Happy Autumn

Where has the time gone, its been a couple of weeks sense I have blog. We had out of state company last week. They brought their vintage travel trailer so I could work on their cushions. Plus my own work kept me pretty busy.

I'm still camping out, and it gets better all the time. I just love it up at the Outpost in this beautiful fall weather. I just sit down and let the leaves fall on my face like you would if snowflakes were coming down. Took off my shoes and socks and just ran my feet through the leaves that gathered while reading my Mary Jane Outpost book and getting more ideas. Oh I got a perfect spot for the walled tent that will have a wood stove in it. Can't wait.

Been working on the bath house , so pictures willbe on my next blog.

Its so nice out tonight I might stay out there and pop some popcorn. Sis stayed last night. The wind was up so sounds of limbs falling or maybe animals moving around. DH stayed last weekend but hes more of drop in the sack and off to sleeping were as sis and I like to read or play our tin whistles or do hand shadows on the tent, silly fun stuff. Maybe a spook story from sis, knowing full well I got to make one last trip in those dark woods to get something at the house. And oh was it dark last night, after the lamp is off and your eyes get adjusted to the dark, then comes all those shadows and seeing something and not seeing something. Stars galore, just a beautiful weekend.

This weekend was also chicken butchering again. A few weeks back I dressed out a couple and they were just a little small. The ones today and yesterday dressed out to 3 1/2 to 41/2 lbs. With about 25 more to do next weekend, they should be close to 5+lbs.

It sure is good to know our family will be eating good homegrown food. With another food call on milk from China and chicken too.

Fall Gardening:

Green beans are full of blooms, hope they hold out until we have a freeze. Lettuce almost ready to pick for a nice salad bowl.

More herbs to gather, peppers, sweet and hot dehydrated.

Planted turnips, beets,peas,parsnips,lettuce,garlic today. some will be an ify for harvest.

Gathered more seeds from flowers and gave the Gkids some huge sunflower heads to harvest and make a nice treat. I saved many for the birds too, I just leave those in the garden and let the birds have at em.

Last blog I mention a day trip down to Truman Lake. We are planning to go again this month for a pioneer festival. So I won't show most of the pictures I took and wait tell I have pictures of some of the ol time stuff being used and made.

But first before the lake we went to a Cherokee Nation gathering, even tho I have some Crow in the blood lines , it was still nice to see. Altho no tipi's, I so wanted to see the structures. But they had some heck of a set of drums. This was double drums made form a huge cottonwood trunk.

You know I have to touch it, and I did. Was told by the chief that women are not suppose to touch the drums, but was ok sense it was not being used in a ceremony. I'll be dang if I touched it again. I best watch it

I talked to lady called White Dear, she was awesome to talk to and loved what she was doing, loved her land and all the wild things she has found on her place, plants and critters. She had a display of all her findings on her homestead. Very interesting what one has just out the back door. It was a good gathering.

Then we all go out for BBQ, oh boy was it good, sitting on cedar picnic tables when a big slab of ribs and all the fixins is put before us, we hogged out.

After the eats we go to the lake where the pioneer days will be going on this month.

This is back of a log home, with other buildings made just like the ol time. I could live in this log home.

Heres a house with a history that they move in the area, lots of old cook stoves in the summer kitchen, rope beds, quilts, and a herb garden out back and much more. I could just be content on that porch shelling peas or snapping green beans with a cold glass of lemonade.

Heres a pic,looking out the window in this old one room school house. I just imagine what a school teacher was thinking just before school started for the day or maybe after the kids ran home when school was let out.

I like this picture.

Now on the way home we stopped by an Amish store, I was after some more lye to make more soap. Some young Amish lads were out with their horses and oh was it a sight to behold. I wish I had one of those fancy cameras to get these shots. I don't know what type of horses these were but oh how beautiful.

They started back in that beautiful field, rounding them up.

Then they are heading toward us, I get nervous cuz I want a good picture.

They must have seen us cuz they all turned and ran the other direction. Oh this was indeed a sight. And to hear too. I just wonder if those Amish boys said "Those English"

Well I can't wait to go back and see soap making out in the woods, spinning, weaving, broom making, pies cooking in wood stoves, apple cider press and lots of good ol timin ways. Oh and the smoke house will be going to , hope they got some jerky to share.

The weather has just been wonderful, Fall is here

Until later have a great week and always thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Happy Autumn Blessings

linda

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It was a busy weekend and Monday. With weather being so nice that you just don't want to go inside, it brought out my fair weather family to the Outpost. Sis stayed Saturday night and I'll be, ol hubby spent Sunday night, it was cuz of the the grandkiddies camped out with us to, plus he didn't have to work on Monday.

We had the girls sleep on one side of the tent and DH and I on the otherside, oh I was hopin it would not tip over, but all went well. The girls talked and we told stories, read a story but the made up ones made them giggle so. Hand shadows on the tent and lots of plans for the new tree house to be built.

I'll start out with Saturday. We took a day trip to see a Cherokee Nation gathering and then to Truman Lake. I got some pictures that I'll share this week.

I told my sister that I was going to make Cowboy sandwiches on the firepit so don't eat anything heavy during the day. Well she didn't eat anything and was so looking forward to the cookout. Ahhhhhh we sorta ate heavy that day, BBQ ribs down at the lake. Got back later and I was pooped. I didn't want to cook. Sis came over and wondering were's the big dinner and I bring out the hotdogs : (. She was not a happy camper but she cheered up when I brought out the candy corns.

And that I played that tin whistle again too. I did tell her we were having chili on Sunday at the camp, not good for her, she was heading down to her farm.

So we enjoyed the evening and had our hotdogs, then coffee and played tin whistles and then read later in the tent.

Now Sunday evening the party got on, our girls and grandkiddies all came for chili , the SIL's couldn't make it. We had a picnic table full, perfect weather and all ate good. DH took everyone for a ride in the wagon on the trails.

Nature:

We stopped by to take a look at the Monarch I have been watching. The Monarch has left the building , I missed him/her coming out and flying about.

Maybe I'll find another at the right time and get a picture.

Theres spiders webs on the trails and no matter how many times you knock em down those spiders put them back up again over night.

Coal our Lab mix mutt pup had something in her mouth while on the trails, she dropped it and was so happy what she found, a play mate to toss around. She wanted to show us. She was so proud.

It was a turtle and we let her know to leave it along , but oh did she want it for her friend or lunch : (. The turtle was ok and we left it alone on the trails.

Treehouse and tea party:

Today after breakfast of pancakes, not outside but in the house we all went out and worked on the tree house. The girls had a tea party under the big ol hedge tree.

Added some flowers and Humpty Dumpty

Is it me or is Humpty Dumpty just a little to happy, Maybe falling off that wall was just a bit much for him.

The tree house is going to be so much fun for the kids. This tree is huge , big enough for a big swing for me to sit and read while the kids play until their old enough to play by theirself. It will be a great place to read stories to them. We put the floor on and then will add rails. Right now it looks like a cool deer stand. But no hunters go'na want to stay in there with all the cutey fun things that will make a place just for the grandkiddies.

