There is a Lot to Cover

 It is somewhat ironic that I spent the 4th of July in the hospital exactly 50 years apart. Once by choice and once not so much. I am sure that you are deducing that I've had a health set-back which is one of the reasons this space has been blank for nearly three weeks; I'm hopefully on the mend and I can now concentrate on catching up. If all goes according to my plan, I will be writing a bunch over the next week or two because, it has been our good fortune to celebrate our son, go blueberry picking for the first time ever, go to an 89th birthday party, I photographed a wonderful group of people and more. That is to say let's get this show on the road! And now!

Backing up several weeks, D'Anna asked if we would like to go to a place to pick blueberries, followed by a neat farm. I asked Bruce and he thought it sounded good so we drove to their house and hopped in David's truck as he drove us to Franklin to parts we've never seen before. 

Seriously, when visiting a mountain town mostly tourists see their cute little downtowns and that is about it. For sure, it is easy to miss the locals if you don't know what you are doing and David and D'Anna clearly do! 

Like other places we have seen, this u-pick is on the honor system. Marking in buckets is just what it sounds like, holes drilled on either side of a standard household bucket. You actually carry a small little basket to the bushes, which surprised me by being tall. When done, you dump them in the larger bucket and you put your cash in a tray with everyone elses. Wild! 

David, pictured below was our chauffeur and tour guide. He loves taking people places and he loves driving, so it's a win-win for everyone. 

And here is his sweet wife amongst the blueberries

To tell you the truth, it was nothing like I expected. The berries were lovely, came off easily, and added up pretty quickly. I wonder if it gets messier as the season progresses?

And while it was very sunny, it was not broiling hot. Those temperatures would come the following week! For the time being, we were comfy and cool and on to our next destination.

Which was this!!

Here the variety of goods was plentiful, including fresh flowers from the fields, peaches on the trees, grapes growing and all manner of vegetables and fruits in the fields. This place was off any beaten path we had ever been on, that's for sure!

Bruce and David went into the farm store to eat boiled peanuts and soak in the atmosphere while the ladies went out into the orchard,

marveling at the good number of fruit on the trees.

Grapes are grown for wine, of sorts, as you will soon see.

Although our good fortune has allowed us to have this crazy adventure which began three years ago, seeing this sort of scene still thrills me to no end.

Those last two rows are a second planting of sunflowers; apparently the first did not go well. Speaking of which, my two sunflower plants are puny, but they have given me pleasure. :) Speaking of sunflowers, Freddy told me yesterday at church that his should be ready for a visit and some cuttings this Friday!! Woo hoo!!

The dahlias were huge, varied, and beautiful! 

After roaming around, we too, went to the farm shop where we had a funny experience, involving corn. Apparently, Mr. Mitchell is renowned for his delicious corn and he was happy to prove it by shucking an ear and handing it to me to eat. Say what? 

By golly, I did and he was absolutely right--delicious even without cooking or butter! Handing it around,  we all were in agreement.

What's more, the peaches were incredible, as were the tomatoes.

And then it was time to head to the back room behind closed doors where we had a little tasting of Mr. Mitchell's fruit wine in flavors you cannot imagine.

You know me, I always need to know more so I asked plenty of questions. The most important answer is that although he is 82, he feels good, stating if he were't farming he would be dead. Maybe that is what keeps Cousin Hilary going, still planting lots of vegetables and I imagine he's at least 95 now? I looked up the blog post from our visit and he was 82 in 2015!   Folks if you have a little extra time, that post is a winner!  

Back to Mr. Mitchell, he sells about twenty five different fruit wines, all grown, with the exception of pineapple and guava, on his property.  It was a fantastic visit and hopefully we can return another time, especially with David behind the wheel as he drove us the back way over the mountain to their home.

For you all reading this, you expect to see pretty decent photos and usually I deliver. That said, to me, they are all important and my babies now that my human ones are long grown and gone. My memory of events is not great, but one thing I almost always remember is the photo that got away from me and on this little journey one such opportunity vanished in the blink of an eye. One minute I spot an interesting barn in a well-treed setting with a deer in the front and the next minute said deer runs for those trees in the other direction. Yikes!! It would have been so good!  David has gotten used to me asking to stop and he did his best but that deer was faster!

Boo hoo! Otherwise, a perfect day in the mountains.

As was Thursday when we were at Soul Table. Inviting Jessie, our new friendly neighbor to Soul Table proved to be a gift to not only me, because she cared enough to check it out, but to one of our guests who she sat right down with, sharing a good chat.

