Halloween in Boerne!

We've been keeping busy in Boerne.  We've been visiting John and Gloria in the evenings.  Gloria has been making fabulous dinners for us and we've played a few card games of Phase 10!  John has won the most game so is still the big winner so far!

We also met a couple in the campground, John and Ramola, and had a glass of wine with them one evening.

Friday John was off and took us down to San Antonio at the south end of the River Walk to the Guenther House, my sweet cream pancake provider!  Carl Guenther was the founder of the Pioneer Flour Mills and built an elegant home next to the mill in 1859.  The home has been restored and houses the River Mill Store, a small museum, a restaurant and has retained the original parlor.

The home is very pretty, right on the river and the store has many fun things as well as sweet cream pancakes, waffles, ice cream, biscuits, gravy and more.  We also had a delicious lunch on the veranda.  Ted had champagne gravy chicken enchiladas, I had a sweet cream waffle and John had breakfast tacos.  We stocked up on sweet cream pancake mix!

Yesterday  we did some Costco/Sam Club shopping with John and Gloria and then went to the "Haunted Theatre".  Their granddaughter, Haley, is a freshman in high school and is in drama.  The drama department put on a haunting!  It was pretty scary and lots of fun.  The kids did a great job and it was a terrific set.

After our big scare, we went to Willy's for dinner.  They had a guy singing and playing guitar.   It's a very casual place, with a beer bottle chandelier!  John has been wanting to try the "ultimate sampler" but you definitely need a group to be able to eat it all!

Today is halloween and we are going to John and Gloria's for dinner!  Her two younger grandkids, Jack and Olivia, will be coming over for his birthday and for halloween.

Trick or treating at John and Gloria's..."Ain't Life Grand!"   

We made it to Boerne, Texas!

We made it to Long Lane, Missouri on the 18th. Parked in our friends front yard (of their 300 acres)! We had a good visit and of course some fun sightseeing. They took us to Ha Ha Tonka State Park in the Osage River Hills region of the Ozarks. According to the literature, the park is most noted for its geologic features and formations, characterized by sinkholes, caves, underground streams and natural bridges. I think most people think of the castle! The castle was built in the early 1900s along a cliff over looking the Osage River. Unfortunately the roof caught fire in 1942 and burned a lot of the castle. There is a skeleton of the castle left, the carriage house and the tower.  It was very large and looks interesting!

There are many trails and caves to explore at Ha Ha Tonka and after leaving the castle, we went to the Natural Bridge.  Our friend Ginny wanted to explore the bridge down a 1/2 mile trail.  Such a trooper, she made it down and back up with her walker without any problems.  The bridge shows some of the layers that are the result of water percolating through porous underlying dolomite bedrock.

The next day they took us to Silver Dollar City.  It is a theme park in Branson.  There are craftsmen demonstrating their trades from days of old, such as making molasses, making yarn, building log cabins and much more.  They have rides, shops, shows and lots of food to eat!   We ate breakfast, looked around, and rode the train.

We left the park in the early afternoon and headed for Lamberts Restaurant for lunch and dinner because we were told they serve a lot of food!  Boy do they!  They also throw red hot dinner rolls to you from across the room!  It is home style cooking galore!  You get a couple of sides with your meal and then they have "pass arounds" such as; fried okra, macaroni and cheese, molasses for the rolls and more.  We had another lunch and dinner on just my pork chops they were so big and everything was delicious.  We rolled out of there!

It took us three days to get to Boerne.  The first day the road to Oklahoma City was really rough.  The second day we drove through Dallas/Ft. Worth in the hardest rain storm, with tons of lightning and thunder.  The third day we started to leave and found we had a flat tire on the RV.  The Good Sam (great roadside service) came out and put on our spare for us and we finally made it to Boerne Sunday around 6 pm!

Last night we had a fabulous meal at Gloria and John's house (Ted's cousin).  We will be here for a couple of weeks so more to follow.  It's great having cell and internet service again!

Back in the outskirts of Boerne with the deer..."Ain't Life Grand!"

 

We are now in Nevada, Missouri!

Yesterday was the Silver Needles Quilting Guild annual fundraiser.  Katie had one of her guests cancel at the last minute so I filled her spot, coincidently, her name was Sue!  Katie didn't even have to change the name on the pumpkin!  When we came through here last year, we came at the very same week and I sat at another table.  The ladies decorate all of their tables:

Katie's table was in black in white with fresh flowers, a toy Singer Sewing Machine and Iron that actually heated.  She had stitched tea towels for us to color, had black and white tea towel and pot holder, crayons, and a pumpkin signifying our table setting! 

