Music Makes The World Go Round.

July 21, 2016

We met these super people a couple of weeks ago at the Park. They are friends and family and they play REAL Mountain Music. Every year for one to two decades these people get together from all over the southern states and celebrate music, spend a week or so together, enjoying playing their instruments and camping.  

We stopped by while walking Zuma and were fortunate enough to hear them jamming, having a good time.  Amazing, just amazing honest music.  They invited us to listen, hang out.  They even offered to help me learn to play the banjo (I was too shy).  It was a Bucket List Moment of a Lifetime for me.

We have a new solar addition to our family

I honor of Her Majesty's 90th Birthday (God Bless and Keep Her), we're taking Her Highness 

along to join us on our journey.  

She seems happy to be part of our travels and our Hula Girl is pleased to have a new friend.  

The Craziness, The Kindness and Tubing!

July 19, 2016. 

There seems to have been some form of crazy energy in the world the past week.  The thunderstorms here have been frequent and exceptionally violent.  



Everyone I speak with says the same. Whoa. What's with this energy?  Full moon tonight.

Zuma doesn't usually worry about storms but this mountain thunder has been really furious and often comes on without warning. Several of our friends are going through serious health issues, major surgeries, private struggles.  I wanted to pull the covers over my head for a couple of days.

A few days ago a tree uprooted and unexpectedly fell down on a truck here.  The camper was next to it in his pop up camper.  I am taking this as a good form of energy because the man would have surely been killed if it had landed on him in his camper.  

This was literally a couple of hundred feet from us.  I heard the tree come down but I didn't even want to look outside. Weird energy all week. The murderous rampage in France was so horrific, following the other recent terrorist activities in the world.  Turkey, Baton Rouge, etc.  I'm focusing on the positive.  

The thunderstorms must have upset Zu .... remember that song "Who let the dogs out?"; well, these past few days the tune has changed to "Who let the calves in?".  I'll spare you the details.  It involved a lot of kneeling and scrubbing.  And paper towels.  And I have a very embarrassed Great Dane.  It's fine, I don't scold her, she was simply tuning in to the energies. Now we're heading into another heat spell and hopefully better energy.

I went to the Dr. a couple of days and I'm told I'm healthy.  Doug and Emma and Zuma are healthy.  Need to gulp up some fresh mountain air this week and revitalize, soak up some good energy and get into researching my original book.  



I went tubing Sunday with some new friends.  Iiii know!  Crazy at my age but what the heck. 



Yep, floating down The French Broad River with some young people from all over the world staying at the RV Park: from Germany, Bavaria, Bulgaria, North Carolina.   


Waaaaay out of my comfort zone but it was a blast and when Doug returns we're all planning on going again next Sunday.  As we lounged in the inner tubes and floated on the French Broad River surrounded by the WNC mountains, we all realized how fortunate we are to be staying here and spending a few hours together in peace and sunshine.  

Thank you Missi for hostessing such a fabulous day.  Thank you guys from New Belgium for making us a yummy BBQ dinner afterwards!  


Thank you wonderful neighbors for coming by and checking if I need anything, having a visit, hanging out.  Thank you Oscar for saving my laptop from a sudden rainstorm.  I feel truly blessed.

Good people, good times.

A Day of Mourning For France.

July 15, 2016

I woke up this morning all bubbly and happy, walked and fed Zuma, made my cuppa tea, turned on the telly.  

Some days I regret checking the news.  Today is one of those days. What is wrong with people who can't JUST BE NICE, enjoy this wonderful world in which we have the privilege to live with intelligent, kind people. I don't get it.  

Thinking of France and the innocent people who were slaughtered last night.    

I want to write a blog every day for the month of July.  We cannot deny or avoid the current events even if it's awful news.  We're choked with the media coverage, there's no getting away from it. Unless you don't tune in to the internet, tv or radio.  It's still out there.

I hope you will all pray for the lost and injured lives.  

Shrimp 'n' Grits and Sweet Southern Iced Tea.

