Meatballs, Enchiladas, and Football: A Missouri Camping Trip

Tents at HipCamp Site

We went on our third camping trip of the year with this one in Missouri at a HipCamp called Hickory Forest TV Camp Site and we had a great time. We left on Thursday, September 26 and stayed through Sunday, September 29. We went with Erin and Greg. No dogs on this trip although dogs are allowed, but we planned to attend the Washburn game on Saturday, so we left our dogs at home.

We arrived late afternoon to our camp site. Unpacked our cars and got our tents set up. Then it was time to get the stovetop going so we could eat dinner. We would be cooking two meals while camping which would be Thursday and Friday nights. We planned to eat out Saturday night after the football game.

Meatball Sandwiches on Stovetop

Our plan for Thursday night meal was simple with meatball sandwiches. Carrie warmed the meatballs in the crockpot and then finished everything put together in the stovetop. Our site had power which is something new for us when camping, but it was nice to be able to warm the meat in the crockpot before assembling and putting cheese on the sandwiches. They were perfect and just what we needed for the first night.

Fire pit, Chairs, and Perfection

Following dinner, we spent the evening around the fire pit listening to baseball and music. Prior to our trip, Carrie had everyone provide 5 - 10 songs that were five minutes or longer and she created a playlist. Part of the listening of the playlist was to guess who of the four of us submitted the song. Usually when we camp, we do some type of game around songs and playlists so we have something new for us to listen to while we camp. 

View from Lookout Tower at Weston State Park

Saturday morning we all slept a little late before getting up and going for the day. I think we were all up and going by 9 am. We started the day with cereal and then relaxing around the camp site. A few of us read, relaxed in the hammock, or just sat and chilled. Eventually, we decided to venture out to check out some new sites in the area. We made it over to Weston State Park to check out camp sites although we were not impressed with what was available. We did have a picnic while we were there which was nice. We stopped by a store on the side of the road and picked up some cider, snacks, and other knick-knacks. 

Dutch Oven for Cooking

Friday night was layered enchiladas using the Dutch Oven. It took about thirty minutes to cook with goals on the bottom and top of the Dutch Oven. Worked great! The bottom the enchiladas got a little crunchy, but it was very good. As is usually the case, Carrie finds things to adjust the next time we do these when camping, but overall, everyone ate them up and we all had full bellies. 

Food is Ready

I realized that I did not get a picture of the food plated, but the picture to the right is the food ready to start dishing out. It looks a little soupy in the picture, but it was really good. Nice job, Carrie!

Saturday morning we started the day with Carrie making us pancakes on the stovetop. We were not sure if Erin and Greg would like them as they are made with yogurt, but everyone enjoyed the pancakes and we at all of the double recipe. Again, I did not get any pictures, but Carrie has used this recipe twice that we got from the cookbook of a couple we follow on YouTube that have been camping for a long time. The cookbook is titled Gourmet in the Forest by Kellie Oden. We have used a few of the recipes from the cookbook. The pancakes are one of my favorites.

Missouri Western State University

Part of the reason we picked the Hickory Forest TV Camp Site where we camped was because of the location to where Washburn was playing on Saturday, September 28. We were set to play Missouri Western State University at 2 pm. It was our first time at this stadium. We won the game 24 - 16. 

Selfie at Football Game in Missouri

We started the game on the visitors side, but it was so hot and no wind, we moved over the home side where there was shade and a nice breeze. The fourth quarter took a long time, but we won the game. Following the football game, we had already decided we would eat in St. Joseph at Boudreaux's Louisiana Seafood and Steaks. Carrie and I had been there years before Brenda and her family, but first time for Erin and Greg. Other than it taking a very long time to get our food, it was a good meal. 

Sunset at Camp Site

We enjoyed our time camping in Missouri. The Hickory Forest TV Camp Site was beautiful and well cared for by the owner that we spoke to a few different times during our stay. We would go back to stay there again. Good location and layout of the camp site. We were in heavy wooded areas and I got a lot of bug bites. We are not sure what was getting me, but bug spray did not help. I had bites all over my arms, legs, back, and even the palms of my hands as well as fingertips. Very odd!

I was hoping to get a few more times in camping this year, but it did not work out where we could do more than the three we did this year. We got started early in February with a trip to Texas for camping and then two other new spots for us to close out the camping season. We enjoy the slow lifestyle of camping where we read, enjoy nature, and maybe go on a hike. 

Until next time, have a great week and I will talk to you later.

Windy Nights, Stunning Sunsets: A Camping Trip to Wilson Lake

Lights at Camp Site

Carrie, Erin, Greg, and I made a trip to Wilson Lake to camp June 27 - 29. We had been wanting to go to Wilson Lake to camp for a few years and we were finally able to do so. We had our spot reserved June 27 - 30, but looking at the weather for Sunday, we decided we would head back a day early.

We arrived early evening on June 27. A windy evening but we were all able to set up our tents, fix dinner, and enjoy the evening. It turned out to be the only night that we cooked with us having reservations for dinner Friday night in Wilson town. We cooked fried potatoes and Kielbasa on the Firedisc. However, the high winds of 20-25 mph made cooking a challenge. We had the wind protector on the Firedisc, but it was too much wind for the fire to work. We also thought about doing a fire Thursday night, but again, the wind was too much and thought better of it. 

