Stormy Weather

In the three plus years we’ve been living in our RV, we’ve been very fortunate in regards to severe weather. The forecast for Wednesday was possible severe storms late in the afternoon.

We paid attention to the forecast and heard there was a tornado watch issued, but not for our county. Around dinner time our weather radio issued a severe thunderstorm warning. The sky was pretty dark, but it didn’t look too bad.

We had some mild thunder and lightening and then the rains started. The rain was coming down so hard and fast you could barely see out the windows. The farm field behind us turned into a lake within minutes. Wow!

By the time I took the picture some of the water had already run off. At one point you could not see any dirt in the field, just water. Because of our very wet spring, the farmer just planted this field a week ago. I wonder how much of his crop was lost due to all of this water.

With the rain came very strong winds. I must admit I was a bit scared. The RV was not shaking or moving much at all, but the wind was coming from the back, and I was afraid if we had a real strong gust and we tipped over, we would not be able to get out of the door. By this time lots of leaves and small branches were flying by. The shower building had a piece of trim blow loose.

The storm probably lasted about 20 to 30 minutes. After that it continued to rain for a few hours. Kevin went out and reported we had a few larger branches down, but nothing serious.

I took a few pictures of the roadside ditches. These ditches are normally completely dry. Due to all of the rain we’ve had this spring, there has been some water in the ditches this year, but we’ve never seen anything like this.

You can see how high it must have been at some point by how high the debris is. All the way up past our park sign.

There were a couple of campers in the park at the time of the storm. These people got the worst of the water in their site. This picture was taken the morning after the storm. They said the water was rushing into their site from the farm field behind them. That site has never been flooded before.

Yesterday was a beautiful day with a high of 75 degrees and low humidity. Kevin had lots of work to do picking up all the tree debris and getting the rest of the mowing done. We are fully booked for the weekend.

A happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s out there.

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Kevin’s Turn to Party

On June 1st I drove to Minnesota to attend a bridal shower for our future daughter-in-law Cathryn. This weekend was Kevin’s turn to party.

This past Saturday was Korey’s bachelor party here in Wisconsin. Three out of the five groomsmen were able to attend. The other two live out of state. The plan was to cookout at Eric’s house in the afternoon. Eric is Korey’s older brother and the best man. Then they went to the Milwaukee Brewer’s baseball game and ended the night at Potawatomi Casino in Milwaukee.

Korey left Omaha right from work Thursday and arrived by us at about 10:30 pm. He spent the night and most of the day Friday with us, which made me very happy.

There were nine guys in attendance at the party including Kevin and my brother Ron. The rest of the guys were friends Korey has known since middle school. Kevin and one of the other guys were designated drivers. Kevin was also chief cook. I sent along potato salad, coleslaw, cowboy beans and dessert bars I had made the week before.

Kevin reported that the weather was good, the food was good, the Brewers won, and everyone had a great time. Lots of stories were told with laughter galore.

Here’s the guys minus my brother who arrived later. Korey received a few gag gifts including the Brewers fist cup holder he’s wearing.

Some fierce games of bean bag toss were played.

Jeremy and Korey have been friends since middle school and were college roommates. Jeremy lives in Orlando and couldn’t get away to come to the party. No problem, the other guys made sure he was represented, although he doesn’t look very happy. Too funny!

The enclosed shelter at our campground was rented on Saturday for a graduation party and on Sunday for a bridal shower so the park was quite busy all weekend. The weather was finally warm and dry. This week is forecast to be very nice.

Tomorrow is our 36th wedding anniversary. We’re celebrating today by golfing at one of our favorite golf courses. Then tonight Kevin’s grilling some steaks. Tomorrow I have plans with my mom, and Kevin will be mowing all day. We sure feel blessed to have been together so many years. Here’s to many, many more!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Bridal Shower Fun

On Friday I made the 500 mile trek to Moorhead, Minnesota to attend Cathryn’s bridal shower. It was a long way to go, but I’m so glad I did. I had a wonderful time and got to meet more of her family.

The shower was held in the atrium of the church where the wedding will be held. There were about 40 people in attendance.

Cathryn, her sister Samantha who is the maid of honor, her mom and I were seated at a head table.

We ate some yummy food and then it was time for gift opening. She got lots of wonderful gifts. It was fun watching her open them all.

Her family was kind enough to let me hang out with them the rest of the day. We went to the reception venue which was hosting a wedding that night to see it all decorated. We also went to the park to check out the shelter we’ve rented for the rehearsal dinner.

Then we went to Cathryn’s cousins graduation party. I met many of her relatives. I’m glad they didn’t test me on names :) Unfortunately, the weather Saturday was not very nice for an outdoor party. It was in the low 50s with some drizzle and quite windy. It sure didn’t feel like June.

