Week in Review: November 18 through 24

This was our 2^nd and last week at Millwood Landing in Arkansas. We’ve enjoyed our stay here so much, due mainly to the beautiful weather and lovely grounds. Attempted to take photos of about a dozen turtles sunning on a log, but they were too skittish and quickly disappeared into this pond as I approached. Tried to photograph them a couple of times over the course of the week before giving up, so I settled on photos of the geese.

Monday we again walked the golf course before taking off on the motorcycle to explore the surrounding area. We rode about 25 miles to OK Landing, on Millwood Lake. Arkansas and the Federal Government have created beautiful parks and recreation areas around the lake for all to enjoy. We stopped at Beard’s Bluff, a park developed by the Corp of Engineers, where they built a bird overlook, with detailed information on birds one might see: bald eagles, double crested cormorants, mallards, anhingas, and white pelicans. We were fortunate to see a bald eagle not far from the parking lot. (Thankfully Dick was willing to stop a couple of times along the way, to accommodate me concerning the rather uncomfortable passenger seat…LOL!)

Walking the golf course was a regular daily activity for us. Quiet. Peaceful. No golfers to speak of during this off-season. At the chicken coop I mentioned last week we saw a chicken we didn’t see then. Not as large as the other birds, it was very colorful.

On our walks we always passed this private garden off the 14^th hole. Even in the middle of November, with the rather chilly weather we’ve been experiencing, the garden is still producing and beautiful. There were pole beans, cabbage, radishes, and other plants I couldn’t identify from the cart path. On the far side there were fruit trees, too, obviously dormant now.  Just had to share these unexpected treasures with you. God asks us to look for tiny treasures He strategically places in front of us, to brighten our day. We need to look carefully for them, storing them in our memories to offer them back to God at the end of the day with a grateful heart. He will bless us!

Tuesday we made our trek to the local Super Walmart (have I mentioned it’s become our favorite store??) to stock up for our first Thanksgiving dinner in the trailer. Also, I had my hair cut—finally! The day was bright, sunny, and about 80 degrees, so we left some of the windows open in the trailer. Upon our return we opened the door to an invasion of lady bugs! There must’ve been at least 150 on the inside of our bedroom window, with just as many or more throughout the trailer. We quickly shut the windows and vents, and took out the vacuum cleaner to suck them up. (Apologies to the avid gardeners reading this who have an affinity for lady bugs. This is the only way we could think to get rid of them.) We’ve never seen anything like this--they were everywhere, inside and out. Outside, Dick tapped the rubber gasket tubes that seal the trailer slides and literally hundreds fell out! We’re still experiencing their presence in our space—at least a dozen a day. We’re just thankful they’re not ants or bees! Wish we had taken a picture of them to share with you. Unbelievable!

Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. Nothing new to report, just more of the same: walking, riding bicycles around the park, etc. Dick rode the motorcycle into Ashdown to mail some packages, and fill the tank in preparation for our next rides. Due to the ladybug infestation outside I chose to stay indoors to read and knit.

Thanksgiving Day…a day to reflect and be thankful. Psalm 118: 1 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Our first Thanksgiving dinner in the trailer… a baked Brie cheese hors d’ oeuvre, turkey, potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, broccoli, Waldorf salad, rolls, cranberry sauce, pecan pie tarts and ice cream… It is possible! We are continually grateful for family, friends, health, and for safety as we travel. Being grateful for what God has done for us brings us closer to Him, and helps us stay in close communion with him daily. Thank you, God!

I mentioned little treasures earlier. On Thanksgiving morning we met a couple (with their three grandchildren) from Fort Worth, as they were packing up to leave for home. After talking with them for a few minutes, we found out that he grew up in Cloquet (where my mom lives) and the surrounding area. We were able to share memories about our home town, the north shore of Lake Superior, Grand Marais, etc. Fun!

Friday dawned cold, blustery, and misty. The day to pack up to head on down the road to Many (pronounced Man-ee), Louisiana, our next stop 217 miles away, to Southern Leisure RV Park.

Southern Leisure is on the Toledo Bend Reservoir, which lies between Louisiana and Texas. It's an old RV park, with quite a few permanent residents 

Toledo Bend  must be the bass fishing capital of the world with fishing tournaments almost monthly. The reservoir is the largest man-made body of water in the South, covering 185,000 surface acres—the 5^th largest within the U.S. Construction began in 1959 to provide a constant water supply, hydro-electric power and recreation to the area. Completed at a cost of $70 million, the reservoir is the only public conservation and hydro-electric project in the nation to be undertaken without federal participation in its permanent financing. The cost was paid for by a combined effort by Texas and Louisiana. It has about 1,250 miles of shoreline. Lots to explore!

