Second Glamping Trip of the 2015 Season

Glamping time for Daisy Mae Foxhound and I was wonderful.  It was during the week for three nights, four days, and we were one of two sites filled.  Of course, with the holiday weekend, things were booked up.  I am blessed to be retired and go camping during the week, so I was there Sunday afternoon after church until Wednesday at about 2:00.  You have to clear the site by 4:00, but I am not a "last minute" person, and besides, it had started to rain some.

Daisy Mae and I had a wonderful time of walking and resting, and campfires.  On Monday night my husband, son and his family came out for a hotdog roast and smores.  We had such a great time.  We then walked to the camp pond and watched the sunset, only after taking turns rolling log style down the pond bank.  It is great fun, and this old farmgirl can still keep up with the best and youngest of them.  In fact, some of the middle agers won't even try it.  I keep telling them that they sure do miss out on lots of life by thinking they are too old or too dignified or just too something.  Live it up is what I say.  It sure does make me smile to take a roll or two down the pond bank.

My friend Becky, who walks the campgrounds with her little dog daily, stopped to visit us two different times.  We then walked our precious dogs together.  I so enjoy walking my Daisy Mae Foxhound and will share some of the time with a good camper walker friend and her dog.  She even asked when I would be back out, and I told her May 31 for three nights and four days.  She said she would look forward to sitting a bit and having some morning coffee.  

One late afternoon just as I was about to light our nightly campfire, getting the coals down so I could make a meal, I heard this terrific cries of some birds that I know I have heard before.  Shortly after this, two pileated woodpeckers eye-balled me as they flew right over my head and then the camper.  I jumped into the camper to get my camera, thinking maybe they would turn back or stop on a tree.  I was blessed to have one do just that and I got a nice shot.  You are blessed to hear them, and see them at a distance, but so close and right over me.  I felt honored.

During my glamping time I did lots of eating, sleeping, walking, but also lots of reading, knitting, some embroider of badges onto my denim jacket, and I did two oil paintings.  It was a good time to have a short respite from my farm woman country life, and enjoy the outdoors in a different way then I do at home.

"Glamping"

Yes, and yeah, and yippy.  I am mostly packed and ready to head off after church tomorrow to my second "glamping" days.  I try to go every few weeks, and I go close enough to home that I can do this easily.  I also go "glamping" which, as most of you know is glamour camping.  My camper is a 1995 so is not a vintage and this seems to mean I cannot camp with the MaryJane Farm glampers, but it is okay, as I have my camper decorated as I like, and I enjoy my time with my Daisy Mae Foxhound.  

My camper is 23 feet long.  As you enter, you go to the left and I have a nice bathroom with a two door closet, a stole, sink and medicine cabinet, and a tub/shower.  I like this as then I do not have to go out in the middle of the night or the rain.  I think it is a great safety feature for me.

When you first walk into the camper, you enter the kitchen where I have plenty of cabinets, a double sink, a three burner stove and oven, and a refrigerator and top separate door freezer.  After this you go into a couch and table benches area with cabinets above and storage under.  The couch makes into a bed, single size and over the table you can have another bed fold out if you want.  I don't even have a foam mattress in that area but use the area for storage cabinets for towels and games and candles, etc.  I really don't have too many people stay over and have even had my husband fix the table more secure to the wall, so it does not come down and make into a bed either.  If it did, it would be a double bed.  so I could actually sleep six people because.....after this living area, I actually have a separate bedroom with a folding closing door, which I don't ever close as my Daisy Dog and I are the only ones there.  It has a full size bed, which is always up, and I like this as I would not enjoy having to take down the table to go to bed each night.  I do enjoy my afternoon naps or just laying down and reading on the "already up" bed.  I have shelves for books and another large shelve unit for "stuff".  There is also a nice size closet in this bedroom.  

