Thistle Cove Poppet

THISTLE COVE POPPET

Musica, click here!

As promised, some photos of my 1965 Serro Scotty camper, or trailer as some call it. In February, when camping in Tennessee, someone asked me what kind of trailer I had and I replied, "2-horse" and they looked at me...huh? Then it dawned on me, they meant camper..lol. The 3-tier metal table is from the 1960's, or maybe 1950's, and is used to hold cook stove, charcoal grill and a metal basket of kitchen necessities. I know I've had the Coleman 2-burner cook stove for about 45 years; there's something to be said for hanging onto stuff, eh? The white wicker table goes nicely with the white wicker rocking chair, soon to be added, while the sunflower wreath adds cheer and color. Fortunately, I found kitchen curtains with sunflowers (and French verbiage) to hang in the front and side windows. I had to hem them, twice, but they do look pretty and cheerful.

When showing off Poppet, but not wanting anyone to step inside, the doorway is 'blocked' by this hand crochet apron, circa 1940.

The dirt catcher mats, just inside the door and in camper center, continue the sunflower theme. The wooden box contains candle burning lanterns for the outside and small Vornado fan to the left.

The aforementioned front window sunflower curtains.

Safety first...

A few years back, I embroidered these pillow cases but never used them...until now. Usually, I give my hand made stuff away but think I'll start giving stuff to Poppet.

A quick snap shot of the bed...the princess would never feel the pea in this bed! The bottom layer is a five inch piece of foam, topped with the original mattress (still in excellent condition), topped with a three inch memory foam mattress and finished off with a feather topper. Sheets are four hundred thread count and the Ralph Lauren duvet encloses a feather down comforter top. Should temps drop, a couple of wool blankets stand ready to ward off the chill. I don't have a heater because I don't really think I'll need one. I'm not planning on camping with temps much below freezing and the bed will keep me comfortably warm as it's made. When it's warm/hot, I do have a hearty (Vornado) fan and should provide ample cross ventilation with windows and roof vent open.

The sheer embroidered rose curtains (please don't note they aren't centered) give a feeling similar to a four poster canopy bed with curtains. Originally, curtains were used to keep noise and cold out of the bed but these sheers are for beauty alone. The rear window curtains are beaded velvet (in color, the side curtains are burgundy and red while the rear velvet curtain has red and amber panels) and designed to keep out noise and light and work just dandy. Perhaps, eventually, I'll use different curtains or sheers but for now, I like Poppet just fine. The overwhelming majority of most everything you see was purchased at thrift stores and will be changed out as new goodies are found. Often, I 'go shopping' around my house and find new things to add that bring a smile or pleasure.

My little bedside table with a red walking stick holding it in place when camper is in motion. One of the red velvet, beaded curtains is seen in the background and, eventually, the pink paint will become a creamy white. I'm not a fan of pastels, especially pink, and was actually reprimanded on Facebook once for saying, "I detest pink." Apparently some sad soul found that to be such a negative statement she had vapors. In turn, I found her sad state to be so devastating, I waited two weeks and, quietly, left the group, saving each of us from the other.

This week has been enormously full; my family found out late Friday, Dad had to have tests on Monday and surgery on Tuesday. I made a mad dash to central VA to be with he and Mom and got home last evening. We're praying this surgery corrected the problem caused by last year's surgery; time will tell.

Ponder this ~ if not your own, whose life are you living? ~

Woman Escapes From House, Last Seen...

"Spring won't let me stay in this house any longer!

I must get out and breath the air deeply again.'

~ Gustav Mahler ~

While the outside temps stay confused this time of year, with frost two days ago which isn't unusual as frost date is May 15, the calendar says SPRING and my vote is with the calendar. The farm is looking mighty fine...all but two vehicles are under/behind locked shelter, gates re-hung, horses turned loose in the yard to mow graze and a slew of other chores started and finished. John or Daniel are going to plow the garden, clothes need hanging on the line and the list of chores g r o w s but... I took time to play in the Scotty.

