Photos from our camping trip - Part 2

A pretty wooded area near our campsite.




Another wooded area near our campsite. You can see the lake (sort of) in the background.



"Is this burning an eternal flame?" Only until the citronella oil runs out! LOL! This is one of the little containers we burn citronella oil in to keep the mosquitoes away.

We had a great time - the weather was nice, a little warm even. The pool at the campsite was not open, however, and the son was very unhappy. I chalk it up to the cuts in funding that occurred under Gov. Blagojevich. :/

Hope you enjoyed the photos! Next time, I'll talk about menu planning. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Photos from our camping trip - Part 1

Here is our screen house with the lights on it. We didn't buy enough to go all the way around. That's my husband in the red shirt, next to his truck.


Here is the front of the screen house.


Here is our tent.


Here is the fire pit. When you look at the grill, now you see why I recommend you use aluminum foil on it.




Here is the whole campsite.

More photos on the next post.

Camping tomorrow night!

As I type this, it's 9:54 p.m Central Standard Time. Tomorrow night at this time, I'll be sitting in front of the campfire, probably drinking a beer. After all, I won't have to drive! LOL! I'll be looking at more beautiful stars than I would ever see in the city. Saturday morning, after our morning grocery store run and gas station run (for the local newspapers), I'll walk down and take a look at the lake. I just have to get through tomorrow at work!

I've been busy all evening packing stuff to take. Hubby went to the store today to get groceries for the trip. He went to the shed to get out the camping stuff that is stored there. I had to keep nagging the 12 year old son to pack his clothes - he was too busy listening to music on the computer. :rolleyes (P.S.: Blogger, we need smilies!)

Hubby will pack up my Jeep Liberty while I'm getting dressed for work. So as not to have breakfast dishes sitting all weekend, he'll run to the store & buy donuts for breakfast. We have foam cups for milk.

We may come back home late Sunday afternoon - son is in marching band and is marching in a Memorial Day parade Monday morning. He has to be at the school at 8 a.m., and our favorite campground is 45 minutes away from home.

Once I get home, I'll post about our trip. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Food preparation

A big hello to my followers! Thanks for reading!

Unless you're planning on going to fast food restaurants during your camping trip (not very cheap and not very good for you), someone is going to have to cook. That is, unless you weren't going to eat, which is not likely since the fresh air and all the outdoor activity will increase appetites. In this post, I will discuss how to cook in the great outdoors.

Camp sites without electrical hookups (primitive campsites):

This will be a little more challenging than cooking at a campsite with an electrical hookup, but it can be done. There are several ways to cook at a campsite without electricity.

You can cook over a campfire. Most state campgrounds will have fire pits with a grill over them at each campsite. If you plan to cook on this, I would put aluminum foil over the grill (before cooking, please) if you are going to cook meat on these grills - these grills don't get cleaned very often. If you're heating up something in a pot, you can put that on the grill. If you don't have a fire pit with a grill, you can purchase a foldable grill that you can put over the fire. You can cook on the grill with pots and pans. There are also special holders that let you cook grilled cheese sandwiches over the fire.

Another option is a barbecue grill, either a charcoal grill or a gas grill. You can also buy grills that run on a propane canister. Barbecue grills are usually used to cook meat.

You can also cook on a camp stove. These are usually fueled by a propane canister. They come in different varieties. If you're comfortable cooking over an open flame, you can get a one or two burner stove. You would use the stove just like you would a stove at home. There are also camp stove with grills that can be used to cook meat, or you can use a pot or pan on them.

There are a few other ways of cooking without electricity, which you can find here. A couple of these are things I learned in Girl Scouts many moons ago. They cook food slower than my husband and son would like, however.

Camp sites with electrical hookups:

This is as easy as cooking at home. You can use the techniques above, or you can purchase a two burner electric stove. Be careful after you turn off the burners - they'll still be hot for a while. Don't forget the extension cords! We camp at a campsite that has an electrical hook up. I plug in a heavy duty orange three prong extension cord, plug an surge protection strip into the extension cord, and plug the stove into that. I also use an electric skillet to make pancakes and eggs.