She was treated to Wayne who returned to his vehicle for his guitar because he was moved to sing to folks.

For sure, he was singing with gusto.

I decided to invite Jessie to attend Eddie's birthday party with us and of course she made herself right at home. I knew sweet Julie would not mind and neither did the children who took to her like nobodies business.

She is crazy easy to talk to and seemingly loves everyone she meets. Our hearts were full celebrating Eddie who fell after the wedding, scaring everyone, but he's back in business now, albeit bruised and using a cane.

It won't surprise you that Jessie had actually already met Julie and Harry at the Chophouse where people tend to be friendly, not only the staff, but the patrons too. Plus it is but a block or so from our homes so a convenient stop.  Anyway, when Harry offered a tour of their pottery studio we jumped at the opportunity. Harry showed us the kiln and this thing which has a big purpose that I have forgotten. Somehow space technology is part of it. 

Here's more...

She was delighted because she had been on the lookout for some local mugs for their new home and Harry did not disappoint.

Whether or not there will be a party for Harry's upcoming 80th birthday,  I'm not aware of, but it won't surprise me in the least. What does surprise me is how spry, talented and all around amazing guy Harry is. You may just recall that he put on a huge pickleball tournament and two weddings this summer! As well he tends a huge garden. 

Is that the common thread? Tending to living things? Who knows, but it seems as if it can't hurt.

Perhaps you are wondering why I am recounting these weeks old events and the simple answer is because it pleases me to write about the places and people we meet and as we have learned this last week, it can be useful. 

As in my hospital visit. Sounds pretty benign, but trust me, it was not. That said, with the help of my blog I was able to find when last it happened to me, and the similarities are striking. February of 2105 it was.  Which is why I am going back in time a bit before returning to the present. I mean, some really awesome things have happened so let's keep focusing on that! 

Here's a sneak peek of my next post, something that I hope will interest you.

Between the kindness of strangers and the kindness of friends, I am one lucky gal!!

your friend,

Gail

p..s. Look for me in a few days time. 

Camping Fun

Firstly, we have been a one car family again which is not something I wanted to be typing. But yes, the car is back in the shop, and has been since it was towed to the dealership early Friday morning. Can't believe it? Neither can we, thus we have been car shopping for days because we are fed up to here with the uncertainty. Actually Bruce is very sad about this as he loves his car when it is working properly. Despite having just spent nearly a week in the shop, about sixty miles from home a warning came on---drivetrain malfunction. Needless to say, we were nervous about getting home with all of our gear on the car. Limping the last few miles we made it!! So that was the sad end of the trip.

Let's go back to the beginning because it was really all fun and games while we were at Ocean Pond Campground in the Osceola National Forest, just outside Lake City, FL, about 170 miles from home.

For the record, we saw no black bears; the only creature I saw was a little bunny just after sunrise one morning.

First we had to get there, taking our usual back roads, one of which was having some construction. The reason this fellow is sitting down is because it was blocked off for about two miles, so no hurry to wave traffic along!

Eventually we were moving, turning onto the road leading into the forest. I can't get enough of this photo..

By now it was about one in the afternoon so we had a quick sandwich and then set up camp.

National forests do not take reservations-- you have to arrive and hope there is an empty spot! This particular campground is very popular so we were quite lucky to get this amazing spot on the water. Our new bike rack worked like a charm and I used it for both pleasure and work. Work? Oh yes, gathering firewood was my job.

There were several areas, only one of which has electrical hookups, which we did not have. Mostly the RVs use them, although had there been an open one we could have camped amongst the big boys.

This area had the closest bathroom and shower area, so oftentimes I used my bicycle for that too. Should you be wondering, this is what one of the four showers looks like:

A bit of peeling paint, but good hot water and pressure, so no complaints from us. And let me tell you that hot water felt wonderful indeed because it was mighty chilly during our stay, mostly at night. How chilly, you wonder? 41 degrees our last night there! But we had a fire, this being the first one:

It is super fun cooking outdoors especially when you have all that you need.

Now you know just what was in the camping box! Or maybe you don't because you did not see my last post?  I mentioned that I gathered firewood, leaving other chores for Bruce, including washing the dishes. One thing was that it got dark very early so making dinner had to begin just after 5 in the evening, leaving enough time to wash up in dim light.

I am boiling potatoes here before combining the cabbage and bratsworth in another skillet. Another item in the camping box is a folding saw which Bruce used for some of the wood I gathered.

