TravelStream™ news feed for member jodieandandy on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/jodieandandy en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:25:17 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257878866/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257878866/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257878866/tpod.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:25:17 -0500 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Port Saint Joe, Florida, United States

Friday October 30, 2009We pulled into the park without reservations and asked the ranger for a site as close to the water as possible.  Not bothering to set up, we headed right to the beach for a long walk and swim.The beach is bright white, fine sugar sand and the water is a greenish blue that is still warm enough to swim in.  We walked, swam, stopped to talk with fishermen and ultimately reached a stretch that was uninhabited for as far as our eyes could see.  It was great to be back on the Gulf.I got my fishing gear with the hopes of catching some fish for dinner and headed back to the beach to find a spot that looked good.  It didn't take long to start catching whiting, but none of them were big enough to bother with.  With the sun approaching the horizon, Jodie took off to take a shower and I stayed with continued high hopes.  Just as the sun set I hooked something big and off it went out into the deep water.  I kept getting it close to shore and then it would take off again.  Each time it was almost landed I strained to see what it was, but there was very little light to see by.  In the end, it was a 25" Redfish and Jodie cooked it up within 1/2 an hour of catching it. It provided a delicious dinner and lunch the next day.  Fish doesn't get much fresher than that.Sat. Oct. 31st.Halloween brought some of the best fishing I've ever had.  The sky was overcast and the wind was coming from the west at about 15-20 mph.  I lost track of how many fish I caught and it got so hectic that I had to stop fishing with 2 poles and use only one.  After about 1 hr. I ran through 4 dozen shrimp (cut in half) and started using cut bait from some of the smaller fish.  It was amazing and we ended up keeping 3 big sailcats, 2 blues, whiting and black drum. It was incredible.Sun. Nov. 1st.We got a lesson in casting a bait net from our new friend Larry, one of the campground hosts.  He is an excellent teacher that conveys everything you need to know in a clear, patient and methodical manner.  Within 10 minutes, we were both casting round, open falling spreads of the net in an empty campsite.  Larry let us borrow the cast net while we were in the park and we both used it from the bridge on the bay side of the park.  It didn't take long and we had all of the bait we needed for another good day of fishing.Mon. Nov. 2nd.We took a 6 mile ride into town and got some supplies at a small store.  The wind was so strong on the way back that we both had to drop down into 2nd gear to peddle into it.The beach side of the park was calm, so we took a long walk and came upon an eerie and troubling discovery.  With nobody else around and no evidence of anyone out in the water, we found a beach blanket laying about 25 feet from the water.  There was a towel, a small bag and....a blue artificial leg.  We looked again, nobody was around.  Images of a drowned 1 legged swimmer or a suicide or a shark attack, kept creeping into our minds.  What should we do?  We looked even further out to sea and there we saw the splashing from 1, no 2, no, 3 swimmers, way, way out there just within our vision.  They were swimming parallel to shore far beyond any distance either of us had ever seen swimmers venture.  What a relief and yet an unsettling relief at that.  We walked on...Mon Nov. 9th.After lots of fishing, biking, walking on the beach and getting to know our new friends Larry and Julie, we took off heading north to avoid oncoming hurricane Ida.  The weather reports were ominous and everyone evacuated the park as a light rain began to fall.  One thing is for sure, you don't want to be caught in a hurricane in a motor home.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257891187/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257891187/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257891187/tpod.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:39:23 -0500 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Montgomery, Alabama, United States

October 28, 2009We drove on over to Marney's house where the three of us got into her car with Marney as our Montgomery, AL tour guide.  First stop...Dreamland BBQ, the famous BBQ franchise that I've heard about for years.  The atmosphere was relaxed and the large photos on the wall gave me the feeling that we were in a bluesy (blue-zee) BBQ in the heart of the south.  The ribs and pulled pork were delicious and the waitress was warm and funny.Then we went over to the trolley tour of Montgomery where we learned about the history of this beautiful city.  The trolley takes off from the old train station which is now a historic monument.  While waiting for the next trolley, we moved through the exhibits and historical time line of the civil rights movement in the U.S.A.  I remember growing up reading and watching TV news and movies about civil rights protests, marches, Martin Luther King, Jr., Governor George Wallace, court ordered busing and integration, Rosa Parks, the bus boycott, the Southern Poverty Law Center and on and on....but THIS is the place where most of that history unfolded.  We stopped and toured the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was minister.  We knocked on the door and a friendly woman let us in and gave the three of us a personal tour.  We saw a historical movie, his study, a mural (that we weren't allowed to photograph) and the pulpit where he preached from.  While it felt a bit irreverent, we were welcomed to stand at his pulpit and look out over the pews, as he once did.  Wow....what a chill went up my spine when I stood there, put my hands on the sides of the podium, and looked out. Next, we went over to the Southern Poverty Law Center and looked at the Civil Rights Memorial that was created by Maya Lin (the same woman that designed the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC).  