Still More and the Days get Longer

Some times, we think we need to go back to Canada to rest up for next winters retreat! We had some fun after the Orange Beach Craft show – we agreed to meet up at Tacky Jack’s pub in Orange Beach for a bite and refreshments. I give all the driving instructions but alas, I was not correct on the exact location so after numerous phone calls and eventually stopping at a convenience store, we made it and none to soon! We got the last table for 8 against the rail, overlooking the bay. As usual, the food was good, the beer cold and the company great. We retired back to the Plantation and went to the clubhouse after dinner for a rousing game of Sequence. It was a full day but lots of fun.


Sunday was a bit slower than some, Barb joined a ‘Row Robin’ quilt project with 5 other ladies. They are to build a quilt row and mail it onto the next person on their list. Each person adds to the  row and mail it on to the next lady. In the end, each lady will have finished quilt that was built by each of them. So, Barb worked on that project most of the day and of course, we went to the ice cream social. You can tell we’re at a SKP park, look at the crowd just for ice cream!
Barb is very busy trying to get next years raffle quilt completed so it can go to be finished so when everyone returns this fall, it will be done. Barb and her team have been working evenings and off shopping and having fun together to get it completed. I have caught a cold but didn’t want to share it but unfortunately did! Sorry guys. While Barb was with her team, I managed to get some digging done on the garden path from the deck to the shed. This project has been dragging but coming to an end soon.


On Wednesday, Jim, Lydia, Barb & I went on a small road trip to walk the board walk at the Pitcher Plant Bog and the boardwalk at the Weeks Bay Preserve. The Pitcher Plants are just starting to bloom but we caught a chameleon in the lens too. While at the Preserve, we saw some beautiful blossoms, a Blue Tailed Skink and another Chameleon. The Azalea's were absolutely beautiful. Peaceful and serene, it is a nice place to visit and not far from the Plantation.






   


Jim felt sorry for me slugging away in the heat of the day and came over to help out with  my digging – thanks Jim, let’s have a beer to celebrate the digging done!
Saturday, the main event for some – the Fairhope Art and Craft Sale and Show. We went with Jim & Lydia but agreed to meet up with the others for lunch etc. Barb was not feeling well – yes she caught my cold but she persevered and we walked by each booth. Much of the arts and crafts were very beautiful – this is in the top 10 of craft shows in the USA. One of the main draws is the Southern Belle Court. These are 6 young ladies that have achieved all the grades and social responsibilities required. They are dressed in their gowns and available for pictures and conversation. Can you tell which one is my favorite Belle?


While sitting at lunch at Big Daddy’s, I mentioned that we could use some help on the shovels to finish the pathway. Barb & I went shopping before we went to the craft show and bought our patio stones and the gravel so I could finish the pathway so the yard looked nice when Barb had her team over for lunch. To our surprise, Jim, Lydia, Bill, Ann, Barry & Lorrie all showed up to help out. It was great, we got the job done before dark. I hope the pictures show how hard all worked and how much fun we had.


 
 

It is wonderful to have good friends that pitch in and help out. The activities are winding down here but still lots to do. We hope all is good where ever you are….

It’s a Sad Time of the Year

Most people greet you now with ‘when are you heading back north’, not are you going to the dinner or the next outing or activity at the clubhouse. Many are heading out to a special luncheon to celebrate a friendship from this winter season.

Spring is springing here – the Forsythia and Azalea bushes  are ablaze  with beautiful colour and our very own Wisteria bush is starting to bloom. It’s time for us to leave too, I had to cut the grass today! Just kidding, we’re not going anywhere. When we had a seasonal site back home, Barb used to cut the grass – what happened here?

Jim and Lydia are coming in today but the campground is full. We checked with the office for them and they will be subjected to the dry camp area for at least 2 nights. There are sites available in the village and one is right behind us. We’ll see what’s what when they get here. Listen to that buzzing, what in the world. Is it a bird, a plane, NO, it’s an ultra lite. A camper came in  with their ultra lites and were able to take off for a tour over the Plantation Sunday. The weather was perfect for them so they put on a little air show for us. See, anything can happen and usually does here at the Escapee Rainbow Plantation.

I am almost finished with my rocking chair and it is looking great. The caning is 90% done and the arms are getting there. It was difficult getting into the curvy areas but they are ready for stain. But it is ice cream social time again! Off to the club house, we gather up Jim & Lydia and head over to the social. What a crowd, the park is still full and everyone is going full speed ahead. Sunday usually marks a new week but being so busy, the days just meld together and it’s just another sunrise.

 

Monday was the last ladies luncheon and they had a terrific turnout – over 70 ladies attended. Bab’s, the organizer, doesn’t give them any info about where they are going for lunch and you know that creates some discussions. Anyway, they all met at the clubhouse, load up the cars and trucks and head off, following details set out by Bab’s. They arrived at Rock Creek Country Club, a private golf facility. All the stories indicate they had a great time and meal. The guys were left to their own undoing and of course no stories from them.

Tuesday was our crafters wine and cheese party – yes, another party.  Everyone was asked to show all or part of their projects that they have been working on this winter. Here is mine and Barb’s display as well as a couple other displays. Wow, everyone has had a busy winter. I think all the snowbirds here go back north for a well deserved rest!

