..so many roads.....& dreams...

July 4, 2007, 5:48 pm

Happy 4th of July...

Blogging from the road.....with more tales .... from the road.  What a whirlwind since I left Michigan!  From being around so many friends and family to... now....knowing no one is quite a contrast....which is one of the many reasons I love this life style.

From Kalamazoo, got through Chicago (won't write about that) into Wisconsin.  A new state for me and it is so much more than:::the beer, the cheese, and the Packers!




Baraboo...home of "The Ringling Brothers" now the Circus World Museum on a 51 acre site alongside the Baraboo River, displays thousands of artifacts, from circus wagons and clown costumes to sideshow posters.  I didn't go but Circus America is performed in summers under an old fashioned big top.  The Sauk County Historical Museum is filled with exhibits from native peoples' artifacts to Civil War momentos to old househould items.  The town of Baraboo is such a charmer, with an old fashioned business district built around a courthouse square.  It's picture-pretty and I run out of adjectives trying to describe it.  The state parks geology marks the southernmost advance of the last Ice Age.  The converging forces of glaciers, rivers and erosion have created one of the Midwest's most diverse earth science sites.

Wisconsin Dells....is the state's most popular visitor attraction.  I would have enjoyed it more if I'd had kids with me.,,,maybe!  I stayed at a KOA right in the middle of the "new DisneyWorld".  With the water world, rides, etc ... get the picture?!  One night was plenty!

The Apostle Islands...step aboard a boat with your car and your dog in Bayfield and you're off in a Ferry to Madeline Island on gigantic Lake Superior.


I stayed overnight on the island.  It was pretty busy but the ferry goes every half hour in the summer.  The island is a classic example of how people can restore a wilderness destroyed by their predecessors.  So close to shore, vulnerable, the islands were over-trapped, over-hunted, over-fished and over-logged.  Local conservationists, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore was created in 1970, and the healing process began.  Today we see recovery of everything from the forests to renewed populations of deer, bald eagles, and bears.  Lots of hiking trails, kayaking, primitive campsites and then.....there is the Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua (a large tent theatre).  I didn't get to see him but on July 3rd, BB King was there.  I have seen him several times and he's a site to see and hear. 

Minnesota... rain/thunder/lightning storms and tornado watches was what it was all about yesterday 7-3...Tuesday.  Had to pull over several times and wait but I wasn't alone.  Not drivable!  Arrived in...

Red Wing......now at Treasure Island Resort & Casino. Haven't been gambling but it's a great resort....$16 bucks/night with all amenities.  If Red Wing sounds familiar and you're thinking of sensible shoes - then you're in the right place.  Red Wing is not just ShoeTown, USA.  It's called Minnesota's most handsome town & I concur.  The downtown area is adorned with old-fashioned lamp posts hung with flower baskets, the grand Victorian and Tudor style mansions bask beneath ancient trees in the neighborhood.  The business district was built or remodeled during a nationwide "Beautiful City" movement near the turn of the last century and was inspired by a model city built for Chicago's 1893 Columbia Exposition.  Many parks, boutiques, antique shops, coffee houses. cafes, restaurants.....& on & on



Last night, here at the casino resort, we had an incredible show of fireworks.



Watched them from "Phoebe McGee" (my RV) with TaZzi freaking out...believing at any minute she would be blown up....Phoebe McGee was shaking!.  They were so close.  Tonight, being the 4th, have no idea what to expect.  Tomorrow to Lake City, home of the inventor of water skiing in 1922, then Wabasha, one of the state's oldest towns, dating from the 1830s...........all this along the beautiful Mississippi River...................& then to Amish country (Harmony) also called "Spam" Country....because of Hormel Foods????

then on to South Dakota and will have plenty to say about that.....I'm sure.

this blog is waaaay tooooooo loooooonnnnnggggg, so I will

S T O P!   Til next time.

Gypsy Mama can't get the smile off my face!

....ready to move on...itchy wheels ....

June 23, 2007, 11:16 am


hello from Michigan...

some of the best things come from the unexpected...unplanned.....as we have all learned.