The memorial is a large round disk that is engraved with a time line of the of the most significant events of the civil rights movement.  Black granite with dates and memories of struggle, prejudice, sacrifice, resistance and deaths, persecution and changes in our legal system were there in a dramatic, yet subtle display with a waterfall in the background.It was profoundly moving to be in Montgomery with the trolley and the many placards placed around the city, refreshing our recollection of this difficult time in our country's history.  I am so glad Marney gave us one of the most memorable and educational experiences we've had in almost two years on the road.That night, to top it all off, Marney made us dinner and had two of her friends from out of town come join us.  It was as if we were on some kind of educational VIP tour when we found out that Morris Dees, one of the co-founders of the Southern Poverty Law Center, was going to be joining us along with his wife, artist Susan Starr.  What an opportunity to meet these two bigger than life people.  They were both down to earth, friendly and full of life.  Once again Marney, thank you for an incredible experience.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257889234/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257889234/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1257889234/tpod.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:23:48 -0500 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Montgomery, Alabama, United States

Suzy and her husband, Young live in the house that all four of my Alabama cousins were raised in by Uncle June and Aunt Suzy (or big Suzy once cousin Suzy was born) . Those of you in my family that have been to this house when we were kids, will recognize it’s original stature and grace as you notice the changes and expansions Suzy and Young have made to accommodate raising their combined 5 kids. The property was divided some years back giving Janet (Mother of George’s kids) the pool and proposed tennis court land, to make herself and her kids a home. Suzy keeps the house in the style of when she was raised there. Long halls, huge kitchen, formal and informal living rooms and dining areas The house reflects generations of family and love and life. Beautiful appointments with stories behind every piece. I especially loved getting the garden tour of her home. It is Suzy’s own rain forest jungle!! From the patio to the greenhouse and vegetable garden the backyard is dominated by a huge old oak. Suzy has a never ending supply of energy for creating beauty. When she looks at a horse drinking trough, she sees a container garden! She uses her imagination in everything and the evidence is everywhere. Crafts being made for her St. John’s Church’s Christmas bizarre sit in different states of completion on any available surface. Jars of homemade relish and pepper vinegar are paked in boxes or sitting out for display in her well used kitchen. It is easy to feel the center and heart of family life in this wonderful old home. Young hunts and fishes bringing dinner to the table and filling their freezer every year with venison. Suzy and Young are as down to earth with their hunting and gardening and canning as they are elegant in their beautiful home. They represent the two worlds with ease as they arrange for us to go to their farm, "Glen Thistle"Off we go in the SUV about an hours drive to a long unpaved driveway. Through forest and field and past the caretakers home we finally arrive at the farm to the braying of Beau, the donkey. Four or five dogs have joined in chasing us with welcoming barks and a great wagging of tails. Young and Suzy call them by name and discuss their health and well being as they drive along to "Glen Thistle". The farm is Young’s dream home......open and spacious and ready for fun. There are three bedrooms downstairs with a sleeping room dormitory style upstairs. As Andy and I listen to stories and get the tour we begin to get a picture that this house is almost always full of guests and family coming for boating, hunting, fishing and get togethers. Young is managing these many acres with timbering, food plots and controlled hunting. The lake is teaming with fish. Young has time released food pellets that make the water roil with fish at eating time. We piled into his Kabota four wheeler and he took Andy and I for a ride over his many acres. We can understand Young’s great love for this land and lodge. It is a world of it’s own. It is the perfect complement to their elegant home in town. While we were gone on the Kabota, Suzy was cleaning and organizing for the next group of friends and family coming in for a visit. There are wonderful and imaginative touches everywhere! As Suzy and Young have traveled they have brought back interesting and fitting art for this eclectic farm house. While the house was being built Suzy had a dream where she saw the design of a thistle as clear as a lightening strike. It was such a powerfully clear dream she jumped up and drew what she had seen. She then found an artisan to carve the thistle design into the staircase. I have included a close up in the pictures. Looking closely at this house reveals more and more detail of fun and imagination!!! The-day-before-Thanksgiving dinners and opening-day-of- hunting dinners are served up here at the long table every year. I can easily imagine how homey and delicious and fun these family and friend dinners must be!!!Andy and I just gotta come back here to experience in full the "Glen Thistle" Farm life in in all its glory!! That night Young and Suzy took us out to one of their favorite haunts. An Italian restaurant with a relaxed family atmosphere and the greatest pizza ever. Daughter Georgia and her husband, Dustin joined us for a delicious and fun filled dinner. Georgia works as a teacher as she completes her Masters degree and Dustin works at Tucker Pecan Company as he completes his education as a history major. We loved getting to know these kids who are working hard to balance their lives and make a positive difference in the world. I am proud to be part of such an enterprising and close knit family!!!Andy and I were filled with family warmth, good Italian food and tired from a long day of Montgomery life. We slept as the Alabama River quietly rolled by and great tall live oaks sheltered us from the drizzling rain.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256526199/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256526199/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256526199/tpod.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 08:33:13 -0500 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Montgomery, Alabama, United States

