Texas for the winter

Posted on November 20, 2022 by Lynn

Refuge volunteering

We are the first volunteers staying for the winter and get our pick of the sites out on San Bernard National wildlife Refuge. It is a return to quiet and dark night skies. Coyotes yipe in the distance. The call of barred and great horned owls punctuate the darkness. One scissor tail flycatcher makes a showing along with many caracaras and vultures. The are no snow geese yet, dry weather delayed grain fields and nearly all the ponds are completely dried out. We spot a coral snake (out on the drive not in camp!) the very first day.

We get some very much needed rain and the rye field we see from camp sprouts bright green. It is enough to entice the sand hill cranes to check it out most mornings. We hear them before we see them as dozens join us at breakfast time. I love it. A group of deer have laid claim to the area as well. 5 bucks, one a ten point, and several other young males along with a doe and her nearly grown fawn.

We are logging hours from our first day. It starts with some routine maintenance work as we deep clean the bunkhouse in preparation for biologists coming out to survey and band black rails (now listed as endangered and this refuge includes a section of prime habitat). Next, we take on some trail maintenance at the Dow unit of the refuge – what miserable work! Sprawling clumps of dewberry line large sections of the trail creating a thorny wall that has to be hacked back and dragged off. Add to that unseasonable heat, 85+! I’m glad that’s done. It looks great. We have started our first boardwalk removal and rebuild. It is a 60-foot section here on the refuge office complex. It came out without any difficulty and we have set half of the new posts. We had hoped to complete it before Thanksgiving but have been weathered out a couple days and took one day last week to support planting on the Big Boggy Unit. If it is not too muddy we will be back on boardwalk tomorrow.

We are signed up for a three-day work week so easily squeezed in dinner out for my birthday. Texas BBQ at a local joint, Kenro BBQ in Brazoria. Pretty tasty with a new treat, Texas Twinkies: jalapeno stuffed with brisket and cream cheese, wrapped in bacon then smoked. Yummy with a kick.

Family time

Just south of Houston we are in a perfect spot to spend time with our Texas kids, Brian and Johnna and their soon to be adopted son (our first grandson), RJ. We are catching up, sharing great food, and planning for upcoming holiday events. Next gathering, pie baking day then Thanksgiving dinner.

Galveston Island SP

Posted on October 28, 2022 by Lynn

Our early exit from Rayburn leaves a couple days for gulf shore time. Another cold front brings us rain and wind for our travel day. If you are a rough seas fan this is a day for it. On-shore winds put waves clear up to the boardwalks. We relax and stay close to home this evening.

Morning is much calmer and drier. Fishing trawlers bob not far off-shore. Pelicans glide in to feed in the gulf. We check out a couple trails (many have standing water). A breeze keeps woodland birds in hiding but waders are out. The highlight is roseate spoonbills, one on the wing and one feeding nearby. We come upon a bronze statue of an eskimo curlew, now extinct last seen here on Galveston Island in 1962. It is part of Todd McGrain’s “Lost Bird Project” to memorialize species that have become extinct due to human impacts.

Perfect lake days?

Posted on October 23, 2022 by Lynn

We are greeted with more strong winds and rough water as we settle in at Lake Rayburn. The forecast is promising though…. High winds of night one give way to a cool but lovely morning. This lake is low too, but the ramp is long so the launch goes smoothly. We get in a full morning on the water before waves build and run us in. No worries, tomorrow is to be even better weather. We get two more full days of relaxing lake time. Fishing is not stellar but just enough catching to make it fun. We spot river otters and eagles make regular appearances. It is a nice reminder to schedule in a few days on a lake a bit more often.

The site was lovely as always, a great lakefront view. They lost water supply to the camp for a couple days. Not the best for us since we came in with just ¼ tank. We manage but shorten our stay a couple days. There was no host but no issues to deal with so not a problem. They are closing the campground starting Nov 1 for complete utilities upgrade.

Sassafras Festival

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Lynn

Kent finds a nearby festival in San Augustine. It sounds like a great way to spend a few hours on a beautiful Saturday. Off we go. It has a lot of the regular small town fall festival attractions: a car show, a kid’s costume parade and contest, BBQ competition, a dunk tank, church bake sales, crafters, face painting, and here in TX, gun raffles! It is surprising how popular they are as fundraisers.