Some have read my Scotty story, here, which continues in the making and in the decorating.  For some time, I've been thinking it's a 1967 but checked the title, finally, and it's a 1965...funny how the memory plays tricks. It's stored in the barn, under a tarp and has a few minor booboo's and a lot of dirt dust on it. I'm hoping to find someone to help fix things like the electrical which needs to be done correctly because it looks like I did it (extremely frightening thought!) but I didn't and there's a small leak at the front top window. While camping, that's easily remedied by tying down a tarp over the front upper half and should I be caught in a rain storm while traveling down the highway, I'll seek shelter.

The welcome mat will be placed outside the door while the sunflower mat will stay inside. Camper 'theme' is sunflowers and, eventually, will have happy sunflowers painted on the outside. Before someone starts in on "that's not original" neither is the nasty pink paint someone used to cover the beautiful birch paneling...ugh! I've bought a lovely linen colored paint and cannot wait for warmer weather to begin.

The sunflower mat is in the middle of the camper...stove behind farm name and bathroom behind red rocker.

The living/bedroom area is under the storage area and back in the day, a small child could sleep in the upper bunk, now a storage area.

I keep a cute towel draped over the upper bunk which helps protect my noggin from being cracked on the board. I'm a short woman and this upper bunk, even when raised, is still about forehead high. My bedding...down duvet center with feather pillows right, foam memory mattress and feather top along with the outside rug, left, is stored on the upper bunk.

Lots of pillows...mostly vintage but some picked up in travels with Dave - Armenia, Georgia (the country), Spain, Morocco - and others at thrift stores in the USA. The small black fan is a Tornado brand fan and really stirs the air.

My nightstand fits perfectly and with two shelves holds living room and bedroom things. It all needs a bit of tidying but still serviceable and picture worthy; don't you agree?

Oh yes, I'm a huge believer in good mattresses and good shoes; we spend one third of our lives on one and the other two thirds in the other and all needs to be superior. Above is a five inch foam mattress atop the original mattress

and will be topped by a three inch memory foam mattress which will then be topped with the above feather top. What pea? smile

The small fridge is electric but as soon as I can find something that fits and works better, will be replaced. The ice bucket and tongs are aluminium and antique/vintage. They were part of my MIL's wedding gifts back in the 1930's.

The cupboard above the stove is a bit of a jumble and my vintage Mikassa dinner ware with a sunflower motif is peeking over the top shelf. I'd like to buy matching dishes but it's difficult impossible to find this particular pattern. The Pusser's Rum mugs are a souvenir from the British Virgin Islands; that was the first trip Dave and I took, back when one needed only a legal driver's license, no passport. We rented a thirty-six foot yacht and, for a week, sailed around the islands. The little Scotty dog mug is new.

The original Scotty colors were tuquoise, like the outside, and the stove will be kept turquoise but the pink (shudder!) walls, cupboards and door will be painted a lovely soft, gentle linen, sooooo much more relaxing and calming and will make this little thirteen foot camper, ball hitch to bumper, seem larger. Living space is around eleven feet, I believe.

Most everything is original... two electric and one propane lights, the table, cushions, stove. The kitchen table is perfect for two people and again with the vintage pillows! The tea set is vintage Laura Ashley with antique/vintage mismatching creamer and sugar bowl. I'll probably trade out the tea pot for another one that's prissier...a wonderful thing about having this big house...I go shopping and it's free! Susan Branch calendars hang in the window.

It's true most dishes are pottery and could break but some are enamel and used for storage, holding food, washing up, etc.

