Natchez Trace & Meriwether Lewis 10.06.2015

After a pretty sunrise and hearty breakfast we headed back towards Knoxville and then west on I40. We ate our lunch at the Tennessee Welcome Center on I40 and decided we were tired of freeways and trucks.

At Nashville we exited onto the Natchez Trace. Now a national parkway, it follows the trail used by riverboat men to walk back north after drifting south on the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers. With no trucks or towns the narrow two lane road is popular with bicyclists. The Tennessee Welcome Center has a good brochure about the Trace and interesting local side trips. Continue reading Natchez Trace & Meriwether Lewis 10.06.2015

We Try an RV Park 10.05.2015

After a sleepless night due to acorns pelting our camper roof, we got off to a slow start. The large burner on our Dometic stove wouldn’t stay lit and it slowed us down even further. Although we tested several theories we didn’t find the cause.

The wind and rain from Hurricane Joaquin did some damage here. We got to admire fields of ripe pumpkins when crossing the Blue Ridge while sitting in one way traffic due to washouts on the road. When we finally got to I77, downed power lines had stopped traffic there as well. There was heavy truck traffic on I81 but no apparent storm damage. Continue reading We Try an RV Park 10.05.2015

La Tortuga Gets A Mascot 10.04.2015

Our truck is named La Tortuga because it’s brown and carries it’s own house, but we did not have a turtle mascot until our friend Vera insisted we have one. She wanted to photograph a turtle with a large mushroom on the bank of Robinson Creek, so I made one from crumpled aluminum foil and painted it’s legs and tail. Off we went to the creek and the little La Tortuga had it’s first photo shoot. Continue reading La Tortuga Gets A Mascot 10.04.2015

Joaquin Changes Our Plans 10.03.2015

We planned to start this trip as we did last year by first going east to attend the Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival (MASCF) in St. Michaels, Maryland. We have participated in this event every year since 1986 so by now it feels like a big family reunion. Continue reading Joaquin Changes Our Plans 10.03.2015

2015 Fall Migration

Like the birds flying south in the fall, we tend to head west. Often flying to California to visit family or flying to Las Vegas with our camping gear for camping and hiking. In 2014 we drove our Toyota RAV4 to California and back staying with friends, family, camping, and many nights in motels. Continue reading 2015 Fall Migration

Yogurt Coconut Panna Cotta Three Ways

Sometimes a really rich dessert is needed to complement a special meal and other times lighter fare is more appealing. This panna cotta can be made with a range of coconut products to produce creamier or lighter results. The Greek yogurt adds a bit of tanginess to the finished dish. Continue reading Yogurt Coconut Panna Cotta Three Ways

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Magic Potatoes

For a special spring dinner, there is nothing better than tender juicy leg of lamb and wonderful Greek style roast potatoes. We buy leg of lamb at our local farmers market but any good quality lamb will do. Remember to defrost the leg in advance in the refrigerator. The cooking direcctions may seem long but they are straight forward and the results are well worth it. Continue reading Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Magic Potatoes

Jicama Salad

Jicama is reputed to be an excellent prebiotic and can be added to many types of salads or, if young and tender, peeled and eaten plain. I love to experiment with new salads and this one is perfect for the large, tough jicama sold where we live.  We ate it for dinner with slow baked burger patties. I used a food processor to grate the jicama and carrot and to thin slice the fresh pepper. Continue reading Jicama Salad

Four Wheel Campers Make Great House Guests

It’s really easy to be a great house guest when you bring your own house! We

Going driveway camping for Christmas on the Eastern Shore of Maryland
Going driveway camping for Christmas on the Eastern Shore of Maryland

started our big fall road trip with an overnight in close friends’ driveway and continued the tradition with friends and relatives throughout our trip. We planned to camp on Assateague National Seashore after Christmas but enjoyed visiting our Eastern Shore family too much to leave their driveway.

Continue reading Four Wheel Campers Make Great House Guests

Sesame Sauce For Mixed Vegetables

This easy sauce turns simple mixed vegetables into something special. Start by sauteing mixed vegetables in a small amount of olive oil. If you are really in a hurry, you can microwave the vegetables in a a covered dish. If you like hot and spicy food use the chipotle chile variation instead of the smoked paprika. Continue reading Sesame Sauce For Mixed Vegetables

Persimmon & Pomegranate Salad

Some years our two persimmon trees produce bushels of fruit and we search for creative ways to use it all. This salad uses the flat Fuyu type persimmons when they are still firm and was a beautiful addition to our Thanksgiving dinner. Try to find a large pomegranate that is firm but not dried out. We used one of the amazing pomegranates grown by Daniel Haren in Chico California. Continue reading Persimmon & Pomegranate Salad