Camping – Page 2 – Asbery's Echoes

Winston the Goat

This is Winston. We met Winston when we went camping at Lake Darling. Winston kept everyone entertained – especially the littles but he had the adults wrapped around his little finger too. Winston was so sweet – I decided he needed his own blog post!

Like I said – the littles loved him but as you can see the big kids loved him too! Winston acts like a dog. He follows his owners around just like a dog would but without a leash. He spent Saturday night with us while we sat around the fire. He would wander from person to person and want to be petted. But he never let his owner get too far away. He kept his eye on her!

He wore a bow tie on his collar and he wore diapers and a onesie to bed at night and slept in the tent with his owners. Now that is where I would draw the line! No goat diapers or goat sleepovers for me! Winston is used for goat yoga and I’m guessing he gets loved on a lot. He’s also hosting a family movie night this weekend in his barn where you can come watch a family movie and pet him and his goat friends. He also was a big incentive in what is now a new member of our family. I think I’ll leave that for another post!

Lake Darling

Uncle Terry’s fishing boat. You can’t spend time with a Houseal on a lake and not do some fishing!

We camped with family the weekend of the 14th at Lake Darling. A beautiful lake not too far from home. My cousin Brandi brought her camper, my aunts and uncles stayed in a hotel in Washington and came out to the lake each day, Uncle Jerry and cousin Todd brought Jerry’s camper, mom and dad had their new camper, my sister Beth brought her new RV, Aaron, Abby and Jeremy stayed with us. Cousin Jason came for the day Saturday. It was a family filled weekend for sure. And we rediscovered why we used to camp at Lake Darling all the time. It’s close to home and absolutely beautiful!

My three uncles – Terry, Donnie and Jerry. I love that even though Terry and Donnie are mom’s brothers and Jerry is dad’s brother in law they all know each other and enjoy each other’s company. I love all three of them and couldn’t have asked for better uncles!

I love love love this picture. My Uncle Terry, Drew, and my cousin Brandi’s grandaughter Marley. It brings back so many memories of going to Uncle Terry’s cabin on the Mississippi when I was little and going out on his boat with my two cousins. Uncle Terry is a true river rat and he loves to introduce the littles to the water!

Drew and sweet Bayah. She was a trooper – the weekend was extremely hot and humid and she couldn’t have been a better baby!

These three little monkeys had sooo much fun together!

My sister, Aunt Judy, Aunt Susan and me. Love my aunts – they are the best!

It was Dad and Mom’s 55th wedding anniversay. The weekend hadn’t been planned for this but we surprised them with a sign on their camper and a cake. Long story with the cake – I ordered one to be made and my order got lost – so Jeremy quick ran into Washington and picked one up. He decided a rainbow and unicorn cake was the best choice. Everyone loved it!

Under the Weather

My Sweet Autumn has been beautiful this season!

It’s been a long week and yet I’m not sure where the time has gone. Between me fighting some sort of stomach bug and Drew fighting an ear infection – nothing much has been accomplished that’s for sure. The weather here has been absolutely gorgeous – absolutely no complaints to be had. Every day has been perfect – the windows have been open and yet when you feel under the weather you don’t get to appreciate how nice out it is.

I’m hoping to feel better today. I have felt better every day this week and seem to be on the mend. Yesterday after school Drew and I ran to Oskaloosa for our last camping grocery haul of the season. We’re camping this weekend at Lake Darling with family. One last trip before we get things winterized and put away. I’m ready for that – I think I’m camped out. We’ve done most of our camping this summer with others and while I enjoy that, I’ve missed just us camping – Joe, Drew and I. It’s a lot more relaxing when it’s just us. But at the same time, we’re camping with extended family this weekend and there’s nothing better than spending quality time with family! Hopefully we can make this a yearly thing!

And back to today – I have got to accomplish some housework today. Things have really fallen by the wayside and I can’t face coming home from the weekend with this much mess. So, I’ve got the windows open, I’ll turn some music up loud, light a few fall scented candles and try to stay focused. Get my work done today so I can focus on packing the camper tomorrow and just enjoy our last camping trip of the season.

