Christmas Camping

We are now approaching our second "Christmas in Camp" and looking forward to the quiet season that goes along with RV Life during this time of year. While we enjoy the business of the regular season and the wonderful guests that frequent our RV Park, Winter is just as special in a different sort of way. Our Full Time RV Life didn't begin with really any planning or forethought. It began with the purchase of an RV Park where we decided to live for a short time in the existing owners apartment residence. After a year and the hiring of a full time Park Manager, we suddenly had placed ourselves in a rapidly approaching "homeless" situation. Since our manager and her husband would be moving into the apartment we had been occupying, we needed to find a solution quick!

During the stress of trying to figure out do we buy or rent something, Shelley suggested, "We own a campground, lets get a camper and just pick a nice spot until we figure something else out." A week later, we were full time RVer's.

Part of what made the decision easy was being near other full timers in our camp and seeing their easy going, simple lifestyle. Many were full time Workampers for us and others were just living the Full Time RV life and, seemingly, enjoying it immensely.

I think the most appealing part of the life was perhaps the sense of community that develops in a campground among the full timers. The typical "large" RV may only be a couple hundred square feet of living space. This naturally results in finding ways to extend the living beyond the walls of the camper. The immediate space of the site is the first "expansion living space." After that, the central fire pit, the office coffee and pastry station, The pool area and then the pavilion all make up part of the connection to the Camp Community.

When that much outside interaction is taking place, a sense of family develops very naturally. In our camp, the full timers have decided that it is important to gather for meals on a monthly basis and take in the local shows, attractions and entertainment together. (Did I mention that we are situated just on the outskirts of Branson MO with it's hundreds of tourist destinations) The frequent meals and gatherings typically include invitations that are extended to the many part timers and even many of our nightly guests. This extends the camp family experience to others. Often times the food part of the experience is accompanied by a music gathering as well!

But back to the Christmas Season. This year there seems to have been an extra effort in camp to adorn the campers, many of the buildings, the treehouses and cabins, random trees and other unsuspecting structures with Christmas lights. When driving through camp this season, there is definitely a festive atmosphere on display.

This morning I made my way to the office for coffee and a donut. Randy already had a nice warm fire going in the community fire ring. Kim, his wife who is also our office manger arrived soon as did my wife Shelley. A couple of our workampers stopped by as they were preparing to travel back home to Michigan for Christmas with their family.

Others drifted in and out of the warmth of the campfire either out for a walk or tending to camp business. Today, the fire even included some of the show ticket people from town who were bringing this weeks show specials to the office. Soon we will be hearing the Saturday version of the two Silver Dollar City Steam Trains as they carry guests in the colorfully lighted Christmas Train rides. Once evening arrives the sound of Christmas Carols will echo through the woods and into camp from the giant musical Christmas tree there.

Do I like Christmas in Camp?

I like Camp period!

Christmas is just a special time in camp and an experience that one should not miss! Even if it's just a weekend.

You are welcome by our fire and welcome to a cup of hot coffee.

Come and See us Sometime. Share some of our Christmas Joy.

If you do not have a camper OR if it's already winterized for the year, we have cabins and treehouse cabins that are available all year.

www.bransontreehouseadventures.com
417-338-2500

Autumn in Camp

I realize that you may be reading this at some point in the future when it's like 104 degrees in the middle of July, or 28 and in the middle of January. But right now....It's 58 and early October where we are. It's early enough that it shouldn't be quite this cool, but a rain and a cool front came through last night making it legitimately feel like fall.

I don't know what else to say that the picture doesn't already tell you. Fall seems to be EVERYBODY'S favorite time of year for camping. When you Full Time it, there's never a lack of opportunity to enjoy a nice fire, maybe some s'mores, some prefer a glass of wine or steaming cup of coffee or tea! You really don't need a special occasion. Grab a chair, build a fire, breathe in the cool autumn air,enjoy the smell of the fallen leaves and look up at the stars. This time of year, even they seem to be brighter!

If you haven't been infected by the camper/RV bug yet, there are always cabins available that will give you the same experience. We have a hard time deciding which we like best, campers or cabins. One of our annual traditions is to head over to Cross Timbers Cabins in the fall for a couple days of leave raking and clean up. Even though it's only about 20 minutes away from the Campground, we always spend 2 or 3 days there. We rake and clean up around the cabins during the day, enjoy a campfire in the evening and then slip into the Jacuzzi tub at night! I guess you figured out that we time our trip to the cabins when cabin 3 is available! The leaves will always be there!

I suppose that no matter what season you're in when you read this, a camper or a cabin will always be in season. Check our Websites to reserve your next big adventure!

Acorn Acres RV Park and Branson Treehouse Adventures
Cross Timbers Cabins
Rainbow Haven Resort

You can also subscribe to our news, updates and special offers on the right side of this page. Send us your name and email address and we'll keep you updated on everything that's happening around camp, around the cabins, around the dock and in the trees! Treehouse cabins that is! Yep.....We do treehouse cabins too!