Beautiful Sunset at Camp Site

Our first night camping, we had amazing views of the sunset. We were slightly blocked by trees, but the orange glow was incredible and lit up the whole sky. Credit to Greg for the picture to the left. The sunset was not as vivid Friday night but still a pretty night. 

The campsites at Wilson Lake are a little closer together than what we are accustom to at other sites. Thursday night there were not many people camping although by Friday night just about every spot was filled.

Hiking on the Dakota Trail

Saturday morning we had a slow morning. Ate cereal and drank orange juice before heading out of the day. We decided we would drive around the lake and find a spot to walk a trail. We chose the Dakota Trail which was listed as .70 miles. We were .3 miles into the hike when I said it aloud and everyone was shocked to hear we were not farther along than .3 miles. The Dakota Trail was overgrown and mainly uphill. It about kicked all of our rears. We finally made it to the peak but then the walk down was through overgrown vegitation with large steps. We were thankful to make it out of the Dakota Trail without falling or getting bit by a snake.

Following the hike, we wanted to find a beach so we could do some swimming before having lunch. We found a nice spot with another couple nearby that were kayaking. We swam for a while before getting out to make some sandwiches, chips, watermelon, and I had a few beers before we went back into the water. 

We had made reservations at The Sample Room Tavern which is at the Midland Railroad Hotel. Our dinner was good with me having pot roast, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Greg had the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, Carrie had spaghetti and meatballs. Erin had a Cesar salad with chicken. All very good! We had heard they were slow and were expecting slowness, but our drinks and food came out quickly. We were pleased with the food, service, and the restaurant. Following dinner, we went out to The Barn for a drink before heading back to our campsite.

Lake Wilson and Our Camp Site

We had a great time at Lake Wilson from the tent camping, sitting around the fire, enjoying drinks, to the dinner at The Sample Room Tavern, we enjoyed every part of our trip to western Kansas. The picture to the left is from our hiking on the Dakota Trail looking across the lake to our camp site. We did find some other camp sites we might like to get in the future.

I enjoy the whole process from sitting around relaxing at our site to hiking on trails that kick our butts. The whole process is fun and we started talking about other camping trips we will make this year. We are looking at a trip in September although nothing scheduled at this time.

Until next time, enjoy your Sunday. Have a great week! I hope to bring more camping adventures to you soon.

Thinking of Future Camping for 2024 and Thinking Back to Past Camping Trips to When We Started in 2021

Camping in 2021

Carrie and I have been camping one time so far this year (see Big Bend Post) and it was great. We are wanting to go camping so bad many more times while it is nice this spring, summer, and fall. Right now, we have one spot reserved for the summer, but we are keeping our eyes open for other dates we can camp. The places we camp over the next few months will probably be located in Kansas. Our trip to Big Bend was our first camping trip outside the state of Kansas. Yes, we want to do more camping trips outside Kansas, but I am not sure those will happen this year.

One spot I am hoping we are able to fit in this year is Wilson State Park. I hear only good things from those that have been to this location about how beautiful it is with amazing views. Wilson State Park has been on our list to visit for a few years, but it has not worked out for us to get out there to this point. I am hoping this will be the year that we are able to make it out to this beautiful spot in Kansas.

Thinking back to when we started camping back in May 2021. Little did I know that it would become a passion for both Carrie and me. We love the whole experience of camping so much and cannot wait until our next camping trip. As I review past trips, I wondered where we were at with our count of locations and camping trips.

We have been multiple times to Eisenhower State Park which we love. There is a good chance we will be back to Eisenhower State Park at some point this summer. We have a favorite spot there and really enjoy the trails and location. Other locations in Kansas that we have been included (links are to blog posts) Crawford State Park, Lake Milford near Junction City, HipCamp on the Saline River by Hays, KS, Council Grove, and finally Big Bend National Park in Texas.

A rough guess on number of times we have been camping would be ten times. Hoping to increase our camping number throughout the next few months. In 2022 and 2023, we had busy spring, summer, and fall seasons, so camping was difficult to work in during those years, but hoping get some more dates scheduled for this year.

Camping Trip in June 2021

Finding sites to camp near lakes is the best as it is so beautiful and brings back memories of being a kid hanging out at Lone Star Lake or Clinton Lake. Plus, Carrie and I are getting into trails, so we want to keep that trend going from our Big Bend trip. We are planning to do some trails in Kansas City, or even around Topeka, that look interesting. Just to keep what we started in Texas going and might even play a role in where we pick to do our camping trips for this year. Still, I am sure we will end up at some of our usual spots but also hoping to visit some new locations this year.

Until next time, have a great week. I hope you are able to find your next camping spot or do what makes you happy.

Our Trip to Big Bend National Park February 24 - March 1 with Pictures of Hikes, Food, and Wildlife. Loved Our Trip!

Casa Grande

Carrie and I have been wanting to camp out-of-state for a few years at this point. All of our camping adventures have been in Kansas. A year ago, we planned to camp at Big Bend National Park and it did not work out for us to go last year. So, Carrie got us on the list to camp there this year. The spots fill up fast, so Carrie got on us on the list early. I am so happy that Carrie was able to get us on the list and reserve a spot for us months in advance. Carrie got us a spot in the Chisos Basin Campground. We are all set and looking forward to our trip.