Straw and chickens:

The Hen Den got a good fall cleaning later after everyone went home. Picked up a truck load of straw , some for the chickens and some for fall decorations. Then use next year for mulch around plants in garden. Got a good price on the bales of straw,$3 each . Walmart wants $6 a bale. I'll be getting more next weeken to . They make nice sitting place around the camp. Toss on a blanket so you don't get scratched up and
work on that marshmallow at the firepit.

Soap:

Oh my goodness I made soap this weekend. My very first. I cut it this morning and its curing, takes a few weeks before we can use. I am ready to get going with more soap, adding different oils. Oh this is going to be so much fun.

This was a simple recipe, I used Olive Oil, lavender oil and lavender buds that I grew, sprinkled on top for texture and looks. I had to make sure everyone knew it was soap and not cake or candy, butttttt it sure looks good enough to eat. I can' wait to make more.

Until later:

I"ll be sharing about our weekend trip later this week and some pictures. Lots of work this week and getting more fall decorating done inside and out. Oh the smell of Autumn

Happy Autumn with many Blessings that it brings
tc linda

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Saturday it rained all day, storms the day before and lots of rain today, results from Ike making its way to the midwest. Oh everyone thinks I'm nuts to stay this night so I had no company.I think everyone is nuts for not wanting to sleep out and hear the rain come down on the tent. Eye of the beholder thing I guess.

Starting the fire was a challenge but I got it going to make coffee then it poured down again. I grabbed my coffee and took to the tent, I did a little cleanup, gosh I think I keep the tent better then I do my home. Hope its not a new broom swipes clean thing going on here.

I put this big board on top of the storage plastic bin, it has a curve on top so the board helps make a flatter surface for my pipping hot coffee and hot cocoa.

Heres a front view of it, notice the fan, thats the side sis sleeps on when she is not a chicken to stay outside in the cold and rain. She's got to have her fan. Along with wild life magazines, survival books and all the other great books I have been reading lately. I got my coffee , good lighting (still using the lamp and I kind of like it) so let it rain, i'm good to go. Theres also my walking stick on the floor just incase I meet up with that cougar again. I'll probably be in such shock that I'll drop my stick and freeze again like I did before.

Now when you read about camping you usually just hear about the fun things , that big fish that was caught or got away, or maybe someone being chased by a bear. All the cool adventures and oh the food. But you don't hear to much about when "mother nature calls". Its not really a big thing, everyone has to go, and really its rather a boring subject. But not when you got to go, its sorta the only thing you have on your mind at the time.

It was pouring rain , was one of those nights I just wanted to stay in my tent and hoped I didn't drink so much coffee that I would have to go so soon and the rain would have to stop some time. It didn't and I had to go bad

I had worn my clothes that were soaked carrying my dry clothes in a bag to put on at the camp. Going outside of the tent I would have to put back on those wet cold clothes or strip down to the buff and head to the outhouse. The thoughts make me sudder even now. And I plan to bathe in the woods

So I'm rid of my dry cloths and then I start to zip up the tents zipper. , oh my gosh its stuck, it only open less then a foot. I'm in trouble big time now. I have got to go and if your an older person holding it just doesn't work as good as when younger. So thoughts of sliding out the hole in the tent was my only option. Then my reasoning and fearful side of my brain started working, What if I get caught in that hole, pass on from exposure and they find me dead, stuck naked out a tent hole. Oh My Goodness, I did not have my game on here. Even if I had put those cold wet clothes back on the thought of moving onto the after life stuck in a tent hole was not the way I wanted to move on and be found. Not to mention the stories that would be passed on.

Oh where is my DH at times like these. He's never around when I have a flat tire, never around when I'm unloading 50 lb bags of chicken feed and now not around in the pouring rain and I'm stuck in a tent down to the bare and have to go to the bathroom. No he's at home on the couch watching some kind of sports while darling wifey poo is in big dilemma.

Think linda think, stop thinking this is your darling hubbies fault. You and you alone jacked with the tent zipper and got it stuck, so get out of this one yourself.

Did I ever show you the pretty flower pot that is just arms length outside my tent door

Toilet paper , hummmm you know those magazines that are suppose to be in the outhouse, hummmmm problem solved now back to reading


I fell asleep while reading a book and rain keeps coming down. Woke up during the night and was glad the tent and I didn't float into the pond, thoughts of that went throught my worried side of my brain. Can this vintage trailer travel tent work like a boat, cooooool if so, I was thinkin on the positive side now.

But I was hi and dry , and fell back to sleep. I woke up to quiet and the tent's top was covered in leaves. I did have a plastic covering on the top b/c there is some small holes in the canvas. I was glad I had it covered. This is not the clearest of pic's but it was neat to wake up to.

Well my fare weather sister camped out with me on the nice and dry Sunday night as long as I would practice the tin whistle with her. I wanted her there, shes a great zipper opener. So I agreed to toot my whistle to some ol' Irish tunes.

The moon was full and bright Sunday night, it started out cold but warmed up comfortably. I tell ya I got to be my sisters maid cuz she had me go get her some hotdogs to roast. I was good with just coffee and well I was full from the squirrel dinner earlier sis had cooked.

The worry thing came again , we hadn't ate squirrel for ages, what if we wind up with squirrel gas in the close quarters of our tent. We had this happen when we were down at Branson , sleeping in a bunk house on Possum Trail. We all ate gator at Bass Pro Shop and all of us wound up with a bad case of Gator gas :P. We asked a year later at the same place and the waitress said we must have had some bad gator , hummmmmm. So my thoughts were open with sis like always and she said no worries thats why she has the fan. So another tenting problem solved.

But I still gotta go for those hotdogs and I was so not wanting to leave the camp but I abided in her wants so off on the dark trails I go. I just wish she hadn't told a spooky story beforehand. The moonshine help but oh those dark areas that never see moonlight, it can get scary if you let it, so you walk real fast through them and hope you don't get snagged on a branch.

That moon was big and bright but this picture doesn't look like much moon at all, but oh was it big and bright..

We both cooked a hotdog, without buns, they just didn't smell right. You buy bread at the store you best eat it up right away cuz a day or two it turns sour then green :P

Good thing I brought the marshmallows, she wanted them to, so I go ahead and roast one as well , hey I'm a sport.

Alls looking good and I just want it to get a nice golden brown then all of sudden the white thing on my stick is in flames,

Oh well charded marshmallow. Still tasty tho

Now we get finished with the eats, wash it down with more coffee, oh I hope that zipper works. And start to play our tin whistles. Sis knows her stuff on this music, she can play by ear but she uses her mouth. I on the other hand have to read music.

I can't see the notes by the campfirs so I bring over the lamp, perfect.