I mentioned it was chilly, right? The fire was heavenly, especially combined with the glitter of a star filled sky above. 

Before it got totally dark that first night, well cooking and sunset watching is a tricky business, but I managed, becoming totally obsessed with the Cypress tree.

Rising early the next morning, another spectacular show on the lake at sunrise.

Could it have been any better? I don't think so.

Camping is mostly a leisurely business, especially if you are staying for a few days. One morning Bruce took off in the kayak while I read by the morning fire. Another day he spent mostly reading the novel, The Great Alone, thoroughly enjoying it.

Folks walk by, greeting one another and making friends. If you can imagine, and really I still cannot, a man came to our huge site,

wondering when we would be leaving because he wanted our space. We got to talking and he mentioned he was from Western Kentucky. Hmmm....know anyone in Fancy Farm? Yes he did. Not only in FF, but he knew folks in Paducah, specifically....our second cousin Hilary!!! Perhaps you remember when we took the trip to meet him and his lovely wife Ginnie? Should you be curious, click on this link! Unreal, both how big our site was, and meeting that man who claimed Dr. Hunt (cousin), as he is locally known, was the best orthopedic surgeon around. There were families with young children and plenty of old folks like us who spend their time traveling all over, heading to Florida for the winter months. Thus, it is hard for Floridians to find open camping sites!

Also there are hosts, volunteers who park their RV's for up to six months who clean bathrooms and sort out any problems in exchange for their spots which include water and electricity. Bruce began a conversation with one of the women hosts and told her I was a bird nut. She promptly drove her golf cart to our space, showing me photos of a newly hatched Red-cockaded Woodpecker that a biologist was banding. An endangered species, the forest is a habitat and scientists come from all over to study them. Of all things, we'd taken a walk on the Florida Trail the day before,

and just when we got to this spot,

I saw two woodpeckers that I'm almost certain were that kind. Two quick for my camera though! There was plenty of standing water the further we went, prompting us to turn around to retrace our steps. There were some lovely Maple trees with color,

but not nearly as many birds as I'd hoped for. In exchange I had a multitude of STARS which I really can't get enough of. I'm not going to lie, the first night we were cold with Bruce thinking it would be too much for me. Not so! After spending nearly eight months sweating I was more than happy to put on another pair of socks along with long underwear, and our Icelandic blanket over two quilts. Before packing the tent to go home, here's the bundle of covers we used.

Popping Jiffy Pop over a campfire ended up like this...

That's right, up in flames! Bruce is wearing one of our handy head lamps because believe you me, it is very dark at night! The lake is surrounded by trees with almost no development so it is also quiet, aside from a little drone of traffic from nearby I-10. One day I was worried when I saw the smoke, however, it turns out it was from a controlled burn.

Here I am learning to light the stove before preparing yet another yummy outdoor meal.

Look closely and you will see the toaster we used for the first time, and it worked beautifully.

I told you I was obsessed with the Cypress tree, taken on our last night.

Because we were so close, we drove over to Live Oak, FL for a quick visit with Bruce's old friend Bill who recently bought a house on five acres there. The big oak on the right is what sealed the deal for them.

The good news is that we took the Interstate on the drive home, hoping to arrive before dark. Making a stop for a sandwich about 60 miles from home, Bruce asked me if I noticed the car skipping? No, not really. Off we went and fortunately that pesky warning light waited until we were much closer to home. Once there, I threw everything in the bottom of the shower to wash the following day, just in case we were bringing bugs home, although we saw very few during our time in the forest. We traded cold weather for no bugs!

How do I like camping so far? A lot! It will be even more fun once we have a reliable car, something I thought I would never write about at our age. In the grand scheme of things, it is a small problem to have.

Three days of car shopping behind us, we await the news on the car so we can trade it in ASAP!

your friend,

Gail

Somewhat

Lying in bed the other morning, I asked Bruce if he was getting used to being back in Orlando. He honestly replied, "somewhat", which pretty much sums up my feelings as well. It has been harder than we imagined, however, with a view like this, we'll adjust.

I haven't had the time to blog this last week as it seems that every time I intended to sit down and write, something else was needed for our new home. And with Bruce home all of the time now, it seems as if either I am making one meal and it is soon time for another. Not that I'm complaining, mind you, it is just another adjustment. He has really enjoyed being able to take the kayak out weather permitting. Speaking of the weather, it is damn hot today, as in 95 degrees with no rain in sight. After the earlier massive storms, things in that department have calmed down quite a bit. Both of us still marvel at the lack of thunder and lightening in Vancouver. Plus, their clouds are not nearly as interesting as ours!

