Posts Tagged ‘travel’

26 Sep

Road Trip….. Pit Stop

Posted by ivegonecountry in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , .

You just have to love road trips.  Sometimes we are on a mission and don’t have time to stop for anything other than a food, gas or bathroom break.  But sometimes we decide something looks like it might be worth the stop.

That is exactly what we did one day when we stopped at a place called Priester’s.

They had the cutest little horse swing made out of tires on the country porch as you enter.   I love atmospheres like that.

 

Once inside there was a really neat gift shop area to browse around in while you stretched your car legs.

They had Dips, Jellies, Dressings, Cookbooks and most anything to do with pecans.  Then we discovered that they had one side of the store dedicated to food products.

Most importantly they had samples galore.  Every kind of coated pecan you can imagine was displayed.  Bowls of samples were everywhere, so you could try the different kinds before buying them, of course we tried all of them!

I noticed that they also had a viewing gallery where you could watch them make all the goodies.  I immediately was drawn to the long hallway full of windows that overlooked the kitchen area.

That kind of thing always interest me.

Here they were making those yummy pecan logs.  I remember stopping at Stuckey’s when we were kids, going to visit my grandparents.  It was about a 14 hour road trip.  We were always sure to stop at a Stuckeys somewhere along the way….pecan logs were one of my Mom’s favorite treats….but pecan pies were her absolute favorite.   We all grew up liking pecans.  They are probably my very favorite kind of nut.

 

I believe they were making divinity here.

 

Then I came up on them making the homemade pecan pies.  I was amazed at how quickly they worked.  When my camera flashed they looked up and smiled and then gave a wave.

They seemed to enjoy what they were doing.  They all had pleasant smiles on their faces even before they saw the camera. I thought that was really neat.  It is so important to do something you like and be around people who are fun and enjoyable to work with.

I think that also speaks highly of the establishment, they obviously provide a good work environment.

Anyway back to the pies….

They measured the dough for the crust, rolled it out, and put it in the pie tins.

 

Pecans were measured, so that every pie would be JUST right.

The pie shells were filled with all the really good stuff and placed on racks.  Once the racks were full….they were ready to go into the oven!

 

And they made a LOT of pies.  It smelled soooooo good….. even through the glass.

Billy came looking for me….he had finally filled up on samples and was ready to get back on the road.  They probably would rather we not stop again.  We did buy some pecans to take with us.

If you ever get the chance to stop, I recommend it.  They also have a web site if you think you just really MUST have something with pecans in it!

I’m sure whatever you pick out……it would be YUMMY!!!!!!

 

9 Aug

Peanut Butter Apple

Posted by ivegonecountry in Recipes. Tagged: , .

I love this idea.  I did not come up with it on my own.  I believe I was in 7th grade when a girl named Susie brought one of these in her lunch.  I was totally amazed.

It is easy to do….and great to pack up for on the go.

Pick the apple variety you like best.

 

Get a good sharp knife…..

 

Cut around the core …I usually make a square…sometimes if it is stubborn I turn it over and cut from the bottom side as well.

 

Push on the core and…….Wah…Lah!!!

 

Fill the center of the apple with ….Peanut Butter.

 

Now isn’t that neat.

You can pack it up easily…to take in the car for later…a picnic…or kids lunches.

 

I find that I eat apples a little more this way.  I like getting that little bit of peanut butter with  a bite of apple.

Anyway, that is something I thought you might like to try if you haven’t already.

Oh….and thank you Susie’s Mom!!!!

 

27 Apr

Beauty Everywhere

Posted by ivegonecountry in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , .

I find it so neat how there is beauty all around us.  No matter what our soil conditions are there is usually a plant that surprises us with its beauty.

This is a Bougainvillea.  Amazingly enough, they are drought tolerant…perfect for the area we were in.  It was just gorgeous.  It was actually a pleasant kind of odd to see it flourish.

I have no idea what this is.  It too was thriving, in the heat and dry conditions.

I loved the little purple flowers that were all over it.

The cactus are beautiful.

