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Unwind and Dry out

6/28/2015

I decided to wait until we got home to blog about the past day and a half. I wanted to post a number of photos and am nearing the max on our data usage on our Hotspot. A word of advice to campers: if you aren't in a big hurry, check the radar before you leave the campground so that you can avoid a biblical downpour at the dump station.

Yesterday was a beautiful day and we took a short bike ride on a nice trail on the north side of Lake Macbride. It follows the lake edge through woods and prairie restorations. In one area, there had apparently been a recent hatch (or whatever you call it) of butterflies because these tiny beauties flew up right ahead of us as we pedaled along.

In the afternoon, the 'Glampers' had a tour of their trailers. I think the earliest one was from the Fifities but there may have been a '47 in there somewhere. They ranged in length from 11 to 32 feet. The variety of treatments is astounding and apparently no derelict is too derelict to take on. The second row of photos show the interior of Diane's "Violet" and her daughter's "Foxy Lady" tent complete with miniature flamingos, pink chair and table. I'm guessing the boy examining it is thinking that's way too much pink. The first picture in the third row is the 32-foot Holiday Rambler, a work in progress which is being done in a nautical theme in honor of the owner's navy service, complete with mess trays.

In the evening we enjoyed the fruits (mostly desserts) of the cast iron cooking demo and a variety of other potluck dishes. Afterward, there was a campfire at our site and a "Bizarre S'mores" competition took center stage. These included strawberries embedded in giant marshmallows, and marshmallows and a little coconut frosting between fudge cookies, among other delectables. I, along with several others, was initiated into the group in a short but very loud ceremony involving cowbells.

Breakfast this morning lived up to those health textbooks that promote it as the most important meal of the day. Several egg dishes, cinnamon roll waffles, cinnamon roll French toast, veggie pancakes, bacon, fruit etc fortified us as we made ready to return to our other homes in Wisconsin, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa.A group photo captured most of those present.

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Happy Glampers

6/27/2015

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That's not a typo. Glamping is glamorous camping. People who like a little bling with their boondocking. I first became involved with them last year when I was writing The Time Travel Trailer and wanted more info on restoring vintage campers. There are members here from Iowa, northern Wisconsin, Nebraska, and the St. Louis and Kansas City areas.

We are at Lake Macbride for a Midwest Glampers event. There are 17 or 18 of these whimsical abodes scattered throughout the campground, They are all named and most have a theme. The one next to us is 'Violet' and you can see the theme from the photo. Across from us is 'Hedy LeCub' with the interior in a bohemian theme. This afternoon, there will be a tour and we will get to see the insides of most of them.

When the Midwest Glampers get together, they like to explore area shops, do a little crafting and of course, eat. Yesterday, some went to the nearby Amana Colonies and today, they plan to swim, have a crafting session, the tour, and a Dutch oven cooking lesson. Meals are potlucks and yesterday the group managed to cobble together a gathering area out of portable awnings and picnic tables. We enjoyed a great supper and campfire. I just wish I hadn't left my giant pasta salad in the basement fridge at home.

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The Calm After the Storm

6/21/2015

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Yesterday was a weird day. All of our usual weather sources have agreed for days that Saturday would see storms, "possibly severe, with high winds, large hail, and chance of a tornado." They couldn't settle on when or how many times. I realize forecasting is not an exact science. But when we camp, we have a lot of stuff outside, as most people do. Some of those things can be ruined by a storm and others are rendered unusable for a time while they dry out. So as much as possible, we try to put those things away. One of the main concerns is the awning. A storm can rip it to shreds but on a hot day with no shade, we are reluctant to roll it up until we really need to.

The point of all this rambling is that when we have a day that storms move through the area, each one missing us, we spend a lot of time in the should we-or-shouldn't-we mode. Finally about 5:00 the radar and the sky showed a can't miss storm and we were under a tornado watch. There was hard rain and wind, but fortunately no hail, tornadoes or damaging winds. After waiting it out inside, our group gathered to grill some burgers and brats and enjoy the spectacular sunset.

