A family on the road living fulltime in an RV.

Category: Pets & Animals

The Magic of Swimming with Manatees

This was the conversation that followed our purchase of snorkeling gear in relation to my fear of sea creatures. Me- “Now I feel like I have to go snorkeling when…

This was the conversation that followed our purchase of snorkeling gear in relation to my fear of sea creatures.

Me- “Now I feel like I have to go snorkeling when we get to the keys. (pause) My brother saw a barracuda there once.”

Brent- “Do barracudas attack people?”

Me- “Yes, they are very aggressive. That’s why there is a song called “barracuda”.”

Totally rational.

Thankfully, my first snorkeling experience as an adult was with manatees and not barracudas. We rented a boat with three other families and headed to Three Sisters Springs where manatees congregate in the warm spring waters. Despite their appearance manatees don’t have a lot of fat and during the winter they seek out the warmer waters of springs and power plants to survive.

We drove down the river our eyes squinting for signs of manatees. A ripple in the water, a large dark shadow, or a “floating rock” could be manatee. While we passed a few on our way to the springs, we weren’t prepared for what awaited us near the spring’s outlet. At least 50 manatees, probably many more, were lolling about under the turquoise waters.

We put on our snorkeling gear and slipped into the chilly clear water. Slowly we headed over to their sanctuary, a roped off area where the manatees can rest, to swim along its edges. Once near the sanctuary a ranger told us if we stay still a curious manatee was likely to approach us. Not far from us, a group of patient young girls stood with a manatee who had decided to rest in between their feet. So we waited and sure enough it wasn’t long before a manatee found us. He swam right next to Thing One rubbing against his legs like a very large aquatic cat with elephant skin. It was both exhilarating and nerve wracking to watch what I guessed to be a thousand pound giant get friendly with my hundred pound son. Another manatee even seemed to enjoy the boy’s attention rolling onto its back as if wanting a belly rub. Thing One and Two were happy to oblige.

It was magical.

They may be one of the most beautiful and odd creatures I’ve ever seen with their large paddle fan-like tails, small flippers, rotund bodies, square short snouts, itty bitty eyes, rough skin, and quiet nature. Time with these gentle giants passed much too quickly and stepping backing up onto the boat deck, I felt like I was was waking up from a dream. A wonderful dream filled with nonchalance, dancing beams of light, and creatures peaceful beyond my imagination.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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Letters to Nico

I had doubts about bringing our dogs on the trip with us. We even tried to find temporary foster parents for them but in the end decided they had to…

I had doubts about bringing our dogs on the trip with us. We even tried to find temporary foster parents for them but in the end decided they had to stay with us. Even if meant some inconveniences.

Thing One wrote this song for Nico and played it for her on my mom’s piano when we visited Indiana.

Some things are worth being incovenienced for.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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Days 58-78: Hoosier at Heart

Traveling with our work and home in tow like a turtle time has allowed us an unusual amount of time to visit with family and friends. Our adventure started in…

Traveling with our work and home in tow like a turtle time has allowed us an unusual amount of time to visit with family and friends. Our adventure started in Santa Maria when we spent 10 days with Brent’s family. Afterwards, with short visits with friends and family in between, we traveled to Austin to spent 10 days at my best friend’s house. Now in the dead of winter, we just spent three weeks in Indiana.

Our visit in Indiana felt like we did so much and yet so little at the same time. We’ve been there many times so the pressure to “see things” wasn’t there and our first priority was family.

My parents still live in the same house I grew up in. The house sits on a hill that borders a wood, “the bottom ground”, that, as a child ,was everything from wild jungles to dangerous battlefields. It’s a strange and happy sensation watching our boys drive my mom’s golf cart through the paths just as, if I was lucky, I did with my brother in his golf cart.

Among the days hanging out “at home” we also…

Visited the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Always fun. Always magical. It’s a “must see” if you have kids and are in the Indianapolis area.

Visited the Indianapolis Zoo. I haven’t been in years and was excited to go on an oddly warm January day. I was especially excited to see the gibbons. Funny funky monkeys!

Visited Brookwood Farms. This is the stable where I spent showerless endless days grooming, feeding, water, cleaning, and riding horses. I used to happily sleep outside of my horses stall on a folding lawn chair. Brookwood is run by Rosie, a woman who has spend her life loving animals and kids. Every visit to Indiana includes a visit with Rosie at Brookwood.

“Visited” Slackers Toys R’Us and Walmart after midnight on December 24th in search of Harry Potter legos. Do not do this. Ever.

Ate at Roscoe’s Tacos. Possibly the least Mexican Mexican food ever. In a good way.

Ate at PapaRoux. Po-boys and cajun food in Indianapolis. Don’t judge. It’s good…really GOOD good! Don’t believe me? There was a line out the door in January.

Oh and I spent New Years squealing over pictures of hairless cats hoping Brent might change his mind about another pet. Yeah, I’m loads of fun. Loads.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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Days 56-57: Walking in Memphis

The drive from Arkansas to Memphis was uneventful. At sundown, we settled into T.O. Fuller State Park. In the morning, we visited Graceland. I’ve never been a huge Elvis fan…

The drive from Arkansas to Memphis was uneventful. At sundown, we settled into T.O. Fuller State Park.

