Food Photos

During our last trip to Alamosa we bought a Chicken Fryer, like a Turkey Fryer but with a shorter pot with a frying basket inside.  We want to use the burner base to hold the Disk pan the Abeyta's gave me last summer. It fit perfectly.  Jim is having a good time cooking on the Disk.

Last Sunday five of us camphosts met to enjoy a Shrimp Boil.  Rita and Jerry had small potatoes, corn on the cob and a bag of Texas shrimp that they wanted to use, so Jim and I added some Polish Kielbasa as the sausage and used our new Chicken Fryer.  It came out so good.

Doesn't that look wonderful?  And it tasted wonderful with homemade cocktail sauce and a wonderful German Chocolate Cake for dessert.  Thank you, Rita and Jerry.  Next time it is at our place.

That morning I told you about when it was 24* we had a young couple staying in a tent.  Because of the temperature Jessie and Diane stayed in their van to try and stay warm.

When I made my "walk around" that morning I saw Jessie trying to start a fire to make something warm to drink.  I went back to the RV and made up a cup of cocoa and brought our thermos of coffee and brought it to them.  You know how you can say a few words to a stranger and you quickly know this person could become a good friend?  (This happens often to fulltime RVers.)  Well, I felt that way about Jessie and Diane, even though they are younger than our youngest daughter.  So I invited them to join us that evening and bring something for the grill.  We were so happy they were able to join us bringing pork chops to our chicken thighs and drumsticks.  Oh, Jim cooked them all low and slow and they all came out tender and moist.  Good job, Jim.

I made up a pasta salad and a Waldorf salad which made up a meal with the bread, cheese and banana bread Jessie and Diane brought.  That Easy Peasy Custard Pie was a hit also.

Afterwards we enjoyed a campfire till it got too darn cold, so we called it a night.  We said our goodbyes as Jessie and Diane were going to Lake City and rent a Jeep and drive 4-wheeling to Silverton before returning to Iowa.  Jim invited them back the end of July to join him and his brothers on their Chapman Annual 4-Wheel Trip to Ouray.  They seemed genuinely interested....we're only a two day trip from Iowa!!!  Hope so.

So we had a great Memorial Day Weekend with great foods and new friends.  Isn't that what this life is all about?  What did you do for the holiday?

Remember, you are loved.

Memorial Day Weekend

We usually don't get too many campers for the Memorial Day weekend, mostly because it is still too cold.  But Friday and Saturday nights we had nine of our twelve campsites filled.  The mornings and evenings were chilly, but this morning was exceptionally cold....24* the thermometer said.  That is just down-right c-o-l-d!!!!


Our third set of camphosts arrived yesterday, so we can open up Tucker Ponds this week.  We are hoping the bear situation will be better this year.  We are happy the forest service were able to get us some bear-proof dumpsters this year, so that should help.  For those of you who have been reading this blog for a while, you'll remember last summer we had four different bears visiting Tucker Ponds, basically getting into the dumpster every night.  We were lucky to have camphosts up there that happily lived with the bear situation all summer.  We are hoping with the bear-proof dumpster the bears will give up after they are unable to open the doors on these new dumpsters and go back up into the mountains and leave Tucker Ponds to the campers.  Let's hope!!!!


We've experienced a lot of wind these last few days.  Winds were getting up into blowing about 45MPH.  So Jim wasn't able to fish much and campers were sleeping in their cars and vans because the wind was blowing their tents around a lot.  But today the wind subsided and it is beautiful outside.  Jim put the awning back out and set up our chairs and little tables, so I'm going to sit outside the rest of the day and continue reading The Help.  It is such a good book it is hard to put down.


The local grocery store, Rainbow Groceries, had chicken thighs and drumsticks on sale for 89 cents a pound so we are going to  barbecue tonight.  I'll make up some potato salad and a green salad and that will go great with the chicken.  And I made a custard pie this morning, so we'll have a dessert to enjoy with some of the campers maybe.  Easy peasy Custard Pie recipe too:


1/4 c margarine
2 c milk
4 eggs
pinch salt
1 t  vanilla
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c flour


Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 30 seconds.  Pour contents into a pie pan then sprinkle with nutmeg.  Bake at 350* in a preheated oven for 45 minutes.  The pie makes its own crust as it cools.


Now, honestly, how much easier can it be????  Came out grand.  Why don't you try it for yourself tonight????


Remember, you are loved.

I Meet a Fellow Blogger

A couple of years ago a camper, Susie Smeal, told me about her friends' blog Howeth's Travels. Alan and Joan spent summers nearby at Fun Valley, but time got away from both of us and we never actually met.