Rainy Weekend Fun

Our Labor Day camping weekend sure flew by. We camped in Cascade, Iowa this year – a first for all of us. We had a rainy, hot, humid, buggy, sometimes cool, fun weekend!

We were the first ones there Friday. We got set up, Drew played with his legos then he and I went to bed. Joe stayed up and helped the others when they pulled in.

On Saturdy we explored the campground and just relaxed. Drew found a toad to play with which kept him entertained most of the afternoon and it was great to have Matt and Whitney visit in the evening. There was no tubing down the river. We woke up to rain and it rained most of the morning – too much rain means lots of muddy water!

Sunday was sight seeing day. We started out in Dyersville visiting the Field of Dreams. We didn’t stay long – it turned hot and humid and then it started to rain. So off to Dubuque we went.

First we went to Crystl Lake Cave. It worked out great – it stormed while we were touring the cave! They had had so much rain that we didn’t get to exit the cave by the usual route due to it being too wet – we actually had to backtrack and exit the same way we came in.

Next was Fenelon Place Elevator. Lots of giggles and laughs on this ride! We got off at the bottom – took an ice cream break and rode back up to the top. Joe and I had done this before, a couple of times, so we knew what to expect but it was fun to enjoy it through everyone else’s eyes. It’s a little scary the first time you’re on it – and even the third if you think about what would happen if a cable would break! We had also been to the Field of Dreams and the cave before but it was fun to see everything through other’s eyes!

Not sure why this poor guy was hanging off of this tire but he sure gave us a good laugh!

Supper was pizza at the Shot Tower – deliciously yummy pizza! Then back to the campground, a little time around the fire and before we knew it the weekend was over. We got up to rain, packed up in the rain, came home to sunny skies but 4 1/2 inches in the rain gauge, and a soggy chicken coop. Another fun Labor Day camping trip here and gone!

Roberts Creek Park West – 2018

Roberts Creek – one of my favorite all time campgrounds. (I’m over a week behind on sharing this) We had to get a spot early as the campground fills up fast for the Sprint Car Nationals. So even though it wasn’t going to be used until Thursday, August 9th, by Joe’s friends we set it up the Sunday before, August 5th, on our way back home from camping at Clear Lake. We decided on the 6th, after Joe worked and Drew and I visited Aunt Konnie in the hospital, that since it was sitting there empty we would use it so off to Pella we went. We stayed Monday night and Tuesday night and then came home Wednesday night. Joe went to work both days while Drew and I relaxed, explored and enjoyed our time together. A quiet bonding time spent in nature after a hectic on the go friend filled time. It was just what we needed.

Drew found lots of creepy crawlies to keep him entertained. First he found this millipede while we went for a walk. He carried it back to the camper and we Googled millipedes to find out all about them!

Then came the walking stick – he was climbing the camper. I much preferred the millipede – walking sticks are a little too “aggressive” for me!

Isn’t this cute? We talked to the owner and he loved giving us a tour. He was from Colorado and was here for the races but his wife wouldn’t come along. He said she hates his little camper. I can’t say I blame him – it is awfully tight quarters!

I got a lot of stitching time in too! Love those little squirrels!

Clear Lake Car Show Camping Trip – 2018

Our annual camping trip to Clear Lake for the car show went by like a blur this year. We enjoyed watching the cars parade around the lake Friday night, then Joe’s sister and brother-in-law came Saturday for lunch and then uptown to see the cars. An evening around the campfire with the whole group of us. Then up early to clean the camper and make it ready for friends to use. On to Pella to set the camper up before finally getting home. It seemed like a whirlwind of activity in a short space of time. I’m obviously getting old – it was fun but it wore me out!

Drew found some free time to paint a pretty picture with the paints Uncle Les and Aunt Linda brought him!

So Good To Be Home

We had lots of campfires over the weekend!

