Happy Thanksgiving

Well another campout, this time a bit more chilly, it got down to the 20*. Still not to bad. I had plenty of covers and slept in my Artic coat.

Here I am snug as a bug in a rug

Ahh thats not really me, just some covers to look like I'm under there, but I'm sure thats what I looked like all night I did not move , slept well and warm.

Earlier I drank hot cocoa and read, boy is it hard to turn pages with gloves on, so I kept one glove on for holding the book and the other for turnin the pages. The critter sounds were drowned by gun shots , deer hunters gearing up for the season. It was sure peaceful when they ended. I kept the windows closed in the tent to keep all the heat in, even tho I did see my breath. This sure makes having a home with warmth even more treasured. It is doable to camp out in the cold and many do not just for the fun of it. There is a difference. Choosing and having to. But then again its still a choice being there are shelters around the country.

Its different staying out in the cold by yourself. Its really colder. I remember when we use to camp out in the snows , Dad , Mom , Sis and I would have so much fun building our camp, wrapping hot bricks from the firepit and wrapping them with newspaper to place down by our feet in our sleeping bags. The smell of burnt newpaper was not nice but oh how our feet were nice and toasty. We kept warm by gathering wood, gather around the fire and ate good food. Told stories and laughed, another warmth.

The lone camper has its place to , a connection of hearing and seeing things that one could miss when in a crowd. So the best of both is good. A time to think and reflect and a time to laugh hard.

The late night I woke to the sound of geese honking. It was a cold sound and reminded me of a song some years back, maybe you remember it. I'll hum a few bars. " I heard the wild geese flying in the dead of the night, with beats of wings flying , I heard the wild geese flying" That is one cold song.

I got up early looking out my tent and seeing ice that had formed and everything looking cold, I did not freeze as Mom predicted. Thoughts of building a fire went past me fast. And using the cold outhouse went past me even faster. So I gathered up and headed down the trails back home where I knew the fireplace and hot coffee would be ready thanks to DH.(((hug))).

I think I will call my weekend camping off until after hunting season. We don't hunt on the place but a hunter or two have ventured through. I think it to be safer if I don't camp plus I like to think our woods gives the deer a little break from the hunters. Alto I support hunting I also love to see the wildlife. Me being there would only run them into the hunters. So until then I will wait and do a snow campout and let the deer have the Outpost for a bit : ). Like they are really going to stay there , lol.

I so want a walled tent with cookstove so these winter campouts will be even nicer, plus sis said she will camp out then : ). So this winter when we have snow, look out cuz we are going on a sled ride and maybe ice skating on the pond. Bundle up, there will be hot cocoa and lots of fun.

I love our woodpile, this alone warms me up. The sight, the bringing in and sitting by is all about being warm.

Heres my new/old cast iron skillet and Dutch oven that I got at a garage sale. They were pretty rusty so a lot of cleaning and still more to do.

This is a fuzzy picture but notice the hammered finish. I'm not sure if this is old or they still make these.

Holidays are upon us and my plans are to enjoy. No crazy shopping. Lots of good food to share with family and friends. Gathering when I can extra food items in the upcoming weeks that could leave us cabin bound : ) this winter. I want to bring out the old board games and have the family around eating popcorn and hot cocoa, making lots of laughter. Pop on good clean Christmas movies or listen to holiday music.

The election was draining of emotion on both sides, and I'm glad its over. My side did not win but I can sleep good with my choice I made. My prayers and energy will be for the goodness of our country and well being. Prayers for the president to make decisons with our United States Consitution in the front of everything. Our forefathers , men and women died for this and dying still to keep this a free country that brings in many from other lands to live in freedom. Freedom is worth all that it takes to get it. And Praise God for those that gave to keep us FREE. God Bless America and God Bless the world that loves freedom.


Happy Holidays to you all and always thank you for your visits. We all may not agree, thats ok. Heck its hard even in families sometimes. As long as we do the best we can, repect and love we should be alright.

A whole bunch of Blessings to ya
linda

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Another weekend at the Outpost. Both these last couple of weekends have been warm. Its been a solo campout, sis and hubby neither want to campout      I think they are hibernating or something. They are missing out on the most beautiful evenings with stars and the milkyway to drink in and the night critter sounds that will be silenced in the upcoming weeks for their winter rest.