I believe I have been sufficiently fortified by sunshine, sand and fresh fish to give these Alabama entries the time and attention they deserve. Getting together with the Alabama vonGals was as gracious and heartwarming as it was educational. It was also like a marathon or a rally event. We were back and forth between the sisters as they arranged their busy schedules to accommodate our visit with one entertainment to the next. To do justice to all of the parts of our visit, I have separated the entries into three parts; "Marney", "Suzy and Young", and "The History Tour of Montgomery".We arrived at Gunter Hill State Park in time to set up in the rain, eat dinner and fall asleep. The next day was rainy and cold as I did laundry, cleaned Crazy Fish and checked out the campgrounds. The sun peeked in and out as I took pix of the Alabama River right behind our site and got carried away with pictures of the Halloween enthusiasm of the other campers!! I know I took a lot of pix but we were amazed at the extent and how truly scarey some of these decorations were. We can only imagine how intriguing a place for tricker treating this park must be for the kids who show up.At 6:00pm that evening we began our real visit by arriving at Suzy’s house. Cousin Marney Cousin Suzy, Young and Cousin George were all lingering in the driveway to give us the big vonGal/Stevenson welcome! For the next 4 days we were swept up into Southern hospitality and family love......."Who wants a bourbon and branch water after all that travel?" Andy accepts with gratitude as I sip my water. George entertains us with his Southern Gentleman charms and his easy going Rancher style. Stretched out in Suzy’s living room George was keeping us on the edge of our seats with his tales and stories of snakes, hunts and horses when Young sauntered in with a confidence only a man used to his station in life exudes. "If that is true", Young drawls in his slow paced perfectly timed bass voice, "I’ll walk naked to the Dairy Queen!" That set the pace for the evening as we all climbed in Young’s SUV and travel down to Marney’s a couple blocks away. George had to leave us to be with his wife, Donna for her birthday dinner. For George to squeeze in time to visit with us before a birthday dinner made us feel important! I am taken by the closeness of family. The whole family and many of their children live right near or within a few hours drive. In my immediate family there are thousands of miles between me and my siblings and children. Where these guys jump in their cars to see each other, I take a plane!Marney and Suzy have combined their culinary talents to create a tantalizing Southern, fresh-from-the-garden, meal. Suzy has baked us a pork roast with apples and has donated a HUGE bag of freshly cut greens from her garden. Marney cooked them up to be tender and pungent! She added side dishes of fresh black eyed peas (served with Suzys homemade pepper relish) and roasted sweet potato fries to create a dinner we all enjoyed thoroughly. Herbert, Suzy and Young’s youngest son joined us and let us get to know him. He is in the business of Forestry Management with energy and love to spare towards his work. It was a treat to meet the next generation taking care of our forests and timber lands. Some years back while Marney was visiting her daughter, in NYC she was impressed by the health and fitness club our cousin Diane (daughter of Uncle Herb and Aunt Carol) was working at as a fitness instructor. Marney took her enthusiasm back to Montgomery, gathered a team of talented people together and created Metro Fitness Health Club. For ten years she has been the most successful club in Montgomery and has been given awards by Montgomery for her business savvy and community mindedness. Marney has given Metro Fitness a sleek organized style that is clever in the use of materials and space (see pix). Andy and I felt welcomed by the space itself as we both found numerous classes we wanted to take. Had we stayed anymore days, we would have been taking Yoga and Pilates, using the exercise machines, and ending our work out with a massage. A full service club with clean, state of the art equipment. Marney included many well thought out systems inside a style that came from her attention to details as she did her research before settling on how Metro Fitness was to be built.  Marney’s house was bought and restored by Marney, keeping a piece of family history alive. Her Mom, my Aunt Suzy spent a lot of time in the what is now Marney’s house visitng her Uncle while a young girl. The house had changed hands over the years but had not been kept up with the times. When Marney heard it was to come on the market, she bought it and dove right in to make it fit her lifestyle. Marney changed walls and location of rooms and has given this wonderful old homestead a new lease on life. The workmanship is wonderful as it is clever in design and function. Reflecting her sense of color and the marrying of luxurious comfort with a relaxed modern style that is Marney’s own. A park runs down the center of this broad, brick street canopied by huge old trees. The park is well used by joggers, dog walkers, exercise classes and many other folks getting fit while enjoying the beauty of their neighborhood park. This area of Montgomery is old, well preserved and very community minded. The houses are one more gracious southern home after the next. Andy and I didn’t even go back to Gunter Hill one night but spent the night in Crazy Fish right on Marney’s road after a long and fun day discovering the history of Montgomery(another entry), having another delicious dinner of a mixed greens soup and a curried sweet potato soup while meeting the friends for a rousing good time. There is simply so much more to do and learn that we must come back and spend more time with cousin Marney. .