I arrived in Michigan 1 month ago today with A/C problems.  Once the A/C was fixed decided to stay and see friends, relatives......& I've certainly done that. 

Visited a friend I've known since 4th grade and his wife.  They live on a lake...so we pontooned and just caught up.







My girlfriend from early 60's and her husband have a place in northern Michigan near Mackinac Island.  Was there for 5 days. Here we are at Spike's ... a great hamburger joint...just the girls for a few days.






Now am back at their home in Bloomfield Hills/Birmingham area for a few days before I blast off again &

......then.....back to my routine.

At the moment I'm planning to head west.....Wisconsin....Minnesota....South Dakota....then to Colorado.....arriving there around the 20th July.

Health is good.....TaZzi is getting so spoiled...

Hope you all are doing well.

gypsy mama/Patty

...me & Johnny....

February 28, 2007, 6:03 pm

I'm working on being as many places as Johnny Cash has been in his song..."I've Been Everywhere"! I'm loving it all. So far Palm Springs, Lake Havasu City, now Sedona....

Rving is more fun than I ever dreamed and "I've Only Just Begun".

The first week in May I will be at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Another dream about to come true. A couple of friends may join me there and perhaps my nephew. I originally named my RV - "Phoebe". She now has a full name. "Phoebe McGee" I'm writing a song called....you guessed it....Me and Phoebe McGee....wish I could sing it!

til next time....gypsy mama signing off

...from Memphis to Michigan...

June 11, 2007, 11:30 pm

From Memphis to Michigan.....

When last you heard from me, my A/C needed repair.  I'll shorten the tale as much as possible.  Couldn't get it repaired in Memphis, St. Louis, Nashville, Louisville.....so continued on to Michigan...lived there for years so know many people.  

The repair took 2 weeks.  Since my RV is my home, TaZzi and I needed a place to stay while it was in the shop.  We stayed in Ann Arbor with my (was-band) & his wonderful wife.  Arrived on May 23rd (my birthday).  Got to see my extended family.  Also have seen most of my many relatives in the area and many grade school and high school friends.  Have eaten enough for a life-time.

For the last 4 days I've been staying with my best friend since 9th grade.....I've known her for 51 years.  Her husband is the sheriff of Genesee County....they live in Flushing....near Flint.  Bob is running again for sheriff,  so we've been busy campaigning and doing lots of social stuff, meeting wonderful people, eating great food. 





Today we went to Frankenmuth.... "Michigan's Little Bavaria".  It's an enchanting little town founded by German-Lutheran missionaries.  The 4,900 residents take great pride in preserving the German heritage. 



Frankenmuth is famous for good food and Bronner's Christmas Wonderland (the building is the size of 5-1/2 football fields.)  Horsedrawn carriage rides and riverboat cruises are also available.  It is also the home to a number of music, art and folk festivals.

I'll be leaving Michigan around the 21st probably going through Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska, then Colorado for a couple weeks with friends at Taylor Lake.....then ..... who knows!!!

My plans for now....subject to change 

Still loving this life style....more and more all the time.

see ya down the road!!!!!!! 

gypsy mama ~ Patty

....life after New Orleans....

May 12, 2007, 11:40 pm


....a couple days rest .... post Jazz Fest .....  in Ocean Springs, Mississippi (east of Biloxi) was much needed and a quiet "retreat".  

Ocean Springs is a beautiful town on the Gulf Coast avoiding the tourist hotspots.  It is featured in the 100 Best Small Art Towns in America and I can attest to that.  I stayed at Martin Lake Resort.  The lake was beautiful.

