Tag: camping

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Places to Camp ~ Wagon Master RV Park

French Ethereal
Of all of the RV campgrounds
we have had the good fortune 
to visit and stay at
ONLY ONE 
Wagon Master RV Park
has friendly Alpacas!
*(:-)


It’s a lovely time of year to be 
up here at Wagon Master.  
The monthly newsletter encourages everyone 
to decorate for the holidays!
{and so they have!}


Wagon Master RV Park is located in lovely rural
Sanger, Texas
about an hour north of Dallas.
With a total population of under 10,000 people
in the city and where total cattle 
almost outnumber said folks
{just kidding!}
we are really enjoying the quiet and peace
of the countryside.

This watercolor-like photograph was taken about 6 miles east from the campground with my iPhone on zoom ~ shot through my car’s front window.

Wagon Master has about 100 campsites currently with
all of those as full hook-ups.
There is a waiting list for long-term sites
and surprisingly there are many
parks in the same good predicament
here in Texas!

The new office and home of the RV campground’s owners.
Every month or so there is a planned
event for campers.
And, every day you can come help
feed the alpacas
at their daily dinner time
at 4:30pm!

The onsite pool ~ just big enough for a little swim!

It’s really nice to take long walks around here and 
campers are friendly.
Besides an onsite pool, there is a laundry
available for washing needs
and it is open 24/7/365.
Everything has a fun western theme and I love the 
laundry’s parting theme as you 
exit the building:

“Don’t you just love those 12 seconds
when all of the laundry is done?”
Yes, yes I do!
I’m sure the alpacas do, too.
As always, feel free to share ~ thank you!!!
Have a great Monday,
Barb 🙂





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Places to Camp ~ Tombstone RV Park

French Ethereal
Camping in the wilds of
Tombstone, Arizona
has met its match
here at this RV Park and Campground…




Tombstone RV Park and Campground
1475 Highway 80
Tombstone, AZ 85638
520-457-3829
Please call for reservations and pricing
Taming Tombstone, at least when it comes to camping, Tombstone RV Park and Campground is just that with well~maintained grounds taken care of by three full-time camp hosts and staff who are a delight!  When you arrive, drivers guide you to your site on four-wheelers or golf carts and are nice enough to help even after the closing-hour of 6 p.m.  The camp’s laundry is open 24-hours, a nice change from what we were used to at our former location!  I used it the night we pulled in and it was clean and only $1.25/wash or dry.  Dryers run for 30 minutes so you may need to add a second dry for heavier loads.  There is a play area for children with swings and two horseshoe pits, as well as a recreation area inside the main building.  
Roads are quiet and dust-free with pea gravel keeping the desert dust in check.  Split-rail fencing and solar lights help keep the peace between camping neighbors as well as keeping with the western ambiance.  There is a play area for children with swings and two horseshoe pits, as well as a recreation area inside the main building.  The heated pool is also available and is open year-round.  A special fenced area for dogs to play in and “use the facilities” in is up near the office, too.  
Camping cabins are available for those who don’t own a tent or RV
but wish to come in and enjoy the camp.

Tombstones marking each campsite are one of the sweet highlights of this RV park!  There is also a corral and a small riding area ~ so bring your horses!  Beware tho ~  rattlesnakes are an ever-present possibility and signs are posted warning about this very thing.  Also, don’t leave your cats or dogs outside alone, especially at night.  Coyotes come through every night…

We found Tombstone RV Park and Campground to be a wonderful place to camp.  Everyone staying the weekend we were there were courteous and friendly.  Everyone was willing to visit and share stories about Tombstone.  Snowbirds and long-term residents enjoy the peace and price of the park, and when long-term stays open up each year, people are fighting and dueling to get-in!  


No wonder this place gets 
so many good reviews!

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed this little review
of
Tombstone RV Park and Campground!
It truly was a 
wonderful place to stay!

I’ll be sharing about the next RV parks 
we stay at soon…
For now, we are “on the road again…”
😉

Blessings to you,
Barb 🙂


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Places to Camp ~ Mayflower Park, California

French Ethereal
Mayflower County Park and Campground along the Colorado River

Today I’m reviewing 
Mayflower Park and Campground
in Blythe, California
for you!
Come along as we travel across the states
with our move to Texas!