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256226345/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256226345/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256226345/tpod.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:07:16 -0400 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Columbia, Missouri, United States

Tuesday October 20thColumbia is a large, good looking city with three colleges, hip stores and cafes, bike paths, 'people friendly' parks and sidewalks.... and most importantly where Bill and Nancy's daughter,  (my second cousin?) Martha lives.  She and Matt are one year parents to Lela who, naturally rules the household!  One look and we all melt to her needs and wishes.  Mia, their 3 year old puppy dog is patient and adoring as well as a good protector.  Bill showed us around the outside of the house as no one was home.  We saw the solar array that Bill put up for them for hot water. We heard the story of the next door lady who is a wonderful neighbor but was at first quite perturbed by the solar array.  It was too industrial looking for her taste, and she could see it from her back yard...barely...  so one night last year the neighbor and her friend were enjoying a libation while talking themselves into a frenzy about the solar array.  The 'libation' must have given them the needed boost of inspiration to sneak over the fence and put magnets all over the solar framework!  Thank goodness it wasn't stickers!  Martha and Matt simply had to pull them off.  Civil disobedience or vandalism?   No matter where you go there are characters next door!!  We'd probably fit right in!PaPa Bill, as Lela calls him, or Bill Bill as Martha calls him, set us to work on getting the fourth side of their wonderful house sided with hardy plank.  The other three sides Bill did himself are looking good !!  We raced against rain, to get the old shingles torn off and all the nails pulled out or nailed in flat. Bill had to tidy up the electric wires so we could work around them. It was fun doing the demo...tearing off the shingles and a masonite under layer in a flury of actively.  To keep the demo going Andy and I kept stopping and removing the debris from underfoot to Bill's truck.  We filled it up and over!  Bill built up the sides to keep the demo trash contained.We stopped for lunch in Crazy Fish of modified Cesare Salads and curried tofu salad with crackers...and lots of tea and coffee to warm us up and keep us going. We brought the side down to the tar paper before it began raining for real.  There has been  more rain than anyone can remember for this time of year and is about 20 degrees colder than usual..  Global changes?  The cold, overcast, rainy front seems to be covering most of the USA.  Oh well...it doesn't bother us as we get on with our "Habitat for Family" work!  Matt came home after his shift cooking steaks at D&G Steak House and picking up Lela at her one day a week day care.  She loves the kids and they love her.  We are all tired and so Andy and I took off to find The Cottonwood RV park about 10 miles from the house.  It is a private park with lots of great amenities such as an antiques store and banquet facility along with all the usual showers, laundry and level sites with full hook ups.  A long hot shower felt perfect after working outside in the damp chill of fall.Wednesday 21stThe second day we got about one third of the siding up and I got to drive Bill's truck loaded to the brim with demo debris to Matt's Dad''s radiator garage to dump all the shingles into his dumpster.  Matt and Lela drove in their car leading the way.  Once there Matt and I donned our gloves and got to work.  Dean took Lela and disappeared into the garage to do proud Grandpa stuff.  When Matt and I finished we found Dean entertaining Lela with cars and paper cone cups of water and telling stories and being a great Grandpa in all ways.  It was a treat to watch them together.Bill and Andy had gotten the new window in and were putting up the new siding like experts.  I served up some soup I made in Crazy Fish from a bean and grain mix I had picked up at Nancy's Sunshine Market.  I added loads of root veggies, fresh ginger and cut bite sized pieces of chicken breasts.  Matt joined us using the baby monitor to know how Lela was doing in her nap cozy in her bed.  To get a good deal on materials, many different batches of siding had been procured so were creating a striped house!!  I wonder how the neighbor will like this touch???  Martha has plans of her own to paint the whole house grey come spring.Matt and Martha suggested we order in Tai Food for dinner.  We did some clean up and ordered up some fantastic Tai dishes.  These kids know their take out options!  This was delicious!!!!Thursday 22ndWe woke to it raining like cats and dogs and had to wait it out.  We took showers, did some blogging and emailing, and I found a book exchange in the Antique shop!!  Gold mine!  I got to trade out 6 books and talk reading with a few others keeping dry by browsing the store.  The kids and Bill Bill came by around 6:00pm and picked us up for a dinner in Columbia proper.  We decided on "The Flat Branch Brewery" .  They make many different styles of beer right on premises with huge glass windows letting us see the process.  Everyone said their beers and stouts were exceptional!  We all enjoyed a fun atmosphere and great imaginative meals.  YUM again.  The rain had stopped or let up for a spell so we all walked around Columbia to take in its charms.  Martha and Matt pointed out the colleges and landmarks and parks that make it one of the more beautiful and exciting cities.  Large enough to offer lots of intrigue and culture yet small enough to have plenty of parking and an easy hip atmosphere.  I would recommend this city as a place to live and raise kids.Friday 23rdIt had stopped raining some time in the night and had taken a turn to be even colder!  By the time we got to the house, Martha was off to work and Bill was way up on his ladder working solo.  We jumped in and helped get the last of the hardy plank up into the peak of the house.  We did as much clean up as we could to turn our work areas back into the front porch and driveway.  Matt was at work being the best grill man in town so we rode over to him to taste his artistry.  We were not disappointed!!  G & D's is a Greek Steak house family run for 40 years!!  Our Greek Salads with home made dressing were superb and our steaks were tops!! Bill had a Gyro and he ate every bite.  We got to meet the family and felt so welcome.  It is easy to see how Matt fits in with such a warm and charming family run business with delicious food!!!Full and feeling accomplished, we tearfully hugged Billy goodbye before hitting the road......
