Sister Spotlight: Braving Her Fears with Sisters

(This blog post was written & contributed by Sister on the Fly #8835, Lynda F.)

Bravery....
I am told I am brave. I am living my truth. My motto is "everyday is an adventure" and I share this with my spouse of 30 years, Barbara Bond (Sister #8837). While some are looking for the "stereotype", we are too busy putting on our heels and lipstick. My challenge is putting on boots and foregoing that lipstick to step outside in nature. I found this in the Sisterhood and it changed my life.

*************

-Sister #8835
-Member 1 yr, 2 months
-Sister Friendships in:
TX, NM, CA, WI, WA, OK, VT, AZ, CO, MT, MN
-Sister Lessons: Bravery

The friendships made through SOTF have been life changing. The impact of participating in Sister Corps1 PA has been life changing. Bravery is a part of many aspects of my life but has eluded me where nature & animals come into play.

I grew up in Boston, rode the subway and played amongst the high rises. In later years the closest I got to camping was at the beach (we live at the beach).

This summer we took a 37 day road trip and 2 of our stops were camping at Yellowstone and Glacier. SOTF had instilled in me “stepping out of my comfort zone”.
Bear signs everywhere. I was convinced I was going to be eaten. A bison strolled within 20 yards of us. I was convinced I was going to be stampeded. Five doe-eyed deer walked shoulder to shoulder. I was convinced I was going to be charged at. But I did it....I camped amongst nature after years of saying “I can’t” for fear of being eaten, stampeded or charged at. I share this picture because even standing there at Glacier I was uneasy wondering what set of eyes were upon me ready to pounce out of the woods...but I did it.

Bravery is empowering....I am a proud Sister who loves her Tribe, the Sisterhood....baby steps....I can’t wait for the Craft-cation event at Leeann M's I will attend soon. For the 2nd year, I have requested to stay in the farmhouse. Rattlesnakes reside there. I am convinced I will get bitten.

Sister Spotlight: Time is precious for this Road Warrior!

I have worked in an office as a legal assistant at a law firm for 23 years. Now, the older I get, the more fresh air I crave!

Living in the Northeast my entire life, I appreciate every moment of time I can have outside. Favorite pastimes while camping are laying in my hammock with a good book, riding my bike and taking long strolls. Another happy place is in my kayak. I love to paddle long and far to wash away all the stress. I have recently acquired a love for yoga and the inner peace it gives me as well as the physical health.

My favorite motto is “Time is more precious than gold.” I try to live by this to collect memories, not things. When I joined Sisters on the fly I would constantly tell the Sisters, "I’m a Camper, not a Glamper." And yet each trip I take with them finds one more decoration on or in my trailer. I also said that about dressing up for events, but I have found that it’s lots of fun!

I have been a camper my whole life and have always had a love for it. My daughter refers to me as a “professional camper.” My kids grew up spending their summers tenting in Vermont State Parks, swimming in the lakes, riding bikes until sunset and then counting the stars or roasting s'mores. Now that my son is grown, he still chooses to vacation with his tent. Button Bay state park along the coast of Lake Champlain is still my most favorite place to be.

I had never heard of SOTF until one cold November day when an attorney in my office told my about his wife’s friend who was taking this fascinating trip along the Lewis and Clark trail with a group of women. He said, “You should check it out, Tanya. They are your kind of women!!” He was so right. Joining SOTF has been so fulfilling for me. None of my local friends like to camp, so finding a group of women who love it as much as I do has been so exciting. While joining a fellow Sister on her maiden voyage in her newly purchased camper, my 18 hours with her was eye-opening. That's when I learned how glorious it was to camp without my family!

A Sister is a Sister

Not having a biological sister of my own, I have thrived on having a Sisterhood. It’s amazing how bonded you are to Sisters after you have just met after spending a weekend together. When my son found out he was going to be stationed in Texas, I asked to join the Texas Sisters group Facebook page and one sister immediately reached out to me to give my son her number. 4 days after he arrived in Texas she picked him up at the Navy base, showed him all over town, where the best place to get a burger was and even took him apartment shopping!! She will forever hold a place in my heart.

