Elm Mott, Texas

I arrived in Elm Mott, Texas, near Waco, on August 23rd. I am staying with my dear friends the Yardens, camped in their front yard like I did earlier this year.  I am part of their family, and I feel so loved and cared about here.  I sleep in my camper, but eat meals and spend time with the family.

During the daytime, I do various activities. Some days I help plant and weed the vegetable garden, and occasionally help Shlomit with her schoolwork.

Most days I am helping out at the Gristmill either putting labels on bags that will be filled with various products that they sell such as flour, corn meal, granola, grits, etc. or filling bags with the products. It’s really interesting to watch the various flours and corn products being ground on the mill. The flour, grits, cornmeal, etc. are all so fresh because they are done on premise. Did you know that grits come in yellow, white, or blue? Or that there is red kernel popcorn?  I got to taste porridge which is cracked wheat, rice, and corn. It tasted really good with sorghum or honey on it. To see the gristmill and read info on it go to www.homesteadgristmill.com.

One night last week I helped at the Cheese Shop. There were about seven of us in a sort of assembly line, and we made about 700 jars of marinated Feta cheese in four hours. Basically, it was putting a basil leaf, a clove of garlic, and a dry roasted tomato slice in each jar, filling it with Feta cheese, then filling the jar with imported olive oil. It really looked pretty, not to mention tasting good. About 10 p.m. we took a break and had root beer floats!!!  It really hit the spot. We worked from about 7:30 p.m. until 11:30 p.m. so it was great to have a break about mid-way through the evening.

As far as an update on the air conditioner in my camper, well… the air conditioner unit needs to be replaced. Not the one in the dashboard of the vehicle, it’s the one for the camper that runs on electric or generator. It’s the original one which is 14 years old. Due to it being installed in a bad location without much air circulation around it, it doesn’t work in the heat of the day. This has been an ongoing problem and when it’s in the high 90s or low 100s in the camper it is not pleasant. So Chris, the air conditioner tradesman here at Homestead Heritage, said he can install a air conditioner/heat pump unit on the top of my camper, so he went ahead and ordered it last week.  After it’s installed, in addition to having a working air conditioner, I will have the outside opening where the old one went sealed and it will become a small cabinet inside to put some more of my things. Extra storage is always needed.

The weather here in central Texas has been extremely hot. It’s been over 100 degrees several days and in the high 90s other days.

On Labor Day there was a Sorghum Harvest Festival here and I got to see the raw sorghum being pressed and then watching the cane juice being cooked into the syrup. I got to taste it while it was still warm… yumm….  I also got to eat some sorghum pecan ice cream after it was just made.  In case you don’t know what sorghum is, it sort of tastes like molasses, only it has more minerals and is better for you.

I will be here until the end of next week, about September 21st, then I will drive to Albuquerque, NM for the Balloon Fiesta. I will be crewing for the Scott again this year helping when they inflate the balloon in the mornings. I will also be volunteering at the Balloon Discovery Center several mornings and afternoons like I did last year. It should be fun, and maybe Scott will give me another balloon ride. I absolutely loved it last year.

I found out the other day that one of the ladies I have been emailing with and talking with for the last two years who is a single traveler like me, will be in Albuquerque the same time as I am so we are planning to meet in person. Her name is also Carol. Last year in Idaho, I met the other single woman traveler I have been keeping in touch with, her name was Pat. I’m looking forward to meeting Carol, she is looking to downsize from a large travel trailer to something closer to the size of my camper van.

After the Balloon Fiesta is over, I will be heading back to Texas for about six weeks, then back to Florida. That is unless God has other plans for my trip which could happen.

Well, that’s about it for now. Blessings and best wishes always.

 

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