Perfect until sis starts to snicker while i'm playing a tune. What is your problem I ask, while she is still snickering. I know its been awhile sense I have played but really must you snicker. She points down on the ground, its all wet. My slobber was coming out of the flute while I was looking down at the notes and playing. I tried to dry up my pucker but it still ran like a river. Oh this would be so embarrassing if there were others around listening to us play. Should I eat a raw persimmon, a lemon. Maybe I should tack the sheet music to a tree and toot unwards like the Pied Pipper, nope that could cause me to chock on the down flow of slobber. All sis said was glad your not playin a trombone, you could flood us all.

Enough playing our tin whistles so I put the lamp back in the chuckwagon. It gives an ol time glow under the canvas top.

We called it a night and we both read listening to the coyotes howlings, perfect when you got a full moon. I put my book down first and sis wants to read about a wolf story, "go ahead i'm listening". I don't remember it cuz I fell right to sleep. I did wake up with the sounds of sis snoring on the other side of the tent. Fan going too.

I was up first tis mornin and thought I could sneak out without waking sis. Nope the sound of that zipper will not be quiet no matter how slow you zip and I'll be, it works.

I step out to look at the pond and see how much its has risen after our rains, it could use some more. A pond in the woods with lots of trees is just not a good thing, it will leak, even ponds under good conditions will leak sometimes.

Thoughts of taking all the trees out to make a fishing lake have been talked about , but I so love the trees , trails and the two ponds hold enough water all year long for the critters to stop by and have a drink. This one is just below the Outpost. Its so peaceful just to sit, watch and listen.

Look there in foreground on the pond, theres frogs jumpin in. I have seen a mother raccoon and her kits look and play in there without them knowing I was watching for a good 20 minutes. Oh was the mother shook when she seen/smelled me and took her babies quick as a wink on the other side of the dam and vanish. Yep I think we'll just keep as is, besides theres plenty of other fishin holes around this neck of the woods.

After the rains the wood's floors are nice to walk on, with wet fallen leaves and the signs of Autumn all around.

I love the smell and looks of the camp , likes it got a fresh cleaning.

I set out to get sis and I some morning coffee, not on the fire, but run to the house where DH has already gone to work, but the coffee is still hot, I just missed him. Came up to feed my fish and looked out at the trails, something caught my eye. A young deer was following me down the trails and was peeking out wondering where I was. Oh I never get tired of looking at wildlife. Camera is up in the tent.

Sis is still in her covers and sleeping, she wakes with the sound of the zipper, "Oh sorry did I wake you"??? Oh we are never that nice to each other, lol. Hand her a cup of java and she says were's the bacon and eggs. Knock it off I say, be happy you get coffee in bed. Its a work day so lets break camp and get crackin.

I tell her she will be campin next weekend and she says yah right. If I play my tin whistle right she'll be there or maybe dh too, maybe some good cookin on the fire will send them in. I'm sure glad your here.

Until next weekend at the Outpost you have a good one. Thanks  for the visit even if things don't run as smoothly (zippers) as planned. And thank heavens for flower pots without holes in them.

Take good care, have an awesome week with many Blessings
linda

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Might as well , DH and I were already wet from checking out the water falls over at Moms. Really I went down as far as I could go and landed in a water hole, pant legs wet and hanging on a small tree and looking over the edge to see. Some of the boulders were loose so I had to watch my footing.
I could only hear the water rushing from down below. Oh I so wanted to get there.

You know when you have last minute thoughts of doing something , wing it so to speak. But your not prepared. We just went over to have a cup of coffee with Mom and it was slightly raining. I did not have the proper clothing and shoes on to hack through the thicket to get to the goal, the Water Falls.

Down in those woods and by the creek lies the claw foot iron bathtub that I want to get out and put in my outpost. The woods had been tamed at one time when we moved down from the city many years ago. My sister and I had the energy to weed wack a hill side , carry a big Army tent, water , supplies, food down a steep hill to the creek. Muck out the creek to make a bigger swimming hole. Chopped  wood, sleep out with the wildest of critters all around us.
Camp out when the snow was on the ground, yes we had the energy. The woods is back to its wild ways and really you can never tame the woods, only be there to enjoy its beauty and what it has to offer which is never ending. While you give it respect to be wild and free.

My Aunt's place is next to Moms and we have caught many a fish in this nice pond. We even paddled boat on it , what fun and oh the exersize.

We picked a few pears so I can make some pear honey, yum good and so rich.

So back at home , dh and I go check out the Outpost. We had tornado watch yesterday and with the heavy rains all night and wind I was hoping all was well up at the campsite. It was, so we go for a walk on the trails. A light rain was falling , but the canopy of trees kept us nicely covered. Until it started to get heavy. Oh did we get wet. Drips of water from my nose, brow, lips, both of us in our wet T-shirts and wet pants, we were in the middle so no place to go but keep walking.

I love it when hubby is ahead of me on the trails. I always plan it that way, he gets the spider webs. Oh I get my share of spider webs in the face and do a weird dance on the tails tryin to get a spider off. But sometimes its just nice to lag behind and let someone else get those webs and watch them do the funny dance .

We are quiet walking and just listen to the rain come down. Seeing the tiny moss that brightens up from a nice rain and oh the smell of woods when a rain hits it.

We check out the Monarch chrysalis, the one I have been taking pictures of is still hangin on. Others that I have seen earlier in their stages disappeared, probably from birds , altho I have seen others just beginning their chrysalis stage.

That is one strong holden rope he/she's got. The shelter is gone from under that leaf so more exposed to the elements. The spots and coloring are starting to show up more.

Outpost:

Rain all day but I'm still going to camp out. I'll make a fire, well try, NO I will make a fire and have my coffee. I won't cook but bring a Thermos of bean soup and cornbread for a late night snack. While reading more of my wilderness adventure stories. I do hope it rains tonight, and its suppose to. I love the sound of rain on the canvas tent.

Brown Bagging:

Sis and I are still brown bagging our lunches and it happen that this last week going into town to meet with clients it fell on my Birthday. So we got to the lake and found a new place to have our lunch. Nobody around but us, but oh was it cold, probably why no one was there. That wind blowing off the lake chilled our bones. But oh how beautiful it was.

We had a beautiful stone picnic table to have our lunch on. Sense it was my birthday Sis made the surprise lunch. She spreads out the plastic wear, the fall print paper napkins and leaf print paper plates. She always does things in a dramatic way, like we our at one of the finest restaurants and spare no expense. Opens her Thermos and out plops Hot Tamales. We laugh, and laughed hard. We ate and oh was it so good and warmed us up too.

The lake is so peaceful during the week, once in awhile you'll see a lone fisherman in his boat crossing the lake. Here was a sailboat out enjoying the last of the summer days. So beautiful , quiet and the Canadian Geese in the foreground.

Each week we see how the trees are turning, sad and beautiful at the same time.

Well my beans and cornbread are done, the rain is coming down so off to have a bite to eat, clean up my workshop and get ready to camp out tonight.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you are safe from the storms. My prayers have been for those that are in the hurricane areas.

Blessings this week
linda

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Camp coffee is always going, and with the weather changing to cool to very cool to down right cold, I want my long johns. Its a welcome sight when setting next to the fire with coffee hanging from hook. the smell tells when its about done.