I recently towed my tiny trailer from upstate NY to Texas with my daughter while she was on spring break to visit my son and attend the SOTF event Wonderful Women of Waxahachie. At one point my aunt, exasperated with worrying about my cross country wanderings said “you’re just like your grandmother!” I gladly accepted that as a compliment. One of my many highlights on this trip was teaching my 16 year old daughter to tow. Because we were traveling over 1,200 miles I wanted her to know what to do in case of an emergency. She was elated and so proud of herself! I feel it’s something everyone should learn how to do, just like driving a standard transmission.

My grandmother was a “Girl Camper” before it was popular. She was a truck loving lady who towed a small Frolic camper and would take me camping with her. To this day I cherish those memories. She has always taught me women can do anything we put our mind to! My camper is named Lil Viv after my grandmother and a reminder of our times in her little camper.

I still have a teenage daughter at home and my sweet-strong-willed elderly grandmother to care for so I’m a still pretty much a weekend warrior at this point, but I know my day will come where I will be setting off in my tiny trailer for weeks at a time to explore our beautiful country. My bucket list is long!! Until then, I treasure each moment I can squeeze in this crazy life, especially ones with my Sisters.

Tanya Forrest # 7926
Sisters on the fly
Northeast Wrangler for NY, MA, CT & RI

Travel Channel features SOTF Dutch Oven Divas!

Find the full article and video HERE

Our group of outdoor enthusiasts gathers throughout the year for camping, food and fun. The secret to delicious campfire food? A dutch oven!

Watch the video above to see how the SOTF pros do camp cooking and follow this recipe:

Hatch Chile Pork Verde

Ingredients:

For the Chile Verde:

8 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
6 hatch chiles rinsed
1 jalapeno, stem and seeds removed
2 large poblano peppers, stems removed
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
6 cloves of garlic minced
3 tablespoons olive oil

For the Pork:

4 tablespoons corn or sunflower oil
5 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1” pieces
2 medium onions chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups water or chicken stock
3 tablespoons lime juice (about the juice from a lime)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Chile Sauce

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut onions in half and place in a large bowl, place whole peeled garlic cloves in a bowl, place the washed tomatillos, hatch chiles, jalapenos and poblanos peppers in the bowl too. Add the oil to the bowl, toss the peppers, onions and garlic until well coated. Line a baking pan with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray. When the oven is at temperature place peppers, onions and garlic on the parchment-lined pan and cook for 30 min, turning every 10 minutes.

Remove the baking pan from the oven and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for 10 minutes. Uncover and remove as much of the skin from the peppers and tomatillos as you can. You can also remove the seeds from any of the peppers if you don't want it too spicy.

Add the roasted tomatillos, peppers, onions and garlic into a large blender. Be careful the mixture will be hot, blend until smooth. Set-aside until ready to use.

Cooking With a Dutch Oven

Heat charcoal briquettes, place 12 hot coals in a circular pattern under the base of a 12-quart Dutch oven and place 12 coals around the lid. Allow to heat for 30 minutes. While the Dutch oven is warming, cut the pork shoulder up and place in a bowl. Add the chopped onions, salt, pepper and oil, toss well and make sure the oil coats everything evenly.

Refill the charcoal starter and light the second batch of charcoal.

Carefully remove the lid of the Dutch oven, do not discard the coals, place all of the pork in the Dutch oven and stir well. Next, add the hatch verde sauce, stir well and add the water or chicken stock, stir again then place the lid back on the pot. As soon as the second batch of charcoal is ready, replace all the coals, please do this carefully in the same pattern they were in when you heated it in the beginning. Cook for one hour and stir, add more liquid to the chili if needed. If you feel the temperature is falling place a few fresh briquettes under the Dutch oven. The residual heat will light the new coals. Cook for a total of two hours, once finished remove lid, stir well and add the fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro.

