Tennessee

While we were at Nachez Trace Wilderness Preserve in Hohenwald, TN we were able to visit several friends in the area. One was a girl who lives in Nashville that I've known since she was about 3 years old. Lindsey is a very sweet person and it was a fun reunion. Other visits included long time friends Shannon and her husband Von, who taught me so much about sheep when I first got them many years ago. I really loved meeting some of her new farm animals and snuggling with a newborn lamb. We also were able to visit Ron and Cindy who we had met 2 years ago when we were in this area. Here's some photos of the week.

Wonderful to see our friend Lindsey

Friends Ron and Cindy.

Had to get some lovins from Clover on my friend Shannon's farm.

Big lamb born that morning. So very sweet.

There's nothing quite like wet kisses from Hester Moo.

You never know what you're going to find on a hike. These 3 photos were taken by our friend Kevin.

The waterfall right behind our camper

Email friends remember you have to go to the blog itself at https://crosscountrycruzin.blogspot.com/2022/03/tennessee.html to see the following video.

Abbie and Andy had such a good time on their first weekend they decided to come back again the next weekend.

We left TN on Wednesday and headed to our last campground of the 2021-2022 snowbird excursions. There's a bad rain/wind storm headed in and we plan to be set up before the worst of it hits. We will be at Diamond Caverns campground in Park City, KY, until we begin our journey home next week.

A Long Drive and a Thoughtful Friend

Leaving Lake Texoma we headed east to our next campground in Hohenwald, TN and, being almost a 10 hour drive, we planned to spend 2 nights at various locations along the way. We try not to drive more than 4 hours at a time. Jim says I'm not pleasant to live with after 4 hours on the road. Truth is that neither is he! He starts to complain about the idiot drivers on the road when he's tired. Or maybe he complains all along and I just notice it more when I'm tired.

Our first stop was at a Harvest Host location in Washington, AR. Coulter Farmstead is a very picturesque, historic farm Bed & Breakfast with 4 log cabins dating back to the 1840s and a unique barn loft over a working barn. It also has a fully restored 1880s Wolff Mercantile general store that was painstakingly relocated from Bingen, AR. Also included on the 17 acres is the 1860s antebellum Greek Revival home where the owner lives. Everything is just perfect and lovingly cared for. You can even order breakfast which will be delivered right to your door. Check out their website at https://www.coulterfarmstead.com/wolff-general-store. If you're ever in this area I give this location a big thumbs up. This is a video showing a panorama of the site. Listen to those peepers! (If you get this blog through email, you'll have to go to the actual blog to see the video. https://crosscountrycruzin.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-long-drive-and-thoughtful-friend.html ) 

We were supposed to overnight at another place along the way in Williston, TN, but the recent wet spell left their driveway a bit muddy and there was a concern about being able to turn around without sinking in the mud. Instead of finding another place on short notice we decided to drive the extra 3 hours to our campground, making about a 7 or 8 hour drive. We called the campground to make sure we could come in a day early and that wasn't a problem. But the long drive took its toll - on me particularly.

That brings us to the thoughtful friend part. Remember Kevin, one of our neighbors way back in Lake Whitney? He was also at Lake Texoma and now he's here at Nachez Trace campground in TN. He messaged me to say what number campsite he was at and that he had scouted out a campsite near him that we might like. When we got here, he helped guide Jim as he backed into the campsite, and even gave us the password to his Starlink as there's practically no cell reception here. Knowing I like to hike, he said he'd chosen this campsite specifically because he thought it would be great for me. There are stone steps in the back that lead down the hill to a nice hiking area and small waterfall. Being as tired as I was from the long trip, I really appreciated his help with backing in, and especially appreciated his thoughtfulness in choosing a campsite he thought I would like. And I do like it, it's perfect.

Kevin

It's just a short walk down stone stairs to the lake, a small waterfall, and a hiking trail

I have to say that southern roads and highways are awful! The ride was so rough that just about everything in the camper was on the floor, including clothes hanging in the closet. We secure anything breakable and make sure cupboard and refrigerator doors are secure. You've seen TV shows where they shove everything in a closet and get an avalanche when the door gets opened. Picture that. I opened one cupboard in the bathroom and got hit on the head with a bottle of shampoo. I was extra cautious opening other ones, especially the refrigerator. If you ever thought northern roads are bumpy, you haven't driven on some of these!

