We are without Internet

We are without Internet for the time being but we will be back on line next week. I just found this hot spot to let the family know that we will be back reporting as soon as we arrive at our next destination which does have Wifi.
Until then enjoy this cool weather and always stay safe...


Somewhere in  Time 

Made a discovery this morning

Sherri and I assumed our daily positions on the patio around 5:00 am this morning. The sun was no where in site but it would not be long before it would make it's appearance from behind the trees.
I made coffee in our outdoor kitchen...which by the way is so cool! I love being able to fix coffee and breakfast on the patio and not have to go in and out of the RV to get all I need.
We sat there in silence for some time and when the sun finally made his showing we both commented at the same time. "New day is here".
The breeze off of the lake was so cool and the sounds of the birds waking up drew me out of my chair and into the boat for some drift fishing off the point. 
The lake was smooth and my boat silently skimmed over the water to my favorite starting point for my drift to begin. I cut the trolling motor off and began my drift...which was slow this morning. I had bated up with my favorite catfish bate...shrimp...and felt the weight bounce along the bottom of the lake. It was not long and I had slipped the first catfish into the basket. 
I ended up the morning with 4 nice size cats. It did not take long to fillet them and I was back on the patio fixing breakfast. It does not get any better than this.
The rest of this day was spent keeping cool. We bought the kids some water guns so they could keep each other cooled off until we could take them back to the beach. 
While sitting on the patio waiting for everyone to get their swim suits on I looked over at my tires and noticed a round shinny object in the tread. Oh me it is a screw in the tire. On the way to the lake we had pulled off the road at a construction site and and I think at that time I must have picked up this screw! Not to worry I called Good Sam's and they sent out a man to change my tire. He was delayed some due to the fact that he had a blow out on the way to the park! It did not take him long to get it changed. He offered to take the tire to Jefferson...where his garage was located. I let him take it with plans on picking it up the next day when we went to town to pick up some things.
Thank heavens for road service. I did not have to break a sweat. It was not long we were at the lake back up to my chin in cool water...

Somewhere in Time  

Parks full for the weekend

Can't beat this view and the shade of the awning kept us cool

Sherri had a menu everyday 

I would ready the grill for whatever the menu called for

It was Friday morning when we noticed more activity going on over at the boat dock. One after another boats were being launched and people climbing aboard and heading out into the lake. By Saturday the park was teaming with RV's and folks coming and going. Boats with tubers and skiers behind them. Those wave runners, as they call them were everywhere churning up the water.
No way I was going to get my boat out on the water with all these wild folks running a muck out there. Sherri and I just sat out the weekend on the patio and watched everyone.
It is Tuesday now and we are back enjoying the park. We are among 4 campers that are in our loop and it is quite for the most part.
I will have to say being the 4th of July weekend it was not as crazy as one would think. Being a COE park with the Sheriff and the Rangers patrolling on a regular basis kept things in check.
Time is growing short for us here and we are making the most out of our stay.
I plan on being out on the lake as soon as the sun comes up and hope to hook me some more catfish for our fish fry...

Somewhere in Time
  

Days are warmer so we spend more time in the water

This morning the sun was painting colors all over the eastern sky. One beautiful color would slowly bleed into another more dazzling than the first! This is why we are up every morning to witness this gorgeous play of nature.
We were fortunate the first week here to have had cool temps most of the day. It is now feeling more like summer here. The plan is to head to the beach when it gets hot during the day. 
About 1:00 we packed up and drove down to the lake. I sat up the umbrella and the chairs on the beach and then Sherri and I followed the kids into the cool water. 
How nice is this? I sunk up to my chin in the water and the hot weather was gone. The water on this lake is so cool and refreshing. It is clear and clean looking...unlike so many lakes we have gone to. 
We spent close to 2 hours just enjoying the cool water. What a great escape from the hot weather. 
We left the beach and returned to the RV. By this time the shade had covered the trailer and the inside had cooled off. Actually it was almost too cool to go in. Being wet and walking into the cold RV made me shiver! 
We had a great day and now it is time to sit on the porch with a cold beverage...

Somewhere in Time  

Kris caught his share of fish

Another morning and Sherri and I are having our coffee. We have talked about going into Jefferson to buy some groceries but have not really made a plan to do so.

The days are getting a little warmer now that the rains have petered out. I so wanted the cool weather to continue but as they say all good things must come to an end.

It was later in the morning and Kris came out to eat some breakfast. He asked me if he could fish some and I told him that he had his own rod and he could fish anytime that he wanted to.