The day use area with some tent camping spots beyond
Mayflower Park
4980 Colorado River Road
Blythe, CA 92225
**** 4.1 stars/5 per reviews {I agree!}
Call a minimum of 24 hours ahead for 
reservations ~ 1-800-234-PARK (7275)
Mayflower Park and Campground is part of the Riverside County Parks system and is a hidden jewel of a campground.  Right on the Colorado river with a boat marina providing access for canoes, kayaks and fishing boats, it couldn’t be easier to float, paddle or motor your way up or downriver.  There are fees for fishing and launching of watercraft payable at the main kiosk as you enter the park.  
The campground itself has 152 roomy RV sites (140 water and electric RV sites ~ with a separate dump station available for use as you leave the park; 12 full hook~up sites) and another 27 additional dry tent camping sites available to campers.  We arrived just after dusk so mosquitoes were out.  Keep that in mind if you come in the fall before the cold kills them off and bring plenty of bug repellant for the evening time.  A good campfire will help ward off insects, too. 
By morning, though, the pests were replaced with just lovely cool fall weather and the pleasant smell of freshly-cut alfalfa breezing in from nearby farm fields.  I took this bug-free opportunity to check out the river while walking my dog and spotted small bass and trout looking for their morning feed in the cobblestones lining the launch ramp.  

A gentle slope affords people with walking limitations easy access without fear of falling. Grooves in the pavement help prevent slipping.  My knees are beat up from old sports injuries and I found it easy to walk down and back up.

Tiny schools of fish swim near the water’s surface enjoying the morning sunshine’s warmth.

The best feature of Mayflower’s campsites ~ eucalyptus and other trees provide much needed shade for those hot weather months.  Park staff and camp hosts were friendly and the park is well maintained.  Definitely a place to return to in the future when we have more time to play!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this 
campground review!
Next camp review, I’ll be sharing our
stay at Tombstone RV Park as we
make our way across to Texas…
*Please let me know if there are any other parks 
you’d like me to review in the future or that 
you’ve stayed at and have really liked!
Happy Sunday to you!
Barb 🙂










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Sunday Sentiments ~ Stepping Out in Faith

French Ethereal
Stepping out in faith
Out of one’s comfort zone
into 
Light so beautiful
we would never want to leave…

Are you there yet?




The pond and surrounding woods of my parents’ last home ~ Southbury, Connecticut

We haven’t had
a Sunday Sentiments in a while
so I thought I’d share this today with you:


It’s hard to let go and “let God” 
but when we do 
He is able to do things more abundantly
do things better 
than we ever could on our own.

Our pastor would say that sometimes
and
it’s a good thought to just
Let It Go…

A photograph of our daughter {right} and one of her best friends ~ Venture Crew 604, BSA, 2010 ~ Idyllwild, CA.

Just a super quick Sunday morning post

to stop and say
I appreciate You!
And that’s why
I think it’s so important to share 
with you my heart for 
Jesus!
🙂
He is the Great Comforter!
So when you are lonely
or just need a shoulder
do consider giving Him a call…


Beautiful Texas gardens at Magnolia Market ~ The Silos


Long ago our pastor made a funny comment
that basically stated
“Don’t shove the Dove,”
so I do try NOT 
to do that here in this little old blog
but…
if you need to talk
or would like to know more about Jesus
and what He has done for you
in taking our sins on His shoulders
I’d be happy to share with you.


Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.



Sharing with
Creative Ways Link Party ~ Posed Perfection
http://www.posedperfection.com/2016/08/creative-ways-link-party-120-and.html
WOW Us Wednesdays ~ Savvy Southern Style
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/2016/08/wow-us-wednesdays-288.html#more
Feathered Nest Friday ~ French Country Cottage
http://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/

Blessings to you on this lovely
Sunday morning…
 and many Hugs,
🙂
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Camping Around South Dakota

French Ethereal

Checking out two lovely campgrounds
for you this week ~ the
KOA
in Yankton, SD
and a second KOA in 
North Sioux City, Iowa!




These photos were taken at the KOA in North Sioux City.
As you can see, this is totally a “kid’s paradise!”
There are three swing sets here, the kind like we used to play on as kids;
a couple of different areas with modern climbing
structures along with their big yellow slides; 
and 
a Frisbee golf course for “bigger kids.”
Campsites are roomy and extra long to accommodate large RVs and pull-thru campers.

In these next pictures you can see part of the Frisbee golf course…


Since we will be camping over most of the time
we are traveling here for 
our son and daughter~in~love’s
wedding
and afterwards as we take
our daughter
down to Texas, 
{she is moving~out with a friend and letting her wings fly!}
I’m glad I came over to check out this campground.
Both KOAs have pools and are pet~friendly
with areas to let your dog use the restroom as well
as letting them play with other dogs.
🙂

Justine, my daughter~in~law~to~be,
says there are quite a few campgrounds around here and that 
we can camp in Vermillion at one of the local parks.
There is usually a nominal fee to camp,
less than would be paid at a state or private park.


I had forgotten that you can camp at many parks 
here in South Dakota.
Peter and I did just so in DeSmet, South Dakota a few years ago.
When he and I drove out a few years ago with his “new” car,
We paid $8 to camp.  It was $10 to hook up an RV. 
Just drop a check in the mailbox attached to 
the park restrooms…
It’s all on the honor system which is lovely!


