Adapting to the RV Lifestyle.....

This past weekend, Eddie Dale and I took our maiden voyage in the "new" RV.  We recently bought an older fifth-wheel from my dad, who is "retiring" from RV'ing.  We were eager to get out on the open road and set up camp to work out the kinks before taking it on vacation in a couple of weeks!

Here she is.....24-feet of home-away-from-home!!!

I spent a good deal of the day on Friday cleaning and getting everything ready.  You have to remember - a bachelor had been using the trailer!  I finished off the day with a trip to the dollar store for supplies we would need - paper plates, cleaner, shower caddy, towels - items we can just leave in the trailer from trip to trip.

On Saturday morning, we rounded up everything we would need at the grocery store.  We went through the hook-up process and got to the State Park, about 20 miles from town, right at 2:00 pm, the assigned check-in time.  Set up was a challenge this first time.......Eddie Dale tells me that backing up a fifth wheel is quite different from backing up a regular trailer.  I was glad it was him maneuvering it into place and not me!  Once we got it onto the parking pad, the rest of the hook-up went smoothly.

We took the pups with us for this first run and they were quite nervous and bewildered when we moved them from the truck to the trailer.  But, they quickly realized that it was much cooler in the trailer with the A/C running than it had been in the cab of the truck.  By the end of the evening, they started to relax and grow accustomed to their new surroundings.

We rested, read and napped for a while and then set up the portable grill to cook some steaks for dinner.  While we were outside, a doe came wandering up to our campsite and hung around for a while.  She actually got very close to us and didn't startle easily.  I guess she lives out in the area and is used to campers.  Isn't she just beautiful???

 

Dinner was simple and delicious!  We sat inside the trailer in the little dining area and enjoyed our sirloin steaks, twice backed potatoes (frozen and cooked in the microwave) and grilled squash and peppers from Daddy's garden.  Chilled tomatoes harvested from that garden earlier in the day provided a sweet pop of flavor.

A storm blew in at dusk and we put away the outdoor chairs and tables, battened down the hatches and crawled into bed to read.  The brunt of the storm passed us by, but there was some wind and rain and it cooled the sweltering temperatures to the point we could actually sleep with the windows open that night.

I can sum up our entire time at the State Park by saying "we did a whole lot of nothing"!  We napped, visited, read, sat outside in the quiet and relaxed.  It was a wonderful time of recharging and working out some of the snags of camping.  Every once in a while, you just need a little time to "decompress" like this!

I am looking forward to our next outing here in a couple of weeks for a week-long trip down to the Guadalupe river!  I think we're ready!!!

Snips and Snails......

And puppy dog tails!  That's what little boys are made of!!!

At least, you sure would have thought that this past weekend at our house......

Both Ben and Sam were hanging out over here for part of the day.  Oh, I know, they're not "little boys" anymore.....they're more like "grown men" now.......

But, they will always be my little boys!  (Sorry, guys!)

The dogs love having them around!  They just eat up all the attention and the rule-breaking (you know, that "no dogs on the bed" rule) that happen when their "bubba's" are here.  (And I just couldn't bear to be the "mean mommy" and break it all up....)

I caught all three pups up on Ben's bed with the boys......rolling around, tails wagging, having the best time with those goofy boys. 

Let me show you......

You will have to forgive the state of the room....the hangers on the doors, the partially made bed....I have had to adjust my definition of "neat" with a 23-year old guy living in that room!

Even so, it did my heart good to see them all enjoying just being together!  Them's my babies!!!

Grateful for the little moments today!

The Blessing After the Storm.....

Temperatures soared well over 100 degrees here today....

Can you say HOT?!?!?!

By late afternoon, we were sitting at 107, with a storm brewing.  Right at 5:00, thunder rumbled and we had about five minutes of intense rainfall.  Brought that temp right down, yes!

