43:00.001-04:00

McCosh Grist Mill taken February 2011

Gerri and I had heard of about an old grist mill in Alabama and decided we wanted to go see it. It was built near the turn of the 19th century by slaves and in 1976 was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 21, 1976. So I Googled the location and we set out on a day trip adventure. We drove about 30 miles out in the “country” as the smooth pavement we were on turned into a rough pavement. A few miles further it turned to gravel. We started wondering hmmm, where the heck is this taking us. Soon the gravel turned into a single lane dirt/mud road surrounded on both sides by trees and no trespassing signs.. NOW we were a little concerned…is this the way, did we get lost, and even, how safe is this?

About the time we were thinking of turning around??, a car came up behind us. I stopped and asked them where the grist mill was and they said just up ahead, so we let them in front of us and we followed. What the heck am I doing, we are out in the middle of NOWHERE following 2 young guys drinking beer and we don’t know anything about them.

Well, we got there to find the old mill had burned to the ground a few months ago and all was that left was a few rock frames.

We got out of the car and did some exploring while the 2 young guys got out and jumped into the large creek and went swimming. After we explored for a while and took some pics of the area,

we eased our way to the car and started our way out. As we were leaving, two truck loads of young guys veered off the mud road to get past us. Being a friendly sorta fellow, I waved as they passed, but they didn’t seem to appreciate our being there. I guess there was a swimming party to be had, after all, it is very hot out.

I can honestly say, we were glad to see the paved road again and be back in civilization. We did enjoy the exploration and seeing the area where the old mill was. I guess we both had thoughts about the movie “Deliverance”….just no banjo picking.

Country Roads

2011-07-17T22:22:00.001-04:00

It was just one of those Sunday afternoons. You know the kind, the weather was just right. It has been unbearably HOT lately but today….not so much. The temps were only in the mid 80s but the best part was the humidity was almost nonexistent. A really beautiful day. So after church we decided to take a drive in the country armed with our camera….just in case.

We drove about 10 miles south on highway 219 and just picked a nice looking country road to turn down. From there we just drove slowly enjoying the sunshine and beautiful country scenery.

We would see another road and turn down it and so on until we really had NO idea where we were. Awww, lost in the Georgia countryside on a beautiful day!!

I hope you enjoyed your Sunday as much as we did!!

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. ~Confucius

Great News

2011-07-14T23:19:00.001-04:00

Looks like a need for a little Crowd Control

GREAT NEWS!! Mike and I received the news last Friday concerning his recent prostate biopsy. All 12 cores came back benign. We are so thankful and appreciate all the wonderful comments offering special thoughts and prayers. We were always hopeful but you never know for sure until the “fat lady” sings. Needless to say we are delighted with this news and thankful to God. It was a long week of waiting.

With the temperatures nearing 100 we have not been doing anything blog worthy. We have mostly been staying inside where it is much cooler. Today Mike decided to take me out for lunch and that was certainly a special time together. After we finished eating we just sat and talked for quite awhile. Simple pleasures!

Bumps in the Road

2011-06-27T20:28:00.001-04:00

Life sometimes sends us bumps in the road. This past year we have experienced several. Mike knew something was just not right about a year ago and so we visited the doctor. You must know that Mike is a typical man….he just doesn’t like going to the doctor at all. This is when they discovered he was predisposed for diabetes. We tackled this issue and I am proud to say, at this time, his blood sugar is normal and he is no longer on any medication. He began to have potassium issues last December and this continues on….. having his last encounter with high potassium in the last two weeks. It was at this time he began to have some heart palpitations that needed to be explored. So far all we know is he has mitral valve regurgitation which, if mild, the doctors just “watch” but it can become more severe and even need surgery. We believe Mike’s condition is mild at this time….praise the Lord!

It was also during this time that his PSA count was all over the board. We visited a different Urologist today to get a second opinion and the results….Mike will have a biopsy on his prostate on Thursday. Please keep this in your prayers! We are both optimistic that everything will come out fine. We’ll keep you updated. He is ready to not see any more doctors for a long time!

It is hard to believe June is about over and we are headed toward July! The weather certainly has been hot and dry here. We continue to watch and pray for those in the mist of wildfires throughout the country. We have enjoyed traveling along with many of you this summer via your blogs. We sure do miss being out there traveling, exploring and making memories but we know this is only a short detour….a bump in the road.

We have managed to take a few short trips in between appointments and have enjoyed just getting away. I suppose “hitch itch” never goes away even though you are temporarily without a hitch!! We still remain excited about purchasing a smaller rig and getting back out on the road again!!

A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn. ~Author Unknown

We have a few new followers and want to extend a big welcome! Thank you for stopping by and being a part of this wonderful “blog” community! We haven’t been very mobile lately but many of our “friends” are…. so check out their blogs as well.

Blue Jay Wars

2011-06-22T09:17:00.002-04:00

Mike and I love birding! We don’t boast of knowing a lot about it but we surely do enjoy feeding and watching them at our feeders. With that said….we don’t believe all birds are as enjoyable as others. Some birds are just downright mean and pushy. One such bird is the Blue Jay.


The Blue Jay is quite large as compared to the majority of the birds at our feeders. They are approximately 12 inches long and are a bright blue in color. They are indeed very pretty birds. In watching them we have discovered that they are fairly intelligent birds knowing just how to scatter the little ones whenever they want to dine at the feeders. They will let out loud screams which scare those little fellows leaving the feeders empty for their dinning pleasure. They are also pretty good problem solvers and excellent in communicating.

