Feeling Groovy!

Galveston Island

We were on Galveston Island helping our daughter and family settle in their new home from the second week of November. We stayed at four different parks and finished at Dellanera RV Park, a City-owned park on the beach. This is the longest time in one place since we hit the road last July. This hiatus from the road underscored some thoughts about our wandering lives.

A Day at the Beah

First, we miss being with our family and friends in Houston/Galveston. We enjoyed spending time with these two young men, their mom, and their big brothers. Saying goodbye was a challenging but necessary price for life on the road. To help keep our connection, we left a spare iPad with the boys so they could Zoom us when they wanted to talk. We also left a travel notebook with them. They can travel with us with the maps and make suggestions of things to look up on Google. I encouraged them to look ahead in our wandering and let us know if they saw something they would like us to explore for them. These will not make up for missing their  hugs, but remind us that we are still family regardless of the miles between us. In addition, we will spend time with our son and his family in Seattle this Summer. I have a weekly Zoom with retired friends around the country, and we have a monthly Zoom called “It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere” with old friends in the Houston Area. Maintaining connections is more complicated but essential to our wanderlust. 

Wintering in Texas

The second consideration is all about wandering. Staying in one locale for three and a half months had many consequences. I grew bored with the location and avoided getting out and exploring. I became a "coach" potato. Seeing the same birds and vistas did not feed my soul or inspire my muse. My writing became a chore. One side benefit was that it made me look forward to doing errands to have something to do. Wintering is a necessity for someone who does not like cold weather. But, even in this, there is a blessing from the road. I get to learn new things about the outer landscape as well as the inner lay of the land in my soul.

The stars at night are big and bright...

We spent the night at Whispering Oaks RV Park in Weimar, TX. Usually, an overnight stop is all about a quick stop and moving on. But with our way of wandering, we leave plenty of time, even for these routine one-nighters. The weather was perfect, and we had a beautiful campsite. So, we did not unhook Nakai and decided to make a night of it. We picked up some firewood at the office and enjoyed a starry night beside the fire pit. The stars shone through the oak trees. A gentle breeze kept the smoke at bay. The chill of the night was warmed by the fire. As long as we can stay open to possibilities of the moment, life can be filled with such moments as these. This became even more important on our next stop.

We are staying at Peach Country RV Resort in Stonewall, TX. This park on US 290 is a relaxed, long-term-style park without all the pricey but unused amenities. We met up with some good friends, Mark and Linda Miller, who will show us the ropes in our unexplored parts of Gillespie.

 

A Baby Water Buffalo

We ate at Hye Thai, an excellent restaurant just around the corner from the park. The food was extraordinary. Hot, but not gratuitously so. The owner said they have two goals; "1) to exceed the expectations of people who ate here in the middle of nowhere, and 2) to make excellent food.” I assured him that they did both exceedingly well! 

 

On a whim, we walked next door and had dessert at Oro Bianco Italian Creamery. This baby water buffalo represents the Water Buffalo Gelato made with South Texas Water Buffalo Milk, West Texas Pistachios, and Fredericksburg Duck Eggs. We ate a sample of smoked water buffalo cheese and bought a Fig-almond cake. Unfortunately, the Chocolate Tasting Room next door was not open. These new flavors and experiences made our first day in Stonewall memorable.  

 

This week was an example of the very best of wandering. In celebration, I invite you to sing along…

 

Slow down. You move too fast

You got to make the morning last

Just kicking down the cobblestones

Looking for fun and feeling groovy…

(The 59^th Street Bridge Song, better known as Feeling Groovy! by Paul Simon)

 

We will leave here on Thursday with a brief stopover in Fort Stockton, TX, and then on to El Paso, TX, for a few days.

 

Groove along with us as we continue to feed our wanderlust!

 

Bob