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256221812/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256221812/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1256221812/tpod.html Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:01:48 -0400 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Summersville, Missouri, United States

Thursday 15thNancy and Bill drove us up to Zetty's.  Andy and I had never seen her house that we have heard so much about.  Zetty is retired after a brilliant career in The Peace Corps and Care. While working she rose to the challenges presented to make a difference in the nutrition and fight the disease of the villagers in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Chad to name a few.  I am amazed at the stamina it must have taken to hold up under such extraordinary circumstances.  The people loved her!!  She has made a difference!  Now she can live on her bluff in her solar home and enjoy a good book next to her wood burning stove. This is another chance to check out more of Bill's solar installations, another Clivus Moltrum and general building expertise.  This house is a family collaboration. Zetty knew what she wanted, Jon drew it up and Bill built it.  It is FANTASTIC!!  The house sits on a large bluff overlooking the forest and the gorge where the Jack Forks River runs.  The house appears small as we drive up a loooong driveway through a gorgeous meadow and orchard.  We arrive to tumultuous greetings by Thea, Maggsie and Cloe, Zetty's dogs.  Hugs and more hugs.Once on the deck we can see how the house is deceivingly large with glass coming to a point creating a fantastic deck with a "cold tub".  Upstairs is all glass with decking too.  We all come inside to a cozy warm, well planned out home.  The kitchen and living room open to a solarium that goes to the decks.  The upstairs makes up two large bedrooms and an open office/library area with a huge bathroom.  The Clivus is off the living room on the ground floor.The house runs off the grid with a generator back up.  Zet has not turned it on in 3 years!  This place is as cool as all of Bill's houses.  Good design, good building!! Zet made us an Afghanistan meal of Whole Wheat Nan, cooked spinach with onions and peppers (everything starts with hot peppers!)  and garlic yogurt.  YUM!!  We all talked at once trying to catch up with our lives and ended with a promise to come back tomorrow.Friday 16th after going over to Greenwood Homes and meeting with Jan and Joe  I borrowed one of Bill and Nancy's cars and went to Zet's for an overnight.  Andy and Maudie chose to stay behind to enjoy an evening with Bill and Nancy. I arrived before it got dark and made dinner for us. I made one of the Baker's Cafe's favorites, "nutritional Yeast Shake 'n Bake Tofu" , artichoke spaghetti and peas in a marinara sauce. Jon was due to arrive and  showed up just in time for dinner.  Jon is another fabulous Echols cousin!!  It doesn't stop in this family!  He has talent dripping out of him onto whatever he does.  He is a great musician, truly a one man show!!, a sailor and boat builder, architect of amazing diversity and imaginative design, an artist with a pencil and paints.  He is an artist in living, a man with no boundaries. It isn't easy to explain the Echols.  They are bigger than life. We all talked till 1:30am when I called "uncle" and dragged off to bed.   The Echols have energy to spare!!  It was absolutely a treat to talk for hours about when we were kids.  We remembered incident after incident of things we all did way back in the Brewster Hill Road days.  Good Grief it really was a life time ago.  Cousins keep it right up front for me!   Saturday 17thStrong coffee and leftovers from dinner got us going and getting ready for the party Zet planned  for tonight.  Zet began making her "Lemon Grass, Ginger, Pepper Pot Soup" while Jon and I took a walk to "Indian Lookout", and the Jake Fork River but not before we cleaned up the chairs and decks and did anything Miss Zet needed done for the party.Andy, Martha and Lela, Bill and Nancy arrived around 4:00pm.  Johanna and Maya showed up as a surprise for Andy and me!!  For Jon, Johanna and Maya to do all that driving to be with Andy and me made us feel so welcome and warm inside.  I'm crazy about both Martha and Johanna and their totally awesome kids!!!  ps...Johanna and Martha are Bill and Nancy's daughters.  Maya and Lela are Johanna's and Martha's daughters....We all went for a walk and found mushrooms and a beautiful waterfall that Bill knew about. By the time we got back we were ready for some food.  Dinner was fantastic and will keep away any cold that might even think about trying to set up house in us!   A big pot of "pepper pot soup" is all one needs to get through winter with ease!!!Just as we all were fading and began gathering our things together.....neighbors showed up to meet the RVers and say, "Hi" to the rest.  Diana, Neil, Chris and Erin started an entirely new party!  We ate peach pie and watched terrific videos that Neil and Diana made.  One is a music video and one a documentary on Bio Fuel.  It was fascinating.  Jon broke out his guitar and harmonica and began to wake us all up when a string broke and the music stopped.  That string somehow foretold the end of the evening and we all filed out to our cars with many thanks and hugs and goodbyes.  Brunch at Nancy and Bill's tomorrow! 
