April 14th

After 21 states, 2 provinces, and Mexico,,—around 12000 miles, and

6  1/2 months.  We are home!!  What a trip, we’ve certainly seen some wonderful sites. Inspite of our cramped  quarters, the little camper was perfect for travelling.  Everything worked, we had no problem with anything.  This is what we came home to— snow!!  Don’t think we will be taking the 5th wheel up to sit by the cottage, any time soon.   So now it’s time to settle down and enjoy the lake, for the summer.

April the 10th Springfield Pa

So heading east-first stop is in Valdalia on the Mississippi River.   Never seen the river so high, I think they told us it was 58ft, that’s about 28 ft above normal.  It had risen over the walking path along the rivers edge the week before.  Watched the tugs pushing barges up stream.  Then on to the Natchez trace, 444 miles of lovely quiet road thru 3 states.  No commercial vehicles allowed.  In the 1700s and early 1800s growing numbers of travelers trampled the trail into a clearly marked path.  Some stopping places along the highway allow you to hike along the old sunken trail.  Green fields,  and trees in full leaf, wisteria hanging from vines, red bud and cherry trees in bloom.  Lovely peaceful drive.  Then on through Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland and finally into Springfield PA.  The one view of the  lake is from the visitor center entering into Maryland.  After driving thru heavy rain, up and down small mountains ,  and terrible traffic, we arrived at our cousins house.  Walked around the streets today to see the magnolias - unbelievably beautiful!!  Soon will be heading north—hoping the snow has finally melted

Leaving Fredericksburg

Just few pics of the wonderful old homes right in downtown Fredericksburg!  Some log, some stone, but all in really great shape and lived in.   Some of them are ‘Sunday houses’.  When the settlers came, mostly from Germany, they were given farming land and also a plot of land intown to build a small house.  On Saturday they would make the long trip to town to, trading produce for supplies they might. Driving around the town is a treat

need, then stay overnight in their Sunday home, go to church, visit, and then head for home.

March 26

Still hanging out in Fredericksburg, patiently, (or not), waiting for the snow to melt at home.  Did a couple of days volunteering at LBJ park at the living history farm, during their busy March break time.  The old buildings are from 1869 when the first German settlers came to the area.  The newer house was built in 1915 after having a bumper crop of cotton, and that was during war time.  I spent most of the time cooking on the wood stove, showing life as it was at the time.  On the table is milk in its various forms, showing how it went from fresh to cottage cheese, then dried cheese, finally a hard cooked cheese—all without refrigeration!    Tree are all out in leaf. now, and the blue bonnets are incredible this year.  Hoping to be heading out of the hill country sometime around the 1st or 2nd.

Sunday March 10th, Albert Texas

We are back on our ‘hill top’home!  Keeping busy- splitting wood for Karens fireplace stove.  She has all the toys, so not hard work, no axe involved!!  Last couple of days we have been fishing in her ‘tank’ or what we would call a pond.  Caught enough bass to have a good feed tonight for dinner!  We were trying for catfish but not a bite!

The little bouquet of flowers are growing in the grass in the yard-so sweet!  The peach tree is looking pretty good after the 2 nights of a hard freeze this past week.   Over an inch of ice in the dogs water dish!!  It was cold!    The peach orchards  might not have been so lucky, it will certainly affect the crop this year..

March 2nd

Had to leave Seawinds yesterday!  Sad parting!   Trees and shrubs in bloom,  the mountain laurel and the yucca.  Site for sore eyes!!  The mockingbird on top of our aerial serenaded us every morning- made you smile!  Watched the pelicans and sea gulls over the water, when walking the shore.  Now we are on Mustang Island, on the beach again, one of our favourite places to be.  Was out walking the beach at 7 this morning.  Port Aransas is building back after last years devastating hurricane.   Love the colours of the houses- once again, makes you smile!!

Friday, 8th of February

We are at Seawinds Rv park, on Baffin Bay, off the gulf coast, of Texas.  One pic shows the actual park, beside it is a community park with a lovely beach , and a very long fishing pier.  Trees and shrubs are in bloom wherever you look.  The big tree is a Hongkong orchid, which was only planted 5 years ago!!  The close up is the blooms from that tree.  The shrub is a cape honeysuckle .  Habiscus of all colours—a treat for the eyes.  There’s many activities at this park to keep us out of trouble.  Pickle ball, softball, shuffle board, line dancing, some of the many.  Then there’s the pot lucks, , BBQ, and Saturday morning Texas breakfast.  Great clubhouse, so thankfully we can get out of our tiny camper.  A couple of drawbacks—the wifi is terrible!,  and the nearest town with big stores, is 22 miles away.  So you make the trip count!!

January 24th, Aransas Pass

Finally headed out of the hill country into very flat farming land, heading to the coast.  Plowed fields went on forever, but one farmer is doubly lucky—he had an oil well on his land!  Stopped at a lovely RV park for overnight, grapefruit trees, just loaded with yummy fruit.  Free in the clubhouse!   I think this flower pic is a bottle brush plant. Then we headed for Aransas Pass, crossed on the ferry to Port Aransas.  This is the main shipping channel into the port, couldn’t build a bridge as it would take up too much room, so they use the ferries.  Often we see dolphins playing as we cross over.  Then you are on Mustang Island—one of our favourite places.  Walked the beach!  Found this little critter!  Not sure what it is but definitely a fish of some sort.  Spent the night on the beach, something I always wanted to do, but didn’t want to get the 5th wheel full of sand.  So this was perfect!  Thought I would go to sleep with the waves gently crashing, but sounded more like truck traffic on a busy highway.  All is well

January 17th-still hanging around Fredericksburg Texas

Cooler weather than we would like but when the sun shines it’s lovely.  Trees lose their leaves here too, ( Not just up north,)but many are all dressed up with mistletoe balls!    This is a typical bridge on a rural road—so you can plainly see why it would flood in a big rain storm—there’s only about 6” from the road to the water level, and not many guard rails!!  Don’t want any swerves when driving over the river!-or you might be in it!   Visited Lindyn Johnson’s state park where we volunteered for 3 seasons. It’s a living history farm, to show  life as it was in 1915, when LBJ was a boy.  The old log building was built in 1869 by a German family, the Sauers.  They arrived with 4 children, and when they left there were 12 kids!  So he added on stone structures to the log home, but first he would have built the ‘tank house’.  Water from the windmill, flows into the tank on top, then down into the stone building below.  Pretty ingenious!  The farm was sold to the Beckmann’s in 1900, and they made lots of money from cotton crops,-the price of  cotton was high during the war- so they were able to build the Victorian house in 1915.  Inside the kitchen I spent most of my time  in front of the cook stove- loving every minute.  On the table is show and tell of what happens to the milk when there is no refrigeration, going from fresh, to clabbered (or yogurt as we know it), then curds, which after cooking slightly, is made into cottage cheese, dried cheese, and finally a hard cheese.  They can grow gardens here all year long—still carrots, broccoli, cabbage, onions.   It was great to be able  to run out to the garden for produce for dinner.  Dinner was served at noon, supper, the evening meal, and lunch was sonething you took to school  or the field. Lots of good memories here-I could write a book!!