Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Daffodil Comes Clean
Please come over to Daffodil’s Journey and see more as her journey begins to unfold. You’ll get to see me go to new heights and take on a role I never thought possible.
Monday, June 10, 2013
The Lake Is Calling
The lake is calling us – and we are going. Today we are heading up Mount Hood to one of our favorite lakes. My sweetheart and I are taking a few days away from the routines of daily living to relax and enjoy time together. He will fish every day and I will work on some projects I'm taking with me. Joey is going, too. He loves the trailer and, at times, he doesn’t mind having his life vest on for a ride in the boat. He especially loves to sleep in the sun while he rides the waves.
A few weeks ago we drove up to the lake to see if the snow had melted yet and if the season’s fishing had begun. It was a beautiful day and we wished we could stay. Oh, how we wished we could stay. Now we can!
It feels like you’re at the top of the world up here. The cloud formations change constantly.
We’ll be back in a few days. I have some blog posts ready to share with you while I’m away.
I wish I could take you with me. I’m sure you would love it at the lake.
A few weeks ago we drove up to the lake to see if the snow had melted yet and if the season’s fishing had begun. It was a beautiful day and we wished we could stay. Oh, how we wished we could stay. Now we can!
It feels like you’re at the top of the world up here. The cloud formations change constantly.
We’ll be back in a few days. I have some blog posts ready to share with you while I’m away.
I wish I could take you with me. I’m sure you would love it at the lake.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
The Walk Continues
Our walk around the loop where we had our recent campout continues with more camping fun. One of the nice things about Sisters On The Fly and other similar groups is that having a vintage trailer is not a requirement. The only requirement is to have a good time together. One of the Sisters had this sweet chalet. It folds down for travel and storage and, in just a matter of minutes, she’s up and ready to go. She had the only trailer with a Dutch door – her door folds in half when the trailer is ‘down’. I love that she can keep the bottom closed and have the top of the door open (or vice versa, if she prefers).
I was amazed when I stepped inside. The windows seemed to bring the outdoors in. Windows high overhead near the peak gave views of the trees and sky. I loved the thought of lying in bed and watching the clouds go by or enjoying the trees above. 
And outside, her table was ready to entertain – complete with lace tablecloth (plastic!) and candelabra!
Another cute, little trailer – loved the shade on a warm afternoon! The Sister ‘rule’ – we leave the door open when it’s OK to come in (even if we’re not at home!). When the door is closed, we’re either away or don’t want to be disturbed. This Sister was antiquing – away from camp for awhile.
One of the Sisters had a nice, older motor home. She told me it had very low miles on it when she bought it. It was in ship-shape condition.
She had decorated inside to make it a wonderful place for a girl to spend time. There were bits and pieces and touches of her personality and style on the outside – you had no idea how cute it was until you stepped inside.
And then – there was ‘Auntie Em’. You know, ‘follow the yellow brick road’? I wish I had taken a photo of the other side of this trailer. She had a custom ‘yellow brick road’ saying on the side. Next time. I promise! Of course you know I approve of a yellow and white trailer!
I paid special attention to details on this one because the floor plan was like Miss Daffodil’s floor plan. Some details were different but she was laid out the same as mine. (Miss Daffodil is a bit longer and a bit wider but arranged the same.) Auntie Em’s owner was getting ready for our Roving Dinner (progressive dinner) and she apologized that her kitchen was ‘a mess’! 
Her refrigerator is to the left of her closet (in closet space) – mine will be in the lower cabinet to the left of my stove. It was hard to get good photos inside this trailer because of the sun. I’m not complaining, you know. Just saying.
The cozy daybed looks like the perfect place for an afternoon nap. Above the bed, the folding bunk makes a perfect shelf to display treasures. Can’t you just see Dorothy and Toto feeling right at home here?
Beside the door is a little cabinet. Miss Daffodil has one of these, too.
This sweet trailer is named ‘Road Runner’. Inside is a beautiful haven – a place for rest and relaxation. Her owner invited my sweetheart and I in when he towed my trailer out to the campground for me.
