Last week we went over to Rattler Ford for a few days of camping. The campground is set up for groups. In our bunch we had about five tents and three campers.
Our church has been going to the campground every summer since the girls were little. We haven’t got to go with them in many years and are so glad it all worked out this time.
Corie, Austin, and Woodrow had prior plans and weren’t able to go with us, but there were lots of other kids to entertain Ira. He had a ball!
Matt wore the creek out but didn’t get much to show for his efforts. Katie fished with him one day while Ira and I took a nap. She didn’t have much luck either.
A few of us went and hiked the trails at Joyce Kilmer one day. I’ve been there several times, but am still amazed by the old growth trees.
On one trip to the campground when the girls were little someone found a small heart shaped rock and gave it to Katie. She still has it all these years later. What I remember most about that trip is that she lost it and it took everybody there to find it so she’d quit worrying us all to death 🙂
It has often rained from evening thunderstorms when we’ve camped at Rattler Ford, but this year it was all dry weather which was nice.
The ride between here and there is beautiful anytime of the year so we enjoyed the trip from the start. It’s a nice well maintained campground with stunning views everywhere you look. If you ever need a place for a group camping trip you might want to check it out.
The host told us in the future the whole place is going to be redone. All of us were in agreement when he said he sure hoped they don’t change it too much.
Last night’s video: First Mess of Fried Squash with Creamed Spinach and Cornbread = YUM!
Tipper
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Ethelene Dyer Jones. Tipper, any idea whatever happened to Ethelene Dyer Jones?
She passed away several years ago David. You can read about it here: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/remembering-ethelene-dyer-jones-a-friend-to-the-blind-pig-and-the-acorn/ I miss her!
Miss. Tipper sounds like your camping trip was awesome. I have always loved camping. Sadly we haven’t been years. I hope y’all don’t mind my living through y’all vicariously. Here’s wishing I’d been camping with y’all. Prayers for all in need in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Have a wonderful weekend celebrating our country’s 250 Birthday. HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY to everyone. God bless our country and all Americans!
I have very fond memories of camping with my family every single summer of my childhood and even into adulthood. As an adult, I think back and realize how much work went into making this yearly experience happen on my parents end with seven children. Some of the very sweetest memories of my life! We sometimes camp in a tent on our property as we have a fire pit by the pond with lots of pine trees. That is our extent of camping in our family so far. My husband always says he has spent enough time “camping” due to his 20 year tour in the Army and four deployments. lol. I am glad that you all had such a wonderful time! I think it is really neat that your church does this together annually. 🙂
I’m glad to hear about your successful camping adventure. It’s all worth it if Ira had a great time, but since you all had fun, I am delighted for you. It’s too bad about not catching anything fishing, but you can go to a trout farm or go when they release fish for better success on that (like I’m a fishing person.) It’s been a good week for me and I’m doing stuff on my own and have reclaimed my independence. I’ve just decided to be assertive and kind… Murrman is at his sister’s and it’s been nice for me… it’s hot, but what can we do? Have a blessed day everybody. Oh yes-the nasturtium is coral, yellow and red… it’s just pretty… I thought of you and that you’d like it too….have a good one.
I’m not a fan of camping but I have been to Joyce Kilmer a couple of times. It’s very impressive! Watching your video about the month of June was a good one . Stay cool. It’s so hot and humid in Monroe, Georgia that I don’t enjoy being outside.
My husband and I enjoy camping, but we haven’t gotten to go for a long time. Happy to see your garden is doing well!
I have fished at Rattler Ford in the past. My luck was no better than Matt’s. Had better luck on the Snowbird.