During the day, because of the weather uncertainty, we didn't take in the Turkey Vulture Festival and I hope the turkey vultures weren't too offended. But we did walk the nice trail nearby, marveling at the big old cottonwoods--some damaged in previous storms. Quite a few people were exploring the Devonian Fossil Gorge--exposed in the 1993 floods. Butch did some fishing and I did quite a bit of reading and writing. Today is supposed to be sunny and warm. So far it's foggy.

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Tumults and Turkey Vultures

6/20/2015

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So we had no plans to camp this weekend. By the time we checked out sites to join our usual group at the nearby Coralville Reservoir, there were none left and another plan fell through for lack of campgrounds in the area we were looking at. Then Wednesday, one of the Coralville group canceled but since we are so bad about checking our phones, we didn't see the message until Thursday morning. Tailwater West, right below the Coralville Dam, is a Corps of Engineers campground and you can only reserve on line 48 hours or more in advance. So we could reserve Saturday night but not Friday.

No problem, we sez. We will just make the half-hour drive to the Lake, be there when the guard shack opens at 9:00, reserve the site in person for Friday night, then go back with the camper at our leisure. And that would have been no problem except that they have a rule that you can't register for a site until you put a camper or tent on it. Now, we ran into this years ago and bought a $20 teeny tiny tent for just such a purpose. But had we thought to throw it in the car? Of course not. So back home, get the tent, and Butch hightails it back, lays the tent out on the site, weighs it down with a rock, beats it back to the guard shack, and snags the site.

After that, things went smoothly and it was a beautiful day. Blue sky and nice breeze, accompanied by the dull roar nearby of water rushing through the outflow tube under the dam. Due to recent rains, a lot of water is being let out and it's mesmerizing to watch it rush and tumble through the tube. And the cottonwood trees are shedding, so it's like a light snowfall. There are piles of 'cotton' under the picnic tables that look remnants of a pillow fight.

This is not just any weekend at the lake. Today is the Turkey Vulture Festival. Consider the poor turkey vulture for a moment. Two words that have negative connotations to humans. "Turkey" is what we call someone when we think they've done something dumb and "Vulture" indicates greed. It's like naming a baby "Ugly Loser" or something. So it's kind of nice that they have a festival for them. We will probably check that out.

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It Isn't Easy

6/16/2015

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At least not if it is of any value. Writing a book, for example, or maintaining a garden, or doing yoga.

Take yoga. I am supposed to be getting my cholesterol down and while I haven't done yoga or walked several miles or eaten only healthy food every day without fail for the last six months, I have improved my lifestyle. When I attempt the yoga (at least four mornings a week), I am sure I would make an excellent photographic subject or one of those old people birthday cards. What frustrates me is that I can't see much progress in my flexibility and yet if I skip a week or more--as when we toured the Southeast in February--I can easily see the regression. What's with that? It isn't easy.

I mention gardening because I took advantage of the first beautiful day in the last few weeks to work in the yard yesterday. And the recent rains have produced tropical-like growth. Of the plants, but also the weeds. So progress is very slow. Once I finally start, little by little the structure and plants become more defined and I find motivation to keep going. But it isn't easy.

And writing a book. It is very easy to get bogged down. When I'm not sure where it's going or how it's going to end, I have no problem putting it aside. You know, for a half hour or so. Maybe an hour. Or two. Waiting for inspiration. But, as Thomas Edison said, What it boils down to is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration. So just like those weeds in the garden that seem so overwhelming, it takes plodding along one word at a time to bring that 1% inspiration. And it isn't easy.

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Half Done

6/7/2015

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Four of our eight grandchildren have now graduated from high school. It doesn't seem that long ago that we only had one and she was a tiny baby. These events always cause one the think back to their own graduation (in my case 55 years ago) and think of all the changes that have occurred since then, and then wonder what shifts and innovations these kids will see. They didn't have a Jumbotron when my class departed high school.

