Camper – Page 2 – Asbery's Echoes

Mother’s Day Camping

This came home Wednesday. Joe totally surprised me. I was subbing at school when he texted and said he was on his way home with the camper. For some reason I got a burst of energy that evening and I cleaned it all up – bleached, dusted, vacuumed, washed the bedding. Then Mom texted and said they had their camper set up at Belva Deer. We ran out there for a little bit and I guess the camping bug got us.

This is what happened Thursday night. Totally unplanned and spur of the moment. I raided the freezer for meat, the refrigerator for eggs, made a quick stop at the grocery store and we were off.

It rained and rained some more. Saturday was spent in the camper for the most part due to rain. Sunday the kids and Aunt Beth came out and we were able to eat lunch outside and then back to the camper to sit out a storm and lots of rain. We did get to sit around the campfire each night – it was chilly and the blankets came out – perfect campfire weather. We had a great first trip and we have the next one planned for June. We have lots of work to get done between now and then!

Hot Camping Weekend

Usually at the end of September camping is ideal. You plan for chilly evenings and cool mornings, sweatshirts and jeans and camp fires. Instead we had record breaking hot temperatures and mosquitos. This might have been the most uncomfortable trip we’ve had this season. But we still had a fun weekend. It’s impossible not to have fun when you’re camping!

We camped with Dad and Mom in Pella this time. We were able to leave early afternoon Friday as school was let out early due to the heat. Friday was spent setting up camp, eating supper and going for a walk. We went on a hike on Saturday and came across our neighbors who were camping in a neighboring campground. We stopped and had a nice long visit with them and Drew got to play with their granddaughter. We were walking a nice paved trail under the trees and it was beautiful. Our campsites were also in the trees – my favorite way to camp. I could open up all the shades and not worry that people could see in. We decided we liked this spot the best of the ones we’ve been in – it was so secluded. Of course the majority of the trees surrounding us were hickory trees so we had hickory nuts falling on us. They make quite a racket when they hit the roof of your camper!

I loved the way the light bounced off the leaves of the trees and into the camper. With the air on in the camper – it kind of felt like fall with the leaves falling, the hickory nuts bouncing and the light filtering through the windows!

There’s No Place Like Home – Except The Camper!

And again, we had an unplanned camping weekend out to Belva Deer! Dad and Mom pulled out last Monday and Eric and Drew and I ran out there for supper on Tuesday night. They mentioned they would like to have us come out and join them so when Joe got home Thursday off we went! Eric came out Friday night for supper and a game or two of Bocce ball. It ended up being a little bit of a reunion of sorts then on Saturday as Mom’s two brothers and their wives and Dad’s twin sister and her husband came out for lunch and to visit through the afternoon. It’s always fun to visit with my wonderful and fun aunts and uncles and we don’t get to see them often enough. Drew made friends with the neighbor kids and had the best time. The weather was absolutely beautiful all weekend. Beautiful temps all day and perfect cool campfire weather at night. The only thing that could have made it better would have been rain. Fun times camping – again!

When we got the camper home today I spent the afternoon cleaning it, with a little “help” from Drew! We scrubbed down counters and sinks and toilet, dusted every surface, vacuumed the carpets and scrubbed the floors. I still have to wash the bedding and make the bed back up and we’ll be all ready for next weekend as we’re off on our annual Clear Lake trip. Fun times with friends and a car show to beat all car shows. 1,000 cars or more in a parade around beautiful Clear Lake on Friday night and then the show on Saturday in the middle of the town of Clear Lake which sits right on the water. We look forward to this every year – the car show is fun but camping with great friends we see rarely is such a treat! And this year Joe’s sister and brother-in-law are going to visit us and check out the car show on Saturday. We are really excited for the weekend!

This and That Thursday

Dad and Moms windmill and beautiful clouds.

Oh what a beautiful day we had! After some brutally hot and humid dry days it was so nice to be outside and have no humidity and cooler weather. It’s fair week so we ran into the fair for a little bit to see the animals and the fair projects. Drew thinks he wants to be in Clover Kids and bring something to the fair next year. That is something I can get behind – I’m a firm believer in 4-H and all it has to offer!

Helping dad power wash the camper – in other words an excuse to climb the ladder!

We spent the evening outside – Joe and Drew playing with Joe’s new power washer and me pulling weeds and just enjoying the beautiful evening! My coneflowers are really going crazy this year – they are so full I hardly have to weed this flowerbed! Hoping tomorrow brings more of this beautiful weather!

Found this pretty bloom hiding in amongst the coneflower!

Back To Belva Deer

Joe came home early from work on Thursday. He’d had a not so great day and was wanting to just “get away”. He walked in the door and asked if I wanted to go camping. I had no food in the house, a pile of laundry, hadn’t showered yet, and the list goes on, but – we went camping! Back to Belva Deer we went. Dad and Mom were already out there so I had them tag us a spot, I got the chores done and watered flowers, did a couple loads of laundry, jumped in the shower, threw some clothes in the camper, all while Joe loaded up fire wood and bikes and chairs and off we went.

