October, 2021
Check out that beautiful sky above! Oh yes, and the barn. 🙂
I’ve been here (at Ike Kinswa State Park, near Mossyrock, WA) for five full days and it feels like I’ve driven every road in the area. So how is it that I never drove by the barn (above) before today? Well, I don’t know, but today I found roads that I hadn’t driven on and found more fun stuff to see (like the barn above).
But first …
As I was eating my breakfast this morning (my last day here), I realized that I had no idea who Ike Kinswa was and why this state park/campground is named after him. So I looked online and found this on the state park website … “the area around Ike Kinswa State Park was originally inhabited by the Cowlitz Indians. Their burial ground is located in the region. Many graves were relocated when the Mayfield Dam backed water up into the canyon. The area was originally named Mayfield Lake State Park, but the name was changed in 1971 to honor Ike Kinswa, a Cowlitz Indian who represented his people.”
Oh my that seems such a brief explanation for people who have lived here for thousands of years.
So I kept sleuthing around online and finally found more information. His name (his english name) was Isaac Kinswa, born 1904, died 1970. He was a logger by occupation, and a member of the Shaker Church. He is buried at the David Ike Cemetery near Ethel, WA. I couldn’t find anything online about what he did to represent his people/tribe/nation, although there are numerous generalized references to and praise for how much he did. His granddaughter, Patty Kinswa, has been on the tribal council and was the Chairwoman of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe for a good bit of time. On my next trip here, I’ll be asking around so I can learn more!
This is my last day here at Ike Kinswa State Park near Mossyrock, WA. I’ll head home tomorrow morning and put Towhee the Trailer in storage for the winter. No, I won’t leave her alone or ignore her all winter. I will winterize the onboard water systems, and do maintenance work on the trailer. I will clean her inside and out, and will regularly empty the Dri-Z-Air containers to reduce condensation. I will leak-test the propane system, check tires and brakes, lubricate wheel bearings, load test the two 6-volt house batteries, check solar operation, make sure the emergency electrical brake system works, etc. A woman’s work is never done.
But this morning, while eating my breakfast inside my sweet Towhee the Trailer, I knew this trip, this camping trip, was my last camping trip of 2021, and today was the last day of that trip.
Rather than fret and stew, I did all my prep work for leaving, and then I jumped in the big white truck this afternoon. With Little Towhee alongside me in the cab, I headed out on yet a few more back roads to see what I could see and to enjoy this beautiful country that surely Ike Kinswa loved and enjoyed too. I will hitch up the trailer to the truck later. Right now, I wanted to rattle around this gorgeous countryside one more time.
The road was beautiful, and the river beside it was as well.
Then around another curve, and down another road … look at these handsome horses below. And one handsome pony. 🙂
Blueberries below! Most blueberry farms hereabouts seemed to be commercial, and they covered hundreds of acres. This one appeared to be just a locally owned farm and covered maybe 30-40 acres? That’s my best guess.
Then Little Towhee and I headed up into the hills around Mossyrock, and we found this Christmas Tree farm with baby Christmas Trees. How sweet. 🙂
Not surprisingly, Little Towhee jumped out of the big white truck way before I did. She said “Ann, a Christmas tree just my size!” She hopped all around it. Finally she stopped and sighed and said, “I know, I know, it has to grow up before it leaves here and goes to someone’s home for Christmas. But I do love this tree. I really do.”
And it really was just her size.
What could I do? After we got home, using the digital photo above, I added a big gold star at the top … and a big red heart because I love her … and two big Christmas carol bells. And now the photo below is part of our Christmas decoration at home. Little Towhee loves it. So do I.
But … getting back to our last day’s drive around Mossyrock … we drove on up further into those hills until it seemed we were on top of the world. I had no idea what we’d see, but the spectacular view below of Mayfield Lake opened up perfectly.
Besides being a beautiful view of gorgeous countryside and a fantastic sky, I could see the Ike Kinswa Campground. Look at the lake. Over on the left but kind of in the center, there are a few trees that are growing out in the lake from a point of land. That’s the very end of the campground. My campsite was in the trees to the left of that. And … a bit further to the left from my campsite was where I met up with those otters.
Heading back to my campsite at the end of my drive, I found one more pretty picture (below).
And then I was back home in my trailer.
