Its been a busy few weeks.

 Cullman,  AL

Yes, we've been busy and have had some fun too.   

I love seeing the blooming plants.   This is one of my peonies.   I enjoyed it for only a day or two.  Then it rained and winds blew.   Following that, the petals were on the ground.   It did make for a pretty pink fluffy display.

Our raspberry and blackberry bushes we planted last fall are growing and spreading.  We will probably have blackberries this year.  Can't say the same for the blueberries.

A major problem here are the Carpenter bees.   It takes a sincere effort to get rid of them.   Those little critters can really move.   It was difficult to get a good shot.

But easy to capture the sawdust they leave.

And the damage they do,

We are still busy with Boondockers.   Number 130 just left, 131 will be leaving shortly.  I love this setup.   Even their pups enjoyed their short stay.

One of our recent guests took a lot of aerial pictures of our property.  I like this one especially.  

We had a special treat when our dear friends Darlene and Jim on their trip from Florida and Pennsylvania.   They pulled out yesterday morning.

They plan to return in October as they will be completely retired by then.  While here Jim helped Leonard set up a firepit for the RV area.

And he made good use of the little chain saw that daughter Terri and SIL Steve gave us.

Darlene did a lot of cooking while Jim helped Leonard around the property such of picking up branches, repairing the ramp to the lawnmower shed and repairs to a wooden bench.

We managed to have fun too.   We finally got them over to the Rattlesnake Saloon in Tuscumbia about 65 miles from us.  The Rattlesnake Saloon is built under cave.   Customers park and then are transported down a steep hill by a pickup truck that has benches built into the bed of the truck.  That, in itself, is an adventure.   Jim and Darlene preparing  for the ride down.

The Saloon.

We love this place.

Mothers Day Sunday we were treated to lunch at Sons Lennies and DIL Lois' house. Lennie makes the BEST burgers as Jim would tell you.

Three Moms.  Me, Lois and Darlene.

Dinner time.

After Darlene and Jim left yesterday I mowed the front yard and the RV areas prior to our current guests arrival.   Len decided to bush hog the area behind the RV sites and stain the picnic table we bought a few weeks ago.

Now we are quite proud of the RV area.   We provide electric, water, sewer, trash can, firepit with seating and firewood and a picnic table for our guests.    What more could one want?

Until next time.

Finally! Spring!

 Cullman, AL

Yes, it is. Finally Spring,

This  means the mower, weed eater, hedger, tractor get a workout.   And now I have a new toy.

Daughter Terri and SIL Steven gave this handy mini chain saw to us.    WOW!  Easy now to trim those low small branches that get in my way when mowing and allowing me to get the mower in closer to the various bushes and shrubs.

Now the weeds are growing tall around the pond.   There are some that are difficult for me to get to with the weed eater.  Leonard to the rescue with his bushhog.    Makes me a wee bit nervous.  But it gets the job done.

Biscuit was taking a walk around the pond chasing frogs.   Baby Duck and Penelope following behind.  Speaking of behind, right after I took this picture Baby Duck took a peck to Biscuits behind.  He is one nasty duck.

We are quite busy hosting Boondockers Welcome members.   Our 124th RIG left yesterday.  125 comes today.  At this time we have 14 reservations on the book.    A guest mentioned to us that we would be ideal for hosting traveling Nurses and other healthcare professionals.   We could charge from $800. to $1,100. a month.   We looked into it as we were concerned with the liability and tax issues.  Of course we would have to claim the income on taxes.  We talked with our insurance agent from Allstate here in Cullman.   He said he would have to talk to higher ups.   We got a call from Allstate that this would be considered a business and they would not cover it.   Don't want to get into all that stuff so we will maintain what we are doing now.   

Only a few more weeks and that porch will be converted to a enclosed porch.  We are so much looking forward to it.

The blackberry plants we planted last fall are in full bloom.   Yum, blackberries this year.  We've planted tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in our raised bed.   We think we solved the soil issue we had last year.  We also had a small garden tilled and planted watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydews.   Hoping they grow and the deer don't see it.

Happy Spring!   Until next time.

 

Is it warm out yet????

Cullman,  AL

We are still hosting Boondockers and waiting for warmer weather.    118 rigs so far.

One of our recent Boondockers is a traveling rehab therapist.   He asked us if we had considered hosting traveling nurses, etc.   Many of them travel in RVs and have 13 week assignments at hospitals throughout the country.    This sounds interesting.    Since we are midway between Huntsville medical facilities and University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham we are in an ideal location.

