Monday, October 31, 2011

When Vegetables Go Bad!

See what can go horribly wrong when vegetables grow amuck!

Our neighbors in Medina (Paul and Ruthie) own a potato farm in North Dakota. They spend the winters in Texas while their sons run the farm.

We only spent a few days in Medina last year but really enjoyed meeting and visiting with these super nice folks.

We were looking forward to their return this winter and last week they arrived. We had a wonderful time getting caught-up and telling stories of our summer.

This summer several new couples have bought lots in our little Medina RV resort. We have met quite a few of them and have really enjoyed getting to know everyone (and their little dogs too!)

So, are you ready to see these bad boy veggies?

While we were visiting with Paul and Ruthie, Ruthie handed me a grocery bag. Apparently, they grow ‘em big in North Dakota!


I've never seen carrots this big! They were very tasty.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Brrrrr - Our first freeze

We woke up to 32 degrees and frost this morning. I've been waiting for cooler weather but, now that it's here, I'm not ready for it!!


Frosty windshield


Clearing the windshield


Frost in the fields

Our friends Van and Christine drove in from Dallas yesterday for a visit. This morning we gave them the grand tour of the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm and the LBJ Park Store.


Van and Mark discussing tools at the blacksmith shop.


Comfy two-hole outhouse


We saw some beautiful hand-carved butter molds

We made a quick tour through the LBJ National Park then on to Johnson City where we had a wonderful lunch at Ronnie’s BBQ.



Ronnie's BBQ - where else can you get banana pudding as a side dish?

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Our first Medina project

On our days off we have been staying at our place in Medina. It’s a very comfortable, small, park-model house. We bought it used last year and haven’t spent much time here since we’ve been traveling so much this year. Even though the house is in excellent condition, there are some things we want to change. We’re going to try to work on projects when we come out.

Our first order of business was to get the Internet hooked up. Mark wants to convert the outside building into an office. He’ll be replacing the floor tile and paneling at a later date and we’ll also be putting in a washer and dryer.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Our first 3 weeks

It’s hard to believe we already have three weeks under our belt here at LBJ State Park! Last year we worked Thursday - Saturday and, when asked if we wanted those days again, we said sure. When we arrived at our RV site the other volunteer here at the park told us he would really like to work Wednesday - Saturday (he is a solo and works 4 days a week). It didn’t matter to us what days we worked so we agreed to change days with him and work Sunday - Tuesday.

Well, you know the saying “no good deed goes unpunished?” The park manager wanted us to go ahead and work our original work days for the first week then change work days the next week. So, can you figure it out? That’s right, we worked 6 days in a row! The first week we worked our original Thursday-Saturday then turned right around and worked Sunday-Tuesday. We were tired! I worked in the Store/Visitor Center/Office and Mark worked at the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm.

During my first days I helped change the store over from Summer to Fall. In a couple of weeks we will change from Fall to Christmas! Most of my time in the store is spent putting out stock, re-folding t-shirts, and dusting. At the visitor center I answer questions and explain the tour map to visitors wanting to visit LBJ’s ranch, which is across the river from the State Park.

At the farm Mark feeds the animals, cuts wood and kindling for the wood burning stove, and takes visitors through the barns and houses, giving them a glimpse of life in the early 1900’s in Gillespie County. He is dressed in costume as a 1915 farmer.

On our third work week I got a big surprise when I saw that I was scheduled to be at the farm on Monday. I worked at the farm one day last year and didn’t particularly enjoy it.

And, lucky me - Monday is wash day!

In the morning I churned butter. I thought my arm would fall off! Then I squeezed curd and whey from clabbered milk.

After lunch the park employee I was working with washed the clothes on a scrub board thingie (which were all flour sack dish towels) and left them for me to rinse out, swish in water with bluing, hand wring out, then hang on the clothes line.

I also had to throw out the slop bucket (that was pretty gross), pull weeds and sweep the 1915 Victorian house, help plant spinach seeds in the garden and water and weed the flower garden. It was a full day! Oh, and I had to take the clothes off the clothes line and fold them up.

I'm hoping I don't have to work at the farm again.

Mark worked in maintenance and changed a lot of light bulbs and threw out about 5 lbs of turnip seeds. The turnip seeds are planted for the bison, which apparently really like them!

I don’t have too many photos yet. We’ve been really busy and time is just flying by! Mark got his camera fixed and has started taking pictures again so - STAY TUNED! I’ll be posting some knock-out pictures soon!


LBJ State Park Store


LBJ State Park Visitor Center

Friday, October 21, 2011

Quick as a fox

This little gray fox was next to our RV one evening. There were two of these little guys but one of them was too quick for a picture. They were jumping and running and just having a great time.



Can you tell that Mark has gotten his camera fixed?

Monday, October 3, 2011

Oh give me a home ...

Where the buffalo roam ...




Where the deer and the antelope play ...









Click to enlarge.



We are, once again, at LBJ State Park in Stonewall, Texas. We volunteered here last year and really enjoyed ourselves so we decided to come back. It's close to our place in Medina, and also close to our friends and family. We start working on Thursday. I will be working in the Store/Visitor Center and Mark will be working at the Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm and in maintenance.


Our home for the next three months. The very tall fence is holding back a herd of bison and two Longhorns, 'affectionately' named Dumb and Dumber.