Pendleton Bridge connecting Louisiana with Texas

Saturday dawned sunny, but cool and windy, with temps reaching only the mid- to high 50s. We took our first walk through the park and surrounding area, and came upon this purple martin house. It took 6 months to build, and was built in the mid-‘60s. It has 916 compartments, stands over 8’ tall, and required 24 sheets of plywood.

The marlin house as it was
originally constructed.

The marlin house as it appears today, without stilts. It's too
fragile and heavy to be elevated today. 

We have reasonably good cell service this week, with TV only at night (sometimes), and no internet. We’ll need to find somewhere with WiFi… (McDonalds here we come!) Our plan is to stay here until the 30^th, then head to Texas.

More photos and info on this area in next week's blog, Stay tuned!

Week in Review: November 12 through November 17

We arrived in Ashdown, Arkansas last Friday, welcomed with sunshine and warm temperatures. This held true through Saturday, but hold on...Sunday's comin'.

Sunday arrived with temperatures expected to reach mid-60s by mid-day. We were told to expect severe thunderstorms and rain, with a tornado watch thrown in for good measure. The rain came in torrents; the wind may have reminded you of scenes from Wizard of Oz. After all was over, the rain gauge read 2.2" in about 3 hours. The quiet afterwards was almost eerie. Thankfully there was no damage done in the area, just lots of soggy ground, downed tree limbs and lot of leaves.

Ashdown is a relatively small town, with a population of around 4,700. There are over 80 churches in this small area. The town itself was established in 1892, lying among some of the richest, fertile land in the county in which cotton, soybeans, rice, corn, wheat, and other crops are grown. Beef cattle and horses are raised in many of the local farms, as well. Even with its relatively small population, and due to its greatest industry being timber, Ashdown houses the largest paper producing facility in the world.

Apparently, due to the wide variety of birds here (over 333 species), birders from across the U.S. come to this area to catch a glimpse. White pelicans make their home here year-round, along with bald eagles, several species of ducks, gulls, and smaller woodland birds. Canadian geese are making their winter home in the 2 ponds on property, as well as large snapping turtles. Oh, and alligators also are prevalent here. Literally thousands of starlings arrived this week (hopefully on their way to somewhere else!) clouding the skies as they flew around. What a racket! (Remember Hitchcock's "The Birds?" Well...) When they landed on golf course greens it looked like a fluid carpet of black. I've never before witnessed anything quite like it.

Our walking paths this week are mostly along the golf cart paths in the 18-hole golf course. Quite beautiful and peaceful.

 Expecting to see some wildlife, we were surprised at what we found. There are homes surrounding the course, and at the 16th hole we came upon this:

Bambi has become a pet! The deer is wearing a pink collar with a little bell. The Lab and deer appear to be quite good buddies. And next door was a chicken coop, with a couple dozen chickens of various kinds.

Lots of the deciduous trees have shed their leaves and the oaks have dropped their acorns--TONS of them. On one of our walks through a local neighborhood we came across these.

We've met some interesting folks this week, from Texas, Illinois, and Oklahoma. A few are full-timers; some are just snow birds. 

The motorcycle has been ridden a few times this week. We went to the local Super Walmart and loaded up on groceries, packing them into the dresser bag on the back of the cycle. We were glad everything fit! Dick's been out on it a few more times, while I stayed back at home to knit. (I've finished 3 things this week!) We've ridden the bicycles around the park, too. Dick rode it out of the park on Saturday, getting lost in the backwoods of the area, ending up at Millwood Lake. (This is deer hunting season, so I'm glad he didn't become a target!) He managed to find his way home, after about an hour and a half.

All in all, this has been a quiet week. Next week is the local Christmas Lighting in Ashdown. Apparently it's quite a spectacle; folks come from all around the area to see it. The local courthouse sports over 5 miles of lights! Weather permitting, we may attend.

We're looking forward to Thanksgiving, a day when we are more cognizant of being thankful for all we have. I found this quote online, which says so much, not only for this holiday, but for every day we draw breath.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” — William Arthur Ward

And, we must not overlook our gratitude to God, who has given us everything.

 Psalm 9:2 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Until next week, we hope this finds you well. We are thankful for having you in our lives.

