I have been wanting a bike rack on Prairie Flower for a long.....time. I look for them and just don't find one that will work for me. Last week I found just the one for my needs. It is a Swagman, and is on sale at Camping World.
The problem was that my trailer has this old time bumper, and every bike rack available will not fit it. The RV Store in Springfield Oregon is my go to place for my vintage trailer. The man who owns the store has been in business for a long time and will work on my trailer.
The trailer had a custom welded bracket attached to the bumper, and welded stabilizers attached to strengthen the bumper. The nice advantage is that I can remove the rack when I don't want it on my trailer.
I am happy to show it to you.
My 1963 Schwinn is in place, just the right bike for Prairie Flower.
I am sorry for the blurry pic.....this is the kitchen area of Prairie Flower. I hope that you enjoy this photo anyway.
I just returned home today, from a 5 day camping trip in Central Oregon. I selected a campground that I have never stayed in. My choice was good, I got a good site. The view was OK, the breeze was good, the mosquito's were zero!
I do need to go out into nature for my well being. I need quiet, and nature to center myself - to balance myself - to think and relax. Good sleep and simple eating, are important. I have easy to make backpacking food, fresh fruit, and some special snacks.
I did some organizing and got a good amount completed. I completed 2 books, and played the ukulele.
And................I am very happy to report....no mice got inside. I chose the campsite partly due to the fact there was no grass nearby...I think that mice live in areas where they can hide. Now, I am not afraid of mice.....they are just a darn nuisance #$%&* when I have to trap them in my trailer.
I keep all food inside a vintage metal camp cooler, and a heavy duty pink Yeti ice chest. There is no food they can get to. In fact, I often keep the metal cooler and ice chest outside on the picnic table. All food waste is put in the garbage daily.
PS - I finally got the comment section turned on.
I am taking out Prairie Flower tomorrow. The first time this year. Where? I am going to central Oregon, near the location of this pic. My friends in a women's camping group are meeting for the weekend. I hope to have plenty of quiet time, when the gals are out in their kayaks.
Many thanks to Juli Thorson for this photo! I completely wish that I was there in White Bird Idaho.
Sisters on the Fly had a huge gathering in Roundtop, Texas last weekend, at the Junk Gypsies, of course that distance is a long, long, long, trip for me.
I have an upcoming trip in mind. However, it is dependent on the weather.
I found this cute small (3"x 4.5") frame at a junk store. I made it mine with a new pic and a broken jewelry bit. Some command strips will attached this to the wall of Prairie Flower.
Take are everyone, we will have better weather sometime soon!
Well, I sorta forgot that I didn't all the photos on the blog. Here is the last 2017 photo. The bed area is difficult to photograph because it is a little dark inside. The area is both table and benches, and the bed. I decided to forgo the table and make a fabulous sleeping area. The bed is about a 3/4 full size...meaning it is really small for two people. That is OK, there is enough room for me and all these pillows. I made a duvet cover with the same fabric that the curtains are made from...(came with the trailer) and use a down alternative comforter. The foam bench cushions are not very comfortable, so I have two pillow toppers that are twin size stacked. I made the bed with vintage pink floral sheets that I found, they were still in the original packaging. The pillows are an eclectic mix that have down inserts. The upper bunk is used for storage, I have most anything that I might need inside the trailer. Note the two LED lanterns hanging above the bed...I don't bother with a battery, I use LED battery lights...or solar lights. The entire girly decor works for me...and it keeps the man from wanting to use it. The funny thing is that all his friends are curious and ask me if they can see the inside. It makes me smile when I show off my 1963 Aloha trailer.
The trailer is inside our shop building, and I have no worry about it getting wet and leaking. I put my chairs, coolers, umbrellas, and water jugs inside. They stay clean inside and I do keep track of my stuff that way. There is no water, and I don't need to worry about anything freezing. It is snug and secure, but if a place to sleep is wanted...there are many things to move inside the trailer.
Well, OK, it is blurry, I am sorry about the poor quality of this photo. This is the kitchen area at the back of my 1963 Aloha. I love the birch paneling, not painting it ever! The door is on the left side and is open to let extra light inside. The right side is the closet door that you saw in the last post. The stove has an oven that does not work. I store stuff in there. I do have a turquoise stove in the shop to restore and it will look pretty in here.
There is a vintage red polka dot enamel tea kettle, several mugs, and floral bowl in this photo.