We watch a bit of the costume judging and a kids version of mechanical bull riding….something else decidedly Texan; then sample brisket (delicious) and ribs (not bad). I have never seen fried Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and cannot resist. They are gooey and yummy. We try the namesake sassafras, a syrupy sweet tea. A bit like root beer or cream ale but not really my thing. Small town festivals never fail to entertain. It was a fun outing

Slow start to the fishing

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Lynn

The lake is 4 foot below normal pool with lots of stickups at and just below the surface. Chop and turbid water caused by high, gusty winds make visibility terrible. We venture out once but spend more time bumping off timber than moving forward. Kent makes the call to stay here in the bay at camp. It is a lovely place to float and enjoy the warm sunny weather but we don’t have much luck fishing. I caught the only one; a fair-sized catfish…it is back in the water just as fast as Kent can get it off the hook!

Eagles chipping and great blue heron squawks are heard every morning and evening. Great egrets put on a ballet in the evening as they vie for the best perch just off shore. A group of belted kingfishers call our bay home. They chatter and dart among the lakeside branches. There are cormorants aplenty and we spot deer along the far shore. We have lovely view across the lake from camp.

We’re going to do some fishing

Posted on October 20, 2022 by Lynn

First stop, Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Texas/Louisiana line. The forecast is for the 80s over the next couple days. We will see how the fishing goes.

Moving on

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Lynn

We drop south pretty quickly trying to avoid some early cold weather. Still we find mornings in the 30s as we break the drive into manageable pieces with stops in Wytheville, VA (a Walmart boondock), in Gadsden, AL at Noccalulu Falls Park, and in Roosevelt SP just east of Jackson MS.

Milestone

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Kent

Just outside of Bristol TN the Motorhome surpassed 100,000 miles. We have been on the road for 12 years seeing new places and meeting family and friends old and new. What a blast. There are still many new horizons to see and new friends to meet.

Hitting the road

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Lynn

To close out our stay with Mike and Tracy they treat us to breakfast at the Secret Vegan Cafe. We have tried a couple other times but their hours are a bit unpredictable. It works out today. It is a nice place just to hang for a leisurely breakfast and the egg and sausage breakfast sandwich is great. She made a special batch of beignets just for us (her first customers that morning). Once home we say our goodbyes – always kind of difficult – then we are off.

First stop – York, PA. It is a chance to catch up with Bob and LouAnn and even check in with Molly, Clark and, Harlow. We catch a bit of an Auburn game – a Wasik-Arnold tradition.

I get a start on Halloween costumes.

A little more granddaughter time!

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Lynn

The plan is Oct 7^th thru the 12^th to hang out in Kingston but we get a bonus day with Willa. The 5^th is a school holiday so she is going to join us out at Kenneth Wilson in the motorhome for the day. Kent picks her up after school and gathers the needed plunder from home to stay ‘til school on the 6^th. It is cold and rainy nearly the whole stay but we find stuff to do. Willa’s big project is making a dolly for Hazel for her birthday. She accomplishes it with minimal assistance from Nana. Check it out!

The stay is a first for Willa in that it is a no services site, no power. There is nearly no moon and only distant lights from the restroom building. Night is dark, as in can’t-see-your-hand-in-front-of-your-face dark. Not ideal for a night light girl! We burn a few batteries and the first night is a bit restless but we work through it. We get a couple breaks in the weather for some playground time and even a bit of a hike. We climb a fire tower. Twice. A big hit with Willa. It is a beautiful morning as she heads back to school. We had a great time. Willa too, I think. We look forward to her next stay.

Kent and I spend the next few days hanging out with the kids and their kids. There are a few odds and ends wrapping up projects and getting ready for winter. Kent helps hang Hazel’s birthday present, a swing. We take in a bit of the Italian Festival where music is the highlight: Vivaldi’s Winter on the accordion (don’t laugh it was amazing) and a fantastic bluegrass group. Check out his unique bass drum. I have the itch to create a travel schedule built around music festivals!

I intended to finish the kids Halloween costumes but played too much. I will sew on the road and mail them in time for trick or treat.

Iron Teepee

“Living our Dreams”