Turkey in a Trash Can and Other Tales of Fun

This weekend our Good Sam's camping club (Freedom Travelers) came out to our campground for the weekend.  It was our last camp out for the season.  It was a very special occasion and an opportunity  for us to say good bye to all our friends.  We have been a part of this club for about five years and have made many friends.  One of the highlights of this November camp out is to serve Turkey in a Trash Can.  It's definitely a crowd pleaser and lots of fun.  Detailed below are the step by step directions.  Be adventurous and try one this holiday season. 

Turkey In a Trash Can

You will need the following:

• 20 pound turkey (should not be a self basting turkey ..like Butterball)
• 20 pounds of charcoal
• New metal trash can
• Bundt pan
• Foil
• Charcoal chimney
• Thick work gloves
• Small shovel
• Large metal or wood stake. (You will want a long enough stake to suspend the turkey. The turkey should not touch the ground or the top of the can)
• Timer
• Camera
• Lawn chairs
• Beverages

Pre-burn the inside of your trash can before using. It might be helpful to do this prior to the event. This is done to remove the galvanized paint from the inside of the can. Wash it out completely. We keep this trash can and use it each year.

Wash turkey and remove giblets. Salt and pepper to taste. Pre-start some charcoal in a charcoal chimney (or you can pre-start some on a large square of foil)

Place foil on the ground to extend past the trash can. Put Bundt pan in the middle (this is used to collect juices from the turkey). Put stake through the hole in the Bundt pan and drive into the ground. Cover the stake with foil.

Suspend bird on stake. It is quite a sight!

Place can over the bird and put some of the "hot" charcoal on the top and around the sides of trash can. Pour the rest of the charcoal on top and around the sides.

When the charcoal appears to be going well, start your timer. Relax in your lawn chairs and enjoy your beverage for exactly 1 1/2 hours. Do not peek or lift the can off. Beware...the can gets very, very hot!

After 1 1/2 hours remove the charcoal and carefully remove the trash can (use the thick work gloves)

Enjoy! The turkey will be very dark brown and crispy. Inside it will be moist and delicious. Our turkey got a little burnt at the top.  It was due to the stake being too high.  It still tasted so delicious, but better measurement would be recommended.

We had a great pitch in dinner with all our friends.  Over 35 people were able to attend. We have some great cooks in our club. Everything was so delicious!

We are very thankful for all our friends. This special occasion was a great time to celebrate this friendship and count our many blessings.

 

Saying good bye to everyone was difficult.  We plan to return to Indiana in about two years.  In the meantime we hope everyone keeps in touch, or better yet comes to visit with us.  I put together another scrapbook (Smilebox) for our club.  Click on the play button below. 

This free scrapbooking design made with Smilebox

In Loving Memory of Two Special Friends

In loving memory for two special friends

We recently lost two dear friends. Our hearts are sad and we are struggling with the loss. 

For the love of Sam

Sam was a special camping friend and a member of our Good Sam Chapter-Freedom Travelers.  He loved to camp in his motorhome with his wife and family. One of his favorite camping locations was Myrtle Beach

Family was so important to him.  His eyes would light up when he talked about his children and grandchildren.  His love for his wife, Carol, was so apparent.

He was so thrilled for us when we purchased our motorhome and oftentimes asked us about our full-timing plans. Luckily our camping club had a surprise party for him just a few weeks before he died.  It was a fun time and many members of our club have expressed how glad they were to have had this special time with him. 

He was diagnosed with lung cancer and had endured many treatments including chemo therapy and radiation.  He was very brave and did not complain.  His doctor seemed to be very encouraging and always gave him hope.  They seemed amazed by his ability to respond to the treatment.  He would laugh when I told him  his bald head was sexy.  We all knew his time was limited due to the cancer spreading to his bones, but his rapid decline was a surprise.  We will miss him very much.  

For the love of Sharon

Sharon was a colleague of mine from St. Vincent.  Many years ago she taught me how to be a nurse auditor. At the time I had several eye surgeries that made it impossible to work in the operating room.   Having to change careers was devastating to me at the time.  Sharon was so encouraging and taught me about a whole different aspect of nursing.    Over time, she became a close and dear friend.  We kept in touch and met often for dinner after I left St. Vincent. 

Sharon had such a strong faith and was such a gentle soul.  Several years ago she participated in a mission and mentoring program.  Her project was to provide a daily devotional to anyone who desired it.  Each day a lovely story with scripture would arrive in my email.  Luckily one of her co-workers has decided to continue it.  It is called  Sharon’s Prayer.  If you are interested in receiving this each day, please send me your email. 

Sharon had pulmonary fibrosis and was unable to recover from pneumonia.  She died very unexpectedly. 

Losing a friend is so difficult.  Our lives have been touched by them in such wonderful ways.  Godspeed! Our love and prayers go out to their families and loved ones.

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”  John 5:24 

Surprise Party for Sam & Carol

Our Good Sam camping club (Freedom Travelers) planned a special surprise dinner for two of our members -Sam and Carol.  Sam was recently diagnosed with lung cancer and has been through chemo therapy and radiation.   We have not seen him this summer.  He is doing well now and had asked to get together with us for dinner.  Little did he know that we would invite a few of our friends. 

We all met at a local Mexican restaurnat called El Nopal in Greenfield and they were so surprised to see everyone there.  Afterwards, we went out to our campsite and had strawberry short cake and enjoyed a nice campfire .  The weather even cooperated and it finally was a little cooler.   

Here is a slide show of some of the fun.  It was a great time and everyone was so happy to see them. 

Free digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

July 4th Camping Trip with Freedom Travelers

We spent three nights camping with our Good Sam's chapter over the July 4th holiday @ Johnson County Park. It was a great time. Beautiful fireworks and a concert were the highlight on Friday. Saturday was a big adventure where our group rented four canoes and one kayak and traveled down the Blue River. There were a few spills, a tangles with a tree, one very muddy dog, and lots of laughs.

We also shared some really delicious meals. Jerry surprised all of us with some delouse hickory smoked ribs and "mystery meat". This turned out to be deer meat marinated in wine and herbs. It was very tasty.

Spending time with our friends was such a great way to spend the 4th of July.

Brown County State Park & Log Cabin Tour

We spent a wonderful weekend camping at Brown County State Park. It is a lovely park located outside of Nashville Indiana. There is so much to do and see. During our visit we took out our bicycles and enjoyed the spectacular vista's overlooking the mountainside. We were lucky enough to be there during a full moon.

Brown County offers a Log Cabin Tour the first weekend of June each year arranged by the Psi Iota Xi Sorority. You can purchase a ticket for $15 and drive the back roads of Brown County to visit five different log cabin and country homes. This was our fifth visit and we had a great time visiting the cabins and enjoying a wonderful picnic lunch on the lawn beside a small country church.

One of our favorite homes was a spectacular log pole pine cabin. It had breathtaking views of the forest and a lovely pond. We were so surprised to find that one of the other cabins on the tour was built by someone I had worked with 30 years ago. It was once a one bedroom cabin that had been expanded now to a beautiful home. The house and most of the furniture has been built by the couple.

We were camping this weekend with our Good Sam's camping club-Freedom Travelers. We enjoyed some great meals and fellowship together. The highlight of each evening was sitting around the camp fire. Our next camp out will be over July 4th at Johnson County Park.