We discovered we have 2 rock dings in the front windshield of the camper. Jim will have to repair those during the next few weeks before we leave for our next destination. All in all though, we love this area of TN. We had been to this campground 2 winters ago and are glad to be back to investigate things we didn't see last time. 

We also plan to take time to visit friends in Holladay, TN, and another friend in Nashville, as well as friends in Rogersville, AL. We met another couple in this campground from Bedford, NH who we hope will boondock at our house in the north country this summer. Another couple from nearby in TN, Andy and Abbie, were our neighbors here this weekend. We'll probably never see them again but will keep in touch through FB. One thing about RV nomad life is that you make lots of life long friends along the way.

Lake Texoma

If we thought Lake Tawakoni was big (which, by the way, was named for the Tawakoni Native American peoples, who were a larger part of the Caddo Nation. The Caddos inhabited a large part of north and east Texas, including where the lake is located. The name is interpreted to mean "river bend among red sand hills", referring to where a village was located.), Lake Texoma is even larger. At 93,000 surface acres, Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States. It is the 12th largest US Army Corp of Engineers lake with 80% of the lake in Oklahoma and only 20% in Texas. I can't be absolutely sure, but maybe that's how it got its name - Tex (Texas) oma (Oklahoma). I suppose they couldn't make a combination name of the 2 states the other way around!

Lake Texoma's two main sources are the Washita River from the north and the Red River from the west. and drains back into the Red River at the Denison Dam. The Red River is a saltwater river due to salt deposits left over from a 250 million year old former sea that was in the current Texas-Oklahoma border region. As time passed that sea evaporated, leaving salt deposits, mostly sodium chloride. Rock and silt eventually buried the deposits, but the salt continues to leach through natural seeps in tributaries above the lake, sending as much as 3,450 tons of salt per day flowing down the Red River. Saltwater striped bass thrive in Lake Texoma and often reach weights of 12 to 20 lbs, with the record being 35.12 lbs, caught in April 1984. Other species include largemouth, spotted, and white bass, white crappie, channel, blue, and flathead catfish, and others. Catfish typically weigh between 5 and 70 lbs, but in 2004 a 121.5 lb blue catfish was pulled from the lake, temporarily setting a world record for rod and reel caught catfish.

In 1944 when the lake began filling up it changed the area considerably. Railroads, highways, utilities and cemeteries had to be relocated, and 4 towns lost their identities forever. Preston, Hagerman, Cedar Mills, Texas, and Woodville, OK are now under Lake Texoma.

Lake Texoma

Cedar Mills Marina on Lake Texoma

We were able to visit the Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville, TX. It's fairly small as zoos go, being only about 30 acres. It started as Gainesville Community Circus in 1930. In 1954 it was renamed after Frank Buck, a film actor and director who was also a Gainesville native. and had also worked as a ring master at the circus. The zoo is home to over 130 animals that one would usually find, including giraffes, camels, leopards, wallabies, various reptiles and birds.

We witnessed an incredible event, at least to us. An ostrich was ruffling its feathers, then stretched and plopped down. Then it stretched its neck and body upward. After a few seconds it got up and walked away, leaving a huge egg on the ground. That's something you don't see everyday.

Ostrich ruffling its feathers and fluttering its wings

Huge Ostrich egg!

The darker bird is a Caribbean Flamingo and the lighter one is a Chilean Flamingo

It's amazing the people you meet in the most interesting places. I was at the laundromat and happened to get into a conversation with a lady who was also there doing her laundry. During our conversation she happened to mention about her food storage back at home. That's a term which you find frequently used by members of my church. Then when I was folding my laundry she asked me if I'm LDS. (If you're a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints you'll understand what tipped her off. If not, it's a story I'll tell you about someday if you ask me.) Anyway, she's a member traveling from Montana with her husband and son. We visited with them several times over the next week or so, making life long friends.

Our new friends, Donna and Steve Seler from Montana

Donna and Steve have the cutest dog who tips her head way over, trying to understand human-speak. Just look at those huge ears! Donna is modeling a sweater I crocheted for her.

One curious thing was the number and frequency of Amber Alerts. The previous times we've been in TX we didn't get any. This year it seems they were every few days. I wonder if it's because of the border crisis, or is the world just going crazy? Or maybe a combination? Native Texans I met did say that with the influx of Californians relocating, that Texas cities are no longer what they choose to live there for. Many of the locals are moving out of the congestion and crowding of the cities and choosing a more rural life. I can relate to that because the southern part my own state of NH has attracted an influx of people from MA who move in and bring MA with them, changing the NH culture.

