Letters/27

Dear hubs, you came home on our anniversary with a love letter and handpicked wild flowers. You know the way to my heart. And more importantly, you know it's the small things that make me the happiest. Dear farmers, can you please come to an agreement to not all burn your harvested rice fields all at once? The smoke is getting out of control and I know it's only going to get worse in the next few weeks. Speaking of... Dear rice fields, I'm going to miss your vibrant greens that surrounded our little city. Until next year. Dear tongue, sorry I've had to bite you so often lately. Especially today when my boss criticized me for living in Korea and not watching Korean TV. I can confidently say that I've mastered the nod and smile technique. Dear kindi, it's funny how you can sometimes teach me life lessons. Like how one minute you can be so angry at your friend but after an apology, you act like nothing every happened. Or maybe that's just showing me the behavior of typical six year olds. Dear observation skills, you need some fine tuning. Especially after this week when I accidentally picked up a permanent marker to draw a big monster on the dry erase board for my kindi class...oops. Dear weekend, I'm so glad you're here (nothing new there). We're gearing up for another wonderfully busy two days filled with costumes, singing, fireworks (hopefully it doesn't rain) and getting to hear the hubs preach. Dear kindi, below is how we spent a good part of a class this week. Thanks for always finding new ways to make me laugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUsIIyRIQfA&feature=youtu.be

First impressions

Once in a while I have the forethought to make a good decision for me, and today was one of those days.  I had decided to just visit Okefenokee NWR in my car today since I’m only about 60 miles away, and not drive the rig in until tomorrow.  As it turned out, it was also a good decision to leave Emma at home while I made that visit since it was quite warm and she would have been roasting in the car.

I had some rather involved written directions from Gracie Gooch, the volunteer coordinator, but I tried putting the address into Jack-in-the-Box and it wouldn’t recognize the street name.  So I just put in the number of the closest highway, and Jack took me a different way than I had originally planned.  I went with the new to me directions, and it turned out best in the long run.  The mileage may have been slightly longer, but it kept me off of the Interstate and on a couple of other great roads.  The best part of that is I found an easy in, easy out gas station to fill the rig at only 30 miles from my destination.  So I get to avoid those nerve wracking jam packed truck stops along the Interstate, and my tank will essentially be full upon arrival.

I’m going to include just a few photos tonight of my introduction to the refuge.  It’s interesting that the refuge doesn’t show up on any GPS units.  The first thing I did when I found it was to stop at the visitors center.  I went inside and introduced myself to Barb, the volunteer that was working there.  Her reaction warmed the cockles of my heart.  “Judy Bell, the Bird Lady?  We’ve been waiting for you to get here! Welcome!”  Wow!  What a difference from the welcome, or lack there of, I got at Alligator River.  I then met a couple of other staff members, and they were also most welcoming. 

Gracie was not available, so Kathy, one of the interns, took me to show me the RV sites.  It was at this point that I was sure glad that I hadn’t driven in with the RV.  It took us a while to figure out the best approach to the sites considering the tallness of my rig.  I was most concerned about low hanging (for my rig) electrical wires on one approach, and very low live oak branches on the other approach.  Kathy was most helpful, and we figured out a third way to get to the sites with no wires or branches to cause havoc.  I’ll show you some pictures tomorrow of the site I chose and why.

I took a quick drive around the wildlife route, and found my first ‘gator at this refuge.  I’m sure it won’t be my last.  My first impressions of Okefenokee NWR are that it will be a most friendly place to volunteer with some interesting things to do.  I’m really excited about the possibilities in my near future.

When I finally got back to the rig it was nearly 4:00 in the afternoon.  I took Emma out for a walk around the campground, and as I rounded a curve I noticed a familiar looking Winnebago Journey with South Dakota plates.  It made me think of Paul and Marti Dahl, but I figured it couldn’t be.  They weren’t taking I-95 north from Florida.  Surprise!!  It was them!  What a treat.  This was the sugar topping to the day.  Since they knew through the blog where I was staying, they stopped here over night so we could go out to dinner together.  Best I can say is, “Cool Beans!!”

