FROM THE TEXAS PANHANDLE TO ARKANSAS

From Lake Meredith in the Texas Panhandle we took a flying trip to Cove Lake just below Paris, Arkansas. This was not our plans but like dummies we didn't think... about the Memorial Weekend.  The Memorial Weekend and the 4th of July are dreaded dates as far as finding a campground with an unoccupied site to pull our rig into. When we arrived at Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma we went completely around the lake and every campground was full. Usually there are the worst sites left open or they have a first come first serve area with a few sites. But because of all of the rain that they had recently gotten some of their sites were closed due to the high water. We gave up the hunt and went back up to Interstate 40 and continued our journey to the east. Ending up sleeping once again at a rest area parking lot. All and all it wasn't that bad as we didn't have a semi refrigerated truck running all night next to us.

I had never given much thought about these trucks before except to watch them in rear view mirror when driving. Now, I have learned how to spot the refrigerated trucks so that we can avoid trying to sleep next to one. It is not by accident that I use the word "trying". The problem is that they keep their motor running all night which keeps the cooling system going for whatever they are hauling. The motor is loud and just when you get used to hearing it...  it revs up kicking in the refrigerator. In the morning I feel like I have been sleeping next to a lion that spent the night growling and roaring. I am just about that jittery. That is the reason I quickly started paying attention to what they look like. LOL.

We drove through a section of  tornado damage near Shawnee, Oklahoma. Wow, I was amazed at the damage from the wind. Mother Nature must have had a case of PMS. Either that or she was throwing a hissy fit...

Hope she didn't damage these railroad track as she wiped out the trees in her path...

She uprooted trees and made toothpicks out of them. As well as taking down power lines. This is a horizontal electrical power pole...

I  can only imagine the damage left by the F5 tornado that took out the town of Moore, Oklahoma. My heart really goes out to the survivors of that community.

 

We made a turn off of Interstate 40 towards the small town of Ozark, Ar. Such a beautiful drive...

Here the cattle stand belly deep in rich lush grass pastures. A rancher's dream...

They have already begun the cutting of the hay fields. The one just behind this horse has been cut and is ready to bale. Meanwhile, this beautiful animal is enjoying his feast of fresh green grass...

We continued on our journey through Ozark and on down the road past Paris, Arkansas until we came to a small campground nestled next to Cove Lake...

Although this is called a primitive campground it doesn't mean it isn't well maintained. Just that there are no flush toliets or showers. No electricity and no sewer dump (which is the black water or gray water holding tanks). It is a form of boondocking. We settled in for the week.

 

Saturday night we were surprised by Michel (our daughter), Tim, and Ken (their neighbor and good friend). They had been at the Renaissance Fair in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Ken gave me a 18x200 zoom telephoto lens for my new Nikon D-80 Digital SLR camera.... I love it!!! With the zoom that I had I could not get a photo of anything closeup without changing my lens. This is an example of the new zoom...

 The photo is of a real honest to goodness Lady Bug... not the imported out of control Asia Beetle. Lady Bugs are red and the Asia Beetle is tan. This is the type of photo I have dreamed of being able to take... even the lichen on the rock is very defined. I am so grateful for this magnificent gift. Thank you Ken.

 

We had a great visit. Everyone was dressed up in costume. Lol, I didn't know my daughter was a belly dancer. I hated to see them leave so soon after arriving but totally understood that it was a long trip home.

 

Well, it is that time so I will sign off for now. To my wonderful daughter... remember Keep On Dancing... I love you.

 

Remember life is short... so laugh as much as you can... even if it is at yourself. And Everyone Keep On Dancing ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GUARDIAN ANGELS ON DUTY

Tomorrow I will update you on what we have seen and where we have been since leaving Lake Meredeth in the Texas Panhandle. Right now I want to share with you what happened to us yesterday. Our Guardian Angels were definitely on duty watching over us.

I will begin with saying that we really goofed up. We had no idea that the brakes on the trailer were not working. All indications said they were. So, without a worry in the world we set out on our big adventure over the top of Mt. Magazine, the highest mountain in Arkansas.

Here is a view from the Mt. Magazine overlook. Phil is looking at Blue Mountain Lake in the middle of the Petite Jean Valley...

The next day I had a rare appearance of Internet service.. how be it very slow. Of which I took advantage of and checked out campsites at that lake. So, we packed up and headed for Blue Mountain Lake. This is the road out of the campground we were leaving...

As you can see this is a very beautiful area. But the camping was primitive there. Getting to this campground was a wild experience of which I will share  the trip getting there tomorrow. But for today I want to share what took place as we were coming down off of this magnificent mountain on Hiway 309...

After we had passed the Mt. Magazine State Park and this lookout point Phil said that he smelled smoke. The road is full of 15 to 20 mph turnback curves as you come down the steep grade. There are very (and I do mean very) few areas that you can pull off the road. We went for several miles before he could find a spot wide enough and long enough for us to pull over to check things out. When he stopped we both got out to look. I noticed the front tires smoking and as I got to the driver's side I saw flames inside the wheel. Told Phil that I saw fire and he said he didn't see it. So, I assume that it had just started to flame...