 

Wednesday was the bi-monthly cooking class put on by Barbara Phillips, chef extraordinaire. It’s always good fun, good food, good company and a lunch. Barb put me in charge of the fix’n of the Bloody Caesars and Bloody Mary’s! Now that’s letting a kid loose on the candy store. Anyway, this class was on breakfast and brunch. Barb discusses everything about the recipes and what changes are necessary to improve the recipe as well as table setting and layout of a buffet. It’s always a fun time.  Wednesday is also our landscape the site day. We are putting a garden path in between the shed and the deck. We are using some of the pavers that we dug up from our site and then fill with gravel and lay some unique pavers for the foot path. We should be done this little project soon.

Barb is the team leader for their raffle quilt next year so they (Barb and 3 others – Ann, Barb, Marcia) – you probably have already noted that we have many, many Barb’s here at the plantation - are using all their spare time crafting, sewing, planning and shopping to finish the quilt this year so it can be at the quilt shop for the summer and completed for next winters raffle. She is also zipping around with her Row Robin quilters where they each sew a portion of each others quilt throughout the summer and mail it on to the next person for their add on. We’re also still hosting the digital camera group each Friday afternoon and this Friday Barb is demoing some of the simpler tasks of GIMP to improve and crop a digital photo. I go along as the comic relief.

Of course, the meals here at the Plantation never stop and with the campground being so busy, they are crowded. Tuesday was the annual weenie roast, complete with beans and slaw. Cook your own or pick ones that have already been cooked for you. Again, almost standing room only with 110+ participating. After, the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate was on hand for your favorite campfire dessert – I say hold the crackers and the marshmallows and just give me the chocolate! Some of us stayed back for much needed kick back around the fire to joke and laugh about stuff and of course you know we fixed all the world’s problems – that’s what we Canadians do.

We kinda have a small group of eight of us that are hang’in and hav’n a good time. Jim & Lydia fit right in with our shenanigans along with Barry & Lorrie and Bill & Ann. After Barb & Ann return from fabric shopping today, we all went down to Orange Beach to wander through the annual craft show and sale. After that, we might find a road house for a bite and a wobbly pop to end the day.

Wishing all is well where you are….

Back to Normal

We are back into the swing full time. It doesn’t take long for everyone to recover from the Mardis Gras party. Friday morning there was a quilt blitz at the clubhouse – men and women cutting and assembling quilts for a boys ranch near here. By the time the dust settled at the end of the day, the group made 15 quilted blankets. More than they need at the boys ranch so the remainder will be donated to the local Fire Department for kids. (Mouse over the pictures for the captions)

 

Barb & I hosted a digital camera session in the afternoon. Our plan was to moderate a discussion on the issues people have with their cameras so we can all learn a little something. We were over whelmed with the turn out – 37 people showed up and with their cameras that ranged from the small pocket style to the large many $$ sized ones. Everyone had an opportunity to have a say and from there we developed a plan for the next few weeks of learning. The evening brought us Denny Yeary from Branson to entertain us again. He was here earlier and stopped off to put on a show before he headed off to Arizona.

Barb is the team leader for the quilters raffle quilt for next year so she is busy with a small group of other quilters laying out, cutting and assembling the pieces. Their time in the clubhouse has to be fit into the other activities so Saturday afternoon was a good time slot without interfering with anything else going on. I stayed back at the rig trying to get our home movies updated.

Sunday is of course the ice cream social. Coach Dave – one of the regular campers here entertained us for 90 minutes after the social. He plays accordion and keyboards – at the same time!

I’ve started working on our rocking chair again and Barb is busy with the quilters. She is knitting herself a pair of socks and finished them on Tuesday evening. She put them on and danced around as if she was in her right mind exclaiming that she finally has a pair of socks that fit!

Wednesday, Barb & I and Barry & Lorrie took a  boat cruise along and through the creeks on the Fish River. It was unfortunate that we did not see very much wildlife except for pelicans – we always see pelicans. We did see a Sandhill Crane but he would not move into the clearing for a photo – you would think that wildlife would pose better. One of the campers here has a boat and charges a small fee for these boat tours with the proceeds coming back to the club for improvements in the clubhouse. That’s a very generous offer for him to do that. He was out fishing earlier and caught himself a flounder. He usually does catch and release but kept this in his fish well to show us. They are of the same family as Halibut and as ugly.

3 Years ago, we met Pat & Carolyn and Barry & Lorrie – our other Canadian RVers that have been good friends. Pat & Carolyn will be heading on down the road soon so we all went to Lulu’s for lunch and an opportunity to talk up without the activities of the clubhouse interfering! Lulu’s is right on the intercoastal waterway and we always get a table on the rail overlooking the water – you can understand why this is one our favorite eateries.

Friday brought about our camera session again with a few fewer – that’s like saying all ya’ll – anyway, we had fewer attendees but one of the guys volunteered to put on a small presentation on camera composition. We had some technical difficulties getting his Macbook to talk to the projector so we switched to plan B and proceeded with good success. I think we are all learning a little each time we get together. Late in the afternoon, we were under a tornado watch but it went west and north of us but folks back home were concerned and asked if we were ok.

The temps dropped quit a bit Saturday with lots of rain throughout the day but the next week is looking great. Hope all is good where ever you are.