There’s a place to share a bite to eat inside. . .
And a pleasant place for a good, long chat outside.
There’s even a hammock hung between two big trees in the back. I found Road Runner’s owner relaxing here several times. She told stories of things she saw overhead as she swayed in the shade on a warm afternoon. She watched clouds drift by, watched mama squirrel take a wandering baby back to the nest high in the tree overhead and caught a few extra winks of sleep. 
Well, my friends – I think I’ll go find me a hammock in the shade somewhere. Someplace where I can rock and relax and remember a weekend spent with Sisters who spent time together in the woods not far from home.
I was amazed when I stepped inside. The windows seemed to bring the outdoors in. Windows high overhead near the peak gave views of the trees and sky. I loved the thought of lying in bed and watching the clouds go by or enjoying the trees above. 
And outside, her table was ready to entertain – complete with lace tablecloth (plastic!) and candelabra!
Another cute, little trailer – loved the shade on a warm afternoon! The Sister ‘rule’ – we leave the door open when it’s OK to come in (even if we’re not at home!). When the door is closed, we’re either away or don’t want to be disturbed. This Sister was antiquing – away from camp for awhile.
One of the Sisters had a nice, older motor home. She told me it had very low miles on it when she bought it. It was in ship-shape condition.
She had decorated inside to make it a wonderful place for a girl to spend time. There were bits and pieces and touches of her personality and style on the outside – you had no idea how cute it was until you stepped inside.
And then – there was ‘Auntie Em’. You know, ‘follow the yellow brick road’? I wish I had taken a photo of the other side of this trailer. She had a custom ‘yellow brick road’ saying on the side. Next time. I promise! Of course you know I approve of a yellow and white trailer!
I paid special attention to details on this one because the floor plan was like Miss Daffodil’s floor plan. Some details were different but she was laid out the same as mine. (Miss Daffodil is a bit longer and a bit wider but arranged the same.) Auntie Em’s owner was getting ready for our Roving Dinner (progressive dinner) and she apologized that her kitchen was ‘a mess’! 
Her refrigerator is to the left of her closet (in closet space) – mine will be in the lower cabinet to the left of my stove. It was hard to get good photos inside this trailer because of the sun. I’m not complaining, you know. Just saying.
The cozy daybed looks like the perfect place for an afternoon nap. Above the bed, the folding bunk makes a perfect shelf to display treasures. Can’t you just see Dorothy and Toto feeling right at home here?
Beside the door is a little cabinet. Miss Daffodil has one of these, too.
This sweet trailer is named ‘Road Runner’. Inside is a beautiful haven – a place for rest and relaxation. Her owner invited my sweetheart and I in when he towed my trailer out to the campground for me. 
There’s a place to share a bite to eat inside. . .
And a pleasant place for a good, long chat outside.
There’s even a hammock hung between two big trees in the back. I found Road Runner’s owner relaxing here several times. She told stories of things she saw overhead as she swayed in the shade on a warm afternoon. She watched clouds drift by, watched mama squirrel take a wandering baby back to the nest high in the tree overhead and caught a few extra winks of sleep. 
Well, my friends – I think I’ll go find me a hammock in the shade somewhere. Someplace where I can rock and relax and remember a weekend spent with Sisters who spent time together in the woods not far from home.
Friday, June 7, 2013
A Walk Around The Camp
My weekend away with Sisters On The Fly Sisters was wonderful! I had such fun, met new Sisters, spent time with dear Sisters I already knew and I learned a lot! Since my vintage trailer, Miss Daffodil, is undergoing major restoration right now I checked out every single detail possible on the vintage trailers around me! I looked at the way the trailers were decorated and how things had been ‘stashed’ in nooks and crannies.
My friend - and neighbor in the space across from me - made this quilted welcome flag for her trailer. Her space was a place where we seemed to gather often. Here’s her cute, little trailer. She told me to be sure to let you know that she didn’t ‘stage’ her outdoor space this time – this is ‘real’. This is camping!