So you can see I am set when I go "glamping".  I have old wicker chairs painted white for sitting outside, plus a nice old lounge chair for Daisy Mae Foxhound.  I have a round wooden table and two chairs that I place under the canopy of the camper.  I decorate all with lace, quilts, teapots and cups, lanterns, and baskets.  Inside I also use teacups, placemats with lace and crocheting.  I have embroidered dish towels and crocheted potholders and dish clothes.  I also have doilies on the shelves hanging down so you can see all the pretty work.  I use cloth napkins, and handmade aprons.  Even some of my bath towels have embroider and crocheting on them. I use china plates and glassware and specially nice utensils and pots and pans.  I do use my cast iron on the fire outside, but always make things look "vintage" and keep to the glamour camping.

During my time camping, when Daisy Mae and I are not walking and taking photos and just enjoying nature, I am knitting, writing, reading, painting, and quilting.  I don't take a computer and have gone back to my flip phone as it gets better reception then my smart phone did, and thus I don't have the internet.  I almost always hope people don't call me, and I often just make arrangements for some people to come out one of the three nights I am camping, for dinner, but not to stay over.

I have had my grandson go camping with me twice in three years and my granddaughter has also gone twice.  I am okay with this as I call it "making memories", but I never invite them for more then one night, and I don't invite just anyone  to show up.  This is my time with my Daisy and my GOD and I want it that way.

I worked hard in difficult jobs for many years and helped and dealt with so many people problems, that this is my time and I don't make apologizes for it.

If you have not thought about "glamping" and don't want to tent or vintage trailer camp, just think about doing it your way, with a more updated camper that you can still make your own.  This past year I took down the very popular looking camper curtains and tossed them and made some wonderful lace curtains which make all look lighter and more "me".  You can do it also.  

Rainy Day's are Wonderful

Today it is raining in my corner of the world and my corner of the state of Missouri, which is the northeast corner.  This is wonderful.  We need the rain, really we do, as do other places.  I am glad and thankful as a farmer and also as a gardener and outdoors person.  It will help my "garden grow" and no, my name is not Mary, Mary.

Rainy days during spring and summer are also helpful to the person who is outdoors lots, either working, walking, camping.  It means a day indoors to do other things, like staying in my pj's while I watch some morning news and knit on my wonderful gold colored baby alpaca/silk scarf. I only have four more sections and it will be finished.  I plan to use it as a "staple" item on my fall trip to France.  Oh, it is so richly soft and pretty also.  

I also have a carrot/raisin cake in the oven and will make cream cheese frosting for it after it is totally cooled.  It does smell wonderful as I sit here typing away and sipping nice Downton Abbey Republic of Tea from Hannibal's Java Jive.  It is called Mrs. Patmore's Pudding Tea and is black tea, with sweet blackberry leaves, natural caramel and vanilla flavoring, and carob bits.  It smells and tastes wonderful.  It can be ordered online so try it out if you don't have a classy coffee spot near you.  My spot is pretty coffee shop style and is owned by a young lady, good business woman, plus being a young wife and mother of small children.  She was just honored as one of the outstanding ladies in our community that own businesses.  Yes, Katie, way to go!

My handwash items are done in the washer with a great handwash cycle.  I really do enjoy the nice conveniences we have as homemakers and do not want to go back to old fashion things, but how I do like the old fashion and vintage decor and  clothing.  My camper is all "glamped" out with things like that as is my home.  But, again, even with clothes lines and such, I like good washers and driers and dishwashers and refrigerators.  Recently walking at the farm and collecting flat creek bed rocks for a friend's patio, I took some nice shots of the farm families old ice house.  This was probably built in the mid 1800's as the farmhouse was built in 1852.  So nice to go to my refrig, even in my camper and get out ice cubes.  

Enjoy your rain if you are receiving some, enjoy your conveniences, and most of us do have some or lots, and mostly enjoy your day.  Work on some baking, knitting, quilting, reading or even a nap.  I think I will do that after I get my four dogs their baths.  Good day for that as they already get wet smelling with going outdoors.

