March- April 18, 2017 Its Springtime

We came home from Ratcliff lake on March 8. Since then we have been home for awhile. Everything has greened up and we have had plenty of rain. I have been planting a garden for the first time in 5 years.  The rain has hampered me some but I bet by July we will be starving for rain. We have stayed busy with volleyball tournaments on the weekends. Susan has done a quilting retreat in Celeste, Tx and several day things. I managed to get all the pasture mowed between rains.  John,Jen and the twins came over one day and John cooked shrimp and fish. The kids played all day. Holly brought her dirt bike and had fun riding it. We have been keeping their dog Sissy while they wait for their new house to be built. For Easter weekend we went to the lake with Mike/Kristi. The weather was perfect and the kids had a good time. We came home on Sunday. Life has been a slow pace for now. I'm sitting here today watching it rain again.  We plan on doing a short camping trip net week.

Flat broke the garden

Garden is disked and burning a stump

Mackenna at George R Brown  

Back pasture is mowed

Ashley

Nice little rain    4 inches in 1 hour

Lake fun

New burn pile , trimmed trees in front yaard

Kenna and Ashley

Holly  and Bubba

Holly John Kevin

More lake fun

March 7 2017 Looking For a Quilt Shop

It wasn't raining when I got up this morning. It looked on radar that we might miss the rains as the little front blows in. Maggie and I took another long walk by the lake at daylight. We didn't see another soul. When we got back Susan was up. She had located some quilt shops near Lufkin. We headed out using map quest on our phones. The front blew in as we were leaving, it was smokey looking but it was actually pollen from the trees.  The temperature dropped about 10 degrees. Once on the road toward Lufkin we ran into a little rain. The first location ended up deep in the piney woods with no sign of a shop, the road actually dead ended where the shop was supposed to be. Not the first time in our travels we ended up like that. The second shop was in Lufkin but it was out of business.  We headed back and ate lunch in Kennard. There is one café called The Country Church Café,  Its a small place and the food was good. We headed back to the trailer and we both took a nap. Here is something crazy, there is another couple here that we met in a campground in New Mexico back in August. Sometimes its a small world. We just chilled the rest of the evening. We may go home tomorrow even though the weather looks great as we have some things to do.

Maggie loves to chase aquirrels

Eating at the Country Church Cafe

Country Church Cafe

March 6 2017 A Nice Day at Ratcliff Lake

There was no rain when I got up this morning. Looking at radar it seems the rain may stay south of us today. When it got daylight Maggie and I took a nice walk. Not many people camping and no one was out yet. There are a lot of squirrels here so Maggie chased a few. I have been surprised that there has been no mosquito's  out yet. When we got back Susan was up but moving a little slow, her back is hurting some. I cooked us a little breakfast and then we decided to do a little exploring.  We drove around the park checking out different campsites, swim beach and the hiking trails.  All of the sites along the lake shore are either tent sites or small trailers with no water or electric. They have a nice swim beach and two fishing piers. They have a small boat ramp but only trolling motors are allowed. We drove to Ratcliff which is a very small community. Not much there. We then drove back to Kennard (pop 317) . It has an Exxon/Auto Parts/hardware/feed store, which fountain drinks are free if you have your own cup. There is a brand new Family Dollar Store also, which we were able to get some items we needed.   When we got back Susan took a nap. I decided to get the Sea Eagle Kayak out . I got it all set up but the wind was blowing so I also took a nap. After we got up I couldn't stand it so I took the kayak out. Well the wind was still blowing, I did about 20 minutes and went back in, just too much wind. We cooked hamburgers for supper and then sat by the fire for awhile.

The dogwoods are bloomimg

Quiet morning around the lake

Breakfast time

A pretty barn near Kennard

Ready to roll

Its a nice small lake

Evening fire

March 5 Ratcliff Lake

It was drizzling when we left Canton.  It had stopped when we arrived at Ratcliff Lake. We drove in to look around and decided we did like it. We had never been here before and just decided to take a chance.  We talked to a Camp Host and then found us a walk up site. The sites are large but no rv sites on the lake. They do have tent sites by the shoreline.  We set up  the trailer and then a light mist started. The loop we are on has shared water. You will need 150 ft foot of water hose to be connected.  You also need to use a Y connection.  It took me a little while to get my satellite going where we get all stations due to the tall pines, I moved it 3 times before getting  all three satellites, which made Susan happy. Susan took a nap and I drove around the park just to look at it. It is really pretty here and not many folks. I brought my Sea Eagle kayak so if we get good weather I will check out the lake. I'm glad I have my propane fire pit as I didn't see any firewood for sale in the park. It stayed a little misty most of the evening but I did manage to take Maggie on a couple of walks. We just watched a couple of movies for the evening. Tomorrow we will do a little exploring around this area.

