Christmas Tree Lot in Portland, Texas (Nov,, 18 - Dec. 19th), 2011

The Staff

Darlene's Work-Station

 

Bring on The Trees

Beautiful Oregon Christmas Trees

We arrived at the very well known Christmas Tree Lot over the years at Hwy. 181 and Wildcat Drive  in Portland, TX.on Friday the 18th. We started  out with a grass lot next to the Community Bank in a strip mall plaza.  We had to first get everything out of storage and start setting up the lot with fencing, tent, covered storage area, the tree racks, the pay shack and of course the giant inflatable Santa Claus.  Electrical, water, christmas lights, lighting all had to be set up. The much needed work to the pre-preparation of the Christmas Tree Lot.  We worked for the next few days and it looked pretty good.  The 159 trees came in on the 22nd for us to unload (we hired some local helpers as well).    We sold 5  trees the first day we opened which was the day before Thanksgiving.  Surprisingly, we sold 10 trees on Thanksgiving and then the rush hit us on the weekend.   We sold 71 trees (beat last year's record) and with some local helpers unloaded another 325 trees Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. which took us to 1:00 a.m.  We were beat and dragging by Monday but the fun was just beginning to start.  Another load of trees (200) was coming in on Dec. 5th and we would have our supply of Christmas Trees to sell for the rest of the Holiday Season.

Sam Houston Jones State Park, Lake Charles, LA (Nov 11 - 13th), 2011

Sam Houston Jones S.P.

Area Locals

Sam Houston Jones S.P. is located just a little north of Lake Charles is another great Louisiana State Park.  With water, Electric, laundry facilities, and nice restrooms and free internet Wi-Fi. who could complain.  Walked through the trails along the swamps and cypress trees.  Alligator sign were prevalent as in most of their gulf parks.  Again they were booked for the weekend  but they had an older part where we camped.  Still  heading towards Texas once leaving here.

Lake Fausse Point State Park, St. Martinville, LA (Nov 10th), 2011

Capital of Louisiana

Tabasco Pepper Sauce Plant

Our destination was Avery Island, Home of the Tabasco Pepper Sauce Plant.  On our way we passed the Capital of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.  We were given a video tour, the history and a glimpse of the Tabasco Pepper Sauce small plant where they processed and packaged the pepper sauce and of course we ended in their country store where we could sample and purchase anything you can imagine with Tabasco stamped on it.  It was free so we cannot complain.  You could smell the pepper sauce when you got out of your vehicle.  You can imagine the peppers needed to be grown which start from seeds in January and transplanted to the fields in April.  By August, the peppers reach just the right color of red and are hand picked.  They are mashed in the factory with salt from Avery Island.  It is then aged in white oak barrels (yes some come from Jack Daniels Distillery) for 3 years.  After that the mash is mixed with special vinegar, stirred for a month, strained and poured into slim bottles.  They have many varieties, sauces -- and even Tabasco Ice Cream which was great.  Since it closes at 5:00 p.m. (7 days per week), but no operations Fri. thru Sun. we headed back east to camp overnight at Lake Fausse Point State Park which was a pretty decent park.  Onward we go to check in on other Louisiana State Park and getting us closer to the State ofTexas.

Meaher State Park, Spanish Fort, AL (Nov. 1st - 3rd), 2011

A-board USS Alabama

Camp-site Sunset

Our First Cotton-Field

As we adventured though the back-roads of Alabama we ended up at Meaher State Park just east of Mobile, AL. It was a very nice park with full hook-ups on Mobile Bay with some great sunset views. Highlights of our stay included a nice Bass Pro Outdoor World Store, a nighttime ferry ride from Fort Morgan to Dauphin Island just to make a driving loop tour short, seen our first cotton-field in season, ending with a tour of the Battleship USS Alabama located in Mobile (commissioned August, 1942) and the Submarine USS Drum (SS-228) (commissioned November, 1941).  Both were located in the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park and is dedicated to honor all the Alabama Veterans who have participated in all conflicts of the U.S. Armed Services.  There was also an Aircraft Pavilion with some  older and newer aircrafts to see and learn about as well.  A very interesting and worth-while tour to be walking throughout the battleship, through the submarine, and the Memorial Park.  What a nice way to end our stay there in Alabama.

Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park, AL (Oct. 30 - 31st), 2011

Few Craft Cabins

John Wesley Hall's Grist-Mill

Stone Furnaces

Picnic Area in The Campground

Campsite View

As we head on down the road we stop in for a few nights at Tannehill Ironworks State Park in McCalla, AL. which is southeast of Birmingham. This was a busy park due to Halloween festivities on Saturday.  Thankfully, we arrived on Sunday. The campers really go all out decorating for Halloween here for prizes and the kids of course. This is a very historical park with a cotton gin, pioneer farm, Alabama's Steel and Iron museum is located here,  even had some early settlers homes and a working gristmill.  However,  it's masterpiece was the iron and steel massive stone furnaces used during the Civil War.  There were also many craft cabins that opened only on weekends (called Trade Days) with various crafts people working and selling their goods.  Lots of hiking trails retracing historic roadways made it a very nice park indeed.  As Halloween fell on a Monday night, it was quiet and peaceful because all the little goblins went back to their caves.

Sea Breeze RV Park, Portland, Texas (Nov. 17- 18th), 2011

Sea Breeze RV Park View

Our Tree Boss- Woody Miller

Set-Up waiting on The Trees

 Since we had to report to the Christmas Tree Lot at 8:00 a.m. on Friday the 18th, so we decided to camp locally and scope out the area, you know, the grocery store, the tree lot where we would be camping, the laundry mat and the surrounding stores/restaurants.  We stayed at a very nice RV park called Sea Breeze which we were not accustomed to such luxuries, such as pool, hot tub and full hook-ups.  They also had a club house, pool table, library, horseshoes and clean restrooms and showers and free internet.  We had to get our last hair cuts because we knew we wouldn't have the time during our Christmas Tree lot sales.  We were to work 7 days per week from 9:00 a.m. through 9 p.m. which does not leave much time for personal items like food shopping, laundry, post office etc.  It was on Jordan Lake and even had a small Gull Island.  The fishing pier extended onto Nueces Bay and they too had birdwatching.  We usually don't stay at these types of parks because they are a bit pricey, but it was only for one night and we stayed for the convenience because we normally are not too early morning people.  So we stayed the night and mentally prepared ourselves for the long tree set up/sales for the next month.  We were ready.  Bring the trees!!!!!  Last year they sold over 600 trees not like our 400 + trees that we sold in 2010 in Palm Spring, CA.  Were we up to the challenge?
We shall see!!!!!