One of the coolers I mentioned in earlier posts should be used for keeping food cold. We put meat in gallon size freezer bags and put them in the ice. Anything in a cardboard box that is to be put in the cooler (such as precooked sausage or bacon) should be taken out of the box and put in a freezer bag. The melting ice will make the cardboard soggy.

Next time, we'll talk about menu planning. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Places to get camping supplies on the cheap

Now that you have a list of the items you need for a successful and enjoyable camping experience, I'll discuss places you can purchase cheap camping supplies, and what you can get where.

For tents, air mattresses, sleeping bags, cooler, and screen house/canopies:

Craigslist.org: Go to this website and find the city closest to you. If you're looking for free stuff, look under the free listings. If you're willing to spend a few bucks, look under the Sporting Goods listing. You could also post under the Wanted listing.

Freecycle.org - Find your local chapter at the web site. It's free to join and once you do, you can place a post seeking camping supplies. There's no guarantee you will get them, but it never hurts to try.

Classified ads - Check the classfied in your local newspaper. You will want to search for the $100.00 or less" and/or the "Sporting Goods" headings.

Clearance sales - Towards the end of summer, stores will sometimes clear out their camping supplies to put in back to school or fall merchandise. In the spring, new models of tents will come out, so last year's models will be put on clearance.

Words of warning: If you buy or receive used tents and/or screen houses/canopies, be sure you receive the assembly instructions! A cheap tent or screen house isn't any good if you don't know how to put it together.

For food preparation supplies:

Discount stores such as Dollar General or Family Dollar - A good place to find cheap pots and pans and cooking utensils.

Yard sales or garage sales - A good sourch of used pots and pans and cooking utensils. You don't need brand new stuff if you're going camping. You're not trying to impress anyone - you just need stuff that will work.

For the large plastic storage totes, try Garden Ridge or Old Time Pottery. If you have neither one of those stores near you, go to Wal-Mart or Kmart. You may also be able to find them and the yard/garage sales mentioned above.

Miscellaneous supplies:

Dollar stores - A great place to buy aluminum foil, paper plates, matches, etc. Take a little time and explore at the dollar store - you can find some great stuff there.

Super cheap ways to get camping supplies:

Borrow supplies from friends. If they aren't going camping when you are, that means that they're not using their equipment. If you tell them that you're trying camping for the first time and you want to see what it's like, they may let you borrow their equipment.

You can also bring things from home, i.e., substitute blankets for sleeping bags, and your own pots and pans and cooking utensils.

Next week at this time, my family will be camping! I can't wait! If you're going camping next weekend, leave a comment and tell us where you'll be camping. Next time, I'll discuss food preparation and planning. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Shopping and Packing List

As promised in the last post, below is the shopping/packing list I promised. You can copy and paste it in a Word document or a WordPad document so you can print it off.

Outdoor Living

Tent
Screen house or canopy
Camping chairs
Radio or CD player
Air mattresses
Sleeping bags
Pillows
Duffle bags (for clothes)
Towels
Large plastic totes with lids for storage
Folding table
Flashlights
Lawn games like horseshoes or badminton (optional)

Food Preparation - Electrical

Extension cords - heavy duty with grounded plug (3 prong)
Electric skillet
Two burner electric stove
Surge protector strip

Food Preparation - Non-electrical

Camp stove or Coleman stove (powered by a propane cylinder)
Grill to go over campfire
Barbecue grill

Food Preparation - Miscellaneous Items

Skillet(s)
Dutch oven
Pots and pans
Mixing and serving bowls
Cooking utensils - mixing spoons, spatulas, meat forks, tongs
Serving platter
Measuring cup set
Colander
Paper plates, napkins and plastic silverware
Paper towels
Trash bags
Freezer bags
Dishwashing detergent
Dishtowels
Plastic tubs for dishwashing
Plastic tablecloth (with flannel backing)

Miscellaneous

Extension cords
Clothesline
Claw hammer
Lighter fluid
Matches (or lighter with long barrel)
Citronella candles or outdoor Tiki torches that use citronella oil
Insect repellent
Firewood
2 coolers
String lights
Pocket knife
Paper towels

First Aid Kit

Plastic shoe box

Band-Aids

Neosporin ointment

Small bottle of hydrogen peroxide

Aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol

Tums or Rolaids

Sinus medicine (if you have allergies)