Most of our family gatherings have been at our place or in a neutral locale so it is fun to see one of our kids in their now native habitat with their own friends and lives. It was great to have much of our family together, too, although Ron, Ty, Scott and Steven were sorely missed. Unfortunately, the workaday life goes on in spite of such milestone events, and we find as the grandchildren become adults, it is more and more difficult to gather the group especially working around jobs. Even Jessi had to leave shortly after her own party yesterday for her job at the In-and-Out Burger joint. But we all appreciated the trip made by her Great Aunt Harriet and Great Uncle Ken to join in the festivities.

And the journey continues. Jessi seems very ready to put high school behind her and head off to her next adventure at the University of Alabama. And like most things in life, the pace of graduations for us will speed up: in three years, Steven and Sophie, Jack the year following, and Elliot in another three. Then done. Soon they will each have their own lives, friends, and families in scattered places. You just can't hang on to them as you'd like to.

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The Fun Begins

6/4/2015

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We arrived yesterday late morning at Pat and Jill's. Brooke and Nick had driven through the night and beaten us by about five hours. Preparations are being made for the graduation party on Saturday so we spent the afternoon hosing off the patio and planting the flower pots.

Brooke and I trekked to a nearby landscaping place and loaded the cart with plants and potting soil. We tried to leave but got pulled in to the ice cream place next door. What could we do? A little sustenance is always necessary when you are doing heavy yard work. You don't want to get dehydrated.

Jessi, the graduate had come home from her last day of school about noon only to take off again for work, and after that a graduation party. But she joined us for supper and the evening. It is such a joy to watch Brooke and Jessi together. Separated by twelve years and hundreds of miles most of their lives, they are remarkably similar in so many ways and have a wonderful bond of sisterhood.

Brooke presented her sister with a bag of goodies, many of them made of University of Alabama fabric by Brooke: the bag itself, bowl cozies that go in the microwave and do double duty as hot pads, key rings, etc. Jack created a plane for his sister, covered with symbols for the important things in life.

The rest of the family is enroute and should be here midday. Jessi has graduation practice this morning and I think we have some errands to run. A pedicure this morning would be a big plus for me. As the pace heats up, Midnight, the 15-year-old Border Collie observes it all quietly, knowing humans are crazy, and Hawkeye, the cat, lives her own Walter Mitty existence, disdaining what is going on around her.

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Beginnings and Endings

6/3/2015

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That's the story of life, isn't it? On our way south to attend our granddaughter Jessi's graduation ( both a beginning and an ending), we stopped to visit our old neighbor Lon Burr, now living in southern Missouri. Last weekend, Lon lost his wonderful wife, Lynn. We were neighbors on Calhoun Street for 27 years.

Calhoun Street, as all the kids who grew up there will tell you, was a very special space. Our property backed up to the park and swimming pool, as did most of the houses on that side of the street. It seemed like there was a predominance of boys in the families and at any given time, a pick up football, basketball, or baseball game--whatever was in season-- could be found along the street. All the kids knew that in an emergency, they could get help from any adult along the street.

Lon and Lynn had a remodeled what had been an old farmhouse. Lon is a wonderful woodworker and at one point screened in their large patio. Invariably on a summer night, Lynn and Georgia, music and piano teacher who lived across the street, would be out there playing cards, recovering a sofa, or launching some other project that most of us just think about.

Lynn was an excellent seamstress and besides sewing for herself and family, she also whipped up show choir outfits, costumes, wedding apparel, and prom dresses for others. Lon's garage was huge, with every tool known to man and one bay had a higher than normal door. Homecoming week, that garage became float building central. Because Lynn's favorite childhood stage was the teenage years. Seriously. We all threatened to send ours to her and she just laughed that inimitable laugh and said "Bring 'em on. Ya know?"

She is sorely missed. But I'm pretty sure she and Georgia have found a pleasant screened porch somewhere with a few bugs hovering around a yellow light and a deck of cards.

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