Turkeys and Scones!

Hidden Valley Lake, California was our adventurous goal. What a wonderful place. It was a four-hour drive from our home up to Napa and the Silverado Trail. Beautiful scenery and lots of places to stop and sip the vino. We arrived at our destination, a little dusty, thirsty and ready to relax. It only takes us 30 minutes to set up, open the vino and put out salami, cheese and french bread. We were the only ones there our first night and only two other RVs arrived the next night. Very quiet. It is a small, oak filled canyon with a bubbly running creek. It feels like you are out on the ranch but you are in the middle of a gated community with a golf course and market!

The deer and wild turkeys rule. The early mornings have a little fog hanging onto the branches, deer grazing, turkeys waddling and flying and the feral cats are fed by a mysterious cat lady. The quiet is amazing. We take our little pooch out for a short stroll. The air was crisp and cool with just a hint of damp. We started our morning with a short walk. The water for our french press coffee is heating and the luscious lemony scones are baking. As we return to our rig the water is poured over our Peet’s coffee and the aroma of the scones cooling on the counter just add to the simple pleasures of life. With our curtains opened to view nature, classical music playing quietly in background, we enjoy our cozy cave. (Our doggie pokes his head between the curtains so he can keep an eye on the wildlife.)

We found this little place thanks to our friends Anne and Dan who live at Hidden Valley Estates. This trip we had dinner at their house, went wine tasting all Saturday and cooked our dinner for the night in our rolling French bistro. Sunday was home-made scones and coffee. This little kitchen really works and there is plenty of prep space. Prior planning helped. I prepared the dry ingredients for the scones at home, packed them in a zip lock bag and only added butter and milk in the coach. Fifteen minutes later, we had warm, buttered lemon scones with our own French press coffee. Now that is traveling!

Unfortunately, we also had our first encounter with a frozen water hose too. Luckily, as always, fellow travelers helped us with a lesson on all-weather camping. We now wrap our hoses in cold weather.

We shall do this again! Even, Gunny, our doggie liked it. He travels well. We love to see our friends and the Napa/Lake county wine regions too. If you go to Lake County wine area there is a great little restaurant in Kelseyville called the Saw Shop and a repeat visit is a must. We are getting used to our little home. It is relaxing to just have a lazy morning with goodies you made while still in your jammies! The dog is not so sure, but goes along for the adventure.

Our Gunny! He now loves his little rolling home. See what he did to the curtains!

Our Travel Dreams for 2016

Back to the Dream

Here it is 2016! Haven’t traveled in over three months and keep thinking about going ANYWHERE. Sometimes life takes other turns and gives you a chance to do some long-range plans, repair your rig, re-organize the living areas and dream of where you want to go.

Today is a rainy California day. Our travel time is usually winter so rain reminds me of our travels. In our last walk around of our rig we found a small drip over the bed after a recent rain. The little silver castle is seven years old and we keep thinking she is brand new. This precipitated a complete re-check of little repairs that may need to be done before we travel again.

Last October, 2015, we got the bright idea of Yellowstone National Park in 2016. We are combining that with a family graduation in Idaho and then meandering back home! Wow a dream travel plan that we have read other Airstreamers enjoy. This will be the first “long” road trip for us. Yep a whole two weeks! Ok we have been 11 days on the road with tight timelines….. this will be our first vacation!

It has been a rough year but we know this year is our year to really grow and enjoy life. We have had challenges of serious illness in our family, someone stole our Airstream keys out of our truck, had to order new ones and then needed to make repairs to keep our silver coach safe and road worthy.

In the meantime we did take our Flying Cloud in for a complete service and upholstery change. In essence she is still a new rig of dreams. After we left our trailer at the Bay Area Airstream dealership and service bay we drove up through Suisun Valley to our favorite winery Six Sigma! It was a beautiful drive through cattle and wine country, no traffic just green trees and grasslands.

It was sad to see the after effects of the Lake county fire. The amazing wonder is how mother nature heals herself with beauty and strength! We enjoy peace and greatness of our little piece of the world.

We arrive at Six Sigma and there is a pick up party in process. The people there make us feel at home. The great warmth, friendliness of everyone and fantastic wines create an oasis in a world of crazy noise and cold. As we are sipping our wine we look around and see a campsite! Yep an empty spot that says stay with me and enjoy my peaceful view.

We spoke to Christian Ahlman and were informed they are part of the network of wineries across the United States that allow trailers and RVs to enjoy the beauty, great wine and quiet. This area is like stepping back in time. The fact that this is a working ranch, winery and historic piece of California makes this magic. We can’t wait for our turn to fill this space with our silver trailer at the next Farm to Table dinner and wine pairing. We have the best place to stay! Walking distance to the great food and wine and a little still to our home.

Our coach will be ready in two weeks with a new look to enjoy our next wine adventure. We are looking forward to our first Farm to Table experience just outside our silver door! Bowser!

Winter wonderland and travel

OMG! Here I am making gifts of herb butters and planning a New Years trip. How do we plan our destinations and missions due for completion. Ohhhh that does not sound like fun.

Our cozy Airstream awaits its new mattress pad especially made for our 20 foot Flying Cloud . We are planing a quick 5 day jaunt to Idaho. The aroma of the herbal butters and cookie dough makes me think . . . . Oh what we could do to use these to enhance our travels.

We just did a pick up of our favorite wines in Lake County California, Six Sigma! It made us remember that friends, associates and the journey mean so much more and enhance our gentle luxuries. Great wine, great friends, and the feelings of the moment.