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255515624/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255515624/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255515624/tpod.html Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:02:47 -0400 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Mountain View, Missouri, United States

Wednesday 14th of OctoberWe need to digress to a week ago when we had a big scare with Maudie.  She looked as if she had aged 10 years, slept all day and night, lost her bowel control and fell over a couple of times. We thought we were going to lose her. We kept her warm and gave her a subcutaneous injection of warm saline.  She didn't resist our help at all which is most unusual for our strong headed Maudie.  She slept for what seemed like forever awakeing back to her usual self a little weak but out from danger. She began eating and drinking water and meowing and now, thank God she is all better, full of life and energy again.  Must have been a cold or something.  That was as awful a scare for us as it must have been for her!!!!After a night of Walmart parking lot in the rain and chill of this nasty cold front, we are ready to find my (Jodie's) cousins, Bill Echols and his wife Nancy in Mountain View, MO, Zetty Echols in Summersville, MO and Jon Echols in St. Louis, MO.  Following our GPS farther and farther into the country side, we gave a call to Bill and he corrected the GPS ideas to refine our trip to a more efficient route. They name their highways with letters here...eg.  Hwy "Y' and Hwy "VV" .  The countryside stretches out on both sides of the road offering a sense of hope and space not found in all states.  Oak forests, farms, meadows and pastures with hundreds of Black Angus, Charlet and Holsteins, Rivers, lakes and ponds in abundance.  Picturesque to the point of being surreal.  Right down to the old barn melting back into the earth after many years of good service."There's Bill standing in the road waving us in!!"  And so begins our heart warming, fun filled visit.  Nancy joins Bill in welcoming us with hugs and "the tour".  We begin in the greenhouse and lap pool that is attached to the shop and guest house.  Bill installs solar for a living and their house is a fine example of how it works well for hot water, heat and electricity.  With the solar arrays tucked away or on the roof, one is not distracted by their industrial look but rather they look handsome and a part of the landscape and architecture to a benefit.We then go on in to check out the wonderful house that Bill and Nancy have gutted and rebuilt and added on to over the years.  They raised three gorgeous daughters here and are now proud grandparents when the kids come home to get their special kind of love and support as well as to fill up their cupboards from Nancy's "SUNSHINE MARKET" health food store down in town.  Thursday 15thWe all piled into the cars and up to Summersville we went to see Bill's sister, Zetty.  Bill built Zetty's house and acts every bit the father of his creation.  Zetty may be the owner but Billy is the father of every house he builds and solar system he installs.  Zetty had a wonderful Afghanistan meal for us that we dove into!!  She is retired now on her bluff in Missouri overlooking the Jack Forks River after a brilliant career in The Peace Corps and Care taking on the overwhelming challenge of trying to make a difference in hunger and disease in countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Chad just to mention a few.  I am always blown away by her ability to hold up under such odds.  (to keep these entries to a manageable size, Zetty's entry has been created and will be sent separately)Friday 16thOnce again we piled into the car and off we went to "Greenwood".  Greenwood is a community or development of a handful of people who want to live outside the box and for some, 'off the grid' way back into the Missouri hills.  Bill has built more than a few of these homes and has installed solar into more.  Jan and Joe's house was the perfect house for us to see a fantastic example of Bill's work and abilities. We were very impressed at how well the composting toilets work.  Bill installs a modified version of a Clivus Moltrum Composting toilet system.  Efficient, and without a negative side of needing to be cleaned out or smells leaking into ones house.   (Unfortunately I forgot to bring my camera and so no pix!)  Living off the grid works beautifully and quietly.  After a cup of coffee, great conversations and learning a lot about all the house systems...we all took a walk down to the river.  So much beauty and clean air!!Jon Echols, Bill and Zetty's brother, was due to arrive at Zetty's so we were going to go back up to Summersville for a night with Zet and Jon.  Andy decided, understandably so, that Crazy Fish would not be making that trek over the miles and miles of unpaved roads with low hanging branches along the road and driveway.  So....I borrowed a car and off I went.  Jon, Zet and I stayed up too late reminiscing the past, talking politics, learning about the colorful characters in the hills, and in general catching up to the present.  I loved every minute of being with cousins that have helped form me into the woman I am today.  As a child I looked up to every one of these guys as being bigger than life itself!!  I wasn't far from right!! (to keep this entry from being HUGE we are breaking it up into more than one entry.  Please wait for the next entry to see more details and pix of Zetty and Jon)Sunday 18thTired and happy from all the partying, hiking and eating.(all shown in next entry)...we slept late. After hugs and promises to keep in touch, we all sent off Johanna and Maya (Bill and Nancy's daughter and grand-daughter) on their trip back home to St. Louis.   We joined Martha and Lela (Bill and Nancy's daughter and grand-daughter) to eat pancakes and eggs with coffee and teas as we sat around the kitchen table with the sun streaming in the large window over the counter.  Lovely to the max!  Sunshine in the country makes me feel fine!!!  We all took a walk on Nancy and Bill's 60 acres to see the tall oaks, the dogwoods and pines.  Bill took us by a lovely little pond holding Lela as he led the way.  Full of fresh air, Martha and Lela packed into her car and left for home in Columbia, about three hours north.Jon arrived and we all went to Tom and Gail's house for another amazing tour!!  The gardens, as shown by our pix are in fall style of being almost "to bed" by now with garlic planted for next June's harvest.  Andy and Tom talked the whole time about wood working as they shared experience and expertise about Tom's shop and machines and tools.  Tom and Gail operate www.riverwoodstair.com  making the most gorgeous custom stairs I have ever seen!!  Tom's abilities are non-paralleled.  Craftsmanship, imagination and knowledge make his finished products pieces of art and the focal point of any home lucky enough to enjoy a Riverwood Staircase.  Gail showed us her photography which held us all spellbound.  Dew drops on spider webs reflecting sky and flowers or trees or mountains.  All repeated in each dew drop like a chain of jewels!!!  She captured humming birds and butterflies with their bellies glowing from the reflected color of the flower they were drinking from.  We were mesmerized by her connection to the magic of nature and her ability to capture it for us to share her view.  