Monthly Archives: August 2015

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One Big Mess

Things get messy in Buñol, Spain, this time of year. In the normally gorgeous ancient city in the Valencia region of Spain …

photo by Jesús Pérez Pacheco via Flickr.com

the streets turn red …

photo by Rob Owens via Flickr.com

with tomatoes!

photo by flydime via Wikimedia Commons

I have an abundance of tomatoes this time of year (I even have a huge bowl by the back door and encourage my employees to take home as many as they like), but this takes over-abundance to another level …

On the last Wednesday of August each year in Buñol, a tomato-producing region, tens of metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets … and tomato madness ensues! 20,000-50,000 tourists now come to participate in a mass food fight called La Tomatina to re-create a simple brawl in 1945, when an angry reveler started throwing produce from nearby street vendors. In the early years, participants brought their own tomatoes and were sometimes arrested for disturbing the peace. But the ritual became so popular that in 1975, town officials started organizing the festival and brought in tons of tomatoes for the unusual celebration. The fight lasts for an hour, during which shopkeepers cover their storefronts in plastic to protect them from damage. At the end of the hour, fire trucks hose down the streets and hoses are provided to clean up participants. Good, clean fun that gets a little messy!

photo by flydime via Wikimedia Commons

photo by flydime via Wikimedia Commons

 

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Top 5 Glamping Destinations

Glamping.com has recently released a list of their top 5 glamping destinations for 2015. Each of their picks merges grit with glam to produce a one-of-a-kind glamping experience.

*****

The Resort at Paws Up, Greenough, Montana

A luxury ranch resort situated on a sprawling 37,000-acre authentic working cattle ranch in western Montana, 35 minutes northeast of Missoula.

Photo, pawsup.com

Photo, pawsup.com

Website Overview: “At the crossroads of incomparable luxury and unspoiled wilderness lies The Resort at Paws Up. Whether you choose an expansive private home or a sophisticated, safari-style luxury tent, Paws Up provides an unfiltered connection with the natural beauty of Montana amidst a landscape of impeccable rustic elegance and comfort. Here, you’ll live day to day, adventure to adventure. Spend an hour, a day, or a week on horseback — all in a wilderness sanctuary you’ll never forget. Cast a fly in sparkling waters to eager trout, explore the land Lewis & Clark swooned over, or lose yourself in a world-class spa. You’ll sleep on the finest sheets, eat world-class cuisine and receive impassioned personalized service. It’s home to first-class adventure on a grand scale. The Resort at Paws Up—truly The Last Best Place. ”

*****

Glen Oaks Big Sur, California

Rustic-modern cabins in beautiful Big Sur country.

Photo, glenoaksbigsur.com

Photo, glenoaksbigsur.com

Website Overview: “The adobe motor lodge was considered modern in 1957, and 50 years later, Glen Oaks Big Sur has a fresh rustic-modern and green sensibility. Our remake takes the lead from the original natural adobe walls, known for keeping the hot sun out and the warmth in, and uses recycled and renewable stone, Peroba wood, bamboo, resin, wool carpets and organic cotton for a healthy and natural environment. Walk-in showers are evocative of showering in the forest, but the stylish chrome and porcelain fixtures will bring you back to the modern world. Whether you are out on a hike, or cozy in your room, you are never far from the warmth and color of nature. The natural wool blankets by Pendleton Woolen Mills and Coyuchi organic cotton bedding and feather duvets are delightful to snuggle under.”

*****

The Outlook Lodge, Green Mountain Falls, Colorado

An 1889 lodge near Pike’s Peak, re-imagined as a private, contemporary escape providing all the necessary creature comforts while maintaining a rustic simplicity.

Photo, outlookgmf.com

Photo, outlookgmf.com

Website Overview: “The Outlook Lodge is a handsome retreat tucked away in picturesque Green Mountain Falls and surrounded by Colorado wilderness. Offering both adventure and indulgence, The Outlook Lodge is an intimate, all-seasons getaway. Reserve the entire Outlook Lodge for a truly private escape. The Lodge is a perfect locale for family getaways, private events, and weddings.”