Phil quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher and put out the flames. As you can see the tire is smoking and inside the wheel is the fire. The passenger side brakes were hot but no fire. So luckily all we left behind was the white powder mark on the side of the road and not our rig...

After sitting for awhile to allow the brakes to cool down we continued our journey down the mountain passing a few more hairpin turns...

No one can tell me that our Guardian Angels were not looking out for us. Had we not pulled over when we did then our brake system would have been so hot that it would have failed at the very next curve. Looking over the side as we passed it I saw a sheer drop off. Phil waited until this morning to inform me that we were really close to going over the edge. I will admit I am thankful that he did wait... I rode with no fear... had he told me I would have been gripping the seat the rest of the way off that mountain. And to the Angels of the Brotherhood of Light I give you "Thanks" for allowing us to continue our dance of life and protecting us as we dance on...

 

God Bless...And Keep On Dancing

 

 

 

 



 

 



YOU ARE IN OUR PRAYERS OKLAHOMA

You are in our prayers.... All of the people that have had their lives touched in someway by the recent rash of tornadoes that have damaged so many lives and homes. My heart goes out to those in Texas, Oklahoma and any of the other states that have also suffered great loses.  

Both Phil and I pray that the Angels of Light, Love, and Mercy will stand at your side... lift you up when you are down... show you the way to overcome your grief and heartache. And that they light the path for you.

You Are In Our Prayers!

LAKE MEREDITH TEXAS

 

 Friday we went riding around the area. Wouldn't you just know it. A big bobcat walked across the road and I didn't get a picture of him. Bummer. He was full grown. I was taken back by how dark his fur was. Looks like he lives in a canyon right behind some houses at the edge of town. But because by the time I turned the camera on, took the lens cap off, and tried to focus on him he was long gone.

We went to the other side of the dam. There was marsh lands there. There was a walkway so that you could walk out over the water and grasses for a distance. The fish were not very large in the area that we were in.  
 

 

There was a nice day use area with a swimming beach at this side of the dam. Phil showed me the little town of Sanford then we went back to the main body of the lake. We checked out the Fritch Fortress park and that was a shock. There was no lake as this photo below shows. The dark area in the middle of the lake bed is mud..

 

We drove on to the park campgrounds and the next photo shows what the lake looks like just two mile up the road. The lake is about a third of what it used to be because of the drought.  If you look closely at the below photo you can see the water level line on the far banks.

  

 

 Then we went down to the boat ramp. Wow. The lake is at least a mile away from the ramp. Phil drove out on the road where others had driven to launch their boats. You had to be aware of the mud banks. There were areas where there signs of many a vehicle that had gotten stuck trying to get their boat into the water. Or maybe it was one really dumb person that didn't know what a mud bank or quick sand looked like. If that is the case, then he sure took his time in learning... lol.  Lots of birds were down in this area also. We saw a seagull a long way from the gulf.

 

 

Phil tried his hand at fishing down at the dock. All he caught was a bunch of mosquitos and his own rod and reel. Of which he accidently dropped into the water. I am surprised he told me about that... lol

 

 

While out bike riding I found this little guy... a real Texas Horn Toad. Also known as a horny toad or a horned lizard. He ran across the road and stopped to study me and the bike. Most likely thought I was riding the skinniest horse he had ever seen. One odd thing about this lizard is his ability to spit blood from his eyes. They only do that when threatened. It was a good feeling to know they are still around.

 

 

And then there was this guy visiting our camp. I think he liked getting his picture taken. Because of his big size and his markings I wanted a photo of him. Ran into the house to get the camera. Remembered I was charging the battery so back into the house I went to get it. Meanwhile, he waited just under the steps. I thought he was on the other side so around the house I went. Wasn't long before he came out to where I was standing. He patted the ground and stretched out just as you see him here. He just lay there watching me take his picture...

 

 

I have discovered that besides loving him I really do need Phil. There is very little that he cannot do. Here is an example, working on the generator when it stopped working. He had it back up and running in no time. For which I am grateful... with out electricity there is no blog, not to speak of my morning coffee lol

 

Flowers have really bloomed since the rain ...

 

 

 

 This one is a type of milkweed and there is a bumblebee on it.

 

 We are blessed with the nicest neighbors... Tim and Susie from Indiana. They have just joined into the ranks of full timers. I hope to see them again... somewhere... some place.

Well it is time to wind this blog down so I will leave you with a picture of Phil riding off into the sunset...

 

 

KEEP LIFE SIMPLE AND ENJOY IT

KEEP ON DANCING!

 

 

 

 

THOUGHTS OF SUN CAMP --- TONOPAH, AZ.