We got to talk for an hour with Tom and Gail's grand-daughter, Lexi as she told us about being thirteen with such clarity and eloquence. We laughed, got angry and then happy along with her stories and experiences as she led us through the frustrations and triumphs of being thirteen in a school system today.  I can't wait to hear what Lexi does with her life as she grows to womanhood.  Go girl go!!Monday 19thAndy and I were sleeping like dogs out there in the Missouri countryside.  Under stars of unsurpassed brilliance and the yelping of coyotes in the background, all was at peace for us in Crazy Fish.  We woke to a sunny day full of energy.  We all sat and ate apples from the old tree in the front yard and dug into Kippered Herring and Tuna Fish on crackers as we got to know yet another wonderful friend and neighbor, Terry.  We had been enjoying the company of Daisy the neighborhood basset hound since we arrived and had learned of her rags to riches story of being abandoned and then adopted by Terry.  Daisy is known for showing up at just the right moments to get leftovers and treats and biscuits as well as her normal meals at Terry's house.  Daisy also likes to dig a shallow hole after finding just the right spot, she then places some of her treat inside the hole and then using her snout she camouflages her hidey hole by covering her work with leaves and sticks till it blends into the environment.  We wonder if she ever finds these treats again and if they are there when she returns. Andy and I pack up and prepare to do a "big shop" at Nancy's Sunshine Market.  Nancy is already there doing her work as the proprietor.  As Andy is backing up Jon and I cannot get Daisy to give up her spot in the sun as she is comfortably taking her nap on the lawn.  Jon and I have to literally lift her by her stubby little legs and drag her to a safe place!!!  She totally adores the attention!!!  (see pix!)Shopping at The Sunshine is a treat for us!  Andy and I gather  more and more products as we peruse the isles.  Nancy has stocked her store with ALL our favorite things!!!  We fill two carriages and Andy silently worries about the weight this will add to Crazy Fish.  We are set for months with terrific products that will sustain us in the most healthy ways!!!  Thanks Nanc!!  We had decided to join Bill in finishing the last side of Martha and Matt's house in Columbia, MO.  Bill had single handedly completed replacing the shingle siding with hardy board planking and needed to finish up that pesky fourth side before the winter weather came on.  We volunteered to be "Habitat for Family".  Living in an RV is the perfect life style for volunteering as we bring our house with us!  We sign off this entry here with hearts, tummies and cupboards filled as we leave Mountain View and head out to Columbia.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255314714/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255314714/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255314714/tpod.html Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:40:24 -0400 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Morrilton, Arkansas, United States

Sunday October 11thWhen we arrived the rain stopped long enough for us to hike down a couple of the trails.  With more rain and dropping temperatures in the forecast, we jumped at the chance to hike to Rock House Cave and Cedar Creek.  The trails are rocky and wooded, with sections along the creek and up into the hills.  The Rock House Cave is an amazing example of where native Americans took shelter and carved cave drawings into the walls.  It's easy to imagine using the cave as a dry comfortable home.While it poured on and off during our 2 day stay, we got luck and hiked both days without getting soaked.  The park is named after a young girl and here's the story:THE LEGEND OF PETIT JEANThis story of adventure began with a young French nobleman named Chavet who lived in the period of French exploration of the New World, and who was said to be a kinsman of the King of France.  He asked the King for Permission to explore a part of the Louisiana Territory, and for a grant to whatever part of it he might find to his liking.  The King greed to his request.Chavet was engaged to be married to a young girl in Paris who, when told of this plans, asked that they be married before he left France so that she might accompany him.  Thinking of the hardship and danger that would probably be encountered.  Chavet refused the girl's request and told her that on his return, if he found the country good, they would be married and go to the New World to spend their lives.  The girl, however, refused to accept his denial.  She disguised herself as a boy and applied to the captain of Chavet's ship when it was being outfitted for the trip for a place as a cabin boy, calling herself Jean.The girl must have been incredibly clever in disguise, for it is said that not even Chavet recognized her or suspected that she was not a boy.  The sailors called her Petit Jean.The ocean was crossed in early spring, the vessel ascended the Mississippi, and then the Arkansas River to the foot of this Mountain, which must have looked to the voyagers as they approached it like the prow of a great ship.The Indians who lived in the Mountain, seeing a ship for the first time, came down to the river and gave Chavet and his sailors a friendly and hospitable greeting.  They invited the sailors to the top of the mountain.  The invitation was accepted and Chavet and his men including the cabin boy, found life with the Indians so pleasant that the entire summer was spent there.Petit Jean fished the streams and hunted the forests of the region with Chavet, the sailors and the Indians until fall approached, when Chavet began preparations for the voyage back to France.  When the ship was ready, supplied with food from the forest and water from the springs of the Mountain, and everything needed for the trip, Chavet, his sailors and Petit Jean went aboard on the evening before the day set for the start down the river.   Chavet told the Indians that he would return next year.That night, Petit Jean became ill with a malady that was strange to Chavet and his sailors.  It was marked with fever, convulsions, delirium, and finally, coma.  The condition of the patient was so grave at daylight that the departure was postponed.  During her delirium and coma, Petit Jean's identification was, of course, discovered.After two days, during which her strength ebbed fast, there was a lucid interval.  the girl confessed her deception to Chavet and begged his forgiveness.  She told him that she knew she could not live to reach France, and asked that she be carried back to the mountaintop to spend her last days.The Indians made a stretcher of deer skins and bore her up the trail near the point of the mountain to their camp on the brow overlooking the mountains and valley to the south.  At sundown that day, she died.Many years later, a low mound of earth was found in a cove on the east point of the Mountain, with rocks that fitted so perfectly that they could not have been there by accident.  It was agreed that the grave was very old.  This is believed to be the grave of Petit Jean.Legend has it that the spirit of Petit Jean hovers over the Mountain, giving it an air of strange enchantment.From the writings fo the late Dr. T.W. Hardison, long time resident of the Mountain, founder of Petit Jean State Park and the Arkansas State Park System.On to Missouri....
