Week 73 + 74: On the road again!
We have big news to share!
Hey! Hi! Hello! Welcome back to another update in our grand adVANture! We have some BIG news to share, so read on!
Nature Journaling in Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania
I’m excited to share that I have a post over on the Art Toolkit blog! I’m sharing my nature journal from a field day exploring Allegheny National Forest with two Forest Service botanists during my recent artist residency in September. (Catch up on my residency here and here!)
It was such a great day and I just had to document it!
I used my Duotone Forest ATK and a Folio palette filled with 28 mini pans. (Find a full list of colors in the blog post.)
In the blog post, I share tips for getting started on a new sketchbook, multimedia tools, and more.
Ambassador Discount Code
I’ve been an Art Toolkit ambassador for several years now, and they’ve given me a code to share with you: use code LISAFAN10 for 10% off your purchase of an Art Toolkit, palette, or mixing pans. If you’d like to set up a palette like the one I’m using, you’ll need:
If you use the discount code I’ll receive a small commission at no charge to you — thank you so much for your support, and to Art Toolkit for generously sharing the code!
Farewell, Northeast Ohio
We spent one more week visiting family in Northeast Ohio — and what a week it was!
Highlights included:
Spending time with my sweet nephew and getting him started nature journaling. He has a heart of gold and is such a joy to be around. He especially loved the water brush I gave him!
Playing card games — Jason’s mom is the reigning champion until we play again!
Planting tulips and daffodils at both parent’s houses — I hope some of them come up — and they think of me.
The first freeze! Frost coated everything and turned to glitter as the sun came up. It was so beautiful. 29 degrees sure felt cold in the van though! Brrr!
Waking up to a tick latched on to my arm — ugh! Jason got it off! I hate ticks!
Soaking in the last of the fall color — I’m so glad we got to see it this visit. I really missed fall at home when we were living in Austin, Texas.
I’m so glad we were able to spend this much time visiting family. I miss everyone already.
Marietta, Ohio
Monday we left my Dad’s house in Northeast Ohio and headed to Parkersburg, West Virginia to visit family, a 3 hour trip. Jason drove the van solo and I rode down with Dad to keep him company.
Our first stop was at a hospital in Marietta to visit my 90-year old Uncle Delbert — my Grandpa’s brother. Here’s the backstory: Uncle Delbert was out at the farm (by himself!) and was trying to get up on the tractor when he fell. After being admitted to the hospital it turned out that he had busted a vertebrae in his back, had recently had a heart attack, and they discovered that he has an aortic aneurysm. Oh my! I was glad I got to see him before he has a risky surgery to repair the aneurysm and I’ve been calling him almost every day. Please send healing thoughts his way.
Parkersburg, West Virginia
Then it was on to visit my 93-years young Aunt Ada (my Grandma’s sister) and cousins Debbie and Billy. I have so many happy memories from this house since it’s also where my great grandparents lived. Grandma used to make the trek from Ohio to visit them during the summer and we’d stay for a few weeks. It’s the last home that I can go to where I spent time growing up. We always had so much fun — the house is filled with love and laughter.
This visit was no exception. We surprised my Dad with an 80th birthday celebration — his actual 80th birthday was October 2nd, but I had saved some plates and napkins from the party and we had to put them to use!
My cousin Debbie made a centerpiece and wrote “80” on each balloon — and Aunt Ada baked a pie! Cousin Billy was also there — he’s a shy guy so I didn’t get a photo of him, darn.
Dad drove back home that same day even though we tried to get him to stay. Stubborn Dad!
As for us, we parked Walter in the back driveway and slept so well! It’s awesome having your own tiny house on wheels with you wherever you go.
The next day was a sunny, gorgeous fall day in the 60s, so Jason and I walked to the local city park (Southwoods Park) after lunch.
I picked up so many cool leaves, acorns, and even a hickory nut — I just HAD to sketch them in my nature journal. I gave an impromptu demo for Debbie and Aunt Ada and it was so much fun! I got to show them a water brush too — best invention ever.
Then I got everyone to sign my sketchbook — I love it that I’ll have this memory documented forever.
Here’s a little video so you can see my setup — click the image below or watch it on Instagram:
What an awesome day I’ll treasure forever.
Wednesday we left Aunt Ada’s to get back on the road. I miss them already — it was really hard to leave. (I may have cried again.)
Where are we headed, you ask? To Reno, Nevada because…
We’re getting a new van!!!
Yes, you read that right!!! I’m super excited and super nervous all at the same time!!!
Since this post is so long already I’ll share more about the new van next week — stay tuned. We’re going to sell our current van, so please help us spread the word.
In the meantime, here’s our route from Aunt Ada’s house:
This 35 hour drive will take us across most of the country — whoa! So far we’ve driven back through part of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, and we’re currently in Nebraska.
I’ll be blogging interesting stops along the way, starting with…
Nine-Mile Prairie
When I saw how close we were going to be to Nine-Mile Prairie near Lincoln, Nebraska we just had to stop! The last time we were here was waaaaay back in 2006 after the North American Prairie Conference in Kearney, Nebraska. This 230 acre prairie has never been plowed, making it one of the largest virgin tallgrass prairies in the United States.
There are paths mowed through the prairie so you can walk out and become part of the landscape.
I just love being out on a prairie under a big sky with the grasses waving in the wind.
It makes me feel small.
It’s a similar feeling as when I’m nature journaling — I lose track of time and my troubles disappear — if only for a little while.
We signed the guest registrar and someone had left this quote at the kiosk:
What a gentle reminder to live life in the present.
To find out more about prairies, check out the Native Prairies Association of Texas. I’ve been working on their website since March of 2019 and we’re been involved in the organization for decades, and I’ve learned so much about this rare ecosystem.
That’s a Wrap
That’s it for this week. I finished writing up the post from our camp spot at Smith Creek Recreation Area near Utica, Nebraska, where it’s 35 degrees but feels like 25 with the windchill. Brrr. Jason is getting a shower and we’ll be getting back on the road soon.
As always, thanks for following along — it’s so good to have you along for the ride! — Lisa, Jason & Walter-the-Van
From Salt Lake City to Reno you'll be taking the same route we took on October 14–15. Here are things you might want to stop for:
Antelope Island State Park in the Great Salt Lake half an hour outside Salt Lake City via a causeway. The island has a bison herd.
Utah Salt Flats at the rest area near mile 10 on the north side of I-80. Walk out a ways to see the patterns the salt had made on the ground.
Northeastern Nevada Museum 1515 Idaho Street Elko, NV 89801, Tues–Sat 9-5, Sunday 1-5
And after you get to the Reno area, Lake Tahoe is a must.
Delightful!!! Can't wait to hear about the new van