The Summer Solstice Gathering was a Success!

From the Mountain Chickadee Farm private tour, to the tribal body painting workshop, Pinecrest Retreat's summer solstice weekend was a fun and intriguing success!  Mixing and matching activities with the reclusive time to regenerate, the weekend felt just right. The Paradise Lounge is finally looking and feeling more cozy and complete- and folks are gathering there to listen to music or rally the troops to take a hike. A new sound system was in fine working order to provide Mad Men type tunes under the Pavillion.  BigJohn gave a "How to grill on Coleman Grill" workshop, which was a nice lead-in to the community potluck, followed by a bonfire by the pool! A good time was had by all! 

Take a Hike!

summer solstice gathering june 22

come celebrate summer solstice on saturday June 22 at Pinecrest Retreat. 

along with other activities, there will be a pot luck BBQ at 7pm poolside. bring a dish & a friend. summer sangria will be served to those in festive attire. 

Something New!

 

NEW THIS SEASON!

A limited number of Overnight Trailer-sites will be available to the guests of Pinecrest Members (and others) for just $40 per night: this includes power, water, access to the pool & hiking trails.

One Skillet Camping Breakfast

One Skillet Camping Breakfast!

Packed with proteins and carbs, this frittata combines all of the usual breakfast camping food staples to make one really hearty dish. Best of all, it only requires one skillet to prepare, perfect for tent campers and backpackers.

Serves 2

Preparation Time: 15 minutes at home & 5 minutes at the campground

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes 2 Tablespoons cooking oil 1 clove of garlic 1/2 small onion

1/3 lb. ground sausage 5 eggs 1/2 cup cheddar cheese Salt & Pepper to Taste

Instructions:

At Home:

1. 1.  Dice the potatoes and onion into small, bite-size pieces. Store them in separate airtight containers.
2. 2.  Mince the garlic and place them in a separate container.
3. 3.  Shred the cheddar cheese. Pack them in a separate container.

At the Campground:

1. 1.  Add the oil to a large skillet and heat it on a stove (if you're camping with an RV) or over the campfire (if you're tent camping).
2. 2.  Fry the potatoes until golden.
3. 3.  Add the onions and garlic and fry them until they start to change color.
4. 4.  Fry the sausage until they are brown, breaking it up as you cook it.
5. 5.  Add the eggs into the skillet, breaking the yolks and mixing them through the entire pan. Cook until the eggs have set.
6. 6.  Add the shredded cheddar cheese. Cover the pan for a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

"Glamping" is here to stay.

"Glamping" (glamorous+camping) has been around for a while. Here is an article from CNN Travel that dates back to 2011.  According to some sources, glamping has become so popular that there is now an official "international glamping weekend", June 1&2. So glamp it up!

New Pinecrest Map

even though this new map isn't perfect yet, the yurt village is now pull-in camping for friends of members and the "farm" isnt where it is indicated here, the listings of sites and site numbers ARE correct and can be used as reference. so print out this map for reference or save the image to your computer so you can send it to friends who are visiting for the first time and would like to know how to find your site. you will also notice new painted stones with the new site numbers through-out the park. this should help friends and neighbors find you when you decide to have a last minute bbq at your site some summer night.

as we make improvements to the map, we will let you know. happy camping!

The Community Garden

the community garden has become very popular this year, all 6 of the raised gardens have been claimed for the season already! many vegetables and flowers have been planted and some have already been harvested (aka the asparagus). the garden has automatic-drip watering system in place, so even if you are not at pinecrest as much as you'd like, you know that your plants can keep on growing. even if you haven't planted anything at the garden, located up the hill on the east side of the pool in a fenced in area, be sure to stop by and check on the gardens progress. by next year we hope to have a little garden shed set up near the garden when we can store "community tools" such as rakes and shovels. so if you feel like doing some work on your site, but forgot to bring up the garden stuff, just borrow, use and return tools from the shed.

the good news is that, even if you didn't get a chance to plant any veggies in the community garden this year, you'll still have access to some great, fresh foods being grown right in the neighborhood at the Mountain Chick-a-dee Farms. Mountain Chick-a-dee Farms is an independent project that will be making fresh produce available for purchase on a daily basis at the Club House. Ask Judy for details.

A poem by Greg Kimura

Cargo A poem by Greg Kimura for Malidoma Somé

You enter life a ship laden with meaning, purpose and gifts
sent to be delivered to this hungry world,
and as much as the world needs your cargo,
you need to give it away.
Everything depends on this.

But the world forgets its needs,
and you forget your mission, and
the ancestral maps used to guide you
have become faded scrawls on the parchment of dead Pharaohs.
The cargo weighs you heavy the longer it is held.
Spoilage becomes a risk.
The ship sputters from port to port and at each you ask:
"Is this the way?"
But the way cannot be found without knowing your cargo,
and the cargo cannot be known without recognizing there is a way.
It is simply this:
You have gifts.
The world needs your gifts.
You must deliver them.

The world may not know it is starving,
but the hungry know,
and they will find you
when you discover your cargo
and start to give it away.

Pool Now Open 6 Days a Week!