Aprons

To my family, I am a person with many aprons, yes, aprons.  I wear them almost always when I am cooking and also when I am baking.  I enjoy making pies and breads and seem to get lots of flour everywhere.  I have a great time and my aprons show it.  I have about eight hanging on a large hook in my kitchen pantry.  I also have two hanging on a nice hook in my "glamper" so I can have them while cooking, even over a camp fire.  

Recently I pulled them all out and washed and hung them on the outside line to dry.  They looked so pretty that I took some photos and will try to download one on this post.  As I am not that knowledgeable about the process, I will tell you that I will try.

Today I had the wonderful privilege of spending the day with my 12 year old granddaughter and her mother, my wonderful daughter in love, Kathy.  Kathy had asked me to come help Alorah sew an apron for her Project Fair sewing project.  She has made many wonderful things, but Kathy felt that in my helping Alorah sew this apron, we would also make memories.  And, I must say we did.  We had some great conversation, and laughed and even had lunch together along with her mother and brother. 

Alorah, soon to be 13, still likes Grandma time, and I feel blessed.  The memories we made today will stay with me always.  I will enjoy seeing her wear her apron.  I even got a few scraps of the fabric to put into my next crazy quilt.  As I had just made a really nice full apron, I wore it to visit them.  This helped me with earning my badge on aprons with Mary Jane Farms Sisterhood.  It also was fun to do.  I also wore this apron to my knitting circle to show it off as it is so very special.  The print is "aprons" and I purchased this print from our local famous quilting shop in Hannibal, Missouri.  It is called "Hickory Stick" and has been featured in quilting magazines.  I did note that they had similar fabric at Hobby Lobby, so check it out and have fun making your own apron.  Really, they are fun and fancy, and very useful.

Is It Easy Being Green?

Today, April 15, may not be a great day for those who procrastinated on getting their taxes done.  I am sorry for you.  As I had mine done early, not because I get a great refund, actually no refund, because we pay quarterly as farmers/business.  Anyway, is it easy being green when it comes to taxes (money), maybe not.  Kermit the Frog says it is not easy being green.  As I was walking my Daisy Mae Foxhound today I was wondering how easy it is for the grass, shrubs and trees to be green.  They do it every year, and I, for one, am so very thankful.  Even my strawberries are green and wonderful looking.  Actually, they are blooming.  My rhubarb has had one picking as of today.  The lawn has been mowed three times.   I am sure these plants go through lots of transformation to become green again.  I am so thankful.

Today I took out of the freezer my last package of homegrown strawberries.  Yes, from the patch mentioned above.  I also pulled some of the first rhubarb for the season.  I have two large plants and they are now five years old.  I was told the first three years not to use them.  It was so hard as they looked so nice.  I am glad that I did as told, as now, well, they look even nicer.  At this moment I have two strawberry/rhubarb pies in the oven.  One will be for us and one will go to our neighbors from South Africa.  Actually I am not sure if they have rhubarb there, so it will be something different for them to try.  Jonika makes us traditional things from South Africa, which is interesting for us to try also.  

Is it easy being green?  Even if it is not.  Thank you trees, shrubs, plants, even wildflowers.  We are blessed with green.  Spring time is grand, even if you have to pay your taxes today because you waited until the deadline!

Out and About

Spring in rural Northeast Missouri is a time of change as it is in many parts of our wonderful country.  For us, it can be cool one day and actually hot the next.  It may say it is going to rain and be bright and sunny all day.  We need the rain very much, but we also enjoy the sunshine.  It helps with the spring fever.

Spring fever.....well, for city people, it may be a stroll to the park, but for this country person, it is work, and hard but rewarding and refreshing work.  I have flower beds to clean out and then put out all the wonderful adds to my beds, like birdbaths and wind chimes and even ceramic birdhouses.  I enjoy some ceramic poppies on long metal stems which an artist friend made for me.  They are bright red, yellow and blue, and until the real things bloom, they cheer me.