As much as we enjoy the Boondockers, it does tie us to the house on their days of arrival.    Some come early in the day, most late afternoon and some well after dark where we have to go out with flashlights to direct them to a site.   Under Boondockers welcome we are limited to charging 5, 10 or 15 dollars.   We charge 10 a night.  If the guest does not use electric or water, their stay must be free.  They are truly Boondocking.   Obviously we are not in it for the money.   

Hosting traveling medical personal would be quite different.  I will be checking into it.  We would still keep one of our two sites available for friends and Boondockers.  

Once a week we go to the local Senior Center.   Usually on Thursday.   On Thursday it is either a band or Karaoke.    We are even able to dance a few times.   They have special days.  Two weeks ago it was wear purple.   Well, a few years back the granddaughters made Len a purple shirt   This was the day to wear it.  

We saw the ladies in the kitchen pointing at him.  Finally it got the better of them and one came out and asked him about it.   We like the people that volunteer in the kitchen.   They get the $1.25 meal ready.  Last week it was orange juice, coffee, ham, applesauce, scalloped potatoes, roll, peas and carrots and German chocolate cake.  What a deal.

Speaking of cake, dear daughter Terri sent us an Easter gift.   OMG..... these were fabulous.

They are sort of Biscotti but with more of a cookie texture.   There are 4 left.  I suspect that by tomorrow there will be another decrease.  Or none.  Probably none.

Our great-grandson Jordan turns 11 today.   On Saturday son Lennie and DIL Lois hosted his birthday party.   Quite a crowd of their friends and their families. Lots of kids.  LOTS. It had rained all night before, the weather was chilly but the kids still enjoyed this:

Here is Jordan

This is granddaughter Maddie and Leonard.  With her work schedule we don't see her often enough.

Often when Jordan, Lois and Lennie are here Jordan wants to play Mexican Train.  So for a gift we gave him his own set.

Yesterday, being Easter we were up at 5:00 am to get to the Sunrise Service our church has every year.   Many attended.

The service started at 6:00, sunrise was 6:15.  I left my camera in the car and was disappointed I did not catch a picture then.   This takes place in a cemetery on a hill overlooking pastures of cows and the view of more hills.  Beautiful view,

When back to the car I took this picture and the one above.

Following service was breakfast at the church.

Lois, Lennie and Jordan came for dinner.  But, per Jordans request, we first had to play a few rounds of Mexican Train.    Last time we played, I won.   So it was only right that I came in last this time.

My Cullman Family:     Lennie, Lois, Jordan and Leonard.   I am blessed.

Until next time.

Come on Spring

Cullman,  AL

We have lived in Alabama for over five years now.   What a cold winter we have had.  Leonard is ALWAYS cold.   He surely loves both our Walk in Tub and Gas fireplace we had installed.   He makes lots of use of both to warm up. 

We've had the occasional snow.  Doesn't stay long.  Biscuit is not too sure he likes it at all.

He does know he likes our bed.

We are liking the longer days.   This greeted us last week when we left Bible Study at a little after Six in the evening.

We love sitting on the front porch.   My favorite spot in the world.   We have been debating of changing it to a 3-season room.   I was asked why we don't have 4 seasons here in north Alabama.   Well... we have just Three.    1.) Chilly and rainy season.   2) Hot season.  3) Tornado season.

After much debate and consideration we decided to spend more of our children's inheritance and go ahead with enclosing the porch to a "3 season room" .   The contractor said it will take about 5 weeks to order and receive the materials.   Of course it will have a Doggie Door.  Biscuit loves sitting in HIS chair on the porch.   This is how the porch looks now.   That's his red chair.

We hope to use the porch even more once it is done.

It is getting time to think about planting to veggies in our raised bed that Leonard made last year.  Some might remember we had no luck at all with it.  Nothing lived, nothing grew.   We suspect it was the soil we used.  Over the winter we changed out the soil and composted all veggie scraps.  We will mix in the compost this week and let's see how well we do.    The last few months I have been getting an order from Worthy Flavors of veggies.  We have been well pleased.  This is this weeks delivery.

Last Friday I decided I needed to mow the grass.  I drove the mower out of the shed, took it to where we kept two full gas cans and filled the gas tank.  I then drove it about 100 feet and it died.  No starting it again.   So to John Deere we took it.   The gas tank was full of water.  No gas.  It appears when we were away for a long weekend someone noticed the gas cans sitting in our carport and decided they needed gas.   We would have preferred they just took the gas and not feel the need to fill the cans with water.   Got the mower back yesterday.  Wrote a check for $240.00 and came home and mowed.  