July 16, 2016

When we were in Georgia a few months ago, I sampled 'Shrimp 'n' Grits' for the first time.  It's pretty much a Southern staple.  I was never a fan of grits but I really enjoy sampling local foods when we travel and once I tried them like this I was hooked.  

The following recipe is a meld of several offerings I found on various websites.  You can make this with plain XL/Jumbo shrimp, sauteed; only half a dozen per person is needed if they are a good size. The shrimp, not the guests.  Choose fresh ones (shrimp) and devein them (it just takes a few seconds). 

All you need is:

Box of grits
2/3rds cup low sodium chicken stock
24 Jumbo shrimp
A few slices of lean bacon (optional but recommended)
One lemon, salt and pepper, a TBSP of butter, 1 - 2 garlic cloves
OLD BAY Blackening Seasoning
1 small red pepper 

Serve with a crispy salad and light dressing.  
The perfect Summer Supper.

Blackened Shrimp and Grits:

Cook grits following the package directions.  Instead of water, I like to use low sodium chicken stock for more flavor.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, spritzed with non-stick cooking spray. Once cooked, add salt and black pepper and a gob of butter to marry in with the grits.  Stir.  (Some people like to add 1/4 cup of parmesan but I prefer plain grits).

Pour grits onto cookie sheet, smooth them out into an even layer (cover with plastic wrap) and refrigerate for 2 - 3 hours until firm. Overnight works too.  Then cut them into 2 inch rounds with a cookie cutter (about 16 cakes) and put them back in the fridge.  

Toss the shrimp in a bowl with a few dashes of hot pepper sauce, place in fridge.  Walk the dog.  Swig some Southern Tea. (Recipe below).  Now you're all relaxed and ready to start the sauce:  

Saute a few strips of chopped lean bacon and a finely diced red bell pepper over medium heat with 2 chopped scallions, 2 cloves chopped garlic and a quarter cup of flour.  Some people like to add a few globs of tomato sauce.  Saute for about 3 - 4 minutes. Add 1/2 - 2/3 cup chicken stock and simmer until sauce thickens.

Next, pat-dry the shrimp  and sprinkle with OLD BAY Blackening powder.  Saute for 3 - 4 minutes in a lightly sprayed pan (or a gob of butter).

While you're cooking the sauce, pop the grit cakes in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F.  Spoon the sauce over them and place 2 - 3 shrimps on each one, garnish with the sauce and parsley. Two cakes and 4 - 6 shrimp will be PLENTY per person.  Trust me on this.

To top it off, you'll need a long tall swig of this cool drink.  
Very Southern.  Very refreshing.  Enjoy!

Southern Sweet Tea.

To make a gallon, you'll need:

6 quality tea bags (Tetley or Lipton are my faves)
1 gallon boiling hot water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
A coupla lemons

Pour the hot water in a pitcher, add sugar and stir until it's dissolved, toss in tea bags, let steep, chill for 2 - 3 hours. 

Let the tea mixture chill too.  Then slap on some sunscreen and recline in the sunshine and enjoy slopping it all down your top with ice and lemon slices and soak up the compliments from your guests.  

I do miss living in the North but I do love living in the South.

• 
  

1. 
   
2. 
   

Baby Zuma.

July 13, 2016

Doug sent me this photo yesterday, a pic of Zuma (not her original name) on the couch in our kitchen after we'd had her a few weeks and Emma had bathed her and we had her dewormed, de-grossified, etc.  

She bounded into our home the first day as a gangly crazy happy lunatic puppy on long wobbly spider legs, skin over bones.  She was so pathetic looking, wild and enthusiastically out of control. 

She pranced in, parade pony style and immediately headed for the kitchen couch, the center of our home, where Doug and I love to cook and hang out together and with Emma when she's home.  

Wait Zu, you're supposed to eat in elevated bowls.  That's why we bought that kit for you.  (This is a few months later than previous pic).  Same couch.  Before she gnawed the arms off it one day.

Zuma instantly claimed that couch as her spot, even though our two cats Magyck and Ocho scowled and protested and gave her a kung fu chop whenever she walked past them.  Magyck would eat from her bowl when Zuma wasn't paying attention. 



