Co-Co the Caravan

I love this little poem, Co-Co the Caravan. It comes from this vintage book:

The Co-Co the Caravan poem reminds me of my little trailer, Betty. I have two lamps in my trailer and I always turn one on early in the evening. That way when I look out from the cottage "Betty" looks warm, cozy, and inviting. Like the poem says, "A warm friendly welcome". Oh, and did you notice the rabbits in the picture? Well, for some reason we have several rabbits around here this summer. I have seen three, but lately it's just been two that come out to nibble. Not at night like in this illustration but more in the morning and early evening. Too cute!

Wash on Mondays, Iron on Tuesdays

                

Last summer I decorated the outside of my trailer with this vintage  ironing board, an idea I copied from my favourite glamping book, Sisters On The Fly. I think my dad had bought this wooden ironing board at an auction years ago. By the time I took possession, it had seen better days. I gave it a good scrubbing with some vinegar and water. Then, on a nice sunny day I applied two coats of Briwax. That stuff is amazing! It's almost like a stain and paste wax mixed together. (I believe it's made in England.) I let the Briwax cure in the sun for about an hour and then I buffed the board with a soft rag. Voila! 

PS. Apparently times were tough last summer. Looks like I only have one bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade cooling in my ice bucket. Actually, that ice bucket is a repurposed citronella patio candle. After the candle was finished I just sprayed the tin bucket with my favourite Krylon colour, Blue Ocean Breeze.

  This post makes me think of that old rhyme:

Use it up,

Wear it out,

Make it do,

Or do without.

The Red Trailer Mystery

Look what I spied at the New-To-You store last week? Now I have never read a Trixie Belden book before but this is so cute. Trixie and her rather well-to-do friend, Honey Wheeler, are off to solve a mystery. These girls actually ride inside the trailer while Honey's governess, Miss Trask, drives. When they get to their first stop, Miss Trask says, "I'm so tired I couldn't boil an egg". Of course these two amazing thirteen year olds whip up dinner. Too funny! How did I miss this series as a kid? Maybe I would have been a trailer crazy teen. I never heard of anyone naming their trailers back then, but Honey's family owns the 'Silver Swan' and of course the red trailer is named 'Robin'. I've only read two chapters but I truly think this little gem was worth all of the .25 cents I paid. 

Check out this link if you would like to find out more about the Trixie Belden books. Some of the older covers for this title have great vintage trailers depicted on them.

http://www.trixie-belden.com/books/series/book2.htm

Gift from the Sea

                          

This is what happened one day last summer when I had way too much free time. I emptied my trailer of all its red decor and restyled it. I basically just "shopped" the cottage and dragged out some of my coastal/cottage/nautical things. When you are only decorating 96 square feet it doesn't take too long to change things up! I've had that "She Sells Seashells" doll for at least 10 years. It started out burgundy, but now it's blue. That "Welcome Aboard" life ring came from the guest room.

Someone once said if you have more than three of something it counts as a "collection". I guess you could say I have a collection of nautical books including three from the Bobbsey Twins series, The Outermost House, and Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. Every few years I reread this little gem while sitting in my beach chair with my toes buried in the sand!

Stompin' Tom Connors

                                            

This tribute was in our provincial newspaper today. A Canadian folk-legend, fiercely patriotic Stompin' Tom Connors, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 77. He got his nickname because when he sang he stomped his left foot (usually on a piece of plywood). His most well-known hits included "Bud the Spud", "The Hockey Song", and "Sudbury Saturday Night".  I guess you might say he was Canada's Johnny Cash!
Here he is singing my fave, his first hit from 1970, "Bud the Spud".

                                     

 "Bud the Spud" and "The Hockey Song" are available as children's books. Both selections are popular in my classroom.

Mr. Magee Cracks Me Up!

                                      

Last spring I was on a quest to find this children's book. I checked my local bookstore, but no luck. I called Scholastic, because I had seen a copy with their label on it. The clerk looked it up and said it had been 5 years since it had been on their order list. Rats! I had over $300 in my Scholastic bonus coupon bank and they didn't have the ONE book I wanted. I told my sad tale to the school librarian. About a month later she was purging some books and guess what ended up in the discard pile? Later that week the librarian presented me with a copy of A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen. Oh happy day! If you have never read this book before, you must! With rhyming text and hilarious illustrations, it's the perfect story for young children. And how adorable is that cover sporting a very stylish, vintage trailer?

Beach Glass Bonanza

Yes, I call it beach glass. I figure you find it on the beach therefore the term "sea glass" just doesn't seem right. But whatever you call it, I think you will agree that this is a pretty good haul for one evening at the beach. I have never found an old marble before, but I did that night! So what do I do with all this glass you might ask? Not much. I have filled some mason jars with it to use as door stoppers at the cottage. I also give some to my students each year after I read the beautiful story,  The Story of the Sea Glass by Anne Wescott Dodd.

It doesn't seem to matter how much I have at the cottage, I never come back from the  beach empty handed. My favourite pieces are the blue or aqua ones. I also have a small dish filled with beach china. But that's a post best left to the summer when I am back at the cottage and can get a good picture of it :)