Well I spent the 4th weekend night at the Outpost. I was alone on this one, everyone chicken out on me. I don't know why rain and cold keeps em away.

I was going to be prepared for a cold and rainy night and I wanted to be warm. So I searched around for long underwear in my drawers. Found some pink ones, put them on, WHAT! I could not breath I think they were a size 2. Peeled them off and took a look in DH drawers, ah ha thats what I 'm talkin about, some nice fitin longjohns. I didn't care if they were stained in places I wish they were not stained in : (. But I wanted warmth and they will have to do. Time I got my longjohns on and sweats and vest I was heating up and needed to get outside.

So up to camp to get the fire started, it was going to be a challenge when its been raining, but finally got a go on it and coffee pot on.

I even cooked me a hotdog on a stick , it was rather different up there by myself. No one to complain to and all.

So with a cup of coffee, a bag of M & M's and a nice down comforter ,sleeping bags and more covers I was ready to settle down for some good reading.

This book I told ya about on my last blog is some good read. A Mile In Her Boots, by Jennifer Bove'. Short adventure stories written by women who have worked in the wildness and the challenges they meet.

I only got half the book read when I started to get sleepy, but stories like trail breakers, firefighters in the wilderness. Women that use chainsaws, fisherwomen,bad mountain men hunters , I was surprise I could go to sleep after reading that one. And headless bears, Oh I am surprise I slept at all. But I did : )

Its pretty neat to be laying in your tent and just about 2 ft from your head the rain is coming down. You just think your going to get wet, but the Outpost stayed nice and dry.

I was waken by a hoot owl. It was still dark out and I thought about starting up the fire but the comforter felt so good I just plopped down for more ZZZ'Z.

Nature On the Trails:

I've been keeping track of the Monarch and the next day this caterpillar is starting its change. This was Saturday.

This is Sunday, he/she is now in his/her chrysalis stage. A third the size from when h/s was a caterpillar. This is just amazing to watch.

Over on thistle a bee is gathering up pollen, I see these every year and they are fun to watch and oh how they pack the pollen on their legs.

Now this is cool, Saturday i'm in my Outpost reading and DH comes up bringing the mail, lol. Out in the woods getting mail. Just can't get away from everyday stuff. But I was so glad he did cuz it was birthday gifts from others on my Daves Garden Forum. OH my goodness, wonderful things and cards. Stationary, a windchime that I put in my Outpost and a braclet from Haiti. I have had Haiti's people heavy on my mind in the last week or so. I thought that was extra special to recieve. And I got some more goodies today.

I also recieved my official member badge and # from Mary Janes Farm. I'm so new but so sold on this group of can do Farmgals from all over the world, in the country and cities.

So working on my badge ,putting some stitches and decorating it up I get a call from DD, she is in the emergency room at the hospital. She had her hand in a glass while cleaning it and it broke. 5 stitches, then while she is getting stitched up I call her and she says , I can't talk , with DR getting stitched. I say "WAIT", tell the DR your 82 yr old grandma is coming in to get some stitch work done too : (. Mom cut her leg bad, some 20 + stitches inside and out of the cut. Both my loves are doing well, DD will get her a wash thing-a-ma-jig. Mom is banded from outside cleaning. Everyone and badge is stitched up.

I didn't camp out on Sunday night, I blame it on my Mom and DD and it was sorta realy really really cold out. Just going up there in the dark and starting up camp plus stitches and all I was just not in the mood. So I plopped on a DVD to numb my brain and fell asleep on the couch. DH wakes me, and I see the  dvd play is running over and over.


Now normally I would not have joined things that have badges and such but this is a group of gals that are always doing something, making a difference , whether it be little or hugh. From community service to knitting a dishcloth. And everything in between. You just want to be part of, so I joined and havin a great time.

Mary Janes Farm is what sparked my Outpost. They talk of camping, fishing, hunting you name it, things I like, things I have done and things that might just be fun to learn. Oh and those Sisters on The fly, in their vintage trailers. Gals that go fly fishin, hot dog!!!!

I recieved a certificate , a beautiful ol fashion print of Farmgals of early years with my number on it. I will frame it and put in my Outpost.

Check out Mary Jane's Farmgirl Connection     Its for women so gents tell your women in your life about Mary Janes Farm. She will love it.


So heres my Badge, it will go on a jacket, and someday when some of my sisterhood get together I'll wear my badge proudly at the gatherings. #343

Theres a little bee on it , thats to remind me to beehave myself and the buttons, to button up my trap when I get my feathers ruffled, well sometimes : )

Have a great week
Blessings
linda

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Well I should not say little things cuz this beautiful caterpillar will turn into a big spectacular Monarch. Now look at this picture, unless he did a quick switch-a-roo, he looks like he's eating from both ends.

Field observation in the open spot of our woods I notice many Monarchs caterpillars munching on their favorite food and a must host, Milkweed. This guys antenna's/ filaments, look kinda rubbery, ahh that must be the eatin end of the caterpillar.

This critter is amasing, flying 2,000 miles from Canada to Mexico and back again to the southern US. Millions migrate every fall. And often stop to take a break at the same place too. Wow keeping track of a butterfly, what a job. Some will journey to Hawaii and Eastern Australia.

Those girly monarchs have a relay race in early spring and summer traveling North, with new generations replacing old, laying their eggs along the way.

The caterpillars will be changing into a leaf -green chrysalis with gold dots, then the colors will start to show the developing butterfly inside. I hope to get some good pictures of this stage.

This whole process from egg to butterfly takes about 4 weeks with many generations a year.

Canadians call the Monarch, King Billy b/c its orange and black , colors of King William of Orange.


Heres another critter that likes milkweed, he's rather cute. Milkweed Tiger Moth

Not sure what these are called but they sure like hangin out on that milkweed pod.

Many wild flowers grow along the edge of the woods, this Thistle is growing tall in the woods to reach the sun through the canopy of trees.

I just love a field of yellow wildflowers. Not ID them yet but oh so pretty. We have the goldenrod starting to do its show too, still many with tight little buds ready to open this fall.

We call this Headache, its a Hedge Apple , you'll know what I mean if one falls on your noggin. So walking on the trails you keep your eyes open and your ears alert for the sound of a Hedge Apples falling out of the tree.

We have several huge Osage-orange with lots of hedge apples, also called Bodark which is French, (bois d' arc) meaning "bow wood". The Native American use the wood to make their archery bows. And the farmers used the wood to make fence post. We still have many old fence post that have been here many years and still as strong as ever made from the hedge probably here on the homestead. I think they use hedge to make the golf club woods too.

Early settlers used the bark to get yellow dye for cloth. The fruit was givin to stock so another name is Horse Apple. We use the hedge apple placed around/inside the house to keep spiders down.

I tried to slice and dry the apples , using my dryer, boy do they smell but makes a pretty decorations.

Plans for today:

Well it will be my 4th weeken sleeping out in the Outpost. Got a good book that I will be reading, its about women working in the wilderness , A Mile In Her Boots" by Jennifer Bove' I just got it yesterday and I think its going to be one of those books you just can't put down.