We are now hosting our 107th and 108th Boondockers Welcome guests.   Always a treat to meet different folks and see different lifestyles.    Two weeks ago we had three young people in a 28 foot travel trailer.   With them was 6 dogs, 5 rabbits, 4 cats, a tortoise, a ferret and a chicken.  Can you imagine?   One of the cats got out.  They searched for it but could not find it.   We saw it a couple of days ago.   I've been putting out food and it disappears.  That doesn't mean the cat took it.  Beagles have a great nose.   The people are returning next week on the their trip back to Maine to see it they can retrieve it.

Well, that brings us up to date.  Until next time.   Where's SPRING?????

Family in Louisiana

 Cullman,   AL

We took a quick trip to Louisiana over the past weekend.  We left on Thursday and got back this morning.  Daughter Cassie's youngest Jeremiah turned two last week.   Cassie's big sister D'Juana gave him a birthday party.   Cassie talked to her father two weeks ago and was telling him about the party.  She asked if we would be in Louisiana and able to attend.   He told her no, sorry we would not.     She didn't know but we already had planned on going.   We wanted it to be a surprise.

We left Thursday and drove about 250 miles and stayed at a motel in Laurel, MS where we have stayed often in the past while on these trips.   The motel needs to LOT of work done to it.   We decided next trip we go somewhere else. There were few guests, mostly construction workers.  We noticed there were many empty rooms and it looked like they were torn apart.   We were told every room was getting a makeover including carpeting, new fixtures in the bathrooms, etc.   It needs it.

We got on the road Friday for the remaining 340 miles.   What an experience.   First thing was a pickup whipped around us missing a tractor by inches in the other lane.   Had he connected we would have been hit.    A short time later the driver in front of  us slammed on  their brakes, causing Len to almost rear end it.

We have friends that live near Baton Rouge.  Often when passing through the area we will meet up with them at the Waffle House in Walker, LA.    I contacted Judy the day before and arrangements were made.   This is Judy and her husband Leonard.

As we continued on we would cross over the 

basin.   This involves an 18 mile bridge over mostly swamp land.    We were on the south bound bridge.  Near the north bridge end there was an accident causing a stand still the entire 18 mile length of the bridge and about another two miles.

Glad we were heading south.    Continuing on we noticed an RV awning laying on the side to the road near Lake Charles.   Right after crossing the Lake Charles bridge there were two RVs in front of us.  We saw the one in front of us had its awning post has flopping around and there was no tag on the RV.  Then wow..... the side of the RV came off.   Plywood and fiberglass flying everywhere, including over our car.  Luckily we were not hit.  Close call.

Relieved to get to the motel.   And more than relieved that this motel was fairly new, clean and beautiful.  The next issue.  D'Juana, husband Joe and grandson Jared would be meeting us there.  D'Juana had made the reservations.   They were registered, we were not.   The desks clerks had suspicions.   The motel is Cobberstone Inn and Suites.   It is in Vinton, LA.  There is also one in Vinton Iowa.   Sure enough we were registered in Iowa.   They said this is a frequent mix-up.  LA or IA.    They got it straightened out quickly.

I had texted Lens sister Sissy earlier in the day to tell her he would be in the area.  She got busy and notified brothers, etc.    Dinner was at 6:30 over in Orange, TX. just about 15 minutes from the motel.  We got on the road and arrived about 70 minutes later.   Yup, another crash causing a major delay.  We were not the only ones late as two of Leonard's brothers were in the backup.

This whole ordeal exhausted Biscuit.

What a great evening we had.   This is Len, Sissy and three of Lens brothers.

Lots of pictures were taken the included the spouses.   Unfortunately not on my camera.  But here we are with Leonard being a wise azz.

The party was the next day.   D'Juana made all the arrangements.   OK, another story.  She rented the Rec Center near where Cassie lives.   D'Juana and family live in Arlington TX a five hour drive.  When they got there to set up the building was locked.   And it was WINDY.  They called the woman who was to open the building.  She said she was coming right over.   Never happened.   We made do outside. Knowing D'Juana this woman can expect an ear full!

As we planned Cassie was surprised and thrilled to see that we came down.   We are glad we surprised her.

Jeremiah getting into this cake.   (not thrilled with the hair cut)  But he has the brightest, blue eyes ever.

Cassie, Josh and Jeremiah.  

D'Juana,  Cassie's daughter (our granddaughter Clara) and Cassie

That evening Cassie, Jeremiah, D'Juana, Joe, Jared, Len and I had dinner at Texas Roadhouse.

