Glamping At Champoeg

I found the perfect campground for a history

buff like myself and glamped there 

for a few nights.

Champoeg State Park in Oregon

is the site of:

First-Native Americans who 

canoed the Willamette River,

carefully preserved the environment,

farmed and fished, hurting no one...

Second- came the French-Canadians

who also used the waterway as a way to transport furs,

married into the local tribes and settled there

in what is called "French Prairie".

 Last- came the British traders and American Pioneers

with their wagons and home building and town planning.

When they were all flooded out of the town in the 1860's

the area became what it is today, a national monument

to an American story.

The townsite with street markers still lies quiet and still

beneath the Prairie sod and brilliant sky.

I walked along the many paths and trails and felt the 

real essence of those who traveled there in times past.

It's that prickly feeling on the back of your neck

as you imagine the quiet moccasins padding past,

the low voices speaking french, the jingle of harness

and swish of canoe paddle as the river flows 

silently by the foot paths.

Raggedy Garden, I found some history too!

You inspired me to go looking in my own neck

of the woods:)

Glamping 2013

After all the projects were done

and the tent was put up I settled in for 

a relaxing and beautiful time at camp.

My tent bed was bliss to sleep in and 

my little dressing table and mirror area

created a really usable tent to actually

"live" in instead of just sleep:)

 I used a light at night to read with- not a

lantern- which was so much nicer for 

eyes that don't work so great anymore.

 I actually extended my stay one night since

I was enjoying it all so thoroughly and

my kids and grands joined me for supper

and the evening too.

Can't wait to go again and explore another campground

after the new grand is born and before the summer

vanishes. If anyone is interested in glamping

I highly recommend garage sales and reusing

non camping items to make usable at camp.

Other Camp Projects

Another project for camp was to take

an old lounge chair and recover it in denim

after painting the arms cream.

I also took an old canvas camp stool

and made a cover.

The roasting sticks and pie irons each got

their own canvas bag with velcro so

no more rattling and falling around with those, 

Yippee! 

 I also made banners from fabric to hang in the 

tent and pillows for the very comfy camp

bed I bought at a garage sale:)

The camp kitchen was an old metal box for 

keeping tools in with a lid that opens

in front and shelves.

I just added rope through the front hole so

I could have a paper towel roll

handy. It worked out really great and 

also only cost $3 plus paint.

Tent Awning 101

I just spent 3 blissful days

camping by myself...in a very safe

state park near a local town.

I had prepared with several projects

before I went so I really had my

tent feeling cozy and pretty.

The first thing I knew I wanted was an

awning in front of my tent.

I found a queen flat sheet in a nice

stripe at a garage sale for $2

and that is what I used.

First I put 2 grommets in the fabric where I wanted

the poles to go, then I put sand in a large jar

and the jar in a metal bucket. This is

what the poles went into for stability.

I put a nail in the top of each pole and the grommets 

went over that and then 2 ends were tied on to tent

and the pole side was tied down with 

rope and tent pegs. It stayed up nicely the whole time

and provided a good shade in the 90* weather.

Camping 101

Our first camping trip of the summer

was kind of a trial run, at

the park just a few miles from home...

 Drew and I spent the nights and the others

joined us as they could for dinner

or night visiting by the fire.

 The funnest part of every event is when the

grand kids join us, cause

they see it all through those fresh

little people eyes and the

exploring takes on a whole new exciting feel!

 I even had a chance to read a book

that I haven't read since my childhood-

it was the most relaxing time I've had

in several months...

Good for the soul:)



Glamping chair

Here is my first item to add to

my "glamping" supplies.

(glamping is camping w/ glamour;)

I found this basic camping chair in the garage

and because this kind of green is not

a favorite of mine

I made a cover in a nice neutral.

I had amazing amounts of trouble with

the fit but it's okay for sitting by the

tent and reading.