Binney had a rough start in life with a horrible hoarder in Midland, Michigan... We got her through the efforts of both the Michigan and Wisconsin Sheltie Rescue Programs.
Before and After
She went from a scared frightened little girl with a crazy emotionally damaged head into a beautiful pampered princess who commanded all of our attention and ruled the home like a queen.
She has traveled from the Pacific to the Atlantic, from Canada down to the border of Mexico.
She helped guide and nurture our new rescue Nicholas for the last 6 months. She helped him understand how to be a pet in our home, and gave him comfort and companionship even though he was a pesty little nut!
Her health deteriorated rapidly over the last few days, and this morning Nicholas said goodbye as we took her off to the vet.
The best blessing you can give a pet is the honor of your presence as they take their last breath, holding them in your arms as they pass peacefully.
My GoPro Quik App made this little video for me automatically from my photos:
We wanted to go camping but also we had a couple things going on at the house.
One thing was that we were having our city water meter changed. So the water utility repair guys needed access to our basement. We had an appointment for Thursday morning for that.
Also, on Tuesday we had a much awaited FedEx delivery scheduled. So we wanted to be home for that!
But we also wanted to go camping. We had the lawn cut and the flowers watered and we really didn't have anything else to do all week at home.
So away we went to North Bayshore County Park. It's a small campground of only 34 sites just north of our home along the waters of the Green Bay. It's really only 6 miles as the crow flies. About 8 if we drive on the road!
We checked online and saw that there were a number of sites available for 3 or 4 days...
It is such a nice little county park. It has a marina and breakwater, as well as a nice boat launching area for fishermen. It tends to attract older people or fisherman, because there really isn't a big swimming beach. Things are pretty rocky there. There is some playground equipment for children. But not much else. So it's a pretty quiet campground even during the week.
The county has enacted a special for Monday through Thursday for only $20 a night for a campsite. Friday Saturday and Sundays it is $35 a night.
We loaded up the motorhome and drove on over. Once we decided on one of the six or seven available sites, we drove over to the kiosk to pay for it.
The kiosk in the park, located over near the boat ramp area, is available to pay via credit card for any of the sites that are not already reserved. It is the camper's responsibility to either look online or drive over to the park and go through each of the campsites looking at the little calendar on each post. Reserved sites are stricken off. If a site is open a certain number of days, then you can pay for those days at the kiosk. But the kiosk is not hooked up to the reservation system.... We didn't know that.
Sooooooo
We accidentally paid for FOUR nights on site 11. Technically, according to the strike off marks on the little calendar on site 11's post, it was going to be used by somebody else on Thursday night.
Uh oh.... So now we had a kiosk slip paying for FOUR nights, but we could only stay on site number 11 for THREE nights. I made a quick call over to the courthouse. The gracious clerk helped me switch my fourth night over to site number 10 across the road. That one was not taken by anyone else. So she put it in the computer and everything was completed, easy peasy.
Here is the link to their website and access to the reservation system:
So now I'll do a little campground review. I will start off with a YouTube bicycle tour of every campsite. I am trying to build up my YouTube channel called "What-A-View". It is only going to be videos of camping and campground reviews and camping products. Not to be confused with my other YouTube channel with videos of everything else in my life.
So this is a bicycle tour going from campsite to campsite --- so you can kind of use it to figure out which site you want to reserve. By seeing them on video it's a little bit easier than trying to look at a graphic map or a Google map view of the park.
Please like and subscribe?
For those who don't care to go to YouTube, here are some photos of shots I took around the park. As you enter the park there's this beautiful little Harbor. There's a nice deck, situated lengthwise to the water, with some little benches. A perfect spot to sit and do some fishing or watching the birds.
