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Pines, Paths, and Prodigal Returns

5/24/2025

I am back at one of my favorite campgrounds, Johnson Sauk Trail north of Kewanee. Over half the campsites are located in a stand of tall pines planted in rows like sentries years ago. I love the sunlight through the tops of the trees and the sound of the wind through the boughs.

Another reason for being here at this time is that my grandson Elliot is due back for a leave from Luke Air Force base in Arizona. He's not a 'prodigal' in terms of wasting a large inheritance (he wishes) but in terms of returning after a long absence. This visit is special for two reasons. Over a month ago, he and his long time girlfriend, Bethany, were married in a civil ceremony in Arizona. And later this summer, he is being transferred to Alaska. Elliot and Bethany are currently enroute in Kansas and hope to be here later today.

Johnson Sauk draws a lot of visitors because of the hiking trails. Butch and I hiked one on the west side of the lake several years ago and it was wide and fairly easy. So yesterday morning I decide to try one on the east side. It started out across the dam, wide and level, but when I reached the other side, the terrain changed dramatically. It definitely became a path, up hill and downhill, with several fallen trees. I earned my hiking badge!

I spent the afternoon helping Andy with some yard work. We came back out here for supper over the fire and I turned in early. Today, I'll do a little more hiking as we await Elliot and Bethany's arrival, sometime later today.

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Ambling Adventures of Agatha

5/15/2025

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The first trip of the camping season always includes a few extra glitches. This year had the added speed bump of having Agatha parked 50 miles away at my son Andy's, instead of fifty feet from my back door as it was at my house in West Liberty. I then had the luxury of running things out and putting them away as I thought of them, stocking staples as I bought them, etc. This year, I made three trips to get the old girl ready. The first was to make up the beds and restock the towels, etc. The second was a cleaning trip and the third to finish up odds and ends.

If I am going somewhere north or west of the Quad Cities, I bring the camper first to my apartment complex and load it there. However, my shake down cruise was to Oakland Mills near Mt. Pleasant, southeast from Kewanee. So it would have taken a lot of extra time and gas to detour to the QC. Yesterday morning, I loaded my car with food, clothes, computer, a couple of games, and a few odds and ends that I had forgotten on earlier trips and left home about 9. Once in Kewanee, I filled the refrigerator and freezer, and put away the rest of the stuff. By shortly after noon, I was on my way for what is supposed to be a two hour drive to Mt. Pleasant, all the way on highway 34.

A few miles out of town, Agatha got a bee in her bonnet, er, windshield. The buzzing bother kept trying to whisper driving advice in my ear, so I pulled off into a parking lot to find the swatter.

I won the skirmish, and headed down the road. The next chore was to gas up the beast. I needed to find a Casey's to use my HyVee discount so I wouldn't have to stop at a bank for a loan. I also hoped to buy firewood. Andy told me where there was one in Galva. I thought I missed it and found another large lot where I could turn around. I hadn't missed it. Turn around again and drive further. Another wasted fifteen minutes. Got gas but no wood.

We bounced long okay--literally--for about an hour until we reached road work. It is almost summer in the Midwest, after all. I believe they placed the cement K-rails for the one-lane stretches, of which there were four, based on the measurement of Agatha's width plus five inches.

We finally crossed the Mississippi, encountered more road work, found wood and ice, and made it to Oakland Mills a little after 3:00. My friend Joanie met me there and the campground hosts for the week are my sister-in-law Harriet and her husband Ken. The forecasted severe storms for Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon didn't materialize but the warm temperatures did. So we spent a great deal of time in the shade and breezes solving the world's problems.

Per usual, we did not starve. Wednesday night we enjoyed foil packets of salmon and asparagus, plus pasta salad and Joanie's fruit pizza. Thursday, Ken smoked chicken breasts with sweet potatoes and broccoli, and we managed to polish off the pizza. Tomorrow, back to the Y to work some of that off.

Next week I have reservations for Johnson-Sauk seven miles north of Kewanee. An easy drive, unless there's road work and I have to detour through Peoria. My youngest grandson, Elliot, will be home on leave from the Air Force, along with his new bride Bethany, so I am really looking forward to it.

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The Writing Life

5/6/2025

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Part of the reason I moved to the Quad Cities almost a year ago was to take a more active part in the Midwest Writing Center, located in the Rock Island Library. I had been a member for several years and participated in a couple of book fairs but none of the regular events.

I am now delighted to be a part of the Writer's Studio, a feedback group the meets twice a month with about 10 to 12 regular members ranging in age from about 20 to 80s. Genres represented include poetry, fantasy, memoir, mysteries. and thrillers. We bring short selections to share and give feedback on. Members also bring other writing opportunities to the groups' attention.

Several members also belong to WOTA, Writers on the Avenue, a Muscatine group. Through that connection, I was asked to help with some publication chores for the Pearl City Press, and arm of WOTA. So I have been attending their meetings as well.

A couple of weeks ago, an invitation to participate in WriteNow, sponsored by the U of Iowa, was announced at Writer's Studio. The format is that we receive 2 prompts by email, have a week to write a piece of 1000 words or less on one of them, and then a week or so later, participate in a Zoom feedback meeting. The first two prompts were an adventure involving a wedding planner and a dog collar, or a fantasy about a news anchor and a VCR. I chose the latter and my Zoom group consisted of four others--two from Iowa, one from Minneapolis, and one from LA. It was a lot of fun to see what everyone did with those prompts.

Last fall, I also joined CASI, the Center for Active Seniors, Inc. in Davenport They offer a wide variety of classes on fitness, health, arts and crafts, and other topics. They were short an instructor for their writing class so I volunteered. We meet once a week and are working mostly on memoir.

So, I'm progressing, although not rapidly, on my latest project, Trailer in the Dust. It will be book 4 in that series. And I have plans for another Mystery Sisters book, Wright or Wrong. Meanwhile, it's camping season and Agatha and I will be off on our first adventure next week.

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Pines, Paths, and Prodigal Returns

Ambling Adventures of Agatha

The Writing Life

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