My favorite one-night stay so far is Seed Cupboard Nursery in Royal City, Washington. A Harvest Host selection (usually done by my daughters) was a perfect pick. The pictures will support how great this place was.
The host and owner, Lisa Villegas, and her husband, John, are the sweetest people. They asked us what they could do to make their already spectacular site better. They take pride in what they do and make others feel welcome. We felt at home, cozy and comfortable; what more does one need?
If you can’t support them by purchasing a plant, The Red Barn is full of treasures. Ask Mike; I bought some things to put in our RV. I couldn’t leave the sign behind that says, “Which Of My Thirty-Five PASSWORDS did I use Again?” Lisa is happy to support local businesses and has a variety of products to buy.
I would love to go back to Seed Cupboard Nursery and stay two nights!
“There is nothing so American as our national parks…. The fundamental idea behind the parks…is that the country belongs to the people,that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
Because we couldn’t get tickets to go into Glacier National Park, we got up early (sleepy time) to enter before the park opened. Thankfully, the kind people at Whispering Pines RV Resort told us you could enter before six and after five without a ticket. With coffee in hand (lots of coffee), we headed out to see the Glacier’s natural beauty. If you are in the area, don’t miss seeing this gorgeous site. My pictures and videos do not do justice to this beautiful landscape.
It’s time to play some catch-up with the journaling and pictures. We put the RV in storage for two weeks and traveled by plane to Ohio for a week to visit family and then to the Bahamas (first time) for a vacation with our two oldest grandsons. The trip was a gift to them for graduation—a trip we postponed because of Covid. Initially, we had a trip to Hawaii, but the postponement was so long, all the arrangements we made were no longer available.
Our grandson, Wyatt, graduated during the upswing of Covid; he was one of those seniors that had to cancel all his sports and graduation. Logan graduates this coming school year. Because of the delay in Wyatt’s gift, we combined the two. They are close in age, one eighteen, the other seventeen, and they like each other!
I feel our time with them is limited; college, girls, marriage, and babies will soon consume their lives. I’m glad we had the opportunity to share such a vacation with them. We swam with dolphins, spent a whole day at Atlantist (the water slides were for them, not for us), and enjoyed the beautiful healing waters of the Bahamas. To top off the vacation, we did a spa day. (Our favorite, and the boys too.)
Mike and I taught them how to play Bid Whist, Logan and I won both sets. Wyatt is competitive and didn’t like losing one bit. We ate some excellent food (too much), and I was amazed once again at how much food two growing boys can put away.
A heads up to anyone traveling by plane, the planes are full, the airports crowded. With most airlines working shorthanded, make sure you get there in plenty of time. We got to the airport two and half hours early to fly out of the Bahamas and almost missed out flight.
We love our grandsons, and this trip was special to us; I hope they will never forget it. Tucker, you’re next, buddy! Good thing we have time to save up!
MANY OF THESE DOLPHINS WERE RESCUES FROM HURRICANE KATRINA
Said Washington to Betsy Ross, “A flag our nation needs To lead our valiant soldiers on to high and noble deeds Now can you make one for us, to which she made reply, “I am not certain if I can; At least I’ll gladly try.”
Chorus: So she took some red for the blood they shed Some white for purity, Some stars so bright from the sky overhead Some blue for loyalty, And sewed them all together, For loyal hearts and true, And hand in hand as one we stand For the red, the white and the blue.
Said Betsy Ross to Washington, “Your country’s flag behold!” And through his tear-dimmed eyes he saw the stars and stripes unfold. Then to his breast he clasped it, and looked to heaven above. “Oh may it ever stand,” he cried, “For rights and truth and love.” Source: Jubilant: A Modern Sunday-School Hymnal #222 -Author C. Austin Miles
I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July. We spent it in Ohio with our family, Josh, Missy, Wyatt, Logan, and Tucker. The Mount Vernon Country Club put on quite a feast, and we enjoyed every bite! Thank you, Executive Chef Larry Fontaine, and the many workers who helped with the delicious food. I ended the day with a beautiful walk near the golf course and watched the sunset.
