Getting ready for a Merry Christmas!

Just a bit of the holidays as they get started around here……   the snow has fallen so all around it is gleaming white.   (they are predicting more for Christmas Eve too)  Our home is snug and warm, even with the temps dropping to 10 below zero this past week. 

We had lovely little carolers at the grocery store … the local girl scout troop!

  

Our tree is up and decorated… with presents piled high.  All the shopping is done and the wrapping too.   

The tree is decorated this year in blown glass candies and lollipops, with real candy canes too-- in case some kids come to visit.  We always let children pick the candy canes off the tree.

We even got newborn Allegra a PONY!!!!    (SSSSHHHHHH don’t tell her!)

I think the next project on my list is to do some baking… I have sugar cutout cookies to make, and perhaps some ginger bread men too.   Might even get in a pan of brownies.  Then Steveio would like some cherry pies with the last of the cherries that we froze from his tree.

Anyone wanna come and help?

Campground Review – Fox Park, Cedarville township, near Escanaba, MI

 

(this is one of series of posts of various campgrounds we have been to over the years... I am going through my files in alphabetical order and posting past camping trips in my blog.... something to do over this long long upcoming winter---- sigh)

 

This is a little township park right on the waters of  the bay of Green Bay where it enters Lake Michigan.  Our motorhome is so long that we only fit on site number one.  It’s so wooded along the entrance to the park, with trees so close to the turn, that we can not swing to go into the rest of the park.  Did you know motorhomes don’t bend in the middle?  

There are 25 sites in this park, it’s all rustic with no hookups.  We have only seen a few tents, popups and pickup campers in here each time we camp at this campground. The township of Cedarville does not have a website, but I found some information on the park here on this website:

http://hunts-upguide.com/cedar_river_detail.html

Site number one faces right out onto the beach, and we sure like going here, if the other parks along this stretch are crowded.  Most folks pass this one up because of the lack of hookups.  Which makes it MORE desirable to us, being quieter and less crowded.

There is a picnic area with playground north of the park, but mostly we find that the beach area is the main attraction.  No rules posted, no lifeguards, and dogs get to run free along the sandy beach, dashing in and out of the waves to their heart’s delight. 

Only drawback is that you can hear the traffic noise on M35 as it’s a narrow long skinny park situated between the beach and the road.  Once you are near the water, past the dunes, you don’t hear much at all.

(These photos are from last summer’s camping)

 

Here we are on site number one, facing right to the water and beach…..

 

 

The beach has hardpacked sand along the edge, perfect for walking and dog-playing

 

 

Tall pine trees along the narrow dirt road coming back from the picnic area

 

 

This marshy area north of  the park has overgrown into a nice spot to watch birds and wildlife coming to the water for a morning drink.  We saw deer and turkeys wandering in the early morning through the grasses.

 

 

The dogs sure enjoy the freedom on the beach here, as they can run and play and fetch and get in the water.  Herding dogs usually don’t care for water, but don’t tell our dogs that.  They have camped since puppyhood with my siblings Labs and Beagles, so they think it’s normal to fetch sticks and play in the water. 

 

Duke even puts his whole head UNDER the water to fetch things….

 

 

Sooo Steveio had a “Great Idea”  to put our rig on the beach like he sees them do down in Texas!   I had to put my foot down and disappoint Steveio by forbidding him from doing what he insisted would be a Great Adventure!

(he said some wives don’t let their husbands have ANY fun!)

 

 

Some days it’s totally worth it to get up early, when you see things like this….

 

 

These next photos are from camping here in 2006 with our older Coachmen motorhome… with that one (28ft) we could make the turn into the rest of the campground.  The furthest site at the far southern end of the park is very private and secluded.   Even that section of sandy beach is somewhat separated from the rest of the park. 

   We had to back in one way and twist the other way quickly to keep the tires off the soft sandy areas, and locate them on the harder packed dirt to stay level and UNstuck!  

 

This was just lovely to have such a view.. 

on a perfect day with blue sky and not a cloud in sight!

 

 

What a quiet remote site… with nobody else around!   The sand dunes were so much fun to play on with the dogs, and we had episodes of *squeaking sand* when walking on them.  Read this about squeaking sand:

Squeaking sand is rather odd. You walk along a beach and as your feet drag the sand lets out a chirp similar to squeaking chalk. Why does this happen? What causes the noise?

Squeaking sand can be found on beaches on every continent in the world (except maybe Antarctica). Not all beaches squeak though, it only occurs when a certain types of sand (silicates, carbonate of lime, etc.), with grains at a certain size (around 300 micrometers), create layers from the wind and moisture. The sand also has to be well weathered, smooth, and fairly spherical.

The strange squeaking noise is caused from the friction of the layers rubbing against each other.

Also, polluted sand will not squeak. So if a beach stops squeaking, it's because foreign matter has mixed in with the sand and taken away its voice. So if your beach squeaks, you know it's clean.

For a much more technical review (including some mathematical equations) check out this site. http://www-personal.umich.edu/~nori/boom/RMP.html

   

 

We stayed here four days, and the dogs sure enjoyed running around too off leash, nobody else was around us at all.   It was mild, sunny and enjoyable.