They are also particular about their food….at our feeders anyway. They have a tendency to eat and toss, eat and toss. It just drives us crazy to see that expensive seed being tossed to the ground. That wouldn’t be so bad if we had a lot of ground feeders but alas we don’t have a lot of those. So they have become the best friends to our squirrels. The squirrels hang around on the ground waiting for seed to be tossed to them.


I remember reading recently how Al (Bayfield Bunch) was battling the raccoons as well as squirrels at his feeders. Al is very creative and I hope he is winning the battle but I think we might be loosing our battle here in Georgia. Good luck Al!!!!

I know many of you have recently read of the tragic mishap experience by Ed and Marilyn Dray (Happy Wanderers). They lost their beautiful Mobile Suites to a fire this past weekend. They lost everything. Please keep this wonderful couple in your prayers at this time. Ed posted yesterday describing what happened so you can read about it on their blog at (mytripjournal.com/Dray-TheHappyWanderers).

Carnton Plantation

2011-06-20T17:49:00.001-04:00

Sunday we went to the Carnton Plantation which is near the Carter House and is tied very much to the Battle of Franklin. As you see by our photo, the entrance to the plantation is through a very nice neighborhood. This is the road you travel to get to the Carnton Home.

As the Battle of Franklin ended, there were 10,000 soldiers dead, wounded or missing. This battle is said to be the bloodiest five hours of the Civil War. The population of Franklin was only 750 people and what were they to do with the 9,000 dead or wounded…1,000 of that 10,000 were missing. The below is copied from the web site about the Carnton Home and is a direct quote:

“A staff officer later wrote that "the wounded, in hundreds, were brought to [the house] during the battle, and all the night after. And when the noble old house could hold no more, the yard was appropriated until the wounded and dead filled that...."

On the morning of December 1, 1864 the bodies of four Confederate generals killed during the fighting, Patrick R. Cleburne, Hiram B. Granbury, John Adams, and Otho F. Strahl, lay on Carnton’s back porch. The floors of the restored home are still stained with the blood of the men who were treated here.”

John and Carrie McGavock, the owners of the Plantation, maintained that cemetery, mainly by themselves, for the rest of their lives.

It is the largest private military cemetery (in terms of buried soldiers) in the United States.

Battle of Franklin…The Carter House

2011-06-19T22:54:00.002-04:00

We decided to take a little R & R after all the medical test Mike went through this past week. His visit with the doctor resulted in his going through some “lets eliminate this possibility” tests. So Wednesday he undertook a Nuclear Stress Test along with an Eco cardiogram. This along with several vials of blood and an EKG kept us busy. We are hopeful that these test will show that Mike indeed has a heart!! We also are hopeful that if anything stood out they would have flagged us back immediately. With this in mind we are going on the “no news is good news” concept until we hear the exact results.
We headed north. If only, if only….we could head far enough north to escape the heat that has its tight grip on the south.   A trip of this length is not in the cards for us at this time. Perhaps next summer we can head for cooler temps.


Saturday we decided to explore The Carter House in Franklin, Tennessee. The Carter house was owned by Fountain Branch Carter and his wife Mary. They began their life in this home in 1830 and went on to have 12 children of which only 7 survived. He farmed his 288 acres producing corn, wheat and hogs. He also ran a cotton gin and with this he became a very wealthy man with a net worth of over $62,000 ($1.6 million in today’s terms). Awww….life was good!


Our tour guide wanted to tell the story of the Battle of Franklin through the eyes of how the Civil War impacted this one family. All was good…. Until the beginning of the Civil War but at that time few thought the war would last more than a few months and it was miles and miles away from the home of Fountain Branch and his family. But this war transcended those miles when his three sons decided to join the Confederate Army and his four girls and himself stayed loyal to the Federals…..thus dividing the Carter family.


The war came to Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864 at 4 p.m. and lasted a horrible five hours with the Carter House being in the middle of the battlefield.


When the fighting ended 10,000 were killed, wounded or missing. One including Tod Carter who was shot nine times and died two days later. It is hard to say what Fountain Branch’s worth was after the war but he lost everything he owned except for his house and 19 acres. On that eventful evening of November 30, 1864 the small community of Franklin, Tennessee was changed forever.
www.carnton.org   This link will take you to information on the entire Battle of Franklin including the Carter House.

History is an awesome thing. It can teach us of our past and help us shape our future.

Going Forward

2011-06-13T22:58:00.001-04:00

As most of you know, we made a huge decision a few months ago to go from full-time to part-time Rv’ers. This was in part due to some personal family responsibilities coupled with higher cost of living and some unexpected health issues. We love our little “cottage” style house and it is just perfect for us. I think we will truly enjoy having a base where we can come back to for our doctors, family and church.

With that said, we never intend to “come off the road” entirely. We love rving, the many many wonderful people we have met in this lifestyle and those we still intend to meet “down the road.” We still intend to see as much of this wonderful country as we can. So with all this in mind we have started doing a little bit of research on what our next rig should be. We feel like we may be several months to a year or more away from the actual purchase but you never know.

