Days after the Eviction-a lot of it involves food

Thursday February 13 & Friday February 14, 2014
Cow Pasture in Fort Ogden, Florida

 

 

THURSDAY

 

 

I come outside this morning to find a little spitting rain and a rainbow predicting a good day for us here in the Cow Pasture.   You have to look really closely for it in this picture.  It’s coming out from behind the tree.  By the time I get my camera, swore a few times at the door that won’t stay closed and get the picture, it had faded quite a bit.  But it was there and I have proof and I’m counting it as lucky!

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the day of the eviction reprieve and we get together to celebrate with breakfast.

The wonderful ladies at the “Solo Café” have prepared egg, sausage, pepper and onion burritos for us all.

They also have mimosas and bloody Mary’s to take the sting out of the memory of yesterday afternoon. It works.

 

 

Julie and Arlene seem pretty happy about the breakfast beverages.

 

 

The solo café is set up behind the rigs of the group of solo women RVers attending the Rally.   It’s a chilly morning here in Florida and the wind is whipping so it’s pretty cold sitting here for breakfast.

 

Then up drives our wind break.  What a great idea Jim!  Thanks a lot!

 

Chilly or not, everybody is enjoying this delicious breakfast.   Check out David’s empty plate.

 

 

There are a number of gluten free eaters here but at this point there are no vegans.  Hmmmmmmmmmmm

 

 

 

One of the Solos is Chris known as the gal who ran away from home. More on her story in a minute.

 

Gina is another of the solo cooks.  I’m pretty sure the whole thing is her idea since she says she just LOVES to feed people.  It is amazing, these 4 women feed the entire group, or whoever shows up every morning from donated food.  Gina is also my nominee for Boondocking Queen.  She has boondocked for a straight 155 days. This means free camping for over FIVE months in South Florida in the Winter. AMAZING   Next story I want to hear is hers.

 

 

 

 

I spend the later morning getting the story of Chris, the woman who ran away from home,  and it’s a good one.  She drove from Toledo Ohio down to Florida in the horrible weather the mid west and mid atlantic have been having.  She came to buy her dream RV for full timing and come to the boon docking rally.  She did this all pretty much on the spur of the moment.  Her husband apparently dropped the ball on a rig so this time she left him at home.  She made it to the RV only to find that the RV owner was not telling the entire truth about the rig.    It hadn’t been driven since 2007.  RV owners know what that means.  

So she said NOPE.  But now what?  How does she come to the rally?  She locates a 50% off deal for a 3 week RV rental and here she is with the solo cafe.  Gutsy lady who is now known as the woman who ran away from home.   Sure hope she finds that full timing RV she is looking for soon.  She is way ready to be on the road.

 

In the afternoon,  David is in and out.  Not sure what he is doing.   I sit outside in my anti gravity chair and read a sort of mystery book that I picked up at a book swap.  I don’t really like it because it’s mindless but that’s about all I’m fit for at the moment.   Although the sun is shining brightly, it is cool and breezy so I am pretty warmly dressed.  I really LOVE being outside in the sunshine even if it is cold.  Well 50 some degrees cold.

 

 

Today is potluck dinner day and boy is there way too much food.   I feel like all I did today was eat.  Definitely should have gotten out and gone running this morning.  I am losing my motivation.  With all this eating, that is not good.

 

David's got himself positioned at the head of the line but Linda is sending people up in groups so he doesn’t actually get to be first.  Nice job Linda!   And then there is Cowboy Bob who has a parrot, drives a Harley as his toad and is pretty close to as food crazy as David.  I’m sitting between the two of them.  I don’t have a chance.

 

 

 

Because of the wind, the potluck is held in the barn which has a wood stove.   Great location for a potluck down on the farm.  We’re out of the pasture and into the barn.

 

 

David is definitely a happy camper when his group is called.  Look at that plate.  We seem to be the only ones here with potluck plates.  Some folks refer to them as prison trays.   HA!

 

 

 

FRIDAY

 

 

The solo café is full up again this morning at 9am for pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, coffee cake and some “breakfast drinks” that I didn’t recognize.  They are red but they aren’t bloody Mary’s.  Vodka is involved I believe.  I am so the wrong person to ask about alcohol. 

But I know pancakes.  These pancakes are special VALENTINE’S DAY Pancakes with hearts in them.