Morning Everyone. My dad worked hard, but when his 2 week vacation came, off we went. One week was going to Disneyland or Knotts Berry farm, the next week was usually camping. My dad and brother in a tent me and my mom in the back of the car. I’m scared of bugs. My parents didn’t watch us much, I guess they thought I had common sense. Looking back I’m surprised we didn’t get hurt, California has too many mountain lions and bears. The most interesting trip was when my kids were early teen agers. Only 2 went with us. At night we were visited by a bear. This camp site had many campers all spread out. There were men who worked and lived there. This bear was a regular, never hurt anyone. The men would get in their trucks and shoo her off. She was just after carless campers goodies. Our tent was backed up to a boulder so we had only 3 sides for her to come by. And she did. The walls of the tent went in and out from her breath. We didn’t breathe so not to frighten her. Next morning was like nothing happened. Looking back that was the most fun. Looking back we did alot of dumb things.
I love camping but I swear we always find the hardest possible way to go about it lol. What we’ve been doing the past 10 yrs or so is going with my husband’s people and loading up all our camping gear and driving to Fontana. When we get to the dock we have to wait for whoever got down there first to bring the boat amd pick us up…that means unloading everything from the truck to the boat. Then we boat out to the campsite and when we get there which is usually after dark, we have to unload everything again and set up by lantern and fire light. We only ever stay for the weekend so it’s all that on Friday night and then packing everything up and doing it all again in reverse on Sunday afternoon. This year I told Tim I’m gonna need a camper or at least a spot somewhere we can drive to. Roughing it is fun…but it’s not as much fun when you start getting older! Gotta work smart not hard, right? Or at least not the hardest way imaginable! Haha
Good morning Tipper! Our kids grew up camping, they loved it! We had so much fun, now they’re just good memories to look back on. The nice thing is that now they both love to camp with their families. It’s wonderful getting out and being in nature. My husband and I are blessed because we live in the middle of nowhere, it’s beautiful! God is so good!
good night Linda God bless you
The camping trip sounds so fun. In years past our church got together for a camp out in what is known as the Flint Hills of Kansas. It was always such a fun time.
we visited western North Carolina once and hiking at Joyce Kilmer was one of the highlights for us. I cannot believe we were right in your backyard, so to speak, and were not familiar with you at that time. It would have been another highlight to meet the Pressley’s.
Praying for Papaw Tony.
aah – the wonderful memory making times of camping – so happy y’all had a great time – but as I am not fond of snakes, I’m not sure about the name of the campground you went to! 🙂 I sure do miss the camping life my John & I enjoyed over our years.
Rattler is a fairly common surname in Graham County. They are members of the Eastern band of the Cherokees. I don’t know for sure if there is a connection to Rattler Ford but I suspect the Ford was named for a family of Indians, not a den of snakes.
I feel sorry for anyone camping right now in my neck of the woods unless they are in an air conditioned camper, I just looked, the heat index is already 98 degrees this morning and expected to be well over 100 by the afternoon. Tipper mentioned not much luck fishing, I don’t know if the trout were stocked in the river they were fishing but have been told that in SC the Walhalla’s fish hatchery will stop stocking in June, July, August and maybe the first weeks of September or until the hot summer temperatures started cooling off.
There is camping, as in roughing it “out back of beyond,” as Jim Casada has written, and then there’s camping in an expensive motor home with tv and hot showers. It is all good and enjoyable family fun. So is a backyard bonfire on a summer night. I pity anyone who missed out on such simple pleasures growing up.
Gene, I guess we were “semi roughing it.” My wife and I started out in a Coleman canvas tent and then after our daughter was born we bought a used 1970 model Cox pop up camper, it was not much more than a tent on a trailer. None of the ones I mentioned had more than pop up campers with no air conditioning. My wife’s granddaddy I mentioned used the back of 1962 Ford Falcon van for his motor home! Btw, Danny and his family would usually be with us.
My parents built beds and such in their truck bed and we used that for a while. Then one year after we had two little boys, they bought a hardly used pop-up camper and gave it to us. What a wonderful gift for us. We had a medium size lake not too far from us and my husband would reserve a place for the weekend and we would camp up there. He had a little fishing boat and that was perfect, the boys could fish for a while and then go down to the little beach and swim for a while. It was great to sit around the fire at night too. Wonderful memories!