I know that many of you would like to get a tour of Prairie Flower. She is pretty plain on the outside. The interior is completely different...I have made the trailer into my personal retreat. I like a Retro, Boho, Gypsy, and Camping look. How does that combine? Please take a look...and remember I change things around frequently. I am a junker, and I find things to put to use in my trailer....
This is the back corner, and opposite the outside door. Kitchen area, and this is the door to the closet, storage, and porta potty area. I believe that the stove and mirror are the original 1963 fixtures.
More to come..............
Here I am, on the road with Prairie Flower (this photo was taken July 2017). This road is the South Cascades Scenic Byway, about a one hour drive from my home. I drove over a mountain pass on Oregon Hwy 58, and the Central Oregon location is beautiful.
Now that the weather is going to be very nice...I am going out again This will be the last camping trip of 2017. I am meeting some friends at La Pine State Park. The campground is open with the electric hookups available. There are nice restrooms with showers.
I hope to have some nice photos to share and details about my few days of play next week.
I would think with all my junking, flea markets, antique store and fairs....that I would have found 2 plates like this one. I did get a mug about two years ago. The plates are a hard find, I am wanting 2 10" floral plates...meanwhile I have 2 plastic plates to use. I don't want to use any glass in Prairie Flower, rough rides do break things. I am keeping my fingers crossed!
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| from Juli Thorson |
One of the Girl Camping women, Juli Thorson, shared her mini fireplace electric heater on facebook. It is a tiny fireplace that puts out enough heater for a small vintage travel trailer. It sits on the kitchen stove, decorated as you wish. They cost about $50 on-line. I would like to get one to use in Prairie Flower, when I have electricity in the fall, or cold spring. I imagine that sleeping with this glowing would be terrific. Cute!!
Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, Its on a trip I go! I am driving over the Oregon Cascade Mtns, to the Sisters, OR area. Our first trip of 2017, am I excited! Yes...very....
and I have reservations at a campground. I am packing up 2 Ukuleles, songbooks, and other special stuff. So happy!
I have spent many hours working on this project. This is some progress, but far from completed. I purchased many of the storage bins and the shelves at Ross. I love the discounts and prices at Ross. I looked at Hobby Lobby, Michael's, TJ Maxx Homegoods, and Marshall's. I went to every Ross in the area to get all the same items for this project... I also used all kinds of thrift store things that I have painted and changed to fit my style. The project is taking a long time. The problem is that I have supplies storage in several places and it is not organized. I keep finding things that need to fit into the shelves for that item. I am moving all my stuff out of the guest room tomorrow, and clearing that space of all the stuff. I am making good progress, considering all the things I am doing.
Friday is a big day, I will being taking my trailer on the first glamping weekend of 2016!!! Yay!!! Tomorrow, I will getting ready, so much to do.
The Aloha Trailer on the left is mine! The Terry on the right is the big one Hubby and I use together. The sizes are very different 13 feet compared to 27 feet. The big Terry is a cabin on wheels.
Today, I hooked up my 1963 Aloha (Prairie Flower) and took her out of the shop for the first time this year. I needed to go inside and take care of a few things. I stored my camping gear inside her during the off season...so some things are not needed for the weekend and came out for right now. I still need to check the tires for proper inflation. I used to stop by the local tire center and the young men there would do this....but no more, the place is shuttered...closed. I do not have water tanks, so no checking water lines or un-winterizing them.
I cleaned and made up the bed with fresh linens last fall. I washed all the dishes, etc. and stored them inside plastic totes last fall. I put all the food in a plastic tote inside the house.
I had two incidents with one mouse, each time, last summer...and there is no sign of any rodents now. This is good, because I spent time last summer to close up any tiny place where there might be entry. I am hopeful that it is a success. It is a big deal, to trap them and then cleanup the whole trailer and get under the trailer to find any spot that might be an entry place. I know that both times the mouse got inside while parked in the shop.
