Pictures from Land Between the Lakes

All the fun at Land Between the Lakes

I must have been having too much fun at LBL to do a trip report and may not remember things in order, but here’s a try at hitting the highlights of all the fun.

Teddy and I arrived a day early, and in spite of the rain, the day turned bright and sunny when Teresa and Molly arrived.  It was so good to see them, a year between visits is way too long, and that goes for all the WAC’s.

Teresa and I were having a quiet dinner in Saffire when out the window I saw an Australian shepherd.  I was just about to say “there’s a Tucker dog” when I realized the Tucker dog was accompanied by our own Erlene!!!   Typical of her travel, she had been on the road for hours, arriving tired and hungry.  She joined us for dinner with her beautiful new Aussie Toby and went to an early bed.

The next day the fun really began!  Terri, Luanne, Dixie, Diane, Linda, Susan and Ellen all arrived.  Everyone’s arrival went smoothly save for Ellen and Buddy.  When she pulled to her site, she found a postage stamp sized pad with a tight, downhill approach.  There was no way she could get a camper into it.  (We later saw two Bubbas with their camper in the spot and their tow vehicle at least 45 degrees uphill, and they gave up)

After contacting the park office, she found the park was completely full, not a spot to be had anywhere.  So my spot was fairly large and they made an exception for the night and let us double up.  Ellen didn’t have a very restful night as she was a bit downhill and spent the night worrying about rolling on Buddy or the whole shebang rolling into the lake.

Happily, because she was persistent, the next day a nice spot was found for her.  She was a bit far but still an easy walk from the main group.

Later in the week BJ arrived from California via a slight detour to Prague!  Janis and Ginni also arrived midweek.  We were out for a walk one afternoon when a familiar truck approached.  You guessed it, just as we had been talking about her...there she was...Nancy!!!

In spite of the rain, we got a lot of activities in.  Diane, Teresa, Luanne and I took a nice bike ride on the paths through the park.  Another day,  BJ, Luanne, Teresa and I took a four mile hike through the woods, and that was just one of the many trails around the lake.  There was lots of dog walking and dog swimming going on.   Carly, Diane’s beautiful new baby lab looked like a dolphin playing in the water, Molly, Tucker and Jack were right there with her.  

Linda, who attended just five weeks after some major surgery, was a real trooper.  She couldn’t lift anything over ten pounds, so her by word was “next time” and we just kept saying , yeah, yeah, sure!!  We were all so glad she came and that we got a chance to know her better.  

BJ brought my pink kayak to LBL and rather than take it back to my garage it has found a new home with Linda.  She is going to be proficient by the next trip...did someone mention the river in Deliverance...do you hear banjo’s playing? 

One rainy day we headed off with Terri in the lead to a deep discount close out store in Paducah.   We left the store with Terri waxing poetic over her purchase of 160 lumens!

Huh?  What did you buy?  Why are you so happy?  Well for those of you not there those 160 lumens meant the brightest flashlight EVER and I think she got it for $17 or something like that.  It made her morning, afternoon and most especially her night as she illuminated the highest branches in the trees overhead.  So, no more flashlights for WAC’s, we carry lumens and our challenge now is to out brite Terri!

After the bargain shopping we stopped at a little local barbecue dive.  Food was OK, but that night I heard on the radio that a restaurant in Paducah was being charged for serving road kill!  Ick...was it ours?

When the sun came out and the waters calmed BJ, Luanne, Diane and I headed out for a paddle.  We were in a very large cove off of the main channel.  Kentucky Lake is a huge body of water, large coal barges go up and down, so you can imagine how rough the main channel could be.  We paddled all the way to the main channel, Luanne went the furthest before we turned around and had a beautiful paddle back.  

So, I know you’ve been waiting for a Nancy story as there always is one!  Luanne went in Nancy’s door, came back out, Nancy went in Nancy’s door, came back out, Nancy tried to go into Nancy’s door and the door was locked!  Not just the regular lock mind you but the dead bolt!  And it was locked from the inside!  And no one could begin to figure out how it happened.  

Nancy called AAA who came out, tore some weather stripping off her window, shook his head, got into his truck and drove away.  

Well I’ll give you two guesses who had a great time on a rainy day breaking into Nancy’s house!  Yep, Terri and Luanne.  You know that big truck Nancy drives?  The bed is full of tools including a drill with a variety of bits and those two were in hog heaven as they started banging and drilling and discussing and cussing!  The Dynamic Duo were successful and managed to not only get the dead bolt unlocked but did it without damaging the key lock!    Nancy rewarded us all that evening by telling the goat story which never fails to have us laughing with tears in our eyes.  

Thursday brought us into Patty’s 1880’s Settlement just down the road from the campground to play 18 holes of “Putter Golf” as Linda from Ohio calls it; “Put Put” as others chimed in and Miniature golf for the rest.  Janis had a hot putter, Teresa had the best form, but Linda kept score so guess who won?