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

I’ve got Georgia on My Mind…

I was a little worried this morning that I might be getting Paul Dahl Disorder (PDD) today as I had planned to drive 250 miles from Florence, SC, to Brunswick, GA.  I’m much more comfortable doing about 100 miles less than that, but I was on a mission to get within striking distance of Okefenokee NWR.

                                   (tonight’s photos are from Pearl’s garden that I visited yesterday)

As I’ve mentioned before, one of the biggest challenges I have on the road is finding a gas station that I can get into and out of without issues.  Since I don’t have a diesel engine, finding a gas pump with enough room for my rig and toad gives me heartburn.  When I’m at a campground for more than an overnight stay, like I was in Florence, I try to scope out a place I can easily get gas while I drive around in the car. 

If I’m lucky, the best of all circumstances are available, and that was the case this morning.  There was a wide open approach and exit to a gas station just a quarter mile before my entrance onto I-95S.  As it turned out, it had about the slowest pump I’ve run into (twenty minutes to pump 50 gallons), but I didn’t care.  No nerve wracking heartburn today.  Then I looked down and found two coins on the ground…a penny (isn’t that good luck?) and a quarter.  The quarter had the South Carolina state on it as well.  Kind of gave me a good feeling for today’s travels. 

I needed that.  I always try to check out the next campground I have a reservation for on the RV Campground Reviews website, and where I would be staying tonight had some very low reviews lately.  It made me a little apprehensive.

After about six hours on the road, taking into account my slow gas stop and lunch at the Georgia Welcome Center rest area, I arrived in Brunswick at the Golden Isles RV Park.  My first impressions are that I have no idea why the recent reviews rated it so low.  Compared to my site in Florence, this place is tons better.  I was too pooped to bother with pictures of the place this evening, but I’ll try to do that tomorrow.  I’ll be here for two nights.

As near as I can figure, Okefenokee is only about 50-60 miles away.  So I’ll pack a lunch tonight and Emma and I will make a visit there in the car tomorrow to scope out my approach and where we’ll be setting up camp for the next several months.  They’re not expecting me until Friday or Saturday, and I’ll just be more comfortable with checking out how to get there in the car first.  I’ve ended up in some rather sticky situations with the rig when arriving at some refuges for the first time. 

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Perspective Series-Crossing the Pond

This week I'm introducing Michaela from Michaela Rae for the next installment of the Perspective series. This is a series about expats sharing their experience of living abroad and how it inevitably changed their perspectives on life. Michaela's blog first caught my eye when she was featured on Ruche's site in their love story section. And I have to say, she has the most encouraging and inspiring blog I've read in a long time. Not to mention, incredible travel posts from when they lived in England! Take a look at her site, it's definitely worth a read.

Last year my husband, Kurt, and I packed four bags and boarded a plane to London, England. We'd learned that Kurt had been accepted into a one-year Master’s program there only six weeks before our wedding date. Nevertheless, we didn’t hesitate in deciding that England (as if marriage wasn’t enough) would be our next big adventure.

We found our way through the busy city, where the traffic goes the wrong direction and everyone seems to be in a hurry, to a small flat in Wimbledon (yes, tennis!). Little did we know that our time in London would yield much more than a Master’s degree. Looking back now, I know our first year of marriage will always be remembered for incredible travels, life lessons learned and the friendships we made. I want to share two of the lessons I learned which I know will stick with me for the rest of my life.

Before our move, I knew I didn't know much about England or the places we'd visit, but soon into our stay it became obvious just how little I knew. Witnessing the way others live and learning the history behind a culture (even small things like how a proper English High Tea is done), was humbling at times. At first it was tough to admit I didn’t understand something or to ask what I’m sure to them were basic questions. In the end though, it was worth it because I left with a true (albeit still limited) understanding of the country and culture. I now know that a posture of humility is what allows a person to experience a new place to the fullest. It's not about how much you already know, but about watching, listening and asking questions so that you can know more. I know, in part, how tough being “the foreigner” can be but also how rewarding it is when you embrace it.