Blessings and love,

Dick and Gail


Here's a map of our travels so far:

A = July and August, 2012: Grand Portage, MN
B = September through October 14: Cloquet, MN
C = October 14-17 : Welcome, MN
D = October 17-19 : Kellogg, IA
E = October 19-26: Lone Jack, MO
F = October 26-November 2: Jay, OK
G = November 2-9: Checotah, OK
H = November 9- 23: Ashdown, AR

Week in Review: November 4 through November 11

Sunday was a day of reflection and relaxation, as we settled in at Terra Starr RV Resort in Checotah, OK. The one thing we can say about Oklahoma for sure, is that it is terribly windy and dusty. (Remember watching Grapes of Wrath and the dust storms? Well, it wasn't nearly that bad, but...everything always had a light dusting...). Our park was located on Lake Eufaula; it's the largest lake in the state of Oklahoma with 102,000 acres and 600 miles of shoreline.

Monday we decided to visit the Five Civilized Tribes Museum in Muskogee; it's one of your history lessons for this week. Located in the "Indian capitol of the world," the museum honors the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole Tribes, who "...were relocated to Indian Territory from their southeastern U.S. ancestral lands..." where "...these tribes had built communities, developed agricultural economies, and had created complex tribal governments." As Europeans moved into (actually invaded) their homelands life changed as they had known it for generations. In 1838 and 1839, as part of Andrew Jackson's Indian removal policy, the Cherokee nation was forced to give up its lands east of the Mississippi River and to migrate to an area in present-day Oklahoma. The migrants faced hunger, disease, and exhaustion on the forced march. Over 4,000 out of 15,000 of the Cherokees died, being forced to walk hundreds of miles west, many in shackles and at gunpoint. The tribes were herded like cattle; few rode in wagons, with the stronger helping the weaker along the trail. Hunger and disease, combined with adverse weather and tainted food supplies, claimed the lives of thousands. The Cherokee people called this journey the "Trail of Tears."

Five Civilized Tribes Museum

In 1831 the Choctaw were the first to be removed, and they became the model for all other removals. After the Choctaw, the Seminole were removed in 1932, the Creek in 1934, then the Chickasaw in 1937, and finally the Cherokee in 1838. Here's a brief history of each nation.

The Cherokee nation occupied villages in North and South Caroline, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. They called themselves "Ani-yun-wiya," which meant "real people." Ranging in size from 200 to more than 2,000 people, they lived in homes built of logs, bark and branches, plastered with mud and clay. They were farmers, hunters, fisherman, artists and warriors. They produced basketwork, pottery, masks and pipes, which they used for trade. They had a republican form of government with a constitution, a chief, senate, and a house of representatives.

The Chickasaw nation occupied regions in northern Mississippi, western Tennessee and eastern Arkansas. Noted for their successes in war the men carried medicine bundles, cherished as sacraments, which contained the clans' mystic powers. Religion was the center of their world; they celebrated each new full moon and kept a lunar calendar. Even after the their struggle on the Trail of Tears, tainted food supplies and swindling of white merchants led to continued mass starvation.

Known for their farming skills and peaceful disposition, the Choctaws occupied what is now southern and central Mississippi, much of Alabama, and parts of Georgia. Homes were supported with pole frames, covered with grass mats, reeds, branches and clay. By the beginning of the 19th century, brick and stone houses began to appear as Choctaws developed plantations with the slaves sold to them by American traders and the U.S. government. Despite many treaties with the U.S., forced relocation moved them to what is now Oklahoma. By 1907 they were on their 16th treaty with the U.S., who continued to violate agreements. Just a side note, Oklahoma is derived from the Choctaw word for "red people."

The Creek tribe (or Muscogee) was located on creeks and streams in what are now Georgia, Alabama, northern Florida, eastern Louisiana and southern Tennessee, in about 40 to 50 towns, each speaking their own version of the Muskogean language. There were Red Creeks (predominantly warriors) and White Creeks (predominately peacemakers). In response to white settlements, civil war broke out among the two factions, with federal and state troops mobilized under General Andrew Jackson to intervene. Jackson punished the Creek by forcing them to sign the Treaty of Horseshoe Bend, taking away 23 million acres of land. The remainder of their land was lost after the Indian Removal Act, causing 1,600 Creek warriors and their 84-year-old chief Neamathla to walk in chains every step of the Tail of Tears.

Seminoles, who occupied Florida, loosely translates to "runaway." They lived in open-sided chickees that were grouped in villages, built near rivers. Thatched roofs and raised platforms were suited for the warm, damp climate. The Seminoles were hunters and gatherers as well as farmers. Osceola, a Seminole leader, successfully led troops against the federal government, defeating the U.S. for many years. Following the Indian Removal Act, most of the Seminoles traveled by boat to New Orleans, then up the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers. Many succumbed to disease and starvation due to lack of food and supplies.