You know, we wouldn’t be able to do this if we weren’t so blessed to have a beautiful county park just a few miles down the road. We are able to run home and chore if needed, run to town for groceries if needed. (Which I did!) We can camp and run Drew into the bowling alley to bowl with friends for a birthday party that’s scheduled on a Friday night. (Which Joe did on Friday night!) It’s wonderful to have Lake Belva Deer so close. To be able to get away for a weekend and just be. Joe said the best part of the weekend for him was Saturday morning. He got up early and started a fire and fixed breakfast for us. There was nobody around to bother him. He could take his time and enjoy the morning and enjoy what he was doing. I enjoyed it too – I got to sleep in and then wake up to a wonderful breakfast of bacon, hash browns and scrambled eggs to eat by the campfire.

My favorite part of the weekend was visiting with Uncle Jerry and Aunt Konnie. They came down for the afternoon on Saturday. Aunt Konnie is battling cancer and it’s nice to see her out and about. They didn’t stay long but she said she was glad she came – it helped make the afternoon go by for her. Sometimes her days get long. We’re planning another trip to Belva Deer next weekend and hoping they can bring their camper and stay with us. We’re praying she feels up to it. We’re also hoping to having Braxton too. Wouldn’t a camping weekend with our grandson be fun??!!

A weekend of campfires, hiking, bike riding, sparklers, visiting with family, staying up late and sleeping in. Sometimes the unplanned trips are the best!

Trailer Trash

I saw a picture of the cutest little trashcan on Facebook and fell in love with it. After commenting on it and friends commenting on it one friend shared a can that they had painted themselves and I thought to myself, “I could do that!” So, I painted my own trash can. And of course I shared it on Facebook. Which led to me making four more! Mom and Abby and two for friends all wanted one. Now to go camping again so I can use it!

Lake Belva Deer

The best part of pulling in on a Thursday – no neighbors! The campground pretty much filled up by Friday evening.

As usual our first camping trip of the season wasn’t planned – just a spur of the moment decision on Thursday morning. Let’s go camping! We loaded up in the afternoon and headed out and got there around 4:00. I left Joe at the campground and Drew and I ran back into town for groceries for supper. We had a simple supper of brats and poppers and a mint dessert I made earlier in the day. A bike ride around the campground and then a nice quiet evening.

Up the next evening and headed back home. Joe had to run to Pella for work so Drew and I stayed home and watered flowers, fed and watered Izzy and the chickens and let Izzy out to run. Then we packed up clothes for the weekend and when Joe got home we headed back out. We rode bikes again and fixed a quick supper of leftovers from the night before then Dad and Mom came out for a visit. It was a beautiful evening to sit and relax.

Flowers from home to brighten up the picnic table!

Saturday was such a nice relaxing day. We slept in, had a late brunch, rode bikes, sat around, went for another bike ride, Drew played at the playground, rode bikes again! Dad and Mom came out for supper and we went for a walk then had a fire and s’mores. It was one of the most relaxing days we’ve had in so long. It was a perfect day.

Always have to photograph an unexpected heart!

Sunday saw us up early and heading home by 8:30. I think that may be a record for us – we usually don’t leave until afternoon but we had to be in Burlington by 1:00 for a graduation get together for a cousin. It made for a long day but we had a great weekend and lots of fun with family. Glad we decided to camp and that we made sure to go to Burlington for some family fun.

Hurrah!

The camper is ready to go! Hurrah! Some pictures of our home away from home. I love our camper. This is the fourth camper we’ve had over the past 26 years and if I have anything to say about it, it will be our last at least for a long long time! There’s very little I would change about this one. What do I not like about it? The carpet. Maybe someday we will be able to change it out but for now we just have a nice big area rug we throw down. Carpet, camping and kids really don’t mix if you can imagine! And the shower. It takes me at least a half a camping season before I finally remember how to position myself so I’m comfortable. Not something that can be changed but maybe I can work on figuring it out sooner??!! And that’s it. Except for the fabric, curtains, etc. I have yet to find an interior that I do like that isn’t a vintage camper but that’s just me. Joe on the other hand loves it and he won’t let me change any of it. Maybe someday I’ll just start in on changing things but I have to agree with him. It’s not like we live in it and it is just a camper so no sense in spending money on changing those things out. I just close my eyes and don’t look!

When you walk in the door and look to the right you see the kitchen at the front of the camper.

Standing in the kitchen looking towards the living area.

We have a walk through bathroom and I love it. Lots of room and lots of storage.

Two linen closets – couldn’t ask for more!

And into the bedroom. Again, lots of storage and lots of room.

A second door – we hardly ever use it but its there if we need it.

Drew always leaves at least one stuffed animal or dinosaur on the bed.

One big slide in the main area, one slide in the bedroom. Lots and lots of lots of storage. We definitely needed all this when we had three or four kids at home but now that we’ll be down to one, we probably don’t. But I just love the camper so much, it’s roomy and comfortable and I have a place for everything. Of course it doesn’t look like this when we’re using it. It gets cluttered and full and looks lived in. That’s when I love it best!Now if we can just find a free weekend to go. We have a weekend scheduled the beginning of August and a weekend scheduled for Labor Day but that’s too far away!