Saturday, April 28, 2012

Our Last Full Day at Gettysburg Farm CG!

It was a group decision for each couple to be responsible for their own breakfast this morning, but we all ate together outside except for the Martins!  It was cold and damp, but bearable!

After cleaning up, the 8 of us headed to the Visitor's Center at the Gettysburg Battlefield.  What an interesting place!  We paid to see the movie, view the cyclorama (which was incredible), and then tour the museum.  The museum is very informative, but after about an hour, I just couldn't read 1 more thing.  My brain was on overdrive!  We met up with George and Jean there.  They signed up for a bus tour of the battlefield.  If you have never been to see the movie and the cyclorama, it really is a must see.  It is so well done.  The painting is beyond description!

These 1st three photos are from the cyclorama.  All of the painting is so detailed.  It was painted by a French artist and his assistants in the 1884, taking only 1 year, and was housed in Boston for a number of years.  In the 60's it was moved to Mission 66 in Gettysburg.  They started restoring it in 2003 and it came to the new cyclorama in 2008, taking 5 years for the restoration.    In 1940 the Federal Gov't had bought it.




This is the newer visitor center at the Gettysburg Battlefield!


From there we went into Gettysburg to eat at a very old Dobbin House Tavern, which had excellent food at reasonable prices.  Then we headed to 2 wineries in town for wine tasting.  Only got back to the CG around 6:00.  By then there were light showers.  We did not see the sun at all today and it was rather chilly and very damp.





The men started the campfire to cook our meats for dinner just when it started to rain.  They played ladder golf while cooking and the ladies played Pinochle in Willie.  It was too cold and damp for us to play outdoors.  We did eat dinner under the awning at Willie, but it was chilly.  Then we sat around the campfire!

Fun at Gettysburg Farm CG Continues

Yesterday, Friday, we had a great time at the CG.  Unfortunately, it was rather cold, but at least we did not have rain.  The worst part was the wind - 25 to 30 mph. with higher gusts.  We had many layers on to keep warm, including gloves and some wool hats.

We started the day with the 6 of us making breakfast inside Willie!  A little too cold and windy to eat and cook outdoors.  We had a great time "bonding" in the warm.  Then the tie breaking bocce game began with the men being victorious!  How sad!!!!  Jean and George came over to watch the action!  The women decided it should be the best out of 5 games, so George and Jean got in on the action!  Unfortunately the men won that game too!  (Ken hit my ball, which was the closest out of the way and his ball scored the winning point!  Talk about adding insult to injury!)  I was not a "happy camper".

Who left George play???  He got too close too many times!!!


By that time Marcia and Gary arrived.  The 6 of us were finishing a walk when they got here.  Then it was lunchtime!  Following lunch we decided to play a competitive game of miniature golf here at the CG.  What a hoot!  This time the ladies were the winners.  After some ice cream we took the 2 mile walk around the CG. 

A farm theme on this miniature golf course!

The women won over the men!  They look
bewildered!!

Group picture time!  What better than a farm theme!


By then it was time to start the campfire for supper.  Kreiders provided the supper for the group - packets of chicken, potatoes, peppers, and onions with barbeque sauce added.  Then the foil wrapped packets were cooked over the open fire.  We also had tossed salad.  What a delicious supper.  Try it - you will like it!  George and Jean joined us around the campfire we most of us experienced a first!  George shared some of his apple pie moonshine.  That will warm the inners!  Another chance for Jean to have a s'more.  It was a fun evening, but you had to sit close to the fire to keep warm.  It was supposed to get down to 31 degrees overnight, so we will decide in the morning what and where we will have breakfast.

A great supper, but we only sat down to eat around 8!

Everyone tasted the Apple Pie Moonshine from George's
Mason Jar!  It was "warming"!

Another night for Jean to experience the fun of
making s'mores with friends!


Another fun camping day!

Friday, April 27, 2012

More Fun at Gettysburg Farm CG

Yesterday was a day filled with lots of fun times.  We had tea and coffee with Doloris and Fred and then ate breakfast in our separate units.  It was too cold to eat outside.  I believe I prefer the weather in Florida for camping!!!  I am not so good in cold weather!!!!

The 4 of us took the 2 mile walk around the CG checking out the beautiful tent sites by the water and stopping to pet the animals - cows, horses, sheep, llamas, bunnies and burros.  Really enjoyed watching the beautiful peacock try to catch the attention of the female peacock.  She just had no interest!!!!

How Beautiful!

The grass always looks greener on the other side!


The llamas really liked Fred!

