Feeding frenzy

Cullman,   AL

A few months ago a neighbors duck started flying over to spend time in our pond.  I would take duck food out for it and after I left he would waddle over to eat it.  Gradually it got to the point that he would come as soon as he saw me and would let me pet him.  He  would follow me around the yard.

Then we went away for several days.   When we came back I would look for him but I never saw him at our pond.    I asked his owner where was "my" duck.  He assured me the duck was still coming to the pond.   Still I didn't see him.   And I looked.  Often.  I missed him.

On Saturday March 9 we were in town.  Len pulled into Tractor Supply and said we were getting me some ducks.   Okay.   We temporarily  put them in a large Rubbermaid container in my office.   I quickly found that ducks poop a lot.  A LOT. 

People suggested names.   None fit.   I named them Poopsie, Stinky and Craps.  That fits.

Len got busy in his shop building an enclosure for them that we planned on putting in an open shed in our side yard.    Just long enough that they would be safe until they were bigger and got used to the area.   We have many hawks in the area.

So, he was out in the shop building the pen.  My phone rings.  He says come out to the shop.  Genius that he is, he placed a steel four legged short stool on top of a wheeled gardening wagon that he built.   The stool slipped off.  He landed face down on the shop floor.

Bottom line, he has a large tear in his left shoulder.   He will be seeing the orthopedist on Friday regarding surgery.    The pen sits undone.  The ducks are growing and still in the container in my office.   THEY STINK. I clean the container several times a day.   Only so they can stink it up again.

And they are messy.   Being ducks they love water.  As soon as I place their water feeder into the container they not only drink but they splash around.  Within minutes it is empty, their bedding is soaked, and they are screaming for what I suppose is more water.  More water means more fun for them and more cleaning up for me.

Oh, and about the neighbors duck not coming here and being the reason we bought these three joys, he showed up again the very same day we came home with the ducklings.  And he now comes up on the porch the eat.

And  brings along two friends who also are looking for a meal.

 There are others looking on from across the road.    I am now feeding four ducks and two peacocks.   With these I draw the line.

Until next time.

Our tiny RV park

Cullman,   AL

Our house sits a bit back from the road here in Cullman.   When we purchased the property there was a double wide trailer closer to the road.  The mother of the woman we bought the house from lived there.   We were asked if we wanted to buy the trailer also.  No.   So they sold the double wide and had it moved before we took ownership of the house.

The porch was left behind.   We agreed to give it away.   Just move it!

Arrangements were made to have it moved.

Turned out to be an all day job.   In doing so, our water connection was run over.  No water.  The crew said they would be back the next day to fix it.    It is 26 months later.  Still waiting.  (Don't fret...it was fixed the next day without them).

Lots of trash was left so our first job was to clean it up.

Since there was electric, water and a septic tank already available, we decided to convert the area to two RV sites.  One site would be 50 amp electric and water and the other site 50 amp electric, water and sewer.

Setting up the electric system:

Then running sewer lines

Next we had a load of stone spread over the area.   We were ready for guests:

April 2017.   Carol and Jerry Wright.   They were on the way to Red Bay, Alabama to have their yearly check up on their beautiful rig. 

Their motorhome below.    It was then we decided we needed more stone so had another load delivered the next week.   We look forward to Carol and Jerry again over Easter weekend on their way north following a NOMADS project in south Alabama. 

In October 2017 we had a few days visit from George and Lauren Owen who were on the way back from California headed to Pennsylvania.  You can barely see a bit of their fifthwheel to the right behind the shop.

On October 25th our friends from NJ Dan and Carole Baxter stopped by after a RV trip out west and before returning home to NJ.   The next day, October 26th, another couple of friends from NJ pulled in.   Adam and Helena Cerquoni.

From the left Carole, Dan, Leonard, Adam and Helena

Dan and Carole left on the 27th.  Shortly after they left RVing friends Carol and Jerry Pearson pulled in.  They were headed to Texas after camp hosting in Virginia and Tennessee.

From the left  Helena, Adam, Jerry and Carol.

That was a busy few days.  WE LOVED IT.

