Texas Hill Country "A Quick Peek"

As we travel the majority of our updates will be at the following links

Rick and Nancy's Travel Page  on the left side click External Links and it will take you to our

2 Blogs and our Facebook Page.   On the right side is our Trip Journals and the latest one is 

Texas or Bust "Touring the Texas Hill Country"

Below is a small sample of the available pictures.  Thanks for stopping by and have a Great Week

Rick and Nancy. 

Full Moon over Texas on January 10 2012

Sunset from our Campsite Jan 11 2012

Texas Longhorn Cattle.  The full herd pass the trees

Example of work done on the Sculpture Ranch

Boar Goat pregnant.  Texas is the world's largest exporter
of Boar Goats.  Big Money Crop

Texas Horses waiting for the next roundup

Not a friendly animal. Close up view of a Texas Longhorn

Christmas 2011.

We have been hosting a Family Christmas for almost 25 years.  The babies that were there in the beginning our now parents and some are even grandparents.   This year we decided to hold our celebration earlier so that others might have or start their own traditions on Christmas.  December 10 2011 was the big day.   

There was a great turnout, lots of food and family talk.   Someone brought a old picture album from back in the day and we all had a great time looking at the old black and white pictures.  I did include one of Nancy in this blog. She was a mere child at the time.

On our Ipad we had all of our digital pictures, for both Thanksgiving and Christmas starting with the

year 2004.   Everyone enjoyed looking at History.  Hopefully in the next year or so I will have all the
pictures, from back in the day, on the IPAD

The heads of all the families received a CD of over 150 pictures of this family get together.  Here are 41 of them.  

Great time was had  by all.   The family visits lasted over 8 hours.  Nancy and I really enjoyed seeing all the folks.  I hope you and your family had a very Merry Christmas

Rick, Nancy, Bandit and Belle

Hand Decorated Gift from our friends Agatha and Crystal
Hong Kong 

Ammar, Scott, Evelyn and Jill.  Just relaxing after dinner

Evelyn and her mother Ashley

Ashley, Her Mother Sheila and Evelyn

Bandit and Niamiah and Evelyn

Bandit, Shawn and Niamiah

Looking at old Family Pictures

Becky, Nancy's Niece

Our home on a Sunny December 10th

Curt enjoying the Christmas Dinner

Jasmine, Cathy, Barbara Molly and Nancy just talking 

Evelyn enjoying the run around the home

Evelyn and Bandit just relaxing

Jill, Shawn, Ashley and Scott relaxing after dinner

Ammar, Molly and Gail getting their plates 

Our Granddaughter Holly

Holly baked cookies for the get together

Holly and husband Jameison.

One of my favorites Buckeye's made by
Jasmine and Jada

Jada and Nancy's sister Barbara just talking

Jada playing with Belle

Jada, Evelyn and Niamiah on the dog bed

Jada and Niamiah just having fun

Jameison, Holly and Holly's Dad KR

Jasmine and Barbara enjoying the day

Cathy, Jasmine and Barbara.  Nice Picture

Gail and Becky getting their plates filled with food

Megan loves German Shepherds. and of course Belle

KR and his wife Sandy enjoying Christmas

Family relaxing after Dinner.

Jada having a fun time

Megan, Jasmine and 3rd Cousin Sheila

Molly and husband Ammar

Nancy's picture as a little girl

Nancy and new gown from KR.  

Nancy has a collection of over 50 Santa Clauses

Rick and Gifts. New Rivet Gun

Rick and Nancy really enjoy all the family celebrations

Sandy opening her gifts

Scott, Ashley and her Dad Curt with Rick on the end

Shawn, Ashley,Evelyn and Niamiah.  Nice family picture


Thanks for viewing the blog and we hope you
had a very Merry Christmas

Thanksgiving 2011

For many a year we have been hosting a small family get together on Thanksgiving Day.  This year was a little different as we had 2 guests from Hong Kong.  Agatha and Kristel are friends of my Sisters Son Matthew.  This was the girls first American Thanksgiving and they added a lot of festivity to the family celebration.  On Saturday we visited two cemetery's where my Mother and Nancy's Mother was buried.   The weather was great and all the rain that was forecast did not arrive until Sunday.

This year we deep fried two turkeys and oven baked one.  Total weight of the turkeys was approximately 50 lbs, which gives you about 25 lbs of meat.  When the last guest left on Sunday there was no turkey left.

We have over 150 pictures of the celebration but we only loaded up 55 for the blog.    It was a lot of fun and we hope you enjoy the pictures.

Have a great week and Merry Christmas

For safety the deep fryer assembly is completely level.

Rick and Chuck watching the deep fry operation. It is
very important that someone is always on guard.
The day before we put the heaviest turkey in the tub and
placed enough water to cover the turkey. Once the
turkey is pulled out we mark the water level and
subtract 1 inch and that is where we fill up with
pure Peanut Oil.  The oil expands slightly so that
is why we start 1 inch low.

The first turkey going into the pool

The Turkey is lowered slowly to avoid any splashing.
Also this helps keep the oil from over flowing.  You
have to make sure the Turkey is completely dry.
Water and Peanut Oil does not mix well.