Working in the BIG Office!

When I use the term; "The BIG Office", obviously, it's painting with broad strokes regarding the fact that the word office relates to something close to work. The "Big" part relates perfectly though as here I am, sitting in the biggest office you could possibly find!

Camper Life (by necessity) changes your perspective on all kinds of things. Work being one of them. Since a good portion of my "Work" (I use that term very loosely as well) consists of tapping away on a computer, work can occur in very interesting environments......or.......offices! My designated offices have included a lawn chair under the camper awning, a lounge chair and table by the pool (see below), a spot next to the campfire.... You get the idea.

The RV or Camper Lifestyle was one we stumbled into unintentionally about 5 years ago. Now that we've acclimated to it, I'll have a really hard time going back to a permanent foundation!

We are surrounded by a number of "full time" or "lifetime campers". The one thing they all seem to have in common is the ability to scale life back in the "stuff" category and scale up the enjoyment of simple things in life.

My office selection of the day is just one of those little perks of the RV life. The best part is that it's not necessary to waste my camping time taking care of work related things. I'm dragging all my work related things right into the camp setting. And to be honest.....it's the most relaxed and casual work environment I've ever experienced!

Feel free to follow along with our Cabin and Camp Life by subscribing to our various camp and cabin updates to the right of this article!

See you at the............ Office! (at least today!)

The Camp "Family Room"

RV life has some really distinct advantages. Besides the obvious "sitting outside with a view of the woods while working on business from the computer", there is the more important element of family that develops with the other camp residents. In our camp, we have anywhere from six to twelve work campers at any time of the year. Plus, there are other seasonal campers that come and stay for a month or two or maybe all year. This group becomes our camp family and cannot stand it if there isn't something going on where they can all get together. Thankfully, (in my opinion) that often includes food! Anything from the campfire fish fry, to the campfire hot dog roast, to the campfire biscuits and gravy or the campfire Dutch Oven blueberry cobbler......... Are you noticing a trend here yet?

The campfire pit is the natural gathering place for our camp family. While food is a staple attracting force. Music does the trick too. In fact, there isn't much that happens around camp that doesn't work out best up around the campfire. Whether it's Pat, whittling on his walking sticks, Don playing his mandolin, or me just sitting there starring at the fire and drinking coffee, the campfire is our family room!

If you can't come to camp, then I invite you to join us by following our adventures on line through this blog, through our facebook page and through our email news and updates.

Our facebook page is Acorn Acres Campground

Sign up to our email updates using the forms to the right of this article and let us know if you are enjoying our journey!

See You Around the Campfire!

An Unexpected Adventure

2012 brought us the Hobbit movie entitled "The Unexpected Journey". I was sitting here thinking about our personal "Unexpected Journey" which began in 2011. Our journey began with the unexpected opportunity to purchase a small resort property in the sleepy little historic resort village of Rockaway Beach MO. It started in February, but by October, the journey had become an adventure. We moved our tiny little 23 foot travel trailer onto the site to begin renovations to the cabins. From the first day we began to experience the camp and cabin life. Our intention was to move back to our primary home by that fall. By fall..........we had fallen in love with the cabin and camping lifestyle.

Our camper was small, but served our needs perfectly. Our meals were a combination of outdoor campfire cooking, to BBQ grills, to smokers and camper kitchen (as in the fish fry to the left!) A Camper/RV lifestyle was being born and by October, we were HOOKED!

Fast forward from the original four cabins to a fifth one in October, to another resort with 8 more cabins by August, 2012, to another A frame cabin in 2012, Then an ENTIRE campground and RV Park (with 6 more cabins by the way) in 2014, to treehouse cabins in 2014, 2015 and 2016, to a Lake resort with marina in 2016....... Well, I'd say the camp and cabin life has settled in for good.

We hadn't lived in anything other than cabins or campers from early 2011 till late 2015. By that time, we simply surrendered to it and bought a 5th wheel camper as a semi permanent (or permanent permanent) form of lodging. The RV Living lifestyle has become our staple form of residence and you know what?    I'm okay with that.

As I sit here working on this article, I'm sitting outside under the awning in a light, late-summer rain. campers are coming and going along the road leading into camp. Even though we know it's still summer for another couple of weeks, we can smell fall in the air during the evenings. In our camp there is an "Eternal Flame" at the community fire pit near the pool and playground that I have no doubt is surviving this shallow attempt of rain.

Life can be complicated when dealing with so many cabins, camps, resorts and other related business. But there is a simple refuge only a step or two away from the camper front door!

Please check out our different camp and cabin connections by subscribing to the various locations that are displayed on the right side of this article. Join us in our "Unexpected Adventure"!