Day 1

Walk-On's for Dinner

We left for our camping trip on Saturday, February 24. A good 14 hours trip with stops, we decided to break it up into two days of driving. We drove the first day to Midland, TX which was about 10 hours of driving. We stopped at Walk-On's in Midland, TX for dinner the first night before retiring to the hotel. We had been to one of these places a few other times, so we knew it was good. We sat at the bar and enjoyed drinks and a meal while we chatted about our first ten hours of the drive for our trip. I always enjoy trying new beers when we are out-of-state, so I had a few local brews from Texas.

Day 2

Hamlin, TX on Way to Big Bend

We slept a bit later than we had planned and got on a road should be to the campsite around 2:45. This would be a four or five hour drive to our home for the next four nights. The weather was absolutely beautiful as we made our way. The sun was shining and it was hot. As we got closer, the temperature kept going up at one point reaching up to ninety degrees. We knew that our campsite is in a lower location, so should be about ten to fifteen degrees cooler than the surrounding locations. We wanted to make sure we did not end up running out of gas as we approached as we had both read that it takes about an hour to get anywhere within the park. So, we did one last fuel up before heading to our site. 

Our Campsite in Chisos Basin

A winding road from the the mountains down into our campsite in the Chisos Basin Campground. After we had set up our site, Carrie snapped the picture to the left at one point when we were returning from being out for a day. We could clearly see our tent from above as it is the orange blob in the camp ground. 

It did not take long to get our tent set up and things ready for camping. We relaxed for a bit, enjoyed some drinks, and the scenery. The picture of the Casa Grande rock from the start of this update is a picture from our tent. Spectacular views all around from our camp site during the day and at night was even better. We had a few clear nights and I have some of those pictures later.

First Night Dinner

After relaxing for a bit and the sun going behind the mountains quickly, we decided it was time to cook dinner. We had ordered a Coleman 2-Burner Stove for this trip. We decided it would be easier to use rather than taking our Firedisc we have used on previous camping trips. For one, we can easily do coffee on the Coleman rather than our little single burner. It did work great and had some delicious coffee each morning. It also allowed us to do a little more with our cooking than what we would normally be able to do on a camp site. More on what else we cooked later.

Stars and Clouds First Night

I have to share pictures of the night sky. We debated on whether to take our telescope but in the end decided not to take it as we did not have room. I realized I forgot to take a picture of our car packed up. We did not use the roof rack for this trip as we did not want to worry about items on the roof or have to worry about them while spending the night at a hotel down there and back, so we left the telescope at home. We did have a few good nights of stargazing. The picture to the left is from our first night. The stars were out and we could see them down to the mountain tops for an hour or two after darkness. Gradually, the clouds moved in and covered up the stars, but I was able to capture the picture to the left prior to the cloud cover. The camera does not do it justice with how many stars could be seen when looking straight up or down to the horizon. Incredible!

Day 3

Santa Elena Canyon Trail

For those of you that know Carrie and me, we are not hikers but we like the idea of hiking. We want to do more hiking, so our plan while in Big Bend National Park was to do as many hikes as we could possibly do. For our first full day in the park, we woke up a little later than we had expected and noticed the campsite was very quiet. We would later learn that most everyone else got up around 5:30 - 6 to get out and do their hikes. This was going to be a warm day, but we planned to hike the Santa Elena Canyon Trail located on the Rio Grande River. 

Carrie on the Santa Elena Canyon Trail

We picked this trail as it was on a easier side at total round trip of 1.6 miles. Carrie had our backpacks full with plenty of water, snacks, and even a first aid kit. We made sure to take breaks to get plenty of water. Other than the heat, it was not a bad hike. The stairs were tricky but did not have any issues except for the heat.

We really enjoy walking on trails and how friendly other hikers are on the trails. Everyone says hello and sometimes stop and talk to them as they, or we, have information to share about the trail. We enjoyed that part of hiking to connect with others on the trail, but we also experience this at the campsite too. We spoke to many of our fellow campers sharing stories and even met some that were from Kansas right near our campsite.

Deer at our Campsite

Following our hike, we went back to our home for the week. We got back there and had some time to relax, read, and enjoy some drinks before we needed to start dinner. As we were relaxing, deer emerged and got rather close to us. They were not timid at all getting rather close to us. They were interested in finding water or grass to eat rather than anything we were doing. We were taking pictures and then as the deer roamed through the campground, others were coming out of their camps to take pictures or as people were walking by to trails, we could hear them comment and snapping pictures. It was so cool! I will note that we only saw deer and then Greater roadrunner were everywhere. There were exhibits every couple of miles on the roads in the park for the roadrunner although we never stopped at one to read what they said, we did see the little guys everywhere including at our campsite.

Thai Peanut Chicken with Rice Noodles

We made Thai Peanut Chicken with Rice Noodles this night. Turned out great! Perfect way to end the day with our first hike and ready to relax. Ate we were able to finish up dishes before it got dark so we could relax. We did find that we turned into the tent earlier than most of our camping trips but this was because no open wood fires are allowed. Most everyone turns in early and this also has to do with many of them getting up early to do hikes. This night we did stay out a little later before turning in for the night. 