Realizing that relationships change was the second lesson I grappled with. Without normal face-to-face interaction and the ability to live life with people, change is inevitable. When I struggled with this my husband would often remind me that friendships evolve even with face-to-face interaction. I knew it was true; I just wasn’t ready for it, at least not so abruptly. And just as a side note, I quickly learned that Skype, a blessed invention indeed, still couldn’t preserve relational normalcy. In fact, I appreciated old-school letters more. There are few things better than finding a letter waiting for you from a loved one. All that being said, my realization that relationships change has been a blessing too. It's allowed me to view friendship in a new light. My appreciation went through the roof for the friends back home and it challenged me to be more intentional in nurturing those relationships. I know now too just how much humans need fellowship. We can be in the most incredible places, but without fellowship, still lonely and hurting. Knowing this has helped me not only be intentional in maintaining friendships but in creating new ones.

Us in Söderköping, Sweden.

Being an expat can shape your perspective on a lot of things. When we returned home it was easy for me to see just how much of an obesity problem America has and that our education system is failing us, but what I really want to cling to are the two lessons I mentioned. I want to always remember that humility enables you to live more fully and that relationships, although they evolve and require work, are the biggest blessing and a necessity in life.

If you have lived abroad and would like to be featured, shoot me an email at lostintravelsblog{at}gmail{dot}com. I would love to hear from you!

“A Man Named Pearl”

A couple of months ago while I was volunteering at Alligator River NWR, I ordered a documentary through my Netflix account entitled “A Man Named Pearl”.  It told the story of Pearl Fryar in South Carolina.  He had become internationally famous for his topiary garden.  Being within 30 miles of Pearl’s garden in Bishopville, SC, is the main reason I stopped at this campground in Florence for a few days.

                  This morning I found the turnoff for Broad Acres Road, and began my adventure for the day. 

Pearl’s garden is located on three acres that includes his house and surrounding land.  When he first moved here in 1980, he had to wait for the corn to be harvested before his house could begin to be built.  The entire area consisted of corn fields, so any trees or shrubs you see here have been planted by Pearl.

At that time, the town of Bishopville’s Iris Garden Club had an award for the ‘Garden of the Month’.  Pearl was determined to win that award even though he was located about a mile outside the town boundaries.

After a three minute lesson on topiary gardening at a nursery in 1983, Pearl began his work by first making plantings around his house.  Many of the shrubs and plants he started with were “throwaways” that Pearl rescued from compost piles at nurseries in the area.  By the way, he won the Garden of the Month award in 1985.

Having never been here before, of course I began the self-guided tour where you are supposed to end up!  It really doesn’t matter where you begin, but if I had started at the other end I would have had a pamphlet to guide me with information along the way.  After winning the award, Pearl Fryar just kept on planting and planting.  He had no formal training, but his work is just amazing.

As I was sitting on a bench admiring all the work that must have gone into these living works of art, who should drive up on a John Deere, but Pearl himself!  As he drove up, I said, “You must be Pearl.”  His animated answer was, “ Yes, I’m the person that created this monster!”  He is a delightful man, and we had a lively conversation until I asked if I could take his picture for my blog.  Then he was all serious in his pose.

I asked him if he had a plan in mind when he planted each shrub or tree.  He said that by now, he didn’t have to think about it at all.  It just came to him what shape the planting would eventually take.

The reason he thinks of his garden as a monster is that it takes constant work every day to keep it in perfect shape.  It was obvious he loved all the work involved regardless of his calling it a monster.  This man loves what he does, and loves sharing it with everyone who comes to see it.

I told him my favorite creation was the one above.  To me, it is Cinderella’s pumpkin chariot to the ball.  He seemed pleased at my interpretation of his art. 

“I like to let people see what they want to in my plants.  The creativity comes in making a shape that speaks to me in one way, but may say something else to everyone else”                                                   Pearl Fryar, Lee County Observer, March 24, 1993

Love Peace & Goodwill is a theme throughout the topiary garden.  (Had I been tall enough, I could have included the Goodwill section.  Each letter is eight feet tall.)  Pearl Fryar is a peaceful man, and I spent a very peaceful time visiting his garden.  There is no fee to visit, but I left a generous donation.  I took lots of photos, and you may see some more sprinkled through the next posts.  If you are ever anywhere close to Bishopville, SC, I would suggest this as a must visit place.