Gina is making up the pancakes and Chris is putting on the hearts.

 

 

David shows that he has been a good boy and cleaned his entire plate like his mama always taught him to.

 

 

 

After breakfast a group of people follow Howard over to the potential co-op RV park site to take a look around.  It is only a little over a mile away, so David and I ride our bikes.  

The property has a long narrow entrance off the main road with the majority of the acreage in the back.  It fronts on the Peace River and is really lovely.  It has quite a few real pluses other than the river.  But it’s a big undertaking which they will not attempt if they can’t get this particular piece of property which seems pretty perfect for the idea.  I admire their willingness to take on such a big project and can see why they feel this property is perfect for it.  Time and investors will tell what happens. 

 

Of course everyone wants to see the extensive river frontage first.  So we go to what will most likely be the common area given that it already has a sort of small pavilion on it.

 

 

 

The Peace River is lovely in both directions.  Across the river from this property is an island which is a wet land so it cannot be developed. 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking the property, you can almost see where some very nice RV sites could be tucked in.

 

 

Yet another area of the river further down on the property.  No sites will be built on the river but some may have views of it.

 

 

The natural vegetation of the “real Florida” would be retained.

\

 

 

 

We have a wonderful time walking the land, enjoying the river and envisioning what it would look like as an environmentally based co-op RV park. Nice big lots widely separated, untouched wetlands and full hook ups.

 

 

 

It seems like we have hardly returned from the property until it is time to get over to the river for an afternoon of kayaking.  We need to get on the river by 1:00 so we can be back by 4:00 to get ready for the wild boar dinner at 5:30.    Whew are we busy!  And this is an “unstructured” rally.  But then you don’t have to do EVERYTHING unless they all sound great to you like they do to us.

 

 

 

 

It is almost a sea eagle regatta but Julie and Paul brought their 3 piece hard sided sit upon and David and I use our sit in hard sided kayaks rather than get out our sea eagle.  For us they are just easier to do and to maneuver in the water.  But we definitely are glad we have the sea eagle when other folks without boats come to visit and want to kayak with us. 

 

 

 

 

 

The sea eagle folks get theirs boats blown up and their gear assembled.

 

 

 

Once on the river we see Alligators in the water and at least parts of them visible on the bank.

 

 

That’s his nose and his eyes looking right at me.   Shortly after this shot, he sinks out of sight.

 

 

\

 

 

Howard and Linda finally get at least a bit of a chance to relax mid-rally.

 

 

These are all the sea eaglers including Jeanne who fell in love with Monte’s extra 330 and ended up taking it home with her.  Good deal for everyone.

 

 

We paddle by the property.  It looks great from the water.

 

 

Someone is watching David from above.

 

 

Looks like a possible houseboat might be available.  Or not…….

 

 

Little blue heron and cormorants are out today on the water too.

 

 

 

Shane and Jamie’s French Bulldog is on the alert cruising down the river.  What a canine life!
What a life for us all!!

 

 

 

Heading back we are working against the tide and the wind but it’s still not a difficult 2 miles.

 

 

 

 

Howard and Linda put it away until next time.

 

It sure is great to be able to go kayaking on a beautiful river in mid February.  My poor daughter Carrie is in Maryland where she has a foot and a half of snow.  Wish you were here sweetheart!

 

 

We get back in time to at least volunteer to help with the set up for the big Valentine’s Day Pig roast but it seems no help is required. It’s all taken care of.

The spread again is huge with all the side dishes brought by everyone.

Ed and Charlotte have outdone themselves with the wild boar and 2 smoked hams all of which have been cooking all day long. These folks have just been the most fantastic hosts I could even imagine.  How do Howard and Linda find these great people?

 

 

 

 

The balloons give away the strength of the wind and its direction.  In the early evening as the sun goes down and the wind picks up, things cool off quickly.   But that doesn’t affect the hungry campers lining up on both sides of the tables.

 

 

 

 

 

As we close up the dinner and get ready for the evening’s activities, the traditional fire AND a movie, the full moon is rising.

 

 

 

It is a fabulous orange moon almost like a harvest moon although it doesn’t look like it except in the close up photo I take.   Wonder why my camera can’t take what I see?  Or why the operator doesn’t know enough to take what she sees.

 

 

 

It’s the perfect way to round out our Valentine’s Day. Hope yours was as SWEET as ours.