We are dealing with the emerald ash borer here in this section of Wisconsin. They ask that you only use certified firewood from the area that's been inspected for pests. They do have this cute little self-serve kiosk that is like a vending machine! For $10 you put it in and you can punch in the number and letter of the door that contains firewood. Just be sure you only punch in the letter and number of one that has not previously been emptied! Also there is a local certified vendor who drives through the park once a day and sells firewood off the back of his truck.
There is a restroom building with flush toilets at one end of the park. There are also pit toilets situated in other parts of the campground and over by the boat launch as well as the group area. But this building is the only one with flush toilets.
It is kept neat and clean, and the campground host is located directly across from the bathrooms which helps to keep down any vandalism or nonsense going on.
The shower rooms that are located on each side of the building are a little more worse for the wear. They could use some updating. Also the showers are coin operated. You get 4 minutes of showering for $1.00.
(We shower inside of our motorhome)
Outside, there is a water faucet available as well as a drinking fountain. Perfect for filling up water bottles. About 3/4 of the campsites have water faucets. Sites 12 through 21 do not have water at the campsite. So be sure to fill up from the potable water fill at the entrance if you are on sites 12 through 21.
All in all, it's a quiet park. Located far enough away from any main roads or railroad tracks or noisy residential or cabins. For the price, to get a site with electric and water during the middle of the week it's a bargain! That's why we like coming here. Cellular coverage and broadcast TV are pretty good. And the fishing is great!
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So that's it for the technical review of the campsite. Now I'll get on to our own camping experience while on site 11 and later on site number 10. As I said, it was just a hop skip and jump from home. To buzz up along the shore and get into our campsite.
Because we were going to run back and forth to home a couple times, I followed Steve in our Kia. I towed along our little utility trailer with the e-bikes and our extra camping gear in it. Normally we just hook it on to the motorhome. But since I was coming along in a separate vehicle, I towed it.
The campsites are nice and deep, plenty of room to park an extra vehicle.
Now again, I made a YouTube of our four days at the campground. If you want to watch it, here is a link below. Please like and subscribe if you do!
We had an enjoyable afternoon and the evening cooled off enough to take a nice long bike ride up the Bay. We found some back roads and had some fun pedaling around.
After dinner, the sunset was looking a little strange and starting to cloud up. Everything was getting that funny yellowish light, you know the kind, right before a storm?
Well well well, look at that. We clicked onto our radar app and saw what was coming! We tuned into the local weather station on TV and watched the announcements slide by on the bottom of the screen.
As the storm crept closer and closer, the warnings got more and more ominous. We were looking at nickel to quarter size hail, combined with up to 60 mph winds.
Well, motorhomes are insured. But people and dogs not so much. So at 1:00 a.m. when the wind started rocking and the rain was just beginning, we grabbed our wallets and cell phones and the dogs. Hopping into the Kia just as the rain started. We drove the short 8 mi back into town and soon we were pulling right into the safety of our garage. We curled up in our own bed for the night and the storms raged around us. We didn't need to go down to the basement but a tornado did touch down across the bay on the tip of Door County. I'm glad we made the smart decision and went home for the night.
The other benefit of going home was in the morning we could grab some cute grandkids to haul back out to the campground. They wanted to do a little fishing!
We picked up a couple tubs of worms and grabbed the fishing poles. It's one of their favorite pastimes. Grandpa spent most of the time either untangling lures, fixing tangled lines, or adjusting the fishing poles so they could reel in all of these big huge whoppers.
It was a beautiful morning after the big storm. You know how things always look so much nicer after the storm goes through? The air feels so fresh and things are so green.
The total catch of the day was "1". And we let it go to get bigger and bigger and bigger.
While the two older kids were still fishing with Grandpa, Claire came back up to the campsite with me to start some lunch. The kids had opted for cheese pizza. To keep the excess heat out of the motorhome, we took out our Camp Chef oven from our camping gear in the cargo trailer. It's the nicest little propane oven with three different rack positions inside as well as two burners up on top. We could cut the pizza in half and cook both halves at the same time. We just alternated the pizzas on the shelves halfway through.