We both feel at this time that we want to stay in the motor home family. We have owned pop-ups and travel trailers in our early camping years, but mainly we are only familiar with motor homes. What we don’t want are the big 40 foot diesel pushers like we have owned in the past. Since we won’t be living in the rig 24/7 we won’t need the storage that these units provide. We loved our DPs and the power/ space they provided but we feel that won’t be necessary this time around. So our initial research is going to be in the C or possibly B family. There are several models out there that provide excellent gas mileage and ample space. A few that we are interested in include the Roadtrek and Pleasure Way in the B family and the Born Free, Navion/View, and possible Lazy Daze in the C family. We have some good friends, Gene & Judi Curp that have a Four Winds class C and it is very nice too. There are probably other units out there as nice, but this is where we are now. We want to keep our future rig in a shorter length because we want to be able to park in various places such as state and national parks and those quaint little out of the way lakeside spots. Many of these makes offer models that get better than average fuel mileage. So we begin our search along with some research and hopefully when the time is right….the right rig will be there for us.

Mike Update:

Mike returns to the doctor tomorrow and hopefully we will find out why his potassium continues to go up to the dangerous level. After last weekend, we realize how scary this can be. We are both hoping this can be something easily fixed. It has been a long year working on getting his health straightened out. The good news is…. his blood sugar was in the normal range so we “think” we have this problem taken care of!! We so appreciate all the good wishes and prayers our blog friends as well as face book friends have sent our way. We value each and every one of you. We have some new followers and we want to welcome you to our always evolving journey in this great lifestyle. We hope you will find something useful or at least humorous along the way.

A Bird Kind of a Day

2011-06-05T13:32:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Mike and I took a trip about 40 miles northeast of LaGrange to Peachtree City, Georgia. Our mission was to visit Wild Birds Unlimited.

We discovered our first WBU in Columbus, Georgia several years ago but that store has since closed. If you love birding, which Mike and I really do, you would love browsing around in one of their stores. There are over 277 of these franchise stores located throughout North America. You can visit their website at www.wbu.com. The owners are certified birding specialist able to give advice on diet, habitat and most anything pertaining to wild birds.

Our trip today was to purchase food for our backyard birds. We have actually found that this food is no more expensive than the food we used to purchase at Wal-Mart and Tractor Supply since it is pure with very little to no filler added. It goes much further and the birds really, really like it. We tend to feed the Supreme food, shelled peanuts, premium sunflower seeds (black oil), Cranberry seed cylinder and Supreme with nuts seed cylinder and Jim’s Birdacious Bark Butter.

We have purchased our pole systems and all our feeders/houses from them. Three of our feeders are made from Eco Tough material which won’t crack, fade or rot and comes with a lifetime guarantee. Needless to say these cost a bit more so we only have three at this time.

We have recently started experimenting with the seed cylinders and really like them. They last a lot longer and the birds love them. We have also added, last year, Jim’s Birdacious Bark Butter to our feeding lineup. Smells a lot like peanut butter (no, I haven’t tried any) and you spread it on the bark of a tree, piece of wood or anything it will stick to. We have found all our birds love it but especially the woodpeckers.

We currently have a nest of baby wrens in one of our houses. Boy are they busy going in and out, and the little ones are beginning to chirp quite loudly. Soon we will get to see them emerge and fly off to begin their life. We still have several Cardinals but not as many as earlier in the season. Blue Jays are coming around, mockingbirds, Titmouse, Chickadees, Wrens, Purple Finches, Mourning Doves and our host of Woodpeckers.

It was a great day for us and we hope you have a truly wonderful weekend doing whatever makes you happy and brings a smile to your face!!

CICADAS

2011-06-03T13:43:00.001-04:00

Those of you that were fortunate enough to head north might have missed a 13 year phenomenon when the Cicada - The Great Southern Brood - emerges from their 13 year hiding underground. When the soil reaches the magic temperature of 65 degrees the Cicada nymphs will emerge, crawl up into trees, shed their skin and then begin the most annoying noise making you have ever heard. At this point they are searching for their mate. This horribly loud noise begins early in the day and continues until dusk. The sound is deafening.

Mike and I love sitting out on our patio in the early evening and just enjoy watching our birds as they come to the feeders. The noise emitted by these little creatures is so loud that it literally drove us inside. When you hear them from a distance (if that ever happens) it sounds like a machine running constantly. I did a little research on these little visitors and found out that in mature trees (older areas) their noise can reach 85 decibels. A jet flying overhead can reach 60 to 70 decibels. Now that’s loud!!

Although they are harmless they have a tendency to fly or dive bomb right at you. I sometimes wonder if they can see where they are going. Because they don’t hang around for an extended amount of time the loud decibels will not damage hearing.

They will remain with us for about four to six weeks. During this time they will be searching for their mate, they will mate and the female will lay her eggs. Then they will die.

The joy just continues…..when they die they begin to decay and with this step in their life cycle comes a horrible stench. So even though annoying at times we have been able to experience a unique natural phenomena of nature. See ya in 2024...Nature is amazing!!

Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do. ~Michel de Montaigne

HP To the Rescue

2011-06-02T13:52:00.001-04:00

Several weeks ago I opened my laptop and discovered that the LCD screen had this unusual design showing on it. That design turned out to be a crack on the inside. The computer had not been dropped, stepped on or mistreated in any way but there it was bigger than life…..cracked.

Downtown Nashville Music City

We got on the phone to HP customer service and described the situation. They immediately responded with the scenario of damage brought on by the customer. I immediately explained to them that we had not done anything to the computer. The recommendation was to package it up and send it in. They would look at it to determine the cause of the damage (they weren’t believing us at this point) and either fix it under warranty or call us and let us know the cost for them to fix it. They weren’t very optimistic and neither were we. So off went my laptop to the HP hospital. We waited for the dreaded call telling us we needed a new LCD screen and what the cost would be. We already heard it would be around $400.00.