A peek inside. . .
And fresh flowers in a vintage water jug on her picnic table.
Another friend – and near neighbor in the campground – has a trailer similar to our ‘big’ trailer. She is shopping for a vintage trailer but, in the meantime, she enjoys Sister time with her ‘big’ trailer. She lives very close to the campground so she went home early every morning and again in the evening to feed her dogs. One morning, when she returned to camp, she brought her cute, little VW Bug. Believe me, this brought a lot of questions from passers-by. People wondered how she towed her trailer with this little car! 
You probably won’t be surprised when I tell you that I was in awe as this little beauty arrived. I loved her from the moment I saw her! 
The detailing around the window on her little door is amazing!
And next to the little yellow beauty - ‘Bella’.
Step inside and see her beauty. The dinette area. . .
The kitchen area and a peek at the bed in the back. . .
And her ‘dresser’ in the space where the old refrigerator used to be! 
On her picnic table outside – another vintage water jug with fresh flowers.
Just down the road - ‘Hoppy Trails’. I love her little step – it’s message is clear. Escape!
The window on her door is covered with this gorgeous quilted runner.
One of the gals designed these flags and had them for sale at the campout.
There’s so much more to share. I’ll save that for another day. Please come back and we will continue our stroll through the campground. I’m sure you will enjoy the rest of the tour.(Many of you have asked to see the renovations on my little, vintage trailer. Next week I’ll begin to share Miss Daffodil’s journey. Today my sweetheart begins the ‘putting-her-back-together’ process. I’m getting excited! We have a goal to have her ready to make her maiden voyage this fall!)
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Sisters Weekend
Imagine what it would be like to arrive at a State Park where you plan to spend a ‘quiet’ weekend. You find the spot you’ve reserved. . .only to find that you have parked right in the middle of a group of forty ladies with vintage and newer trailers and tents? That happened to one couple last weekend. They spent quite a bit of time sitting outside their big motor home – smiling and laughing and enjoying our fun! As I walked by the second day I asked the man if he felt a bit overwhelmed to be in the middle of all these gals. He said he has four sisters and he was loving every minute of this! He was a trooper. He helped back trailers into tight spots, he and his wife shared conversation when we stopped to chat with them and he smiled the whole time!
Watching the caravan of Sisters arrive at the campground was like watching a parade! There was such excitement to see that they had made it safely over the river and through the woods!
Our weekend together officially began on Friday evening. Several of us reserved Thursday night so we could spend more time together. It was an informal, casual time to relax and chat around the fire. Some of us sat and chatted way too late! The weekend kicked off with a fantastic Chicken Curry dinner together – all prepared and served by our two camp hostesses. On Saturday morning some of us went to a historic barn at the park Visitor’s Center for a talk by the education director of park. She was dressed in period costume as she told us the history of the area. We had a lot of free time during the weekend. There was time for us to fish, walk, relax, go antiquing or whatever we wanted to do. Since I was a ‘local’, I led a group to a nearby quilt shop. Then I took a couple of gals back to the shop the next day. We had a 'Roving Dinner’ (aka Progressive Dinner) on Saturday night. We had been divided into groups, depending on the location of our campsite. Each group was given a different course to prepare for the meal. We all ‘talked’ by email ahead of time and decided what we would serve and what we would bring to make it happen. We started at the first group of trailers for Appetizers – then we moved to another group for Soup and Salad. I was in the Main Dish group and then we moved to the next group for dessert. I think we had enough food to feed the whole campground! After dinner we gathered around the campfire for a concert of fun, old songs presented by two of our gals who are musicians. Our time together ended with a continental breakfast on Sunday morning before we all headed home. There was a sad feeling in the air as we said goodbye and watched our Sisters drive out of the campground. There were lots of hugs and promises to get together soon – and some of us will. In two weeks I’ll join quite a few of the gals from this group for another campout together. Next time it will be a BIG group. It's the annual get-together of gals from all over the Pacific Northwest. Oregon, Washington and Idaho gals will gather together on the Washington Coast for three days of sand and sea fun. The best part for me will be seeing my Oregon Sisters again!