Even with all the traffic issues and exhausted from such a quick trip and we are so glad to went.

Until next time.

Sisters visit and moving on along with life

 Cullman,  AL

Gosh..... we were quite busy the last two weeks in January and first two weeks in February.   We hosted 8 Boondockers Welcome members often two Rigs at a time for a total of 15 days.   During that time we hosted our 100th rig.   To celebrate we presented them with a gift bag.

The following week we had 3 guests.   The following week we had no RV guests but my sister Debbie from New Jersey gave us a 5 day visit.  Of course it rained most of the week.   

We did manage two small trips.    One day we took her to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame over to Tuscumbia about an hour from us.

This is Debbie and Leonard checking out Webb Pierces mighty fine car.    And beyond that is the group Alabama's bus.

While over that way we took her to a very special cemetery.    Only one of its kind.   Strictly for Coon Dogs.

This cemetery was started in 1937.  They have strict rules about only certified Coon Dogs can be interred here.

It looked like we were going to be a bit less busy with Boondockers in March.   We had 4 reservations.   In the last week 3 have cancelled.    Is it due to the world situation, cost of fuel or gas? We really don't know.

I seldom shop in-store.   For more than two years I have done the Wal-Mart pickup.  More and more things I want are not available.    A couple of weeks ago I decided to pick up a few items inside.   I walked by the pasta.   This was the pasta shelf.  Good thing I wasn't planning on spaghetti that night.

Len loves Tater Tots.   He was out of luck this time.

Biscuit is at the Vets getting a bath and pedicure now.   I'll pick him up in about an hour.  I noticed while in town that gas jumped 15 cents a gallon over night.    I feel strongly that this country needs to get back to being energy independent.    We would not be trusting other countries for our supply.

Speaking of Biscuit, a cousin sent me a child's story book called Biscuit Gives a Gift. Thanks Muriel.

Years ago I was given a picture that belonged to a Great Aunt.   On the back was a note that it was a gift from my mother's sister Alda and her husband to this great aunt.    It is a Japanese scene.

I had it hanging in our guest room.  Every time I looked at it, I felt it needed to be returned to my aunt Aldas family.   I told cousin Muriel about it.    She said her parents were in Japan in 1950 and 1951.  Her Dad was an ammo inspector for the military.  She asked if it was painted on silk.   I looked closely and sure enough it is.  I sent it to her in Florida.     She was so pleased and I leave it up to her which of the 3 siblings it will be passed on to.  

Well about time to go get Biscuit.   He will be smelling sweeter.  

Until next time.

Finally .... A nice day to get a bit accomplished

 Cullman,   AL

On this Groundhogs day, we hoped for a quick Spring.  However, Phil disappoints again.  Six more weeks.   I need not complain as parts of the country are expecting snow and ice storms.  Predications are up to two inches of ice in parts of Texas, Kentucky and other states.    Here we are just having a light rain.

Yesterday was beautiful.   Got into the low 60s.    Len pulled out his favorite toy, his Mahindra.   We have a creek that runs along the east side of our property.   I've been wanting our side of the creek cleared out.  It has been an ongoing project the last 2 years.   The reason is there were so many other projects that got priority.   

The creek.  Its narrow and shallow.  Except after a rain.   

The creek separates our property from the next.   Last year that property was surveyed.  Once we removed trees and brush we found the marker.

I've pulled out a lot of brush.

Most of what Leonard did yesterday was remove some of the larger trees.   Some were more difficult  than others.   

We have quite a pile out there now.   Once we handle the burn pile we have from last fall, these trees will replace that.    

Len is doing well with the shoulder.  Two more weeks of Physical Therapy.   He no longer sleeps in the recliner.   I should say he no longer sleeps in the recliner at night.   It's still a good place for naps.

A few months ago I saw on Facebook something called Cooking Panda.  I though what the heck.  I'll subscribe to it.   I get a box of miscellaneous foods every season.   All brands I've never heard of.  Crackers, cookies, rice mixes, honey, jams, marshmallows, candy, salsa, spices, seasonings, vitamins, etc, etc.     In the most recent box was this:

He loves beef jerky.  And hot foods.  A few days ago he opened it and took a bite.   Immediately he felt the heat.  His face got red.   He coughed.   He did not take a second bite.  The bag went in the trash.  An hour later it started to calm down.    Both our granddaughters, Abby and Charlotte, love jerky too.  I am so glad he tried it first.  We would not have wanted them to go thru what he did.  Then I saw it was made with ghost peppers.  The hottest rated pepper.   

You all keep safe and a possible outlook.  Spring will come.

Until next time.