He doesn't even like dog food, he's just a jerk cat sometimes.

When the cats were out and about doing whatever they do on the farm, Zuma would revel in the joy of occupying the old couch, watching me, lounging, spidery legs stretched out, unintentionally blocking the path through the kitchen.  As the months passed and she grew and grew, everybody would walk by her, nonchalantly lifting her limbs and softly apologizing to her.  She didn't mind, we all just carried on, it was normalcy in our crazy busy house. Awww, everyone was so understanding.

The day she arrived, Zuma quickly took over our home.  Not just because she rapidly became a ginormous creature, but mostly because she has a huge, expressive personality.

Magyck and Ocho  quickly relocated from "their" comfy couch, swearing at Zu in cat-cussing fashion.  They'd been running the house for years and vocally resented this big black zoned-out newcomer.  Zuma obliviously ignored them and their scathing swipes and looked sideways as she slowly crept onto the couch. The ten pound cats eventually decided, "we can all share the playground" and retreated to sleeping on top of the couch, over the 60 pound puppy's  head. Cat dominance.  They thought.

Emma took Zuma for a jaunt just after she came to us.  I was horrified for people to see her in public, she was ribby and her skin was awful.  Emma had done a great job cleaning her up but this was a very thin puppy.  Emma was proud of her, Zuma knew that Emma had given her a chance to see a better life and Zu goes CRAZY when she sees Emma.  

Zuma tries to be friends with the cats but they aren't into it.  They're cats.  Dogs have owners, it is said.  Cats have staff.  They all get along, as long as Zuma doesn't cross the kitty line, but the cats rule the house and honestly, Zu doesn't have a problem with it.  She just wants to get along.

I knew Zu would be a heart breaker.  She will be.  Aren't they all? This blog/book isn't about just Zuma.  It's about ALL the dogs we love and share our life with. What a wonderful journey they take us on, as all dogs do.  It's not just this trip, but our whole life journey together, where she is opening up a multitude of colorful doors and avenues we would never have experienced, if not for her.  I'm not claiming her to be the Best Dog In The World, but Zuma has an AURA about her that I've never experienced with any dog before. She exudes good energy and the people we meet totally get it. 

Positive energy is good. Looking at the distressed state our world is in, it's so nice to live full time with positive energy.  Zu is always at my side, at my feet, taking up the entire king-sized bed when Doug's away (don't tell Doug that).  Uh Oh.  I think he's caught on.

We've lived with a LOT of dogs.  I would have ten Great Danes if I had room (and enough couches) and had enough time to devote to them and make them feel as special to me as Zuma makes me feel. Great Danes are wonderful, graceful, kind and accepting dogs.  Zu is always open and trusting to new canines, even if they snarl and snap at her face.   She just forgives. And forgets.  How many people can you say that about?  

I couldn't take photos of her in those first few weeks she came into our life.  The thought of looking at the photos later, if she didn't pull through, was more than I could bear.  She was so thin, a flea infestation had caused her to lose hair on her undersides and hind end (the warm areas where fleas like to dwell).  Her skin was peeling, rotting off in layers from her paws and the undersides of her lower limbs, caused by laying in her own feces and urine in a crate that was too small; she couldn't stand up or turn around.  Then a Good Samaritan woman stepped in and saved Zuma and said to the owner ENOUGH.  It sure as hell was ENOUGH.

The caring woman took the puppy, stuck up posters and offered her to a good home.  We feel so grateful that our daughter Emma was alerted to the poster by the kind and caring receptionist Brenda at Yankee Clipper in Rockport, Maine, owned by our friend and outstanding groomer, Liz Czak.  

We feel truly blessed we were able to bring this puppy home to become one of our family .... a BIG part of our family!

Zuma came along at a very dark period in my life. 

People think I rescued her.  No.  Zuma rescued me.