As our time at Lake Texoma came to an end, we were grateful to have good weather for our trip to Hohenwald, TN. We did have another ice storm while there but thankfully it was only a day that we didn't dare to travel on the roads. Most of the time the temperatures were quite pleasant. On to TN, which is at least heading eastward and closer to home.

Juniper berries

If you remember the view from my door a few weeks ago that was all snow, this is the view from my door at Lake Texoma.

Lake Tawakoni

We arrived at Lake Tawakoni (pronounced ta-WA-kaa-nee) in Point, TX on February 3, just before the heavens opened to drench everything with cold rain and ice. We were originally scheduled to arrive on the 4th but changed the reservation to arrive a day early because of the ice storm coming in. Jim got the trailer leveled and the electric, water, and sewer connected just in time to retreat inside. It rained all night, turning to icy snow by morning. The next day was in the 20s and windy. We had several cold days and nights before temperatures returned to the sunny 60s.

View out my door just after we arrived

Lake Tawakoni is known as "The Catfish Capital of Texas". This beautiful lake functions as a reservoir and it's 20 minutes southeast of Greenville and about 48 miles east of Dallas. It covers a massive 37,879 surface acres in 3 counties, Hunt, Rains and Van Zandt. Fishing is very popular and you can find an abundance of catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, white bass, striped and hybrid bass. Jim looked into a fishing charter but when he found out it the price he said "There's no way I'm spending $400 to go fishing!" I told him he could but he still decided it wasn't worth it to him.

The hiking trails were wonderful and everyday Dora and I explored through the woods and fields. She flushed buzzards, rabbits, and whitetail deer. Fortunately she didn't chase them very far, although I had visions of her disappearing in the woods forever.

Dora, letting me know there's something fluttering in the bushes.

We met a wonderful family with 2 kids. Amy and Diego, Sebastion age 9, and Adelaide age 6. The kids were constantly entertaining us with things they'd caught at the lake. 

Diamond Back Water Snake, not poisonous. It's still shedding.

Seb is quite the artist! His parents are wonderful artists as well, his mom was an art teacher. Both kids seem to have inherited their parents' talents but Seb's artwork was very impressive. Since they are home schooled, part of the "homework" is making a journal and researching wildlife he sees.

Seb's art journal of critters he encounters

More of Seb's artwork

Amy, Diego and kids. Just look at Seb's silly face!

And speaking of artistic talent, Diego painted this picture of Dora and gave it to us just before we left. I'm in awe of people who are so accomplished. The have a YouTube channel where they teach kids to draw. Check it out

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBVyzFFdV2WDE5LE_2vmy9g

Of course, you know that if there's a BBQ place in the area I have to check it out. Soulman's BBQ has quite a few locations throughout TX. We went to the one in Greenville. The ribs were very tender and smoked without sauce so you could add your own. The only complaint was that they were too lean. I know, most people don't like fat, but I think that's the best part of ribs. So if you like lean, Soulman's is the place to go. Check out the warning sign on their storefront.

Check out the warning sign! Cute!

Remember I said we traveled a day earlier than originally scheduled because of a predicted ice storm? Well, that's how we're leaving as well. Another ice storm is predicted for tomorrow so we rescheduled our departure date for today. We'll be traveling to Lake Texoma in Gordonville, TX, where we'll be for the next 3 weeks.

Beautiful blue skies today, another ice storm predicted for tomorrow

Do You Believe in Angels?

Being retired, and being snowbirds seems like THE life! Most days it is, but not every day is filled with sunshine and rainbows. We are subject to the same challenging days as everyone else in life. Some days are a piece of cake, and some days are the ones your mother warned you about.

This morning started like every other morning, with a sleepy trip to the bathroom. But, unlike other mornings, when I entered the bathroom I stepped in a puddle of pee. No, Jim didn't miss the toilet. One of the dogs obviously couldn't wait. My guess is that it was Dora. Sammy will bark to wake us up, but Dora doesn't bark, she whimpers, which doesn't always rouse us from a sound sleep.

