Thursday, May 10, 2012

What's For Dinner?


Strawberries and asparagus. This might be the last of the asparagus. I did not freeze any. We ate it all. We have had asparagus twice a week since it started popping out of the ground. Maybe next year will yield more and we will get sick of eating it ....... maybe. Strawberries are coming in so fast. Two days ago I picked about five quarts and two days before that the same amount. I shared my bounty with some of my campers and then froze about 4 quarts for my favorite son-in-law. He makes mead. Don't tell him I think the stuff tastes nasty ......... but I love him and will freeze more strawberries and peaches for him.


You may be wondering what I have been up to as the race to get everything done by Memorial Day continues. This little table was left in the trash by some kampers. It is a cool little table. The legs fold up and the table top rolls up. I painted the legs black and was about to do the same to the top when I put it on. Then I started looking at the slats of wood and thinking about a checker board. After carefully counting the slats, I found I had enough for two games. The table sits low, so we cut the legs on the stools lower. I am recovering them with a watermelon print and waiting for my frog erasers to get here to use as the game pieces.


The big leather sofa will no longer fit in my little living space. I wanted to remove it entirely, but he who threw his back out wasn't up to the task. Then I was struck with an epiphany. My small sitting room could handle two love seats. I suggested to he, who hates to hear "Honey, I have an idea ....." from me, that we cut the middle seat out of the sofa and then join the two ends to create a love seat. We could then use the middle to create an ottoman. He looked at me like I had two heads.

Now, before you picture a chainsaw ripping into the sofa, I had a plan. It involved carefully taking the stitching out of the leather across the back of the sofa, the cutting through the frame on each side and uniting the pieces, then I would either sew the leather or use decorative tacks. I know it would work. I watch HG TV, for heavens sake.

But my kampers all voted to keep the sofa in the store and I am too busy to implement my plan. Just don't be disappointed when it is gone next season and I have had a whole winter to play with my idea.......

 Pool toys at the ready and plenty of Coke product for hydration.


I am still playing with this wall. I like the clothesline and spent a rainy afternoon putting the rope lights up. Now I don't like them. I had over 60 garments to display. I have sold some and will need to get busy making more.


Sock monkeys hanging on a rope, tea cozies and stained glass in the case. My Daddy built the case.


Used to be the living room. The church pew and tables fit just like I imagined they would. Those gourds are the ones I cleaned last weekend while I was stuck inside.


Wide shot of the room. Another table and chairs. TV on the wall. Movies to rent. I am still not done displaying merchandise. I will do that this weekend when I am confined to the store. Too much to do outside right now.


T-shirts ready, flannel pants, too.


Need more candy and chips. He who loves chocolate has been eating the Hershey bars!


I will enjoy my freedom until the pool opens. Then I will be confined to the store and the snow cone machine. Such is the life of a kampground owner!

As I have been out mowing sites and weeding, always weeding, I have had much solitude and time to ponder. I think that is why I like to mow. The noise of the machine isolates me and my mind is free to complete a thought. While I like to paint, I always have the phone at my side. Have to get those reservations, you know. And answer questions.

My new favorite is the young woman who called to inquire about camping. I answered lots of her questions about the amenities of the park, the hot showers and the pool. She asked how much a hot shower cost and I told her it was included with her stay ....... "Do you charge money for camping?"

"Look, Daddy, they got snow cones here!! Can I have one? It's only a dollar."  Daddy answers with, "Nope, they must be out, I don't see none made." I had to explain that you can't make them up and display them ......... they will melt. Just like snow.

10 comments:

Brian Miller said...

looking very cool...it will be here soon...i like what you are doing refurbishing the table as well...and you can have the asparagus, i will take the strawberries...smiles.

Carol said...

Nope we don't charge for camping, we only charge for showers, one each per person per camping unit per day, so, 2 of you camping, 2 showers, fee is $XX.XX per day (whatever your nightly fee is). Cheap for a shower, eh??

Where DO you find these people?? Ohhh, they find you. GULP.

Val said...

I had already formed my image of the chainsaw chewing up the sofa. And how greedy of you to actually CHARGE people for parking overnight at your campground. Seriously! They could park for free on a Walmart lot, and just pay you for showers.

Linda O'Connell said...

Honestly, I used to be an avid camper, but your experiences far outshine mine with ditzy campers. You have your place looking cozy!

Chickadee said...

I LOVE the store! It looks homey and cozy. A little taste of home.

And those gourds...you could make Purple Martin houses (or just plain ole' bird houses) out of those because Purple Martins nest in gourds. I've also seen Prothonotary Warblers use them as well. As to how you make a nest cavity out of a gourd, I have no idea, but I have seen them.

And those strawberries look sooo good!

Lorenza said...

It looks grrrreat!
My mom says she'd love to spend all day long there!
I love when you tell us about those conversations with campers!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Kathy G said...

I'd eat strawberries and asparagus for dinner ANY day!

Joanne Noragon said...

And so it begins. Your store looks just like a campground store should. I feel like I remember it from my childhood, so it's just about perfect.

joanne said...

such an amazing amount of work to bring everything together, but you've done it and it looks fantastic! Makes me want to go back to my camping days...;j

Teresa said...

your store looks wonderful!

lol at the comments you get. amazing that these people can find their way home (or wherever they're going).

love what you did to the camping table! very cute. laughed out loud at the image of converting the sofa into a love seat. lol!