Benadryl stick (for insect bites)

Q-Tips (small package)

Tweezers (for splinters)

Nail clippers

Prescription medications

Ace bandage

Hand sanitizer

Day-of-the-week containers for prescriptions

Health & Beauty Items

Deodorant or antiperspirant

Shampoo and conditioner

Body wash or soap

Washcloths

Toothbrushes and toothpaste

Dental floss

Blow dryer (if you are at a campsite with a shower house)

Box of Kleenex

I hope having the list all in one location will be helpful. The next post will help you find the best, cheapest places to find camping supplies. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

Camping Equipment List - First Aid Kit and Health & Beauty Supplies

First Aid Kit In camping as well as at home, it is always good to be prepared in case someone has an injury, or someone gets a headache or a tummy ache. You never know (especially with kids) what might happen. To that end, here is a list of necessities to put in a first aid kit. Plastic shoe box Band-Aids Neosporin ointment Small bottle of hydrogen peroxide Aspirin, ibuprofen, or Tylenol Tums or Rolaids Sinus medicine (if you have allergies) Benadryl stick (for insect bites) Q-Tips (small package) Tweezers (for splinters) Nail clippers Prescription medications Ace bandage Hand sanitizer Day-of-the-week containers for prescriptions Once you stock your first aid kit, you shouldn't need to restock it, unless you run low on supplies or the medication has expired. If you have an injury that requires a larger covering than a Band-Aid, contact your campsite host or a park ranger. They will have access to gauze bandages and first aid tape. If more than one person has prescription medication, purchase one day-of-the-week container for each person and label them, or get the containers in different colors (i.e., yellow for Mom, red for Dad, blue for Junior). Health & Beauty Items Unless you are only going to be camping for a couple days, or you are really roughing it and there are no shower facilities, you will need to bring your normal health and beauty supplies. Even if you don't take a shower, take your toothbrush and toothbrush; bad breath makes for a very unenjoyable camping trip. Don't forget your deodorant either; body odor also makes for an unenjoyable camping trip. Here's a list of health and beauty items for your convenience: Deodorant or antiperspirant Shampoo and conditioner Body wash or soap Washcloths Toothbrushes and toothpaste Dental floss Blow dryer (if you are at a campsite with a shower house) Box of Kleenex Do not pack hair spray, cologne, perfume or body spray! Hair spray will get very tacky and sticky in warm weather, and the container will blow up if the temperature gets too warm. The smell of cologne and body spray will draw insects that will bite you. As far as the cologne, perfume, and/or body spray are concerned, a camping trip is not a date (I sure hope not!), so you won't need that stuff to smell good to that special someone. Now that we've discussed all the items you need for a successful, enjoyable camping trip, I will make a list of everything (without all the comments) for you to print as a list to purchase items and a packing list to make sure you don't forget anything. Until next time – Happy camping! Diane

Camping equipment list - Miscellaneous

I'm going back to our regularly scheduled postings on camping equipment. What's on this list is stuff that doesn't necessarily fit on the other lists.

Extension cords
Clothesline
Claw hammer
Lighter fluid
Matches (or lighter with long barrel)
Citronella candles or outdoor Tiki torches that use citronella oil
Insect repellent
Firewood
2 coolers
String lights
Pocket knife

I mentioned extension cords in the food preparation list, but you'll need other electrical cords to plug other stuff in, such as an electrical pump for the air mattresses, radio, etc.

The clothesline is for hanging up wet clothes and/or wet towels. Cut the clothesline with the pocket knife and tie each end of the clothesline around a tree (2 separate trees).

The claw hammer is for hammering the tent stakes into the ground. You use the claw end to remove the stakes from the ground when it's time to pack up camp.

The lighter fluid is for when you're having trouble getting the fire started. You can also use the wax Firelogs for this purpose as well. Matches are great, but they can get damp and not work, so we usually use the lighters with the long barrels, the kind you light candles with. They're also childproof.

If you're in the great outdoors, you will always have bugs, especially mosquitoes. They are worse at dusk and at night. The citronella candles and the citronella torches not only light up your campsite, they keep the bugs away. Keep children away from flames, campfire and citronella.

