Happy New Year!

 

Galveston has many things to attract us each Winter. Two important ones are the weather (usually) and the restaurants. But the real reason is these two young men and their brothers and mother. We genuinely enjoy wandering, and very few things can pull us off the road for a month. Meet two of them! Like most folks, the holidays are precious family time when we catch up and enjoy being together. Last Summer, we enjoyed being with our Son and his family. And in the last month, we have enjoyed being in-person grandparents. Melissa and family, thanks for the hospitality.

 

One of the facts of life is the laundry. On the road, we have four options. One is to “mooch dock” (setting up in a driveway) and use our host's washer/dryer. The second is to use the laundry at the RV park. But these are generally poorly maintained machines and have limited availability. The third is to have a small washer/dryer in your rig. These are more trouble than they are usually worth. The fourth option is local laundromats. We generally go for the latter. We can use multiple machines without inconveniencing our fellow campers. We get all the laundry done in a couple of hours rather than waiting for each load to finish before starting another. We can pick the size of the machine we need and consolidate dryer loads. A special bonus is we often encounter other full-time RVers and swap info and stories. We keep a healthy supply of quarters, but most places have change machines. While the weekly laundry can be a chore, we usually work together and have a routine that lets us get through it to get on with our day.

 

After a month in Galveston, I was grateful we had a checklist for move days. When moving every 5-7 days, we got into a standard routine. But many of those routines begin to fade after a month. Fortunately, we were able to get underway with a minimum of trouble. Our drive was quite eventful. As always, we had to find our way through the perennial construction on I45 out of Galveston. Then we stopped in Alvin, TX, for some of the best Pho we have encountered on our travels. 3 ½ hours later, we pulled into one of our favorite Winter stops, Rockport, TX. We set up at Reel Chill RV Resort and wasted no time. Within hours, we were sitting at a corner table at Paradise Key Restaurant overlooking the bay. We will only be here for three nights but will return in early March during our journey north.

Our first day was spent birding in Port Aransas. The adventure began with the ferry ride across the Intracoastal waterway. This is a short ferry service operated by the State of Texas. Still, whenever I ride it, I am carried back to being 8 years old and riding across with my Mom and Dad. I grew up hundreds of miles from the Texas Coast. But our trips to Port Aransas and Corpus Christi were great adventures. And the ferry was a great treat for this 8-year-old. It felt like an ocean cruise with seagulls, pelicans, and porpoises. I have been on much longer and larger ferries in Puget Sound. I have ridden the Bolivar and Lynchburg ferries much more often. But riding the Port A ferry always brings delight to the inner 8-year-old. 

 

A Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Port Aransas sits on the north end of Mustang Island. This touristy fishing village has some of the best Winter birding in the United States. We stopped at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, formerly the Sewer Plant, and walked the boardwalks along the marshlands. (Yes, the sewer plant is still there!) Over the years, it has been expanded, destroyed by a hurricane, and expanded even more. Today, two long boardwalks offer great views of wintering ducks and other waterbirds. This is the second year it has hosted a pair of Whooping Cranes. This year, they brought their brown-headed chick with them from Canada. We also tried Charlie’s Pasture but saw very few birds on that side of the Community Park. We will return in March and look forward to seeing the birds as they prepare for their migration north along with us. Here are a few of my many shots of some of our favorite fellow snowbirds.

White Pelican Taking a Bath

Pin Tail Preaching to the Choir

A Green Winged Teal

An American Coot

Roseate Spoonbill

Tri-Color Heron

American Avocet

Pied-Billed Grebe

White Morph of Reddish Egret

Pelican Skiing

A Great Blue Heron

Stared Down by a Shoveler

Black-Necked Stilt

White Ibis

Neotropic Cormorant

Natural Sculpture

A Coachwhip

White Egret

 

 

Whooping Crane Sculpture

Our second full day in Rockport offered a little birding on Goose Island, along the Fulton waterfront, and at Rockport Harbor. We found the Whooping Cranes and Sandhill Cranes at 8^th Street north of Goose Island State Park. This year, we saw 7-8 pairs with several chicks. There was also a sizeable flock of Sandhill and a couple of Cara Cara in the field. This field has been a reliable spot for cranes in the last few years, and the number of Whooping Cranes is increasing. Unfortunately, the birds were too far away to get decent pictures. But it was a joy to see them. There were less than 50 Whoopers in the wild when I first saw them with my Mom in the 1960s. Now, they are spreading out and claiming new territory as their numbers increase.

We spent the rest of the afternoon driving along Fulton Harbor Road, Rockport Harbor, and Water Street. We also enjoyed a walk along Main Street in downtown Rockport and stopped in to say hello to the owner of the "4 the Birds" shop we have been visiting for over 20 years. We also had a glass of wine at the local Mercantile. It was an excellent way to spend our last full day in Rockport. As we head north, we will return here for a week in March 2024. Until then, see you later, Rockport!

