My campsite with a beautiful shaded willow tree I have always wanted to be presented to the Queen of England, but who would have thought that introduction would take place in a campground in Tennessee! So begins a tea party at Misty River Campground in Walland, Tennessee! Not just any tea party, but one attended by British Royals! Jimmy (Misty River’s owner) is always coming up with ideas to entertain his camping chums, and this spring he wanted to host a weekend just for the women! We arrived in our campers to enjoy the three-day event, and more girls came just for the tea party on Saturday at 4:00! (Maybe events such as this are why Misty River has been recognized as one of the "Best Parks in America" four years in a row!) Jimmy runs a relaxed campground, but he did want this to be an elegant event, so he turned the event planning over to wife Diane assisted by Sharon, a favorite Misty River greeter. It was declared that hats would be required for this High Tea function, and that a full menu of British sandwiches and pastries would be served on china with fresh flowers and linen gracing the tables! Especially charming was the assortment of china that was accumulated from local antique shops in the area. British-born Barbara Nugent and her husband Gerald arrived as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. Barbara has a passion for Queen Elizabeth and educating people about the grueling lifestyle that is part of the Royal presence. She became personally acquainted with the Queen’s routine as she accompanied Gerald in his job as part of the Queen’s traveling advance staff. Dressed as a regal Queen Elizabeth with Prince Phillip supporting her role, her many stories were told with staunch British respect for the monarchy and many personal anecdotes. As for the ladies attending the Misty River Tea Party, fashion was key to the event. . . everything from elegant tea dresses, British fascinators and blue-jeans were presented to her Royal Highness. And, of course, hats were “mandatory”! My hat, while rather plain, did sport bright LED lights that were a great bonus after dark at the campground! Not so much at the tea party! That is the story of the Tea Party at Misty River campground in Tennessee! A real girl's-only treat! Topping this great occasion would be hard to do -- but husband Tom managed to do just that . . . he had this beautiful bouquet of flowers delivered to me at the campground, and I have been dining with flowers on the table the whole weekend! I am blessed and can not wait to join up with Tom at the upcoming Blue Ridge Rally.
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October 2021
We don’t go camping any more . . . we go ‘streamin’ ! The “SIlvermine and His” is our 2018 25' Airstream Serenity with Salsa interior and front twin beds., and ‘streamin’ is the name we use to describe our adventures. Stream along as we document everything from weekend trips to longer summer excursions and full-blown vacations. You know what they say: if you’re not in an Airstream – you’re just camping!
Tom & Ella Brown |