Kids, camping and pizzas. A pretty good combination!
In the afternoon, it started to cloud over a little bit. The few raindrops started splattering down so we headed on inside. It was getting pretty hot and muggy. We clicked on the air conditioning and popped on some movies on the TV. We have the Starlink along, so they could choose some of their favorites. One of the favorites is a separate little Roku station called The Pet Collective. The grandkids call it the "puppies and kitties" channel. As it started to rain, Chelsea cuddled little Binney, and made sure she was comfortable. Someday Chelsea would like to be a veterinarian.
Claire and Clayton crawled up on the top bunk. We don't often have the extra mattress up there. Usually we store it in the garage. But this time we had it along and they had the perfect perch to lay up there and watch TV.
The storms blew over and soon the sunshine was out again. A cold front had blown in. This time they opted for spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Sloppy spaghetti and little grandchildren don't really go together inside of a motorhome. So we ate out on the picnic table.
The bread sticks from our local bakery / deli are a real hoot. Chelsea was definitely incognito.
We brought the grandkids back to their house and also we waited for our FedEx delivery. One small box came but the main big box evidently had a smeared barcode tracking label and it accidentally got shipped way over to the far west side of the state! Our box was in LaCrosse! So a new shipping label was created and now we would have to wait one more day for the box to arrive at our home.
So Steve and I went back out to the campground and spent another day and another night in total relaxation and comfort
It was pretty hot and muggy again on Wednesday. We decided to cook and keep the heat out of the motorhome. Steve did up some burgers on his Blackstone flat top griddle.
I got out my instapot that has an air fryer lid attachment. This is another one of my favorite appliances that I carry along in our cargo trailer. On the video up above I show how I made french fries while we were camping. They are much better to eat coming out of the air fryer than anything fried in grease or baked in the oven.
Yummmmmmmm
On Thursday, We got up early and drove into town to meet up with the city water utility worker. The new meter got installed and the paperwork for the new phone app to go along with it was set up. New technology.
As we were getting ready to head on back to the campground, we got the notification on our phones that our FedEx box was finally arriving! We carefully moved it from the driveway into the garage. That box is going to be one of our next update motorhome modification projects, and you will see that in an upcoming video and blog post.
But... If you do watch the video from the link up above, I tell you on there what is in the box that we were waiting for!
Anyhow, we went back out to enjoy another beautiful day at North Bayshore County Park. It was time to pack up and move over to site number 10. Our site number 11 was reserved for 3:00 p.m.
About 1:30, we did the big move over across the road. We hand carried the lawn chairs and our ground mat. We pulled in the slides and unplugged the cord. Picked up the Starlink and drove the motorhome across the street. Big move!
Soon we had everything set back up and Steve sat back to enjoy a nice cold beer.
The people who had our site 11 reserved pulled in at 3:05 on the dot. I am glad that we didn't delay getting off our site and making the move.
The grandkids begged to come back out on Thursday evening. They pestered and pestered us to be able to sleep overnight. We said it would be okay and they hauled all their gear into the motorhome. Chelsea opted to stay in a tent that she pitched up behind our camper.
We were going to do s'mores out by the campfire, but it got very cold and windy. So the next best thing was to do something inside.
On my video up above, I have Chelsea and Claire's creation of making a new treat using mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, a fudge stripe cookie and a sugar cone. Guess you'll have to just go look at the video to see what Chelsea and Claire came up with?
In the morning, everybody was warm and cuddly and cute--- we had a nice breakfast together. But there was going to be rain coming again about 1:00 p.m. It was probably best to get loaded up and back into town. Chelsea pulled down her tent and we got the gear all stowed back where everything belonged.
It was time to head on back so I hauled the little trailer behind the Kia. Chelsea was my co-pilot.
But there's always one more task that needs to be done when leaving a campground. It was time for Claire to learn what happens to the contents of the toilet and the sinks of the motorhome when we go to leave the park.... That section is also on the video up above!