 

Here are a few shots from our day!

 

Laughing Gull

Common Loon

Gulls Fighting over a school of fish

Ruddy Turnstone

 

 

Nature’s Own RV Park in Kingsville, TX, is our final stop for 2023. We have completed our first full calendar year on the road and will spend two nights here before leaving for Brownsville on New Year's Day. While here, we will visit my niece, Christy, and her family. We will also transition into two months of stationary RVing in one of our favorite parts of Texas, the Rio Grande Valley. There should be plenty to keep us entertained in Brownsville. Plus, we have several major projects to complete before we hit the road for the Midwest in March. 

 

After getting set up and resting from the drive, we walked the Nature Walk around the RV Park. We enjoyed the South Texas weather and saw several of our favorite South Texas Birds: a Green Jay, a Golden Fronted Woodpecker, and a Great Kiskadee. We have slowed down and look forward to an easier for a couple of months. A relatively empty calendar and a manageable to-do list will allow us to enjoy the road without the "busy-ness" of never-before-seen sights or once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We have been to the Valley many times. And we will be back in the future. So, do not feel any need to hurry. Here are a few shots from our walk.

 

8 Feet of Prickly Pear

Spiked Hackberry

A Great Kiskadee

 

Before I close the book on 2023, I am excited about the new adventures that await us in 2024. But…. 2023 has taught me that looking back is OK from time to time. Looking ahead may be necessary from time to time (but it is always a risky enterprise.) 2023 helped me find a greater appreciation for the time between “past” and “future," what a favored theologian called the “Eternal Now.” This moment is all that we have. And the “Now” fills every moment of every day. I do not have room for much else unless I want to crowd out some of that “Now.”  I need not waste my time looking for joy over my shoulder or in my calendar. In 2024, I intend to embrace each day and let it unfold in its own unique way and time. I will be on the lookout for opportunities to smile. I will do my best to claim those moments that offer new ways of seeing myself and the world around me. I am not the person I was last December. And I hope to be able to say the same next December. The road in 2024 will be part of that remaking.

 

I look forward to seeing what it offers, starting with our drive to Brownsville on January 1, 2024! I hope you will be riding along. May each of us find our joy on the road ahead, one mile at a time!

 

Happy New Year!

 

Bob

 

 

 
 

 

 
 
 
 

Holiday Joy!

This is our last week in Galveston for the year. We have accomplished what we came to do before heading South for the Winter. We have been able to visit with family and friends and get our annual medical appointments out of the way. We have made some necessary repairs and a few optional projects. However, several will wait until we get to the Valley. As we approach the end of our first full Calendar Year on the road, I continue to celebrate and experience deep gratitude for our chosen way of life. Regardless of what the future holds for us, the last 17 months have been the trip of a lifetime, and the ride continues!

The twins stayed with us on Saturday night, and we promised them a birding trip on Sunday. (They really do look forward to birding with their Grandparents!) We got a late start and had to grab a burger before we hit the Wildlife Refuges. But Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge did not disappoint. We saw a full-grown Alligator and quite a few birds. The boys were good at picking out and naming the birds we saw. They are well-behaved and have learned to use the binoculars very well. I don’t know if they will be lifetime birders, but I would not be surprised if they took their grandchildren out birding in 50 or 60 years. Here are a few birds (and the alligator) we saw. 

 

White Ibis

Snowy Egret

White Ibis in flight

An 8 - 10 Foot Alligator

Snoozing away the afternoon!

A Dirty Ibis on the wing

A Tri-color (or Louisiana) Heron

Snow Geese (White and Blue-morph)

While we were birding, Nakai notified us we had a text message. Before thinking, I played the message. The RV Resort informed us that Mr. Bubbles would set up at 3:00 in the field next to the clubhouse. When the twins heard this, all thoughts of birding scattered like a flock of startled Blue Wing Teals.

 

When we returned to Stella Mare Resort, we were greeted by bubbles filling the air. We met Mr. Bubbles here at Stella Mare last year. He winters here each year and has, over the years, developed his own bubble solution that he shares with kids at parties and RV Parks wherever he travels. He uses string draped from sticks and buckets of solution to create his gigantic bubbles. When not chasing the bubbles, the kids stood in awe, mesmerized by the iridescent, undulating blobs. He brings out the kid in the parents and grandparents. Even the sophisticated teenagers seem to get in on the play if the other teens are not looking! Here are a few shots of Mr. Bubbles, his creations, and a few of his fans.

 

Bubbles filled the sky.

Luke chasing his dreams.

Luke taking a bite out of life!

Luke in the bubble's shadow!

A bubble pops in his lap.