 

I remember on this particular camping trip, our little Duke doggie found a tiny moth or butterfly huddled in a small space under this picnic table.  He kept poking his curious little puppy nose in there to sniff it, and it would flutter it’s wings and tickle his nose!   He would jump back in surprise, give a little yip, and stick his nose back in there again!   We checked on it the first time to make sure it wasn’t a wasp or a spider.  He played with that little creature for quite a while before it decided that enough was enough and flew away.   His disappointment was so evident and he slumped down with a big sigh!

 

 

Looking at this view from the comfort of a lounge chair, under the awning, is so relaxing.

It may not be the ocean, or a fancy ritzy RV resort, but it’s the best we got here in Wisconsin, only 60 miles from home and a great get-away from the day-to-day grind!

 

 

.

Christmas Tree Hunting Day

Ahhh time to get a fresh cut Christmas Tree!   Usually we put up a huge 18 ft tree that reaches to the top of the cathedral ceiling, but this year all the holiday celebrations will be in town at Erin and Mark’s house.   So we decided to get a smaller 9ft tree that could snug back into the corner next to the fireplace and not be a fire danger.   We have never put a tree in that corner before, so it’s a *new spot* for us this year.

Of course the two doggers got to go along, as it’s a small place out in the country.  We went to a small nursery that has overgrown blue spruce trees.  They let you choose a tree, cut it yourself and toss it in your own truck, nothing fancy.  Ten bucks and you are outta there!

   

My Lumberjack Man….

 

The doggers were allowed to race around off leash… bounding through the snow

We found just what we were looking for… tall, skinny, and able to fit tightly in the corner

Steveio did the honors down on his knees to cut with our bow saw

We didn’t have far for Steveio to drag it back to the truck

Here I am after we rounded up the doggers, who were still dashing among the trees, having a blast.   Just wait till I decorate up this tree, it won’t look so “Charlie-Brown-ish”

 

We made it back home before the Packer Game started at noon.

Seeing as I had the camera, I snapped a few pics around the outside of the house

  
 

Our poor motorhome wants to go somewhere, anywhere, just so it’s WARM!

Sooo that is our life in the Northwoods of Wisconsin…  where the snow fell fast and heavy this week, coating everything with instant whiteness.  Sure puts us in the Christmas Spirit!

And here is the tree... all done up in it's glory!

 

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Yup, the storm blasting the midwest has made it’s huge arrival and this is the result…. 

This snow is very wet and heavy and clings to everything…. 

I took this one through the patio doors….  the rest of the pics I opened a door, clicked the camera, and shut the door… QUICK!

  

The blue spruces up by the house seem ok, but we lost a few trees down along our river from the weight of the clinging snow

 

This is out the side door aiming towards our road…. of course you can not see the road beyond those pine trees, because it was buried under 2 feet or more of drifts!

Even the tall cedar arborvitaes in front of the house which are pretty protected became overladen with snows and hanging way down.  Even when we knocked the snow off, they do not spring back up again.  Hope they aren’t ruined???



It was blasting so bad, the birds abandoned the feeder and went to hide.  You can not even see the river beyond the trees in this pic, visibility was almost nil.


 
All of these pics were taken earlier in the day on Wednesday…. since that time, we got a lot more snow and blowing too. 


The winds are blowing horrendously and now the temps dropped… we are below zero this morning, and not to get above 10 degrees all day.  The wind chills are wayyyyy below zero too.  ACK    Where is summer?

Catching up on a few things….

 

Aahhh  been busy here and trying to see my way to the top of the heap!   We are due for the big storm to hit this afternoon, so gotta finish wrapping up some of these socks and get to the post office before it starts.

Here are some socks done again for orders and gifts… that is something I can do while sitting down….  busy busy busy!

 

 

 

Let’s see, my icky head cold kept us from going to see our little grandaughter Allegra over the weekend, and now that huge snowstorm on the way will hamper us this week too from going in the evenings after Steveio is done with work.   Can’t wait to hold her in my arms again!

 

I was at daughter Erin and Mark’s house waiting for the furnace guy to repair their ailing furnace.  We brought over 3 electric and 1 propane heater to keep their pipes from freezing.  So while there, I snapped some pics of the baby nursery…. Erin is due in January!

 

I don’t think this little lady will be shivering cold without any clothes, huh?

    

 

 

We haven’t started any Christmas decorations yet around the house, other than Steveio putting up the lights outside.  So perhaps this week I will get Steveio to haul up some Xmas stuff from the basement.  Since we are doing all of our family celebrations at Erin and Mark’s house this holiday, I think we will just put up a tree here, and not go all-out like in other years.  My health is still hampered and doing a *lot* of things is taking it’s toll on my energy.   So time to back off and let the kids take over the holidays!

 

Erin’s house is all done up, pretty good for a gal who is 8 months preggo! 

Where does she get the energy????

They have 2 fireplaces to decorate

Her penguin collection--- and some music boxes from our kid’s childhood years….

The Chihuahua Rat Dog Grandpuppies are all curious about that big belly that is taking up the normal “lap space” that used to be their cuddle territory… 

Won’t be long now, big bellied Momma!