We did have a fun routine each night that we had planned before we left as we knew that wood fires were not allowed and that we would be spending time in our tent. We had downloaded a few movies on to the laptop prior to leaving and we set up in our tent to watch movies at night. I usually had a beer or a wine bottle to finish off while we watched the movie. It was fun and cozy in our tent.

Day 4

Pancakes and Coffee

We got up early on day four of our trip and day three of camping. We used the Coleman grill to do coffee and pancakes. Oh man, the coffee is so good on in a percolator coffee pot on the stove. Carrie used a recipe a vlog we follow that uses yogurt and they were great! We plan to use the same recipe here at home as they were perfect with a nice consistency, crispy edges, and not too thick. 

Today would be another hike and one of our longer hikes for the trip. We wanted a large breakfast to give us energy to go on the The Window Trail which had the entrance right down the hill from our campsite. This trail is listed as 5.5 miles roundtrip but with the entrance right by us, that shaved off about a mile making it about 4.5 miles total round trip. We had a perfect day for this trip with a good cloud cover and a little cooler. The only thing we were concerned about is that this hike is downhill to "The Window" and then the whole way back is uphill. 

The Window Trail

Mountains all around as we did the walk. The above picture was early in the hike where I did a panoramic picture of where we were headed and where we had come..

Carrie at The Window

We took a few breaks on the way to The Window. This hike is over rock, stairs, climbing up and down ledges, but it was not bad. We again took many breaks and had snacks. As we made it to The Window, we took a break to eat a late lunch consisting of snacks and water. Again, I am not sure the picture to the left gives justice to the view, but it was amazing. Carrie climbed down to get a better look and then needed some help to get up from where she had slid down get close to the view. She would later say she did not need help, but another guy there insisted and pulled her up the rock. It gave us a good laugh and she said she could have gotten back up herself.

After taking a little break, we started the journey back to the trail head and to our camp. Again, the weather was good which helped as it was all uphill. We emptied two water bottles and started on our second set of water bottles. Again, we stopped a few times to talk to fellow hikers and a few that were from our campsite that we had spoken to the day before which was cool.

Currywurst for Dinner

After getting back to our camp site, we were exhausted. Our feet and legs hurt from the hike the day before and then this longer hike today. Relaxed for a bit before we started making dinner. Today the menu called for fried potatoes, Currywurst, and wine. Man that was so good! We made enough for seconds and I made sure to have a second large helping. What a good way to end the day and head into the evening hours. We took our meal to a nearby picnic bench that was not being used although close to our campsite to eat and enjoy the view. Wonderful!

Turned in for the evening to watch movies and relax in our tent. The next day we had big plans but the weather was not looking good with coldness in the forecast as well as rain. We went to bed decided we would see what is was like the next day.

Day 5

Stop in Terlingua for the Day

Day five of our trip and day four of camping we woke early to check the weather. Colder and rain throughout the day, we decided we would sleep in a little before heading out with our alternate plans. Instead of doing a few different hikes planned for the day with one taking us into Mexico, we decided to drive about an hour away to Terlingua for the day. We stopped at a place after arriving, doing some shopping, and had a drink before touring the area further. 

A little shopping and we headed over to check out the ghost town. Not much of a ghost town, but it was interesting. A little more spread out than what I was expecting, but I am glad we were able to drive through the town. It was raining when we drove through and we might have gotten more out of it if we were able to walk to explore the town. 

We had lunch at Chili Pepper Cafe which was really good. I had a Pork Green Chili which was delicious along with a few beers. We left and Carrie drove us back toward our camp site. We decided to do a few very short hikes on the way back to camp. We did one trip which was just a .5 mile hike and second one which was about the same. Still sprinkling in the area, we did not have much planned except for the trip to Terlingua.

Staying Warm in Tent

We got back to our camp site about 4 pm this day and it was much colder at our campsite. We ended up talking to a new camper that was near us who had just arrived that morning. He was a nice guy but wanted to share everything with us about his trip as he had been on the road for 125 days and working his way back home to California. We ended up talking to him for about an hour as it kept getting colder and colder. We retreated into our tent to warm up and we took naps as there was not much to do other than read and warm up.

The rain picked up and the wind gradually picked up through the night. We did not leave the tent. We had plans to cook dinner that night, but ended up sleeping in the tent where we could keep warm. I listened to a book on tape, read another book, and did some sleeping.

The wind picked up through the evening with gusts up to 40 - 50 mph. At one point the wind pulled one of our tie lines out of the ground as the wind caught our rainfly like a sale. We could not locate the hammer, so we ended up pulling a large rock over and holding down the corner with the large rock on the stake. It worked great! Through the night we could hear the rain and the tent shaking back-and-forth. We kept nice and warm, but it was the wind that was the concerning factor for us through the night. The next morning, those around us that were primarily in trailers talked to us and asked if we stayed warm. Yes, we were very warm and had to kick off covers as we were hot. We told them it was the wind we were worried about through then night.

