A Rio Frio Thanksgiving

 

      Our first Thanksgiving in our new winter home.  We always plan on a good spread within reason.  By this I mean there are only two of us.  I do love to cook, but we plan on a feast within our scale.  The weather is still warmer than what we're used to, but the holiday spirit remains.  Leakey has several markets, holiday festivals, and of course the lighting of downtown. Small town America still lives.  

Town Square County Bldg.  Leakey, TX 

Leakey Thanksgiving Marketplace

Lighting of the Town Square Thanksgiving Eve

      We did not go with the usual small turkey this year, but a Butterball Turkey Roast with both white and dark meat, about 3.5 pounds.  I had planned to roast this via Aus Spit over the fire pit, but the roast comes wrapped with butcher's twine and I didn't want to risk that over an open fire, so turkey in the oven.  We also enjoyed our own garden kernel corn, green bean casserole, cranberries, Barb's Family Heirloom stuffing, turkey gravy, deviled eggs, rolls, and choice of German chocolate or carrot cake.  We were able to find most of what we needed right here in Leakey, needing only 1 trip to the big city of Uvalde to complete our list.  Unfortunately 5 days before Thanksgiving the local market closed down for 2 weeks due to COVID.  There is another much smaller store so it looks like we're driving one town over for a bit.  No loss for this holiday season.  

Ready for the oven

Done at 170 internal temp

The Spread

Choice of German Chocolate or Carrot Cake

      Barb and I give thanks this year for everything we are fortunate enough to love, experience, or enjoy.  Our retirement years and travels have in itself been a blessing.  We are also so very grateful for you as our friends.  We hope that all of you enjoy your blessings as well.   Family is everything and although we are not able to share this holiday with ours, we hope you are.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  May the peace of God be with you.   

"I am grateful for what I am and have.  My thanksgiving is perpetual"

Henry David Thoreau 

WiFi courtesy of AT&T Wireless  

Axis Deer, Wild Pigs, & Ball Moss

 

      One of the draws of our purchase of this property was the widespread range of  Axis Deer.  These exotics have been imported for years by the larger Texas Game Ranches, but they reproduce and escape rather easily so their range is much of south and western Texas.  They are originally from India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, but gained US attention when they thrived in Hawaii.  Nearly 6000 of them roam freely throughout Texas today.  Axis deer bucks an weigh as much as 250 pounds with larger than normal antlers, more like elk.  The does average a bit less at around 140-180 pounds.  The meat is highly revered here. 

      There is so season, better yet there is no bag limit or possession limit, so you can bring home as many axis deer as you want as long as you have room in your truck.  The only special thing is you need a non-game permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which differs from the standard state hunting license.  

      These deer are nearly the size of whitetails, yet highly prized for their meat and unique racks.  Anyone who has ever eaten Axis Deer meat raves about it; better than whitetail and make you question your love for beef.  There were about 25 bedded down on our property on arrival.  They frequent the area.  I plan to harvest one during my stay, but will be patient as I clear up some freezer room.  I would like to help conserve and help to maintain the herd during my absence.  

Javelina

     There is also the question of pigs. There are much less of them as there used to be.  Feral hogs still roam the area, but only rarely accompanied by Javelinas.  Wild Boars can range from 100 to 300+ pounds easily while the little Javelinas only run about 80. I checked with the local feed store and stocked up on Apple Deer Corn as well as some Alfalfa.  Axis deer love sweet treats, but are especially drawn to fresh alfalfa.  So I set about baiting several areas of our property for awhile to get them comfortable with us being here.  Deer gun season is in full swing and finding feed is sketchy at best.  I don't plan on harvesting an Axis until January or February.  Much cooler weather then as well.

 Wild Boar

      Another curiosity of this area is moss.  We are in a fairly dry area, but the prevalence of moss surprises me.  It is normal to see Live Oak trees covered with the stuff throughout SE Texas and Louisiana, but I was a bit surprised to see it here.  One of the more curious features is the presence of 'Ball Moss'.  

Live Oak Trees full of moss

Ball Moss

          Ball moss especially favors the shady habitat of the lower and interior limbs of live oaks.  They anchor their pseudo-roots into the bark, but derives no nutrients from the tree.  It lives by absorbing water and nutrients from the atmosphere.  Often seen on the ground, they fall easily from the trees during the least amount of disturbance.  