While you wait for chili to cook, enjoy a cocktail:

Lemon Drop Martinis

Becky Clarke (Sister #2) is famous for her elegant lemon-drop martinis, served with powdered sugar on the rim of the glass. “It makes like the trail just much more civilized,” Becky suggest making the simple syrup in your home kitchen and putting it into a canning jar for use on the trail.

Serves 16 to 20

2 cups of Citron vodka
1 cup lemon juice
1 cut Triple Sec
½ cup simple syrup

Simple Syrup

Makes 1 cup

1 cup water
2 cups sugar

Bring the water to a boil. Dissolve the sugar into the boiling water. Remove the pan from the heat. Let it cool.

Mix all the ingredients together in a pitcher half-filled with ice. Stir well. Pour the mixture into sugar-rimmed martini glasses and garnish with a twisted peel of lemon.

Where (and who) is Tiffany?

Wonderful Women in Waxahachie

Sister #1, SOTF Founder Maurrie Sussman and I had the pleasure to represent our Sisterhood at this event within an event. The big event being the Crossroads Film & Music Festival put on by the Waxahachie Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Texas Draw

It was an over the top event and drew so many "Wonderful Women" campers & attendees to it. I fell in love with the Texas Sisters I met, the locals, the town, the history and local tastes and color. The blue bells were still in bloom for us and the weather was kind of classic for Texas- gorgeous until the flash flood downpour hit! If my husband's ex wasn't from Texas, I would've make a seriously hard pitch to relocate from Boise there and may have had a chance! C'est la vie, y'all...

The Stories

There are so many great stories to tell from this event but there was a first-time camper there who tells hers so well and when we asked if we could share her blog article about her experience this was her reply:

"Thank you. I wish I had more time to spend with everyone as well. I hope our paths cross again and we get a chance to camp out or hangout. I enjoyed my time hanging out with so many likeminded people. I walked away with a whole new perspective and love for camping. Yes, please share. I created the blog to inspire, encourage and give hope to those that dream of traveling or traveling solo. Thank you for reading my story. Part 2 will be up on May 13."

Her Story

Tiffany attended this event as a tent camper having not camped much and wanting a sense of what women campers were all about. Here is the link to Tiffany's blog article. Enjoy her story and her amazing photos:

BEST FIRST CAMPING TRIP EVER

Quilting from the heart, for the soul

Blog post submitted by Maurrie Sussman, Sister # 1 & Co-Founder of Sisters on the fly.

***

Once upon a time, I too had a dream.

On a quiet day in Montana, I was busy making quilts for two of my neighbors who had cancer. Both were friends and I love my friends with my heart and soul. I took them each one and walked away.

A few months later, Lucille approached me with an idea. Could I pass this quilt on? She went on to explain how much attention the quilt had received while she was undergoing chemo treatments. The life of the "Traveling Quilt" was born. The year was 2007.

Since that time, SOTF has sent out hundreds of quilts to our Sisters, to Sisters' friends, to Sisters' grandchildren, to Sisters' husbands, and to their friends by request. We ask that they be returned in order to pass on the group love and hugs and blessings for the next person in need. Many of our quilts are never returned, therefore I have to make new ones. Not enough yet!

So I asked Sisters on the fly to help out. To help me find used ones from other sources. To help make them and send fabric and parts to me. For 11 years now Sisters on the fly members have been doing this. The life of the "Traveling Quilt on the fly" was created!

In the past 11 years, I have received the most wonderful thank you cards, cards from families who return the quilts because their beloved loved one went over the rainbow bridge to a better place. I have even made quilts for the passing of animals. All in all it has been a most emotional and wonderful adventure.