Southern Caviar

July 12, 2016

On this morning's news there was a report that bonding over food makes people closer.  This scrumptious cheesy spread is sure to be a big hit at any gathering.  It is extremely popular here and most household fridges have a version of it. This will definitely glue you together with anyone you share it with.  

Pimento Cheese Spread Recipe.

3  10 oz bricks shredded Cheddar cheese
1  8 oz block cream cheese
1/2 cup mayo
Splash of Tabasco sauce
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
2  7 oz jars pimento peppers, chopped

Smoosh it all together in a blender.  Chill in fridge.  
No, not you, the cheese spread.  Don't chill in the fridge.  
That is so not recommended.

Serve spread at room temp with fresh crispy vegetables or crackers.

Mmmm.  Your friends will adore you.  
Print off some recipes 'cuz they'll all be asking for a copy.

Southern Cookin'!

July 10, 2016

Southern Food is Amazing!

I can't eat this all the time or I'll be a visible landmark from Google Earth.  Or require my own zip code.  HOWEVER, it is really yummy. Ya just have to have a nibble.

Here are a few recipes I have to share over the next few days. Yup, it's delicious and not for sissies.   I thought I'd spread the love and the calories and share some recipes with you.  This food is as regional as lobster rolls are to Maine, as traditional as Fish 'n' Chips are to England.  Bon Appetit!
  
Fried Chicken.

A Southern staple.  Every restaurant has a different take on it, I've only had one piece once (admire me for the self-restraint) in the past seven plus months (guilty pleasures) and I can't eat fried food anyway but it's delicious (pass the TUMS) and this recipe is oven-baked so therefore slightly more healthy.
Just don't chow down on fifteen pieces, LOL!

Ingredients:

1 whole (preferably not alive) chicken cut into four pieces
Chickens can be really feisty.  Make sure it's a dead chicken.
They tend to flap a lot in the pan.  
1/2 a quart buttermilk or a couple of cups will do
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. Kosher salt, same amount of freshly ground pepper
Vegetable (or corn oil if you're not watching your cholesterol).
If you don't give a damn about your blood pressure, just chuck in a few handfuls of lard.

Marinate the chicken in a large bowl with the buttermilk.  If you don't have buttermilk, don't race off to the store, just pour a tablespoon of white/cider vinegar over a cup of milk.  Strap some plastic wrap over the top of the bowl.  It's all good.  Don't get all wound up.  Let it marinade overnight.  Your friends will admire and adore you and ask for the recipe.  Put your feet up.

Okay, next day, haul yerself out of the chair and coat each piece of chicken with the flour salt pepper mixture.  Crank the stovetop to 360 degrees F and fry the chicken in an inch deep vat of oil in a cast iron skillet (or heavy bottomed pan, but cast skillets are the BEST).

Cook a few pieces at a time for 3 minutes until the skin is golden brown (it continues to cook in the oven).  Try not to let the pieces touch.  Then remove from the pan and separate them on a metal baking rack on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 30 - 40 minutes and serve hot.
DO NOT place yourself on the scale for a couple of days.   

PRAY FOR DALLAS

July 8, 2016.

Please keep the bereaved families in Dallas in your thoughts and prayers.  I'm SO not political, I'm SO not outspoken, but if I say anything today, I want to say that yesterday's actions were a horrific and senseless waste of lives, the lives of people who offer to stand up and protect us.  Please offer them a few moments of silence today. Yes, there have been many mistakes. We're all well aware. Let's all come together and make it STOP.  Color, race, gender, unite.  Stop the hatred.  

We all need to get along.

Land Yachts and RV Pets and People

July 8th, 2016

We've been on the road for just over seven months now.  We didn't plan on becoming part-time gypsy RV-ers.  It all happened so innocently one rainy Saturday mid-winter morning when we couldn't go to the beach on Tybee Island and were lazing around following a belly-filling breakfast at Clary's (diner) in Savannah. As we were stepping through the puddled parking lot, I suggested, "Let's go check out RVs", so we looked at two used models (meh) and then we found one we both immediately fell in love with.  It suited all our needs.  As Doug said, "They make it really easy to buy one". The next thing we knew we were filling out a mountain of paperwork and a multitude of forms and driving home in Blanca saying to ourselves, "What the heck have we done"?  We traded in Blanca, the VW van we loved so much, for a 25' more modern and spacious motor home.  Doug named her Hula Girl.

