The Canyon Lake Texas Connections

Friday night and burgers at the VFW.

Gary and Lou Nelson

                 


             Mike and Sharon Bryce

Bob and Cathy Jones

                   Terry and Lisa Linder

Hunkered

We are hunkered down and trying to stay warm. The little orange temperature square on the right side of my computer screen says 34 degrees. It might have helped a bit if we had gone further south sooner but not a lot. This polar vortex thingy has made its way clear to Mexico. We shut the water down last night for fear of freezing and will need to do the same tonight as the predicted low is 32 degrees.
Tuesday we went with Lou and Gary to Marble Falls. Our main goal was the pie at The famous Blue Bonnet Cafe. We had lunch and pie and it was good. I have been spoiled on pie however and considering Keri's and Marlene's pies the Blue Bonnet pies were a definite second.
We shopped at Burke's, a place that sells discounted items. Butch picked up a pair of jeans that will not need altered for length. That is unusual. We had a good time and enjoyed the visiting up and back as well.

Last night we had a many bean soup at Lou and Gary's place. It was delicious and the perfect night for it. Their other friends from Snow Mountain Ranch , Kathy and Bob were there too. They are on their way to Edinburg Texas, not too far from where we stay in the RGV.
I made the pumpkin pie pudding that I featured recently on the blog and it is worth the effort to make and will be one I make again and probably soon. It was still warm  and we all agreed that ice cream would have worked a bit better than whipped topping. Here is the recipe again in case you missed it the first time.
Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup biscuit/baking mix

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Whipped topping, optional

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pumpkin-pie-pudding#ixzz3HYeQl3sp

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until a thermometer reads 160°. Serve in bowls with whipped topping if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

And let's assume you do not have any Pumpkin Pie spice on hand. Let's assume that because I didn't and it is pricy in the store. I do have a recipe for it and here it is.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

3 T Cinnamon

2 tsp Ginger

2 tsp Nutmeg

1 ½ tsp Allspice

1 ½ tsp Ground Cloves

Store in airtight container.

Weekend shenanigans 2

Sunday afternoon we were invited to John and Jolene Oyer's home in New Braunfels, a short 15 minute journey from where we are staying. Jolene and I were schoolmates. Yes, she is a J.I.G. (Jefferson Iowa Girl) and another talented member of the class of '61! They are everywhere!
 We had a nice visit and they gave us a tour of the New Braunfels area. John and Jolene have lived in this area for 25 years.
Jolene is very active member of the New Braunfels Art League and many of her works are on display there along with dozens of other extremely talented artists. Jolene will be attending a workshop there today on fused glass. The two photos below are of a piece done by the instructor of the fused glass class.

 From the other side...

This is one of many of Jolene's pieces. She has recently switched from photo's to abstract. Artists everywhere will tell you their work goes in cycles.

John's birthday was yesterday so we helped him celebrate with a delicious homemade two layer cake.

It was a pleasant Sunday afternoon with Jolene and John.

Weekend Shenanigans 1

Saturday was a beautiful day so we decided to go to the dam for a walk. Mistake! We were unaware of a bicycle race connected with New Braunfels Wurstfest event. So the drive over was a nerve racking experience as there were numerous bicycles to maneuver among. Most were off the highway but there were many places where that was not possible. It was like Iowa's Ragbrai with traffic to boot. Well maybe not that bad but I greatly feared for their safety. And then when we arrived at the dam it was loaded with bicycles. So we modified our plan and went for a short walk away from the dam.

After the dam we decided to find a place for lunch. We spotted a full parking lot next to Granny D's restaurant and since we had plenty of time, decided to give it a go. It was a very pleasant experience. http://canyonlakerestaurants.com/granny-ds-restaurant.html As long as we have plenty of time to enjoy a dining experience we would go there again. They were very busy on a Saturday at 1:00 PM. The food was worth the wait.

Best Laid plans

Every now and then you make a plan and then it falls on its face! We delayed getting to the valley to avoid the heat. The jokes on us. A polar vortex is headed for the Rio Grande Valley and will in fact beat us down there. It is beginning to shape up to be a repeat of last year and starting even earlier. Who knew!
Next week we will have highs in the fifties here in the San Antonio area with highs in the low sixties in the Rio Grande Valley.  We would never in our wildest dreams think we would have two of those types of winters in a row. Of course we still hope this is just an oddball situation, a fluke ,or simply an extreme snafu.

Thursdays Dam Walk

After the 6 inches of rain gathered in the area, Canyon Lake has risen some.

The Dam outlet

 Can you spot the buzzards drying their wings?

 Can you spot the tree root that was cut off?