Tipper, I was delighted to see your happiness in picking and cooking your first yellow squash. I was just that excited this morning when I picked my first yellow squash and a huge handful of green beans. It’s only me now so just that picking will be a mouth-watering supper for me:) I also will go out and pick a big red tomato near supper time. Tommy toes are getting ripe too and I’ve been picking strawberries from the ever-bearing plants my son bought me last year. Oh so sweet. I’m going to check out Malabar Spinach as I’ve never grown it but it sure looks good. Oh and Mother and I have always sliced our yellow squash in rounds but I may try to slice in length wise like you did. I always saute mine in olive oil or butter:) I have zucchini about ready to pick too, like the yellow squash they seam to grow 3″ over-night:)
Praying for Norman, Papaw Tony, and B. Everybody drink water and during this extreme heat stay in the A/C. Matt don’t you be out there in the heat of the day. It’s suppose to be 100 degrees today in SC PA but the heat index will be more than that.
thank you dee, God bless you very much
Thank you, Dee. God bless you
Tipper, I’m so glad your family finally got to go with the group and just get away for a few days. Maybe Corie’s family can join you all next year and complete the family getaway. Camping has always been one of my favorite activities, but I’ve only been able to go a handful of times. My ex didn’t like the work that went into preparing for the trip. Things like carrying the totes of food and other supplies I had packed was just too much. I bought a used Winnebago that soon became a lawn ornament because I couldn’t find the courage to drive it and travel alone like I thought I could. I’ve still got some time left to live my dream before I get too old to carry those totes.
In the future I’m going to be redone too!
Looks like a fun a place to go, and builds good family bonds and with others you meet. I am glad you all had a great time. I have never been camping. And I will keep B. in my prayers.
Thank you, Rebecca. God bless you
Our daughter and I camped some when she was little. We thought we were going to freeze to death one night high on a mountain in California. We prepared the wood for our breakfast prep. the night before so all we had to do was strike a match to get the fire going the next AM. We stood over it shivering for several minutes waiting for the Sun to get to us. We found a place at a lower altitude for the next night. My wife’s idea of camping is a hotel with poor room service.
I am not a happy camper, haha!!! That is, I have no desire to pack an haul allof the equipment and set it up, see what I forgot, sleep on the ground in a tent and find/share a potty/poo and hopefully shower. I AM a HUGE fan of the beautiful outdoors and any form of water feature that allows an inviting fire to be responsibly built and enjoyed. My camping friends (all have RVs) know this lol I get invited for cookouts and days on the lake, floating on their tri-toon. I bring what I want to drink and a case of their favorite beverage/bag of ice and a gift card for gas. I always stay and help dock the boat and clean whatever needs helped with before my leave taking to head home to my own bed. I will have had the most amazing day spent with friends and they will have had a very appreciative guest. This has been taking place for 25 years and included her young children and 2 of my 3 young grandchildren. All of our babies are now young adults and the best & most unique happening is that my first great granddaughter and her first grandson were born last year on June 26th and we (separately in IL & NV) celebrated first birthdays♡ Reading about Ira’s first camping trip was so sweet. What a precious memory for you all and something he’s going to look forward to for years to come. Hopefully next time he’ll get to show the ropes to Woody! Tipper, so glad you guys were able to pick more black raspberries and share more jelly with Papaw Tony-prayers!!
Sounds like you had a lovely time!
“A few of us went and hiked the trails at Joyce Kilmer one day. I’ve been there several times, but am still amazed by the old growth trees….” “Poems are made by fools like me/But only God can make a tree.” — Joyce Kilmer, from the poem “Trees”
Hi Tipper and Acorns. TH for the lovely stories everyone. I haven’t been camping in over 40 years. I’ve been to busy being a single Mom and working 2-4 jobs at a time to make ends meet. Katie and Corie are so blessed to have a church and family that knows how to and wants to help out. Ed and I have never had that. We have been blessed by the Love of GOD and the kindness of a few friends over the years. I keep everyone here and up Wilson Holler in my prayers and I thank you all for being prayer warriors for one another. Ed and I are ever so blessed by everything you do for us and your prayers have made a big difference in our lives. I love y’all.
thank you for praying for me please continue to do so, God bless you very much
I like camping at Rock Creek lake, above the Ranger camp in Dahlonega Georgia as a child, opening day of trout season, the lake was full of fish, we had a great time, Rock Creek road, Forrest service road 69
We love to camp, I grew up camping with dad and my sister and was lucky enough to see a lot of this wonderful country we call home. My husband and I continue that tradition now that we’re retired and we also took our kids camping as they were growing up on different vacations and weekend trips. Camping is just a great time to bond with your family and friends.