Then tragedy hit last summer when Joan died in a rafting accident.  Alan revealed his grief  through his blog.  I really connected to him through his words.  Readers saw him through learning to use the on-board washing machine, cooking meals, socializing as a solo.  We saw his shift in becoming more confident, doing a checklist by himself, being the only driver and setting up by himself.

So many things were new to him and he has done so, so well taking it all on.  Without ever meeting him, I was so proud of how he has led his life this last year.  I read his blog through visiting family, planning trips, doctor visits, a surgery requiring a period of a restricted diet, and finally I read he was on his way to South Fork for the summer.  Alan and I promised each other we would meet this summer no matter what.

Alan arrived in South Fork on Wednesday and was knocking on my door on Friday.  I didn't recognize him because he had lost so much weight...he didn't look like his profile photo at all.  After introductions we had a quick chat before a forest service ranger needed to talk  so we made plans to meet for breakfast Saturday.

Jim and I met with Alan for breakfast at Feelin' Good Coffee Shop and enjoyed a good conversation getting acquainted.  We definitely will be visiting each other again.

Joan, Alan is doing well...you would be proud...he is loved and cared for...and, oh, how he loves you!!!

Remember, all of you....you are loved.

Reading and Jambalaya

I spent a leisurely day around the campground yesterday.  Jim was off to Antonito down south, to help that area manager get their wells up and running.  So I had the day to myself.


I checked the restrooms here and they all looked good.  I walked the campground and said my "good mornings" to the four campers we had the night before.


I then drove two miles to the top of the hill to get better phone reception and called in an order for new packing nuts for our hand pumps.


I then had the rest of the day to myself.  I've been wanting to read "The Help" for a long time now but it was too expensive for the Kindle version so I waited till I could borrow it from our local library, which I did the other day.  I put the doggies on their leashes outside, got myself a second cup of coffee, and then sat outside under the awning and read most of the day.


Oh, my goodness, is The Help a good read.  And to think it is the author's first novel....amazing.  It completely takes you in and you turn page after page...I was completely engrossed.  Can't wait to see the movie after I finish the book.


Jim had been gone ten hours by the time he got home at 5:30 p.m.  It had been a long day for him.  I made up some Tony Chachere's Jambalaya using Polish sausage and some Texas shrimp I've been saving.  I added some onions and red peppers for flavor.  OMG, it came out wonderful.  I'm not a fan of packaged foods, but this mix is outstanding.  It had a lot of spices with a nice "kick" at the end.  I highly recommend it.

Need to do a little photocopying but then I'm sitting outside with the dogs and continue reading The Help.


Remember, you are loved.

I've become a fan of Terry's food blog RV Life and Food.  Terry and hubby, John, are gate guards and both are great cooks....John barbecued for rig workers.

Terry comes up with some very innovated recipes and today she found a real winner with a salmon patty using chicken stuffing.  I made it tonight and it came out fabulous!  Usually I make salmon patties with eggs and crackers, but they crumble when I turn them over.  But Terry's recipe with the stuffing mix stayed together and browned up nicely.

Highly recommend Terry's recipe.  Give it a try for yourself.

Remember, you are loved.

The Two Linda's Surprise Visit

Last Monday we took our water samples into Alamosa to the water lab there.  We were tooling around Walmart buying campground supplies when I get a text message.  It was from The Two Lindas

"We're 5 miles from Alamosa. Too bad you are so far away"....I rush my chubby little fingers to text out.

"We are in Alamosa for the day.  Come on over to Walmart for a hug"

So here we are in Subway where we drank coffee and chatted, catching up on our travels since last we met.

Last time we saw The Two Lindas was in February in Whitsett, TX when we were awaiting our first gate guarding gig and they were on their way to the San Antonio area from Corpus Christie.  We are so fortunate to be able to see them a few times a year as their job selling advertisement for RV park maps make them cross our paths at different places in the country.  They are on their way from the Arizona area through New Mexico to Brighton, Colorado, near Denver.

They are going to take a week off between gigs after Denver and come and spend a couple of days with us in South Fork.  We can't wait!!!!

Remember, you are loved.

Tidball's Come to Visit

I saved all my photos on our new computer, but then our new HP laptop acquired a thin, neon pink line about a quarter the way down the screen.  So my trusty computer guru, Lory, sent it back to HP and they are suppose to send us a new laptop after moving over all our files.  So I don't have some of my earlier photos to blog about.  In the meantime I'll carry forward with our visit with the Tidball's.


While we were still in Alamosa Jim Tidball called to say they were in Lamar, Colorado and wanted to stop by to see us.  I told them to give us a call when they got close. We then drove up to Denver area for an overnight visit with dear friends, Bill Borger and Lesle Thomas. More about that visit in another blog (when I have the photos to post). 