Our special wine connection! Six Sigma Winery and friends!

As I prepare luscious herbal butters for gifts I think, oh what a wonderful treat as we traverse the winter highways to our special destination . . . Eagle, Idaho and our daughter and grandchildren. We had not ever thought this would be a destination over the holidays but what a thrill!

Sumptuous plans for a gentle road trip. The snow will dictate our travel time as will our time restraints. We have five days and how do we plan? The Airstream makes the travel a breeze. We do not worry about warmth and comfort as it is so well insulated we are always comfy. I have come to appreciate the thought put into its design. There is no wasted space, we can hunker down in a monsoon, wind storm and blizzard! It has taken me five years to appreciate the design and thought put into our Flying Cloud.

So we plan for our creature luxuries, menu for New Years Eve, nosh on the road and reservations on the way to our destination. Just think herbed butter, we made, rib steaks, garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed green beans with butter and shallots, Six Sigma 2009 Tempranillo and French press coffee with espresso shortbread cookies to bring in the new year! No matter where we are, if in our Airstream, we know we are not only warm and safe, we are more than comfortable.

We hope to bring in the New Year with style and panache! We do not need to be ever stylish but we know less is more and it is the little luxuries that make our lives special.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND A WONDERFUL RIVETTED AIRSTREAM NEW YEAR

Momma Mia –

Napa Style did it again! Now you can have the same tubular spice experience with the stackable spice as the 12 spice travel spice tube but now a 9 spice assortment for Italian cooking! Yep now you have your choice. Same price as the larger one but only one spice is in the Italian choices that is not in the larger one. I still like this idea because you can make your own mixes too.

Idaho special for rubs and great new creations

The major begining — The major beginning

Theses can actually last for a long time if stored in a dark, cool, dry space! They are so small and fit well in the smallest pantry. Nice go to on the road and you can replenish them with fresh when back home.

Settlng to enjoy another restful dinner by the stream Ahhh — A setting to enjoy another restful dinner by the stream at Shaw’s Shady Acres

We were so thankful that our best friends introduced us to the most wonderful Farmer’s market to enhance our traveling kitchen. The Calistoga Farmers Market is always waiting for discovery by new friends. The locals get to enjoy the freshest, most beautiful fish, veggies, flowers, fruits and cooked delicacies ever. We were ready to create with our Mobile Herbs!

The fresh caught white fish was a delicacy with just a little olive oil, fresh thyme and a sprinkling of salt and pepper done in our simple cast iron pan. hmmmm so tasty and flakey. Italian green beans with garlic, butter and olive oil, the local peasant bread and Sauvignon Blanc from Six Sigma made the evening so much more. Relaxing in the evening with friends and food is what life is all about.

The next evening the local market had organic rib eye steaks on sale! Smoked Hickory flavored salt rubbed on the sides with a little olive oil, hot cast iron over the outside grill, fresh salad greens with sliced local green apples and goat cheese was mouth-watering! Add a little Coppola’s table red and you have a meal to enjoy by the stream at the Shaw’s Shady Acres with our stowed treasures to complete the scene. Traveling to eat and enjoy is a nice carrot to get us out the door!

It has been awhile!

The poor little trailer sat sad and forelorn! Nobody loved her —- yes we do. We forgot what great fun she could be! It is the little 2 day trips that can bring us back to the reason a luxury silver trailer can make you smile.

Our Fall season begins now! We have worked hard all summer and waited for the quiet of the off season. This past weekend was a beautiful start. Serendipity brought us back North. We are wine members of the Six Sigma Winery. The Paella event brought us back to Lake County. This also allowed us to adventure out of our normal campground to a new and interesting place to unwind and relax.

Shaw’s Shady Acres! A blast from the past, the early days of fish camping. It is situated next to a charming creek, Cache Creek and the Anderson Marsh. Unfortunately our severe drought has the level quite low. That being said, the Blue Heron and Kingfishers are still fishing and the sense of calm abounds. The campground also has year round residents. There are kayaks, motor boats and one restored, vintage trailer that may soon be a “cabin” for travelers. This historic resort began its life in the 1950’s and has been open for catfisherman and birders since then. Its charm is what it can be and what is has innately available to travelers. Lisa, the mistress of the grounds has great ideas for making this resort a hub destination opening Clear Lake and Lake County hamlets the exposure they deserve. It is and area that is not as high end as Napa County but has the rustic and warm charm that small towns of California’s past have. We wish Lisa luck and fortune. She is quite accommodating to small groups of vintage trailer buffs to string their trailers covered wagon style too.

We were directed to the Featherbed Railroad Caboose Bed and Breakfast! Yep there are 9 real cabooses that have been made into creative period retreats!. It is right across the street from Clear Lake, has lots of shade and trees. Railroad themed music is piped through to the large outside porch and a train whistle is sounded everyday at noon. The proprietor, Tony, is a wealth of local knowledge and can direct you to whatever floats your boat. If we ever traveled without our coach we would love to maybe rest there a night or two. The main registration area is an old style train station.

The two really bright stars in our short trip were visiting with old, dear friends, a quiet candle light dinner by the creek and stopping for an hour near a little lake off Pope Valley road. Sitting just watching the birds, listening to the quiet and enjoying the warm breezes remind us . . . less is often more.

Happy traveling!

Lisa, the mistress of Shaw’s Shady Acres. She is a wonderful help to finding fun things to do , or not.

Paella !! So wonderful with our favorite wines and hosts

The porch to cool off and meet new friends