So coffee will be on at the camp, cozy up with a fuzzy blanket cuz its getting chilli theses days. And just take it easy today, no building, just the campfire.

And speaking of building I made up some tater soup on this cool late morning. This will hit the spot. I cooked one potato and onions with a tad of water tell they are none,then added milk. Slice some cheese in the cup,pour the hot soup, add a slap of butter also pepper and a piece of cayenne pepper for a kick.

Oh how I love potato soup on a cool day. Love it with cornbread, but having it with bought bread which has seven grains and I think theres a tree in it too.

Join me on my adventures on my next blog, it will be about the Outpost this weekend and what I'm reading. What comes up through the woods and all those night sounds. Hope I can get ol hubby campin tonight, its going to get cold and he's a great personal heater for my cold feet : )

I didn't get my Dutch Oven yet but hopes for next weekend and start some yummy good outdoor cookin.

Until then have a great weekend, and keep a lookout for those Monarchs coming through.

Many Blessings
linda

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Inspired again by a book I picked up last week.  Outpost, Unleashing Your Inner Wild     by Mary Jane Butters. I just had to make a bathhouse.

It will fit the claw foot iron tub that I want to add this fall, its over at Mom's down in a deep valley by the creek. Snakes and weeds keep me from getting it now and oh the hill side. Fall project, can't wait to soak in it tho : )

I have to shore it up add some sheet curtains that I can open and close easy, don't want to surprise a trespassin hunter and scare em.

The night stand for night bathin, its close to the pine tree , really a nice place to soak in a tub if your goin be outside bathing. The washtub is sittin high because of its drain pipe. I need to bust a hole in the floor so it will sit level.

I picked the sunflowers from the garden, oh this is looking so girly but I just love it. Now that lamp worked really good for awhile then it stopped working, further notice I seen the wick was short and the fuel was low, hate when that happens. So Outpost supplies will be in order next shopping day.

This old pan will be nice to use for tossing water over ones head and backside. The grandkiddies will have a blast in the outside bathhouse. I'll put em all in there when I get the iron tub, save from tot'in water ; ).

I'm finding old stuff that I have kept for years, they are working out great in the Outpost. Heres an old iron chair that is perfect for sittin in while shavin your legs, or maybe scrubbin the grandkids. DH says for scrubbin his back, I say, heck fire scrub my back.

Thats homemade soap (not mine) and a knitted washcloth (now thats one I did). And take a look at that icecream maker, didn't have all the parts but sure makes for a good towel holder.

Oh bringing up the wood and nailing , the weather a bit warm, (hot). I had to sit a spell , have a cold pop. I found this little seat down in my junk pile too. Great for sitting on and wiping the brow.

Put up a clothes line to and washed the vintage apron and hand stitched cloth for wipin your hands on at the wash station by the outhouse.

The first night Sis stayed. I butchered out a couple of young roosters earlier and we cooked them on the firepit.

A bit about eating chicken I raised from a day olded. You know I don't really like to eat a chicken I just took out a few hours ago. I know my grandmother did it , chicken every Sunday, 365 days a year. But me, I'd rather not. I like to wait awhile, get the chicken out of the freezer and then cook. I thanked the roosters for giving up their life and very grateful for food that I can raise for my family and know what we are eating. I thank the garden for its life to, growing and death that it gives to us as well. Meat eater or not, everything we eat has life that we take so we can live and Blessings for it should always be.

DH joined us, he had no problems with eating the young roosters and we had our evening meal. Chicken, bake beans, potatoes,cooked onions ( cooking onions in foil will make you go crazy with hunger, I think its the best kind of smell when cooking oustside). Oh and some collard greens. Camp coffee too.

Its just plain fun fixin up some grub in the chuckwagon. I just love it.

I brought up this old iron kettle that I use in the fireplace at home, its perfect for heating up water to do dishes and now bathing : ).

Well we sat around the campfire and had coffee and talked of plans for a harvestfest in the woods. Sis wants to decorate the trails with spooky stuff for the kiddies, not to spooky tho. I like the Autumn look. So we'll do both. Her side, my side.

Time to call it a day. So DH headed home to watch some TV and sis and I played battleship that she brought over. Haven't played that for a very long time lol. She beat me so one game was enough of that.

I will be bringing up games that will be fun to play when sitting in the Outpost. I love the game of chess, my favorite and sis is the only one who knows how to play, but she doesn't like the game. Gosh she was the one who taught me how to play, maybe because the student passes up the teacher . : ) But for sure got to make a checker board out of an old stump, and sometimes put the chess pieces on it, just incase a chess player comes mosing through.

After sis sunk my battleship we wanted to get some reading in. By golly I read a book and finished it this weekend by Hannah Hinchman. Little Things In A Big Country

It has a lot of illustrations, makes for reading a book fast : ) But oh what good ideas for doing my own journal and watercolorings. Brought up my watercolors to for some outdoor painting. Gosh I think I have moved to the woods.

We had a good nights reat, sis had her fan on, so heard mostly the night sounds of a fan going :/. Cooked up a good breakfast , bright and early. And oh that coffee in the mornign outside, soem kind of good I tell ya.

Oh DH came up for breakfast, I think he could smell it cookin and had the perfect timin down just right, he took my eggs I was cookin for myself.

Everyone left when mention the bathhouse. So I was on my own to whip something up. So I worked onthat project and even had some time for reading.


All gathered at the campsite later in the evening. We popped some corn out on firepit Sunday night. Best shut that lid for we'er hit!!!

Oh does that look good and I don't think I burned any.

I didn't bring up a big bowl so had to use my dish pan for the popcorn, it was clean.

Sunday night I camped alone. I almost had DH going to stay but come to find out he was just going to get into my beef jerkey stash. I smoked him out on that and booted him out of the camp : P. He had been cutting wood and was in some posion ivy , so he didn't want to scrub up in the bathhouse , so home he went .

I almost had Coal our lab mix stay but she barks at critters and I do want see critters. Got to see a Screech Owl fly in our camp, oh is it little and so cute. It just looked down at us. To dark to take a picture. Theres a bird that few right by me and landed close , i yet to ID it. It is dapple brown,gray witha very long beak. Not a woodpecker for sure. I almsot thought is was a young owl at first, then when I seen the beak, wow what is it? A Pinocchio owl!!!

Our Coal is a great pup, loves the trails and jumping in the pond. Almost catches the frizzbie (sp), brings it to me everytime and lets go without a struggle.

I love this shot of her,even tho its fuzzy, its how she is always on guard and aware of her surroundings. She is laying by the Outpost tent.

Here she is laying down by my foot next to the campfire. I think that is sweet but she is really there because she knew I tossed on some bacon for breakfast and she remembers. But still it's nice to have a fur friend that is close.

We had beautiful Labor Day weekend. Mom and sis are coming up tonight for a wiener roast and some outdoor coffee. We'll get some for ol time stories from Mom and her campout days.