Last Thursday, at eight fifty-nine pm, we got rain. And, this is how you react when you haven’t seen rain in a while.
Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain the taste of your favorite food, or the sound of a loved one’s voice.
I fixed yesterday’s down day with ice cream. Sweet Peaks Ice Cream became the place for a special treat in 2010, lovingly started by Sam Dauenhauer and Marissa Keenan. Only fresh ingredients and dairy from Montana will do for their crafted ice creams and sorbets. It’s no wonder there was a line out the door last night. How fast can you eat your ice cream? It better be quick when the temperatures are almost a hundred degrees.
You can get this delicious treat in Whitefish (created there) Kalispell, Missoula, and Bozeman, Montana. They have one shop in Spokane, WA. Sweet Peaks classic flavors will tickle your tongue, but try some of their specialty flavors. Try Flathead Cherry Chocolat, S’Mores, Griz Tracks, Bear Food, Under the Big Sky, Huckleberry Lemon Pie (we loved this flavor), Strawberry Rhubarb (one of my favorites), and Oat Milk Honey Lavender.
In this heat, I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! The best part, watching the little ones trying to eat their ice cream fast, so it didn’t melt. I bet there’s a lot of mom and dad’s fixing ice cream cones in this weather.
MY SISTER, ANN, SENT THIS TO ME YESTERDAY, AND IT MADE ME LAUGH.
I’m not going to lie; I miss home today. A house without wheels a solid structure. This feeling has come on a few times. The first time was the worse. One night, I realized we didn’t have a house to go back to, making me cry. Selling our home and everything in it was a loss in some way.
I’m a worrier, possibly because of my background and what has happened in years past. I crave stability, roots that have a chance to grow. Traveling in an RV full-time is a huge step for me in the opposite direction of where my heart wants to be. But, if I never take those steps in life, I’ll never know what possibilities are out there.
We are still in Montana, and it’s a hundred degrees outside. What? We can’t seem to get away from the heat. Cooking inside would be crazy. We don’t have any trees for shade, so the air conditioners run nonstop until the sun goes down. We have double shades pulled down on all the windows to keep it as cool as possible. Sorry, it’s like living in a tin can. It stays light out until ten o’clock, and that messes with the mind. I don’t feel like it’s time for bed until after midnight.
Life is full of ups and downs; today is a down day, a love journey or not? I’d say today is a “not” day. Tomorrow will be different; bring on tomorrow!
Yesterday was a cloudy, rain off and on kind of day, one we enjoyed because, in the valley in Arizona, you rarely get those days. It was a baking day; I made Potato Salad, wheat English Muffin bread, and Coffee Cake.
Today, we did a morning hike before Mike got busy with meetings. We drove to Whitefish, MT, and hiked Mountain Lion Trail. It’s an easy hike with a nice view and not heavily traveled. After seeing a bear on the last hike, we prepared ourselves in case we encountered another. It sprinkled a little bit, but again, we didn’t mind; it felt good to feel the moisture in the air.
We saw an RV on the road to the campsite stuck in a ditch. That is not where you want to be. The gentleman driving pulled to the right to avoid rough spots in the road and didn’t realize a trench there. The grass was long, and in his defense, you couldn’t visually see it. We felt terrible for them; what a predicament. His wife was on the phone calling for a tow. We stopped and asked if we could do anything, and he told us what happened. We offered refuge in our RV if they needed it while waiting for the situation to get rectified.
We left Mountain Valley RV Resort on 6/18/2021 and headed to Idaho. The first night we spent at Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel in their RV park. Nothing to write home about, except~ I HOOKED UP THE RV AND DROVE FOR THE FIRST TIME!
Tip: Make sure you plan your trip months before your scheduled day of departure. Campers and RV’s have become a way of life for many; it’s not easy to get into RV parks. Harvest Host is an option for an overnight, but they too book up fast.