Each quilt has a personal patch hand-embroidered with a name, then hand stitched to the quilt. It is stitched on the back. If you ever received & returned a Quilt on the fly, then your patch is included with other patches on that lovely, blessed quilt that has comforted, kept warm, held, cuddled and sopped up endless tears. It has added puppy kisses, kitties, grandchildren’s plucking and friend's hands. All of that love and prayers are held in one quilt.

We will continue this program for as long as we receive requests for comfort offered in the form of a quilt. But unfortunately, I don’t have the financial resources to create new quilts that can be kept by those who receive them. If Sotf members would like to participate in this program and create their own quilts that can be kept by a recipient they identify, we encourage them to do that, too.

Love to all,

Maurrie

You can't rain on this Sister's parade (or trailer)!

Sister #1470, Robin Maillet, joined SOTF in the spring of 2009, just months after losing her younger and only biological sister to cancer. Robin has often stated, “It took 1,469 “sisters” to fill the hole left by the ONE I had to let go”. In the 9 years since joining, Robin has never regretted a minute and has said she doesn’t know how she ever made it in life without some of the women she has met.

Robin lives in Washington State and has served in numerous capacities for SOTF including WA/OR Meetup Founder, Pacific Northwest Financial Wrangler, Oregon Wrangler, Western Washington Wrangler and National Cabela’s Wrangler. Robin was the hostess for the 2013 Northwest Gathering in Long Beach, WA where just under $45,000 was made via auction and donated to a local charity called Camp Victory.

Dealing with adversity is nothing new to Robin. She has dealt with great tragedy in her life from losing her only son, husband and sister all within 3 years of each other, to surviving two bouts of Stage 3 Melanoma, to working 35 years in a “mans world-” construction- to living in Washington State where you gotta learn to camp in the rain if you want to camp!

Robin’s first trailer was a 1956 15’ Aloha named “Robin’s Roost”. She was asked once why her staging was all roosters and no hens when she was female. Her response was “there’s only room for one hen in this trailer!”. Robin’s Roost followed Robin around for thousands of miles, providing a soft place to land after a full day of play.

Robin’s second trailer was a 1965 9’ Santa Fe named Cowgirl Hideout. Having been raised on a farm, Robin loved time spent in the barn with all her favorite animals. Cowgirl Hideout has a vinyl wrap to look like a barn with comical animals on all 4 sides.

The maiden voyage with Cowgirl Hideout was from WA state to southern CA back in 2016. Within the first few miles of towing, Robin felt something wasn’t quite right. Knowing her other half, Guy (then a truck driver) was on the road, she phoned him just to toss out ideas and get some feedback about why things didn’t feel right. Come to find out, they were only about 8 miles from each other, both headed south on I-5. Guy was in the lead so he pulled over at an off ramp and waited for Robin to catch up. After thoroughly checking weight distribution, loading, weight on the tongue and discussed speed – it was concluded there was no visible reason things weren’t safe. Back on the road, this time Robin (and Cowgirl Hideout) in front of Guy (in the semi) so he could “watch” things. Communicating back and forth – increasing speed, changing lanes, assurances given and best wishes for a safe and fun trip to SoCa – when Robin found herself jerked in her seat, a trailer leaning in her side mirrors, sparks flying behind her and the immediate thought of “he knows I’m in trouble, he can take care of himself” as she pulled in front of the truck and to the side of the road as quickly as possible. Once stopped, Guy ran up to the tow rig only to find her with her head on the steering wheel when he asked “Are you okay? Wow – you did a great job keeping things upright – can I get you anything?” to which Robin responded “maybe a clean pair of pants”.

Within a few minutes a WA State Trooper pulled up and said “I saw your tire back up the road – I’ll go get it for you”. Funny part of this story – Guy had to get back on the road since he was working, and knowing the trooper had called for a tow truck and further knowing Robin could take care of herself, he leaned over to kiss her goodbye and climbed back up in his truck to leave. The trooper stood there with his mouth open and finally looked at Robin and said “do you know that trucker?”

