Boondockers teaching us and more stuff

 Cullman,   AL

We are still enjoying the visits of our Boondockers guests.    Some recent guests remarked how they love to visit waterfalls and would be seeing some in the local area.  Waterfalls?   Here?   Where?   They told us about Larkwood Falls.    So, a day or so later I Googled it.  Oh my gosh, almost right in town.  

It's in the subdivision named Larkwood.   These falls are a natural spill over from Lake Catoma.   What a view from several of the homes.   This home is around the corner and does not have a view of the falls but I am impressed.

I think I have mentioned before that we found a small cafe in the nearby town of Eva.   We drove over on Friday for their daily special.

Chicken filling, cranberry sauce, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, a roll, green beans, ice tea and cake.  Cost is $5.50 plus tax and tip.  Why cook when we can eat like this for $15.00.

I was so pleased that we got the raised vegetable bed set up and cabbage, tomatoes, onions and peppers planted in it.   Two nights ago the temp got down in 27 and there was a light frost.    No more tomato and pepper plants.  Here we go again.   

We all know who is the boss around here so we got a welcome mat admitting to it.

We currently have  Boondockers here on their way back to Indiana from Florida.   They are staying 3 nights as his step-mother lives in the area.    Another Boondocker is arriving in about 2 hours.   We thought we had a 2 and a half week interval between those that left earlier in the week and those arriving not until May.   That was short lived.   Three more reservations made in the last few days.

Our son Lennie is the President of a Christian motorcycle group.  They have monthly meetings.  Today was their April meeting at his and Lois' house.  It was also our great-grandson Jordan's 10th birthday. We were invited to join them all for lunch.

It poured all night.  Heavy rains.   Thankfully it stopped late morning and the sun came out.  Can't imagine all these people in their house at one time.   It is always a treat to observe this group.  The women sit and socialize.   The men do the preparation, serving, cleanup etc.   Cool.  

I just heard thunder again.   And there is Biscuit on the porch running in circles.  He stays close to me when he hears those noises.   And now the weather alert just went off.   Severe thunderstorm headed this way.    Biscuit is close by me.

Until next time.

Busy Times

 Cullman, Al

These last few weeks have been busy ones.   Mostly due to hosting Boondockers.   Our 31st rig pulled out yesterday.   Quite possibly we are through with a rush for the next two weeks.   We have folks arriving on May 1 and another on May 3.    Nothing in between now and then.   But we know that could all change.

Lately our sites have looked something like this:

Biscuit is loving it.   Especially when other dogs are involved.  Well most of the time.  The nice folks who pulled out yesterday had two small dogs.   One really did not like Biscuit so they were separated.  Quite a different story with one that was here a few days ago.   A four month HUGE Golden Retriever.  

Murphy is a very active pup.   Biscuit would play only until he had enough of the pouncing and running.  Then he would take to the porch to get away.

Last Sunday son Lennie and DIL Lois stopped over for lunch.  Joining us was Murphy's parents.

We had invited Lennie and Lois to come over after they got out of church.   They were already here before we got back from church.   What a surprise when we pulled in and found our guest Mark was out at the pond raking in some string algae that was starting to spread.  So much appreciated.  Our simple lunch was small payment for all Mark did.

Speaking of help.   Our guests that left yesterday also helped.   I had bags of mulch to spread.  They saw the bags laying there so came up to ask if they could help me spread it.   Sure enough.  

Last week our friends Darlene and Jim who we met a few years ago while in Pennsylvania dropped by while on their trip from Florida back to Pennsylvania.    We put Jim to work.   He changed two overhead light bulbs in the master bathroom that had blown out.   Len can't lift his arms and I get dizzy doing overhead work.   Then he carried a chair to the basement that we had replaced with a new one.  He also replaced a strip of door trim that Biscuit had damaged when left alone in the house the first time.  Then he and Len placed some trim around the microwave cubby.

 When they are here we like to go to Jim n Nicks barbecue.   So once again we made time for that.  Both couples ordered a rib platter and a fried catfish platter.  Both couples had enough left for their next days dinner.   Jim and Darlene, pre getting served the meal.

We have noticed that our Muscovy Elsie is only around about an hour a day.   That leads to us believe that she is brooding.     We have seen her fly across the road to the neighbors pond.   Yesterday I texted Ashley.  Sure enough she is sitting on her eggs over there.    Then yesterday I saw this.   This is Frances that Elise hatched last July.    She is sitting on eggs at a corner of the house and the front porch.  Oh my, ducklings on their way.

Until next time

As Spring moves on.

 Cullman,  AL

Our small garden continues to grow.  We had to cover it one night when temps got down to freezing.  Luckily all is well.

Our RVing guests continue to grow also.   It is seldom that not at least one site is taken.   We currently have one guest who will leave tomorrow.   Then two come in later in the day for only for one night.  On Wednesday our friends Jim and Darlene arrive for a couple of days on their way back to Pennsylvania from their winter in Florida.   

 Being Easter yesterday and our current guest is a retired pastry chef, he presented us with this.

Speaking of Easter, we were invited to  lunch yesterday by son Lennie and his family.   Ham, cheesy potatoes, rolls, green beans and bacon sautéed Brussel sprouts.   I contributed deviled eggs.   Lois always boxes up leftovers.   So no cooking for me today.  This makes 4 days in a row I got out of cooking.  On Friday Leonard made chicken gumbo.   Leftovers on Saturday.  

Our NOMADS friend Jill stopped by in her little Mercedes RV for a few days and left yesterday.  Always a pleasure.

Biscuit gets excited when we have guests pull in.  Especially when he senses they have a dog with them.   Here he is getting acquainted with a 19 year old blind and deaf Chihuahua.   

Finally have our natural gas fireplace in place and working.   The plumber came last Monday and ran the lines.   In addition we have the tankless water heater and a gas heater in the basement.  

I gave up going from furniture store to furniture store looking for a chair I liked.   So, online is was.  I had purchased a bench two years ago from Wayfair.   The bench sits out by the pond.  I was well pleased with it.   Looking online I found a chair in seafoam color also from Wayfair.  I was a bit nervous buying a chair online but they have a good return policy.  It was delivered last week.   Here is the fireplace and the chair.  I like them both.   

Leonard is always cold.    He cranks up that fireplace. He roasts me out of here.   I hate to do it to him but I just might have to hide the remote for the fireplace.   

About Leonard, I need to go get him moving.  I need gas for the lawn mower for the ever growing lawn.   Seems a good day to do it.

Until next time.