Wow – what a whirlwind the last few days have been. We left the house last Friday at noon headed to Clear Lake for our annual camping trip with friends. We had a fun, very busy weekend. Then Sunday we headed back to Pella where we were hoping to find a camping spot. Joe kindly offered our camper to a guy he used to work with. The sprint car nationals are held every year in Knoxville, Iowa and his friend lives in Pennsylvania and has always wanted to go to the races. We lucked out and found a spot (the campgrounds tend to fill up fast the week of nationals) and set the camper up. Then we headed home.

Just one of the many many neat vehicles we saw during the drive around the lake!

Monday saw Joe back to work and Drew and I went with my dad and mom to visit my Aunt Konnie who is in the hospital and not doing well at all. When we all got home, we decided to head back to the campground. We figured as long as the camper was sitting in Pella and Joe was scheduled to go to Vermeer both days anyway we might as well use it! So for the past two days Joe drove right into Pella to work and Drew and I stayed at the campground. We went from a very busy, nonstop on the go, friends and visitors everywhere camping weekend to a very quiet, laid back, back to nature, just us couple of days of camping. I have to say I really enjoyed the laid back days! We finally got home around 7:00 Wednesday evening. We unloaded the car and Joe headed back to the campground. His friends will be arriving tomorrow morning and he wanted to be there to show them around. It was fun to get some unexpected camping time in but it sure is good to be home!

Exploring a trail at Roberts Creek in Pella!

Back To Normal

I love our small town parade. So much patriotism, lots of kids, old cars, horses and fun! See the green and gray building in the background? This old car belongs to an old schoolmate of mine and his passenger is an old friend who worked with my mom at the bank. Her husband was my government and econ teacher in high school. My dad had his barbershop in the right half of that building for years. And there was a laundromat on the left side. Once in awhile my sister and I got to go over to the laundromat and visit August and get a bottle of pop! Now I get my taxes done there and I get my hair cut in the back. At one time the upstairs of this building was a hospital – that was long before I was born!

Wow – we had a busy last few days! We sold shave ice on the 3rd and the 4th, the weather was unbearably hot and humid (which is good for selling shave ice but hard on these old bodies!), our freezer decided to misbehave during this time so we dealt with that, the 4th of July parade, getting the camper ready for camping on the 5th, the freezer apparently had some stale water in a drippan underneath that provided us with one horrible horrible smell that had to be taken care of, finally made it to the campground, had beautiful camping weather, managed to get in lots of stitching and relaxing, babysitting Bayah at the campground Friday night, a wedding reception in Bettendorf on Saturday night for my cousin, home with the camper yesterday, over to Dad and Mom’s last night to retrieve all our meat to put back in the freezer that is now up and running again. We had lots of fun but today I’m thankful to get back to normal!

Drew got to watch the parade with two of his buddies he hadn’t seen school let out in the spring!

Braxton won the greased pig contest in his age group – he was so proud!

There’s nothing better than breakfast prepared by the hubby over an open fire!

Drew put a few miles on his scooter over the weekend!

Little Miss Bayah spent the evening with us while Daddy, Mommy and big brother went bowling to celebrate a birthday. Drew was thrilled to get to spend some time with her!

Since it was just Joe, Drew and I camping this weekend we had a lot of free time – I chose to stitch – of course!

Stitching The Heat Away

Olde Crows Nest Farm by Lori Rippey. Love those crows!

It’s been so excessively hot and humid these past couple days – we’ve stayed inside as much as we can. And I’ve been staying up later than usual to get some much needed stitching time in. I went through a short dry spell where I just wasn’t wanting to stitch. I did a little embroidery but as usual, I enjoyed a small project or two and then I was done. Then I ordered some patterns from Lori Rippey and Tina Woltman and I’m back into my stitching again.

In my quest to be more organized, I’m putting every new pattern I get from now on in a binder and I think I’ll group them according to designer. That beats throwing them all willy nilly into a tub where I can’t find any specific one. Someday I hope to get through all those tubs and get all my patterns put into binders. That will be a huge job!

I’m loving the drab prim colors, the alphabets, the simple motifs. I haven’t stitched any samplers in quite awhile and I’m enjoying getting back into that too. I feel grounded again.