 
Sam and Kathy arrived around 11:00.  After eating lunch outdoors, the competitive men vs. the women games began.  It started with Kubb where the women won 3 to 2.  Then the bocce tournament began.  What fun.  George and Jean enjoyed watching the competition.  Bocce ended in a 1 to 1 tie.  The tie breaker will be played on Friday morning. 

Let the Kubb games begin!

And the winner is.......the Ladies!!!

Bocce gets sooooo competitive!  We use a stick
and a tape measure for verifying who is the closest!

The men built a fire for our "burger night".  We were so happy that George and Jean joined us.  The sun was out and the wind had died down, so it was enjoyable to eat outside.  Jean had never had a s'more, so the initiation began. 
Unfortunately, I had bought the new s'more marshmallows to try (there are square shaped a relatively thin to fit onto a graham cracker) and they are not large enough for a regular s'more.  Very disappointing.  New marshmallows are definitely needed.  While sitting around the campfire it started to rain, so the festivities ended by 8:45.  Everyone came to Willie to see the results of American Idol.  Bedtime was 10.  

I love camping, but I definitely prefer warmer weather.  Friday is supposed to be around 60 degrees with winds up to 25 miles per hour!  Wow!  Not a good day for bike riding!



 







Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Back on the Road Again!!!

Left our house around 10:45 this morning with Willie and headed to Gettysburg Farm Campground an Encore park near York. 


Nice to be back in Willie again!  Hello from the road!
This CG is a working farm and is very nice! Spacious sites and many amenities.







After we were set-up, I was surprised by a familiar face standing outside our door.  It was George and his wife Jean whom we had met at the RV-Dreams Rally near Hershey in September.  What a surprise!  Jean had recently read our blog and knew they would be near this area this weekend.  So, they decided they would surprise us and hope to see us at the CG.  They were driving thru the CG in the tow vehicle to choose their site when they spotted Willie and Diesel.  So nice to see them again. 

This little guy is in the driver's side window of George and
Jean's motorhome.  George pulls a string to "surprise" passing
cars and toll booth people when driving!


After they got set-up the four of us sat outside drinking wine and catching up on what has been going on in our lives since we were together in September.  This RV lifestyle is the best!  We parted at 6:15 so we could make our suppers.

Our friends, Doloris and Fred arrived around 7:30.  After they finished setting up, we spent the evening in Willie playing cards. 

It was a mostly sunny day, but rather windy and cool. 

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Been Home For Awhile!!

We have been back home for about 1 month and it seems like a long time since we have been camping in Willie!!  We are looking forward to a camping trip with our friends (3 other couples) the last weekend this month.  We will be heading to Gettysburg Farm, which is very close to home but part of the Zone Pass with Thousand Trails.  Even though it is only about 25 miles away, Ken and I have not been to the Gettysburg Battlefield since Jr. High, so it is about time we explore that area. Hope to do some bike riding that weekend too!

A lot has been happening since we arrived home including a combined birthday party for our youngest daughter's 2 little girls who turned 3 and 5.  There was also a dance recital for her 5 year old and we enjoyed watching her as much as her 3 year old sister and 3 year old cousin who danced the entire evening in the aisle imitating all the dancers on the stage.  (Fortunately, we sat in the back!)  We also had a wonderful Easter Day at our oldest daughter's home with our entire immediate family there for the celebration and Easter egg hunt.  We had all done an Easter egg hunt the day before at our church, so they had plenty of time "egg hunting".

Now we are looking forward to celebrating my father's 88th birthday this Sunday, tax day, with my mother and my sister and her husband.  Over the last 20 years he has had so many health issues, but no one would ever guess all he has been through.  He just constantly keeps bouncing back like the everyready Bunny!!!  Then next Saturday we celebrate the 1st birthday of our youngest granddaughter, Katelyn.  Wow!  Life is good!!!

We have planned many camping trips for this summer - 2 trips in May (4 or 5 days each), 2 in June, then a 2 week trip and a four day trip in July, followed by a 3 day trip close to home with our 3 oldest granddaughters (the oldest is just 5), and then a 5 day adventure to Cape May.  Should be a fantastic summer!

Celebrating Life Daily!!!

Bria, the ballet dancer!

The 3 cousins!  Do they look like trouble????

Cousins, Samantha and Bria

Bria with curls!

These cousins are both 3 years old!

Cali with the curls too!  Mommy, Jamie, was busy this morning!

Samantha

Samantha, Cali, and Bria!  Could Bria and Cali possibly
be sisters????