*****

Moose Meadow Lodge & Treehouse, Waterbury, Vermont

An Adirondack-style luxury lodge nestled on 86 secluded acres in the Green Mountains of Vermont.

Photo, moosemeadowlodge.com

Photo, moosemeadowlodge.com

Website Overview: “With four luxury guest rooms and a magical treehouse, the property provides mountain views, a hot tub, hiking trails, a trout pond, and the Sky Loft—a glass-enclosed gazebo at the highest point of the property with unparalleled panoramic views. Whether you love skiing, hiking, snowmobiling, biking, hunting, fishing, antiquing, fine dining, the arts, or simply getting some rest, the Moose Meadow Lodge is a perfect location to do everything or nothing at all.”

*****

Cypress Valley Canopy Tours, Spicewood, Texas

Sleep 30 feet up in an old-growth Cypress tree and experience zipline adventures near Austin, Texas.

Photo, cypressvalleycanopytours.com

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Photo, cypressvalleycanopytours.com

Website Overview: “A night in the trees will be one you always remember. Your treehouses are nestled high up in beautiful cypress trees where you can listen to the night noises of our magical ravine, watch the fireflies dance, and slumber peacefully in your treetop haven. The Lofthaven, Juniper, and Willow treehouses each sleep two guests, and the Nest sleeps up to six guests. A bridge connects you to your magnificent bathhouse with a waterfall-filled tub to relax and look out over the ravine.”

Visit Glamping.com for a directory of hand-selected, personally vetted, high-quality glamping destinations around the world.

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GIVEAWAY: Glamping Rug

While we’re still in the throes of glamping season, I thought I’d share one of the throw rugs we sell in my store in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho (log onto Facebook to get to the store page). It’s wool. It’s well-made. It’s adorable. And I have one for all of my glampers (yup, that’s plural, as in several—two Shastas, one Airstream, one Yellowstone, one Tabitha, and one teardrop). Recently, we took most of them out of town for a family vacation to the same campground we stayed in last year. It made for a head-turning caravan going down the road, kind of like the scene in the rug.

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And here’s my cat, Jasper Tomkins, right after he told me that if I took a photo with him on the rug, it would look more purrfect. You think I’m kidding, don’t you? I put the rug down on the floor to take a pic of it and he promptly walked over and posed just so for you. See, even cats get the glamper thing.

rug_6406 The 2′ x 3′ hooked wool rug was created by Carol Eldridge Designs. In order to make it yours, tell me in a comment below all about your trailer (or tent), along with its name. If you don’t own a trailer or tent, tell me what your fantasy glamper would look like. I’ll put your name in my glamper train case and pull out a winner to be announced here next month. Stay tuned!

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Today’s Recipe: Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

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Hear Ye!

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Joan Hendrix!!!

Joan Hendrix (#6465) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Level Backyard Farmer Merit Badge!

“My husband and I built a chicken coop this past spring. We attended city council meetings to change the ordinance so we would not violate the “one chicken rule.” In June, I became “mom” to 4-month-old chicks. I’ve read four books and planted herbs with the idea of fortifying the chickens’ diet with them. No chemical fertilizers or pesticides anywhere, although I have not been able to buy organic grower feed locally. I have spotted organic layer feed, so will be moving to that.

Well, the jury is still out on how this has worked since they haven’t started laying yet, but so far none of them are crowing!

The day the guy delivered them, he called me to say one of his died. One of mine died later that day. Cocci! He didn’t realize any were sick. The next day, he brought me medicine to put in their water. Another one died and one more was sick. I spent all day with that one (Pansy), making sure she drank a lot of the medicated water, plus some of my homemade yogurt, minced oregano, garlic powder, and a few of the grower crumbles. That evening, she seemed stable, so I let her sleep with her one remaining sister in the coop. She survived and is my sweetest lap chicken! All has been good since!”

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