Last weekend was more sounds then just critters to hear. I'm getting into my reading when I hear the sound of loud, very loud teenagers and lots of gravel road noise. Its a hayride, I can hear the sound of the wagon wheels and the laughter and fun the kids are having. Oh the hayrides. Didn't do one this year but I hope you got to. So back to reading after all the hoopla. I woke up late, I mean I have not slept that late forever, almost 9:30. DH came up to see if I was ok. Boy I was in lala land for sure.

Now if DH didn't come up I'm sure the critter that got into my tent would have. It was a little bird that somehow got in. Stay cool Linda, stay cool is what I kept telling myself. Open the door and it will fly out and please birdie don't land on my pillow, it landed on my pillow . It took off but oh my!!!. I check for snakes, now I'll have to check for birdies.

I have been adding more stuff to the Outpost, its looking like a hobo jungle, maybe a little gypsy. For sure its eclectic (kinda like my house). But rather I should call it "Recycle Camp" cuz everything that was going to be thrown away ins up here at the Outpost, hummm still like my house.

I was able to get a bigger wash tub for the bath house, an oval one and put a fancy backdrop. Its a headboard to a twin bed that was going to be tossed. Oh this outhouse is sooooo girly don't ya think!

We had a good rain so it filled up the tub. Just a bit to cold for my likings.

I also got a good deal on this swing frame to use up at the Outpost. Got it for $30 and sis gave me her swing she does not use.

Pretty good deal I would save and even better to sit and swing which overlooks the pond. I had my hot cocoa and a good book and just enjoyed the afternoon.

Now this weekend the nights have been really foggy, kinda spooky foggy. But I'm still going to camp along, just not think of spooky things and don't let that noise in the woods bother me either. Just get in that tent and zip up.

The pond has a different look in the fog and I so love taking the trails when its so foggy that I can't see but just a few feet ahead. Wait up I tell DH, my cobweb getter.

We leave these beauties alone, they just shine up when mositure hits on them. See the spider?

We haven't did much to the kids tree house other then put up a swing. They have not seen it yet and I can't wait. This swing is just for little ones, its about a foot off the ground. I have not built it yet but there will be a platform like the bath house. It will be a stage for those little intertainers. It will have stage curtains and lights and they can sing, act and put on skits. I'll have a few stumps for us grownups to sit on so we can join in the fun.

I remember my sis and I use to intertain our grandparents in their kitchen. We would learn something at school and share with them. I remember their happy faces and our bows at the end.

Garden:

This weekend was the final cleanup of the garden and planting more bulbs. Plus working on new plans. Oh I can't wait tell spring.

Chickens:

They got a clean house this weekend and we got our first egg last week, yesterday there was two eggs in the nest.

Its small but will get bigger as the hens mature. Big brown eggs and it looks like I'll get 50 eggs a day , oh my!!!

I put this wire rooster that I had in the garden, it looks better next to the Hen Den

Thanksgiving:

My its almost here and I got to get planning. I always want to try something different and looking through other blogs I find many wonderful dishes to try. I know for one thing,thanks to the Pioneer Women , I will always add cream cheese to my mashed taters. Boy are they good that way.

My BIL brought over a wild turkey so we will have that for Christmas, being as Sis and BIL goes up to his family for Thanksgiving. So we'll eat the wild bird and pheasant that he hunts for our Christmas dinner.

Another pretty day tomorrow and then turns colder Wednesday. But oh how we love each day its nice to get outside. We got our wood too, two cords with 4 more coming. Our SIL is helping clear some land for a fence to go up for cattle and sense they need to clear it why not make a few extra bucks for the wood. I'm a happy camper. We have the fireplace going when the nights get chilly.


Thanks so much for visiting. I got a couple of garage sale items I want to share on my next blog. I hope to do in a couple of days. Its busy around here and still so much to do. I don't worry tho, cuz its just material things that will keep. Ok I'll go do the dishes.

Have a great week and blog at you later

Many Blsssings
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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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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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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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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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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