Harvest Host is one night at Wineries, Breweries, Farms, Golf courses, Museums & Attractions. There is a yearly fee, and the host asks you to support their business if you can. Play some golf, buy some eggs or fresh produce, etc. https://harvesthosts.com/
Our next stop was The Best Western in Butte, Montana. We couldn’t find a one-night stay anywhere, so we decided to spend one night in a hotel. I got off the freeway, or highway in NH, and had to move into traffic coming at me both ways; others making a left-hand turn messed with traffic flow. I waited for some time and, when the path was clear to the left of me, made a bold move into the middle of the road, hoping some nice person would let me in. And, a kind Montaner did just that, thank you whoever you are! Once I was in the left lane, I had to make an immediate left into the crowded hotel parking lot and park the beast. I did it! That had to be the most nerve-wracking part of the experience.
The next day we headed to Whispering Pines RV Park in Columbia Falls, Montana. We stay here for fourteen days. I have a whole internet system we ordered to figure out while we are here. My daughter, Nicole, helped me figure out all the items we needed. Where are you, Nicole? Could you set this up for us? I’ll figure it out; I’m usually up for a challenge.
THE BABY IS SO SMALL YOU CAN’T SEE IT IN THE TALL GRASS
So far, we’ve run into a black bear on a hike. (Well, Joscelyn and Mike did, I was already at our truck.) I saw a giant brown bear on the edge of the woods from the freeway in Montana, either running towards something or running away from something. All I know is he was moving! It’s the largest bear I’ve ever seen. In the field across from the RV were a Mama deer and her baby. The baby was so tiny you could hardly see it in the tall grass. Mama stayed by her baby at all times; it was a sweet moment.
MIKE SAYS, “PHEW, I’M GLAD HE’S GOING THE OTHER WAY.”
If you listen to the video of the bear, you’ll hear Mike say to Joscelyn, “Phew, I’m glad he he’s going the other way.” So am I.
LAVENDER ORANGE CHICKEN~FRESH HANDMADE PASTA~PANKO-CRUSTED FRESH ALASKAN HALIBUT (Mike dug into the OLSEN LAMB SHEPHERD PIE too quickly to add a picture)
A great restaurant is The Midway Mercantile in Midway, UT., established in 2017. Kudos to Chef and co-owner John Platt, co-owners, wife, Sandra, and Paul Pablo Butler. A job well done, from the food to the service to the decor.
The food was excellent, so good we went back a second time. The outside patio is dog-friendly, so Joscelyn’s chocolate lab, Boscoe, came with us both times. (He enjoyed a few bites under the table.)
BOSCOE
We had Coconut Bathed Fresh Mussels and Clams, Beet Muhammara Dip, Hearth Roasted Bacon Wrapped in Dates as appetizers, all delicious. For the main meal, Olsen Lamb Shepherd’s Pie (a favorite), Fresh Handmade Pasta, Panko-Crusted Fresh Alaskan Halibut, and Lavender Orange Chicken, all worthy of mention. We were too full for dessert, but I’m sure they too would be excellent.
Gary, a friend of ours from high school, suggested we go to Freshie’s in Park City for lobster rolls. Lobster rolls in Utah? That piqued my interest. Lorin Smaha, grew up in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Bingo! She serves fresh Maine lobster and has been in Park City since 2009. Whenever I travel, I’m all for getting a little taste of home. Mike and I got lobster rolls, and they were delicious. The lobster was sweet and not drowned with mayo or other spices. I highly recommend if you’re in Park City, stop by for lobstah, as we New Englanders say.
Let’s talk about homemade donuts! Judy’s Donuts and Coffee is also in Midway, UT. Each morning, homemade donuts creatively made from scratch will make you smile. The coffee is from Cafe Ibis and will excite the taste buds of any coffee drinker. Their Maple Bar was a 2020 Utah Taste Off Winner. I can see why, or should I say, I can taste why. Try the Bizmark Donuts and the Raspberry Dream, another Utah Taste Off Winner. I should have taken some pictures, but we dove right in before I could. Make sure you stop by Judy’s Donuts and Coffee if you’re in Midway.
A LOVE JOURNEY, OR NOT? 