We'd met a couple at the dog park on Tybee who said they'd never had so much fun RV-ing for their first time; young retirees, they'd been on the road for a few weeks and didn't want to stop. So we found an RV Park that fit all our needs, dog-friendly and in a location that would allow us to go off in many directions and explore new places. During our stay at River's End RV Park on Tybee Island, GA, we developed many friendships and made wonderful memories.  Then we moved on to Western North Carolina where people like to go in the heat of Summer to enjoy the fresh mountain air and moderate temps and we've been having a blast here.  Super people.   In fact, we can't seem to leave.  We're able to travel from here with the car and we're seeing a lot of WNC and TN. Best of all, we meet the most fantastic people (and dogs .... and parrots (!)) every day. RVers are just the nicest people. They share their stories, their travels .... their pets .... and we all look out for each other.  These are wonderful, genuine people.

Oops, wait, that's not an RV-er, it's a Bernie cut-out Zuma met in Savannah.  She happily bounded over to this cut-out thinking it was a real person and was all about meeting this happy smiling man ....

Boy, was she surprised!
She slammed on the brakes when he didn't move and made 
a lot of onlookers laugh out loud!

In truth, right now, it's time to 'turn the tires' and move on BUT we've had a family of Carolina Wrens nesting under Hula Girl so it stalled our departure for a few weeks while we were waiting for them to fledge (see The Little Birds blog) and allowed us to do the same.  We didn't mind. We love it here too.  And they gratefully serenaded us in the mornings. 

We met some fun people in Ocean City and Carol from Lewes, Delaware calls RVs Land Yachts.  So true!  Thanks, Carol!  We've spent some time living on a sailboat, this is not a lot different!

As I have said before, the BEST part of traveling in an RV is meeting the most fantastic people.  We're all wanderers, travelers. We're not really looking for anything in particular, we don't have high expectations, we're just taking it all in, enjoying the moments, making memories.

So now we're here in Western North Carolina. The Park's population is always changing; the RV scenery and people keep life interesting.  Models of every era and description pull in and out for days or weeks at a time.  Some are funky older models, some are restored old-timers, some are reproductions of the older styles:





Others are brand new and roomy:

We've met people who said they tried traveling the continent in a small RV and fell in love with the traveling culture, the freedom of the changing scenery and fun fab people they meet so they opted for retirement, held a huge estate sale, sold their homes, grabbed a map, filled the tank and hit the road full-time.  Some people we've met have been touring the continent for ten, twenty or more years.

They've seen so much and been to many places, huge tourist attractions, small side trips, famous sightseeing spots, secret, beautiful destinations most people have never heard of.  They enjoy it all. It's an addictive lifestyle.  No regrets. And they still love it.  

We all have a few things in common:  Tripadvisor.com and BringFido.com.  These apps really help you know where to go.  Especially if you are traveling with a dog.  

Of all the people we've met, the ones who have slowed down or given up the gypsy lifestyle (mostly due to ties with grandchildren); confess they envy us for doing what they did ten years ago and wish they could do it all over again.  We are so thankful for this opportunity.  

To do this (which is totally against my "go forward at high speed" personality") is a real life changer.  Gear down.  Think tiny house. Your back yard and front yard is always evolving.  Ya gotta just let it happen. 

Some motor homes so huge they're equipped with everything but a helicopter landing pad.  These are real "homes on wheels".

They are well set up for luxury living.  These are full-time homes.

Others are tiny and it amazes me when 6 or 8 people pour out with a Newfoundland dog, a cat and a ferret.  We met a really fun couple here who have a pair of traveling (rescue) parrots with them!

This is Oscar Meyer, a beautiful Green African Parrot:

He likes to roll over on his back and have his belly scratched.  Oscar talks and sings opera.

