Thursday, July 24

Up around 6 a.m. to get ready to go on a camping trip to the northwest part of the state. It was 9:30 before we finally headed out, taking both the truck and camper, and the van, because Mother can't climb into the truck anymore.


We were not far down the road when I had to honk at Hubbie to pull over. He'd left the camper steps down. He also discovered he'd forgotten to lock the door.


The trip was uneventful after that, and we arrived in the town about two hours away to meet Sis, who took over driving the van, while I joined Hubbie in the truck.


Before we left the strip mall parking lot, we went ahead and had a lunch of pimento cheese sandwiches and chips, with individual cups of chocolate pudding for dessert. Afterward, we transferred a couple of watermelons and a couple of cantaloupes to Sis's truck for Nephew to take home. Sis had asked me to buy the melons for her, since she, like us, prefers the melons from our favorite grower about 20 minutes from our town.


We were soon on the road again, and except for Hubbie hitting an orange barrel in a road work area, the trip to the campground was uneventful. Fortunately, those barrels are made to smash and bounce without damaging vehicles. I just hoped the thing didn't fling itself onto the van hood. Luckily, it did not.


We arrived at the campground around 2 p.m. The weather was okay for setting up the camper...not as hot and humid today as it could have been for a July day.


Once we were settled in camp, Mother was ready for a nap, so she laid down on the couch, while Hubbie, Sis, and I went to the town where the Grape Festival was to be held over the weekend. We toured the wineries to sample a few of the wines.


At the first one, we were fascinated with a tree that grows outside the tasting room. The woman inside told us the tree, an ornamental orange, with thorns, is a hundred years old. The fruit is inedible, but the tree is used for rootstock for orange cultivars. It is particularly pretty in the fall, she said.


As for sampling, this winery is noted for its fruit (other than grape) wines. We tried the blueberry one, and bought bottles of that. Today, Hubbie wasn't able to wine taste, because he is taking antibiotics. He wasn't very happy about it, but it couldn't be helped.


At the next winery, we tried a new wine...sparkling spumante. Pretty good, so I bought a bottle of this, too.


Finally, we visited a winery that has this year decided to charge for tasting...$5 for five samples. Guess not. I just opted to buy a couple of bottles of my favorites from this winery. Maybe they are charging for samples to help foot the bill for a new roof...today, stacks of boxed wines were covered with plastic sheeting, and buckets were everywhere. Obviously, the building leaked copiously during a driving rainstorm last Wednesday.


We toured the vineyards while we were here, and were surprised to see how much of area appears inactive...no vines. Maybe they are starting vines on some other part of their property.


Before we went back to camp, we stopped at a roadside vendor to pick up a few peaches for tomorrow's breakfast.


Supper tonight was Dragon Soup, with slices of Sis's homemade wheat bread. After supper, we played a couple of games of Skipbo, both of which I won.


Time for bed after that, and we were all very ready...long day, and we were all tired.