Very little soil is needed to grow plant life.

Close up of a dung beetle

Beautiful dam day. Yeah, I know...I just could not resist being a damn fool.

Best I can do

The rain has abated and in looking at the radar map we should be done with it for awhile. It is still a bit damp around the edges. The windshield is still holding droplets so it has a ways to go. I have hopes for getting a walk in today. I did get out of my pj's yesterday but only because I was cold.
 I have made a few more bracelets. I get a bit pushed from different fans of them to get them in a shop in Jefferson so if I have some stockpiled I may get that done next Spring. I am back up to speed on them and if I stick with it I can get one done in two days of free time. The current one I am working on is red and black as that happens to be Jefferson's school colors. I could call these the Fall of 14 Collection because all of these have been completed since October 1st. There was another one but it was a special order and I forgot to get a picture of it because I wanted to get it to her before we left and I did. It was similar to the one second from the top.

Rainy Day in Texas

Hmmm a rainy day in Texas...not the first we have ever experienced and perhaps not the last. They need rain in this area (San Antonio) so for the most part no one is unhappy about it. Except us. We on the other hand have "enjoyed" an abundance of rain. In the last year it seems wherever we have been it rained. Last winter in the Rio Grande Valley it was cold and it rained. All summer in Iowa it was on the cool side and it rained. They are saying it will clear up and be nice by the weekend. I hope that is true.
So now instead of it being a choice to stay indoors, read, watch movies, nap and eat it is pretty much a necessity. In years past Mr. Antsypants would have been fit to be tied but he has become a bit more restrained in his senior years. Me too for that matter. In years past the weather would affect my mood quite a bit but I have learned to let go of irritants that one can do nothing about. I have even become good at it.
It is enjoyable to have a different view from my window; different trees(live oak and ashe juniper), different squirrels(smaller), different people, different plants etc.
I think I may have witnessed a drug transaction. Too soon to say positively but it would not be the first I have seen. Spotted one once in a Whataburger in the RGV, more than one in Iowa from an unemployed neighbor that moved suddenly in the night and now one in our present location from an unemployed neighbor who does not seem to be actively seeking employment. That is always a red flag. As Dr. Phil says, " If you do not have a job, your job should become finding a job." Not seeking a job usually means you are not concerned about your next meal and most likely you have a source of income you choose not to discuss. Usually if you ask one of these well fed members of society what they do for a living they will give a well thought out but very wishy washy answer. Now that I have been alerted to a possible drug RV I will pay a bit more attention to the visitors at that location. Purely for my own entertainment. They are safe from my prying eyes.

No TV day

No TV day
We have declared a 'no TV ' day at our house. We have had a long haul of political ads and today is the culmination of them. At least we can hope. Do they really believe that the last person making their way to the polls to vote is going to be influenced at the last possible minute by a tv ad. Of course they do! They think we are all stupid judging by the ads they subject us to for months ahead of the election.
If you base your choice on the ads and emails you receive then they are right and
the millions they spend on them are worth every penny.

We went to check out our favorite grocery store. H.E.B. Not only is it our favorite store here in Texas it is our favorite store anywhere. Their prices are low, their choices are many, their store brand is often better than the name brand, their employees are helpful and friendly and their aisles are crowded. That last one is the only sour grape.

We are enjoying our down time. We had a busy summer and we know it will be busy when we reach the park so this is our mid term break so to speak. We are reading, watching movies, making bracelets. walking and pretty much doing whatever strikes our fancy. Life is good!

Sunday in the Park

Update on the dental issues. It is much better. Everything is nearly back to normal. 90% okay I would say. I had made an appointment with a semi-local dentist but will cancel it first thing in the morning and keep up with the oral hygiene plan currently being used. As an added note; when I received my dental implants 15 to 20 years ago I was told that the proper dental hygiene practice was imperative or I could lose my implant and even my lower jaw. Nothing like hearing that to keep a person on the straight and narrow. Dental care has been at the top of my list twice a day for all those years and will continue to be for the remainder of my life. Oh yes, when I heard from my dentist in Iowa he told me I was doing exactly what I should be doing. That was reassuring and as it has turned out, also correct.
Last nights park gathering was fun. I met some very nice people that I could become friends with if given the right time and enough time. There were some others too. Ones that are more interesting to watch than to listen to. (wink)
It was worth the time and effort to attend.
Today Butch and I went on a bit of an excursion. We both have missed getting enough exercise so we went to the Canyon lake dam and walked on the dam road. It is .8 mile from gate to gate so a total of 1.6 miles in all. Close enough to my usual Colleen walk to satisfy my need for exercise. The problem with the walking location is that it is about 8-10 miles from here. We do plan to make an exerted effort to get it done regardless.