They also have a sweet Conure traveling with them.

He likes to cozy up on his owner's shoulder:

There are campers and motor homes of all shapes and sizes here:

Last month, a group of 20 Airstream owners stopped by for a few days.  It was so nice to meet the people (who were having a blast) and to see the new and lovingly restored Airstreams:

There are organizations and groups that plan trips, make reservations at RV Parks for everybody and set up excursions for people.  We're learning of many groups who partake; they've invited us to join in for some RVV groups, but we're so new to this lifestyle .... we are just plodding along for a while .... and, we love Asheville and WNC so much we're not quite ready to leave yet! 

 This older Motor Home is called the Mother Ship!

Doug working (at the Helm of what I've dubbed the Starship Enterprise here) in Hula Girl:

And this is Donna.  For more about the Fabulous Donna, see the THE WNDRLND on Facebook and/or my blog about WNDRLND!

Last night I was going to go for a swim in the pool and had a quick nap beforehand.  This morning on our early walk, everyone in the park expressed how they were shocked and completely caught off guard when thunder clouds rolled in suddenly and we were deluged with a walloping rainstorm. Mountain thunderstorms are loud and powerful; it feels like like this Spam can is going to rock off it's blocks.  The booming thunderclaps woke me up and I raced outside, heart pounding, because my laptop was exposed to the elements on the picnic table. My super kindly neighbor had wrapped it in a garbage bag to protect it.  I almost burst into tears. How thoughtful.  I am truly thankful for the kindness. 

We like to "gussy it up" at night, fire up the grill, turn on the "patio lights":

We haven't decided when we'll go back to Maine ....

The gypsy lifestyle is really fun and, while we miss our fabulous friends and neighbors back home in Maine, we are loving the many gestures of friendship and kindness of RV-ers. 

In Maine, when we meet good people, 

Mainers call them "The Finest Kind".

Yup, got that right.

We are torn between going home and keepin' on going.

Despite all the hatred we've experienced in the world of late, 

we feel truly blessed with good people back in Maine 

and here, at our home away from home.

Finest Kind.

Summer Heat

July 7th, 2016

OMG.  It's really hot here and even the locals are shocked at the high temps (96 F yesterday and higher temps coming today and tomorrow .... it's really hot in Maine, too).  We're staying home with the AC on.  

In between the bursts of smothering heat we're getting mountain-style sudden bursts of un-forecast explosive thunderstorms that practically rock the RV off its blocks.  Thankfully, the pool is just a few hundred feet away, I can crawl to that for a quick cool off.  

Zuma doesn't want to venture out for walks; she is content to dwell in the comfort of the AC and only ventures outside to "do her business", then she merrily prances to retreat to the coolness and comfort of her comfy bed under the cold air.  With Danes having inherent heart issues, I am a freak about her getting overheated.  So far, so good.  We were going to head back to Maine last week, but that means heat and humidity for July and August and she spends those two months lounging on a king size bed in AC; here, we can walk every day, but this week is unusually HOT and HUMID.

A Day In Our Life ....

July 7, 2016

A Day In Our Life .... (man, we seem to pack a lot in!):

                  

Sigh .... Zu would have been such a wonderful Mother.

I could never be a breeder even though we think Great Danes are the sweetest dogs.  I would never want a puppy she produced to go through what she went through.

Today, We met a gorgeous Great Dane Puppy.

Blessed with a caring, calm owner:

Very talented musician, could have listened to him all day:

Fabulous band, two sixteen year old twins, 

eighteen year old brother.

Rocked the house.

Amazing.

Doug found this haven for book lovers:  

Battery Park Book Exchange, bring your dog, hang out, read, socialize, love it here.

A Sweet Staffordshire:

 Yummy Sushi:

Fab Coffee Food Truck downtown:

Beautiful dog:

Buskers doing their thing:

Biltmore from the top of the hill here:

Fabulous Great Dane Puppy we met at the dog grooming salon after Zuma had her nails trimmed by the caring staff.  

Thank you Soapy Dog!

It's all good.

We are so thankful.