I Love To Gather Tansy – Pattern by Lori Rippey

Joe has the first three days off work next week for the holiday and he’s taking Thursday and Friday off as well. We’ll sell shave ice again on Tuesday and Wednesday and then our plan is to camp after that. It should be a fun week, nothing too pressing, hopefully get a few more things done around here the next couple days, the fun 4th of July festivities and then a little getaway. Although we’ll be running home now and then to check on the chickens and gather eggs!

Working On Being an Organized Happy Camper

I am not an organized person. Not one iota. And the older I get, the more it bothers me to be disorganized. And yet it seems the harder I try the less organized I am. But after our first camping trip this year I knew I had to do something with the camper. Now our first trip wasn’t planned. Joe surprised me and brought the camper home from storage and we decided to take it out that weekend. No planning whatsoever. I dusted it, vacuumed it, washed the linens and off we went. And even though we had a great time, including me, I knew I would have enjoyed it more if I was more organized. Plus – Joe took our neighbor’s at the campground on a tour of the camper. They wanted to see ours since we both had Rockwood trailers. We toured there’s and they toured ours. Which was fine until Joe opened up the closet doors. I was mortified! We had packed all our clothes and stuff in totes and I had stuffed everything into the closet when I found out they were going to come see it. The closet was already a disaster and so shoving more into it was not good! (I took before pictures of the closet on my phone and can’t seem to get them off my phone and onto my computer. But trust me, it was bad!) These are the after pictures:

Anyway, before last weekend’s trip I went through and cleaned out and organized all the cupboards and closets. (All except the cupboard holding all the toys, coloring books, et cetera. That will have to wait until a day I don’t have Drew with me!) I pitched and pitched and pitched, found a spot for everything I kept, and made sure before we left that instead of having all our clothes and things in totes that were laying around on the floor, everything was put into draws and closets. And low and behold – I enjoyed the trip so much more. It’s all common sense I know. But being organized is so darn hard for me. But I gotta say, when Joe wanted the griddle to fix breakfast and I knew exactly where it was and there wasn’t a bunch of stuff sitting on top of it that had to be moved to get to it, it was heaven! And having all our clothes put away and not in totes, again, heaven!

Now, no matter how you try, spending the weekend in a camper with four adults, Joe, me, Aaron and Eric, one seven year old along with a four year old running in and out and Abby using the kitchen for Bayah’s bottles as their hot water wasn’t working, it’s impossible to have a place for everything and things were constantly in disarray but I worked at keeping things as picked up as possible. And anything that had a place was put back in it when not in use. But really – who wants to spend the whole time picking up and putting away? Not me. I’m there to be outside and having fun! But, just having a place for everything and knowing where to find things and getting rid of all the extras that had gradually crept in over the years – camping is going to be so much more relaxed this year for me.

And then to take things a step further I did this this week. I lost my list of everything that needed to be put into the camper before the first trip every year a couple of years ago. It was on my phone and somehow it got deleted. And I wanted to start keeping track of our trips again. I used to be an avid scrapbooker and I kept books of all of our trips. But I haven’t scrapbooked in years and for some reason I’ve been wanting to keep track of our trips again. I found these forms online at allthosedetails.com and modified them to fit my needs, printed them off, ordered a small 3-ring binder and page protectors and voila – the perfect book for camper organization! I have my checklist of things needed to stock before the first trip and things to keep stocked, an area for campground reviews, and an area for recipes as there are recipes that we almost always use when camping and now I won’t have to take the recipes out of my kitchen binder and keep in the camper during the summer months. Or like last year, forget to bring back in the house at the end of camping season and so they are lost to me during the winter while the camper is in storage. I still have to make copies of those recipes and get them in the binder but I’m now well on my way to being an Organized Happy Camper! And I’ve ordered another binder so I can be a little more organized at home. A place for grocery lists, grocery store price comparisons, pantry organization lists, Christmas present ideas and items bought throughout the year, flowers I’ve planted one year, how they did and what I want to change for next year, those lists just go on and on!