After the party, we went back to Cathryn’s parents house. We played a game of Qwirkle and then Cathryn went through some of her wedding preparation lists with us. She seems to have everything well in hand. It was nice to hear all of her plans and ideas.

Sunday was another 500 mile drive home. I was very fortunate to have good driving weather both days. I listened to two audio books which helped make the time go by.

Today I checked out the robin’s nest in the little tree behind us. I was surprised to see some pretty big baby birds in the nest. I hadn’t even realized the eggs had hatched. I think there were three of them squeezed in there.

 

Cathryn sent me some more of their engagement pictures. So, in case you haven’t seen enough of them, here’s one more. They’re such a cute couple!

 

 

 

 

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

Back to Peace and Quiet

Considering we were overflowing with campers for the holiday weekend, all went well. Our 24 sites were mostly occupied by five groups of families and friends. We try hard to allow people to have a good time. But, sometimes we have to remind people of rules so that everyone is ensured of having a nice weekend.

Of course, there are always a few people who forget the rules apply to everyone. The rules at our park are that there is only one RV allowed per site with one extra tent allowed. The week prior to Memorial Day one of the groups called the main office explaining that one of their tenters had bought a pop-up and could they park it on a site with their parents who have a motorhome. They were told no, but kept calling and emailing until the office finally gave in and told them they would allow it this one time only as long as all wheels were on the paved part of the site. Our ground is extremely wet and there was no parking allowed on the grass.

They set up their pop-up in front of the motorhome and all was fine. On Saturday one of the others in this same group said they had permission for a tear drop trailer to come and set up on their site with their pop-up. We knew nothing about this, but since the office was closed we couldn’t check out their story. We allowed it. Of course, these extra units had to pay the full price for the second trailer on a site.

This same group had to be reminded to have their dog on a leash. They also took their large dog into the bathroom even though we have signs on the door stating no dogs allowed in the bathroom. Isn’t that just common sense???

On Monday morning I called the office to check on their story. As suspected, they did not have permission for the second extra unit. What is it with some people. You give them an inch and they take ten miles. They have now ruined it for everyone. Doubling up of trailers will absolutely be denied in the future.

Late Sunday afternoon a young couple on road bicycles came into the park. They were on a trek across the state from Milwaukee to the Mississippi River. We let them set up their tent in the overflow area next to the wood shed. That area is only supposed to be used for people who are road weary and need a place to sleep. I think these bikers definitely qualified.

Some friends of ours who were camping nearby came for a pot luck dinner on Sunday. We cooked out and then enjoyed some time around the campfire. Thanks Gordie for sending me this picture. Kevin managed to be hiding in the picture I took.

As you can see, we are all bundled up. The weather over the weekend was quite cool. We had a bit of rain, but mostly it stayed dry. Areas to the south of us had rain all weekend. I guess I’d rather have cool temperatures than rain.

Yesterday the warm and muggy weather returned with highs in the 80s. We went from running the heater one day and the air the next. There were some severe storms west of us during the evening hours. Several campers were overturned at a campground not too far away. Luckily for us the severe weather stayed away from our area.

Tomorrow I’m driving to Moorhead, Minnesota to attend a bridal shower for Cathryn, our future daughter-in-law. The wedding is just over two months away. I’m looking forward to meeting some of Cathryn’s relatives. I’m sure there will be lots of wedding talk all weekend :)

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

I’ve Invented a New Mouse Trap

We’ve been pretty busy this past week. On Sunday we had a visit from a very nice couple who will be retiring in January and hitting the road as fulltime RVers.

Mark and Kay found our blog through my cousin who lives in Michigan. It turns out Mark and my cousin’s husband work in the same industry. Even though I haven’t seen my cousin in years, through Facebook and our blog they knew about our lifestyle and travels. Our blog was recommended and Mark and Kay found their way to our front door.

We sat outside on a beautiful day enjoying the delicious bakery treats they brought and answered their questions about our experiences in this wonderful life. It was fun meeting them, and we may even run into them next winter as we’ll both be exploring the Gulf Shores area. I’m always amazed at what a small world it is.

Monday afternoon I was sitting in my recliner watching TV. I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye, and to my horror saw a mouse sitting on the floor in the corner in front of the TV cabinet. Yikes. Kevin was out mowing so I had to figure out what to do about it. I slowly got up and went to get a shoe box I had in the closet to try and catch it. I got it trapped in the corner but couldn’t get it to go into the box.

As my mind was racing to figure out how to get this creature out of my home, I happened to look at the fly paper I had hanging near our back window. It just so happens that the lake flies we get every year in May had come out in full force last week. Some of the little flies get into our RV and congregate by the back window. The fly paper helps get rid of them during the two week period they are here.

Hmm, maybe I can catch the mouse with fly paper. I got another roll of it and unspooled it. I hung it down and was able to stick the mouse to the paper. I threw it into the box and slammed on the cover. I took the box outside and found Kevin. He just threw it into the dumpster. I felt a bit bad for the mouse, but not bad enough to allow them to be in my home. Kevin set up a trap, but it seems our visitor was alone. No customers at the trap. Thank goodness!