Canyon Lake

The dam road-closes at sunset

The gate sentry's atop the poles.

After our walk we went to Starzville, a little town nearby and ate at the Startz restaurant. It is a landmark restaurant and also very much worth the time. Butch had the Country Breakfast-eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy. I had a Western Omelet. It came with a biscuit. The biscuits were  higher and flaky to a severe degree. If you stacked two ordinary biscuits on top of each other that is how tall one biscuit was.Wonderful biscuits! The entire meal was wonderful and we will go back again.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

I saw this recipe and it sounded good to me. Of course it did. Will I make it? Never in a hundred years. So why I spent the time to save it is beyond me. I assume there are others who do this same thing and do not know why. Surely I am not that unique. Enjoy
Barb

Pumpkin Pie Fudge

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• dash of ground cloves
• 1 (12-ounce) package butterscotch chips
• 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow creme
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with foil.
2. Butter the foil generously and set aside.
3. Bring sugars, butter, half-and-half, pumpkin, and spices to a boil over medium to medium-low heat in a heavy-bottomed 5 quart pot, stirring frequently.
4. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, to the soft ball stage using a candy thermometer.
5. Remove from heat and stir in butterscotch chips until fully melted. This takes several minutes.
6. Add the marshmallow creme and stir until blended.
7. Add the vanilla and nuts and stir until combined.
8. Pour into prepared dish and cool.
9. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

Todays Photos

This is the early morning view from my sitting place in the motorhome. The sun lands on the house at the top of the canyon ridge before it lands on us. A side note is this RV went out of the park today. The fellow was the disagreeable sort and most people were happy to see him go. We have been here a week and today when he was leaving was the first time I saw two dogs that were in this RV the entire time. These dogs never set foot outside this RV for a full week and my guess is that was true for a much longer period of time. Just knowing that was enough for me to be glad he is gone.

The church that our Canyon Lake friends are associated with have a Country Bazaar every November. These are some of the tables full of bargains.

 This tree outside the church gets some added support.

The Davis Family

Joe and Emily welcomed Jorgen Matthew Davis into their family this morning (November 1, 2014) Leo and Keri have another grandson!

Fallen Leaf

Taken on a rainy day before we left jefferson

Microcosm

We are in a tiny microcosm and it is very interesting. This park is mostly made up of people you would find in a small town neighborhood. But they cannot or choose not to own a house. Some are full time Rvers such as we were for 11 years and our lifestyle could still be considered if not full time at least half time. So some here are retired, some are unemployed at least to the naked eye. I am guessing some are disabled or trying to be. And we are told one is a college student. Since he never leaves the house he must be doing online classes.And some leave every morning to go to work and come home in the evening only to do it all over again the next day , same as we all did for years. They all live in tiny houses called Rv's.  All in all it is an interesting place to observe humanity. They all seem like nice people doing what they have to do to get along. The park owner is throwing a "do" tomorrow at 4:00 for all of us to get acquainted. I can see the smarts in this. When everyone knows their neighbor it creates a bond and yes, I believe this is a good thing. You are more likely to work out a problem, if you have one ,when you know your neighbor. Are we likely to become best buds with the majority in here? Probably not but it never hurts to say hello or even help someone out if you can. In the meantime it is like having a second TV and watching all the drama and the comedy unfold around you.
Another interesting side note to this place is that we are right beside a busy highway but you would never know it. The entrance is not easy to see right away and is easily missed. Trees obscure the fact this park is even here. So we are not an easy crime target. Also it is one of the darkest parks we have ever been in. Consider that it is in a canyon and we are out in the country at least theoretically and the only lights are from the RV's themselves and not everyone lights up their place. I think I only see two who do have some rope lights strung about and that is low key lighting. It is the only time I wish I had brought along our nightlight. Just as I wrote that I remembered we have some accent lights we never turn on. Wonder if we should?...So we turned on some accent lights we haven't used in the 10 years we have owned this rig. I think we may use them tonight. might as well!
Here are a couple of simple but beautiful shots I have taken recently.

A settling in and quiet time

Haven't done much the last couple of days. Laundry and other ordinary things is all. I have done a couple of bracelets come to think of it. That was fun. I have a third one started.

And then...