Today, the Five Civilized Tribes are a classic tragedy to triumph story, representing over 300,000 Indian people and contributing over $600 million annually to Oklahoma's economy.  (Facts taken from documents obtained from the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, www.fivetribes.org.)

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were spent walking along Lake Eufaula, noting the many deer, rabbit, raccoon and rabbit tracks in the sand. Thursday we also visited the Honey Springs Battlefield and Interpretive Center, located in Checotah. (History lesson #2.)

Honey Springs is the site of the largest of more than one hundred conflicts in the Indian Territory during the War Between the States, and is often called the Gettysburg of the Indian Territory. It took place on Friday, July 17, 1863, between Federal units led by Major General James G. Blunt and Southern troops commanded by Brigadier General Douglas H. Cooper. According to U.S. Army official reports, Confederate forces established a supply depot 20 miles southwest of Ft. Gibson at Honey Springs and made plans to drive the Federals from the area. Major Blunt, not waiting for the attack, marched out from Ft. Gibson and engaged the Confederate forces under Cooper. A major engagement was fought by a combined total of 9,000 soldiers. Cherokee and Creek regiments fought on both sides; troops included other American Indians, veteran Texas regiments, and the 1st Kansas Colored Regiment the first black regiment in the Union army). The Federal victory opened the way for occupation of Fort Smith and later Union victories in the Red River Valley. Despite strength in numbers, the Confederates,who were stretched out in a line almost a mile and a half long among the trees of the creek bed, were at a disadvantage: they had only four light pieces of artillery, facing 12 cannons. The battle lasted only about 4 hours, but this battle was a turning point. Never again would the Confederates mount a large army in the field, relying instead on small units to disrupt Union supply lines and pin down as many troops as possible. (Oklahoma Historical Society)

Battle lines of the Confederates (red) and Union (blue) troops. 

Following are photos of the memorials erected to honor those who perished in the Battle of Honey Springs.  Near this site is a cemetery where people, who fought in the Honey Springs Battle and survived, were buried. (Union bodies buried in mass graves on the battlefield have been re-interred in a National Cemetery: Union losses = 76, and Confederate losses = 181.)

Memorial honoring the Union troops
who served in the Honey Springs Battle.

Civilized Tribes Memorial  honoring the
American Indians who served in the
Battle of Honey Springs. 

Memorial honoring the
Confederate troops who served in the
Battle of Honey Springs.  

Memorial honoring the
Texas Division of the Daughters of the Confederates
 who served in the Battle of Honey Springs. 

Memorial honoring the
1st Kansas Colored Regiment who served in the
Battle of Honey Springs

A very hungry armadillo found alongside one of the trails. 

The battlefield is an historic site administered by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Open and free to the public, the 1,100 acre site has 6 walking trails with a total of 55 interpretive signs, located at the Union bivouac area, the Union line of battle, the Texas regiments line of battle, the battle at the bridge over Elk Creek, the final action, and Honey Springs, the Confederate supply depot. (A reenactment to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Honey Springs will be held in the Fall of 2013.)

A hedge apple found along one of the trails. Weird...

Our site at Millwood.

The week came to a close at Terra Starr with us packing up and leaving on Friday. Facing 20-40 mph headwinds, we drove 236 miles to Millwood Landing Resort in Ashdown, Arkansas. It's located just 2.5 hours from Little Rock, just 3+ hours from Dallas, and is within minutes of Millwood Lake, a 26,000 acre lake fed by the Little River. Millwood has its own 18-hole golf course, clubhouse and restaurant, courts for basketball and tennis, swimming pool, game room, kiddie pool and play area, and its own fishing ponds. As you can see from the photos, the grounds are tree covered and quite lovely. We'll be here for 2 weeks, until the day after Thanksgiving, when we head for Louisiana.

The welcome/security house at Millwood.

Hope you're enjoying our blog. Let us know if you have questions, or no longer wish to be included in our distribution. We love and miss you all.

Week in Review: October 28 through November 3

Sunday October 28 dawned sunny and bright, with a temperature of only 36 degrees. Somehow, with the sun shining so brightly and the skies so clear, it didn't feel quite that chilly. It did warm up to the high 60s later on. Most of the trees still had their leaves, and some were still in the height of their color. The oak trees ranged from summer green to Fall brown, and were dropping their leaves in a way that resembled a snow storm with HUGE snowflakes drifting to the ground. Wish I would've taken a photo of them falling; really quite cool. Of course, then there was the crunch of them underfoot--truly Fall.

Near our site was the Eagles Nest Clubhouse, fire pit and gazebo, just a few of the amenities and all for our use. The clubhouse had a game room (also used for worship services on Sundays), library, TV room, showers and restroom, and access to the outdoor pool (closed for the season). Really quite a nice facility.

