Perfect R&R for Memorial Day Weekend

As much as I hate to say it, I usually spend Memorial Day Weekend doing yard work. There's a lot of it to do, because Mr. Ed and I live on acreage that likes to grow, grow, grow.

This year was different! Miss Debbie hosted a private campout at her splendid country home in northern Idaho, and the lucky guests, including yours truly, had an absolutely wonderful time of easy R&R. We set up our trailers on her expansive and perfectly groomed yard, and had her stocked fishing pond all to ourselves!

We rowed the pond, practiced fly fishing, and even caught 'Big Walter,' the pond's resident lunker. We put him back, of course, but he did get to see daylight for a few moments!

Debbie and her husband, Denny, spoiled us the whole time. Denny started our morning campfires and coffee, and then went inside the house to make us breakfast, which was served in the great room overlooking the pond and yard. And he refused to let us do the dishes! That's Miss Kim, above, warming up by the fire.

Check out the lovely shaded area for picnic tables. It was better than being at any public park.

Our thanks to Deb (shown above) and Denny for their gracious hospitality and pampering. What a treat!

Girl Campers and Fairy Wings...Seriously!

What do fairies, a forest, and frolicking have in common? Why, Miss Mig and her merry band of birthday celebrants, that's what.

Taking her cue from the original Girl Camp in Elk River, Idaho, Mig turned her forested property into a private campground that she dubbed Girl Camp North.

Everyone had plenty of room to spread out for a weekend of helping Mig celebrate her birthday.

Here's my trailer, Iron Pony, set up in space #10.

This yummy orange and white Shasta is Miss Lisa's. She is Mig's friend and neighbor and this was her first weekend with the Girl Camping gang.

She definitely fit right in! Wig, fur, prom dress, cowgirl boots...Lisa had it all goin' on.

Mig's mom, Dickie, fit right in too. Would you guess she is 91?! She slept out in her trailer and can rock a pair of zebra boots like nobody's business.

This HUGE umbrella was contributed to the new campground by Miss Carolyn. She'd had it stored for years, wasn't planning to use it, and made a gift of it to Mig. It created the central gathering spot for a chilly north-Idaho-in-May weekend.

Highlight of the birthday bash was the extreme silliness of dressing up in fairy costumes and donning giant lips that made noise like a kazoo. You haven't heard "Happy Birthday to You" until.....

Go Dickie, go!

Dickie and Mig, mother-daughter forest fairies!

Carolyn made a set of wings that lit up. Gotta hand it to her for creativity.

Miss Linner came up with an amazing ensemble, complete with feather eyelashes and a fairy tiara made of chicken wire tipped with bells.

Linner and the Birthday Girl.

Here's the fairy flock, minus Miss Yvonne, who had some family duties at that moment.

The Little Little Trailer can't wait until the next round of fun comes around!

Girl Camping Weekend, Coming Right Up!

After many months of anticipation (mental vitamin A!), two dozen galpals and I will camping together on a bend of The River of No Return. See the tiny blue dot? That'll be our campsite on the Salmon River, outside White Bird, Idaho.

Mr. Ed and I have had our Airstream at this location since the end of October, enjoying several winter getaways. Now I'll get to share this spot with a bigger batch of favorite folks, hoping they'll dig it as much as I have.

We'll surely come up with lots of new photos, so check back in a few days!