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255140024/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255140024/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1255140024/tpod.html Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:33:49 -0400 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Plainview, Arkansas, United States

Friday October 9, 2009Rain.    Rain.     Rain.We checked in at the park entrance and the host said that the lake was rising and he expected it to add another 4 feet of depth shortly.  It stopped raining for a little while so we took a cold damp bike ride and surveyed the area around the campground.  The boat ramp, fishing pier, roadways and trails were all partially submerged.  The weather forecast keeps promising clearing skies and sun, but each hopeful morning we wake up to rain.  It rained so hard the first night that the pounding on the roof woke me up, but Jodie was able to sleep on through.  We took a ride out of the park on our bikes and on the way back a dog started chasing us.  I looked over and saw that he was gaining on Jodie and I kept telling her to peddle faster.  She was just ahead of it and it just kept on coming.  Just as it was gaining on her I said "faster Jodie" and we finally pulled away.  It was some sort of brown lab and it's mate was nursing puppies in the street.  It must have either felt some sort of threat or it was just an aggressive a**hole. Neither of us are used to this kind of raw cold weather and it's already getting old.  We'll probably hit a few more state parks for hiking and cave exploring before heading north for a visit with some of Jodie's cousins in Missouri.  But then it's back down south through Alabama and over to the panhandle of Florida.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1254892118/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1254892118/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jodieandandy/rv_life/1254892118/tpod.html Sun, 11 Oct 2009 23:38:33 -0400 Jodie, Andy and Maudie's "RV Life" adventure.

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Hot Springs, Arkansas, United States

Tuesday October 6thArkansas is all about Water, Rocks and Mountains!!  There is water everywhere!! -- including in the air!  It started raining at Heifer and it hasn't stopped.  It sprinkles and mists then does a down pour and then back to misting.  Not the greatest for sightseeing or doing our usual kayaking and hiking and biking.  But....this part of Arkansas is all about HOT water!  Bubbling out of the ground everywhere for hundreds of years.  It comes out of the ground at 143 degrees and gets reduced to 105 degrees for the hot baths we took.  Chilled and damp we arrived at the Buckstaff Bath House, one of the two houses that have been restored to active spas after closing down in the '50's.  Andy and I went for the "bath special". Hot mineral bath soak with a lufa sponge scrub down, then a sitz bath, then a steam bath, then a shower with tons of shower heads and jets and sprays and who knows what!!  I was in la la land by that time.  Then we were guided to chaise lounges where the attendants wrapped HOT cloths around our shoulders, arms, legs and lower back  and a COLD cloth around our faces.  HEAVEN ON EARTH  Then we each got a massage!  We did all this in under two hours and on separate floors of the same building.  It was amazing!!  The attendants were experts at ushering us around just right so we felt guided, cared for and immeasurably pampered.  We walked on down the street and strolled into Rolando's Restaurant-- Brazilian and fabulous!  Even took a few pix of our lunch it was so well presented!  Home to our campsite for some old movies and a quiet night. The weather took a turn for the better with some sunshine peeking through so we drove over to the Garvan Gardens.  It was lovely to walk for a couple of miles through wonderfully landscaped and maintained gardens.  The architecture was remarkable.  Pictures tell it best.  Andy went on to the baths at the Qua Paw Bath House the next day while I roamed the streets taking in the local color and architecture.  The day had become sunny and too warm for me to get in a hot bath.  Andy loved it!!Arkansas rocks--- crystal mines are scattered in the hills beckoning one to come and dig through their tailings for treasure.  We decided ,due to the mostly nasty weather and not really being all that into getting muddy, to go to the store.  A virtual field of crystals, glass and rocks -  Interesting and fun.  Rocks always have me thinking about my Aunt Mama Dot.  She was a micro paleontologist and brought rocks to a new level for me as a child.The next day we went back to the town and took in the Fordyce Bath House that has been restored as a museum and visitor's center.  Great experience to think of Al Capone and his cronies taking baths and getting massages just like we had only days before.  Only I would not suggest anyone allow the contraptions you will see in the pics be used on yourself!!  They look totally lethal.  Maybe they inspired Capone and his guys to be more interesting than just breaking legs!!A beautiful town and wonderful National Park.  We didn't get to do any of the hiking that is offered in the mountains here.  The weather just didn't cooperate long enough.  We will come back for the rest of what Hot Springs National Park has to offer!!! 
]]>