But even though we have fun my famlies thoughts and prayers are for those in the hurricane Gustav area. So we will be talkin about that at the campsite for sure. I always wonder if our family would up and leave or stay. Everyone has to do what they feel they need to do. If not prepared and how prepared is enough makes you think of your own area. The two weeks without eletric power sent me on a mission to have things on hand, like my lantern that was short on fuel yesterday :(, oh well back to the drawing board and planning.

Take good care, sure glad you stopped by
Blessings and safety for all.
linda

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Another weekend camping out in the back 20. Weather again was nice, called for rain but we had none. I was so hoping for rain to see how the Outpost held up.

Sis joined me the first night camping and Dh came for the food. I cooked what is called a Cowboy Sandwich, one of a great many yummy recipes found in Pioneer Women  and boy was it good. Mom gave me her big iron skillet that is almost three time biggger then the one I had. You can cook bacon, eggs, hashbrowns and a pancakes all at once. Its a biggy and has been on many years of camping trips in our family , so very seasoned.

Plans for having grilled chicken, but I didn't get around to butchering out some young roosters. So the cowboy sandwiches did the fill and next weekend will be chicken.

Oh when 2 sisters get together:

Now we are sitting around the campfire having our breakfast when we get a brainstorm, love those : ). This outpost needed a chuck wagon. A place so I can leave pots and pans and not have to carry back and forth to the house. So we rigged up a chuck wagon using a hog fence and big ol wagon wheels that I had propped up against fence posts for decoration.

Sis and hubby helped get the main structure up and I was left to build the wooded parts of the wagon. I went through our old wood pile, brushed off the bugs and started hauling the wood to the campsite. I use the mower w/ wagon, easy and fun going on the trials to the outpost.

Sis made a comment about the cover I made "Ruffles on a covered wagon"!, Ok it's a girly chuckwagon     We all love the wagon wheels.

Heres an up close. For a make shift chuck wagon it turned out prettty good. Its open but it will be handy while I make up grub and good for washing dishes to. I thought of painting it but everyone says just leave it rough looking. I could not possibly improve on it , lol.

I have an old lantern that hangs in the middle for decoration. I use a working lantern and it glows warm and inviting in the night.

Heres those iron skittlets one that I had and the big one Mom gave me, I treasure that one.

I brought up some old cups to use for coffee, the tin cowboy cups sure gets hot, burns your lips and fingers. So these will be used for hot coffee and cocoa.

I love nails, they make great holders for cooking utensils. The old flour sifter I found at a neighbors garage sale this weekend for 10 cents.

Those gals on Mary Janes Farm   will have me wearin an apron yet. This apron I had tucked away for years and forgot I had some old aprons.

Gosh both my grandmothers wore aprons and they were tough women to.

And then I just got to have flowers around, so I cut some wild little blackeye susan type flowers. They sit in this real old iron bucket, rounded on the bottom.

Please don't look at the eletric cord on the side. LOL. Sister still needs her fan on when she hits the hay.

Theres other things from the house that are old looking that I brought up to the camp, if I keep up the house will be clutter free.

Being as the Outpost is a trailer and theres a step up you have to do to get inside, you have to be pretty well balanced or you'll go for a tumble , so I got out this tather bar, used for tieing up goats and stuck it in the hole on the tongue of the trailer, its a great hand gripper when stepping on or off the front of the tent .

This is an overall view of the camp with the new chuckwagon. We even made  a better firepit, bigger and heavier grates and iron cross bars for holding pans. Sis made some S's bars for holding the dutch oven that I will soon be getting.

Notice that I'm a chair short in this picture from my last one. Yep ol darling hubby flatten my vintage chair : (, sat in it and down it went , kind of slow motion. He was ok but could not say the same for the chair. I'll be on the lookout for these vintage chairs to add to the camp, but may have to go back to stump sittin. Stump sitting for sure for DH.

Sunday evening Mom and sis and DH came up for coffee and smores. Mom had not seen the Outpost and I think she wanted to stay and campout , but being almost 83 yrs she thought she might get a cold in her bones, gosh we took her on a rubber raft float trip and slept in a tent  on her birthday last year. But maybe another time she will like to camp out.

 I always love hearing of Mom's camping trips , mostly her family did it for food, fishing and hunting , and not really for recreation. How they had no tents but slept on the ground. Gramps made a stove out of an old wash tub with four holes , just like a stove. This was grandma's mission, cooking for 7 people on the trips. She was the head Cookie, and I guess now I'm the head cookie at my Chuckwagon Outpost.

Now one more thing to add , when your camping by yourself, don't read an artical of a cougar attack  . I have been confronted by a cougar twice, as you read early on my blogs. But when you read about attacks and you know there could be a cougar outside your tent, it gets a little weary.

The night didn't have the moonshine as last week, so dark and  my firepit was just a small glow of ambers. I had to go to the bathroom. Thinkin about that cougar and nature calling I popped my head out of the tent door and looked around and trying to make out shapes and all I could do was say shooo, oh thata work on a cougar, shooo.

I got my flashlight out cause I seen movement , shined on the critter, it was the feral cat , I couldn't even make it shoo. But I figured if the little cat was still around that maybe the big cat was not, I hoped anyway.

I read some more hunting adventures in a stack of magazines that my BIL gave me for the outhouse, oh no I was in the tent reading these, not the outhouse. But I read some camping adventures with brighter outcomes. So cougar , UFO's, and Bigfoot sightings are not to be read when staying by yourself. Oh and maybe snakes either!!!

Thanks for stopping by my long blog, come visit anytime , we'll be going on one of those trails walks soon so come on by.

Blessings and a great week ahead

linda

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Just came in from tilling. I'm making a new Iris bed in front of the house. I received 122 + Iris in the mail today from my Daves Garden Co-op. I didn't think I would get them this soon, so I have been tilling like crazy.

It has been raining so the new ground was not to bad to work with. I need to add more dirt to the low spots tomorrow and start planting.

Tis morning started out with a walk on the trails, then the rain came. It was such a light rain soft on the cheeks so I did not hurry. These last few days have been just wonderful weather wise. I'm thinking of moving my fall decorating up soon.

In The Kitchen:

Canning all those cherry tomatoes in to tomato sauce.

Oh how they grow good but so many. Just got the right thing for em. A food mill. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half , let em cook to soften up the skins and toss in the food mill. Grind away

I'm thinkin my own version of V8 , yum

Back jars have whole tomatoes which I left the seeds in, I don't really mind the seeds. But I have seen some pretty jars at the fair that the tomatoes did not have a seed one, blue ribbon stuff I tell ya.

So more canning and freezing up thegarden harvest. I might make some pear honey this weekend, yummy

Butterfly & Bee Garden:

This I planted from seed and a new plant on the homestead. Seed givin to me from DG member.

Honey Bee Blue, Agastache. I also have some white but it has not bloom yet.

Summer heat has kept me from doing a lot of weeding so with the rains and cooler weather , its cleanup time in the gardens.

Brown bagging:

Yep sis and I are still bringing our lunches when we go into town, this is where we stopped and had lunch earlier this week. Its so peaceful and the ducks and geese swim along. The sounds of a motorboat in the distance. It makes for a lovely place to eat a meal.