During our waiting period we began to shop around to see if it would be more cost effective to just purchase a new one. We could beat the $400.00 price but not with the system options on our current one. So we continued to wait. About 8 days into our wait we noticed on e-mail that our laptop had been shipped. You know, the tracking number and approximate delivery date. Wow….we had dodged a bullet.

The laptop arrived in better shape than when it left us…..complete with a new LCD screen without the creative design. I can only speculate that when they saw the laptop and discovered that there REALLY wasn’t any damage to the cover and that we truly hadn’t done anything to it. You gotta love the warranties!!! HP came through and fixed our LCD at no charge to us…it restored a little faith in that company.

We have returned from our trip north…..not north enough however! We spent the greater part of May in Nashville. The temps were hot and the cicadas loud (louder than in Georgia). Mike is from Nashville and we always visit with family while there. While we were there this time we got to visit with the newest member of the family…..Samuel Patrick Swift born May 26th in Murfreesboro, Tn.

He is just adorable!! Kimberly, the mom, is our niece. Congratulations Sam, Kimberly and Kayla (the big sister)!!

MEMORIAL DAY

2011-05-30T11:06:00.000-04:00

THANKS TO ALL OUR FALLEN HEROES AND THE SACRIFICES THEY AS WELL AS THEIR FAMILIES MADE FOR OUR FREEDOMS!

We are still in Tennessee and many times have not had internet connections. Hope to catch up with all our blogging friends/comments very soon. We should be heading back to Georgia tomorrow. Time to reconnect with those wonderful doctors.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend!!!!!

A Trip to The Parthenon…no not that one!

2011-05-14T10:13:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we went to Centennial Park in Nashville where we toured the Parthenon. In 1897, Nashville undertook the construction of a full-scale replica of the Parthenon for the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition. The building was so popular the city decided to leave the temporary building standing. In 1920, it was decided to reconstruct the crumbling building with permanent materials, and to create a complete replica of the original Greek temple, both inside and out…it re-opened to the public in 1931.

Athena, the goddess of wisdom, stands in the same place where the original once did in the ancient temple.

She stands 41’ 10” tall. In Athena’s right hand is Nike, the goddess of victory, preparing to crown Athena. Nike stands 6’4” himself.

The Athenians believe Athena protected them from annihilation and granted them their victory over the Persian Empire in 480 BC. The shield which is 15’ in diameter portrays the head of Medusa in the middle.

The sculptures on the east Piedmont of the Parthenon depict the mythological birth of Athena.

The sculptures on the West Piedmont depict the mythological contest between Athena and her uncle Poseidon to determine who would become the patron of Attica and its capital city.

After the visit to the Parthenon, we ate a late lunch at Which Wich. It’s a unique sub shop. The sandwiches are numbered by the type sandwich, and you pick up a bag that matches that number.

Then you write down on that bag how you want your sandwich done and all the toppings and condiments. You turn in that bag, pay for your meal and they bring the sandwich to you in that itemized bag. It was a neat experience and the sandwich was very good.

We are really enjoying our time in Tennessee.

A Birthday, Triple D Experience, and a Hike

2011-05-12T13:53:00.000-04:00

It felt good to get back on the road again after health and personal opportunities have tied us down a bit. Gerri and I took Stephen with us to Nashville to spend a week and see some sights and visit my mom, my brother and his wife Carollyn.

Wednesday was Stephen’s birthday so we took him to the place of his choice for lunch. It was Martins Barbecue Joint…which also happens to be a Diners Drive-Ins and Dives restaurant. It is actually located in Nolensville, Tennessee which is about 8 miles south of Nashville. We each ordered something different so we could share the varieties offered at the restaurant. Stephen got the Red Neck Taco…pulled barbecue on top of a cornbread pancake with slaw and other spices and sauces on it. Gerri ordered the pulled barbecue platter and I had the beef brisket platter. Mom also had the pulled pork platter. Boy did we walk away full!

Later that afternoon, Gerri, Stephen and I went to Radnor Lake State Natural Area to walk around the lake on a really neat trail. Radnor Lake is an 85 acre lake surrounded by scenic areas and hiking trails.

There is a diversity of natural habitats and has some of the highest hills in the Nashville Basin. Several years ago, you could drive around the lake, but it is now closed to be a “natural” area full of hiking trails. Yesterday the weather was great for our hike through the trails and around the lake. It was a great way to walk of lunch and just a grand day!

We ended the day with a cake to conclude the birthday celebration.

Stephen prefers the decadent cake to the traditional birthday cake, so we got the Chocolate Lovers Delight cake from Publix. Man, was it good, rich and fattening…time for another hike today!

What A Difference A Day Makes

2011-04-29T22:57:00.001-04:00

What a difference a day makes or a few days for that matter! Wednesday we knew the huge weather system that was wrecking havoc in the mid section of the country was heading in our direction. We watched the weather channel and it appeared as though the worse part might be north of us. We watched cautiously.

Around 7:00 we began to see just how ominous this system moving toward us really was. We quickly turned on our weather radio, Midland, and made sure we had the necessary items to take with us to our basement. Now our basement is not what you probably envisioned. It has a nice door in the laundry room with stairs leading to the unfinished rather dug out basement that is used strictly for storage….until this particular evening.