 If you go to DeSmet, be sure to stop by the
Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and giftshop!
Every year in July, the city puts on a pageant
with young actors and actresses portraying the life
and times of Laura Ingalls’ 1880’s life there on the
DeSmet prairie.
Check out there website for information on upcoming events
and to plan a vacation around them!


Happy camping this summer!
Blessings to you,
Uncategorized

Living in Small Spaces ~ Creative Campers!

French Ethereal
Hawaiian~style canned ham camper!

I’ve entitled this blogpost
“Living in Small Spaces ~ Creative Campers”
as it might seem really cramped at first 
to live this way 
every day,
but…
like many other things in 
our busy changing lives
we get used to it!
🙂

Today I thought I would share a couple of 
sweet campers 
that I’ve seen here lately.
I snapped this “canned ham” charmer 
up at the main entrance
on a recent Friday evening.
Isn’t it just darling?!
Oh, yeah!
I’ve seen my share of “off the RV block”
campers and motorized homes,
but the most endearing 
are the self-made and/or refurbished
camping homes.
😉
The owners of the palm tree~sporting beauty in the 
leading photograph are a fun couple who are
in a group of like-minded campers:
folks who love to “get out there and do!”
On the back of this little gem is the logo for
Sisters on the Fly.
(a reference to women who like to fly-fish, that is their logo)


If you’ve never heard of Sisters on the Fly
it’s a group of women who have their own RVs 
and who love to get together once a month or so
in a pre-planned adventure camping in the great outdoors.
{fishing is optional!}
The cost of a weekend trip includes your food and
is basically a great get-away just for women.
(no husbands, no kids, be nice, have fun! ~ and sometimes no pets ~ depends on the event hostess!)
Doesn’t that sound like your kinda get-away?
Yep, sounds wonderful to me!

photograph courtesy of Sister on the Fly

Click on the link below to go to the
Sisters on the Fly 
website:
http://www.sistersonthefly.com


Do check out their website, the amazingly cool painted campers
and the decor! Really Fun! REALLY FABULOUS!
~*~
You can be really decorative in your RV and
make it your own!
I’ve started a couple of changes inside our little home
that I will be sharing later this spring, and
Just this week I found a darling trailer 
with its Shabby Chic~colored bunting
proclaiming 
“Hoppy Easter!”
And, one last one that I posted right before Christmas
was this family’s darling trailer:

Just sooo charmingly 
decorated 
with an outdoor faux Christmas tree and twinkle lights!
(Sorry about my bad, blurry cell phone photo!)
~*~

If you have a travel trailer, a fifth-wheel
or a motorhome,
do decorate and make it your own!
That’s up on the docket for me this spring and summer…
🙂


Blessings and a Happy Monday
to you,
Uncategorized

Belated Christmas Wishes!

French Ethereal
On a Saturday early in December, I put on Josh Groban’s Christmas CD
and happily wrapped presents that would be heading to our son and his girlfriend in South Dakota,
 and for our daughter who still lives “at home”…  Homemade bows and gift tags were on the docket
that day!
Happy Christmas and a New Year’s Wishes
to you!
I hope you had a lovely Christmas Day
with family and friends.


We spent the day enjoying our first Christmas day
out in our new little
“home.”

A small card that I have had sitting in a drawer just waiting to be used… a little Scotch tape on the backside of its clear plastic cover stuck it beautifully to the wall of our camper ~ a copy to the large lithograph that lived in our bedroom
and is now waiting in storage.
I’ve been giving our little blog a lot of thought
this season…

It came to me a few days ago that with the changes we have undergone with our move this year,
French Ethereal
will also be undertaking some changes with the
New Year.

The folks at our campground are trying to get us better
internet service,
so…
I am hopeful I can get back to blogging
on a more regular basis!
(this would be wonderful!)

Also, I am hoping to decorate once in a while with some of our “goodies” from storage!
I have thought of several things to do and share with you
barring lots of rain!
😉
We have a little “shed” just behind where our trailer is parked
now and it now contains storage shelves for extra food stuff
as well as our vacuum and our Christmas present 
to each other ~ a new chest-style freezer!
(We can now eat and cook!)

Santa and Mrs. Claus sit on my little “shelf,” really the cornice box surrounding the window
to the left side of our queen bed.
French Ethereal will morph a bit into French (Camp) Ethereal
as I am working on decorating outside and will be getting
out in the garden more…
I’ll share more posts about the wildlife around here,
maybe some sweet hoof prints and hopefully catch
some of that wildlife on film for you!

A horribly blurry shot of the cutest camper all dressed for Christmas!
I blame it on the wind ~ not my lack of a tripod… 😉

Sharing with
Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage


Here’s to a wonderful 2016!
Happy New Year to you all!!!  🙂