Jim took both Sammy and Dora out to do their business, but when Dora came in she apparently had a dingle berry stuck to her fur and she proceeded to wipe her butt across the floor, leaving a brown trail. I washed her butt and then washed the floor. Washing floors isn't my idea of a start to a good day.

Then I went to do the laundry and found I was short 3 quarters to finish the drying. Most parks have upgraded to credit/debit card machines, but this one still has the old coin op ones. Back to the trailer to hang jeans and sweatshirts that weren't quite dry. The weather was beginning to slightly mist so I put the awning out and hung them on lawn chairs underneath. Then the wind came up. RV awnings don't do wind. A gust can easily destroy them. So I pulled in the awning and hung everything around inside. Fortunately, there was a nice breeze coming through the windows so they dried fairly fast.

Then I twisted the wrong way and got a sharp pain in my back, which persisted for most of the day. Clearly I wasn't having a good day.

By the time I got done with all this I was pretty drained. It was time to check in on FB to see what my friends were up to. That's when I found this gem that a friend had posted, which was just what I needed to remind me how much my Heavenly Father loves me.

"The whole world paused this morning. Do you know why? Because an 8 year old's tank was empty.

The boys had already started their school day at their desks and I was preparing to leave for work when I noticed my littlest standing in the bathroom wiping his face. I paused at the door and asked if he was okay. He looked up with tears silently dripping and shook his head. When I questioned if something happened, again he shook his head.

So I sat on the side of the tub and pulled him in my lap. I told him sometimes our heart tanks feel empty and need to be refilled.

He cried into my chest and I held tight. I asked if he could feel my love filling him up. A nod, and tears stopped.... I waited a minute...

"Has it reached your toes yet?" He shook his head no. "Okay man. We will take as long as you need. Work doesn't matter right now. School isn't important either. This right here, is the most important thing today, okay? Filling you back to the top. Is that good?"

*nods*

One more minute...

"Is your heart full of mama's love now?"

"Yeah."

*looks in his eyes* "I see it shining in there, you're full to the top, and you're smiling!"

You may not be 8 - you may be 28, 38, 48 or whatever - but ALL of us run on empty just like he did. His week was so busy and so full and his little soul was just dry! We all have to pause, and take a moment to refill with the good things - prayer, sunshine, laughter, friends, hugs. Refill your empty, or you'll find those emotions (tears, anger, snappy words) overflowing with no reason why."

I needed that reminder today, maybe you do too. So I read my scriptures, talked with my Heavenly Father, got a big hug from my hubby, relaxed and took the rest of the day in stride, even taking a short nap in the afternoon. In the evening some friends invited us to dinner at their campsite. After dinner we sat around the campfire and just chatted about whatever. Although the day started out challenging which left me totally empty by mid morning, it ended up filling my tank and renewing my spirits. 

Another friend's post on FB was the question "Do you believe in angels?" Absolutely! My friend that posted the story about the little boy was my 1st angel of the day, followed by many more that helped refill the reserves.

Again? Seriously?

We had to go to go to the Dallas area to pick up the new tongue jack. If you remember, Jim used the last one as a plow and bent it. $300 later we had the part and were now hungry for some BBQ from a place in Burleson that we'd heard great things about. 

Hard Eight BBQ did not disappoint. The entrance brought us through the smoke room with lots of stainless cutting tables and huge smokers. Walking past them we followed the path to a huge warming table where seemingly endless food choices beckoned us to fill our plates with way more than we should. The ribs were cut to order right there by a server whose deft hands cut our meat like he was born with knives in his hands. Then we went into another area where side dishes were self serve, and finally, loaded with our plates of gluttony, we settled in the dining area to enter our food coma.

BBQ serving area

Jim's spicy sausage

Hard Eight BBQ has 5 locations in TX. I can definitely recommend them for a unique BBQ experience.

After we rolled our overstuffed stomachs out of there, we went back to our campsite to begin repairs to the tongue jack. Jim was definitely capable and had it replaced before we were scheduled to leave for our next destination in Point, TX.

Jim replacing the tongue jack

While at Lake Whitney we had occasion to visit a local branch of our church in Hillsboro, TX, and had an extremely positive experience. The friendly faces reminded us of our home branch and we felt like we'd known these people forever. Our 2nd week there the branch president asked if he could now send for our records and officially make us members of that branch.

As we traveled through Hillsboro I commented that it seemed like a peaceful town. Jim pointed out there seemed to be a disproportionate number of bail bondsmen. Hmmm.... maybe I should reconsider my assessment.