The people can also use them for food.  This young mother had just gathered some eggs from a few chickens they have and cut some cactus from her plants.  One of the members of our group was a nutritionist, she decided to saute some for our dinner and also had some that were  raw for us to try.  I tried the sauteed ones…they were good.  (I do not know how to make that little mark on the computer over the -e-)

I have not seen many different trees in the area we are working.  I have seen this one in particular, the pods are unique and striking.

There were some new banana plants since we were there last.  I looked it up and apparently they are not really “trees”.  Anyway, possibly they will grow good here and offer another source of food.

The missionaries have been given a rabbit as a gift….they are hopefully getting another one soon.   That can be the gift that keeps on giving…..

Along the banks of the canal I saw these little guys (goats)….made me think about our own.

They were eating the vegetation along the way.

They went down the steep embankment and drank from the canal then continued on their way.

Apparently this is the garbage truck….

A beautiful animal, doing his job.

The true meaning of “horse power”.

On the day we travel back home we usually make a stop in Progreso.  They have a market area where you can buy things that help support the locals.  I love to see the things they get creative with.

I should have taken a picture while the man was making this ring with my name on it.  He does an amazing job.  He just bends and shapes it from a strand of wire.  He is very talented.

This is a necklace.  It is a crucifix made of glass and a lady writes on a grain of rice for you.

Not only that, but on the other side of that grain of rice…she drew a heart and colored it in.  Then she placed a tiny amount of greenery and a little bead to look like a flower.

Something about having my name…there…at the cross that makes it seem even more personal.

It reminds me…that Jesus loved and still loves me so much….he died for me.  WOW.

There is a taco stand that the teams frequent while there.

The vendors continue to come and try to sell the goods to you while you eat.  Some of them will serenade you for a small fee.  I think that is a pretty neat way to use their talent.

Someone had these two little fellows play and sing, I only caught the end of it….but it is fun to hear.

On the way back across the border,

I saw this beautiful Lime tree.

There is usually a stop at the ice cream shop before we load up.  Well it was there that it happened…..

I dropped my camera!  UGH….

I clicked it to see if it was going to work……

Ben even gave me a smile to give it a good check….

However, it makes a new noise and it works when wants to.  Soooooo….I got a different one yesterday…not crazy about it…but maybe it is because I do not know enough about all the buttons yet.

I think I will have to see if I can have my other one repaired without it costing as much as the camera did.  It took such great pictures.

So bear with me….as I  try the new one out.

I did get it to take one more picture when we got home.  We were going through the woods on the dirt road…and saw this amazing looking THING….I suppose it is a mushroom?

I do not know…but even my sick little camera….captured it so nicely.

There really is beauty everywhere you look!

26 Apr

The Ice Cream Man

Posted by ivegonecountry in Uncategorized. Tagged: , .

AMAZING!  Even in a place where there is no electricity, there is an ice-cream man.

On Sunday he pedaled his unique bike down the street.  When it is hot, there is a need for something cool.

He had Mango ice cream.

He provided a nice sized scoop for .50 cents.

Billy especially enjoyed seeing him come each day.

Actually,everyone waited with excitement to see him pull up.

Everyday he had a different flavor, this was coconut day.  Complete with real pieces of coconut throughout.

This happened to be strawberry day.  For the price….everyone was able to be treated to ice cream.

I mentioned that Billy and I worked the reading glass table.  One day this lady sat down to see about some glasses.

After trying several pairs, she finally found the ones that worked for her.  A beautiful smile came across her face.  She grabbed Billy and I and started praying the most beautiful prayer in Spanish.  I do not know the language, but I do recognize a few words.  She was saying gracious over and over.  Thanking God and Christ, I did recognize those words.  More importantly than me understanding the words, was the connection that was made with our hearts.  As she prayed such a sweet sincere prayer, tears rolled from my eyes.  I was so moved by her sweet spirit.

After she finished she went to wait for her turn to see the doctor.  In triage I saw the nurse begin to cry.  The interpreter who was helping went to speak to the ice cream man.

I saw both of them begin to cry.  Billy and I watched, still not knowing what was going on.  It was later that we learned that they were a married couple.  They had a 16 year old son who was killed just 4 months ago in an accident.  The father, the ice cream man, has turned away from God…in anger and hurt.  Our hearts broke for this family.