This was a freak accident – the lug nuts and stems were still on the trailer axle but the tire was a half mile behind. The wheel had somehow “whirred” 2” holes at each stem allowing the tire to slide right off, over the nuts. It took 4 days to get a new axle, wheels, tires and a temporary straightening of crumpled sheet metal – but Robin got back on the road and drove non stop to catch up with all the fun at the end of the Route 66 SOTF event.

Throughout the years, Robin has bought and sold several trailers and currently camps in a 2017 RPod 180 appropriately named Cowgirl Palace (in comparison to Cowgirl Hideout). Within the next few weeks, Robin should get her 1963 22’ Boles Aero trailer back from being completely renovated and hit the road for the summer of 2018. Unfortunately, this summer will be a little quieter on the camping front because Robin had bilateral knee replacements in January and time off from work is at a premium.

Safety is extremely important to Robin. Having worked around heavy industrial machinery in her teens and early 20’s, Construction Job sites for 35 years and now spending as much time as possible pulling around a little trailer she knows that accidents happen – and sometimes there is nothing you can do about them BUT………she also knows there is so much more you can do to be safe not only for yourself but others. With this in mind and meeting so many sisters who had never towed a trailer, Robin created a small handout and began conducting “Trailer 101 Safety Classes”. Each class has taken on a different “feel” but the most important thing is that each attendee take away something that contributes to being a little safer on the road. SOTF does have more fun than anyone but Robin teaches “you need to be a woman behind the wheel and a girl in the campground!”

Robin lives with her “Other Half” Guy on a small hobby farm outside McKenna, WA where they have raised Scottish Highland Cattle, Pygmy goats, chickens, ducks, sheep, pigs, rabbits dogs and cats. Just recently, effort has been made in paring down the farm in preparation of selling and relocating. Retirement is just around the corner. Robin dreams of buying a diesel pusher and set out across the US but Guy says after driving truck all these years that is about the last thing he wants to do. I wonder how Guy will like living by himself because, knowing Robin – she wouldn’t hesitate a minute of getting that diesel pusher and heading out by herself.

A Final Frontier

Ginny McKinney, SOTF #3537, contributed this post:

I’d be willing to bet we can all remember our first outing with Sisters on the Fly. We remember where we went, what we did, and if we don’t remember every single Sister that attended, there are certainly some you will never forget...especially that “First Sister”. You know...the one who greeted you first, maybe took you under her wing and showed you the ropes. She was probably more seasoned. She’d been to lots of events. Maybe she was the Wrangler for the area. Or, the event hostess. Or just a long time Sister. Either way, if you’re like me, it was an instant bond.

My “First Sister” was Diane Smith #16. I had purchased my little camper maybe six weeks before the Altona Grange gathering. I had joined SOTF and bought the book and joined the Facebook page. The logical next step was to sign up for an event. I searched Meetup and found one nearby. I signed up and paid my fee. Then I sat back and started reading the comments. It seemed like everyone knew everyone and I was jumping in the middle of a party that had already begun. What if I couldn’t pull the camper? What if I couldn’t find the group? What if I made a fool of myself because I had never backed up or set up camp before? Honesty has always been the best approach, so I just put it out there. I was scared.

Diane was the first to jump in and reassure me. She told me not to worry...I’d be a pro in no time. She was so comforting and I really felt a sense of encouragement for the first time since my husband had died. When I pulled in, there she was...just like she promised. Her sense of calm power was palpable. I took one look at her and wanted to be just like her. She was fun and funny and absolutely no nonsense. She taught me so much.