Camping is relaxing and so much fun. My Daddy took our family of six on our first camping trip in 1964. I was fifteen and I just fell in love with it. He bought a huge three room tent, sleeping bags, bought each person a fold up stool to sit on, a camp stove, and lantern. Our aunt, uncle, and cousins went with us which made it even more enjoyable. We went to Washington DC and toured the capitol, camped in Cook Forest State Park in Pennsylvania and some other parks in Virginia and Kentucky. Later my own family went out west to Yellowstone, the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, and other places. We had a pop-up camper that we used for many years. My three children said that when they returned to school in the fall they had no trouble writing about “What did you do over the summer?” Camping is a great way to see the country and get away from the pressures of life.
That picture around the fire ring looks like a good place to tell old stories to the next generation! Glad you got to enjoy this! I love to camp, but it’s always good to get back home too.
When my daddy got cancer he moved their camper to a permanent spot next to a lake. He practically lived there for a long time. He said it helped him process things. He liked being outside in nature. It was so hard to go get that camper after he passed away. We spent so much time there with him. So grateful for the time together and memories it gave us.
Update on B.
Her scans came back. The doctor said the radiation stabilized the tumor. It hadn’t grown or spread. However, they found a spot outside the brainstem which is rare in DIPG patients. She did get to start the trial treatment on Tuesday. We continue to pray for a miracle. Her Mamaw said her little body has been through so much and she is tired, but she’s a fighter! Thank you for your prayers!
Thank you for the update. I will keep praying!
Thank you, Tipper. I pray for Papaw Tony. God bless y’all
God bless B , in the name of Jesus, heal and make well, Lord Jesus
Thank you, Norman. I pray you’re getting answers and help. God bless you!
I’m so happy to hear about the stabilization and will double down on prayers and healing thoughts on this new spot they found. Words none of us dealing with cancer want to hear but my heart just breaks when its a child suffering. Bless you, bless you little B♡
God bless you, Kim. I appreciate you!
Some of the happiest times of my life was camping with family and friends at Oconee State Park located at Mountain Rest, SC. This would have been in the late 70’s and 80’s. My children were young when we would do this and loved it. At times there would probably be around 25 maybe a few more of us doing this. Now it is sad to say most of the ones that did this have now passed on and is now just a good memory but also a hurting sad memory of happy times spent in the past with family and friends. Enjoy the good times spent with family while you can.
A few days ago I wrote about this, my wife’s grandfather would go with us and would be up cooking country ham he had cured from his own hog at first light. He would stink up the park with the smell of the ham. The park ranger had became friends with him and would come by and eat breakfast with him.
You got my attention right off with “Rattler Ford”. There is a Rattler Ford in Marsh Creek in McCreary County, KY where I have spent some time, long ago. We four were also campers while the kids were in grade school. Part of that time we had a tent, then later a popup camper. I wouldn’t take anything for those memories. The places we went were nice but the very best part was the time together. If in the mountains, our son Adam wanted to put green rhododenron leaves on the fire because they made a popping sound. He called them “poppy leaves”. Then there were the mosquitoes at Crooked River State Park in South Carolina. Fierce, they were, and more than a few.
Ron, it does not matter, but I think Crooked River State Park is in Georgia. Mosquitoes are bad no matter where they are. My brother in law was in the 82nd airborne at Fort Bragg in the early 1970’s, he said the mosquitoes were so big there they were filling them up with jet fuel one night before they realized what they were.