     On we go with our projects then.  As I said our freezer will need to be paired down some in order put a deer in them.  It could cool off a bit and it would be fine with me.  Plumbing, fencing, and septic are on the agenda, but time dictates all.  Plenty of good meals are coming.         

"When you cook, you take a life.  When you eat meat or fish you take a life.  You must be very respectful of the ingredients and that is very important" 

Joel Robuchon

WiFi courtesy of ATT Wireless  

Leakey, TX......The Twisted Sisters

              

Hwy 337 heading into Leakey, TX

      1554 miles after departure from our summer home in the beautiful forests of NW Michigan, we arrive at our new winter place in Leakey, TX.  By the way it is pronounced LAA-key.  Located approximately 90 miles west of San Antonio, this embodies the best of the hill country.  Mountains, canyons, crystal clear water, and plenty of wildlife. In fact plenty of axis deer and javelinas frequent our property and the surrounding ranches.  This is a famous ride for bikers in the SW; called the Twisted Sisters for it's lack of straight roads, but plenty of scenery and elevation change.  https://ridermagazine.com/2013/07/08/twisted-sisters-the-texas-hill-countrys-most-famous-trio/  The town has a population of 450 with a total Real County population right at 3,000.  Small town living at it's best with everything else you need less than an hour away.  

First year camp setup

Bedroom Cabin and Cookshack with Deck (fully furnished including shower)

      There are 2 small cabins;  One is a fully furnished bedroom with all the amenities including shower, hot water tank, sink, dressers, and nightstands, and (for now) compostable toilet. The other cabin is a fully furnished cookshack with toaster oven, coffee maker, microwave, hot plate, small refrigerator/freezer, and kitchen rack full of utensils.  Additionally, there is a full RV hookup next to the cabins with water, electricity and septic.  

Bedroom

Bathroom

Kitchen 1

Kitchen 2

      We plan our first winter for adding a fence with a locked gate, a new wood pit cooker, many other small tasks and chores to make it our own.  There will be plenty of R & R and hoping to put some meat in the freezer as well.  This is also serious rattlesnake country, but during this time of year we don't plan on many 'visitors'.  We will explore ways to minimize the appearance of 'Joe-No-Shoulders'.  

King Portable Satellite System

     Once we set up our interim homestead with satellite, WiFi, and checked our phone service we began to settle in.  There is no TV reception here so satellite is a must, the only cell service you can receive here is AT&T so we had all our stuff converted before departure from Michigan.  

      Of course no trip goes without mishap as I soon found out when navigating the narrow driveway. I did very well missing all the live oaks close to the drive EXCEPT ONE.  By the time I saw it the awning lead edge and mount had caught on the tree and twisted the entire setup front to rear.  Also when we powered up the buildings everything worked fine except the well and pump.  Plumber arrived the next day and upon troubleshooting found the well pump was frozen (inactive) after not being used for several years.  The solution would be to re-pipe, replace the pump, and perhaps an entirely new well.  We did check out the city water 'stumping' to the property and found the water to be ALREADY HOOKED UP.  I had them check out the rest of the water system and they found the old 'cabin size' water heater to be kaput.  So we had them schedule us an appointment to completely update the hot water system as well as another spigot closer to the RV pad.  So much for the 'rose colored glasses' we all sometimes wear when property shopping.  All in all it will still be cheaper than a new well.     

      During our first visit to Uvalde, about 40 miles south we also ordered our new custom made wood pit smoker from Texas Longhorn BBQ Pits www.texaslonghornbbqpits.com/index.html   The design is very similar to our current model in NW Michigan, but a bit smaller with no vertical smoker shelves; just an output flu/smokestack.  It does also come with a standard floor mount as well as a bumper hitch mount for the truck if desired, but ours will stay put in camp.  We should get it in about 5 weeks. Uvalde is also the closest town with all the big box stores as well as Walmart, HEB and other desired retailers.   We stopped at Morales Feed on the way back and picked up 300 pounds of apple deer corn.  Have some alfalfa on order for next week. We have about 2 dozen axis deer and half a dozen whitetail frequenting our place;  want to keep them around.      

      There is also garbage service or transfer station to look into, firewood, optometrist to fulfill the  prescriptions I got before departure, and the whole question of homestead exemption in two states, (and how to get around that) etc.  HOORAY,  there is a laundromat close.  Of course I will be contacting my neighbors to introduce ourselves as well as investigate the local ranch hunting situation for us locals. 