Steve had come up with a really good idea for some birthday presents for the grandkid's parents. Our daughter's birthday was on Sunday and our son-in-law's birthday in the middle of July. We figured out a really good idea of something to get them, and the grandkids were really excited to help go pick them out.
It was two new maple trees from the local nursery. One for each of their parents to plant up at their cabin.
The trees were huge, about 10 ft tall. We really didn't have a way to haul them in the Kia.
But I came up with a really good idea that we could haul them right in the motorhome!!!
And we did!!!
Yep, Steve wrapped plastic bags around the bottom pots so the dirt did not fall out. He was able to hoist each one into the center aisle and lay them gently down in our motorhome!
Once we got to their house, Clayton got out his little dolly cart furniture mover. It sometimes doubles as a little flat go-kart for him...
So here's three little goomers with all of their camping gear. They are smiling at the delightful thought of their parents surprise at getting two huge trees for their birthdays.
It was quite a productive weekend, combined with camping, water meter installations, storms, FedEx deliveries and purchasing and hauling birthday presents!
In my last blog, we left the campground on Friday afternoon and headed on home. The weekend was all reserved at the campground, so we needed to vacate our site anyhow. The weather looked hot and humid and icky for the next four or five or six days so it was a good idea just to stay home!!
Someone that Steve used to work with at the University was selling this absolutely beautiful leather couch!! It is in wonderful shape, and they just had the leather professionally reconditioned. New, this couch is $4,000.00!!!
They were selling it to make room after rearranging some of the other things in their living room --- for only $250.
I have always wanted a couch like that, and decided that it would go perfectly in our She-Shed instead of the smaller loveseat and perhaps removing one of our mission recliners.
These recliners have been comfortable, but I think the coach was going to add a lot more versatility. I felt that we needed it for evenings while watching TV with two dogs who insist on being on top of me. Not only that, but also for more seating for visiting company and grandkids ... and perhaps for afternoon naps!!! It's not too squishy, and firm enough for sitting in and getting out of.
We were debating on how to haul it back from Green Bay up to Oconto. We could drive all the way up to Wausaukee to the kids cabin to get the trailer and bring it back, and then go to Green Bay, bring the couch back. And then go back to the cabin to return the trailer, and then come back home. That is about 250 miles total.
Instead, I came up with another idea. Heck, who cares if we look like the Beverly Hillbillies? We have a boat trailer that we use to transport our 17 ft canoe. It would work perfectly to haul a couch.
And we did just that!
All of the cushions were stowed safely inside of our Kia. The woven blanket just added to the "flavor" of the task! We saved approximately 160 miles extra running around by just going directly there and back with our boat trailer.
We carried out the love seat, and carried in the couch. Boy oh boy, that thing was not light!! Us old folks in our '60s can still hustle and get things done. But it took a bit of ooomph from both of us.
Now we had to rearrange the entire She Shed to accommodate the longer couch. We had to think and think and look and look and measure and measure until we decided on the best layout. My quilting frame and long arm quilting machine are the biggest obstacle, but it's necessary to be placed where it can be used easily.
The dogs got a little discombobulated during the move around. But they decided as long as their beds were safe underneath my biggest barn loom, they were happy.
We tried rearranging it a couple different ways and try still keeping both of the recliners. Nope, that wasn't going to work. It was just too crowded. So instead, we kept one recliner and the couch.
We like the view out the big windows to the yard, so postioning it facing outwards was a "must". We tried 2 chairs facing inwards and moved the couch back towards the quilting frame. But Steve didn't like that. It could work, but I would have to move the couch forward every time to work on a quilt!
This layout seems to work the best, and it's just perfect for an afternoon nap.
Both of my looms are off to one side now, and can easily be pulled forward to work on when needed. My sewing desk is back where I liked it from before, near the door. Now I can use the tall platform behind it as an ironing table surface. Still have a little more organizing to do with some of the boxes and baskets, but it's getting there.