We were scheduled to leave Lake Whitney on Thursday, 2/3. But the weather report predicted snow, sleet and temperatures in the 20s. So we called Thousand Trails, who owns all the parks we go to in the winter, to ask if we could schedule our move to Wednesday. They were very accommodating and not only moved this date up a day, but also moved all our other reservations as well.

We were in TX last year for what they refer to as "snowmagedden". This year we've apparently come for a repeat performance. In scheduling our winter travels mostly in TX, we had hoped for some warmer weather. But this makes 2 years in a row with snow, ice and cold temperatures. Granted, it's not as cold as NH, but this is not what I imagined by being a snowbird. I really don't think TX will be on the destination list for next year!

The view from my door. Again? Seriously?

Pear cactus is usually green, but turns red when stressed by cold temperatures.

Dora, the Greeting Ambassador

Not much happens when you're parked somewhere for 3 weeks. We're still at Lake Whitney RV Resort in Whitney, TX.

I've been doing a lot of walking with Dora. She loves to explore, while Sammy loves to sleep. I've met some very nice people - Kevin, who's parked next to us on the left, and Judith and her dog Precious, who's parked next to us on the right. It's wonderful meeting new people, each with their own story and history. Most are either retired or work remotely, like Judith who's a Spanish translator, or the young couple 2 spaces down, from St. Johnsbury, VT, which is only 1 1/2 hours from where we live in NH. He's a tutor and she's a graphic designer. A few are are just out for a camping weekend before returning to their "sticks and bricks" houses. Most full timers are older folks but a few have young children. Once in a while someone will pitch a tent, although most of those are just passing through rather than staying long term. So there's all kinds of people, with all kinds of stories, a rich diversity of humanity.

I've been asked how I meet so many people. I have a dog, a very friendly dog, who loves everyone. Dora has applied for the job of official greeting ambassador. The first people I generally meet are people out walking their dogs, or people who my dog wants to say hi to on our way by.  As was the case with Nancy and Pat. I was out walking Dora and I commented on their very classy RV, then Dora wanted to say hi, then Nancy fed her almost an entire small package of dog treats as Dora went through her repertoire of tricks, then Nancy wanted to meet Sammy so Jim walked over with him. Next thing we knew they invited us in for a visit and we became good friends, even if it was for a short time.

Russ is an lovely older gentleman who tent camps full time since his motorhome was totaled in an accident. He's been looking for another one but hasn't yet found one to his liking and budget. I was walking back from the dumpster when he was just setting up. He looked to be having a bit of difficulty, so I offered to help. He commented that his tent was a little on the older side and somewhat challenging for one person to manage. He said he might have to find a wife to help if he was going to keep using it. I laughed and said it might be less trouble to just buy a new, easy set-up one!

Russ's tent setup

Many times I meet someone at the laundromat during the weekly wash ritual and we have a lovely conversation while waiting for our laundry. That chore never stops just because we're traveling. Sometimes I wish we could use throw away clothes like we use paper plates. Hey, don't judge me. The last thing I want to do on my winter excursion is wash dishes.

The weather has taken a turn on the chilly side. It was 20 degrees for the past few nights, with daytime temps in the 40s and 50s. Last night wasn't quite so cold and today it's in the 60s with bright sun and no wind so it feels very nice. Here's the thing though - it may have been a chilly 20 degrees at night, but there was no minus sign in front of that, which is what I see from back home.

Chicken Express is a fast food chicken chain that's quite popular in this area. I know the chicken on the sign is supposed to be a chicken going very fast, but to me it looks like a dead chicken just laying there. Am I the only one who thinks this looks like road kill? What does it look like to you? Hard to un-see it now, isn't it?

Here's some random photos from the area.

Every parking sign in the parking lot had a single bird on it. Curious.

Apparently this needs a translation for teenagers

Berries on a plant called Heavenly Bamboo, which isn't really bamboo

Large flocks of grackles swarm through parking lots. Anyone see the movie "The Birds"? This female is dark brown and the males are black.

A lovely place to relax on a leisurely Texas afternoon

An abandoned bird nest by the shore of Lake Whitney

Sun shines through Ashe's Juniper trees at Lake Whitney. There are small blue berries all over the ground, which are supposed to be edible. Dora seems to like them occasionally.