Whereas in Vancouver, the scenery creates all of the drama, here in Florida it is the weather. With skies that often look like the above, it is no wonder that flat sky in Vancouver was challenging for me.

Sunday morning we decided to visit the church where we married, 45 years ago this Saturday.

Although we didn't see anyone we knew, we did run into the Aunt of a fellow we went to school with. It was nice, but replacing St. Andrews Wesley is going to be quite the challenge.

Pam had us over on Sunday night for delicious gazpacho, which won't surprise you in the least, as you've learned from this blog that she is such an excellent cook.

Another neat thing that I discovered on my bike ride the other morning is an area in the front of the property with about ten raised bed plots. Checking with Susan, our association president, I learned there is an empty one that has our name on it. That is if we can even think about working in this heat!

All sorts of plants that attract butterflies are planted there, and unless you venture in, you would never know that it is there.

Another thing that has been fun to watch on the big lake is a white duck with a harem of Mallard ducks. I have no explanation for this phenomenon. Anyone else?

Oh how I do love having access to a large swimming pool which I am making good use of when I can. The other afternoon I went there to finish an excellent book that I brought back with me from the used book store at the Vancouver library. Should you be looking for a fantastic, and strangely uplifting book, and by that I mean it is set in a hospice, check out The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce.  It has been quite some time since I enjoyed a novel as much.

So, that was all the news that is fit to print from here, but I do have more to show from the trip across the country. Without further ado, let's go to Iowa, a state that I could best describe as tidy. Rows upon rows of corn fields, that although do not have the dramatic effect of a place like the Badlands, is beautiful nonetheless.

Oops, I got ahead of myself.

After the rugged beauty of the far West, Iowa was a soothing treat for the eyes.

This was going to be one of the long days of driving filled with tiny towns along the State roads.

Filled is actually not the right word as the towns were generally few and far between. More like seemingly endless fields and roads lined with beautiful wildflowers.

Lovely rolling hills too.

Finally we came to a small town, the name of which escapes me. Because it was going to be a very long day, we found a space on a little residential street, under a big tree for shade, where Bruce could take a twenty minute nap. Naturally, I went on a little walk, seeing this in an open backyard.

And this highly decorated front and side yard, complete with an old sleigh.

I wish I'd remembered the name and I would have learned what went on in this town that warranted a residence like this one.

Someone made some money there, eh?

Finally, we were across Iowa, staying the night in Coralville where we visited the Olive Garden Bruce built.

Drive, eat, sleep, repeat..

The sun rose over Iowa,

and we were off again, heading to, and reaching Missouri, where we finally headed South.

There isn't a whole lot to say about Missouri, after all of the days of stunning beauty we'd passed through. Perhaps it is the Eastern side of the state that is so-so. We did stop here for lunch and it was indeed very tasty.

Whether or not our burger was the "worlds best" is up for debate, but it was very tasty, and we enjoyed sitting at the counter with the locals. With the atlas and iPad on my lap, I led Bruce on a route that would completely skirt St. Louis which might have been nice to see, but after driving so long with no traffic to speak of, we preferred to keep it that way. And there it was, the crossing of the Mississippi River in Cape Girardeau.

Just over the bridge, we drove into Illinois,

where we found a better spot to gaze upon the mighty Mississippi.

More corn fields and this great find!

Driving just on the corner of Illinois, we found the road that next led us over the Ohio River,

and into,

where we were immediately greeted with a wall of kudzu.

When we visited Hilary several years ago, I never expected to find myself anywhere near Fancy Farm again, but here was the sign my friends.

If this intrigues you to know more, you can read all about that fantastic trip here. Which I plan to do once this is finished because I want to relive the memory. :)

There very well may be loads of kudzu in this part of the world, but what there is a shortage of is hotel rooms. So, although tired, there were still more miles to go until we reached Mayfield, Ky where we discovered that there was a Mexican restaurant within walking distance.  Hallelujah, and can we get an AMEN?

Oh how happy we were to finally have some Tex-Mex again. Vancouver has many restaurants that serve fancy tacos but none that we found served our favorites. Since returning to Orlando we have seen an absolute explosion of Mexican restaurants and we can't wait to try a bunch of them!

Well, friends, there you have it, a road trip through parts of two Canadian provinces and 13 states where the biggest thrill came from seeing that everywhere is beautiful if your eyes are looking for beauty. Even Missouri.

your friend,

Gail