Some think legalized gambling on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is a mixed blessing to the coast generating visitor $$$'s but  some thoughts are.....at the expense of.....  turning charming old towns into some tacky tourist lures.  I loved Biloxi and Gulfport, the regions 2 largest cities.  As an outsider, I was surprised at the devastation to the areas from Katrina but.....they are busy at work.....as is New Orleans.  The coast itself is absolutely beautiful....with its white sand beaches, tidal reefs and alligator swamps ....  My feelings were quite bifurcated as I drove along the 26-mile stretch of beach from Biloxi to Gulfport......looking at the exquisite beach areas.....and also seeing gas stations (former) with the "tall" Shell Gas Station signs high up with only a structure.......no building......the tall "Waffle House" sign with no waffle house......beautiful homes comparable to my area of 17 Mile Drive in Carmel....Monterey....,CA.....many, just shells....but they are busy at work. 

Mobile, Alabama was only about 50 miles from Biloxi, so I took a day trip.  The contrast between the beach town with a somewhat carnival atmosphere, the beautiful resorts, especially Dauphin Island, a bird refuge and very appealing



& Mobile (downtown) with ancient buildings shaded by the giant Spanish moss-draped oaks.  The flowers in beautiful bloom...guess they were azaleas, magnolias....spectacular!  Such history .... and I'm so fortunate to be finding out more about it than I ever learned in history classes in school.   Mobile (as New Orleans) has served under so many flags....France, England, Spain .... and the Confederacy....such a roller coaster history.

and then.......................more history......for this student of travel.......

As I headed for Monroe, LA, I went north through Jackson   ....  also with so much history.  I remember hearing of Vicksburg but didn't know why....other than Civil War stuff.  There was no way I could pass through this historical town without exploring.  I had time to do one tour but will go back for more.  I was in awe of the Mississippi River, the bridge, the rolling hills, the historical landmarks, the beautiful churches, the unique shops, restaurants, CatFish Row Art Park, Casinos, and most of all the incredible 1830-1870 Period Homes.

I also discovered how significantly African Americans have, and are now, contributing to the City's infrastructure:  its neighborhoods, schools, churches, governmental facilities and social organizations.  I haven't heard the media discuss that.....or am I missing something!??  I love this town and even the dockside gaming industry seems quite apart from the town and, to me, there is nothing tacky about it.

I have now arrived at Shiloh RV & Travel Resort in Monroe.  I am not surprised at how well-managed it is.  You can see Anne's footprints all over the park......from the humor of the brochure to the picnic table set-up outside my door.   I'm right by the lake and it's beautiful.  If I can't find out where the Blue's Festival is tomorrow, I think I'll go fishing. 

Laissez les bon temps rouler.......

(Let the good times roll)   

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

May 12, 2007, 9:58 pm


notes from the Big Easy,,,,In humid high 80* weather I went to 2 days (Saturday & Sunday) of Jazz Fest...I wasn't disappointed.  Among the artists.....Harry Connick, Jr., Allen Toussant,  Branford Marsales, John Mayer, Allman Brothers, John Legend, Stephen Marley, Steely Dan, New Edition, Taj Mahal and tons of Zydeco, Cajun, Funk, Soul and oh so much glorious food ..... shrimp ... crabcakes ... crawfish ... cat fish ...


On the Sunday line-up was a "living" tribute to:  Alvin Batiste, a legend Jazz artist (clarinetist) born in New Orleans.

On Sunday morning early (just hours before his appearance) he died of a heart attack in his sleep.  The tribute went on with added musicians and his 3 children were a part of it.  In N. O. death is a celebration....as you know...not a sad time.  Scheduled for the "living" tribute were Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr., & Bob French (N.O. drummer).  It was outrageous!  So glad I was there.....

..

The most frustrating part of the fest was picking the stage...........some artists I wanted to see were appearing simultaneously with each other.  Since it was so crowded and I couldn't sit anyway....I just stage hopped ..... catching a bit of some of what I wanted to see/hear.

On Sunday morning before I left, I met a couple from London, Liz & Peter, in the hospitality room of the RV Park/Motel.  We "got on" as the Brits would say, so we decided to share a cab to the fest.  They didn't even know about the fest, but they thought "why be here and not go?"  They were great fun and we shared lots of conversations/observations about politics, culture, and New Orleans (post Katrina).  We hung out all of Sunday.





Speaking of Katrina.....I met so many affected people.... some in the RV Park, Cab Drivers, clerks in stores, banks.........