After salad and sandwiches made from pumpkin and banana bread (yum), we had delicious home baked cookies the ladies made!  They raised $5,000  from raffle tickets and the auction which they use for the club and the charities they are involved with!   They also have lovely quilts displayed around the room.

While Katie and I were partying, Ted and Gary went to one of his Grandson's football games which they won!  The Grandson, Cole, made a touchdown on offense and also played on defense.
This morning we left Kansas and are now in Missouri.  Tomorrow we will be at our friends, Bill and Ginny's house where we camp in their yard!  The only problem is that in Long Lane, their town, which really is just a long lane, we usually don't have cell, and therefore no internet service.  We are staying there until Friday so there may be no blog for the rest of the week.

Quilt parties and football..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Sightseeing in Kansas!

Last night was the Kansas State vs. Kansas University football game.  A VERY big game in this town.  Ted and I donned Kansas State t-shirts and headed over to Gary & Katies!  They were very surprised and pleased at our choice of shirts!  We had great barbeque from a local restaurant and watched K-State win big 59-7!  This was a good thing!

Katie saw a Passion Vine growing when she and Gary first got married and she vowed that when they got their own house she would have one.  She forgot about it for all these years and came upon one in Texas.  She didn't really want to try and get it back to Kansas but found one when she got home.  She planted it and here are the results, they are so pretty!

Today Gary took us for a ride around the areas surrounding Salina.  He took us up on one of the very few hills in Kansas where a work project was done in 1936.   Using local rock they built a "lookout" with  picnic tables inside and a second floor that looks over the area.  I took pictures but for some reason I can't get them to download!

We also drove around and looked at the ranch Katie's brother has where he raises and keeps bulls for rodeos.  We looked at the town of Linsdborg, a small Sweedish community with lots of cute little stores.  We had a sandwich at a Sweedish Bakery.  Gary was going to take me fishing but my back has been having spasms and I didn't think I could fish (darn)!

Tonight we are having dinner with them at the "Manor", a retirement home.  It is an annual fundraiser for them.  We went before and the food is good and the people very nice!

Finding a hill in Kansas..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Visiting in Kansas

Yesterday Katie made a yummy dinner for us.  Their youngest son and his wife, Steve and Mary and their two daughters also came for dinner.  It was a fun evening!

Our campsite is right on the lake.  We open our door and look out at the beach!  This morning when I stepped out with Max, the sun was just coming up so I snapped this picture of the lake.

This afternoon we will head over to Katie and Gary's with some barbeque to watch the Kansas State vs Kansas University football game.  They are huge rivals and we will root for Kansas State with them!

A beautiful sunrise..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Teddy's Birthday!

Yesterday was Ted's birthday.  We ran some errands, had a birthday lunch and then met our friends for a birthday dinner last night!  We went to a local Italian restaurant in Downtown Salina, Kansas.  We had a great table with a window to downtown, the food was scrumptious and it was really fun catching up with our friends!  We had not seen them for two years but felt like we saw them last week!

It is so exciting that the Chilean miners are finally getting out of the mine!  It is amazing that it is going so well and we pray they continue to safely get out!

Bringing the miners to safety..."Ain't Life Grand!"

We are in Kansas Toto!

Before we left Rapid City, South Dakota on Saturday, we were driving over to pick up our mail and were behind a car with something odd in the trunk!  It was drizzling so this was the best I could do on the picture!

 That is the leg of a deer!  Not sure if there is a whole deer in there or not!

So we made it to Mitchell, South Dakota (southeast side) and after getting set up at the campground went into town to fuel up the truck.  We drove through the historic part of town and came upon the Mitchell Corn Palace!  We didn't take the tour but just took some pictures.  You can't tell but the murals on the building are made out of corn materials, cobs, kernels and husks!  They change the theme and mural every year!

We spent the next night in Waco, Nebraska and arrived in Salina, Kansas this afternoon along with the rain!  We will be here for five days visiting some friends.

Driving along the cornfields of Americana!..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Bear Country USA!

Today Ted and I went to Bear Country.  A dentist decided to open Bear Country since Rapid City did not have a zoo and black bears are plentiful!  So he did!  You drive a three mile route sectioned off for the different wild animals.  You are not allowed to get out of the vehicle (not sure who would be so dumb to do that but you never know)!  Here are a lot of collages to show the animals we saw, it was really fun!

The baby bears were so playfull and fun to watch!

After Bear Country we went into downtown Rapid City and had lunch at the Firehouse Brewing Co. The restaurant was definitely an old fire house! Good food too!

Being among the wildlife..."Ain't Life Grand!"

It's Official!

Yesterday was a busy day!  First we went to DMV to get our South Dakota driver's licenses!  They are obviously use to RV'ers coming in to become residents.  To qualify for a license you have to spend one night in South Dakota so right away they asked for our campground information for proof that we spent the night!