Morning Dew:

Lots of heavy dews that helps from watering and lots of foggy morning to this season.

A couple of pictures I took, thought they were cool, first one is dew on the thinnest little weeds, almost hair like , so delicate with a tint of color

This picture is a dew drop on a rusted cattle fence. Why this? Well it reminds me of one of the stories my Dad would tell sis and I when we were little girls. He said that there was another world in a drop of water, one so tiny we could not see with our eyes. Little tiny beings all in a world of their own. I know it sounds scifi but back then he had us with our eyes open and looking at the smallest things with awe.

Heres a morning dew poem you might enjoy.

Morning Dew
by Robert Frost

How does it get there?
It just appears from nowhere
The morning dew comes down
And the sun starts to shine.

It's so thin and hardly moist
Like the air of a mountain
The morning dew comes down
And morning's officially begun.

It hardly ever comes
At the exact same time
The morning dew comes down
And clouds peak through the sky.

It never lasts long
Like the good things in life
The morning dew comes down
Meaning another gorgeous day.



All take good care
Many Blessings
linda

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The Outpost happen this weekend. Got the popup trailer moved to the campsite and all set up.

Its a vintage trailer so it fit's right nicely with the vintage chairs and glider. I think I'll just keep em rusty looking, it fits the woods.

It looks and feels like this is the place it has always been, I just love it. Now for staying the whole weekend : ). Mostly the evenings and mornings.

The Hen Den needed cleaning and gardening needed to be done and a major cleanup on a junk pile that both hubby and I created, mostly dh,I keep my junk,lol. When you got a 20ft roll off dumpster ready to be filled with JUNK, you know its major.

Outpost: the camp

The Outpost is snuggled in between a small cedar and a larger one, I like the looks of the back of the tent as it peaks through the trees, it looks good from inside to and smells good as well. That fresh woods smell.

Now if theres an Outpost you gotta have an outhouse!!!

I did some cleaning out of spiders and such, it needs to have something else in there to warm it up, maybe a wooden toilet seat. Maybe an old picture or something.

Theres an old fashion lantern that we use and a can that holds toilet paper, no Wards Catalog or corn cobs. I like the city soft paper stuff.

Now this can says it all for holding toilet paper.

I like to wash up so heres the water hole right next to the outhouse.

Even tho I cleaned the can out it still had a bit of rusty water flowing out, its clear now.

Heres a vintage pillow case for drying your hands on.

Plans for a washhouse will be up and running this fall. until then I'll just have to throw a bucket of water over the top of my head for a bath.

I'm going to leave my basket of dishes up at the camp in the Outpost storage. Its full of cowboy cups and tin pans, no pastic or paper on this campout.

Outpost Day 1:

Sis stayed with me the first night, she played her tin whistle and we had the fire going and coffee on.

Being as I forgot to get hotdogs, sis had made a yummy spaghetti dinner over at Mom's, so we were full and the coffee hit the spot.

Now both sis and I are night owls but we were tired this evening. I guess its the warm fire and the cool night. But all that coffee we drank, what gives. So we turned in early, about 11:30, lol. and looked at the moon lighting on the trees and listening to the night sounds. It wasn't long before I heard a Zip Up and Zip Down, the coffee hit us both.

The sound of a tents zipper brings on the "Nature Calls" no matter how deep of a sleep your in or how late it is. So the outhouse was being use this weekend, big time.

After a sorta good nights rest we were up early hoping our backs were not out of wack sleeping on boards and pads. We seem to be ok. So breakfast was on.

Started the fire and put the coffee pot on then it was cookin time. Bacon and eggs w/ toast and jam.

The bacon is scrambled, oh I do wish I could have made straight bacon for the picture but it curled up fast , but it was still good eats.

I know theres a lot of grease but those eggs were good to.

Sis and I made up for it with a walk on the trails. We just missed the heavy fog but there was some still in the low spots. Its a great walk on the trails in the very early morning and fog is all around. You just hope nothing jumps out at ya.

We like to sleep with fans on in our own homes. I even got dh use to a fan. But I was opting for no fans or eletricity on this campout. But sis had to have her fan, so I drug up the cord and we had a fan and lights. Oh well!!!!!

We had a great time and she plans on staying at the camp once in awhile. We talked of the many camping and float trips we use to take when we were kids and just last year on a float rubber raft trip. Its fun remembering  ol times.

Outpost day 2:

Now this eveing I was alone. DH didn't want to campout being as he had to get up early and head to work so I was on my own. Just like it was back when I was younger and stayed in the woods in my old vintage trailer.

I didn't use the fan, had lots of covers incase it got cold. It got down to 50* so it was not bad at all.

I did use the lamp, I mean it was already up there so why not. It was good for reading, so after having a cup of coffee with Dh, he was off to catch the news and then to bed. So I sat and watched the fire for awhile and listen to the night sounds.  The moon was up and showing. It makes the trails light up so one doesn't even need a flash light to go on a moonlight stroll.

I had DH take are pup Coal back with him. I was concearn that if a critter got in the camp Coal would not let up. But then I think of our cougar sightings lately and wonder if it would be a good idea for her to be around, but I so wanted to have a good nights rest. So off she went with hubby.

Some years back I did two up front meets with a cougar over at our first homestead in the sticks. I was coming up the hill with a heavy rock (we didn't have wagons so it was hand carried if you wanted rocks up on the hill) so there it was , I seen the big head and shoulders of a cougar sitting there looking at me coming up the hill. I just froze. My mind was blank. I could not lift the rock above my head and toss it at the cougar, the worst I could have none was drop it on my foot. Oh that would be good hobbling along running from a cougar on my tail. Nope I just froze, cougar left thank heavens.

Oh no one believes ya when you tell of a cougar licking his lips at ya, Not a soul. Until the day the cougar sliced up one of our horses backside and the screams of a women in the night that brings the back of your hair on your neck stand on end. And then it happen again Mom and I were standing about 15 ft from our campsite and there the cougar walked right by. You guessed it, we froze, like 2 popcycles. And you know others didn't believe us still. Guess it takes 30 plus years and the Conservation to admitt there are cougar in our area. :/

So I carry a stick and stand tall when and if confronted with a cougar. Never ever run or you will be lunch.

So my campout was different staying alone and on alert just incase. It was a very quiet night which makes you really wonder why. Light sounds of crickets and frogs on the pond was about it. A hoot owl earlier and the moon shining through the trees made for a very nice campout.

Next weekend i'll be cooking dinner on the fire, DH says he'll campout then, lol. Food does it all the time. I got to buckle down the hatch at the Outpost incase we get rain.

Breaking camp is sad, but knowing I'll be doing this most every weekend until I can't stand the cold or I freeze first. I would love to camp out in the snow like I did many moons ago.

All have a great week and thanks for stopping by, join me on my next campout, bring your appetite cuz I'm sure theres going to be some good eats at the campfire.

Blessings
linda

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Hope you like sunflowers, got a few pictures of them to share. They are pretty again this year and I have different types.