.....my nosey.....journalistic skills were popping out all over.......& I must say I have a different perspective now....that's all I'll say about that now. 

 

'hunkered down in Texas with nothin but music"

April 25, 2007, 11:33 am

 For the past month + my life has been centered around weather....from New Mexico....to panhandle TX....to OK...back to TX...Dallas...Austin....now Houston....next week, New Orleans....3/4 of my time is spent finding places to hunker down. It's not a good thing to become complacent when it comes to Mother Nature but.......where can you go when your house is a 22' RV! TaZzi no longer jumps from the thunder and thinks lightening is a game of chasing the flashlight (her favorite game). She also thinks getting on the floor covered with pillows and comforters is a fun game.

Enough weather talk!I didn't get to stay in Austin nearly long enough but will definitely go back many times. The Old Settler's Music Festival was so much fun. Beautiful weather...just perfect and the music.......incredible!


Met lots of neat people also. Tell me, how do you place your chair in an area of 1,000's and find yourself in the midst of RV'ers (one with an RV just like yours). Since I've been traveling, I've only seen about 3 Leisure Travel Vans). Amazing

Needless to say, I'm jazzed about the Jazz Festival next week. And then on to Lake Bruin and Monroe to see Anne, Debb, et al RV friends.Gotta run.....another tornado watch...really....for my area. We'll go to the club house.

...music...dogs...tornadoes....

April 17, 2007, 6:52 pm

Hello everyone.....I have been soooo "not-connected!" When last I wrote I was leaving Albuquerque escaping (I thought) tornadic activity. It followed me....I followed it....from Amarillo, TX...to Enid, OK.....to Dallas, TX.....Today I arrived in Austin, TX. I'm staying in far from the nicest RV Park I've ever seen ...but................I'm fully connected for a week. So it's a trade-off.

On Saturday I'm at "Old Settler's Music Festival"....thanks to my RVScrapbook friends, Gavi & Pepi ...they know Austin and gave me great websites for the area. Had a hard time deciding which day I'd go. Decision made based on "Iris DeMent, Peter Rowan, Classical Grass, Sarah Jarosz".......but missing on Friday...Sam Bush, Mary Gauthier, John Cowan Band oh well.....can't have it all!

Spent 2+ weeks with an old friend in OK just veging.......in a very small town (about 250 people). Cooked some good food in a real kitchen, rode horses, got to meet lots of Oakies (lovem). She has 5 sons and lots of grandkids and her Mom lives there, as well. Even went to church! One good-weather day but it was all-good.

Spent a few days in Dallas-Ft.Worth, visiting with my cousin and her family. Also we were dodging tornadoes and extremely strong winds and storms. Truth is we didn't dodge all of it. Had to go to a safe place at RV Park. Winds got to 60-65 mph...tornado was within minutes of us, hail size of quarters. Very scary!

Then diverted back to OK to meet with my precious TaZzi's breeder, Kari Callicoat, TaZzi's Mama and half sister (Lucy & Madison).
What a special time that was! Of course I wanted TaZzi to recognize her mama and sis but there was no recognition on any part. Just a bunch of dogs having fun.

While in Austin, I plan to not only see, hear some great music but to catch up on some responses to some rv friends.

...mud puddles and freedom....

March 24, 2007, 2:58 pm

The beauty of being in a mud puddle with tornadic activity is having the freedom of......moving on.....& that's what I'm fixin' to do.  I'm in Albuquerque, been here before in a car, love it....but will come back at another better-weather time.  Don't have Internet at my park and phone hardly works so......I'm at a shopping center doing laundry.....muddy towels etc. and surprise surprise am able to get on line.  So.....checking weather and places to stay.  I have a couple comments from "rvscrapbook friends" so won't be able to get back to you til I'm in a wi-fi friendly environment.  bye for now...gm

...time to write a country song.....