From there we went to breakfast at Flying J.  I was ready for my "sweet cream pancakes"!  Much to my dismay, they didn't have them :( and I found out that a lot (if not all) the "Country Market Restaurants" that are in some of the Flying J's, are being bought out by someone else.  I think this means I may not be able to get the pancakes again (unless I make them myself)!   Sad news indeed!

On a happier note, Mount Rushmore is still there standing tall and wonderful!  There is nothing like it!

We ventured in to the gift shop, oh my, we love the black hills gold jewelry!  Teddy lost his head and got me a pretty black hills gold ring that matches my earrings and neclace, and a South Dakota quarter neclace!  They are so beautiful!

Next we went to the Crazy Horse Memorial.  It is a work in progress.  Korczak Ziolkowski started the worlds largest artistic undertaking carved in the round (when completed). Chief Standing Bear had the dream and he and other Lakota (Sioux) chiefs saw Mount Rushmore developing and invited Korczak, a famed New England Sculptor to carve a mountain in their sacred Black Hills to show that "the red man has great heroes also."  Crazy Horse is one of their heroes.  Korczak passed away in 1982 but his wife and seven of his ten children have taken up the cause.  They have taken no government money. 

They have a huge museum and gift shop which is used to help raise funds for the endeavor.  They have cleared several million tons of granite from the mountain but as you can see, they have a long way to go.  There were a few people working yesterday.  They show a movie which shows the progress from the beginning.  I imagine it's pretty exciting on the days they dynamite!  When is the expected completion date????  No one seems to know, but I don't think it will be in my lifetime!

On the way back to the campground we drove through Custer State Park.  We were disappointed to not see any bison, antelope or elk in the park.  We did see some mountain goats, deer, beautiful pines,  followed the creek, a couple of lakes and from a distance, Mount Rushmore!

Visiting Mount Rushmore, "Our Shrine of Democracy"..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Rapid City South Dakota October 2010

Yesterday we left Scotts Bluff, Nebraska and headed due North to Rapid City, South Dakota.  On the drive here we saw some Antelope and wild Turkeys!  Our campground is around 4,000' among some beautiful pine trees and the weather was in the mid 70's yesterday and mid 80's today!

Today we visited our "residence" aka our mail place! We are becoming residents of South Dakota for tax purposes and are trying to get drivers licenses and vehicle registration while we are here!  We hope to do some sightseeing as well!

Today Ted put his window down and it wouldn't come back up, so off to the Ford dealer.  Of course they don't have the part so after 1 1/2 hours, we get to go back on Wednesday!  It needs a new motor! 

Main Street in Rapid City is interesting.  There are businesses and shops and these most "important people" hanging out on the corners.  I only have gotten a few pictures so far!

Saving taxes so we can pay our Ford repair bills..."Ain't Life Grand!"

Scotts Bluff Nebraska!

Today we drove a few miles down the road to Scotts Bluff National Monument.  It is an interesting area, full of history, with unusual landforms and prairie habitat.  There are Five Rocks left in the Monument.  Originally the rock tops were the high plains and after millions of years, have eroded and only the Five Rocks are left.   The landscape is made of sandstone and siltstone and has disappeared, and continues to disappear, due to wind, water and occasional volcanic eruptions.   In the 1800's wagon trains started in Missouri and came this way headed for Oregon. The Oregon Trail went through Scotts Bluff at Mitchell Pass.

After the park we went in the town of Gering and then in Scott's Bluff and had lunch.  We got some groceries and headed home.  When I took Max out for his walk we came upon a neighboring camper and his pet South American Raccoon!  I couldn't find the actual name and couldn't remember what the man told me it was called.  He looks similar to our raccoons except a longer nose and tail.  He's had "Wooly Bully" since he was 7 days old and he's now 11 years old!  He was on a leash looking for grubs in the ground.  He has no claws and so he and Max kind of went nose to nose.  Max's tail wiggled the whole time even when Wooly Bully smacked at him.  He just needed to show Max who was boss!  The people were very nice and let me take a picture.  When Dad asked for a kiss, Wooly Bully happily complied!  This was probably the oddest pet I've seen in a campground!

Seeing something new every day..."Ain't Life Grand!"

The Road to Gering Nebraska

Yesterday we left the mountain area around Denver, started east and north, drove through a farming plains area to Nebraska.  Driving further north we started seeing some hills again.  I took a picture along the drive as we got into the hilly area.

This morning after I walked Max, I took a couple of pictures.  It was cloudy but the sun was starting to come through.  This is the view from the campground of Scottsbluff National Monument.  We are going over there today to look around.

Ted said the bluff looked like it had been radiated!  It was really pretty.

First time in Nebraska..."Ain't Life Grand!"