For the last few days my mind has been on the experiences of Sun Camp and the wonderful friends that I've left behind. I know that it is not a goodbye but still I am beginning to miss them. Sun Camp was a great experience in ways I didn't expect in life. Such a beautiful group of people and each are very special to me in their own way. I can truly say that I have grown to love each and every one there.

In the short time that Phil and I lived there we were part of that community and all that it stood for. Sun Spiritualist Camp was changed as we all learned to communicate and work as a team for the betterment of the whole, that is Sun Camp.... We truly danced together in unison... I truly do dance with angels.

The world could learn a lesson from Sun Camp in how to walk the walk and talk the talk of Universal, Impersonal Love. One of the things that my guiding Angels taught me is that Earth is merely a school for the souls. It is there through our experience with one another that teaches us and challenges us to grow. And most important how to interact with each other with positive energy rather than the negative. How we respond is how life will treat us. If you want respect you must give it...if you want love you much live it. As you become more positive in thought and action the wars of the world are put aside. You are not part of it. I watched this put in action at Sun Camp as it went through the changing of the energies being brought to Earth as we moved fully into the New Aquarian Age. There truly is a new Sun Camp that has been created. There is a song that is sung at the ending of the church services ... "Let There Be Peace"... it goes something like this: let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. It was a beautiful experience to see these people living that song.

So it is with an overflowing of love from my heart that I say, "God Bless Sun Camp".... KEEP ON DANCING!

 Our hearts beat in rhythm to the tune of life and our souls sing the song. So it doesn't matter where you are or what you  are doing... the dance of life goes on. As we learn we perfect our style...

 

 The dancing just keeps on getting better with the experiences... When we are all dancing as One... then the New World has begun...... KEEP ON DANCING!!!

THE TRIP TO TEXAS

We made it to Lake Meredith in the panhandle of Texas. Slept over night in a picnic area just out side of Amarillo. Wasn't bad until a semi refrigerator truck pull up beside us. Those things run all night so they are noisy to say the least. But once again, we survived lol.

 

The truck problems were fixed so it ran with no problems. But the generator needed a tune up and there wasn't much getting online done. Guess I am retired... I was tired yesterday and tired again today...lol. Didn't do very much outside.

 

We had a thunderstorm blow through after we got here. Thirty plus miles an hour rain and wind. Made it interesting inside the RV. Not scary just interesting. Luckily we parked so we were rear ended into the storm like an old horse knows how to do. Doesn't blow you over that way. Still the rain was a good thing around here. The lake is very low and can use the water. This area is mostly flat plains except here in this area. There are small rolling hills and here at the lake it is similar to a canyon filled with water. I don't know enough to say where the water originates. As you can see we are camped near the shore. But the problem is that the shore in down the side of a cliff. It's a rocky climb down a steep bank pass a few rattlesnakes... I don't think so!

 

                                      

Friday Phil went into Dumas, Texas where he got the truck inspected and the utility trailer registered. That is the reason we're here in Texas. The trip here was very interesting. We passed a lot of flatland in bad need of water. But the most intriguing was a valley in New Mexico that was nothing less then a lava bed. From the size of the flow I would be willing to bet that at one time there was a super volcano that was the cause of it. If you look closely you will see that there is a community there in the back ground that is built on top of the lava rocks. I was amazed to see that. Those rocks are sharp as glass and I can only image what resides down in and around them. I really don't think I have the makings for that lifestyle.. I have a thing about snakes and things that shred my feet. But I have to admire the resilience of the people living there.

 

                                    

 

Most of our trip we traveled on or near the old Route 66 Highway. In some places it was barely visible and in others it was still drivable as you can see in the photo below, but it was fenced off most of the way.

 

                                      

 

There were some interesting sights along the road sight such as the T-Rex 

 

 

 

Looks like this one is being chased out of the Native village.

 

 

There were plenty of Antelope once we crossed over into New Mexico. I never saw one in any of the other states. I was beginning to think they were gone.

 

 

I saw a couple of wild burros in New Mexico also. The land they were on looked mighty bleak...

 

 

But not far down the road I saw these guys and that really made me wonder what they were surviving on. Most of the cattle we saw were young. I don't know if they were replacements herds or just feeders for the market.

 

 

Water seems to be the most valuable thing on earth.  Where there was life there was water. We passed many a windmill pumping up the liquid gold.

 

There were also many scenes like this old abandoned homestead.

 

But we also passed towns and small communities such as this beautiful old Navajo village with its adobe homes and the white church in the center. I took this photo as we drove passed. But there were cars stopped and people along the road taking pictures of the village. I had one chance and this was the photo I got.  

 

 

I didn't miss getting a photo of the cars at the Cadillac Ranch this time as we drove pass them. They are a few miles outside of Amarillo, Texas.  Looks like he is painting them all green. Although there were lots of people walking around them I didn't wish to do so. I tend to respect fencing rights.

 

 

 Well the sun has gone down on this day and here it is almost midnight so I will close this and head off to bed...

 

Remember... live well - laugh often - and love much.

And don't forget to keep on dancing!