We kept watching and listening to the awful damage that was taking place just west of us in Alabama. There appeared to be several large cells pushing east. Several times the tornado sirens went off warning us that a tornado had been spotted and then around 10:00 we saw a huge weather cell heading through LaFayette, Alabama heading directly toward LaGrange. This cell contained more than one tornado. We gathered our “stuff” and the doggies and headed to the basement. Thank goodness we have a few chairs stored there and this area has electricity…..which we miraculously never lost. There we waited for several hours until the worse passed us and the warning was lifted to a watch.

What an awful night!

It wasn’t until Thursday that we were aware of the damage that occurred in south Troup County (LaGrange). We also heard there was damage in parts of Harris County (Pine Mountain, FDR and Callaway area) as well as Manchester and Warm Springs. We aren’t sure to what extent at this time. Of course nothing can hold a candle to the damage and devastation in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and other areas of Alabama, northern Georgia, Tennessee and some areas of Mississippi.

So many lives lost and so many lost everything they owned….such a terrible thing! Let us remember all those in our thoughts and prayers.

Good Friends…Good Times

2011-04-26T00:25:00.001-04:00

This evening we were blessed with a visit from Randy & Terry. They are on their way to Pennsylvania, and stopped by for dinner and fellowship and boon docked at Walmart. Gerri & I picked them up so they wouldn’t have to unhitch and brought them to our house for dinner and visit time. After we ate we sat and talked about old and new times. We haven’t seen them for a little over a year but with friends like Terri & Randy, it was if it was just yesterday. Before we knew it, we had talked until about 11 pm and they needed to get back to their rig to get some sleep. WOW, it’s sooo nice to have friends like these…thanks Randy & Terry.

Saying “See You Down the Road” was hard because we really enjoy their friendship and we know it will be several months before we see them again.

Easter Sunday

2011-04-24T20:07:00.001-04:00

It is Easter Sunday and so we started our day rather early. That sound we haven’t heard in a long time sounded at 5:40 this morning…the alarm on the phone. We were going to the Sunrise Service at Callaway Gardens Resort and it started at a little after 7 am. The service was held on the lawn outside the Gardens Restaurant overlooking Mountain Creek Lake and the par 3 hole on Lakeview Course.

It was early and you could see the fog coming off the lake in the background and you could hear a wide variety of birds singing in the background. What a grand place to hold the Sunrise Service…surrounded by nature.

We sang a couple of songs and then the minister brought a refreshing message about the resurrection of our Lord. I cannot begin to express the beauty of the morning and the message given in such a peaceful and nature surrounded area.

After the service, we went to the Waffle House and enjoyed a tasty breakfast together. When we got back home we all flaked out on the patio and fell asleep. The rest of the day we just relaxed and took it easy.

We hope each of you had a great weekend.

HAPPY EASTER

2011-04-24T00:33:00.001-04:00

HE IS NOT HERE… HE HAS RISEN !

Ivy, the New Kudzu

2011-04-17T15:01:00.001-04:00

We have been staying busy but nothing overly exciting! We have enjoyed our backyard so much this spring. Since this was our first spring we weren’t sure what to expect. It appears the owner before the ones we purchased from really enjoyed plants and we have enjoyed watching the spring show of color. We discovered a daffodil garden on one side of the yard with a fern garden sitting right in the middle. We counted 10 to15 large mature azaleas scattered around the entire area. Among the azaleas are forsythias, snowball bushes, oak leaf hydrangeas and regular hydrangeas. There are three huge mature hardwood trees that offer wonderful shade and three tall

Japanese Cedars along with several dogwood trees and a few crepe myrtles. There is a separation between the small grass area right off the patio and the natural area which is the remaining yard.

All that sounds great but the part I didn’t mention was the previous owners were older and for about 11 years didn’t touch the area. Needless to say we have been uncovering many hidden treasures.

One such treasure was a concrete slab at the back of the property with a brick laid area right beside it. We couldn’t figure out what this originally might have been until we asked a long time neighbor… it was.a greenhouse. Today it is a sitting area! We also noticed a natural path that went from the patio/grass area through the azaleas right up to it. The only thing we needed to do was clear it out and tweak it a bit. Now we have a nice place to sit and observe nature and enjoy!!

Ivy is the new Kudzu….yep we have ivy growing everywhere and it is so invasive!! So we continue to work on the containing of the ivy and removing the ivy from areas we wish it to NOT be. Keeps Mike plenty busy!!

Good news…..Mike’s sugar is staying in the normal range!! We are so hoping this means this issue is under control. Now we continue to tackle the PSA and kidney stones. We appreciate your continued support and prayers.

Our friends are beginning to start their summer travels so we wish you all safe travels and many wonderful memories. We’ll be following along with you until we are able to return to the journey!! Stay safe!!

Leukemia Free

2011-04-01T19:13:00.001-04:00

As some of you know, Mike’s brother’s grandson, Hunter Jones was diagnosed with leukemia in August of 2010. Hunter was 6 years old at that time. His type of leukemia (PRE-Ball) was serious and placed him in a lower margin of survival. He began the horrible ritual of tests, chemo and radiation that would eventually lead him to a bone marrow transplant. I can only imagine how painful and scary all those trips to Vanderbilt were to him.

It was discovered that his sister, Ronin, was a perfect match and so he was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant November 23rd. Once the transplant was done there was the 100 days of waiting. Waiting….waiting! We found out recently that Hunter has 100% of his sister’s bone marrow. He is leukemia free!!!! What a blessing.

On March 10^th Hunter celebrated his 7^th birthday and now looks forward to many many more happy birthdays. He now goes to the hospital every other week and each day he is returning to his “normal” routine as a seven year old.