(Miss Daffodil won’t be ready for the Washington gathering. My sweetheart will tow the ‘big’ trailer up for me. He will return to bring us home. If he should forget us – hey, I’ll have comfy accommodations at the beach!)
Photos courtesy of Vintage Women With Trailers, an informal gathering of gals who love vintage trailers.
My sweetheart towed our ‘big’ trailer eleven miles to the State Park where I spent the weekend camping with thirty-nine Sisters who are part of Sisters On The Fly and some guests. Sweethearts are called ‘Sister Misters’. Guests are called ‘Sisters Wanna-Be’s!’ This group of gals came over the mountains from Central Oregon.
Caravanning is the way many of the Sisters travel – there is safety (and fun) in numbers. The caravanning gals always have radios so they can communicate with each other. It’s the only way the first gal – the last gal – or any of the gals in between can let everyone what is happening or if there is a problem.
Our weekend together officially began on Friday evening. Several of us reserved Thursday night so we could spend more time together. It was an informal, casual time to relax and chat around the fire. Some of us sat and chatted way too late! The weekend kicked off with a fantastic Chicken Curry dinner together – all prepared and served by our two camp hostesses. On Saturday morning some of us went to a historic barn at the park Visitor’s Center for a talk by the education director of park. She was dressed in period costume as she told us the history of the area. We had a lot of free time during the weekend. There was time for us to fish, walk, relax, go antiquing or whatever we wanted to do. Since I was a ‘local’, I led a group to a nearby quilt shop. Then I took a couple of gals back to the shop the next day. We had a 'Roving Dinner’ (aka Progressive Dinner) on Saturday night. We had been divided into groups, depending on the location of our campsite. Each group was given a different course to prepare for the meal. We all ‘talked’ by email ahead of time and decided what we would serve and what we would bring to make it happen. We started at the first group of trailers for Appetizers – then we moved to another group for Soup and Salad. I was in the Main Dish group and then we moved to the next group for dessert. I think we had enough food to feed the whole campground! After dinner we gathered around the campfire for a concert of fun, old songs presented by two of our gals who are musicians. Our time together ended with a continental breakfast on Sunday morning before we all headed home. There was a sad feeling in the air as we said goodbye and watched our Sisters drive out of the campground. There were lots of hugs and promises to get together soon – and some of us will. In two weeks I’ll join quite a few of the gals from this group for another campout together. Next time it will be a BIG group. It's the annual get-together of gals from all over the Pacific Northwest. Oregon, Washington and Idaho gals will gather together on the Washington Coast for three days of sand and sea fun. The best part for me will be seeing my Oregon Sisters again!
(Miss Daffodil won’t be ready for the Washington gathering. My sweetheart will tow the ‘big’ trailer up for me. He will return to bring us home. If he should forget us – hey, I’ll have comfy accommodations at the beach!)
Photos courtesy of Vintage Women With Trailers, an informal gathering of gals who love vintage trailers.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
A Camping I Will Go. . .
A camping I will go
Hey-ho the dairy-o
A camping I will go!
Hey-ho the dairy-o
A camping I will go!
This afternoon I’m headed out for my first Sisters On The Fly campout at Champoeg State Park, just a few miles from my home! I’ll meet up with about thirty other gals for a weekend of camping together in a beautiful spot here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Champoeg is a historical area so we will be blessed to have the park ranger ‘lead’ us to the Roundhouse for a talk on the historic and geography of the area. Then we plan to walk to the Visitor’s Center when volunteers in period costume will show us the Historical Garden and other things to delight our hearts. Oh, and there’s a garage sale at a ‘historical’ store nearby to benefit the park! We will spend time around the campfire and enjoy some good meals we’ve all worked to put together. There will be a lot of conversations - some with one or two gals and some with the group. Miss Daffodil is not ready to roll because she has major restoration underway. Her roof is off and she is under wraps so recent rainstorms wouldn't fill her up with water. My sweetheart built an A-frame to give added strength so water wouldn’t make the covering sag and hang into the interior of the trailer. It is quite a sight, as you can see.
