The Beauty Of The Changing Seasons

I found them! These pictures had been copied from slides a few years ago, which diminishes the quality tremendously. You can actually see the scratches from the mishandled slides. Ooops.

Anyway, about 20 years ago I used to hang out and take camping vacations at a place called "Potato Creek State Park" in Indiana. It had an abundance of wildlife. I stalked this very young Red Tailed hawk in a field one day and managed to get very close as he was hunting his breakfast. Apparently he was too young to know I was supposed to be dangerous. LOL

I did get pictures of him with his prey in a tree, but won't post those. Kind of gross. But I got one of him resting after eating, the last picture.

Hawk1.jpg


Hawk2.jpg


Hawk3.jpg


Hawk4.jpg
 
How handsome he/she is! I saw a Red Tailed Hawk in the Redbud tree this morning. Mika alerted me and sure enough, there it was. I also saw a snake when I was watering this morning. It is probably the same snake we've had back there for a few years now. It is full grown. Next time I see it I'll try to get something to identify it, a scar or something.

I've been watching these people called Technomadia. They have a blog for living in an RV full time. The ups and downs, and realistic situations. We watched it last night and boy, it sure is nice to drive up to a water view and park it for a few weeks.
 
I think it would be great to own an RV and travel around parking here and there for extended periods. But I would have to know I have a home to go back to with space. LOL

I like my personal space and campers/RV's can start closing in on you in bad weather, especially if you are at all claustrophobic. ;-)
 
Great raptor pics, Canna! Because I like personal space I would never get a big RV. Face it, idyllic uncrowded spots to park those beasts are few and far between. Mostly RV's are crammed into unscenic pads like sardines in a can. I would definitely urge anyone who is considering it to rent one and try it out before dropping cash on a purchase.

I'm very happy with bare bones camping. I have some lock boxes in the back of my truck for gear. It is a pretty competent 4x4. I can go to incredibly beautiful camp spots where there isn't a sole around. On long road/camping trips I'll stay at a hotel every for or five days and do laundry, sleep in a real bed, eat in a restaurant, etc.

Sometimes I've had to stay in pay campgrounds. They crack me up. There I am with the little tent, a couple of folding chairs, and a small folding table surrounded by behemoth RVs. The RVers all huddle inside the home on wheels and watch TV... Just not my thing.

I know many people like that way of vacationing. I'll never go there, though.
 
One of these would be fun. Strap a couple of sea kayaks on the roof and spend time at secluded Baja beaches that you can only access with a stout vehicle. Anyone want to come along?

unimog-expedition-vehicle.jpg
 
I'm with PJ. And what we want to do is not vacation in an RV. It is a whole lifestyle, not a vacation. We love to travel by car. It is something we love doing. If we loved flying, we'd do that in retirement and just fly everywhere, but we have a parrot who can't just go on a plane that easily and where we go, she goes.

Our marriage is one where we actually love being together. We have trouble separating, not being together a lot. And, this is not a snap decision, nor will it be when it comes to making a final decision. We've been going to RV shows and reading and discussing it for over 20 years, since we met. It's been a dream for us both. We may do it for three or five years if we live that long and then settle in somewhere, and THEN use the RV for traveling and vacationing.

We want to use the travel time to help us decide where we want to eventually buy real estate property and either build a house, or find a great house already built. We've looked into everything from shipping container houses to geodesic dome living and everything between. It's all so interesting.

We have balance in our life. We love nature and doing things outside and we do a lot of that, but we also like to kick back and watch our television shows. We enjoy that. It's not like we're hypnotized at and by the television. We also turn it off very often during the day on weekends and read. Mark reads probably two books a week. Technical books, no less! He's a geek.

So, we are looking at things like bus conversions, Class A motorhomes, and Class C motorhomes. We would never buy new, ever and we plan to rent one sometime next year and go out to California. I want to go to The Gentle Barn a rescue sanctuary I donate to. I'd also like to show Mark Long Beach and then go up the coast to the PNW. I think we'll end up in Portland. That is where my heart keeps going. I have a lot of friends there.

Sorry for the blabity bla. We each have different things which make us happy. If we all liked doing it the same way, we'd constantly be bumping into one another, ad infinitum. This way, there is variety and we all find what way works best for us. We may never get in an RV. But I do like to brainstorm and keep all options in life wide open. We want to retire well. And we have zero debt, so chances are, we'll be fine. It's only a few more years and I can't hardly wait...one way or the other.
 
Great raptor pics, Canna! Because I like personal space I would never get a big RV. Face it, idyllic uncrowded spots to park those beasts are few and far between. Mostly RV's are crammed into unscenic pads like sardines in a can. I would definitely urge anyone who is considering it to rent one and try it out before dropping cash on a purchase.

I'm very happy with bare bones camping. I have some lock boxes in the back of my truck for gear. It is a pretty competent 4x4. I can go to incredibly beautiful camp spots where there isn't a sole around. On long road/camping trips I'll stay at a hotel every for or five days and do laundry, sleep in a real bed, eat in a restaurant, etc.

Sometimes I've had to stay in pay campgrounds. They crack me up. There I am with the little tent, a couple of folding chairs, and a small folding table surrounded by behemoth RVs. The RVers all huddle inside the home on wheels and watch TV... Just not my thing.

I know many people like that way of vacationing. I'll never go there, though.

You fit my style to a "T" Peejay. LOL I have used a jeep, a Tahoe and a Van in past years to camp in. And always with a pitched tent.
One year at that park in the "no amenities" campground area I got stuck for a whole week in the worst storm Indiana had in years. Kokomo got hit with a Tornado on the 2nd night. The rain pounded so hard and with the wind, the tent just imploded. I spent almost the full week in a lay back lawn chair in the Van. Nightmare. LOL

Matter of fact, I've a pic of the jeep and me many years ago with a mess of brook trout from the South Mountains area of NC. I'll see if I can find that.
 
I would love to exchange photos, but I'm too afraid. Where I live they are maniacs about pot. Oh, good news, there was a teenager who was selling pot brownies. When they arrested him and charged him with possession w/intent they weighed the whole thing. He was charged with having POUNDS of pot, instead of what the THC content was in them. Anyway, a lot of screaming and yelling and finally they tested the brownies and there was something like a gram of THC or something ridiculous. Hopefully, he will not spend too much time in prison, but he will probably get some prison time. It is very crazy here.

If anyone wants a photo of me, PM with your email addy. Then I'll just have to trust you.
 
ROFL, thanks PeeJay! The pic is mostly for the fish. :laugh:

GF, if we weren't legal here I would never post a pic old or current. LOL

Don't take chances.

The kid with the brownies, a teenager? Geez! What a way to waste your life in one short moment of stupidity.
 
I remain too concerned that I'll want a job in the future where they will search everywhere for incriminating evidence. Probably overly paranoid. This is about the most revealing photo of me I'd be willing to post here. Sorry for the snow in the Spring summer thread, Canna. Skiing the trees in a blizzard at Telluride.

P10001762.JPG


Oh Canna, the fish are nice, too.
 
Awesome action shot Peejay! And if anybody can identify you by that, they deserve an award.

I tried skiing once, I couldn't stay up on the danged things. I had kids passing me on the bunny hill! I slipped and slid my way down to the lodge and stayed there happily drinking and enjoying the fire while the rest of the gang enjoyed the slopes. :)

:laugh:
 
Back
Top Bottom