I am having a fight with myself in my mouth. This will most likely bore the daylights out of most of you. But this is the message I sent to my dentist just a bit ago and explains it all. Also keeps me from writing it all again: 2 months ago I became dehydrated and had a bad taste in my mouth and a blocked or sluggish salivary gland on the right side of my mouth. It became quite red and swollen and I was not able to wear my bottom plate for a few days. I started using Chlorhexadine right away and when that did not clear it up  I took a Z pak ( Azithromycin)and that took care of the bad taste but my mouth was still sore. Not severe but pesky. I was still able to wear my lowers and manage eating but still 1-2 on the pain scale. I attributed it to the sluggish salivary gland and still do but yesterday I had a "tooth" ache around the right implant and it was a 6 on the pain scale. I took my plate out and noticed puss around it. Scared the bejeebers out of me. I rinsed with Chlorhexadine and started another Z pak assuming there was infection in there somewhere. I got pain relief rather quickly. But... what do I do now?
I haven't heard from him yet but it hasn't been very long.

Butch played golf yesterday with Mike Bryce. I didn't think he played bad for being on a new course but he wasn't thrilled with it . He did say he had a good time. His attitude has matured in the last 10 years or so.;-)
Butch is going to do some interim washing on the motorhome. Get the bugs off the front and wash the car. And that reminds me of a great tip! Dryer softener sheets do a fantastic job of getting bug guts off the vehicle. Dampen the sheet and wipe away. Hardly any elbow grease needed.

So we are just chillin' in Texas and enjoying ourselves.

And now for dessert-Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup biscuit/baking mix

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Whipped topping, optional

Read more: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pumpkin-pie-pudding#ixzz3HYeQl3sp

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker coated with cooking spray.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or until a thermometer reads 160°. Serve in bowls with whipped topping if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Party at McGough's

We enjoyed an indoor picnic at Roxy and Larry's last night along with other Canyon Lake friends.

Lou Nelson headed for Roxy and Larry's front door. Roxy told me later that this bridge was not her idea for an entry but due to rock and other obstacles this was the solution. She has grown to like it. I thought it was cool.

Lou and Sharon visit in the kitchen. This group are people we met at Snow Mountain Ranch YMCA of the Rockies in the years we volunteered there. Some of them continue to volunteer there.

A view from the McGough's solarium. This house is built on what some might call a mountain. At the very least it could be described as a canyon ridge.

The lake can be seen in the distance in this shot.

Lisa and Sharon share a couch.

Sarita is from Bolivia. She worked in IT with Terry Linder while at Snow Mountain and became friends with the Linders. She has been here visiting with them since August and will be returning to Bolivia next month. We had some interesting conversations last night about her life in Bolivia. I asked her when the last war was in Bolivia and she was not  sure but after some thought decided it had to be for their independence in 1825. I looked it up and that is correct.

Someone else asked here what her schooling was like. They go to school either in the morning or afternoon but not both. They start classes in November and I do not remember how long the term was but they do have a break. Schooling is strict and they are required to be meticulous with their tablets and books. All boys are required to do 5 years of military training and girls are required to do one year. Since it was so long since Bolivia has had a war we asked why are they required to have military training. It is for readiness.

Her mother taught her to knit very young. She was a high energy girl and her mother wanted to keep her occupied because she was always bothering her about what she could do. Knitting kept her hands occupied and her mind focused.

The Linders have enjoyed having her here and hope she can come back soon.

Roxy and Larry have a pool table in their basement so the guys went down and played for a bit. I went down later and played a couple of games. I think Butch got the fever.

It was a fun night and the conversation was interesting.

Day 3 at Canyon Lake

We have paid for a month but may not stay that long. It was cheaper to go that way. This is a great place though. Only one small aggravation and that is poor phone service. This park isn't called Walnut CANYON RV Park for nothing. We have walls of rock on 3 sides of us. It isn't just Verizon that doesn't work well. It is all of them. It works well once we leave the park. Text messages come through okay. And we have good Internet. I say good and not great as there are times when it does not work either but it is free. Mostly times of heavy use by our neighbors.
Our friends Mike and Sharon Bryce invited us to a gathering at their home and once again I didn't get pictures. I did get two when I was experimenting with the night setting on my phone camera. And here they are:

 The Bryce's home is moderately sized but their rambling patio is quite large with 3 seating areas all facing the golf course. The night was warm and the company top notch.

Another gathering planned for tonight. Maybe I can get some people pics for a change!
I have heard from my walk and talk buddy Colleen and she is in Cincinnati with her daughter and son-in-law. She said she was getting ready to go for a walk in her communication. I haven't gotten in the groove yet. I did plan to walk around the park but was forewarned last night that there have been cougar sightings. The dam that holds the water for Canyon Lake is a good place to walk but we have to drive to get there. I still plan to put it on my todo list.
I will be walking with Sharon at Costco later this morning but that doesn't qualify.
Got chores to do so...more later!