On our way home the next day we stopped at the Texaco station in Walsenburg for an A&W root beer.  Jim went in and I stayed in the car with the dogs. My phone rings and all of a sudden  Jim's hurried voice says "call the Tidball's and tell them to stop"....OK, so what's this all about? but I did what he said. Then I see there is the Tidball's Class A pulling out of the pumps on the other side of the building!!!  Now what's the chances of that happening. Jim T. said he had just told NanC to call us because they were close and their phone rang with my call.  We all had a great laugh about that.


So they followed us up over LaVeta Pass and parked with us at Jim's brother's place, which is now called "Chappy's Campground" LOL.  After a couple of days and several visits to our favorite restaurants, we all drove up to South Fork and spent that night with Rich and Terry at their campground....a party ensued....that's all I'm saying.


Next we moved to Park Creek and all took advantage of the quiet and calm before our season began.  We did take a trip to Creede and I was happy to see the Creed Oil Company survived the winter and is still opened.  I love their 18 year old balsamic vinegar.  We also took a trip to Pagosa Springs which is beautiful.  Here is a collage of our activities.

There was a whole lot of resting and eating going on during this week. The Tidball's wrote up their version of meeting us, I just don't remember much about the party with Rich and Terry...snicker, snicker. You can read the Tidball's blog about our trip to Pagosa Springs. They have some great photos of the area.


We certainly enjoyed our time with Jim and NanC and look forward to seeing them at Betty's RV Park next March.


You are loved.

Campgrounds Opened

What a time we have had opening up our campgrounds here in South Fork, Colorado.  Seems there was a new Colorado water system regulation adopted last year, but not enforced till this year, so we have to abide by it now. The new reg says we can't open our campgrounds till ten days after we pull our water sample....even if the sample comes back clean.  So Jim and I decided to open up without having water available till next weekend. We figure most campers carry their own water, so it wouldn't be a big deal. That was a good call as we had six campers the first night, so that's money in the bank.


Being here a week before we opened Jim had time to go fishing a couple of times and got his limit of 4 trout pretty quickly. We've sure enjoyed eating those trout as they were the ones that survived the winter in the cold mountain waters and the meat was firm and pink.  


We are also happy to see the arrival of our Coffeyville, KS amazon.com alumni, Rita and Jerry Scarbrough who will be camphosting for us this summer.  They are the folks helped get us the job gate guarding in Texas, so turn-about favor was able to happen.  We'll all leave here in September and return to gate guarding.


Jerry razes me terribly and I love it.  Rita and I are like "sisters from different misses" as Marcia Jones says.  Rita and I are a lot alike and get along well.  It will be a nice summer with them around.


No photos this time folks as the pictures I took are all downloaded to my new computer which is "sick" and had to be returned to HP.  The monitor "acquired" a thin neon pink line about a fourth the way down the screen.  I was afraid it would get thicker, so Lory returned it for a new one.  They are suppose to copy all my data over to a new computer and return it in a week.  We'll see; at least I have a good backup on my exterior hard drive if not.  There's a bunch of photos of Jim and NanC Tidball on there that I haven't blogged about yet.


Second camphost arrived from New Mexico this morning, so Jim is getting Fred set up in his campground.  I told him to get himself situated and to take it easy today and tomorrow.  Coming up to this altitude takes a toll on our bodies and he will need rest and lots of water to keep from getting altitude sickness....which is nasty stuff.


We are expecting two more camphost couples mid-June and we will be fully manned/wommaned (is that a word?).  With this much help Jim and I can have an easier summer than last year and Jim will be able to go fishing more often and I can do more sitting outside watching chipmunks, reading my Kindle and knitting....sounds good to me.  Caring for our campground of 13 sites doesn't take much time and my area manager duties consists of just paperwork, so that isn't too time consuming.  Hiring good, reliable camphost makes Jim's and my job easy.


Weather has been perfect...cool mornings and evenings with the days in the low 70s.  The close-by creek soothes us to sleep and the squawking jaybirds and mischief squirrels wake us in the morning.  Not a bad way to live!!!!!!


Remember, you are loved.

A Tribute to My:Mom-Mother’s Day 2012

This is one of the earliest photographs I have of my mother, Victoria.  She was born in 1909 and died at 63.

Here’s the earliest photo I have of myself in the upper left corner. I may have been 12-18 month old, along with my sister, Evelyn, who is four years older than me.

As I remember the story, my mom’s father worked on a steamship in Poland where he and his wife lived.  The first two times his wife became pregnant and was about six months along, he brought her to the USA so the children could be born American citizens.  Then when my mother  was three months old she and her mother returned to Poland.  The same thing happened when her sister, Sally, was born.  My mother and Aunt Sally remained in Poland until they were about 16 years old, when first Sally and then my mother moved to America to work. 