The pic of Hunter is on his birthday and he is still puffed from all the steroids he was given to assist in his recovery.

Thanks to all of you for your concern and prayers during this horrible ordeal. So much for such a young fellow to go through but Hunter has done well and is still smiling and looking forward to a happy childhood.

Old Friends

2011-03-31T20:51:00.001-04:00

Mike and I spent a wonderful day with our friends Howard and Linda Payne. Howard and Linda came into our lives in August 2005 when they had just started full-timing and we were just thinking about it. They were camped near Birmingham, Ala and we decided to journey over and meet these two. We sat and talked for a couple hours that afternoon and as with most full-timers/Rvers we had made new friends. These two meant so much to Mike and I during a really dark time in our lives. They were there and it meant a lot. We will never forget their visit to FDR in April 2006 where we sat together and they allowed us to cry. …in fact I believe they joined us. Today was different!! Today we talked, laughed and enjoyed the beautiful azaleas at Callaway Gardens. We greeted each other with hugs and picked up the conversations as though we had never been apart.

We began by having a good Mexican lunch at San Marcos. As many of you know, San Marcos is one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. We met Howard and Linda around 11:30. We ate and talked until around 1:30.

We went from San Marcos to the Callaway Brothers Azalea Bowl. This is the newest azalea area at Callaway and it is bordered by a lake and at the far end sits the chapel. Very pretty and peaceful. From this point we journeyed to the Overlook area. This is the oldest of the azalea areas and the paths wind around and around the most beautiful azaleas in all different colors. There are many Japanese Maples in both the dark red and bright green colors. To make the day even better the sun decided to shine and it became a beautiful sunny day.

As we walked through the area Linda gave me a quick lesson on identifying different bird songs. They pointed out different birds to us as we walked about the area. I would love to take a few hikes with these two…..I could learn so much about birding from them.

After finishing our tour of the azaleas Linda had the great idea to get some ice cream. Our first choice of places was closed so we went further down the street to Lubell’s Ice Cream Parlor. We each got our favorite flavor and enjoyed the moment. What a great idea Linda!!!! There is nothing better than a good cup or cone of ice cream, good friends and good conversation.

All too soon the afternoon was over and it was time to say “so long” to our friends. We brought Howard and Linda back to their car and did our traditional so long hugs. It was a wonderful day with good friends. Thanks Howard and Linda for venturing our way to camp for a few days and spending some time with us.

The Dust Has Settled

2011-03-25T20:51:00.001-04:00

It appears the dust has settled and the endless parade of people through the house is over! YAY!! The house didn’t have an enormous amount of things to be done but did need some updating in places. All together we have renovated the kitchen (except the floor) with new appliances, granite countertop, new sink and faucet and paint.

The guest bathroom did not have a shower so we installed one in that bathroom. In order to do that we had to tear out most of the tile in that tub and then retile. We put in an exhaust fan and new light fixture and of course…..paint. The master bathroom received a new pedestal sink because the contractor dropped the old one….YAY!! In this bathroom we installed a new light fixture and mirror along with the new pedestal sink, faucet and of course…..paint. Both bathrooms have retained the black and white charm of the 50’s period. They are small but hey….we’re rver and used to small quarters. It works just fine for us. At the last minute we decided to tile the sunroom….so much easier to keep clean especially with little doggies!

The many azaleas are beginning to bloom and the birds are abundant. The backyard is very peaceful and we enjoy just getting lost in it. We spend a lot of time on the back porch just sitting and listening to the birds serenade us.

We are continuing to work on Mike’s health and getting him healthy once again. We are still visiting the doctors on a regular basis but that, hopefully, will get better in the near future. It makes it hard to take a road trip but we hope that when the dust settles we can take some trips from here. Our plans are to downsize from the Dutch Star into something smaller for our part-time lifestyle. We will take our time looking for just what we want but right now we will focus on getting settled in the house and Mike’s health. Not the original plan but not a bad one either.

I’ve included some pictures of the house including the areas we renovated. Enjoy!

A Happy Birthday

2011-03-21T21:43:00.001-04:00

I have officially hit a milestone….another birthday!! We decided to celebrate my special birthday dinner on Sunday since Stephen was off and could join us. We had a nice meal at Longhorn Steakhouse and spent the remainder of the day relaxing and enjoying this beautiful time of the year.

Mike asked me what I wanted for my birthday and being the good rv’er that I am…. I really couldn’t think of one thing I actually needed so I went for the birds. We took a trip to Wild Birds Unlimited in Peachtree City where I picked out a neat new feeder that you can put a seed cake on. It is spiral and has little perches for the birds to sit on with a top to protect the seed from the rain.

As with most new things it takes the birds a few days to venture in to dine. I am hoping they will like it.

Later in the day we feasted on the traditional birthday cake. Did I say it was diet time??? It’s diet time!!!!

The cake was delicious and we had the good insight to order only a small cake. Mike is NOT suppose to be eating lots of sugar so we didn’t want any temptations hanging around.

All in all it has been a really nice birthday….quiet, calm and relaxing!!! Just right!!

The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. ~Lucille Ball

To Everything There is a Season

2011-03-19T17:43:00.001-04:00

In light of all the horrible news happening throughout the world, isn’t it nice to know God still brings forth His seasons. This season of spring is coming forth with renewal of His creation. His painting in this world reminds us this earth is His creation. Gerri & I hope you enjoy His beauty we have tried to capture in pictures.