May 20, 2007, 7:09 pm

hellooooooooo.......from Memphis-Graceland RV Park & Campground......was going to just "walk over to Graceland today from the park......when I realized it was getting very hot in my RV.  Air was on but it was blowing hot air...It's Sunday!  Decided I could not leave my baby "TaZzi" in this heat.  So glad I didn't leave any earlier.  It was 97 (inside RV most of the day).  I kept us sprayed with cold water and bandanas around our heads & necks.  We are surrounded by trees and are actually parked in the shade...a blessing.  Tomorrow supposed to go to National Civil Rights Museum (where Martin Luther King was assissinated). 


Tomorrow I will decide what to do.  I know AC must get fixed .... can't imagine what it could be. 

Just left from a great visit to Shilo in Monroe.... seeing poor sick Anne.....but blogger_Debb wasn't sick so we hung out a bit and took tons of pictures to show you all.

Now, isn't this stuff of country songs?  I'm too hot to write one, now!

exploring...dreaming....discovering

March 18, 2007, 12:30 am

Have you found, as I have, that many of our destinations are different from our intended ones? Each journey has brought its own surprises and challenges and detours and, happily, new sets of friends.

As I make my way along this path, I think with amazement of all the individual journeys that have brought me to this point. This point of such freedom and pleasure and frivolity and adventure................

I've left good friends behind, but not in spirit! I am honored by them as we remain in touch (TG for email). I am honored to count you as my online friends through our RV Scrapbook Club. I know that we will cross paths somewhere in our travels. You all contribute to making my life so much richer.

From Benson, AR, I leave for New Mexico, then Texas, then Louisiana. I sum this blog up with this quote from - Miriam Beard...."Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living."

peace to you all.....gypsy mama

BLOG = weB LOG......A Journey is Like a Marriage....

January 11, 2007, 9:50 pm


"A Journey is Like a Marriage...........The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it." -- John Steinbeck ....

As I begin my journey next week with my dog, TaZzi....I contemplate on so much.................

Freedom is the word that comes up most!  What freedom there is in giving everything away, selling my house, buying my Class B Leisure Travel Van, retiring from a job I've loved for 25 years, leaving friends and family I care deeply about....

& to head on a journey not to go anywhere but to go for travel's sake.....to move.....

for the adventure....for a new way of seeing things....for treasured memories....for the delight of the pilgrimage....for no fixed plans....for the journey not the arrival...

Our world is a wonderful world full of beauty and adventure.  I will keep my eyes wide opened........

& measure my journey in friends.....not miles...........

I opened with Steinbeck ~ I close with Helen Keller....

"Life is either a daring adventure ... or nothing." 

....laughing all the way......when I'm not crying......

...Me & Phoebe McGee.....

written in July 2006 with my grandchildren in mind! 

Me & Phoebe McGee........sang to tune of me and bobbie mcgee

Lyin wait in Santa Cruz
  Longin' to become sane
And feelin near as faded as my years
  Wonderin when I'd wake up without tears
Then one night it happened
  And I woke up with my dream
I heard the yearnings of my longtime plight
  Next mornin it was shoppin time
For my new home on the road
  Watch out here we come for Phoebe McGee

chorus

Ohhh...Freedom's just another word for nothin left to lose
Nothin don't mean nothin hon when your grandkids go oh no
And feelin good wasn't easy Lord, cuz oh I love them so
But now it's time for me to stop singin the blues

They had the very best of me
  And I shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of turmoil it was cold
  Yeah I tried to  keep them from some sadder days
But one morning who knows when that all slipped away
  I knew that they were lookin for that home and I hope 
  they'll find
What I've found and don't want them to deny

repeat chorus

But I wouldn't trade o' my tomorrows
for one single yesterday
To be holding all those grandkids next to me
In my new home I call Phoebe McGee
And with my sweet lil dog named TaZzi
We're travelin just as free as we can be

Lord, I call them my grandkids, I call them my loves
I call them my friends, did the best I could do
Hey, now Phoebe, how now TaZ
Hey, hey, hey, Phoebe McGee, Lord!

optional....
la da da ~la da da da la da da de de de da
la da da da la da la da Phoebe McGee, yeah