Well, I hope that I got it done....but, I still have two mouse traps stored under the sink, in case. The Girl Scout Motto, Be Prepared. I didn't have any traps with me at the time...and none of my Camptown Girls had any with them. It was a bummer! I had to travel to the nearest town to get some. I did not care to hear one mouse running around when I was trying to sleep. To tell you the truth the first night I heard something, but wasn't sure. The second night the noise was more and I knew. I trapped it on the third night. I really don't want that experience again................ugh. When I removed all the copper pipes, there were holes between cabinets and that was a perfect spot for the mouse to move thru, these are now all covered with metal screwed into place. I also found three holes to the exterior that went through the floor. These are currently covered with metal and screws holding them in place, inside and outside.....I am not taking any chances. (You know what....I did not have this happen during the summer 2013. This is why I was shocked last summer.)
Summer 2014
A good idea for my trailer, that has no water tanks. A vintage 2 gallon Coleman Water Jug. I have 2 of these in the dark forest green. I saw this one in great shape and after checking it out for gunk and smells... I brought it home. I think that a little outside cleaning, and filling the inside with fresh water with a few drops of bleach should make it just fine. Now...I will be able to bring 2, 4, or 6 gallons of fresh water, if needed. I carry them inside my tow vehicle when full of fresh water, to cut down the weight in my trailer. Sometimes a campground will not have fresh water available..and this is a good alternative for me.
I have been looking for a beach umbrella for a while.
My search has not been successful until today...I have not found any, zero....
I knew that there was a sale going on at this place...
The location - World Market
The price - on sale $9.99
World Market has these on sale right now.
There are 5 or 6 fabric choices.
Nice selection of fabrics, stripes, florals, and several color choices.
Here is a close-up of the fabric that I liked best. A paisley print with background of dark coral, and shades of blue. The fabric is unique and so very fun!
Well, with that great price and knowing I would never find another one exactly the same....I brought home 2.
My plan is to take them in my glamper, Prairie Flower for shade. They will not see a real seashore...but maybe a lake shore.
Fabulous!!!!
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| Coleman Camp Oven |
Well, I took Prairie Flower (my vintage trailer) to a repair shop last week. I had several small things to be done on it, and 2 major things. The oven of the vintage trailer stove would not light for me....so, I asked them to check it out and see if it could work. The bad, sad, news is no. What to do? I could just forget about it, and go on my merry way....and I might do that! Or, look into one of these collapsible Coleman Camp Oven's. Or, just use my dutch ovens in the fire coals...and I have done that before. Or, try to locate an old stove with a working oven to replace the current one. I do like this idea best. Hum...I am just going to think about it for awhile.
The good news about the trailer is that everything else is completed. Yes!
I have had to stay home for the last several days due to the freezing conditions and the extremely bad roads. I have a SUV with 4 wheel drive, so it is bad when I don't go out. My time has been spent in my studio, working on crafts. I got this rag doll at a thrift shop. She was as plain as can be, I changed all that one day. I added the apron, lace, crochet, jewelry and do-dads. I have further plans. I want to do something with her hair, and add more trims. This is a work in progress, and I like to overdo sometimes. I call her my Brave Girl Doll, Prairie Girl.
Today, I went to our little town. 3000 souls and there isn't much to offer for entertainment. I stopped by a friends home for tea, and went to the thrift store. What a score...they were just pricing and putting out a huge collection of vintage sewing trims. I just selected my favorites and barely touched this collection. I found many vintage crochet laces...just my thing for crafting. Yes!! I am going to have fun. I got a tiny size pink trim that is going to be perfect for the rag doll's hemline, and maybe for her sleeves.
This vintage trailer is decorated in a cowgirl theme. Some cute things here, the cowgirl pillow and the coffee pot caught my eye. Last Sunday, when I went to the vintage fair...I hoped to find a great coffee pot for Prairie Flower. I only found pots that where in terrible condition, or the good ones were very expensive. I just don't think that I need a $60 coffee pot. There was a vendor with french enamel coffee pots, the pots were very pretty with nice price tags too. Oh well, my search will continue...if I only knew someone going to France...
One of my few finds is a vintage floral tablecloth that has a few holes and frayed edges. I am going to cut it up into tea towels for Prairie Flower. The result will be fun...............
The past week has brought many storms to this area. The fortunate thing is that there has been heavy rainfall. This means some fires...small and only a few fires...a good thing. The Forest Service has most of the fire fighters out of the state, Idaho has a big one in Sun Valley.
The camping trip that I just missed, had several storms and heavy rain. I am kinda relieved that I stayed home. I went junking today, and found a few great things for Prairie Flower...another vintage enameled metal floral dish and 4 vintage wood hangers for my clothes. I also found some crafting supplies, always good!