This first group is a light yellow standing about 4 1/2 ft. New for me this year. Seeds came in a package called Autumn Beauty. I was surprised to see light colored sunflowers in a package of dark orange sunflowers. The birds will enjoy eating these seeds.

Heres one with a bummble bee checking it out.

Next two are the same color, I just like the way they look.

Now heres what I think Autumn Beauty looks like, a more darker color sunflower.

Now for those big boys, the Manmoth sunflowers, you need to put your sunglasses on when you look at these guys

Heres one curling and loaded with sunflowers seeds

This one is smaller but a nice yellow color

Heres how I feel after a day in town, all ready to call it a day.

When sis and I go into town we sometime pass a large area of Manmoth Sunflowers. We go in and they are all facing the East as the sun is rising and then they look as if they follow the sun as it sets in the west with their heads turned a bit as we head home. Now in the last week or so their heads hang down heavy with seeds. Soon it will be harvest time and nothing left but a stubble of what was once a beautiful sunflower bringing in the days sunshine and bursting with sunlight itself.

Hopes of another good year of sunflowers in that patch. Every year it happens and I never get tired of looking at the different stages it goes through.

Weekend plans:

Been clearing and cutting the paths bigger to get the Outpost popup trailer up in the woods. Sis is planning on camping out with me this weekend , while dh says he's stayin in his soft bed and TV :P. I bet he comes up for some hot outdoor coffee tho , who can resist that.

I was going to have a hot dog cook out but dang dab it, I forgot the hot dogs and buns . So I'll have to think of somethin' else for eats. I don't want to take an hour drive to get a hotdog :P, steak maybe but not a hot dog!!!

Might bring the telescope up to the camp for some star gazing , if we wait tell the fire goes down we should see the stars and moon, thats if its not cloudy. The moon has been beautiful the last couple of days.

So on that note I'm going to say goodnight cuz I feel like that sunflower tonight. I think I'll head over to Moms, sis is there and plans on cooking some outdoor coffee to, what did I say, "who can resist that"

Pic of that moon the other night, looks like fall doesn't it.

Have a great weekend and thanks for the visit.
Blessing
linda

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It all started a few weeks ago from a magazine, well it was really before that but the magazine inspired me to get things rollin. An outdoor retreat, a place that I could really enjoy the outdoors and have a few of my favorite inside stuff/junk around me to.

I put out a screen dry rot tent (a few blogs back) that was nice but I wanted more of a trailer type, a vintage camper. The magazine that caused all this "I want" is now included in "Favorite Magazine" list of mine.  Mary Janes Farm

Now one thing leads to another and through the mag I seen how a bunch of women travel with their cute little vintage trailers. They go camping, horseback riding and fly fishing "Sisters On The Fly" all the things I like to do.

But being i'm on "Staycation" still, I don't mind really cuz I love it here on the homestead. I have uped my plan to campout at my own campout in the woods. Makes sense to me, lol.

Ok you ever want something and it shows up soon? Maybe not exactly want you wanted but pretty darn close. Well I'll be if my "I Want" happen and this very weekend.

My sister gave me her vintage popup, perfect. Some of the Sisters on the Fly have this same type of camper.

Its a bit in need of a paint job and it will be called the Outpost. I have it in the front yard to the right and hooked up with eletricity for now until we move it to the campsite.

Its not tied down and needs to be leveled but it will work. Might even build around on the bottom for camp storge stuff.

I have it with a lamp for now but will be using lanterns in the woods.

It gets a little cool toward evening so I got my fuzzy soft covers ready to toss over while I'm reading or knitting.

I brought some of my favorite mags out too. Along with my new one  Mary Janes Farm

My all time favorite   Down To The Roots

Plans to use a lot of skill that is offered in DTTR at the Outpost.

And then also Mother Earth News has been a favorite for a very long time. And any garden magazine, I like em all.

Oh how I love the glow of a tents light coming from within. Its so warm and inviting.

Plans for staying fall and winter in this camper that has had some travel history. I will start out weekends and work my way to stayin a week at a time. What an adventure, staying in a tent when the snow is falling.

I'll be keeping a hard copy journal and an Outpost Journal here on this blog site,  My yahoo blog does not allow comments of those that have not joined.    So if your camping and like to share I would love to hear what you are doing.


Camping out in the winter with ice and snow is not new to me. Back in the middle 70's thats what I did. My Dad, Mom , Sis and I moved from the city to the sticks. We stayed in a cute little vintage trailer with no eletric at the time. Heated bricks in the firepit and wrapped in newspaper to put down by our feet. Oh have you smelt burnt newspaper : P.

Had my hair froze to the wall of the camper from going to bed with just washed hair from water drawn from the pond after breaking ice , heated on the campfire. Walked in knee deep snow to go to the two holer outhouse,holding a lantern in the middle of the night in cougar contry :(. BTW I have never had comany in a two holer outhouse,

We stayed in it tell we got the cabin built from old buildings my Dad tore down. My sis and I pulled many an old nail from all the wood Dad would gather.

The old vintage trailer went down to the woods and thats where I stayed for almost a year, came back up to the cabin when it got super cold. I think Moms cookin did me in and home I came for the rest of the winter.

I loved camping out with my horse close by. I added a shed to the camper so I could use a woodstove, the shed had old brick floor that was nice and cool in the fall but cold in the winter. I decorated with old time things to warm it up and a few animal skins that Gramps had from his hunt. Oh was I an outdoor gal. This is where I met my DH (a whole nutter blog), he coming through the woods, I use to hunt varments, and he was a keeper, going on 29 yrs type of keeper too : )

I seem to be going back to the things that I really enjoyed, Down To The Roots has brought a lot of things back that I loved to do, a lot with a more expert way of doing.

Now I stll got to keep my day job and work in my workshop, go meet up with our clients with sis (which is a hoot now that we our brown bagging it with a lake view).

Still gotta cook din din inside sometimes, got a big garden to tend to and 103 chickens to care for. Grandkiddies to hold and hug : ) A kitchen to mop and clothes to wash but when I can and as often as I can I'm heading out to on the trails to my Outpost and just take nature all in with my books and knitting of course : )

Stop by for some camp coffee, the fire will always be going and the coffee hot,: ) Hope you get bittin by the camping out bug like I and so many other have this season :)

Blessing
linda

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Oh what us two sisters get ourselves into. A day ago it was canoeing and swimming with a goose. A wild one at that, well sort of. And trying not to tip over in this beat up old canoe with surprise spiders that come out from under the seats : (.

Sis has had to take care of this goose sense it was left alone in the woods. Efforts to get it on its own has been on going. She has been Goosies mama from about a day or two old gosling. Sis has got bugs for he/she, picked up goose poo, run around in the yard flapping her arms to show Goosie that she/he can fly. Goosie just looks at her and so do I :/ Now she is teaching him/her to swim in the big pond.

It won't be long before the big flight will happen, by by Goosie

Here is Goosie telling/squawking at me to put that camera down and get in the water. Which I did. When goose speaks I listen!!!