Even though the sun was shining throughout the brief storm, it was a welcome respite, bringing welcome relief from the heat.  For the next couple of hours, the clouds continued to build and the skies darkened.  I had headed over to Daddy's house after the initial storm so he could go over the care of his cat and garden while he is out of town for the next couple of weeks (No doubt, there will be an upcoming post covering this, as I am sure it is going to be quite an adventure).  On my way home, I received a phone call just a few blocks from the house and sat in the car in our driveway for a couple of minutes to finish up the call.  Huge drops began to fall from the sky and  Ed and Ben were scurrying around out front, unloading some lumber from the back of the truck for more fence repairs. 

I wrapped up my call and made a dash into the house just as the storm unleashed its fury.  While we prepared and ate a quick meal, the wind blew and the rain fell in sheets.  It felt safe and secure to be inside our cozy home. 

Ben and I had plans to run out to Kohl's and take advantage of a 30% off coupon so he could buy himself some shorts.  By the time we finished dinner and cleaned up, the storm was letting up and we were able to head out.

The sun was setting in the western sky; the clouds still hung ominously in the south and east, where the storm had passed.  And there it was.......

The blessing after the storm.......

As we pulled into the parking lot at the store, both of us reached for our phones to capture this beautiful sight. Even though the sun was still shining, random sprinkles still fell on our upturned faces as we gazed at the sky and breathed deeply the freshly cleansed air. 

"I have placed my rainbow in the clouds.  

It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all earth." 

~ Genesis 9:13

I hope you found a gift as lovely and wondrous as this today......

Come and Sit for a Bit.....

Eddie Dale and I worked in the front yard this morning.....together, of course.   He edges and weed-eats; I mow and sweep.  We love teaming up!

Hard to believe that tomorrow is June 1st!  

Welcome, Summer!

We think you're looking mighty fine around here.....

The new rose bushes, pink and red, are blooming.  The lantana is up and showing its vibrant hues of orange and red.  The petunias are still going like gangbusters.  The mums are gigantic - some have already bloomed and been pinched back once.  And the grass has greened up - thanks in large part to the fact that we have a water well and can water often.

I wish each of you, dear Friends, could stop by for a visit and glass of iced tea with me!!! 

A Little Apricot Madness!!!

My dad has a bumper crop of apricots on his little tree this year!  He called yesterday morning and said "C'mon over and get after it!!!", so Ben and I headed over in the heat of the afternoon to help harvest these sweet tastin' little fruits.

It's amazing how many apricots awaited us....and this is after he (and some of his neighbors) had already started raiding the stores!

In the 100+ degree heat, we picked apricots until we were soaked with sweat.....loading up half a dozen plastic shopping bags in the process.  While we picked, we snacked.....yummy!  Juicy apricots, warm from the sun and straight off the tree!

Since it seems that the whole bunch ripens at the same time, and there is simply no way to consume that many apricots before they start going bad, I quickly googled the best freezing method and went to work.

 After rinsing the fruit in cool water and allowing it air-dry, I simply sliced each apricot in half and removed the pit.....super easy.  For each extra large mixing bowl of fruit, I added about 1/8 cup of fresh lemon juice and roughly 1/4 cup of sugar.  Stirred it well and then scooped it into gallon-size ziplocking freezer bags.

 I was careful not to overfill the bags so I could get the fruit into a somewhat flat layer, spread out across the entire bag.  To remove all the excess air from the bag prior to sealing, I zipped it most of the way and used a straw to "suck out" the extra air.  This created these nice, easy-to-store bags for the freezer.  (And we ended up with four gallon bags of apricots!)

Hopefully, this will allow us to enjoy the apricots for some time to come.  Even if they get a little mushy as they thaw, they will be great in some recipes which I googled.  A couple that I particularly want to try are apricot salsa and, of course, apricot cobbler. 

We also want to have some fresh fruit to snack on, so I kept one container of washed fruit in the fridge so we can easily grab one on the go.  (Keeping the ripe fruit in the fridge will definitely prolong the life of it.  Otherwise, those little suckers can over-ripen and go to mush in a matter of hours!)