      This entire winter is a work in progress.  We have not only 2 homes, but now 2 sets of chores as well.  The secret is to whittle away at it a bit at a time.  Not too many projects or things begin to stack up.  There is plenty to do and lots of time to do it.  Relaxation and exploration are still pretty high up there on our scale of priorities.  I think we will have several friends come to visit us this winter either by car, truck, or Harley.  Room we got, food I'll make.  There is also the Rio Frio River Fest, BBQ Competition at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, and Luckenbach is never very far away.  Country music concerts and camping nearly every weekend.  True, at some point we'll probably build, but for now this is as good as it gets.  For us...….perfect. 

"I have said that Texas is a state of mind, but I think it is more than that.  It is a mystique closely approximating a religion.  

John Steinbeck

WiFi courtesy of AT&T Wireless

'Tis the set of the sail that decides the goal, not the storm of life....

Brynmawr Farm   Kalkaska, MI

      Once again we depart to the south.  We'll miss our beautiful homestead and NW Michigan, but it's time to escape the snow.  Quarantine my ass, we're on the road.  COVID-19 is still a threat throughout our itinerary (in fact it's increasing) and we will take appropriate precautions.  This year we have a more defined route and destination in mind due to last winter's purchase of winter property in South Texas.  We'll spend much of, but not all our winter there.  We will also haul several items there to be left for future winters to include a 10 lb. propane bottle and starter wand, a couple of fishing poles, our shore cooker and pot setup, a portable black water tank, gambrel for hanging/butchering, a few accoutrements for the cabins, and some extra hunting supplies.  I'm sure a little more each year will be involved.  We also have our new satellite system installed and switched our cellular and wireless internet to AT&T so we're pretty much covered even in the deep canyons where our winter place is located.  

      Our freezers are full as well.  Fish, pasties, pot pies, sausage, clams, venison shank, burger, OTR meals, and vegees, oh my.  It took us three days with the usual boondock at Walmart in Pontiac, IL and an overnight in Ozark, MO next to Lambert's Restaurant to reach our first destination in Marlow, OK.

Boondocking Walmart Pontiac, IL

      By the way if you've never been there, Lambert's is a wonderful country style restaurant with family style dining and some incredible southern cooking.  They also have locations in Sikeston, MO and Foley, AL. Always watch out for the 'throwed rolls'.  https://throwedrolls.com/lamberts-cafe-ii/  Delivery to the RV park is only $2 and the food is easily worth it.....an easy night cooking for me. THE VERY DEFINITION OF SOUTHERN COMFORT FOOD.  I had 7 pieces of absolutely perfect catfish with some fried taters and onions, biscuit, cornbread, and sliced peaches.  Barb loved her HUGE chicken fried steak with mashed taters n gravy, roll, and sliced peaches.  It was DELICIOUS.  Price was $40 delivered.  We had half a chicken fried steak, rolls, and fried taters as leftovers to be used the next breakfast.  

  

Lamberts Cafe Ozark, MO

      Our grandson Brock is now 18+ years old and working on his degree in nursing.  As usual we stayed at the Town & Country RV Park; full hookups at the reasonable daily rate of $30 for all the bells and whistles even in a small town.  A very good park with nice, clean facilities.  Due to the COVID the bathrooms and showers were cleaned spotlessly daily.  Marlow is a small town with friendly folks and good food.  Always good to get back to the land of chicken gizzards, very good Q, and some fine in-laws. We always feel welcome here. 

North Llano River RV Park

      We stayed here for 4 days then continued south towards our destination.  One more overnight in Junction, TX at North Llano RV Park.  $37 for full hookups, not long now.  I do have to comment on the toll roads in Oklahoma.  Not a fan of them I have endured traveling these as the most direct method to visit our grandson.  Every couple of years the rates rise, but this year it was obscene.  We traveled 290 miles from the Oklahoma/Missouri border to the town of Marlow in SW OK.  It costs us $28.25!  The roads are good except in downtown Tulsa and OKC, but this is an increase from the $20 it cost us last year.  When is it enough?!?!?!  The cheapest diesel has been $1.61 in Springfield, MO while the most expensive was $2.49 in Hamel, IL.  We averaged 13.1 mpg and AT & T wireless internet was flawless throughout the trip.  Brock's first semester 'clinicals and exams' are next week and we wish him the best of luck.  

Rio Frio     Leakey, TX

Downtown Leakey, TX

"Texas is ok if you want to settle down and do your own thing quietly, but it's not for outrageous people and I was always outrageous"  

Janis Joplin

WiFi courtesy of AT&T Wireless