Cutting A Road Through The Woods - Part 3 FINALE! (DeanoFarms: Week 72)
FINALE! I finally finished the road through our woods to connect our front and back pastures.
Max graduated from the University of Tennessee's Haslam College of Business this weekend. Arden graduated as well. So, they did it together! We are very proud of them both.
I could have done without all the "3rd Saturday in October of our Junior year" references about the Vols win over Bama throughout the weekend's ceremonies. Funny, I didn't hear any references to Freshman, Sophomore, or Senior year?!? ROLL. TIDE. ROLL.
Max's graduation marks the end of the Dean family's 11-year college journey. 5 years we had 1 in school, 4 years we had 2 in school at the same time, and for 2 years we had 3 in school at the same time! We are 4 for 4 on graduates! Deano's wallet is very glad it is over! LOL
Revisiting Memphis, TN
We've been to Memphis before, but it has been a while! We met Preston for a Grizzlies game. I'm not a huge basketball fan but 1) it was fun and 2) I'll use any excuse to eat at Rendezvous. We hit a few other Memphis favorites while in town (Beale Street, Bass Pro Shop @ the Pyramid, Germantown Commissary, and then Graceland).
T.O. Fuller State Park - Memphis, TN
Our trip back home was cursed from the second we left the prior campground in Hot Springs, AR. The bad luck lasted all the way through our time at T.O. Fuller State Park in Memphis. We stayed at this state park while we explored around Memphis. We wound up cutting our losses to beat the rain that was headed our way. This was the only state park in TN that we left earlier than we planned [sad face emoji].
Two Days In Hot Springs National Park (Hot Spring, AR)
We spent two days exploring Hot Spring National Park (in Hot Springs, AR). I was excited to go for a soak to heal all my ailments in the 4,000-year-old thermal spring waters. I did my soaking at the Buckstaff Bathhouse which opened in 1912 (and is the only bathhouse to continuously operate since then). It was like a trip back in time. Sorry, but the video does not have any footage of me in the bathhouse. I know this will disappoint many of you! Also, no footage of Emily because she was a scaredy cat and didn't do a soak at all?!? What?!?
Cutting A Road Through The Woods - Part 2 (DeanoFarms: Week 71)
Week 2 of this multiweek project. After a slow start with a myriad of problems the prior week I started making decent progress this weekend. It was a beautiful weekend to be in the woods. I dropped the largest tree I've ever cut down (a cedar tree). It even went the direction I wanted it to go. Bonus points: I didn't die in the process! #deanofarms
Biking Meeman Shelby Forest State Park (Millington, TN)
We started off our Spring Break going west. Our first stop was north of Memphis at Meeman Shelby Forest State Park. We explored the park on our bikes and had so much fun that we changed our entire plan to spend more time in (and around) this park and in Millington. It was the perfect park for biking (and eating).
Slow Down Deano! Chainsaw Safety (DeanoFarms: Week 70)
Sometimes I get moving a little too quickly trying to get a project finished. In the process, I start cutting corners. Sometimes this means I increase risks. I constantly have to remind myself to slow down. Especially if it is a project I'm not familiar with. ESPECIALLY when I have a chainsaw in my hand! On this day, I didn't do what I should have and got a reminder of how stupid that could have been. #deanofarms
Fort Pillow Historic State Park (Henning, TN)
This was our first trip of the 2024 RV season with some winter camping at Fort Pillow Historic State Park in west TN. It is a Civil War encampment that was on the Mississippi River. We learned a little about it and hiked to a restored fortification. Winter camping sometimes works out with the weather (this one kinda did and kinda didn't).
Farm Fails - Sometimes Progress Is Slow! (DeanoFarms: Week 70)
Projects are often 1 step forward and 3 steps back. It was definitely like that on this day. Actually, several thousand steps backward on this day! I made many trips back and forth to the barn and wound up with very little to show for it other than all those steps! HA! Oh well, at least the tractor and chainsaw are now ready to go?!? Flow State Farm Projects!
Getting Back To Biking
I've been doing lots of hiking and weight training over the past few years. I haven't been doing much biking. I want to change that this year. I watched Tour de France: Unchained and it made me realize I missed riding. I might even hit the road for some overnight bikepacking trips before the year ends. My bikes needed some TLC so I can get back in the saddle. So I started there.
Cutting A Road Through The Woods - Part 1 (DeanoFarms: Week 70)
I need a road to connect my front pasture to my back pasture. This will take some time and lots of tree cutting, clearing, chipping, and leveling. Of course, everything will take longer than I want it to take (it always does). This is part one (of ?). #deanofarms
Sightseeing Fort Worth, TX
I had to work in Fort Worth, TX so I made Emily come with me (and also work...ha). All work and no play makes Deano a dull boy, however. We did some JFK-themed sightseeing at the JFK Memorial and the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (in Dallas). Of course, I enjoyed the conspiracy theory involved. Is it even a theory at this point...BASED! The unexpected highlight of the trip was the Fort Worth Water Gardens. I really 'dove into' that and saw the rest of Fort Worth that day with a wet foot. The ultimate goal of the trip was to visit the Fort Worth Stockyards. I wanted to see the long-horn cattle drive and eat a steak. We did both, eating at the 'internationally famous' Cattlemen's Steakhouse. Emily did well picking places to eat. We also hit Torcy's Tacos (which we will travel across the US to eat anytime), and Reata (a Fort Worth favorite)!
Pre-Scouting Locations and Camping #camping #rv
We were in the area anyway so we pre scouted some locations. Will our rv travel trailer fit? Will we be tent camping? Can I get my wife to tent camp? Maybe if she sees it before that'll help...maybe?!?
Christmas 2023 - Parade, Ice Skating, Minigolf, Cheekwood Lights
Small town Christmas parade brought Emily to tears. My first time ice skating in many, many years. Emmaline won minigolf...wat?!?! Zach is a real man wit dat extra hot chicken! Gran's family tree. Max's birthday. Cheekwood Christmas Lights. ...and WAY too many presents!
Working While RV'ing
Sometimes you have to work while on the road rv'ing. And sometimes the road doesn't cooperate (bad wifi, cold, late night). Anyone else?
#rvlife #worklifebalance
Thanksgiving 2023 at Hogdaddy's
Hogdaddy hosted the 1st Annual Frisbee Golf Invitational for Thanksgiving this year. It was a challenging course. At some point money started flowing so I quit filming and starting flingin'!
A Flat Ruins Another Bike Ride
I had a couple of flats in a row. No fun! #bicycle #bike
Cutting Vines Out Of Trees (DeanoFarms: Week 69)
Good Trees = Good!
Vines Growing In Good Trees = Bad!
I, Deano, will conquer the vines! #deanofarms
Weird Things In Mailbox (DeanoFarms: Week 70)
Well, that's weird!?!?
#deanofarms