Interesting how you really never know what someone else is going through.  Sometimes wounds are physical and we can see them, sometimes wounds are Spiritual and they can go unnoticed until you get to know the person.

The next morning, the ice cream man came again…we bought our ice cream as usual…and we all hugged him. We asked if we could pray for him.  He said yes.

Billy prayed, the interpreter was there, we were all around him showing him that we loved him.

He cried, we cried…..it was sweet.

He came back the next day…and everyday after that… until we left.  We also told him when the group would return and that everyone would be ready for ice cream again.

He smiled.

He brings great joy to people…he’s the ice cream man!  I pray joy comes back to him….that his heart will be healed.  That can happen, if he let’s it…because God…is God!

Scriptures tell us that we will have trials and tribulations in this world.  I do not understand why certain things happen.  God’s plans are higher than our plans…I suppose if God told us why, we still wouldn’t understand it.  It is much deeper I think than we can even comprehend.  Our family has suffered through accidental deaths, it is a terrible experience.  When I was growing up we would talk about those things, my mother would say, it will either make you bitter…or better.  If we trust God through those hard times, we will grow close to Him, and He will walk with us through the hurt.  Making us able to help someone else one day who is experiencing something similar.  Just because we love God…it doesn’t make us immune to hurt and loss.

We continue to remember him, his wife and the other children in their family, in our prayers.

I ask that you will too.

24 Apr

I can see clearly now…..

Posted by ivegonecountry in Uncategorized. Tagged: , , .

The trip we went on this time was in the same area I blogged about in November, but it was a medical trip instead of a building trip.  I have 27 years of experience – it is on the job training- from Motherhood University.  Seriously, Billy and I are not doctors or nurses but we wanted to go along and do whatever we could to help.

I really prayed before we left about what we could do.  What would the people need that we could help with?  I believe God impressed me to take reading glasses.  I am pretty dependent on mine.  I also remember my sister Charlotte telling me that she started wearing them when her last baby was born.  She said “I just couldn’t see her precious little face as clearly as I wanted while I was holding her.”

I checked into finding some….and it worked out perfectly.  They even came in a really neat little display and had 11 different strengths to choose from.

Both of these boys were named Christian.  They call the smaller one pee wee.  They were fascinated with the mirror, which had a regular side and a magnifying side.

This picture I took last year…it is the only mirror I have seen in the homes I have visited in.  So I suppose the kids really did get a kick out of seeing their faces and magnifying them.  Something we don’t give a whole lot of thought about.

A good way to check the proper strength was to let them try to read.  It was so rewarding to see the smile on their face when the blurriness went away and they were able to see the words clearly.  I know that feeling.  I love the clarity I get from my glasses.

As I looked at some of these people, like this gentleman….I couldn’t help but wonder how long it has been since he has been able to read his Bible.  Or possibly see his grandchildren’s faces clearly.  WOW…such a little thing…yet, important.

It was fun seeing this man…after he was fitted for glasses he began to read the Bible, even reading aloud sometimes to his wife as they waited to be seen by the Doctor.

Last November we built a home for a young family.  The family had brought their sick child to a Medical Clinic that had come for a week  in August of last year.  The team was able to diagnose the illness of their baby with pneumonia and get him to a hospital.  He was so sick he almost died.  When we came in November to build a home we didn’t know that it would be for that same family.  It was really neat because that babies name was…. Jesus.  So it ended up that the family had a new home for Christmas, I don’t think it could have been any more appropriate. It was wonderful that they could celebrate Christmas with a healthy baby and in a home of their own.

They had been living next door to the house we built, with the grandparents.

This lady is the grandmother of that baby.

I think she has the sweetest smile….

Once again, by returning to the same area we are able to tie the children and grandchildren to the parents and grandparents.  It starts to get personal.

After the house was built in November, she and all the family cooked what little they had in appreciation.  They even took some flashlights and stood holding them over the tables while the team ate.  Very gracious people.  It is those acts of kindness that bind your hearts with theirs.

