Blogging, Camping, Baking

A few days ago, while discussing my blog with someone, I said the great thing about having a blog was that it is written in real time making the observations current with the date and time. Mostly that is true, but sometimes when I am writing about a trip, for instance, a week or two may pass before I finish the story. Speaking of which, it was Christmas, 2006, when Bruce gave me a digital camera for Christmas, one of those gifts that change your life for the better. I can still remember opening that gift, being shocked, and my first reaction was that I didn't need it, nor could I see the tiny screen! How wrong I was!! Because Matt was home for Christmas, he and I went to Leu Gardens so he could show me how to use it, including what "menus" were for. I'd no idea at the time! 

And here we are nearly 14 years later and hundreds of thousands of photographs later, and darn if I'm still not at it almost every day! The blog, I began with Matt's urging, in early February of 2007.  Again I had not the faintest idea of what I was doing; apparently I've learned along the way. How long will I keep it up? Who knows, but one thing I do know is that once I have passed away, my children will most definitely have a record of their parents lives, which as I ponder that thought, perhaps is a gift itself. 

Okey dokie, where were we? Manatee Springs is where. 

Firstly, one of the reasons that we came home a day early is two fold. One, I was a tiny bit worried about the tree having enough water, and two, I really needed to get my Christmas cards out. I know, to some that is an old fashioned idea, but heck, I'm an old fashioned lady! And if this year has taught us anything, it is that we cannot take relationships for granted!

I told you it was a tree for two rooms! Amazingly, it has dropped very few needles and we are but days away from Christmas. A few friends have stuck their head in the door for a look and they all say, the size has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

While on the topic of decorating, Bruce put up my Christmas bunting in a new place this year and it is making me very happy indeed.

Now we are back to camping...

I had a bit of a fail with one of the meals I prepared for our dinner one night. Because the Shepards Pie was so successful, I thought I'd make a version of Chicken Pot Pie this time. Making the filling at home before we left, I envisioned a hot, comforting meal in the cold weather. While the hot part worked out fine, having never used biscuits for a topping I had no idea that they would be a soggy mess that had to be scraped off as it was decidedly unappetizing as served.  The chicken part was pretty good though. 

As it was so cold that night, instead of trying to stay warm by the fire, Bruce arranged our chairs in the tent with the heater going full blast. We had loads of fun playing Yahtzee, in spite of him winning two out of three!

The morning that it was below freezing, I put on my coat and boots over my pajamas (!) and got on my bike to ride to the spring and river. No folks were around to see me in case you are wondering. Some might call them smarter as they stayed in their warm RVs, however, they missed out on some amazing scenery because the warm water in the run produced an ethereal landscape. 

Imagine my surprise when I got to the end of the boardwalk and the same held true for the river! It seems fitting that there was a perched vulture alongside the dock as they are so numerous in that park.

Quiet and still, it was magical. If you read my last post , this scene looked entirely different. Isn't that just  astonishing to think of? God is a magician. 

According to the stats I have access to, not many folks did read that last post, so here's what the same scene looked like a few hours later. I stand in awe...

Late Wednesday afternoon, a MINI came by hauling the neatest little camper that you could ever imagine. Naturally, after a bit, Bruce went down to visit and find out if the man had made it which indeed he had. With his four year old granddaughter in tow (no pun intended), he'd driven from Maine to take her camping!!! As we were packing up to leave, they walked down to have a chat. She was adorable and chatty with me as the men talked. I'd gotten my hairbrush out to use and she said she'd like to do it for me. While doing so she asked if I had some boo boos on my face, or was it my skin? Out of the mouths of babes!! Seeing my camera she asked if I'd take her picture and you don't have to ask me that question twice. Of course I will.

Honestly, she was like a little doll. Eventually they left and after finishing our packing, we drove out of the camping area, getting not very far when I realized that I'd not taken a photo of the camper so we turned around and headed to their campsite. She was thrilled to see us again. The camper is made of wood and holds a queen size mattress as well as having a kitchen in the open back. So neat!

You do meet some nice folks while camping. Three brothers set up next to us, talking the night away as two were from out of state, but gathered for camping before heading to St. Pete for their Mom's 96th birthday celebration.

This Christmas season's gift giving has been a bit of a challenge for me, well really it has been so weird, but one thing I'm still doing is baking and sharing. My standard sugar cookies were a hit with the pickleball clan one chilly night.

Then I made some coconut macaroons from an old recipe of our Moms. Yesterday afternoon I began making Bruce's mother's gingerbread using some adorable measuring cups and spoons from Nancy.

Aren't they the cutest?? Chilling the dough is mandatory so I got back to it this morning. It takes FIVE cups of flour and makes a ton of cookies, some of which will go to friends and some to the freezer. This time I gathered the dough into a big fat log shape to chill and when it was time for rolling, I used the bread knife to cut off a big slab. This dough is a breeze to roll.

So, I may be able to blog, take photographs and bake, heck I can even camp in freezing weather, but one thing I cannot do well is decorate cookies!! I tried though.

These days most folks would have gone to Google, but I am not most folks, as you may have guessed by now. These conversation pieces do taste good so there's that. I've had this bag thing for ages, never using it until today. Maybe that's why it has been in the drawer for all these years. Because I knew better?

Well, did you see the conjunction? While we did see two dots in the sky, I can't say it was as neat an experience as I'd hoped. But then again, we did not have a telescope as did one of Patti's neighbors who allowed her to see it for herself. According to her, it was amazing. If you haven't seen any photos, here's some from folks that know what they are doing.

I will say the sunset was pretty darn good!

And that, my friends, is it for this installment of Camera Crazy; I've got clothes to fold which would have been nice had that chore been done earlier but those cookies....they took forever!!

your friend,

Gail

p.s. It has been chilly this week and the forecast is for a cold Christmas. Very unusual for what isn't this year?