So – my sweetheart and I have been working hard to get our ‘big’ trailer ready for the weekend. She has been in ‘winter mode’ through the past few months and needed to be ready for the camping season. I worked hard to clean and dust and mop and interior to be sure everything is spic-and-span and ready to go. My sweetheart worked on some needed maintenance outside. He spent a lot of time on the roof. He removed the vent covers that keep rain from coming through open vents when we are camping and he removed the cover of the air conditioner. Then he power washed it all. 
When we opened up the trailer after the winter season we discovered that hornets had gone under the vent covers and made nests inside the vents. The hornets were there, tending their nests. My sweetheart sprayed to kill them before he opened the vents from the top before he cleaned them all out. He took a power air hose inside the trailer and blew all of the old leaves and twigs (and bugs!).
Now the vents are squeaky clean! (This was taken before the big vent covers were installed on the roof again. I loved looking up at the clouds!
She’s ready to go! My sweetheart is outside hooking her up to tow her out to the countryside where I’ll spend the next three days with other gals who love to camp. Most of them have vintage trailers so you know I’ll have pictures to share when I return! It’s going to be fun to see the gals I know – and it be such fun to meet some ‘new’ gals I’ve never met before. By the time the weekend is over we will all be ‘old’ friends – Sisters, for sure!
(The door is open in case I find one last thing I can’t live without until I come home again! Of course, the campground is so close to home that I could come back and get it!)Monday, May 20, 2013
I’ve Switched. . .
To a new blog reader! Since I learned that Google Reader and Google Friend Connect will be going away in July I’ve ‘kept my ear to the ground’ for good recommendations for a new way to read my favorite blogs. One of my dear blog friends told me she had switched to Bloglovin’ – and she loved it. A few days ago I read another blogger’s recommendation for Bloglovin’ and I decided to check it out. It didn’t take me long to make up my mind and it took less time for Bloglovin’ to import all of my favorite blogs from Google Reader. Now I’m a happy reader once again because I know I can read your blogs until long after July has come and gone!
If you’re not familiar with Bloglovin’, here’s a bit of information so you can check it out for yourself. It’s a blog reader that has the same features as Google Reader, but it's an updated version in some ways. It has a "followers" widget that counts who is following you! It will even send you an email each time someone follows you, if you want it to!
Here’s what my ‘home’ page looks like – simple and easy to read. When I ‘click’ on the post title it opens another window and – voila – I’m right there in your blog. I can read and comment to my heart’s content! I like the simplicity. It’s clean and neat and it’s easy to catch up on all of the posts I haven’t read on your blog.
So far I’m happy with Bloglovin’. I haven’t had any problems and I think it’s a good solution. I love the clean look and the easy way to add blogs to my list. I'm glad I have a way to stay in touch with you! You'll be hearing from me soon!
(I've added a 'Follow Me on Bloglovin' button to my sidebar if you'd like to follow me there.)
If you’re not familiar with Bloglovin’, here’s a bit of information so you can check it out for yourself. It’s a blog reader that has the same features as Google Reader, but it's an updated version in some ways. It has a "followers" widget that counts who is following you! It will even send you an email each time someone follows you, if you want it to!
Here’s what my ‘home’ page looks like – simple and easy to read. When I ‘click’ on the post title it opens another window and – voila – I’m right there in your blog. I can read and comment to my heart’s content! I like the simplicity. It’s clean and neat and it’s easy to catch up on all of the posts I haven’t read on your blog.
So far I’m happy with Bloglovin’. I haven’t had any problems and I think it’s a good solution. I love the clean look and the easy way to add blogs to my list. I'm glad I have a way to stay in touch with you! You'll be hearing from me soon!
(I've added a 'Follow Me on Bloglovin' button to my sidebar if you'd like to follow me there.)
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