Steve's recliner was more "worn" so we opted to get rid of his. Granddaughter Chelsea was here visiting, and assisted to carry out his recliner chair. She really is a helpful young lady.
To reward her for her work, we wanted to do a project together. We headed on over to Berryland in Abrams. It's that time of year, the strawberries are at their absolute best!
We have had so much rain lately, the berries were just bursting with flavor and juiciness. The mosquitoes were crazy and we did not feel like picking the berries ourselves. Instead, we bought two flats of pre-picked berries. Berryland allows kids to come and pick berries and put their names on the flat. When a customer comes and purchases the flat, part of the proceeds goes back to the kid who did the picking.
Ours happened to be picked by two girls named Amelia and Abigail. Looks like they were really busy. Amelia had picked three flats and Abigail had picked two. I'm glad that we were able to help them along in their summer job by purchasing the berries that they worked so hard to pick.
(And we didn't get eaten up by mosquitoes)
First step was to wash all of the berries. I love hanging out in the kitchen with Chelsea. She enjoys cooking and baking and creating things. She has taken extra classes in culinary arts through school during the summer months. We sure have fun together. My little Mini Me.
It was very hot and humid, not quite the kind of weather that you want to process strawberries in. But we have a propane burner unit that came from a turkey deep fryer. Works perfect to set the canning kettle on and keep all the hot steamy air outside during processing of the jars. Steve set it up for us while we were inside working on the berries.
We sure had a lot of fun. And of course, a few berries were consumed during the process. Making memories, and hoping to pass on the skills that I learned at my mother's elbow when we canned and processed our garden vegetables and made apple jelly.
Chelsea is an old hand at canning jam with me and is very careful about measuring and super cautious about cleanliness when processing with the jars and lids.
My new GoPro app called "QUIK" takes photos and video clips and puts them together into a short YouTube segment. It does a lot of the editing and adds the music for me. I am learning as I go and thought I would put together a little YouTube clip of us doing our jam:
We did up a total of 13 pints and 19 half pints
Now that the she-shed was all rearranged, I was able to finally get out my newest quilt and finish up the binding around the edges. This is the position that I like my sewing desk. I had it like this before, but we moved it around to a different place with the last loom aquisition. I think I got it all to fit and still keep it in this position now.
This newest quilt is so pretty, it's made of red white and blue fabrics. Just perfect for a summertime picnic. Actually, that's what I named it!
Again, I put together a little slideshow with that GoPro app. I really think it turned out cute! I figure it's one more avenue for selling my quilts, to show them actually being made from start to finish with a cute little YouTube:
I enjoy doing it so much, I put together this one with the photos and video I had on file. This beautiful pineapple quilt I have named Pieces of Wisconsin Northwoods. I sewed a lot of blocks for this quilt while camping up north.
While I was at it, having so much fun with this app, I also put one together for the third quilt that is in my Etsy store called Coffee Break:
We are pretty glad that we are not camping this week. It's been horribly hot, and lots and lots of rain.
Actually today, it's been raining and pouring almost all day long. Absolutely perfect for simmering up a pot of homemade chicken vegetable soup. We treated ourself with a rotisserie chicken from Jack's Fresh Market for dinner the night before. Then the leftovers of their huge rotisserie chickens are perfect to pick apart and make into soup.
It's been so dark and gloomy and cloudy and rainy today. We actually had to turn on the lights in the She Shed as the rain was pouring down. I insisted to Steve that we needed to light the gas fireplace in the She Shed.
It really took out the dampness and warmed it up nicely. What a perfect place to curl up and take a nap on my new couch!!!
It was actually so cold and damp in the rest of the house, Steve turned over the thermostat from air conditioning to heat! It took the chill out and I think this evening we may even bake something in the oven for dinner!
Time to get this blog posted, take care and maybe next week we will have some camping posts again.
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