Here's a great story about the sunflower cup, saucer, napkins and table cloth...while at a thrift store, I started talking to the gent standing  behind me (no one is safe from my mouth; I live alone and will talk to a donkey thinking it could happen again) who was looking at something (??) and mentioned it was similar to what he used while in the Army. I thanked him for serving and he asked about the sunflower goodies. I told him I was buying sunflower "stuff" for my antique/vintage camper and when it was my turn to step up and pay, I found I'd left my wallet in the car. I asked the clerk to put my stuff aside and scooted out of line; when I returned...surprise!...that gent was paying for my sunflower goodies. He said, "Pay it forward" and made my day...such lovely kindness and when I remember him, he's tucked into prayer. I've always paid it forward but this was the first time someone treated me...lovely!

The four burner gas stove with oven is beside a smallish sink and the Eveready light is one Daddy gave me and is so old the battery has to be special ordered! The Jagermeister bucket does double duty as a wine cooler and utensil holder.

Behind this door is the bathroom/closet/storage room.

The bedside potty chair works just fine, especially with the addition of a heavy duty trash bag and kitty litter (a camping tip).

A hanging wicker mirror matches the bedside table and trash can and can be removed and placed elsewhere. The "I love Lucy" sign came with the camper and as soon as I find someone who has a Lucy theme, will go live with them. That metal contraption is a sofa side table, has a black vinyl top and is the perfect size for sitting outside, beside my red rocking chair...or hammock when I buy one.

My bathroom battery candle nightlight.

As Jack instructs us, "choose joy." This basket holds my bathroom necessities...towels, washcloths, hand mirror, bath gel, slippers, etc.

This room is also a broom closet where I store the water hose and a few other camping necessities.

The beach umbrella is the perfect size, came with a heavy duty metal holder and can be moved as the sun demands. "Not all who wander are lost" hangs alongside a metal S with encouraging statements on magnets.

If you want to see other vintage campers, click here then here. There's still a Part 3 for Sisters On The Fly Saddle Up so the vintage cuteness isn't over with this post. Thanks for reading; do you have the vintage camper bug now?

Ponder this ~ from J. R. R. Tolkien reading ~

"All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king."

Part 2: More Sisters on the Fly Vintage Camper and Trailer LUV!

The Sisters on the Fly Saddle Up event was sponsored by the town of Pigeon Forge and Par 1 is here. If you click on Sisters on the Fly, you can see a photographic slide show of sisters "We have more fun than anyone."

Some people have umbrellas while others have canopies; I have an umbrella and prefer it because it can be moved around.

 Annabandana interior

 Annabandana interior

Annabandana interior 

Annabandana exterior

Annabandana exterior 

Annabandana, owned by Tennessee Sister 692, is a Serro Scotty and close to the same year as mine. There are some differences but both are about 13 feet and this camper is reconfigured a bit differently than mine.

A Teardrop trailer with rear kitchen. Most campers have the entrance blocked off to general public but most allowed Sisters' to go inside. 

Mary Jane Butters has a line of teardrops called Tabitha and is the person who coined the term "glamping", a combination of glamour and camping. For more photos of teardrop trailers, click here. I think her Tabitha is fabulous...except for having to go outside and 'round back to make my coffee in the morning. I'm partial to  my privacy when parading around in my red flannel nightgown...grin.

The camper on the right is a 1995 reissue Shasta Airflyte and modeled after the original which was first made in 1941. There are only 1,941 being made and I had one but sold it once I read the owner's manual that said, "reseal seams every 90 days." Yeah. Like I've got that kind of time and besides, the old ones are sturdy as an oak and just as pretty.

The reissue's have mod cons like microwave, dohicky's where you can plug in your phone and stream music, full size bathrooms, exhaust fans, etc.

The reissues come in red, green and butter yellow and the table folds down into a double bed.

The bed in the back is a gaucho seat which has an extender so it can be made into a twin bed...pretty nifty!

Every one glamps their camper differently and all are uniquely beautiful!

This is a brand new, glammed camper. 

Full sized rear bathroom and kitchen on left.

Look at these beautiful chairs and electric stove!

More truthful pretties.

Outside seating area.

That's Part 2 with a lot  more to come so stay tuned!

Ponder this ~ "Either run the day or the day runs you." 
~ Jim Rohn ~