Day 6

Selfie in Front of Campsite

Our final night camping was not bad. We stayed warm but we were both disappointed that we were not able to do the longer hikes we had planned for our last full day of camping. We had discussed possibly staying one more day (leaving Friday morning instead), but after the night of weather, we decided it was best to stick with our original plans and leave Thursday.

As we were breaking down our campsite, I realized I had not taken picture of our tent or our site. So, as we were breaking down our site, I took the panoramic picture below which is where our tent stood and our view when we crawled out each morning of our tent. The selfie picture to start the Day 6 section was early in our stay and you can see our tent in the background.

Campsite Post Tent Breakdown

We loaded up the car, said good-byes to a few fellow campers around that we had met and left our campsite. Again, we broke the drive back into two days. We had planned to stop by Wichita Falls, TX, but every hotel there was booked solid so we ended up in Duncan, OK for the night.

Day 7

Sleepy Oliver After Our Return

Last day was only for traveling. We had about five hours from Duncan, OK to Topeka, KS. We stayed in a Hampton Inn located in Duncan, OK, so we were able to have breakfast before getting on the road. The weather was nice although we could tell we were headed north as it was colder outside.We were both looking forward to getting home to see our little Oliver.

We got home about mid-afternoon. Oliver was happy to see us but also very sleepy. We spent the late afternoon and evening catching up on shows we had missed. Oliver spent his time sleeping in his bed but keeping an eye on us throughout the night.

Summary

We both want to return to Big Bend National Park. It was so pretty. We enjoyed the campsite and facilities of the campsite. Camp hosts were nice and accommodating to our needs and questions. All the guests were were friendly and as I mentioned, meeting people on the trails was fun to interact with them. We liked where we camped too, but might look at a different spot within the park for a future camping location.

To see all pictures from our trip, please visit Big Bend National Park Album on Flickr.

Thank you for reading and I hope to have a few more camping posts throughout the summer. We already have at least one spot reserved for the summer and plan to do a few others too. Until next time, enjoy the week and I hope you are able to get out to enjoy the world.

We Made Our First Trip to the Kansas City RV Show on Saturday to Look Around... Thinking About Future and Camping

Explore 2024 NB20.3

Carrie and I have been tent camping for a few years now. We really enjoy the experience of tent camping although having a travel trailer would help us to be able to camp earlier and later in the season. We do have long-term plans to get a travel trailer, so this weekend we made a trip to the Kansas City RV Show to look around. 

We had a fun time walking around looking at the different options from small dome options to full motorhomes. It is truly amazing how much can be fit into the various options. Still, we are pulled to the direction of a travel trailer because we can hitch it to our Pilot, get to most any location, and leave the trailer while we site see or go to hiking locations.

Explore 2024 NB20.3 Floorplan

The travel trailer that we reviewing is the Explore 2024 NB20.3. We are a few years out from doing anything about this new adventure, but it is fun to review and look at options. Some things we need to figure out include towing capacity of our Honda Pilot. I see it has a 5,000 lbs towing capacity, but the NB20.3 lists figures over the 5,000 lbs. Futher research is needed to understand if our Honda Pilot could haul this device not to mention also need to get a hitch for our Pilot.

It is exciting to review and think about getting a travel trailer. We are still a few years out before we do get one though. So, who knows, maybe at a future future Kansas City RV Show we will get a trailer once we have figured out hitch, storage, and exactly what we are wanting to buy.

As we look to camping for the spring, summer, and fall, we already have one spot reserved and talking about getting other dates selected for other camping adventures throughout the summer. We only went twice last year, so hoping to double, or triple, the amount of camping adventures this year. One day, we will have a travel trailer and be able to camp earlier and later into the season which will be a lot of fun.

Have a great week and if you are using a travel trailer, I would love to connect and discuss what you selected and why.

Labor Day Weekend, Football Games Have Started, Oliver Enjoying the Sun, and Trying to Find Another Camping Date

Although classes started a few weeks ago, Labor Day weekend always seem to signal the end of summer. We will see the temperatures continue to drop which is a welcome change from the 100 degree weather we have experienced over the summer. The weather really has not been that bad over the summer though with rather mild temperatures and only a couple of weeks where we broke 100 degrees. Still, as we look to summer coming to an end, football is starting from college teams to the NFL starting this next week.

I participated in two fantasy drafts the past two weeks for my two fantasy teams that I play each year. It is a good time and makes it fun to follow the games having players I need/want to play well so that my fantasy team does well. Sometimes this can be difficult if I have draft a player on a team I do not like, or follow, but I need to have the player do well so my team does well.

As the days continue to get shorter, football is starting, and it seems more events are packed into the weekends, I am wondering when Carrie and I will be able to go camping again. We have only been twice this year and I am hopeful we can fit in at least one more time to go camping before it gets cold. I know we do not want to go late in the season as we did last year going at the end of October and camping in 32 degree weather. While it was fun during the day, the nights were cold and I am not sure we would do it again with it that cold.

Going back to football, if you are looking to get involved with NFL games, I enjoy doing Pig Skin Pick'em which I have been doing for a few years now. Again, it makes it fun to follow the games and try to pick the winners each week. It is free and easy to participate. Go to the Pig Skin Pick'em site and the password to join is "haverty". Feel free to share with others and see if you can beat me in picking the winners each week. Make sure to go back each week to make your picks!