Chuck and Rick holding the first Deep Fried Turkey

Just some Turkey Guests going across the property.  They
are frequent guests and roost in the tall trees back of
our home

More Wild Turkeys.  Don't Worry we did not
have the wild ones for dinner.  It is hunting season
in Ohio but these guys don't seems to be worried.
Maybe Ohio hunters are bad shots

This is part of the Gaggle of Turkeys. Total count
was 25 of them

Baked Beans side dish for dinner.  Mark brought
this tasty dish in.  Great Flavor

Cooked Cranberries.  Tasty

Dave cooking the Harvard Beets.  Old family
favorite from back in the day

Harvard Beets look great don't they

Home Canned Green Beans. Nothing Better. Flavored
with Bacon, some Salt Pork and Onions. Toni
brings these every year. Fantastic

Dave, My Sister Toni, Chuck in the back and Mark.
Preparing food for the dinner.  Other than myself
everyone had some time in the kitchen.  I am the
official dinner taster.  Only do the job your
good at

Mark mashing the potatoes.  There was enough
to have Potato  Cakes for Breakfast on Saturday.
They go great with Eggs, Bacon, Toast, Juice

Nancy and Dave checking the 20lb Oven Turkey
The Turkey was a Amish Live Turkey from
our local butcher shop

Dave and Toni making stuff for dinner

You think the stove is dirty, you should see the
kitchen floor.  So much food you might
just stick to the floor

Nancy is happy with the oven Turkey. Looked
and tasted great.  Inside the turkey is Nancy's
homemade Bread Dressing.   She always make
an extra big dish and flavors it with the
fluids off the baked turkey.  

Just one of the plates of Turkey.   It did not last
long.   

Another plate of Turkey.  The deep fried was really
tasty.  The peanut oil and the marinade we inject
into the meat makes a big big difference.  

More Turkey. The above three pictures were placed
on the dinner table.  Other Turkey plates were
waiting their trip to the table.

Home made Pecan Pie. We had two of them
and both were GREAT  It is not low
calorie but who cares. We only have it
once a year.

Home Made Pumpkin Pie.   We had two of these.  One of
the pies was made with Organic Pumpkin.  Both were
great.  Not sure one is better than the other.

Marshmallows, Crushed Pineapple and Real
Coffee Creme.  One of my favorite desserts
from when I was a mere child.  You have to
have real coffee creme.  Most stores do not have that.
Luckily Meijer's in our area carries it.  Without
the coffee cream it does not taste perfect 

Home Made Fudge.  The peanut butter was fantastic and
the other is a chocolate.  Not sure what type but
tasted great.
Dave brought these.  He likes to cook

Hawaiian Wedding Cake. Nancy makes this every
year.  Absolutely fantastic.  The icing is
homemade, very smooth, just the perfect
amount of sweetness.  Must be the cook  GREAT.
If you are a baker make one of these and you will
put it at the top of your favorite desserts 

What is dessert without a homemade Whip Topping. My
Sister Toni makes this every year.  Fantastic. Much
better than ole Cool Whip.  Made with Half and Half
Sweetener etc.  Not a low calorie version but again
only once a year. That is moderation

Our Son KR cutting the pies after dinner.

Thanksgiving Family. Toni's not in this one
she had to take the picture

Talking and Eating is always good. Thanksgiving
is a fun time.   The dinner starts off by giving
thanks and Toni led the prayer

Agatha and Kristel our guests from Hong Kong. They
loved our German Shepherds.  Our sister Toni brought
her dog Pearl and she is at the bottom of this picture. Next
year will get a better shot.

Agatha and Kristel enjoying their first American
Thanksgiving Dinner.  They tried everything
including the Egg Nog Drink.  Some of the
food we have they have never tried, so they did.

Agatha relaxing after dinner.  Agatha is in a Hong Kong
Nursing College and will graduate soon

Kristel relaxing after Dinner. The left for Hong Kong
on the Monday after Thanksgiving.  Kristel
is in a Hong Kong Nursing College and will
be graduating soon

Kristel and Agatha enjoying the day

Matthew, Agatha and Kristel taking a little nap
after Dinner

Kristel and Agatha presented Nancy and I with a gift
set of chop sticks.  Neatly package and will
be framed and placed in our dining room

Nancy and KR.  He sure has gotten tall

Sandy looking at all of our Thanksgiving pictures on
the Ipad.  There were over 600 of them starting with
2004.  I have 2 more years of pictures to convert.  Maybe
next year

Mark and Dave leaving with some leftovers

Matthew and Mark moving another table to the
dining room

Mark relaxing after Dinner

Chuck relaxing after Dinner

Matthew, Agatha and Kristel relaxing after Dinner

Nancy getting the Dinner ready for Bandit and Belle.
They deserve a big dinner treat also.  Great Dogs

Nancy visiting her Mothers Grave Site.  The cemetery
is  located about 20 miles from our home.  Just a
country cemetery away from the hustle and bustle
of the city.  Pretty nice place

This is Nancy's Mother site with the new wreath.  She was
a great woman.  Guided and helped Nancy and
I many many times.  The kids called her
Grandma Cheat Cards as she always beat them in
any card game  

Across from Margaret (Nancy's Mom) is some
ole cemetery stones.  Interesting reading

Rick and Toni at our Mothers Gravesite in Burr Oak Ohio

Our Mother always loved this area.  Just a short distance
from their land.  Back in the day they
spent a lot of time in Burr Oak

The Famous Nelsonville Train.  Throughout the year
the train rides through the Hocking Hills. Notice
the Santa Claus getting ready to board.
The Hocking Hills has kids just waiting to talk to him
Nelsonville is located on the way to Burr Oak.
Click for Nelsonville

We shopped at Rocky's Boot Store.  They used to
make the boots here, but like everything else
the product is now made in China.  The
distribution is still from the area, so some jobs
were saved.

Belle and Bandit relaxing after their dinner.  They handle
the holiday crowds great.  Babies to ole people not
a problem. Strangers something else.

Thanks for viewing our blog and have
a
MERRY   CHRISTMAS

Rick, Nancy Bandit and Belle