March 1-5 Canton Tx

We left for Canton Tuesday morning around 9:30. We were in no hurry as the gate we usually go in doesn't open till noon. We stopped at Stripes and got some breakfast tacos and then moved on down the road. It was a nice drive till about 40 miles from Canton. My brake light and ABS light came on along with a terrible noise from my left front wheel. I figured my hub bearing was coming apart. We just slowed down and limped into Canton. We made it and got set up. Rick and Sylvia  got there about an hour later.  I googled places in Canton for brake service and found one about 2 miles from us. I drove it and left it with them and Rick picked me up.  The spot we camp at is reduced due to a power pole that's down and they haven't repaired. Its a good thing we don't have a lot of trailers coming this year as we couldn't all be together. We have just 5 trailers this year. We decided to go to Applebees for supper and it was actually pretty good. The weather was very warm and humid and windy. When I got up Wednesday morning it was still that way but about an hour later the wind shifted to the north and the temp dropped and got nice except for the wind.  Jimmy Lovett arrived and a little later John and Judy Lovett got here. That evening the wind layed and it was nice sitting out by the firepit. Thursday morning everyone went shopping but me. I stayed around camp till John and Jennifer got here. Vicky Lovett also came in a little later. Rick came back and took me to pick up my truck. Of course they found all kinds of things so it was an expensive repair. We had another nice evening sitting by the fire.  Friday was a really gorgeous day. Both Susan and Slyvia were having back issues. They were able to struggle thru and do some shopping. Susan ,Jennifer and Holly went out together for a few hours. Me and Lil John took Bubba and made a small round. Bubba fell asleep in his stroller and took a long nap. We got back early and Lil John started the ribs smoking for supper. We had another great evening around the camp fire and the ribs were great. Saturday morning I got up and heard Rick moving around outside. They got a call that their grandson Cody had been in a car wreck. The truck was demolished and ended upside down, Somehow Cody didn't get a scratch on him. Rick and Sylvia headed on home to check on him themselves. It was a overcast day and windy day Saturday. I went with Susan shopping on a morning round. About 2 and a half hours is all I can do. Susan came back in about 2:30. It started drizzling rain about 3:30 and never stopped. That shut down our outside activities  for the evening. Lil John bagged up leftovers for everyone and delivered to our campers. Jimmy and Vicky came and visited with us for a little while. We then just watched and I went to bed early.  When we got up Sunday morning it was still drizzling. Everyone packed up and headed out. We decided to head to Ratcliff Lake Recreation Area and check it out. If we like it we will probably stay there till about Thursday.  Its in the way home near Crockett.

We made it first

Shopping will just wear you out

John Lovett, John Anderson, Rick Gollnisch

Sylvia, Susan, Vicky

Jen, Judy

Susan,Judy,John,Jimmy,Sylvia,Rick

Susan Holly

tv

Bubba, Jen, Holly

John and Jen

Sylvia  Holly

Happy Hour

Feb 11- 26 Its been a warm winter Ole Timers Reunion

We stayed home this winter as the last two winters were cold where ever we went. It of course turned out warm this year. We have had mostly spring like weather and I have enjoyed it. I just hope this isn"t leading to a long hot summer. I have been mowing the yard about evrey10 days or so. I  evenhad thoughts to go ahead and disk my garden and get ready to plant. This will be the first garden I have had in about five years because we at usually gone by the first of June for the summer. This year we are going to make shorter trips and stay in Texas and maybe Arkansas.  Things have slowed a little as Sammi and Mackenna have finished Basketball.  Both Ashely and Kenna are still playing select volleyball .  We met the girls one night in  Dayton at Fish Tales. Eddie Bird and the Cow Paddy Daddys were playing there. Sammi spent the weekend with us. We have added another dog here for awhile as Lil John and Jennifer are moving to Barbers Hill. They are living in their rv till their house is built so Sissy is living with us.  Kevin took his new puppy Rex and had his ears trimmed, Rex is not real happy about wearing a cone. We had our Ole Timers Reunion on the last Friday of Feb. I think this was our 12th year.  John Kocurek puts it together every year and does a great job. We always have a good time telling stories and catching up.  Susan held a quilting retreat at Kristi"s lakehouse and they had a good time. I got the trailer all washed and cleaned as we are headed to Canton next Tuesday.

Kristi, Sammi, Susan, Mackenna

Cow Paddy Daddy"s

Sammi and the dogs watching tv

Peyton running in the backyard

Ready to roll

Rex

Jan 1- Feb 11 2017 Its a New Year

There has not been much going on with us so far this year. We are not taking a trip till we go to Canton .Susan has been doing a lot of sewing or rather quilting. She is making a new quilt for our bed, she said it will take a year to finish. I finally passed a huge kidney stone mid January. I'm going to see my urologist to get the stone analyzed. Hope its still the same kind as I have always had which is not good but very common. We  had a late Christmas gathering for the Taylor family in late January. We enjoyed,  but I failed to take any pictures that day. We have gone to a lot of basketball and volleyball games. Sammi is playing basketball, Ashley is playing select volleyball and Mackenna is playing jr. high basketball and select volleyball. This keeps us pretty busy. I have been cleaning the rv getting ready to roll. Most of our trips this year will be spur of the moment and mostly in Texas or Arkansas.  Susan had a lot of allergy problems last year (cedar pollen ?) so it will be interesting to see if she is affected this summer. 

Ashley made this quilt

Ashley volleyball

Mackenna basketball

Sammi basketball

Mackenna volleyball

Luke, Nana, and Peyton