Join Pig Skin Pick'em with password of "haverty" to make NFL picks each week.

I am writing this on Sunday afternoon while watching the Royals play. I know tomorrow we will be grilling to enjoy the holiday. We went to the store on Saturday to pick up groceries for the week. We picked up chicken breasts to grill one night and then we also picked up Scallops to do on the grill along with some shrimp to do one night on the grill. I am excited to try Scallops although we are not sure if we are doing those Monday or not. We might do the chicken, but it will be a decision tomorrow, but I am researching recipes for doing Scallops on the Big Green Egg. I cannot wait!

As the warm days come to an end, I know one little dog who will miss being able to go outside and sit in the hot sun. The picture to the right was of Oliver in our back yard from a few weeks ago when the temperatures here in Topeka were above 100 degrees for a week straight. He loved it and would sit out in the yard directly in the sun. I would have to call him to get him to come inside and even then he really did not want to leave the sun to come inside. We are guessing that he is cold when he is in the house because of the air conditioning. So, he will be sad to see the days get colder and eventually snow on the ground and he will be shivering on our couch while we try to keep him warm. Poor guy!

I hope you have a great rest of your Labor Day weekend and a great week!

Various rambling on a Sunday afternoon while watching the Chiefs and thinking of what to share...

I sit here on a Sunday afternoon watching pre-season Chiefs football and wondering what happened to the summer. Seriously, it feels like I blinked and the summer is over. Students move in next week on campus, classes start soon, and before we know it the year will be over. The post today is going to be more of a rambling post on a Sunday afternoon, so bare with me as I jump around on various thoughts.

Carrie leaves for Houston this week for about a week. I will hold down the fort and probably do some grilling. I need to start planning what I will cook while she is away. You may recall that last year Carrie went out-of-town and I did some grilling while she was away (see post) and I plan to do the same this time too. Last year I did grilling every day while she was gone. She will be gone about a week this time, so I might only grill on the weekend when she is gone... I have not decided yet. You might also recall that the last time she went to Houston on her own, she came back with COVID and I got sick too with COVID. Hoping that does not happen this time as that was horrible!

As we look to the fall season, we are hoping to find some time to do more camping. Ideally, I would like to get at least two more camping trips in before it gets cold. Last year we went out to western Kansas and had a great time, but it was also really cold at the end of October. We have King Biscuit Blues Festival coming up the first part of October, so hoping to get a camping trip in September in and then maybe one more in October. Sad we have only camped twice this year.

We have Washburn football that will be starting up soon too. Tailgating and we are thinking of traveling to watch the Ichabods on the road for at least one game. Fun to have this starting up again and I am looking forward to spending afternoons out watching football at Washburn University. It is always a fun time out on the campus following the game and catching up with friends. I am hopeful to have large gatherings at our tailgate spot this year and we might even break out the Firedisc a time or two.

Changing topics a little, my reading of books has slowed some. I am still reading at least once a day although some days it has only been a page or two. I need to pick up the pace and reading through the day. Right now, I tend to read only when I go to bed which means I am tired and can barely make it through a page before I put down my Kindle and call it a day. I am almost done with a book I have been reading for a few weeks now. It has taken me longer to read this one for some reason, so I plan to go back to some of my book series after I finish this current book.

I continue to fly my drone some days but with the heat we have had the past few weeks, I have not done nearly as much as I was after I first bought my drone. I continue to learn how to fly and how to respond in situations such as when the wind picks up and carries it away from me. I have not take many pictures with it since I initially bought the drone as I am learning how to fly and do so safely. I am also not taking it up high above the trees and instead keeping it at eye level as I learn to fly. Yes, I did lose one drone and quickly purchased a replacement, so it is a learning experience.

As we look at the semester starting, football season starting, and the weather starts to cool, I starting thinking about leaf cleanup for the fall. Thinking ahead, I bought a pack of bags for leaf pickup. The past few years I have called to have someone come out and do our leaves. I am planning to do this myself this year and I have purchased ahead of time the needed bags so I can get an early start once our leaves begin to fall. Not yet fall, but I have noticed some trees are starting to lose their leaves.

Enough rambling for a Sunday afternoon. Look for some posts next weekend about my grilling. Hoping to do some fun things while Carrie is away and it is always a learning process when I grill. Until next time, have a great week and I will talk to you next week.

Fleet Foxes Concert, Camping, July 4, and then Oliver Had Teeth Pulled Update

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday week last week. Made for an interesting week with the 4th happening on Tuesday as it was a short week for me taking off Monday, holiday, and then working Wednesday through the week. For this update, I am combining a few different updates that have happened over the past week or so rather than posting multiple posts.

Fleet Foxes Concert

Carrie and I attended another concert on Saturday, July 1. We were in Kansas City at The Midland Theater to watch the Fleet Foxes. Carrie and I went in Saturday afternoon, had lunch at Ponak's Mexican Kitchen (which is outstanding), and then went to our hotel before the concert. We had reserved a room at the President Hotel Kansas City so we would be just a block or so from The Midland Theater. The plan worked out great! Enjoyed some drinks at the hotel bar and then walked to the concert.

