Campfire Community

Campfires are fantastic. Campfires, with neighbors, rock.

 

We envisioned ourselves as road warriors - moving every 3 or 4 days, parked amongst awe-inspiring views, exploring ever-changing backgrounds.  Instead, we have been parked at a Military Fam Camp since the end of October.  We were surprised to find a community with 10 or 11 active-duty-permanent residents, 10 or so couples which stay 2 - 4 months each year, and about the same number which travel in and out -  spending a few days "on their way."  

We've enjoyed meeting a variety of people in our time here.  Our original plan was to be here for a few days as we switched over to retiree id cards. The hosts were helpful when we discovered we'd need to stay a significant amount of time, but they told us we'd have to move sites. It seems our site was reserved by a couple which visits each year from Nov - Feb.  They suggested a spot, we suggested we simply move one over - which we did.  Tom and Sandy moved in hours after we moved over.

Tom and Sandy are inspiring (but that will be another post that has been germinating since June), they have been great neighbors. They've always had a friendly word for us - kids included. They helped Nolan and I retrieve our kite from a tree. They rescued Featherstone during a fierce wind storm.  Tom helped Michael replace our hot water heater element. Sandy shared encouragement with me about how to support a husband who happens to be a disabled vet.

Tonight, we enjoyed campfire community. They shared stories and tips from their years living full-time in an RV. Due to Tom's health, they now have a home in Sequim, WA and travel down here once a year to be near family. They've never joined a campground membership (Thousand Trails et al) saying they prefer not to live like "sausages."  We shared how campgrounds are more congested and expensive than we anticipated. We discovered even State and National parks require reservations. They're option of choice has been military Fam Camps. We hear, however, many of these are full a year in advance. Who knew?  We discussed the benefits of staying in one location through the summer. The idea of staying put so shortly after being released to travel is not a happy thought.....but we are considering the benefits of knowing we have a spot when the rest of the world hits the interstates.

Tom and Sandy pull out for Sequim in the morning. They will be back in Nov for a few months. We will be coming back to the neurologist every three months - we expect our paths to cross again. I wish we'd met them 20 years ago when they were full-timing - but then we wouldn't have been. ::snort::

 

Tom & Sandy's home on wheels

Note - it seemed awkward to take a photo of Tom and Sandy and so I didn't. I regret not having a photo. 

Mexican Rice and Black Bean Casserole (Vegan, Instant Pot)

I found this recipe at My Plant Based Family. I love it as I can make one meal for all of us. 

Yum!

 Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked brown rice
• 1 cup uncooked dry beans
• 5 cups water
• 1 6 oz can of tomato paste (or 1 8 oz can tomato sauce with slightly less water)
• 1 tsp garlic
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp sea salt (optional)

Do

1. Dump all of the ingredients into your pressure cooker and stir once or twice.
2. Close the lid and cook on manual for 28 minutes.
3. Once done, allow the pressure to come down and open carefully. If you are in a hurry you can do a quick release.

My Notes: 

• If you use a different bean you may need to adjust cooking times
• This makes a side dish, topped with tomatoes and avocado it makes a yummy rice bowl, or throw it in a tortilla for a burrito.....family adds cheese and we're all good to go with a nutritious, quick meal. 

Crockpot Version  Stove Top Version 

Vitamix Induced Excitement

Stacia and I ran over to drop off payment for a PWOC retreat this morning. This led to a conversation as to why we are not going to PWOC weekly. I shared my new favorite verse with Stacia, "Remember Lot's wife." Luke 17:32.  We talked about how God calls us not to live in the past, but to look at what He is doing now.  This is not a new thought to her - Pastor Rob preached on it a couple of weeks ago.  It is hard to live out.

We rushed into the trailer, she began school and I began grinding wheat so I could bake bread, helping her with school, processing a few thoughts......and in the chaos of the morning.....

I threw a batch of wheat berries in the Vitamix....threw the switch.....ramped it up to the highest variable....pressed the timer on my phone.....all in time to watch a perfect shower of wheat berries erupt over the top of the blender and spread throughout the Caboose.  A fair bit landed in my freshly sifted flour....

We laughed.

Michael walked in at this point.

He asked if I'd taken a photo....nope.....so the kids have been told....."Next time Mom does this, grab the camera first." ::snort::

It was much easier to clean up than the time the lid blew off the Wondermill and flour went all over the kitchen in our S&B home.

Here are all the appliances and my phone working in tandem as they should. Note the lid is on and the grain is grinding....the dough is kneading....life is good.

Another productive day....a bit harried....but productive.

Home for Another Month - Sunsets

As we wait at Beale, we are happy to experience some gorgeous sunsets. Michael and Stacia went for a walk a few days ago and came back with these photos.