I’m a lucky fall baby and was surprised with a wonderful birthday party.  I went off with Luanne to buy ice and came back to a campsite decorated with princess paper and shiny decorations, WAC’s wearing tiaras, party hats and pink bandanas.  I always wanted to be Dale Evans and my wish nearly came true as I received a pink cowgirl hat decorated with flashing Swarovski crystals and a six shooter in a pink holster.  On top of that I have cowgirl earrings and pink lumens that fit in my purse!!!  We made camp ice cream and had red velvet cake.  Double digit birthdays are pretty special and you made mine one I’ll never forget!

Finally on Friday we had our Washer’s tournament, the Paper Plate Classic.  Linda couldn’t play so she worked out brackets on her paper plate and we hot to throwing.  

Ginni got in and threw her first washers and we’re expecting great things from her in the future.  Ellen, after an initial protest of not being good at this kind of thing, plunked point after point into the box.  She was my partner and we came very close to taking the whole tournament, but the winners were Luanne and Diane.  Great fun as always.

We had dinner at Patty’s 1880 Friday night.  Their specialty was a 2” pork chop.  I don’t think any of us had the 2”, but the 1” was delicious and we all came home happy.  

Saturday found half of us leaving and a quiet day and evening for the WAC’s left in camp.  It was another wonderful fall gathering with lots of great new memories.  We missed the WAC’s who couldn’t attend and I’m already looking forward to seeing everyone at Hunting Island!!

LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES, FALL 2012

I’m sitting under Saffire’s awning looking out over Kentucky Lake, listening to a flock of geese honking as they head south.  The rain that has been my constant companion since we got on the road last Sunday is finally lessening, and by afternoon the sun’s bright rays should be peeking through.

Teresa and Molly arrive today, so the sun will shine one way or another!!

You may think I need to hire on a good navigator when I tell you that I left St. Louis and ended up at Kentucky Lake via northern Indiana!  Call me crazy but I took Teddy to a holistic vet in Battle Ground, IN.  He’s had an injury plaguing him for a couple of years that the vets in STL haven’t helped with.  We went north to see a vet who’s the friend of a friend.  I’m hoping it helps him, it’s kind of a last shot.

If anyone ever has a reason to visit Perdue University the Prophetstown State Park outside of Lafayette is very nice.  Full facilities, biking path and a turn of the century demonstration working farm.  Going to the farm was like visiting my grandparents and aunts and uncles.  When I arrived the farmer was in the field plowing with two sets of beautiful Belgian work horses, the difference would have been my grandfather’s mules.

And a good stop in Effingham, IL is Camp Lakewood.  Very clean and sits on a little lake.  If you can get an outer spot you’d think you were in a state campground rather than an overnight stop on the interstate.

The first signs of winter’s arrival greeted me in Indiana.  I saw some spectacular, brilliantly colored trees.  I guess they are nature’s distraction so that you ooh and aah over them and forget that they usher in damp, cold, dreary weather.  

Did you ever notice as you drove down the road that there are some semi’s with rectangular windows and an exterior visor over the window?  These seem to be the same semi’s with a row of lights across the front bumper and on the sides.  And a huge, shiny radiator.  I think they are evil looking!  Either in the mirror or coming down the road toward me I never fail to think of Stephen King and Christine!!!!!

So I’m at the Land Between the Lakes in the Hillman’s Ferry campground in site C58, one that I would take again.  Friends from all over the country arrive beginning today.  

I think BJ from Sacramento will win the prize for distance, but we’ll have VA, IL, MO, FL, GA, NC, TN, WI, OH, CO, CA ......I think that’s it....all here before the week is over.  

BELLINGRATH GARDENS

Yesterday Diane and I sailed off on the Ferry headed to Bellingrath Gardens. Unlike my last voyage, this one was a bit exciting with rollers crashing against the ferry sending spumes of water over the deck. Everyone who ventured out gave full meaning to the phrase "walked like a drunken sailor"!

Diane wanted a picture of one of the British Petroleum platforms which dot the route to Dauphin Island. She had her feet planted and was intent on being still when she took her picture. Some friend, I couldn't help laughing when she got caught by a wave and got a bit of a shower courtesy of Mobile Bay!

Bellingrath Gardens made me truly appreciate our botanical garden in St. Louis.

Bellingrath was lovely, but couldn't begin to hold a candle to a spot that's a regular outing for me at home. The azealas and camelias were blooming. The camelias a special treat as they need their own special house at home to be displayed. A normal St. Louis winter is too harsh for them.

The house was lovely with sixteen rooms and a sleeping porch, all wonderfully proportioned and overlooking the river. The very best part though was Barbara, our at least octogenarian docent who took us on the tour. She obviously loved the house and had lots of stories to tell as we walked through which brought it to life.

After Bellingrath Diane and I poked around Mobile for a bit, very quiet after the wild times there for the last month celebrating Mardi Gras. We took a look at the battleship Alabama in the harbor, but neither of us had a burning desire for a tour.

It was dark and windy when we arrived home!