The Fleet Foxes is a band I have heard over the years, but had not followed. Carrie has known about them for a while and when she saw that they were playing in Kansas City, we decided we had to go see them. 

Selfie at Fleet Foxes Concert

Standing room only for the concert, so we found a good spot a section or so up from the stage. It worked out perfect as we had a railing to lean against for the show which helped the old back. The last time we were at The Midland Theater was years ago for a James Taylor concert. At that time, the theater had chair seating toward the back, but all seating has been removed from the theater and standing only with a large bar at the back of the venue.

The whole show was great! We had so much fun at the concert. I cannot wait to see what concert we go to next. This was our third concert of the summer and it was a blast! Carrie said the next day that the Fleet Foxes concert we attended might be her best concert ever. The setting, the band, and sounds were all wonderful, so I can see why she would say it is her top concert.

Camping at Council Grove for Second Time

 

Following the concert, we had made quick plans the week prior to go camping. Only a two day camp trip as we were going to the concert Saturday and would not be back until Sunday, so after getting back from Kansas City, we loaded up the car, and then we headed back to Council Grove where we were just a few weeks prior.

We went camping with Greg and Erin where we went to the same exact spot we had camped previously. We love the spot and really enjoy the lake too. We rented a boat again on Monday spending a lot of time at the beach. It was wonderful! This will likely be our last camping trip until the fall when it starts cooling down. 

Bulgogi on Firedisc

Sunday night we had Pizza Hut again. They were out of a lot of ingredients with the holiday weekend, but it was still really good pizza. For Monday night dinner, Carrie made bulgogi, fried rice, and pot stickers on the Firedisc. After a day on the water, it was great to eat a delicious meal. We then spent the evening around the camp fire listening to music as we do when we camp. What good memories and we love it at that site!

Oliver Not Wanting to Leave

When we were packing up on Monday morning, Oliver did not want to leave the camp site. He stayed in our tent as we were packing and then out front of it when everything was cleared from it. I think Oliver likes to camp or maybe he was just protecting his "home" and not wanting to let anyone take it. We decided to get up early on Tuesday so we could pack before it got hot and so we could get back home a little earlier.

The plan worked out great as we were back in Topeka by 11 am or so. Carrie and I spent the late morning unpacking the car and putting things away. The afternoon we did not do a whole lot. Oliver, Carrie, and I all snoozed some of the afternoon. The fireworks started in the neighborhood, so Oliver took cover behind furniture while those were happening. As it would happen, after the fireworks finished, a large storm moved through with a lot of thunder, so through the wee hours of the night, Oliver once again did some hiding under furniture. I am sure he wondered what was happening with fireworks and then thunder. Was the world ending? Poor guy! 

Oliver Post Teeth Pulled

The rest of the week went smoothly with only three days of work. We did have Oliver scheduled for a vet appointment Friday morning, so I dropped him off at the vet at 7:30 am. This was to do a teeth cleaning and possibly pull some teeth. I got a call from the vet about 9:30 saying Oliver would need to have teeth pulled. This would be the second time he has had to have teeth pulled and this time they were pulling ten teeth. I asked the vet how many would remain after today and they told me he would have around 15 teeth remaining. The vet also told me that dogs will adapt and can be without any teeth. I gave the go ahead and he was done with the operation by late morning. We were able to pick him up at 3:45.

What a sad little puppy. He could barely stand after the anesthesia. Picking him up he felt like a bag of potatoes. Blood was coming from his mouth that we could see on the blanket he was laying on through the evening. He was not interested in eating or drinking that first night which matched with what the vet said would happen. He looked so pitiful it was tough to watch him not being his regular self.

Oliver on Camping Trip

Saturday he was doing a little better and he was actually interested in eating, so we had soft food for him. We noticed he could not find a spot where he was comfortable as he kept moving from spot to spot. He would lay down, sleep a little, and then get up and move to another spot after a few minutes. We also noted that his tail was dragging behind him as he walked, so we know he is not feeling well.

It is now Sunday morning and he continues to improve. Tail is still dragging behind him when he walks, but he is eating everything we give him for soft food. Really hungry or new food to him, I am not sure. I feel bad when I let him out and he comes back in without a treat. He looks at me as if something is wrong with me that I am not giving him a treat.

We need to talk to the specialist in Kansas City about his canines to see if those need to be removed. My guess is that they will say they need to be pulled, but then does that make sense to do so or what do we do next? Decisions to be made.

Oliver will continue to improve and be back to himself before long. Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful weekend!

Camping trip to Council Grove Lake June 14 - 17 adventure with pictures and descriptions. Come experience Council Grove camping with us.

Camp Site at Council Grove Lake

We were able to get our first camping trip of the season on June 14 - 17 at Council Grove Lake. The prior weekend we drove around looking at camp sites at various lakes, but decided on Council Grove camp site once we found this hidden gem right by the dam. No other camp sites nearby as it is at the end of the road and it was excellent!

We went camping with Erin and Greg for what I believe we discussed was our overall fourth time to camp altogether. We took Oliver with us on the camping trip and he had a great time. Greg and Erin took Charley for her first ever camping trip. I think she had a good time and also enjoyed some time in the water which I will share pictures of later in this post. Both dogs did well with only one instance where Oliver got aggressive as he thought Charley was going to take his bed. We kept the dogs up late each night we were camping around the campfire.