The beavers get really irritated if one stands on the dock to visit. They come in close and repeatedly slap their tails! Being "stuck" at this fam camp is certainly nicer than being stuck at an RV park with nothing but pavement in sight. Our sites are big, we are surrounded by fields, cows, lakes ponds, and we routinely enjoy gorgeous sunsets.  It's home for another month. 

Spectacular Sunday

We made it on time! Early even two weeks in a row! We are learning how to time showers at the shower house.  ::snort:: Stacia cracked me up by telling me it was time to "Rock the Flock," when she heard the worship team practicing as we walked in. She also informed me she wanted to sit in "our row." I told her we've not attended this church long enough to have a set row....but I guess we have. It was another great day of worship and teaching at The Rivers.

Nolan had suggested we drive out to Grass Valley today. The thought was to get out of Beale....and it was fun. We had lunch at Big A's Drive In - his choice. Cynthia and I tried this together on our first retreat scouting trip.  I enjoyed the memories as we ate.

The kids love the hamburgers - I LOVED the Asian Salad - coconut, peanuts....good stuff. 

We shared an order of Pesto garlic fries

They taste way better than they look 

Made in house rootbeer....

We couldn't resist the lure of DeMartini's RV sales. They are always honest with us. We asked about a new model we've been checking out. They said they are spotty and that a big holding company has bought several of the big name RV's lately - REV.  Seems the workmanship has been spotty the last year....so.....we aren't ready to buy anyway. We took another look at the Palazzo they have that could work....but would have less storage space than we have now......while I know it's ALWAYS possible to downsize.....I'm not sure I'm ready to go much smaller than our 268.5 square feet.  We'd lose the bunkroom for a bunk closet for the boys and a pull down over the driver's for Stacia.....just looking! That's all!

Next on our agenda was finding a couple of geocaches in Grass Valley. The first one was an easy find......It was a small cache - a film canister.

Find 104

 Just as we began looking for our second one it got blustery and began to rain and hail! We kept driving and eventually ended up at the right spot.....it was still cold and wet but we got out and explored.

There's a lot of history here. We'd love to come back and explore on a warm day. 

We finally all gave up and retreated to the warm van - EXCEPT MICHAEL. He found it! A micro-cache....see the small tube he's holding?  We don't feel very bad about counting it as a family find when he was the only one who persevered. ::snort::

Find 105

Cold and wet - but HAPPY to have been in some weather - we headed home and watched a few movies. Everyone settled in to read and I took advantage to send out a couple of messages - excited to see a new ministry venture taking shape -  and get a jump start on next week.

Oh- and Michael got to talk to The Donald.  The one we met in Bible college - not the other one. 

Planes

There was just enough time after returning from our bike ride to dig Nolan's Radio Controlled plane from the hatch and go over to the Beale Blackbird RC club's airstrip. 

Nolan, Michael, Alex

We grilled burgers for dinner. Alex had requested this over a week ago and I had been waiting for a good night to grill to avoid frying in the Caboose.  We ate out and enjoyed a fire in the patio pit - no s'mores just the fire.  It was perfect.

All in all it was  a great day. Everyone turned in early - prepping for our early Sunday morning shuffle at the shower house. ::snort::

Epic Bike Ride

Today was supposed to be rainy....but it was beautiful. We finished school, Nolan finished Japanese, Nolan and I made a commissary run (he likes to drive me places) and we had an afternoon stretching before us. 

Michael proposed a bike ride. I headed off on a back road...there may have been some comment about seeing if the men's wimpy tires could handle this road.....maybe.....We road up a gravel road - and up and up....and then soared down a dirt/gravel road.....All tires did just fine. 

Photo session at the Upper Blackwelder Lake....next, we checked out some EOD disposal sites. Michael kept riding past the lake - the idea was to eventually meet up with the main road - until  we saw a promising side road and the plan changed.  I talked Stacia into stopping so I could get a photo of her with the cow. We thought it a bit odd there were cows here....but o.k.  I yelled, "Hey, Cow!" in true Gherkin fashion....and was surprised when I looked over my shoulder and saw 6 -8 cows running towards us. I told her to get on her bike and ride......

Ah - it appears as we circled around on back roads we ended up in the cow's pasture. 

We seem to run into barbed wire wherever we go out here. 

It was my turn to "hop over" after watching everyone else.  Michael said to put one leg on one rung and swing my leg over....didn't work quite that way.....proving once again I have the shortest legs in the family these days....but I got over...I was VERY happy the gate wasn't barbed wire.

It was an epic bike ride. We'll be doing more if the weather holds out. Some of us are paying a price for the fun - but it was worth it.