Cummings...and goings...: Bay View RV Resort, Rockport, TX

December is quickly passing, and Christmas is just around the corner. Where has the time gone? We've been here in Texas for a month and a half already!

Winter is still with us, with temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s in the mornings. Most days it reached the low to mid 60s, with the exception of Tuesday when temperatures didn’t get out of the 40s. Brrr! Although chilly, the sun did manage to shine most days, and we didn't have snow!

I received this photo from my brother Rich, who lives in Cloquet, MN, just outside of Duluth. Their first snowfall of the season last week netted them almost 30" of snow. The high temperatures there for the past few days have hovered around zero degrees. They're expecting another 3" today. It's really early for this type of precipitation and low temperatures—they still have another 4 months of snow and cold weather ahead!

One of the big stories this week was about "cold stunned" sea turtles that have been washing ashore these past few weeks in Port Aransas, Texas due to the very cold weather that moved through this area. Dozens of green sea turtles were spotted on the beaches and are recovering at the Animal Rehabilitation Keep (A.R.K.) Rehabilitation Center at the Marine Science Institute. Drastic drops in temperatures and severe cold causes sea turtles to become immobile. The stunned turtles wash up on shore and will die unless slowly warmed up and returned to the water once the danger has passed. Since the first major cold front on November 25, almost 300 cold-stunned turtles have been documented in Texas. Of those, 244 are now living in the rehabilitation facility where they will stay until spring.

"The best treatment is to actually warm them gradually," said Dr. Donna Shaver, a turtle expert at the Padre Island National Seashore. Turtles are brought into the National Seashore's facilities, where temperatures are kept in the 60s. After the turtles start moving again, they are transported to the rehabilitation center at the A.R.K. in Port Aransas, Texas for further warming.

Dick has been at the Bay View RV park office, working hard on some of their software programs. He works about 20 hours a week, giving me some free time to do some stuff on my own.

Tuesday I attended the weekly session of "stitch and b…" during which one of the gals in the park did a presentation on essential oils for health. Very interesting. The company is dŏTERRA; more information can be found on their website: http://www.doterra.com/us/ Essential oils have been used throughout history in many cultures for their medicinal and therapeutic benefits. They can be used a single oil at a time or in complex blends depending on user experience and the desired benefit. Essential oils are usually administered by one of three methods: diffused aromatically, applied topically, or taken internally as dietary supplements. They have been shown to be therapeutic in treatment of headaches, muscle aches and pains. They also claim to have calming effects in hyperactivity, and epilepsy. Check out their website for more information, if you're interested.

That afternoon I sat outside and created this centerpiece, made from a pickle jar, candy canes and silk poinsettias, all with the help of a glue gun. Cute, huh… It's setting outside on our picnic table.

Wednesday evening was another dinner at the clubhouse: pasta with meatballs and sauce, salad and garlic bread. Dessert was a rich spice cake with whipped cream. Can't go hungry around here!

Thursday morning my gal friends Marty and Karen, and I, hit the streets of Rockport for some shopping – really for just some girl time. The weather was mild and the sun was shining, although there was a chilly East wind. After hitting a half a dozen stores we had an enjoyable and yummy lunch at "Crazy Rusty’s" in old town Rockport. A wonderful chicken salad sandwich on lightly toasted wheat bread, a cup of beef vegetable soup, a side of chips and fresh fruit was my idea of lunch! The other gals had BLTs, potato salad, chips and fresh fruit. Yummy!

Another top story this week was the Texas-sized gingerbread house, that you may have seen on national news. The world's largest gingerbread house has been erected on Texas A&M Traditions Club grounds, in Bryan, Texas. The 39,201.8 cubic-foot house set a Guinness World Record this year, and is helping raise funds for a local trauma center. It measures 60 feet by 42 feet and its tallest point rises 20.11 feet. Ninety percent of all the raw materials were donated—from lumber and electrical supplies to ingredients—and lots of people volunteered too, including club members, bakers and local folks. They made the exterior of the house entirely with gingerbread and icing, using 1,800 pounds of butter, 7,200 eggs, over 7,200 pounds of flour, 3,000 pounds of brown sugar, 1,080 ounces of ground ginger and a few other ingredients, and 22,304 pieces of candy. The house has everything except indoor plumbing.

Apparently there were challenges building this house outdoors, including high humidity and warm temperatures causing the builders to reduce the amount of butter used in order to make it harden up. To create the record, the club had to make sure they broke the previous record – a 36,600 cubic feet gingerbread structure built inside the Mall of America in Minnesota. They also had to make sure the house was edible. It didn’t have to be eaten to prove it’s real, though as the bees swarming around it were proof enough. (The club had to call in a beekeeper, who spotted a cluster of about 2,000 bees). Oh, and in case you're curious, the total caloric content of the house is a mere 35,823,400.

A gradual warming trend started Saturday, with temps in the mid-50s when we woke up, heading to the mid-60s by afternoon. Lovely day for a walk along Fulton Beach Road, followed by lunch with friends Marty and Steve at Stevie Lew's BBQ, directly across the road from our park. Steve had sausages, Dick had pulled pork, Marty had brisket and I had ribs. YUMMY! Open Thursday through Saturday, it's a family owned enterprise; they feature real Texas pit BBQ. Here's a link to their menu to get your mouths watering. http://www.stevielewsbbq.com/menu.html

That afternoon we watched the annual "Golf Cart Christmas Parade," as they rode through the park. Cute.

Saturday evening we attended the annual Christmas cantata at First Baptist Church of Rockport, with friends Bonnie and Jerry from Sandpoint, Idaho. This year's presentation was "The Jesus Gift," arranged by Tom Fettke. We videotaped portions of it, and thought you'd enjoy hearing this selection, sung by Eric Scott, the praise and worship ministries pastor, entitled "Pretty Little Baby Child." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsLWu437bd4&feature=youtube

Stained glass in the church

Sunday's church services were the cantata again, so we decided to stay around home and enjoyed the day. The day was sunny, but cool—reaching just 56 degrees and sunny. The sun in Texas is intense, so even if the thermometer doesn’t register warm temperatures, the sun is hot. Great day to be outdoors! We walked along Fulton Beach Road, watching birds and enjoying the sound of the water lapping against the shore. I'm sure I've said it before—we love it here! Here are some photos taken this week. Enjoy!