Day One Hundred Twelve

If you're lucky and you pay attention, you learn something every day.  Today I learned from yesterday's comment by Paleotool  about the Long Term Visitor Areas at a handful of BLM sites in the west.  You can stay for the whole season for $180.  Amazing.  Evidently quite a few snowbirds do this, staying at one of these sites in warmer climates (except for those around Bishop) for the winter.  Almost makes me wish I was putting some kind of a kitchen in my gypsy wagon but not quite (many of these sites have barbeques available and I'll have an ice chest).  I still think I'll be spending most of my time with people I know and using their kitchens but I have to admit that my basic love of people makes me find the possibility of meeting strangers who become friends over the course of a season intriguing.  

Here's a link that explains the program and has a map of sites:http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/elcentro/recreation/ltvas.html
You can even volunteer and have the $180 fee waived:  http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/res/Volunteer/vol_feature_011007.html


Another interesting find, this from the Wikipedia entry for nomads:  "Peripatetic nomads, who offer the skills of a craft or trade to those they travel among, are most common in industrialized nations."  

(per·i·pa·tet·ic/ˌperipəˈtetik/

Adjective:  Traveling from place to place, esp. working or based in various places for relatively short periods.)

So, if my plan is to build something, design something, make something for those who host me for a month or so, I guess that'll make me a peripatetic nomad.  I love it!

Here are my five items for today:

1.  Remember that rose shaped silicone cake pan I just couldn't part with before?  Its outta here

2.  A stack of three little loaf pans

3.  A nice sharp serrated knife (I have two)

4.  A glass pie plate (I have many)

5.  A muffin pan - the 6 giant ones

At this point I feel like I'll never bake again, can you tell?  If I get the urge again I can bake in a cast iron skillet, right?

Don Vardo Plans
Gypsy Tour Map