Eagles Nest Clubhouse

Gazebo

Fire pit

Our site

Boat ramp to Grand Lake; notice how low the water is.
It's down about 10' from normal.

Fog on the lake -- pretty cool!

We decided it was the perfect day for a motorcycle ride, so we hopped on and spent about an hour cruising the area. I have to say that my seat on this Suzuki is nothing compared to the cushy one I had on the Kawasaki! Thought I had more padding around my butt bones, but guess not--was tender for a few days... We're going to have to do some investigating to find me something a bit more comfortable if Dick wants me to accompany him on these long rides!

There was farm after farm, and field after field of horses, beef cattle, goats, and sheep; also saw some alpacas in the distance. I never gave it too much thought before, as to what Oklahoma offered. Now, we know. As we were returning to the park, we saw several deer in the fields, and more as we entered the park itself. Across the road from our site were a couple more. Attempted to get photos, but they were too anxious to not make our acquaintance.

Near the entrance to the RV park on our walks, we met this fine fellow. He followed us along the fence line as we walked by, obviously not skittish at all. (Must be--or was--someone's pet/4H project...?)

Monday, Dick washed the black beast while I knitted. The weather all week was in the 70s, with low humidity, slight breeze .So perfect to sit outside, enjoying the sunshine.

Tuesday brought more sunshine and warmth. Good day for me to give Dick his 3rd haircut! Still won't let him touch my hair--ha! We acquired some new neighbors from Oregon, who are making their way back home. Vern and Kathy travel about 9 months out of the year, and spend the remainder of the time at home in Bend. I completed a baby sweater, and started another Christmas gift. No procrastination here!

Wednesday, October 31 -- no trick or treaters! Guess us ol' RVers don't go in for that sort of thing...  Dick made his 3rd trip in 3 days into Grove (nearby town) to get a few groceries, as well as hardware to install mud flaps on the truck, items to repair the minor damage to the truck tailgate, mail some stuff, etc. I stayed home to knit, as he rode the motorcycle (I've already mentioned the seat issue...:-D). We also sprayed some non-slip coating on the motorcycle hitch ramp, so it's easier to load the cycle. (Works like a charm!) Made chocolate chip cookies, which always puts a smile on Dick's face...

Thursday was a day for preliminary packing and getting ready to leave tomorrow. (I must really be retired now, as I thought it was Wednesday, and we still had one more day at Pine Island...) Another beautiful day here. Temps reached the mid-80s, but with the low humidity it didn't feel like it.

Friday, another beautiful day, was the day for final packing and loading, as we prepared for our trek to Checotah, OK, about 2-1/2 hours away. Terra Starr RV Park is the 5th stop on our way to the Gulf. (So far we've been in Welcome, MN; Kellogg, IA; Lone Jack, MO; and Jay, OK.) For you Country Western music fans, Checotah is the hometown of Carrie Underwood. Here's a map of our travels to date, including Grand Portage (July and August), Cloquet (Mom's home), and since mid-October.

Located near here in Muskogee, OK is the 5 Civilized Tribes Museum, which honors "...the five Native American nations—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole—that were considered civilized by Anglo-European settlers during the colonial and early federal period because they adopted many of the colonists' customs and had generally good relations with their neighbors." (Wikepedia.org) We may make the trek back to Muskogee to see it (and no, we're not Okies from Muskogee...ha!)

We arrived at Terra Starr RV Park a little after noon, and proceeded to set up in the 92 degree heat. Ugh! We turned on the AC for the first time since we were in Grand Portage. Last night cooled down to the upper 50s, so it was quite comfortable for sleeping. This park is very quiet, little traffic, and few travelers.

After breakfast on Saturday morning we took a walk around the park. We followed a trail along Lake Eufaula, which is adjacent to the park, that takes one at least half-way around the portion of the lake we can see. Saw lots of deer and other small animal tracks in the sand, and saw tons of ducks and seagulls.

We can see that we're in tornado territory. Here's a photo of the storm shelter within 100 yards of our site.

There's an outdoor pool (closed now for the season), tennis courts, shuffleboard, horseshoes, basketball, miniature golf, etc., to take advantage of. There're also over 100 jigsaw puzzles in the clubhouse if one felt so inclined. Here are a photos of our site, to give you an idea of this park.

Our site at Terra Starr

Lake Eufaula

Pool, clubhouse, laundry/rest room facilities

Hope this finds you all well. We're enjoying our tour of America's heartland, and do wish we could bring you along with us in person.
Love and blessings,
Dick and Gail