Alex making his dreams come true.

Even when dream pop, more are on the way!

Alex, chasing his dreams...

... and celebrating the day!

Thank you, Mr. Bubbles. You leave joy in your wake!

The last project for our time here in Galveston was to have two covered ceiling fans. A couple of years ago, I asked PPL (A consignment RV Dealer and Shop in Houston) to install one in Koko. I was told they could not put it in the main room because they did not see a power supply for the fan. So, they talked me into installing it in the bathroom. It was supposed to be covered so we could run the fan on hot, rainy days. When I went to pick it up, I was told that they could not install the cover over the bathroom fan because the skylight over the shower was in the way. So, they installed the cover over the vent where I had wanted the fan in the first place. I was unhappy but accepted their word that this was the only way to install both.

 

We have found that an uncovered fan was a real problem in warm, wet weather. I do not like running the A/C and prefer fresh air when possible. I called a tech, Steve Smith, here in Galveston, and he came out to price a job of putting a fan under the existing vent cover. He looked at it and told me that he could do it, but suggested that I consider getting a larger cover for the vent and using the existing cover over the vent in the bathroom. I shared with him my experience with PPL. He paused thoughtfully and said, "I think it will work." And he was right!

 

After ordering the fan and new vent cover, he returned and completed it in a few hours. He used existing wiring at the new vent location. He installed the old cover over the bathroom vent by relying on his experience and expertise, which PPL seemed to lack. We now have two working and covered ceiling fans for Koko. This will come in very handy when we head into the tropics next month and can enjoy fresh air and comfortable temperatures day or night, rain or shine! Thank you, Steve!

 

RVing and Campfires are natural companions. Unfortunately, in this strange weather year, we have had very few opportunities to enjoy a campfire on the road. We have either endured drought-induced burn bans or deary, wet weather that puts a literal dampener on our firewood. Also, life in the close quarters of the RV makes even the most pleasant aromas rather uninviting. And wood smoke from campfires lingers for several days. We have watched others use their propane fire pits but never saw the value of lugging around a propane bottle to fuel the occasional campfire. But after this year's untimely cold spell in the Panhandle, we adapted Koko to use portable propane when needed. So, a small propane tank became something more than fire pit fuel. We now have a propane fire pit to enjoy a campfire sans smoke. And more importantly, most fire bans allow for propane fires. We sat out one evening, trying out our new pit, and rediscovered why campfires and RVing are compatible. The picture says it all! We look forward to more opportunities to watch the sunset beside our toasty, warm fire pit.

 

When Melissa and Matt were younger, we were generally far away from other family during the holidays. We had to make our own holiday traditions, and one of our most popular was baking cookies and other holiday goodies together. Melissa continued that tradition and invited us to help the boys make their holiday goodies. Marlene and I had a ball making peppermint bark, chocolate chip cookies, and puppy chow. The twins did a great job. I taught them the ins and outs of chocolate chip cookies, including Grandpa’s signature “scoop and scrape” technique for getting cookie dough on the baking sheets. Marlene helped them discover the right blend of chocolate, peanut butter, Chex cereal, and powdered sugar to create memorable puppy chow. Unfortunately, my diet will not allow me to enjoy as much of these holiday treats as I would like (of course, it never did, but I disregarded such grinchy nonsense previously), but there are very few calories in making and baking. Cookies and Grandkids go together just as well as Mom, Dad, and kids baking did in the old days.

 

Whether full-timing or not, we spend a good portion of our holidays pushing a shopping cart through big box stores. Unfortunately, it is part of the 21^st Century Holiday tradition. This week, we spent more than our share of time and money at Target, Walmart, and several grocery stores. I was struck by the faces I saw on many of the other shoppers. Clinched jaws, pursed lips, and deeply furrowed brows were everywhere. The holidays can be stressful, but this year, the stress was plainly visible on many people’s faces. I heard the stress in the uneasy edge in their voices while their eyes betrayed weary, wary glances at those around them. Our season of joy has been deeply tempered in the forge of worry and unfocused anger.  

 

We all need to step outside of our concerns and fears for the next week. Allow the warmth of the campfire that come to life when we gather with family or friends to chase the chill from our minds and souls. Allow yourself a bit of joy. Indulge yourself in a tasty treat or two from your holiday table.

 

The New Year will dawn soon enough, and with it will come another twelve months to engage the trials and tribulations of our age. But this is the holiday season! May its joy ignite a glimmer of hope on your horizon. May the love of family and friends renew your trust in the rest of humanity.

 

I do not believe we are looking at a sunset on our lives. Instead, we are witnessing the dawn of a new day for all of us. The morning shadows may linger longer than we would like, but the sun will rise on a new day. Breathe in the fresh morning air of that new tomorrow!

 

Holiday blessings, my friends!