My mother worked first as a domestic (as they use to say) in a rich family’s home in Massachusetts and then in an insane asylum. She met my dad in New York and they ran a large dance hall where then popular bands played during the 1930’s.  Then dad worked in a war plant in the 1940’s somewhere in Connecticut I think.  Come 1946 the family took a vacation to Florida in a Model A Ford pulling a black travel trailer.  That’s where I figure I got my first taste of RVing that never left me.

Dad and Mom bought a restaurant and used Mom’s recipes to become a successful business. I remember when we got busy at the restaurant sometimes my dad would take my mom in his arms and they would dance the waltz around the tables in order to break the tension in the atmosphere.  Customers would laugh and smile and relax to wait for their table.

My brother, Mike, came along in 1951 as a little surprise and after having two girls, Mike was my parents pride and joy, and was spoiled silly by my sister and I.

Mom was quiet and soft spoken.  She had sparling blue eyes and a compassionate smile, which was always on her lips. She was every bit a proper lady and loved her fancy lingerie. I never heard my mom speak ill of anyone. She was always encouraging us children in any of our endeavors. Even though she was pretty much a traditionalist, she encouraged me when I wanted to become a chemist by buying me a chemistry set for my twelfth birthday.

Although the restaurant was opened every night, Mom would steal away to attend every concert or play my sister and I performed in. Afterwards she would take us out for ice cream where she would always drink seltzer water….that always perplexed me. 

Mom didn’t talk much but we always knew we were loved and cared for.  Sometimes it was a sudden hug or she would take our face between her hands, look us in the eye and say “I love you”.  We always felt special.

I miss you all the time, Mom, but especially on Mother’s Day.

Remember, you are loved.

What happened at Betty's?

I received a comment asking "what happened at Betty's?" so here are a couple of links to blog posts from February 2011 that might explain it better in photos than I could do in words.


Blue Hair Dying
Gumbo for Dinner (Bobbie finds Pineapple Daiquiris )
We Get Tattooed 


Nowwwww....do you want to join us at Betty's RV Park next March? LOL


Remember, you are loved!

Moved to South Fork, Colorado

We moved from Alamosa and spent the night at South Fork Campground with buddies Rich and Terri Deacon. Along with the Tidball's and two other couples we had a hilarious night of "partaking" and having seafood poppers and snacks for dinner. We all faded after the 5 hour "happy hour" and all retired at 9 p.m.

Sometime during the evening one of the other couples asked where was one place we had visited that we’d like to return to see and we answered almost in unison “Betty’s RV Park in Abbeville, Louisiana”. After telling them about our experience there during Mardi Gras in 2011 we ended up deciding to go to Betty’s in March 2013 after Mardi Gras (it’s going to be too cold for Mardi Gras in February).  So we called Betty and left a message making reservations.  Betty called Jim Sunday morning to confirm we were serious and didn’t just call while we were under the influence.  Yup, we’re going to cut short our gate guarding gig and go to Betty’s next March. We convinced the Deacon’s and Mossman’s to join us and the Tidball’s.  Anybody else out there want to join us at Betty’s?

Sunday morning we moved to Park Creek Campground, our home for the next four months. Jim set up the Dish satellite and zeroed it in on his first try....that's a good sign for the rest of the summer; maybe everything will fall into place easily. We have some things to do to get ready to open, but mostly we are going to rest up behind locked gates for the next 12 days.

After setting up Jim went fishing at Big Meadows Reservoir...his favorite fishing hole. He came home with a stringer full of trout.  So dinner was a steak for Jim and I had a wonderful trout.  Can’t beat fresh trout this time of the year as the water is very cold and the fish have firm meat.  They just opened the road up to Big Meadows Reservoir so there hasn’t been very many people fishing.

Well, here comes the predicted thunderstorm and it is raining, so I’m going to cuddle up with an afghan and read a book on my Kindle.  

Remember, you are loved!

Oops…I made a boo-boo!!!

 

I owe all of my blog readers a big apology...after I published my "hello out there" post I checked my blogspot settings and found out that with their latest update the "notification of comments" had been disabled. I wasn't getting emails that I had comments to moderate.
When I looked at the list of comments I immediately published all 168 comments....yes, I'm embarrassed...I had 168 comments sitting there waiting to be moderated. I'm sorry....I apologize....I think I fixed the problem and maybe I'll just take Laurie Brown's advice and let the comments be published without moderation.

So all your comments should now be sitting correctly by the blog post you commented on. All is well.

Remember, you are loved…and as one of the comments said “remember, you are read”…..pretty cleaver.