Wake with the Sun: 2024

What can I say? I have been remiss with regard to my posting of photos and news of our travels and there is so much. So I will apologize in advance here for the vast number of photos, over late fall, winter, spring nad into summer.

Some key news: We have converted a Dodge Ram Promaster van into a camper van named Vanna White.. Aside from dirving, this vehicle is entirely off the grid, with a refrigerator, microwave, shower, hot water, sink, fresh and gray water tanks and more. Here's a link to a playlist that includes a few short videos about the van, and one longer video I will mention below. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKlmLdYP9y6xuQahy4hwEtR0SSXULFvD6

And so with van life I have tried out new ways to cook things to make it easier to clean up.

Here's a link to my newest cooking video: scrambled eggs and black beans in the microwave: https://youtu.be/dM6mwvGWwJA

And here's a link to my most recently poetry reading online, along with Eileen Cleary. The video begins right where my reading starts: https://youtu.be/XMnafjwt32Q?si=MYCRy5ekHHQaI3x6&t=244

Here are a few highlights of these past 8 months:

Late November/early December we went to Detroit to check out an electric camper van. It was 20 degrees at night and we froze, but lived to tell the tale.

December: Claude flew to CA to rent an electrified Dodge Ram Promaster, with 165 miles of range.

January: We purchased an internal combustion engine Dodge Ram Promaster (20 plus feet long) and mostly Claude (with some help from me) designed and implemented a camper van conversion, over the next few months.

February 2024: We took our annual trip to Craftsbury outdoor center, and did find snow to ski on.

March 2024: We took the dock down on Bear Island and moved the houseboat back to the dock.

April 2024, We drove the van to Williston VT to visit friends and share in the eclipse.

April 2024: We took the van on an 11 night holiday to visit friends and attend memorials and boon dock at the C&O Canal national park in western Maryland, about 110 miles west of DC, and on the Potomac river.

May 2024: We were fully operational at Bear Island, still making trips back and forth between Carlisle and Meredith.

July 2024: We took our annual trip to Cape Cod.

Oh and I'll be reading poems online with Eileen Cleary. Friday Aug 2 at 7 PM Virtually. Here's the info:

Join Zoom Meeting 7 PM Friday Aug 2

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/5112338153?pwd=0IhJE3yRtsagu64MKhTC0R1put8VH0.1

Meeting ID: 511 233 8153

Passcode: dQH2G2

As alwasys, we would love to hear from you.

Carla

Oh Peaches!

My peaches bloomed and my two varieties showed up in July. I picked early to defeat the birds.

Thanksgiving Highlights

Detroit, Grounded RV

We took this trip to Detroit to visit an electric RV startup. We rented it for one night but the heat ddidn't work while it was 20 degrees outside. Still it was a nice adventure.