We made it to Rosebud!

Forest Glen Springs in Rosebud TX – new home of Wilderness Ridge Camp

Hopefully, y’all have read about our delayed departure from French Camp and eventual arrival at Forest Glen Springs. For those of you who may be a bit confused as to what camp we are at, we were scheduled to be at Wilderness Ridge, formerly located in Smithville TX. Because they were burnt out three times within seven years they decided it was time to find a different location. I believe both, Forest Glen and Wilderness were birthed out of the same church many years ago so they had some connection. Don’t know all the details, but Forest Glen was expanding and Wilderness needed a place to host their summer camp (a Christ-centered summer camp for young men with a focus on biblical manhood) where boys and their fathers experience God in a wilderness setting.

Anyway, we’re here at Forest Glen Springs just outside the great metropolis (NOT) of Rosebud TX where the last three miles before arriving at the camp where the bumpiest roads we’ve ever been on. I thought for sure I was going to lose more dishes. Thankfully, we did not. We’re really enjoying our new surroundings and our new friends. Love our location. We’re at the end of the line for RV parking so a lovely view of trees in three directions. It is also so very very quiet except the continual beautiful chirping of the birds.

We arrived two days after the project started, so Bill jumped in first thing Wednesday morning (Feb 8) to help with the building of a 10x12ish shed to store water recreation equipment. They had a couple walls up by the time he arrived, but he got right into it and worked well with the other guys. They finished up the shed the following week and then started on remodeling (both inside and out) a former screened in building that they are transforming into a standalone conference room fully enclosed with windows. A few of the ladies did some painting on the inside; while I and another one of the ladies washed windows on the guest house, three cabins, and dining hall. FYI: When you’re washing windows, it’s a whole lot more fun when you do it with a friend.

Our first Friday here, we were blessed to have the VMM workers from Camp Tejas (about an hour and a half away) meet our group for lunch and then visit our camp for a tour. The really special thing about this was that three out of the four couples that came, were couples we had previously worked with at French Camp. We had a bit of a reunion and it was so fun. Bill and I also enjoyed getting a tour of the camp along with the others and a better understanding of its mission and future plans.

We got a little bit spoiled at French Camp having lunch and dinner provided (if we wanted to partake and we often did, at least, for lunch) so we desperately needed to get some groceries. Nothing is close by so our best choices were either Waco or Temple, both about an hour from camp. Pretty much a no brainer in picking Waco as it gave us the opportunity to go see Chip & Joanna (well known for their HGTV show FixerUpper). Okay, so we really didn’t see Chip & Joanna but we did go to their Magnolia Market at the Silos. It was an experience, that’s for sure. A bit too busy and too costly for my taste but still very fun.  And, now I can say that I’ve been there. J  

Not too far from Magnolia’s was the Cameron Park Zoo. Did you know I love zoos! So that was our next stop. If you can imagine it, I’m like a little kid at a zoo. Some exhibits (like the wild cats & active monkeys) I have to be pulled away from. Can’t tell you how long we spent watching a baby (more like a toddler) White Handed Gibbon swing from branch to branch going from his mom to his dad looking for attention. It was too cute. If I can get it to work, I’m going to include a video here, otherwise you’ll just have to use your imagination. 

With only one other weekend to do stuff, we jam packed it. We took a drive down to Camp Tejas to visit our good friends and fellow ViMMers, the Schnarsky’s who we met on our first project (Oct) in Louisiana and worked with them again on our second project (Nov) in Mississippi. Susan talked so much about Camp Tejas that it had become a big joke…as I asked her once if there was life outside of Tejas. So, we made the one and a half hour drive to see what all the fuss was about.  Very nice camp. There’s lots to like about it; the various cabins and lodging areas all have cool themes and fun decor. Wouldn’t mind going back a staying awhile. Now I get what Susan is talking about. We also managed to visit a couple wineries in the area and then return to their motorhome at Camp Tejas for some games. That was Friday. Saturday we jumped back in the car for another hour and half drive. This time to Sun City Texas in Georgetown to visit Bill’s cousin that he hadn’t seen in more than twenty years. It was fun to hear all the reminiscing and visit their city within a city. Definitely always something to do in those big retirement communities. We also went in to the city center of Georgetown and walked around the square. I love that kind of downtown. So many quaint shops and restaurants. We had a delicious lunch at Gumbos. Guess what we had to eat??? Oh my, but aren’t you smart…yep, we had (seafood or crawfish) gumbo and it was delicious.

Sunday’s we were always back at camp and enjoyed worshipping with our project group. We had wonderful warm welcomes when we all attended the Old West Cowboy Church (about 45 minutes from camp). Casual family like atmosphere with powerful practical livin’ like Jesus teaching. I still miss my home church & family very much, but thoroughly enjoy going to different churches. One evening we went to a local Baptist church that was having their annual church sing. I’m not sure what the event was officially called but there were several churches represented and each church sang one or two songs. Some churches brought choirs, others just an individual or a couple and then they had an all church choir sing a few songs to close the program.  We were all invited to stay for a meal of homemade sandwiches and other goodies; too bad we didn’t know about the light supper as we had already eaten. Of course, that didn’t stop us from having some dessert.

So, have I mentioned the cows? You would think that a girl from Wisconsin wouldn’t get excited about seeing cows but I do; Texas cows anyway. (Bill says they aren’t cows…they’re cattle. They’re cows to me.) I don’t know what it is, but as we drove from place to place over these past two weeks, I’ve been fascinated by the cows. Maybe it’s because there are so many of them. Maybe it’s because there is such a wide variety. Maybe it

’s because they cover such a huge area. Maybe it’s because they appear to be in the wild as it’s not just open space, but they roam among trees and bushes.  Or maybe it’s all of the above. Don’t know what it is, but they make me smile and I love looking at them. Bill often says, I’m easily entertained.

Speaking of entertainment, our bags game (which I refuse to call cornhole as there is no corn here.), was a popular past time in the early evening.  It was couples against couples. Lots of fun and more opportunity to get to know our fellow ViMMers.

We’re winding down here at Forest Glen and starting to plan for our month “off.” We’re heading to Florida for the month of March to spend time with our granddaughter. The plan is to leave here on Friday, February 24^th, travel about three hours to the Houston Space Center, do an overnight near there, and then travel the Gulf Coast on Saturday and Sunday, arriving at the River’s Edge Campground in Holt FL. It’s close to Pensacola which is another place Bill wants to visit. I think there’s some military bases there or something along those lines. After that we will be making our way to the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City where we have tickets to a Scotty McCreery concert (this one’s for me). We have a week to get there and a few ideas on how and where to spend our time, but nothing has been firmed up yet. Will keep y’all posted. In the meantime, be blessed & be a blessing!