In March 2018 we got a call from a couple just finishing a NOMADS project in Florida.  They were headed to their home in Illinois and looking for a place to overnight.   In their search they looked at the NOMADS website and found us.  We were right on their route north on I-65.   We welcomed Greg and Karen Batt.    If I took a picture I can't find it.   Shucks!

Also March 2018 we welcomed Jim and Darlene Price.   We met this couple prior to their going fulltime RVers when we were in Pennsylvania a few years ago.   We are excited as they will be here again in a few weeks after their trip west.

In May 2018 our great-niece Emilie had a tour scheduled at University of Alabama.  Coming down to our house at that time was my sister Debbie, Niece Kelly and Emilie.   Debbie used our guest room.  Kelly and Emilie used our guest house.... our RV.    This is a perfect guest house for visitors who prefer more privacy or when the guest room is in use.

In September we attended the NOMADS annual meeting in Memphis.   A week following the meeting we were going to a project at a location just 55 miles from home.  We would be volunteering with two other couples.  We live in a direct line between Memphis and Gallant, AL where the project was located.  We invited the two other couples to stay on our sites. 

Cheri and Butch Frey and Dennis and Nancy Williams along with Leonard

November, 2018.    Again friends we knew in NJ.   Linda and Bob Webster are now retired and living in Maine.   They also serve as NOMADS.   They were on their way back north from volunteering in Texas.   The Websters and their sweet little RV.   We are hoping they stop this way on their trip back to Texas again.

February, 2019    Lon and Billie LaBumbard are NOMADS volunteers who live in Wisconsin.  They were scheduled to work along with us at Dooly Campground in Georgia.  Their route was down I-65.  Great!!!  We were so glad to have them visit here for a few days prior to the project.   Didn't get a picture of them and their rig either.      They have to come back here so we can get that picture.  However, here is Billie at the project.

Speaking of the Dooly project.  While there I fell in love.  A neighborhood dog hung around the campground every day.   She would follow us everywhere.  She tried to get in our rig.  When I got up from my lawn chair she would climb up and lay there.  I would have loved to kidnap her.  Such a precious lady.

Well.... that is the story of our tiny RV park.  So Far.   Looking forward to many more visitors.

Until next time.

NOMADS..... People we've met, places we've gone.

Cullman,   AL


When we planned retirement we decided to sell our home in New Jersey, buy an RV and travel for a while.   Thus I began my research.    We joined the Escapees RV Club.  In the first issue we received of their magazine was an article about NOMADS by a now alumni Sue Keel.  I say that was a God Thing.   Even as a life time Methodist I had never heard of this organization and we were intrigued.  We joined sometime in 2018 or 2019.

For those who want to know more about NOMADS  go to    nomadsumc.org


We hit the road in February 2010.   In March we did our first project at Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, TX. 

Later in the year we attended the annual meeting held in North Carolina where we were introduced to THE AUCTION.    What fun that can be.

After the meeting we served at Hinton Retreat Center in Hayesville, NC.  We didn't know that working on a roof three stories up was a no-no.   But the job got done!

We've worked 24 projects.   We've been to Mercedes, Tx three times;  The Boys Ranch in Gore, OK two times;  Decker United Methodist Church in Austin Tx 2 times and Dooly Campground in Vienna, Ga 3 times.

Some of the delightful people we've worked with:

August 2011   Camp Aldersgate in Rhode Island:

May 2012 at Camp Fontenalle in Nebraska

Decker UMC in Austin, TX

August 2012  Circle J Ranch, Ten Sleep,  WY

January 2011 -   Hope UMC in Tucson   AZ

July 2014  Birchwood Camp, Chugiak,   Alaksa

Camp Casowasco in Finger Lakes region of NY.   

There is quite a story behind this door.  Ask Brenda Forrest or Sheryl Travis

And Mercedes, TX

And our last project Dooly Campground

We've also served at Central Methodist in Fayette, MO;  Moss Point, MS;  Buckeye, AZ;  The Owl Center in Dubach, La and Camp Sumatanga in Gallant, AL

And now our time as active members comes to an end.   Health concerns have slowed us down.  But NOMADS will always be a part of our hearts as we transition to Alumnus.   We love the people we've met and the agencies that gave us the opportunity to serve.

