Poking the Campfire--What Mamma has to say

Its no accident I'm kicking off this blog on the day that all fools are in their glory. On April Fools, the operative word is fun. That's what we're going to talk about a few times each week--who's having the most fun.

No matter the size, location or feel of the campground, fun better be a big part of the formula, momma says. Everyone knows if momma ain't having fun, then no one is. At least for me, if there's no fun in it, I'm not doing it.

A few years ago we were shopping for T-shirts, or maybe I should say, shopping for what to print on our T shirts. The top contender? A shirt that said: "At Lock 30 Woodlands, it's only fun until someone gets hurt--then its hilarious!"

Someone, maybe my lawyer, said that shirt was not a good idea.

So then we went the historic preservation route, honoring Lisbon as the oldest city and first capital of the Buckeye state:

"Ohio. Nothing to do since1802--until Lock 30 Woodlands! We play every day"

Someone, maybe my manager, said poking a stick in the eye of the whole state was not a good idea, either.

No question, everyone has their own ideas about what's fun and what's funny, so it's probably smart to first run your ideas past someone who at least appears normal.


As for what we do at Lock 30 to offer family fun and recreation, we like to step slightly out of the tent. Hold that thought, because I'll give you an example in a minute.

Probably the most fun I had last summer was snarfing all the "Made in China" glow in the dark necklaces from our store to make a twenty-foot long, looped garland. Then I attached the neon chain to the robot that cleans our 40 x 80 swimming pool. I stood in the pitch dark in a patch of lavender, near the bocce court, awestruck as Aqua Bot scrubbed away, creeping 12 foot deep, tugging a blaze of iridescent color.

The only thing that would have made my midnight caper more fun would have been a margarita. But then I would have started running my mouth, whooping and hollering. That would have gotten me thrown out of my own campground. Now that would not be fun.

(Translation: Do not try this at my home or yours.)

So how do we step outside the tent to create fun for our campers? We start by expanding our definition of fun. We believe in "edutainment"--the wonderful thing that happens when you combine learning (as in education) with entertainment.

On Mother's Day weekend I'm putting on a pot of coffee to launch our "Fireside Chat" series. I'll ask one of our workampers, a horticulturist, to join our regulars who gather round the clubhouse wood-burning stove on chilly Saturday mornings. She'll talk herbs: how and why we grow them. We have a free herb garden at Lock 30 Woodlands. When you need a fresh handful of sage for your chicken cooked on the campfire, nothing else will do.

There's fun, too, in learning how to put together a knock-your-socks off planter of colorful annuals for your deck or front porch.

For all the mothers camping that weekend: "Flowers for the Front Porch Using Thrillers, Fillers and Spillers." I'll be doing a Saturday "how to" demonstration so dads and kids can create a lasting gift for mom.

I'm a Master Gardener, courtesy of Colorado State University Extension. Gardening is my passion. It's fun for me to share what I know, and its fun for campers to learn what the great outdoors offers.

I'm going to ask a few of our extended stay campers and staff to help host our shoulder season "Fireside Chat" series. These generous folks are a diverse group, offering a wide range of knowledge and experience. I'm hoping they, too, will have fun sharing with campers what they know.

OK. Back to the T-shirts. I know you're wondering who we managed to finally offend with our tasteless selection of inappropriate mottos.

No one. We don't sell T-shirts. At least not yet.


The truth is--for momma, selling T-shirts isn't fun. And if there's no fun in it, momma ain't doin' it.

Karen Brucoli Anesi

"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone."--(Neal Walsh may have said it, but my good buddy, Amy Smith is living it.)