There wasn’t any rain in the forecast but I’ll hitch up this evening anyway, just in case. One more quiet night in the forest and then I’ll head home tomorrow morning. You can bet your beeswax I’ll be back!
Man I wish I lived closer so I could camp there. And you could teach me about lubricating tires and checking brakes and all the stuff that worries me about someday owning a trailer. I LOVE the first image, the barn and the clouds..just perfect…and I love the line of red and green trees, and also the red blueberry bushes. Can’t wait till next summer when I can camp again! I have one 5 day reservation made, haven’t made any others because of a lot of unknowns about the summer, mainly my husband’s health. And maybe a puppy.
🙂 Thanks Dawn. I love your comments! Well, except for husband’s health (you’ve had enough heartache this year) … I hope he’s A-OK. A puppy, wow, Katie will have to approve, and you know she will from where she is, because she loves you.
Thanks for the lovely words about those photos. I haven’t made any camping reservations yet, friends and I are starting to think about it. I wish you lived closer too … I’d teach you everything you need to know about a trailer. Mostly you find a trustworthy maintenance shop … and then do some checks yourself. When/if you ever decide to make that step, I’ll help in any way I can. Who knows, I might zip back to Michigan to see Kalamazoo, and then go find you wherever you are and get to meet you too.
Oh … a puppy. 🙂
What a sweet story of Little Towhee and the Christmas tree. It sort of brought a tear to my eye but gave me a really big smile too. 🙂
Love the horses.
Thanks, Emily. Both of them are important … tears and smiles. 🙂
Tons of stuff to like here, the sky and the barn, the horses, actually I really like all your photos. But the photo of the autumn trees was super. And I really liked what you did for Little Towhee. Funny, I know that bird is a little stuffed bird, but even just having read about half of your blogs (I’ll catch up soon), that little bird is a part of life. I like that she’s now a part of Christmas. My Christmas this year is a little difficult. It’s nice to see love out and about.
Hi Greg, I’ve been thinking about you lately … Christmas and all … your first Christmas alone. I’d bet other readers here are sending blankets of warm wishes your way. Consider yourself loved.
Little Towhee asked me to say thank you from her. She said “cheep, yes, cheep, I love Christmas, and my tree, cheep!” And then she thought a moment and said, “Greg is really nice too” … “cheep!” 🙂 I never know what she’s going to say. That was nice of her.
I’m glad you’re here Greg.
I can’t pick a favorite photo. The barn, the horses, Little Towhee’s Christmas tree. I loved the photos of the lake, actually, really loved those two photos of the lake, and the autumn trees. But truly I love the photos of your trailer in the woods, your home in the woods. It’s so comforting. So “home”.
Ahhh, yes, that’s how I feel about the trailer in the woods too, Judy. It’s so comforting to come “home” to that trailer especially when she’s in such a gorgeous setting as this was. Thanks. 🙂
LOL! Bet your beeswax. I haven’t heard that since I was a little kid. thank you! Made my day. 🙂
Ok, my favorite photos … Little Towhee’s Christmas tree, the autumn trees, and yes the trailer in the woods, what a sweet home.
I suppose my parents used that term “bet your beeswax” but I really don’t have a clue where I got it. I haven’t heard it in years either. But I like it. 🙂
Super campground. I’ve never been there or heard of it, must be a best kept secret. But it’s now on my list. I’ll go look for the otters and say hi. 🙂
Great photos. First one is my favorite. My second favorite is the closeup of the lake.
Ben, if you do go there and find the otters, let me know. I’d love to hear about it. I like that closeup of the lake too.
Fabulous photos, fabulous campground. Wish we’d known about it when we were traveling in our motorhome. I can’t pick a favorite photo. That’s too hard!! Little Towhee’s christmas tree. The big photo of the lake and the sky. The fall color trees. Oh but I really love the photos of the trailer in the woods, so comfy!
Ha! What a dilemna … can’t pick a favorite because it’s too hard. Thanks Marge. Made me smile. 🙂
You and your husband have been RVers for years … you know what it’s like to come home to your rig. It’s a great feeling, isn’t it.
Thanks for the Ike Kinswa information.
You are welcome. When I go camping there again, I hope to learn more and will share it.
This was great. Lots of smiles. 🙂 Thanks.
You are welcome. 🙂