In the morning, we visited Graceland. I’ve never been a huge Elvis fan but it was fascinating nevertheless. What struck me was his charisma and charm not only in his Hollywood movies but in his home movies. What a playful force of nature. Not sure why I never noticed it before but this was the first time I saw the soul behind the icon. It was the first time I saw the playful boyish grin that won hearts the world over. His house was decorated for Christmas with his original decorations. It’s strange place…a mixture of homeyness, hoopla, museum, and shrine.

In stark contrast to the commercialization and glitz of Elvis, we walked in the rain along the concrete shore where the Wolf River and Mississippi rivers merge. It was here where Jeff Buckely, an artist less famous although no less talented, drew his last breaths before being swallowed by the river’s current. It’s a spot Brent had been wanting to visit for years. I lingered back so Brent could walk ahead of me to spend time in his own thoughts. Brent introduced me to Jeff Buckley. In our 13 years together, his hauntingly beautiful voice has been a part of many our memories. If you have never listened to Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah you must. It’s an amazing song (It was a sad day when I heard such a beautiful song had been forever attached to an ogre.) on it’s own but no one sings it like Jeff Buckley.

Beale Street

We ended our day in Memphis with a warm drink at the Peabody Hotel where everyday at 11 am and 5:o0 pm the famous Peabody ducks, lead by the “duck master”, waddle down a red carpet like celebrities as they have been since 1933.

Oh humans…what strange creatures we are!

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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Day 54: “Visiting with” Longhorns

We made it out of Texas. Almost. First we had to find some Texas Longhorn cattle. You see the other day Thing 2 and I decided we wanted to see…

We made it out of Texas.

Almost.

First we had to find some Texas Longhorn cattle.

You see the other day Thing 2 and I decided we wanted to see some Texas Longhorn cattle close up. So I went online to look for nearby ranches.  We started calling around asking if the ranches allowed visitors. One phone call (from Brent) went like this.

“Hi. My family and I are from California and we are looking some longhorn cattle. Do you have any that we could come and visit with?”

Pause.

“You don’t do anything like that? Oh okay. Well thanks.”

Mistake #1 – “from California”, i.e., weirdos

Mistake #2 – “visit with“, i.e., WEIRDOS

Who visits with cows? Weird Californians who live in a RV that’s who. He might as well asked if we could have tea time with the Longhorns. ” Oh but it’s organic green tea full of antioxidants.”

However, as it turned out, there was a quaint Longhorn ranch right next to our campground. It was a bed and breakfast, Front 30 Ranch Guest House, run by the friendliest retired couple. They even smiled politely when I asked if they minded if I did a workout with the Longhorns because working out with longhorns is much more acceptable than visiting with longhorns. Very gracious folks indeed. They walked us out to the pasture while the boys made friends with their dog, Abbey. We didn’t get to pet the Longhorns (Abbey made them nervous) but we got closer than we had ever been and had a nice “visit”. We also enjoyed visiting with the owners who shared how they had built and cultivated the ranch themselves.

Front 30 Ranch is lovely, almost as lovely as the couple who runs it. Large rolling meadows stretch into the surrounding cedar forests. The guest house with its inviting porch overlooks the serene pastures of the Texas Longhorns. It almost makes me wish we didn’t have our RV. This would be the perfect place to come and relax at Lake Texoma. Our boys would have happily stayed all day and so would have we had we not had to get on the road to Oklahoma.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

 

 

 

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Peek-A-Boo

The other day I was walking back to my car when I spotted a squirrel. I love squirrels.  Actually I’m one of those odd “rodent girls”.  (Squirrels are rodents aren’t…

The other day I was walking back to my car when I spotted a squirrel.

I love squirrels.  Actually I’m one of those odd “rodent girls”.  (Squirrels are rodents aren’t they?)  In highschool, I had two pet rats named Rocky and Rambo. Don’t judge.

Back to the spotted squirrel or, should I say, the squirrel I spotted because he wasn’t spotted he was tan like most common squirrels.

But unlike common squirrels this one wanted to play peek-a-boo!

Peek-a-boo!!!!

My favorite.  Cute little fellow.

Much love,
Jenn

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Backyard Pugs

Before we moved into my parent’s place to save money for our upcoming adventure, we had a backyard. Oh the possibilities! One afternoon, it was particularly hot and everyone was…

Before we moved into my parent’s place to save money for our upcoming adventure, we had a backyard.

Oh the possibilities!

One afternoon, it was particularly hot and everyone was particularly cranky.  We decided to seek comfort under the big avocado tree in our backyard.  We set up a fan (because we’re classy like that), spread out a blanket, and read a book.  Everyone’s mood changed dramatically.  It was a small change of scenery but since we normally read on the couch reading outside became an “adventure” (kids are so easy to please).  Adventures always help bad moods.  And the fan!  Who doesn’t love a fan on a hot day. We weren’t the only one to enjoy ourselves so did the pugs.

With love,
Jenn

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