As Bob Hope would say.....Thanks for the Memories

Back to Work

Vienna,  GA

Here we are.   Back at Dooly Campground for our 3rd time.  We are again pleased to lead and work with a great group of NOMADS for the next three weeks.

Both Leonard and I are a bit sore and exhausted from this first day of work.  The entire team put forth their finest efforts and we got a lot done already.

Today's work.   Beginning of taking out 3 windows to replace with doors.

Replacing Panel Boxes

Looking for supplies to

Wash blinds

And windows

Tomorrow is another day.

Until next time.

At The Opry

Nashville,  TN

As country music fans we often talked about our wish to attend a performance at the Grand Old Opry.  Especially at the Ryman Auditorium.   Last night that wish came true.

Taken before most of the crowd arrived.   We were packed in tight in those pews, 

unlike most church pews on Sunday morning.  There is seating for about 2,100 people.

When we moved to Alabama we realized we lived 150 miles from Nashville.  Great!  We just might visit the Opry some day.   I decided  Leonard's 70th birthday would be a good reason.   When checking the schedule, I found the Friday and Saturday shows are at the Old Ryman during November, December and January.  Next week they move back to the much newer theater The Opry House.   The Opry House opened in March 1974 and seats 4,374 people.

The Ryman is considered the Mother Church of Country Music.  From the outside it sure looks like a church.  Seating is on pews.  More than 100 years of the tradition of country music lives here.  The Ryman opened in November 1925 and the weekend performances are the longest running radio broadcast in the country.

The shows are divided into four segments.  Each segment has a host performer and two additional performers.    The segment starts with a song by the host.   Then two songs by each guest with another song by the host.   There is a 15 minute break after two segments.  There are sponsors for the half hour segment.  At the end of each 30 minutes an announcer reads the "commercial".   Remember, these are live broadcasts so they need commercials that help pay the bill.

The show was opened by Jeanne Seeley.  She became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1967!

Then she introduced Michael Ray (never heard of him)  He said he just got engaged to singer Carly Pearce (never heard of her either.)   Michael is not a member of the Opry but a guest performer.

Next was Mike Snider.  Mike was on the banjo backed up by some really talented musicians. Mike said he has been an Opry member for many years.

Next a commercial.   The first segment was sponsored by a local Boot Store.  Imagine that!  People living in or visiting Nashville would be buying boots.

The second host was John Conlee  (think of the songs Rose Colored Glasses and Backside of Thirty).

After singing Backside of Thirty he introduced Dailey and Vincent.  Never heard of them either.

Then came Joe Diffee   (think  Pickup Man and Prop me up by the Junkbox when I die.)  He did sing Pickup Man.

January 25 was the 25th anniversary of Joe's first appearance on the Opry.  Given a commemorative plague by John.

After John Conlee sang another song it was commercial time where a local chicken company was highlighted.   Then a 15 minute break.

The Riders in the Sky were the hosts of the 3rd segment.   They were a hoot.  Not only fabulous music but real funny.  They were the singers on some song about Woody in the 2nd Toy Story movie. Haven't never seen it I can't tell you the name.

After their first song they introduced The Whites, also long time members.  Sharon White is the wife of Ricky Skaggs.

And then Ricky Skaggs with some golden Blue Grass.

The final half hour.   Host was Vince Gill.   We've seen Vince a few other times and I love his music (Nobody Answers, etc.)   I was a bit disappointed this time.  He sang a Willie Nelson song.  I really don't remember which one.

Commercial time.  Humana was the sponsor.

Vince introduced another guest singer.  Dom Flemons.  He brought the house down with his banjo and harmonica.  He sang a couple of old songs that slaves sang around the Civil War era.

Final act was Crystal Gayle.  Last time I saw her her hair was touching the floor.  It's still long but not as long.  She sang Don't you turn my brown eyes blue.  The song that made her famous.

I don't know what song Vince was going to end with but he decided to have Dom Flemons come back on stage to pick the banjo while Vince played guitar and they sang a song about black eye peas and cornbread. 

We so much enjoyed the show.  Only real complaint was how close we had to sit on those pews.  Would be much more comfortable if one less person was seated on each pew but realize a venue this small needs as many seats filled as possible.

Gotta have to go back again.

Until next time.