Soon he was on the bank and was catching fish. I still have to bait the hook for him. I don't want to spend the day at the doctors office having a hook removed from a finger!

He did well in the short time that he was fishing. He caught several brim. I don't think he will be the sportsman I am but he does get a kick out of catching these little fighters. He has learned how to throw out the bait and when to snag the fish. He can reel them in but Dad has to take them off the hook.

One thing about Kris he can tell some good stories about that one that got away...

Somewhere in Time 

My boat needs some arranging

My boat along with my nephews ready for a trip out

It is early this morning and I am already on the lake with bait in the water. Floating along watching the sun come up over the trees and waiting for that first strike.
In the distance I can see the RV and my sweet wife sitting on the patio. She is enjoying her coffee while keeping tabs on me. She is not as confident of my skills in an inflatable boat as I am. 
As I am watching her watching me I get the first strike and this one is the mother load! My rod bends over the side of the boat and starts twitching as the fish fights desperately to get off. What seems like a long time passes as I wrestle with the rod. Soon I see a flash of white just below the surface and I can see that this is a keeper! I fumble around in the boat trying to hold the rod...which by this time is making my wrist soar Grappling for the net to capture Mr. Fish before he gets off proves to be a challenge. Finally I feel the handle of the net just to my right and behind me. Now I have to work it up and around me and past the trolling motor then over the side and dip it it under my prize fish!
Got him and now the fun begins! This is an angry catfish. You know that catfish have sharp barbs on the sides and the top just to stick fishermen with. One other thing they can do is put a hole in a inflatable boat! Trying to keep that from happening and unhook this fellow without him sticking me was an undaunted task in itself. 
With my left hand I grabbed the fish just below the barbs and worked the hook from his lip. Now it gets harder from here. I have to hold this twisting wild fish with my left hand and locate my fish basket...which once again is behind me and to the left. Have you ever seen a fat man in a small boat trying to twist to the left...holding a pissed off catfish...while feeling around for a fish basket that he cannot see?
OK you have the picture. All turned out well and I did get the fish into the basket and put it over the side of the boat out of harms way.
This is when I came to the conclusion that I need to re-arrange my fishing gear so I can get to it in the chance I might hang another whopper!
Hang another whopper...no. I did catch some more fish and they were netted and put in the basket with much less problems than before. It was a great hour or so on the lake and then it was time to beach the boat and clean fish.
No I don't have any pictures of the fish and I know this sounds like a fisherman's tale but I do have a reliable witness.
Tomorrow is another day and more fishing is in the plan...

Somewhere in Time   

From swamp coolers to refrigerated air

Being so caught up in the beauty of this lake and the weather I have not taken many pictures. Normally I spend a lot of time snapping photos of everything I see but for some reason I have not had the camera near me. I guess I have been so taken with enjoying the great outdoors I have failed to share it with others. I shall try to do better from now on...but I can't promise that...LOL
The clouds from yesterday had cleared and we were experiencing hotter temps this morning. I guess the humidity was the big thing not so much the heat. I can't take humidity...this coming from a guy living in Texas? I guess being born in west Texas and moving to east Texas has an effect on you. In west Texas we had swamp coolers. Now if you have ever lived in a desert climate you know what a swamp cooler is. I think you would be surprised on how cold they can be! I remember at nights pulling more cover over me to keep warm when the cooler was running. We had a cooler that fit in the window of the car that worked off the same principle and it would cool the car off...well as long as you were moving...LOL.

 OK nuff about that.
Back to the humidity...I was wringing wet by noon and decided to take the kids swimming. They were all for it..DUH! We loaded up and drove the short distance down to the beach where I hurried up the chair and umbrella installation. I almost beat the kids down to the water and ran in waste deep and sat down! WOW was that nice! Humidity??? What humidity?
We spent several hours down there having fun floating around. I was nothing but a big wrinkle when I got out and loaded the kids up in the truck for the ride back to the camp site.
We had a great day...

Somewhere in Time

Wildlife abounds here

While sitting on the porch this morning we saw a raccoon scurrying down the bank of the lake searching for something to eat. The kids have been putting food out for the many birds that are here and they come right up to the patio to get their breakfast. It is so nice to see all these things around you while sipping your coffee.
Deer are also all over the park. We see many on the way to the swimming beach and Franki said she saw some polka dotted ones the other day.
We spent much of the early morning on the porch watching the sun come up and then I took a spin in the boat. I stayed out for about an hour and then came back into shore for some breakfast. This morning we had some pancakes and bacon.
We were taking the kids swimming today and once we were through with out breakfast we piled in the truck and headed out to the swimming beach.
The beach here is real nice but the sand has tiny gravel in it and it is a little ruff when you get some inside your water shoes.
We set up the chairs and the umbrella and sat back to watch the kids have a good time. It did not take long...me sitting in the sun...to head out into the water with them. It sure felt good to sink below the surface and cool down.
It was not very long after we arrived that some black clouds showed up and we had to leave. The wind picked up and we could hear some thunder in the distance. It was a short dip in the lake and we all had fun...