My hot box is planted with many kinds of veggies and each time I head to water it I am waiting to see the first sprouts.  Yes, I do a little happy dance when I see them.  It means the seeds germinated and plants will grow if I tend to them.  I should even have plants to share with others.

As I grocery shop, I cannot help but stop to pick up a few pounds of potato sprouts for planting and some onion sets maybe.  I also found a wonderful new daisy plant this year called an Osteospermum or South African Daisy.  It is just so wonderful so I have plants to get another this week when in town.  You see our town is 15 miles away and I really only try to head that way on Tuesdays and Thursdays and of course Sunday for church.  

On Tuesday I go to the Y for yoga (wonderful) and swimming laps, a hit to the hot tub, shower, do the library run, and visit friends at the quilt shop before heading to the famous Java Jive coffee shop in downtown Hannibal, Missouri, where my knitting circle meets.  We have lunch, knit and talk and talk and talk.  Afterwards I may go visit another friend or run an errand.  

On Thursday it is a repeat at the Y and then I usually do errands such as grocery shopping.  I may hit our church thrift store mostly to visit with my friends, but sometimes find wonderful things for my stash for crazy quilts.  However, I don't look long because I so enjoy living in my country home that I want to get back, take my Daisy Mae Foxhound for a walk.  Yes I go for a walk with her on days I am at home, maybe several walks to total about 4 miles.  But on my Y days I still take her for a walk of maybe a mile.  It is about the quiet and the time outdoors with my best friend forever.....Daisy Mae, my dear dog.

Large and Small Plans

Country Katie and Daisy Mae are again looking forward to "glamping".  We have spent some time sitting in our camper.  I measured windows and have fabric (nice white fresh lacey) for new curtains.  I must sit now and sew them.  This will be especially fun on my new sewing machine. 

We also cleaned out my hot box and have some seeds ready to plant in the next day or so.  I do enjoy growing tomato and pepper plants for my garden spots.  As I have walked my Daisy Dog, I check under the straw that covers my strawberries and my rhubarb and asparagus.  Soon I will be removing it and watching the sprouting and growing....just imagining the taste of fresh produce.

Other plans include another quilt which I just purchased fabric for today.  It will be done in a brick style and the fabric is all nice floral prints and the finished product, though a very old and simple style of quilt, should look elegant.  I have a quilt in my camper done in the brick design, but what is so special about it is that it was made many years ago from all flour sacks.  The days years ago when I was young, I recall my grandfather going to the mill for my family and purchasing flour, in calico cotton fabric.  My mother would always suggest that he try to get several bags with the same print so she could sew me a dress.  I was so proud of those pieces of clothing, but when I told friends as school, my mother was offended, thinking people would think we were "poor".  However, may of the children had the same type of clothing.

My biggest 2015 plan is a trip to Europe, actually to France and I may spend a few days in London before heading home. I won't go until in the fall, but have started collecting some things I will need, such as today, a purchase of a universal charger....for my phone and camera chargers.  It was exciting to purchase.  I purchase another chip for my camera so I have a nice new one for all the photos I will be taking.  As my family is from France, I have plans to visit the Alsace/Lorraine area for a few days, some days in Paris, of course, and a trip down to Nice, and Provence area.  I will head back to Paris and then to Normandy for a day trip.  Back in Paris I will either fly back to the states or go by train through the underwater tunnel in the English Channel and spend a few days in London and fly to the states from there.  

It will be fun to gradually get things ready for this.  As I wear and look at my clothing, I could think of purchases I could make, but I have nice clothing, so will just play with my clothing and make outfits I believe I could wear to the Louvre or Notre Dame , etc.  I think I have some things that are nice enough to meet the Mona Lisa.  This country woman is not "that shabby" because, after all, like I said, I am French.   Okay, my friends and neighbors are mostly not too shabby either.  We country women know how to act and dress when we get "out there".