On Tuesday night we drove to our son Eric’s house. We took the truck so we could pick up his new bathroom vanities. He’s having them installed and his tub and shower redone and then his bathroom remodeling will be done. Then the three of us headed to Miller Park to enjoy a baseball game.

Our team has not been doing very well so far this season. However, we saw a great game that ended in a win for the Brewers. Yeah!

The weather last week was very nice. The lilacs and crabapple trees have finally begun blooming about two weeks later than normal. I so enjoy passing the lilac bushes on my walking route. They smell so great!

One of the other pleasures as I walk is seeing the white pelicans soar overhead. I never tire of watching them.

Our park is full for the holiday weekend. Yesterday they just kept coming. I remarked to Kevin that we must be an RV park rather than a campground. All 24 of our sites are occupied by motorhomes, fifth wheels or travel trailers with just a few pop-ups and one tent set up behind a fifth wheel.

Since we are a county park with only 30 amp electric at the sites, I’m a bit surprised to have all RVs and no tenters. I guess RVers are discovering what a treasure our small park is. The weekend weather forecast is for cool temps and a slight chance of rain Sunday night and Monday. Not the best, but it could be worse.

I hope everyone has a safe, relaxing and enjoyable holiday weekend!

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

A Very Happy Mother’s Day

I’d like to wish a belated Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in blog land. For the first time in several years, I was able to have both of my children with me on Mother’s Day. As an added bonus, our future daughter-in-law Cathryn was also in attendance.

Korey and Cathryn were in town because Korey was in a wedding of one of his good friends from childhood. They came in Friday afternoon and had to go back to Omaha on Sunday because Cathryn had final exams this week and Korey had to work. Their route home took them near our park, so they were able to stop by for two hours on their way home.

Eric’s job requires him to be on call every other weekend. Luckily, he was not on call for Mother’s Day so he was also able to come to the park. We had a short but fun visit. In fact, I was having such a good time I forgot all about taking a picture.

After Korey and Cathryn left, Kevin, Eric and I joined my mom, her friend Richard and my brother and his wife for dinner at a restaurant. It was a great day for visiting with family!

As is typical for Wisconsin, it seems we went from winter right into summer. This week has been beautiful with temperatures in the low 80s. I finally broke down and turned the air on for a few hours yesterday. We don’t have any shade on our site. As much as I love having the windows open, that sun can sure heat things up in here quickly.

The birdfeeders have been a very busy place. We’ve had two new visitors this year. The first was a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. It was only here for two days, and I haven’t seen it since. I’m wondering if it was just passing through on its trip north. What a beautiful bird.

The second new bird is a White Breasted Nuthatch. There have been several of them visiting the birdfeeder. They never sit still for very long, so it has been hard getting a picture.

The Orioles and Goldfinch are also regular visitors. I really enjoy watching the shenanigans of all of the birds at the feeders.

Because it was such a cold spring, flowers are just starting to bloom. I really enjoy seeing the tulips in people’s yards when I go for my walks. There’s something about red tulips that makes me very happy :)  Most people consider dandelions an obnoxious weed, but don’t they look pretty next to the red tulips?

The crabapple trees have burst into bloom this week. Breathtaking!

There are many wild plum trees growing around the perimeter of our park. They have also burst into bloom this week. Not only are they pretty, but they smell wonderful. One of these trees is right outside our back window.

A robin has made its nest in the crook of the tree. I’m amazed how brave the mother robin is. I got quite close to take the picture, but she wouldn’t leave her nest. Don’t worry, I won’t be bothering her again. I can’t wait to see the little babies.

 

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!

A Golf Date

The weather has finally improved, and we’ve enjoyed several days of temps in the 70s.

On Monday Kevin and I went golfing at Kestrel Ridge Golf Course in Columbus. We’ve enjoyed playing at this course the three summers we’ve been in this area. I had bought some Groupon certificates last fall so we played 18 holes for $18 each.

I don’t normally play 18 holes. After 9 I’ve had enough fun. But, I played all but the last two holes. By that time, I was done. The day was beautiful. There are several ponds on the course, and the frogs were serenading us.

This was Kevin’s second time playing this spring and my first. Both of us had pretty decent games considering we haven’t played since September. I had a few muscles that were complaining the next day, but I’m back to normal again.

Yesterday I went to Eric’s house to do a little laundry, pick up our mail and have dinner with Eric. We had a nice visit. There are a few more projects at his house we’re planning to tackle this summer.

The last two summers I’ve done some volunteering at the Beaver Dam Community Hospital. I told them I was taking a break from volunteering this summer, but I am going in today to help out with their annual Kindergarten tours. Those little ones are so excited to learn, and they’re so cute.

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!