What could be more befitting of “Brother’s Week” than a Kintner-sister campout where our Kintner-brother was able to hang around the campsite, visit, and share those wonderful camp-cooked meals? It doesn’t happen often enough, but everything fell into place this past week for a perfect sibling reunion. Since the passing of my parents, I don’t find myself in Tennessee for the extended time that allows for brother/sister bonding. Several weeks ago I took charge of this situation and planned a camping trip at the KOA in Townsend, TN for a much-needed sibling jamboree! The tone was set with 3 side-by-side sites with full hook-ups and campsite balconies high above Little River! Tink and I rally together frequently, and sister Beccie was anxious to bring out her new Alto Safari Condo (with brand new import status from Canada to the USA!) to join us. Brother Richard lives only 15 miles away from Townsend, TN and was primed to join us for leisure afternoons and suppers! My 8 hour trip of 433 miles covered familiar territory (I often wonder how many times I have made that drive in the past 35 years?) and I arrived at 5:00 Sunday to find Beccie and Johanna all set up and waiting. Following a successful back-up maneuver with Tink as a guide, and I was completely set up 20 minutes later. With nothing on the agenda for the evening, we all settled into the novelty of our river-side campsites with balconies, snacked for dinner, chatted till darkish, and then discharged to our separate habitats for an early evening. In the morning I was busy trying to get pictures of our three rigs showing our line-up by the river. Tink, with her accommodating R-Dome in the middle, was the mid-way rendezvous place. The R-Dome offers shaded and breezy seating during the day and converts to completely closed off protection in case of rain. Later, I set up my 12'X12' Paha Que shelter for meals at the picnic table. We were ready for whatever the weather decided to do! Here is the view we woke up to each morning! The balconies were a delightful place to enjoy morning coffee. One of the motivations for this trip was to be able to see Beccie’s new Alto Safari Condo. She has had her eye set towards this unique camper for several years, but avenues just opened up in February for the Alto to be brought into the United States. In March she made the trip to retrieve her camper, and I have been dying to see it ever since. Here is a picture tour -- outside and in! For more information about this new-to-the-USA lightweight, follow this link: www.safaricondo.com/ For over a year Tink and I have been sportin' bright pink shirts with an "evil sister" inscription. We haul them out at every rally and keep people guessing as to WHO is the real evil sister. This trip we added Beccie to the mix with a shirt of her own. Richard was recruited to capture a pic! While we were in the picture taking and posing mode, I snapped a group picture of all four sibs: Beccie, Johanna, Richard and Ella! So much of this trip revolved around me wanting to spend time with Richard and Beccie – the siblings I don’t get to see as frequently. Beccie was camping right with us, and Richard was able to drive back and forth for visits, afternoons in the pool, and dinner off the grill. It is the most time that the four of us have been able to spend together in the past 4 years. Brother-in-Law Rufus, Beccie's husband, even made it up one evening too play chef and cook pork tenderloin for our dinner! Paired with the tenderloin were roasted small potatoes, fresh corn cut off the cob, asparagus, sliced tomatoes . . . served around the picnic table!
All in all it was a perfect pow-wow by the river, and one that we have every intent of repeating yearly. In one of the touristy stores I saw a silly little item that seemed to sum up my feelings about our week. The little camping backpack holds four little critters that I have baptized with our sibling nicknames: Bunkey Bear (Richard), Tink 'R Fox (Tink), Chipella (Ella), and King Moose (Beccie.) This bit of childish indulgence sums up the special feelings that I brought home from this camp out, and it now hangs in the Silvermine, above the head of my bed!
5 Comments
Tom
9/16/2013 07:31:30 am
Wonderful story ...
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Rob
9/16/2013 07:56:39 am
What a wonderful time!!! --Rob
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Tink
9/16/2013 11:03:23 am
Really enjoyed this! You summed it up perfectly!!
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Sharon
9/21/2013 06:33:37 am
Would you consider letting the Sigmon/Ritchie Clan join you next year? Two more sisters and a set of cousins would add to the fun!
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Ella M Brown
9/22/2013 01:07:15 am
Absolutely, Sharon . . . sisters on the river!
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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 |