After that initial gathering, I had the great pleasure to camp with Diane several times. When I moved to West Virginia the year after my husband died, I didn’t get to camp much with my Colorado Sisters, but when I was back for a visit, Diane went out of her way to meet a few of us for lunch. In one such meeting, she told me her cancer was back. She faced it with such strength. Then, about a month ago, she sent me an e-mail. She wanted me to write her story...about how she came to get pancreatic cancer. She thought it might be of interest to others. I told her I would love to. In typical Diane fashion, she did not say “time is of the essence” and I waited till the next week to call her. By then...it was too late. She was under hospice care. She was sleeping much of the time. In a last ditch effort, Peggy Burns tried to connect us while she was visiting, but it wasn’t meant to be. In order to fulfill her request, I’ll tell you what Diane told me. The rest I will fill in with research from the internet. And she was right...I think you will find it interesting.

Diane Erickson married Terry Smith in April of 1962. They moved to Beatty, Nevada shortly after they were married and in July of that year, Diane was exposed to radiation dust from the detonation of bombs at the Nevada Test Site. She and Terry lived about 50 miles from the site and are considered...”Downwinders”. RECA, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990, is an Act to provide jurisdiction and procedures for compassionate payments for injuries due to exposure to radiation from nuclear testing enacted by the 101st United States Congress, effective October 15, 1990. There is a list of cancers as long as your arm that are compensable under RECA, among them...Primary Cancer of the Pancreas.

So, in Diane’s words, “this gnarly little critter called cancer has been with me since I was 23! Just sitting there throughout my life.” She went through the extensive “proof process” to qualify for and receive $50,000 compensation. To her, it wasn’t so much about the money as it was a form of apology.

Diane faced cancer head on, like she faced everything else...with grace and determination. When it got to the point where she was too tired to talk on the phone, Peggy asked if I could just send the story to her and she would read it to Diane. I didn’t feel qualified to write a tribute to her life because I didn’t know her deeply, personally. I felt there were others who knew and loved her for far longer than I did who would do a much better job. I was touched when I read the beautiful words Maurrie posted on 3/15 to tell us our girl was gone. I still felt an obligation to let you know “the rest of the story.” Instead of writing this and sending it for Peggy to read, I sent the following letter as I felt it expressed my feelings more. I knew I would get to the part about her radiation exposure later.

* * * * *

“Dewar Di #16

That’s how I first met you. I was so fresh and new on my grief journey. I had just purchased my first little trailer and joined the Sisters. I knew nothing about camping, or hooking up and towing a camper. When the event was arranged, I wrote on the Meetup page that I was scared. You came right back and said you totally understood that, but you would be waiting for me at the entrance and not to worry.

When I arrived, this woman with wild, silver hair and big glasses and an electric smile greeted me. I immediately felt at ease.

Diane, you took me under your wing. You taught me so much. How to back into a spot on a dime and have a nickel left over. How to unhook and hookup a camper. How to make friends when your heart lies in pieces on the ground. You taught me that just because my husband died, it didn’t mean I did. You taught me how to fly. You’re the one who told me to just get out there and engage and tell my story. I came away from that event a little bit braver, a little more grounded, and a lot more hopeful.

I wish we could have spent more time together. I wish we could have camped beside each other a hundred times. You are the Iron Maiden...so strong and confident and brave. I was going to write your story for after you are gone. There are others who knew you more personally and much longer who would undoubtedly do a better job of that. What I want to do is give you this letter and tell you I love you. You have changed my life, just as you have changed the lives of countless others...from the children in your career to your family and friends and to all the Sisters who were so fortunate as to meet you and call you theirs.

I hate that you are leaving us so soon. My heart is broken that I won’t see you again in this life. However, I have every confidence that when we meet in Heaven someday, we will sit around the campfire and catch up. Do me a favor, will you? When you get up there, look up this really handsome man named Dan McKinney. Tall, silver hair, gorgeous blue eyes. Watch out, he’s a charmer! Tell him I love him and I’m ok and I’ll see him one of these days. On Monday 3/12 he will be gone five years. Please give him a big hug from his sweetheart. Thanks.”