Sunset on Council Grove Lake

I took the picture to the left while walking Oliver on Thursday night. The reflection of the sun off of the water was impressive and the picture does display how brilliant the view was from the walk. I took Oliver on a number of walks although we let him wander around the camp site without being leashed. He enjoyed it and did a good job of sticking around the site as well as coming back when he would wander off to far.

Wednesday night we got to the camp site around 8 pm. I worked that Wednesday and then left for the camp site once I got home. We are about an hour from Council Grove Lake although we had our car packed and items on the roof, so we had to drive a little slower than normal with chairs and items on the roof. Greg and I had a golf draft to do at 8:30, so we quickly got our tent put up for Carrie and I. The ladies went to pick up Pizza Hut for us for dinner while Greg and I did our draft. It was some of the best Pizza Hut I have had in a long time. Cooked perfect, hot, and delicious. Worked out great as we had arrived at the camp site so late in the day and no time to cook anything ourselves. A perfect plan we had thought up leading up to our camping trip. We stayed up late around the fire Wednesday night and talking about our upcoming adventures. Fun first night!

Sleepy Oliver After Up Prior Night

Thursday morning Carrie and I slept a little late as Oliver did not sleep well Wednesday night. He was restless and running around the tent. Each time I was almost asleep, Oliver would get up and walk around the tent making noises. Finally, about 6 am Oliver finally found a spot to lay down and went to sleep. I am not sure what his issue was other than both Carrie and I usually do not sleep well the first night of camping so we are guessing that Oliver is the same and has problems sleeping the first night too.

Cornhole Tournament While Camping

After waking up, having a small breakfast, we relaxed around the camp site. I read a few chapters and dozed in my chair. Oliver of course slept from being up the night before. An enjoyable start to our first full day of camping. After a late lunch, we spent part of the afternoon playing Cornhole. We only played Cornhole the one day although we planned to play more we never got back to play. It was fun and took us to the early evening of playing before we started dinner.

Chicken Piccata on Firedisc

Thursday night for dinner, Carrie made chicken piccata for us on the Firedisc. It worked out great and it was delicious! First time making chicken piccata while camping. The chicken and green beans on the Firedisc were really good and then the pasta was one Carrie found that did not need to do boiling water, so we were able to warm those up on the Firedisc. Yum!

Finished Chicken Piccata for Dinner

We ended up eating around 8 Thursday night and then spent the evening around the fire listening to music, talking, and enjoying the outdoors.

Each time we go camping, we try to plan a theme for a music list so we can listen while we are camping. This time we decided to come up with ten songs from the year we graduated high school that were released the year of our graduation year plus the year both couples were married with each person selecting ten songs from the year married that were released during that year. Makes for a fun time and then we try to guess who selected what songs. If you are interested, here is the playlist Carrie put together with all the songs titled Camping at Council Grove: June 2023. 

Boating on Council Grove Lake

While we were hanging out Thursday afternoon, we wandered about renting a boat. Sure enough, Council Grove Lake rents out boats, so we got one reserved for Friday. We had a blast! We took the dogs which was the first time boating for both Oliver and Charley. We went over to the beach where the marina recommended would be a good spot so we could easily get in the water. The dogs loved it and we all had a good time floating, drinking adult beverages, and enjoying the dogs in the water. At one point, we went back to the marina where they were making frozen margaritas that we took back out on the water. They were delicious!

Oliver Floating on Life Jackets

Charley Relaxing on the Boat

Oliver Relaxing

Charley Swimming Like a Champ! (Video)

Floating on Life Jackets... Happy Dog!

Sun, Water, and Boating. Good Life!

Polska Kielbasa and Fried Tators

After a full afternoon of boating, we were starving. Carrie did fried potatoes and Polska Kielbasa on the Firedisc. We made a lot of potatoes and I think we put a huge dent in what was cooked. While we cooked, the dogs slept and watched us, but never got up to come over to see what we were doing. They were both exhausted from floating/swimming they had done during the afternoon.

Camp Site at Night

We all went around the campfire to relax for the evening. While Erin, Greg, and I were relaxing, Carrie snapped some pictures of our camp site capturing the lights. It is so perfect! The only issue we had our last night of camping were the gnats. They were everywhere and flying into our faces. We had not experienced this the other nights, so not sure if it was due to storms that were supposed to roll into the area the following day or not. We covered our drinks and enjoyed our time around the fire, drinking, and listening to music.

Nature Trail Hike Before Leaving

Carrie and I had planned to camp Saturday night too but weather was scheduled to move into the area, so we decided with Oliver, it would be best to leave Saturday when Greg and Erin were leaving. We packed up our tent and some items from the camp site before we drove to the nature trail. It was a 1.25 mile hike we did with the dogs and it was perfect. We all talked about how it would be great do to the hike early in the morning when the sun was rising although it was beautiful mid-day as we did the hike.

I am so happy we were able to get our first camping trip completed. We had a wonderful time and plan to go back to Council Grove Lake in the future. Our spot was perfect and we liked the beach area where we swam off of the boat too. We do not have a next camping date set, but I hope we get one set soon.