Traveling North

We left the Tennessee Rally to travel south of Nashville to Natchez Trace Thousand Trails Preserve. Rain and gray all day. We got to the park and were told "Sorry, the tornado that went through two days ago has shut down the park!" Now, we are in the middle of nowhere so where to next. We ended up at David Crockett State Park and no, we did not have to take the coach through the covered bridge, but isn't it cute!





We did park among the very big trees, however, but it was a nice campground with big sites and no satellite! The rain made the green very green. It was beautiful.










The next day we did some sight-seeing. We had passed the road to Jack Daniel's Distillery many times and now we had our chance. It was a fun tour on a beautiful site with a cold water springs coming out from a cave and lots of flowers and trees. Inside the smells were most remembered (couldn't take pictures) but everything from the mash to the final product smelled good!











We made a long day of driving and spent an evening with Jan. My brother was out of town on business, but Jan was happy to let Mitch use their kitchen to cook up a wonderful lamb and couscous dinner.

The next morning we visited my dad. He is doing well health-wise and we had a good visit.


Then on to Garner to visit Mitch's Mom. She is always a lot of fun to visit.

OnLine Campers

We hit Sevierville, TN on Sunday to join about 24 other coaches for the OnLine Campers Rally. OnLine Campers have rallied for 13 years. They have no president, no dues, anyone can come--and have fun.


Tuesay night was Talent/Talentless Night with such notables as Sonny and Cher. This is Tina Turner, aka Tom. Dorothy did him up with makeup, wig, big buzooms, panty hose, and her sandals!



Another hit were the Beach Boys. Even Mitch got into the karoke, but I can't load the video with this internet provider so you'll have to catch it later.














It was a gorgeous day, so Iris, Bob, Connie, Joe, and we took a road trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This was a pretty little waterfall.









We saw turkey, peacock, deer, and seven bears! Click on this for a better look.









Eating at the Rally hasn't been too shabby either. The first night Don and Jackie did a shrimp boil with potatoes, sausage, onions, artichokes, and fresh shrimp they brought straight from NawLins. Last night Mitch did his barbequed ribs with potato salad and baked beans. Tonight it was Christmas dinner--Ron did deep fried turkey, and there was dressing, cranberries, sweet potatoes, collard greens, beets pickles, corn casserole, and of course every night there has been a pot luck of desserts with everything else.



After dinner tonight we did celebrate Christmas. Everyone opened a present and then we rolled the dice--get doubles and you can enchange presents. I ended up with a bracelet and key chain that Susan had made. Brenda and I battled back and forth and she ended up with the sugar and creamer I started off with. I will let her come over and touch my bracelet whenever she wants.

Moving into Tennessee

We left Florida for a stop at friends Jackie and Jerry's new house in Dunlap, TN. We parked the coach in the back yard and had a great time visiting and chatting and eating. Mitch was happy to cook in Jackie's big new kitchen!









One evening we went off to a cookout at Nancy's sister's house in Soddy Daisy (don't you just love the name of that town!). Gary and Nancy had flown up from Florida to visit everyone including their daughter, Tracy, and granddaughter Hailee.







Sunrise over the mountain in Jackie and Jerry's backyard. What a way to start the day!

Our last weekend in Florida!

Caryn and Brayden came to visit for our last weekend in Florida. We did the routine Peace River stuff, but took a little trip to "downtown" Wachaula.



We had seen an airplane on display along the highway and knew Brayden would like it. He even got to sit on the wing. He always says "touch it" or "hold it" or "sit in it" when he sees something he likes.









He can also fly like a plane. He knows just what to do and what sounds to make.








One of the stores in town.










We stopped for coffee and let Brayden pick out a snack--the biggest cupcake with the most frosting you ever saw. I don't know if he ever got to the cupcake, but he certainly enjoyed the frosting!






Just sitting around chit-chatting and looking at the sky. There seemed to be a rainbow going through the clouds.

We've certainly enjoyed our Florida winter--again!

Peace River is peaceful!!!

We are still in Wauchula and enjoying every minute, rain or shine (a lot more shine than rain since we've been here). Just sitting around is a great past time and the scenery in so different.

We've been able to play pickleball almost every day with the last few players that seem to show up. Travis leaves Monday morning and Carol (who just learned today, but was a volleyball player in a former life) is leaving tomorrow, so Doug and Ralph (who is taking the picture) will have to take us on for the rest of the week.





This is an afternoon's worth of find in the river. The fossils are always amazing. The turtle shell piece is about two inches across. Somewhere in this pile is a fossilized bird bone, a turtle leg spur, some kind of vertabra bones, of course the shark's teeth, and other "stuff". Always a fun way to spend a couple of hours.

Caryn and Brayden are coming for the weekend so we should have some "action" shots!!

Happy Easter

The full moon was gorgeous the other night, but this was taken Easter morning before the sun came up. We had gone to Easter sun rise service at 6:30 am and when we got there we were informed they had changed the time to 7:00. Well, we were up and I hadn't gotten the picture of the full moon so this is it. The morning was beautiful though. It was about 68 degrees and the foggy haze floated throughout the campground. We did have a sun rise service, then went to the regular chapel service which hinted mightily of southern Baptist. But it was a great message of Redemption! How blessed we are that God the Father sent His Son to die for our sins! Easter dinner was campground potluck with about 40 other Peace River TTers--got to make that banana pudding one more time! Later that afternoon one of the gals was baptized--not at church, nor in the Peace River, but in the swimming pool!

Happy Birthday, Stacy!

We're at Peace River TT--Wauchula, FL

So long Orlando and Disney. We are in Wauchula--a little farther south again, and closer to Caryn. So she, Brayden, and her sister-in-law Margie came to visit. Brayden got to help Grampa with the pizza--putting his favorite, o-lives, all over the top.




The other draw for Peace River is the river itself--great for fossil hunting, especially shark's teeth. Brayden liked digging in the rocks and swishing the strainer.




Brayden-- happy boy, talker, builder of tall towers, and designer of airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons, and blimps!