* * * * *

As I sat and meditated on this piece, I decided...what better way to honor the memory of our dear Sister than to be BOLD? BE that Sister...the one who greets new Sisters and welcomes them in...the one who shares her knowledge selflessly...the one who gets involved and steps up and plans events and takes a leadership role in this wonderful organization that empowers women to be all they can be. To be girls again. To have more fun than anyone. To be the “Dewar Di’s” that everyone needs in their life. To be BOLDER. I will miss her so much, but there’s ice tinkling in a glass somewhere among the stars and Heaven is a little bit brighter.

Raise your glass, dear Sisters, for a toast...
Happy Trails, Diane!
With Much Love...
❤️
Ginny

Post contributed by blogger, Positive Aging Expert & Motivational Speaker,
Ginny McKinney, SOTF #3537
Marshmallow Ranch Blog

Sister Spotlight on #2348

“As soon as I found out that there were thousands of other dress-up lovin,’ party-going,
vintage trailer lovin’ women doing it solo like I did, I knew I had to join!”In 2011, while living in Australia and working on her magazine, Vintage Caravan Magazine, Lisa Mora heard about our fun loving Sister on the fly group and quickly became Sister #2348. After meeting and becoming friends with several Sisters on her travels to the US, she watched her US subscriber base grow so she started producing a US version called Vintage Trailer Magazine.

Lisa acts mostly as a one-woman show and exudes so much energy. She writes, edits, photographs, designs… you name it. Sisters on the fly has been lucky enough to be featured, along with many of our members, in several of her magazine's issues.

Traveling runs deep in Lisa’s veins. Her Australian mother and American father introduced her to an "on the fly" lifestyle and between the ages of 2 and 18, Lisa found herself living in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Holland, Sweden,
Morocco and Spain, and visited many others in between.

In 2014 Lisa moved from Australia to the US and settled in the state of Oregon. A year later, she was diagnosed with severe Rheumatoid Disease and was incredibly ill and nearly crippled for almost two years. After many unsuccessful treatments, she finally found a medication routine that gave her strength and mobility back.

These days you can find Lisa back behind the wheel of her beloved Hudson pulling "Rosie," her trailer. Lisa explains, “I get a feeling of absolute joy whenever I take my old Hudson “Doc” and “Rosie” the 1949 Crown bobbing along behind me down the road! I love the changing scenery; I love the photos I get, the people I meet, the vintage trailers I see and the stories I hear. I love my rolling tiny home. I love living simply and plotting my own course. It’s the best life ever out there on the road. Most of all I love being able to share that passion with my readers through my Vintage Trailer Magazine.”

When asked about her setbacks and the trials life has thrown at her, Lisa says, “I am
determined to overcome any hurdles and get the most out of my life. I experience setbacks, challenges, doubts, breakdowns (the car and me!) fears; you name it! But the positives always far outweigh the negative. There is a lot more of America I want to explore yet and a whole bunch of fun-loving, confident, kind, caring and empowered women I call sisters and friends out there who have got my back, so I’m gonna keep rollin’ on!”

(This blog post article was contributed by Nicole C, Sister # 5578.)

Sister # 62 Spotlight

"Glenda has been with Sisters on the Fly member forever. She is one great and loyal Sister to us and to you all. We could celebrate her life forever and never quite pay her back for what she has added to our wonderful world of Sisters on the Fly. I see that beautiful head of red curls and remember her Good Witch crown and gown on an event in Kansas.... She promised we, together, would go to the Moon and back. I am counting on that." Maurrie Sussman, SOTF # 1

"G!", as most of us know her, is the type of person you consider yourself honored to know. Her ability to listen and make you feel loved and cared for is like no one I’ve ever met. With her spotlight landing in the month of February, the month of love… it’s the perfect fit!

G! joined SOTF in 2003. She had just quit her job at the Arkansas Department of Human Services and sold her dream car to stay home and care for a new grandbaby when she met some Sisters that were camping in their vintage trailers. She was hooked! She had to have a trailer and she craved that kind of adventure! Her first trailer (The Circle G! Bunkhouse) and Sister event changed her life forever and helped mold her into the outgoing and confident woman we all know and love today.