This little apricot-picking adventure was a terrific kick-off to the Summer, when we really get to enjoy the bounty of Nature's fresh fruits and veggies.  I can't wait for Daddy's tomatoes to start coming in!!!

 

What's More American Than Baseball?!?!?

Eddie Dale and I enjoyed a bit of a mini-vacation today!  This is where we went.  Do you recognize it?

My broker is a huge Texas Rangers fan, so he treated all of us (and our significant others) to a day at The Ballpark in Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers!  He got two rows of seats in the "All You Can Eat" section - all we had to do was get there!

So, we headed out this morning for the 2-1/2 hour drive.  Really just a hop,skip and jump here in the great big ol' Lone Star State!  We arrived well before 2:05 game time and had time to explore and load up at the buffet......

Speaking of the buffet, the "all you can eat" offers hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, peanuts, popcorn, nachos and sodas - all standard game fare.  I was impressed that the Rangers organization kept a seemingly endless supply of these ballpark staples hot and ready.  Of course, by the time I had consumed nachos and a chicken sandwich, the food was starting to look a little less appealing.  Actually, it really is not all that appealing before you start eating......probably the "appeal" lies in the fact that it's included in your ticket price!  By the 7th inning, when I went to refill my soda, the sight of people piling their plates up with food was definitely very unappetizing.....

But, I digress.....back to the game!  We watched the players warm up and stretch.  For some of them, this means having someone else actually stretch them.....

And, although we were seated in a canopied area beneath the giant tv screens, we enjoyed the graphics in the stadium across the way.  This is for you, Eddie Dale......I know it thrilled you to see that your employer, Academy Sports + Outdoors, is the sporting goods retailer.....

of the.....

Texas Rangers!

And, there you are.....enjoying the game (not to mention the free hot dogs!).  Have I mentioned how thankful we were to be seated in a shaded area on this very sunny day????

We did get to see a few Rangers home runs and that is a thrilling experience!  They set off fireworks explosions from behind the lights at the top of the stadium and play the swelling score of "The Natural"....it actually gave me goosebumps. 

The Ballpark is an awesome structure and it was packed today!  Sold out game attendance was 46,637....and I think half of them were in line to "run the bases" after the game!  From what I understand, it can take several hours when they open the field up for fans to run the bases....and the lines snaked around and around......thousands upon thousands of people waiting to set foot on Ranger Field! 

By 5:30, we were on the road, headed west towards home.  But, I have to show you what we passed as we went through Fort Worth.....

Holy cow!!!  Is that a......BOAT?!?!?!  Driving down I-30?!?!? 

Yep, it sure was!  You just never know what you're going to see.....

All in all, it was wonderful way to spend part of our Memorial Day weekend - enjoying a great American past time.....

But, now that the game is over, my focus turns to remembering the real reason for this holiday weekend....honoring those men and women who have died in service to this great country.  While we all enjoy the three-day weekend and the kick-off of Summer activities, it's important to give thanks and respect to those who gave their all to keep us safe and free!

Wishing you a terrific holiday tomorrow.  Would love to hear what you have planned!!!

Camera Play with the Birthday Boy

Yesterday was my son's birthday - Ben is 23 years old!  Where did the time fly?!?!? 

It was also the event of a solar eclipse.  While Eddie Dale was out on the patio, grilling some steaks and shrimp for the birthday boy's dinner, Ben and I headed out front for some photos in the setting, and eclipsing, sun.

The sunlight was absolutely golden, popping through the trees like a soft spotlight.  While we were playing around, getting some shots to work on my new header, Ben noticed my shadow against the house and snapped this shot......

Wow!  I grabbed the camera from him and told him to pose......and he did.  Here he is saluting the eclipse.....

It was a fun, lighthearted moment with my son.....who is truly a grown man now.  Love you, Benjamin Ross!

Feeling thankful for moments like these......