Somewhere in Time

A little rain is good for the soul

Up before the sun...coffee in hand I am enjoying the cool temps and the companionship of my best friend. Sherri and I sat silently waiting for the sun to peek over the pine trees on the opposite side of the lake.
The sky began to turn a pinkish orange mixed with some bellowing dark clouds that would soon cover up the sky. The wind was cool and refreshing as we sat back and watch the morning unfold before us.
It was not too long and we could here the sound of little raindrops tapping on the roof of the RV. I went inside and pushed the button for the awning to come out and rain began to hit it as it covered our porch.
"Now it does not get any better than this"... I told Sherri. How great is this that we can sit out here and enjoy the view while it is raining. There was no thunderstorm to speak of, just the cool rain coming down and dripping off of the awning. I could do this all day! And for the most part we did.
No boating today.
 We fixed some breakfast and ate outside on the picnic table. Now that is the best breakfast you can have. Outside with a cool rain and hot sausage and eggs. Toast and jelly to round it off and I was a happy camper!
We could not ask for better weather here in June! We have not had a day over 80 degrees so far. I know that this will end, however, and we will be heating up soon enough.
Until then we will enjoy this...

Somewhere in Time

Dollar General just down the street

Even though we are at the lake we are up at our usual time every morning. Five am seems early to many folks but it is the time we have been getting up as far back as I can remember.
This morning was no different. I was outside making coffee in the outdoor kitchen and Sherri was getting dressed. We met just as the coffee was ready to pour. Then it was time to watch for the sun to come up over the trees.
We don't waste one minute of the day other than the time we drink our coffee. That is far from a waste when you witness the beautiful sunrise. We have tried to see all of them as long as we have been free to do so.

I thank God every day that I was allowed to live long enough to retire. Everyday is a Saturday to me and time is for the most part irrelevant. We do have our appointments to keep but other than that we don't need clocks or watches to tell what time it is. When we wake up it must be 5:00...when we get hungry it must be 11:00 and when we get hungry later it must be 5:00 pm. This is the clock we live by now. 
Today will be a day that we run up to the Dollar General and get a few things. It is so nice to have one just outside the campground. We don't need that much but not having to drive a great distance to shop is a plus here.
After returning from the General we once again retreated to the patio and enjoyed the cool temps that we were having. It has rained here most every morning keeping the temperatures down in the 70's.
Tomorrow we take the kids to the swimming beach. Well that is if it is not raining here...

Somewhere in Time    

Enjoying the lake

Unlike many of the travelers out there Sherri and I don't do a lot of site seeing. We spend most of our time enjoying the scenery where ever we land on our journey. Eating out to us is fixing breakfast lunch or dinner out side on the patio. I don't have many pictures of touristy things around the area only pictures of us having fun around the RV. 
Now that I have a boat I have been spending a lot of time out on the lake exploring new coves here and there. Drifting along the shore line with a line out produces shocking strikes that result in nice size fish. 
Yes this is our adventure now days.
Kris loves to ride his bike and do his own exploring. We worry about him going off and try to keep a close eye on his travels but then that is what makes future explores. It would not be fair to real him in too close and let him miss the sites and adventures.
Lake of the Pines is one of the prettiest lakes we have visited over the years. There is so much of the lake to see that is not filled with homes and man made ugliness. Some lakes are surrounded with so many structures that you don't really fill like you ever left the city.  
Today started out with coffee. We just sat out on the patio and gazed across the lake as the sun came up. 
The sun was just about to pop up over the trees when I slipped my boat into the water. I had bought some shrimp and wanted to try it out. It was just a short time after I sent my bait over the side of the boat that I had a tremendous hit. The fight was on! I was using a light weight rod and real and was afraid to bring Mr Fish in too quickly. Soon I had him just inches off the surface and eased my net under him. WOW! Now that was fun! I had three or four more good fish and then it was time to come in. When the sun gets up high it gets hot out on the lake.
The rest of the day was spent sitting under the awning sipping cool beverage and telling the story of my catch that morning.
If the rest of our time here is like this I will be a happy camper...

Somewhere in Time