I leave you tonight with my last view of Pearl as I drove away.  He was back working with love and peace taking care of his garden.

“Every individual can make a difference.  I think everyone has a contribution to make.”   Pearl Fryar, Lee County Observer, June 21, 2006.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Off to see the sandhills

Not cranes this time but Carolina sandhills at:

One of the reasons I chose Florence, SC, to stop at for three nights was to be able to visit this National Wildlife Refuge.  This refuge has been around since 1939, and supports the largest population of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker on Fish and Wildlife Service lands.  I didn’t see any of these woodpeckers in my travels today, but I wasn’t there at the most opportune time of the day. 

The characteristic habitat of the refuge is the longleaf pine/wiregrass ecosystem.  After spending a couple of days with my friend, Jack, last winter in Mississippi hunting down longleaf pine needles for his pine needle basket making hobby, my eye just naturally sought out the longest needles in the forest.  This young tree had needles that stretched from my fingertips to my elbow.

After stopping at headquarters to get a stamp for my NWR Passport, Emma and I drove a short distance down the wildlife drive to take a short hike on one of the established trails on the refuge.  This one had signage telling you about the longleaf pine forest and its inhabitants.

Along the Wildlife Drive, numerous refuge ponds can be viewed.  It was a glorious wind free day for appreciating and reflecting.

The overall fall colors are not as vibrant as you might find in the Appalachian Mountains, but individual trees aren’t too shabby.  The brilliant blue skies made a wonderful backdrop.

As I approached this pond, I heard the familiar rattle of a belted kingfisher.  Aha!  That’s one of the birds that I’ve struggled to get a decent picture of.  Karen, of RV Travels With Karen and Al, and I have both had this bird on our wish list for a good live shot.

These are my latest attempts to beat Karen to the punch.  Too far away to be good, but I’m getting closer.  What do you think, Karen?

If nothing else, this refuge has very scenic ponds to enjoy.  A black powder hunt for deer was going on today while I was there, but I only saw a few hunters, and none of them seemed to have had any success.  I had packed a lunch, so Emma and I enjoyed the picnic area that was available overlooking a small lake. 

Being out on a refuge and enjoying nature tops my list of things I enjoy, so today was a two thumbs up day for me.  I also spoke to the refuge manager while I was at their headquarters to enquire about RV volunteer opportunities.  They do have one RV sight, but they’ve had the same volunteer for the last eight years.  That volunteer is taking this year off, but alas, I’m already committed to Okefenokee for the winter. 

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

Honeymooners

Today marks two whole years since I said 'I do' and inevitably it changed my life forever. It’s the day I said ‘I do’ to a traveling lifestyle, syrup Saturdays, and a never-ending list of new things to try. To the marriage veterans, two years is nothing; they look back at when they’d been married for just two years and laugh at when they thought they had everything figured out. But as self-proclaimed life long honeymooners, every year is a landmark. It is another year that we proved the negative marriage stereotypes wrong. I am definitely not an expert on marriage nor do I ever want to come across as one. I know that each day is different, each day is a new and wonderful challenge, and each day has its lessons to be learned. Speaking of lessons, here are some that we've learned in our two years of marriage:

-Starting a serious discussion late at night is never a good idea. Beds are for sleeping, couches are for talking.

-Always make more food. I learned this the hard way. I figured a meal that I made for myself when I was single would surely be enough for the both of us. Wrong.

-Long drives through the country rice fields are the best for long talks.

-Always remember to turn off the water heater after hubs gets out of the shower (ps our water heater needs to be turned on for each use, best and worst thing I’ve ever experienced)

-First one up makes breakfast. Aka hubs.

-All things said out of hunger should be immediately forgotten.

-Prayer, prayer, prayer.

This pretty much sums up our two years...

Happy anniversary hubs! Here's to many many more! Even though neither of us can remember very much of the vows that we wrote, we do both remember promising to always be partners in adventure. I think we've done a pretty good job so far. I can't wait to see what the next 70 plus years has in store for us.