You will need two coolers - one for food and one for drinks. In the morning, pull the plug, drain the water, and add new ice.

If you have a campsite with an electric hook up, the string lights make your campsite feel like home, and also help you find your campsite in the middle of the night after you've visited the latrine. You can get the string lights that look like fireflies, lanterns, etc. You can hang them around your screen house or canopy, or string them from tree to tree. Each set usually only has 10 lights, so I suggest buying two sets to string together.

The next camping list will be for personal items and a first aid kit. Until then -

Happy camping!

Diane

2 weeks until our camping trip!

I'm interrupting the order of posting, but I'm so excited! Two weeks from today, we'll be headed to our favorite campground, the Illini campground at Eldon Hazlet State Park in Carlyle, IL at Carlyle Lake for a Memorial Day weekend camping trip. This campground has electrical hook ups at each site, shower houses with bathrooms, a pool and three playgrounds. Each site has a designated place for campfires. Click here: http://dnr.state.il.us/LANDS/LANDMGT/parks/r4/eldon.htm for more information on the park.

We send our reservations to the campground in early January. Normally, we go camping on Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. We only made reservations for Memorial Day, because the State of Illinois has jacked up the rates for holiday weekends to $25.00 a night. I think we will try to go camping another weekend, maybe in June, before the weather gets too warm. We tried going camping July 4th week one year, and it was so hot. We were miserable.

My husband will go to the storage shed this weekend, pull out the camping tote boxes, and see if we need to replenish any items in the boxes or purchase new items. I know we need to purchase more string lights and we will probably need new batteries for the flashlights and the battery powered lantern.

It will be so nice to be in the great outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather. As I write this, it is a cool, gloomy, rainy day in the metro St. Louis area. I checked accuweather.com and the high for Friday the 24th will be 74 degrees, and it will be sunny. I pray the weather for the rest of Memorial Day weekend will be nice as well. I don't think it will be warm enough to swim, though. (Whew!)

The next post will be the list for miscellaneous items needed for a successful camping trip. Until next time -

Happy camping!

Diane

Camping equipment list - Food Preparation

Tonight's post is on the supplies you will need for food preparation. You were going to eat, weren't you?

The method of cooking will vary by the type of campsite you have. For example, if you have a campsite with an electric hookup (a box with electrical outlets), you can bring an electric skillet and a two burner electric stove to cook on. If you have a campsite without an electric hookup, you will either be cooking over a campfire or will need a camp stove or a barbecue grill. I will split the list into two parts - items needed for cooking with electricity and items needed for cooking without electricity. At the end of the first two lists will be a list of items that are applicable to both types of cooking.

Food Preparation - Electrical

Extension cords - heavy duty with grounded plug (3 prong)
Electric skillet
Two burner electric stove
Surge protector strip

Plug the extension cord into the electrical box. Plug the surge protector strip into the outlet at the end of the extension cord. You can plug the electric skillet and the two burner electric stove into the surge protector. You can then cook like you would at home.

Food Preparation - Non-electrical

Camp stove or Coleman stove (powered by a propane cylinder)
Grill to go over campfire
Barbecue grill

You can use the barbecue grill to cook meat, just like at home. You can put pots and pans on a camp stove. If you don't have the barbecue grill or the camp stove, you can buy a grate that goes over the campfire and cook on it.

Food Preparation - Miscellaneous Items

Skillet(s)
Dutch oven
Pots and pans
Mixing and serving bowls
Cooking utensils - mixing spoons, spatulas, meat forks, tongs
Serving platter
Measuring cup set
Colander
Paper plates, napkins and plastic silverware
Paper towels
Trash bags
Freezer bags
Dishwashing detergent
Dishtowels
Plastic tubs for dishwashing
Plastic tablecloth (with flannel backing)

Most of this stuff is pretty self-explanatory. I use the freezer bags to store food in in the cooler. I use the Dutch oven to heat water to do dishes. (What, did you think they were going to wash themselves?) One plastic tub is for washing, the other is for rinsing. Put the clean dishes on the dishtowels to dry.

The next post will be a list of miscellaneous items needed for a successful camping trip. Until next time -

Happy camping!

Diane