We never want to forget the need to pray for those in Japan. It is hard to go forward with our lives without remembering the tremendous needs of the people of Japan.

Good Friends…An Incredible Gift

2011-03-07T23:46:00.001-05:00

This afternoon we had the opportunity to visit with some very good friends that we met last year at Rainbow Plantation. On the way to Nashville, Gene and Judi Curp stopped over to spend the afternoon and night in LaGrange.

We spent most of the afternoon visiting and catching up on old and present times. Later in the day we went to Longhorn Steak House for dinner and then to our house for dessert and more visiting. I can’t begin to tell you how much we enjoyed seeing them again. It was about this time last year that we last saw each other. It’s kinda neat that you can go a year without seeing someone, but when you get together it’s like you haven’t been away more than a day or so. Now that’s friends!

We got to see their Class C which they got back in October. It’s really neat and so comfortable. It really fits their needs and wants great and we enjoyed seeing it.

Thanks Gene and Judi for a great day and for being such good friends, we are truly blessed.

A Simple Day

2011-02-24T08:55:00.001-05:00

It was a simple day to do simple things. It began early with the folks arriving to work on the bathroom remodel. That’s when we noticed what a beautiful day it was starting out to be. Plenty of sunshine and temps hovering around 72 degrees…..just perfect.

Stephen was off today and wanted to spend the day doing something fun together. Nothing big….just simple. We decided to drive to San Marcos for lunch. We always seem to migrate to San Marcos for a good meal as well as a fun environment. From there we decided to drive through Callaway Gardens to see what was happening. We hadn’t been there for several months and felt it was a perfect day to take a leisurely drive through the Gardens. We stopped and walked through the Discovery Center and enjoyed a wonderful exhibit of photography by Patsy Epperson.

She is a nature photographer and we really enjoyed her work. We thought about our good friends Darrell and Judy Patterson as well as Mike and Peggy Everingham as she had many shots of the coast along Maine. Just beautiful.

On our way home we stopped in the downtown area of Pine Mountain where we found a unique soda shop. Stephen had a fountain milkshake and Mike and I had ice cream. Yum!! We didn’t count the sugar because we know it would have been a no, no but you gotta splurge once in awhile.

Now we are back home sitting out on the patio just enjoying the ending of a really nice simple day in the life of……

We hope you had a great day as well!!!

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. ~John Muir

Daytona 500

2011-02-20T21:07:00.001-05:00

Today as we watched some of the Daytona 500, Gerri started telling me about her memories of the race. You see, she was born in Daytona and remembers when the race used to be on the beach itself. It actually started on A1A South and turned onto the beach. As the event grew, Bill France Sr. started the planning for the speedway in 1953. Gerri’s dad knew him and would talk about the process of building the speedway. The track itself was built in 1958 and the first race was in 1959.

Gerri’s dad and brother would enter the infield as early as possible and they would all tailgate and watch the race. She remembers walking the pit row and seeing many of the big name racers. One of her best friends was Pam Roberts, daughter of Fireball Roberts. He died as a result of a race in 1964.

A few years ago, we had the privilege of spending a week in Daytona and touring the speedway. There is a museum in the building that is well worth the time to visit. You can learn a lot about the race and its history at the museum.

Travor Bayne, a 20 year old, won the race today. What an incredible feat for him!

Beautiful Weather… Just to Relax

2011-02-20T08:23:00.001-05:00

What a grand and beautiful day it has been. In fact it has been really nice weather all week. The temps today got into the mid 70’s with lots of sunshine. Gerri & I spent a lot of the day outside just enjoying the beauty and watching the birds at the feeders and the bird bath. We sat on our patio in our chairs and just enjoyed the sunshine and birding.

The birds really enjoy the bird bath as well as all the feeders we have for them. It is so nice to be able to enjoy just being out in this great weather and relaxing. We even have daffodils up and blooming… a little early but they sure look good.

We hope the weather has been good for you and a touch of spring in the air. Take care, stay healthy and be safe.

Oh My Gosh…It Feels Like Spring

2011-01-29T19:29:00.001-05:00

Today was so incredibly great…sunny, crisp blue skies and temps around 70.

It felt like spring! I was so energized by the weather that I started working on increasing a natural area where we put our bird feed systems. I enlarged it and set up an area to add bird and butterfly friendly plants when the weather truly settles into spring.

Later on Gerri & I just sat on the patio and enjoyed watching the birds come in for feeding, it was so peaceful and the sunshine felt so good.

Our backyard is very private and lots of hardwoods and pines. We are anxious to see what comes up as spring comes. We have lots of azaleas and camellias in the yard, so that should be pretty when they bloom. In fact we had some camellias bloom already, but I think the cold snap (temps in the teens at night) messed with the blooms.

Life is truly good and God is truly great!

Take care and we hope all of you had a great Saturday!

A Little Work in the Kitchen

2011-01-27T21:45:00.001-05:00

The granite has arrived! The house that we recently purchased was in excellent condition for a fifty year old house. We love older houses….so full of character and this one did not let us down. The kitchen had been updated several years ago with new cabinets and countertops.

The laminate countertops were getting old, stained and a bit tired so we decided to update with granite and add a tumbled marble backsplash which will be installed Saturday. We will have the under mount sink and new faucet. Along with that we have bought new appliances. This should complete the kitchen update for us.

The painting is going well. Its funny you don’t notice how much a room needs painting until all the furniture has been removed. We discovered that every room needs painting. Mike loves painting…..isn’t that nice??? We have only one room left plus the kitchen and mud room to finish painting. The best part of the new house is the sunroom and back yard. We sit up a bit so that makes for some beautiful sunrise photos. The birds are really loving our pole feeding systems and we are loving them.