In 2009 Sisters on the Fly created its Wrangler program that brought to SOTF the local touch it was missing and a key point of contact for members both new and old to reach out to. Along with Kris Brown, our National Wrangler, G! is the last of the original group. She first jumped in and Wrangled both Arkansas and Missouri and as those areas grew, she passed on her Missouri duties. Although she just stepped back as the Arkansas Wrangler, she’s still our Facebook Wrangler and is a huge asset and help to our Events department. If you needed help publishing your event, G! was likely the gal who took care of you.

G! loves working with Sisters and being a member of SOTF. The excitement of new sisters and helping girls get out on adventures makes her happy. She never wants to forget the feeling she had when she set out on her first adventure, pulling a trailer for the first time, from Arkansas to Arizona!

G! loves crafting and teaching others. She makes glass beads and has taught at the Arkansas Art School and Museum. She is a jewelry designer and makes one of a kind pieces using her glass beads and heirloom quality finds. She knits, does art journaling, is learning how to watercolor on tiny canvas, and loves making and sending handmade cards. She resides in Arkansas with her husband, Gary, and her home is often filled with the love and laughter of their grandchildren.

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

"I met Glenda, “G” #62, at the first SOTF Giddy up 2007 in Arizona. The rest, as they say, is history. You want to talk about Sisters on the Fly, just mention Glenda “G” and most of us have heard of her or have been lucky enough to know her personally. She has the biggest heart and giving personality. She can hold your hand and make you feel loved, and also stand her ground when things are amiss. She is such a giving soul. Her family is her #1 priority and her husband is her greatest supporter. I am lucky to have Glenda as a friend and cohort in crime!!!! It makes each day a surprise!!!" – Kris Brown, #474

"G! has always been a great supporter of SOTF and I am blessed to call her my friend. I love her to pieces!" – Becky, #2

(This blog post article was contributed by Nicole C, Sister # 5578.)

Sister #474 Spotlight

Kris Brown – Sisters on the Fly National Wrangler

Kris is one of four sisters born and raised in San Francisco, reared by their father following the death of their mother early in their lives. She is a sister, daughter, wife, mother, widow, grandmother of five including triplets and... she is a survivor.

Kris and her first husband lived in Washington State, operated their own trucking company and, when they weren’t able to have children right away, decided to adopt their first son. Lucky boy he was! As so often happens with childless couples, they adopt and quickly discover they are pregnant! It wasn’t long after that Kris and her husband welcomed their second son. Then shortly after that Kris’s husband died in a tragic highway accident. At a very young age she was left a single parent with two very young sons.

With what is her mantra, “Today is going to be a good day,” she moved on as best she could, determined to make the best life for her small family. Over time she became a real estate broker, mortgage company owner and property manager. Kris remarried, moved to California and spent decades enjoying life in Placerville with her husband, Charlie, before his death in 2005. Once again she was a widow. And, once again, she picked her heart up off the floor and moved on with her life.

In 2006 she discovered Sisters on the Fly and jumped in with her perpetual excitement and positive attitude. Luncheons were organized for members in California, trips were soon on the planning agenda and dozens of women began to be impacted by this dynamo of a woman.

When the Wrangler Program was introduced it quickly became obvious that the best woman for the job of organizing this group and setting up a program for welcoming new members and keeping them energized would be Kris. She has been the major key in this effort as well as encouraging others to step up and join in her program.

When I think about Kris, her ability to make every day positive, her mentoring and skill in searching for solutions, it reminds me of a song from the Sound of Music: “How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?” She’s that special!

“She has the wisdom of a hundred-year-old Chinese grandmother.” Glenda, SOTF #62

Kris is FABULOUS! She is "calm, cool & collective"!! Jackie, SOTF #2274

( This article was contributed by Kaarin Simpson, SOTF #441 and is the first in a series of Member Profiles.)