I got tickled with this lady.  She didn’t even take the time to remove the sticker from her glasses.  She went straight to sewing some elastic in her slip, something she had been needing to do.  I think she was VERY excited.

Every evening at bedtime….I would lay awake with the faces of people running through my  head as I reflected on the day and all the events that had taken place.

I do not speak Spanish….but there are some things like a smile…

and a hug…that do not need words…… or a translator.

There are still many eyeglass needs.  An Eye doctor would be very helpful for so many others that we were not able to help.  There were many children that needed glasses that require a prescription lens.

For that week we did what we could….maybe next time more can be done.

Tomorrow I will share some of the other areas of work that the team was involved with.

22 Apr

The Trip

Posted by ivegonecountry in Uncategorized. Tagged: .

Today is Sunday….and it has been a good day of rest.  We aren’t the kind to sleep late and lay around watching television all day, but we still rested.

We went to Church and re-charged our Spiritual batteries.

We ate lunch with Billy’s parents and visited for a while at their home.  Then we decided to check out the lake and see how much the fingerling sized fish,we put in last year, had grown.

We caught several but they weren’t very big.  We were able to see a range of sizes….which means someone has had babies!   Yes, it will be a fun year for fishing this year.  A  gentlemen we know fished here a few weeks ago and he caught several good sized catfish.  We were really glad to know that those had survived and had grown.  Billy and Ellie feed the fish each morning on their walk.  Hopefully that will plump them up!

This Sunday was very different from last week.

Last Sunday we were in Mexico.  We heard singing from this little church and decided to slip in the back and enjoy their worship music.

The people were so excited to have us visit their church, they even gave up their seats for us.  After they sang a few songs, they asked us if we would sing a song for them.  Not all of our group was in the service but about 8 of us got up and sang Jesus loves me and Amazing Grace.  Of course we sang in English.  They seemed to recognize the tune and smiled with enjoyment as we sang.  It was a really neat way to start the day.

We walked around the area and visited with the locals.  Billy saw some boys playing volleyball and just had to get in there with them.  They loved it, and so did he.

As soon as we headed out to walk some more one of our little sweeties greeted us.  We walked over and visited with her and her father.

This is Andrea.  She is an extra special little girl.  I suppose that is one of the rewarding things about re-visiting an area, seeing a lot of the same people.  She was so excited to see us.  It really melts your heart.

Someone brought the game Memory with them.  Billy played with several of the kids.  The language barrier isn’t a problem when you play that game.  Everyone laughed and had a great time.  They think Billy is hilarious.

A big part of any mission trip is getting to know the people by spending time with them.   When we sign up to go on the trips, we often go with people we haven’t met before.  It is always fun getting to know new people on our team, and getting to know the ones we have been with before better.

All through the week there was singing…..

and unique dance moves….

and hoola hooping…..

I’m not as young as I used to be…but I can still hoola….I just look really weird doing it.

 

It is fun loving the babies….

Braiding their hair for school….

And taking Ice cream breaks with the girls….Aren’t they little beauties!

Tomorrow….. I will share with you some pictures from the Medical part of the trip.

We had a GREAT week.

 

 

 

 

21 Apr

The Blogger is Home

Posted by ivegonecountry in Uncategorized. Tagged: , .

I apologize for not giving an explanation of where I would be for a week.  I had every intention to continue blogging while we were gone…but, that just didn’t happen.

Billy sent Garrett  the picture you saw of me handing out beans that he took with his phone.  I was surprised but glad he posted it .

We arrived home today.

I am tired.

I am headed to bed.

BUT….here are a few pictures we took yesterday before we loaded up in the car and drove through the night …about 1250 miles…roughly 18-20 hours.

We look like tourist for sure…..

We are silly…I know.

We visited Progreso Mexico on the way home for a quick stop at the souvenir stands.

It is neat to see all the items.  These are Pinatas hanging up in the store.  Some of these were 4 to 5 feet tall.

Most of the shopping we did was not in the stores.

We mingled among the streets with the merchants.  Beautiful people with amazing crafts and goods for sale.

I will post pictures of our trip tomorrow and tell you about our week.

GOODNIGHT!