With all the unpacking, painting and bird watching we have decided it is time for a road trip. We are planning to take a few days off early in February and head down to visit with our friends at Rainbow Plantation. We are trying to coordinate the trip with the arrival of Mike and Peggy Evringham and possibly Gene and Judi Curp. Hopefully we can pull that off. Even with a sticks and bricks we love to travel and plan on continuing with our trips.

"Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out."

Jack Buck

Best Made Plans…Sometimes Change

2011-01-21T13:14:00.001-05:00

The best made plans sometimes just don’t happen. Gerri and I began our full-timing with the intentions of traveling and seeing so many of the awesome places in this country. We waited for what seemed like an eternity to sell our house and “hit the road” and one day there we were. We had figured our budget many many times and had it all figured out. That is when LIFE happened. Maybe I should say the ECONOMY and LIFE happened.

Full-timing is no different than any other lifestyle…..things happen. The economy attacks full-timers, health attacks full-timers and you get the picture. This past year I have had several health opportunities to work through and we are doing just that….. but those opportunities have cost us some extra money. We pulled the “extra” expenses from our savings which was set up for such emergencies. About the same time our health insurance went up a bit….well actually it didn’t go up but the deductible changed and Gerri’s medications went up. Time to tweak the budget again. Did I mention that fuel went up? Clothing, food etc. went up? Oh, did I mention that our pension income didn’t go up quite as much as the economy?? Yes, time to tweak the budget. No matter how I tweaked I could not make the numbers stretch over the added expenses and keep the diesel, campground monies the same. With the decreased diesel and campground money which were added to other expense categories, we were not going to be traveling much. Our original goal was to travel…..not sit. I was frustrated!!

Then enters family! We always wanted to be able to share special times with Stephen and then my family in Tennessee suddenly developed health issues. My brother’s grandson, six years old, was diagnosed with leukemia in August. This put a big stress on the family in Tennessee. My brother could no longer do as much for my mother because his attention was directed toward his grandson. We would have to be nearby for them. For us, family is so very important and they always come first.

During our year and half full-timing we found that we really missed the church connection. We weren’t as honest with this as we should have been….so we didn’t attend as we could have. But more than just attending we missed the belonging to a fellowship of people. For Gerri and I our spiritual life is THE most important thing and we had let it slip badly.

So armed with all these opportunities Gerri and I took a long look at what our goals were and what we wanted for our lives. We still want to travel and experience many of the wonderful places in this country. We didn’t want to continually subtract from our savings….especially since we are retired and not putting as much into it as we once were. We didn’t want to workamp ALL the time. We didn’t want to just sit and live in our MH.

We did want to be a part of Stephen’s life and help out with the needs of the family in Tennessee. If you subtract the time spent “sitting” and volunteering, that leaves the amount of time we would be actually traveling that might equal more of a part-time traveler. So while we still had our equity and savings we decided to purchase a small house, downsize and do the part-time thing. We have found the perfect house, the perfect size and, in one of the best neighborhoods in LaGrange, old historic area. We have a wonderful sunroom looking out to our wooded backyard…..yes, yes, we have birds!! Lots of them and hope that once we get out feeders going we will have many more. It is a perfect yard for birding with lots of hardwoods, azaleas and more. Just beautiful!!

The best part of full-timing or maybe I should say Rving is the wonderful people you meet. We have met the very best folks ever in this experience and hope that we will continue to meet up with you guys “down the road” as we travel. When we are not traveling we will be enjoying our new to us home, getting re-connected to our church and working on getting my health back like it should be. We are happy…life is still good and we hope to still see you guys “down the road.”

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010-12-31T22:23:00.001-05:00

2010 !! What an incredible year for Gerri and me. We physically met some of the most wonderful folks we have ever met, and through blogging and facebook, met many other incredible people. Gerri and I are truly blessed. As we look back, it is hard for words to express a most wonderful year.

We can only say Thank You for allowing us to be a part of your life and to share in your walk in this world. We hope each of you have a healthy and happy 2011.

TRAVEL SAFELY

White Christmas….

2010-12-25T19:11:00.001-05:00

Gerri and I have lived in the LaGrange, Georgia area for almost 34 years and this is the first time we have had snow on Christmas day. Now I know that is no big deal to a lot of you guys, but for this area of Georgia, that is neat. So now when I hear “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”, we actually did have one. It is 7:15 pm eastern time and still snowing too.

Again, wishing all of you a Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T13:30:00.001-05:00

Wise men and women still seek Him………..

Gerri and I would like to wish all our friends a very Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Happy 2011.

Be safe and safe travels.

28 Grand Years

2010-11-27T23:09:00.001-05:00

Twenty-eight years ago today Gerri & I were married. It was a spectacular day, and life has gone uphill since. I can still see Gerri coming down the aisle in her wedding dress. There was such a glow about her, I would have sworn she was an angel walking that aisle. You know, she was! Gosh, she sure was beautiful. Twenty-eight years later, she is still beautiful, and we are best and closer friends now.

Tonight we went to the Plantation Room at Callaway Gardens Resort for dinner.

If you don’t already know it, Callaway is an extremely special place for us. At night, they have a great buffet, and the ambiance is so soothing and elegant to us. Well, the food was great, the ambiance superb, and I dined with my best and dearest friend! What could be better, and you know, Gerri still has that glow!