I've mentioned a few times that our family enjoys camping. We used to do the tent thing - even sleeping in the tents when Daughter13 was still in a portable crib. But eventually dodging the weather and dragging stuff for a family of five took it's toll. We saved up some money and bought a ten-year-old camper, parked it at a favorite campground, and we've been spending as much of every summer there as we can for the past eight years. My wife and some of the kids practically live there during the summer and I join them on weekends and commute back and forth two or three days a week.
This past weekend was one of those weekends. And it was gorgeous. The weather was absolutely perfect...sunny, warm days, seasonable evenings, no rain in sight. And on a weekend like that, there is time to squeeze in so many fun things with the family.
Both Daughter13 and Son17 enjoy fishing (never fear, we always catch and release!). And while they will gladly fish with a hook and some bait, they have mastered the art of throwing a fresh-water clam in a net and actually catching fish right in their net! It amazes the crowds!
Swimming? Of course! The kids love to swim. My wife and I prefer the more leisurely approach - we float! We grab a couple of tubes, paddle out past all the kids who are splashing and chasing frisbees, and just relax enjoying the water and the sun. And if my scintillating conversation isn't enough to keep her interested, my wife has mastered the art of carrying her book out into the middle of the lake, on the tube, and reading. Without ever getting the book wet!
We took the paddle boat out one day and cruised the lake. A nice, relaxing ride to enjoy the water plants and the water animals! Check out the baby turtle hiding on the lily pad!
I was even able to convince Daughter13 to jump in a kayak and the two of us went all around the lake the next day enjoying the beauty of an early Sunday morning.
And what weekend of camping would be complete without toasting - and in some cases burning - a bunch of marshmallows over a campfire?!? In this photo, the marshmallows actually are not on fire, the light is just reflection from a slower shutter speed. But we did have a couple of servings of Marshmallow Flambe'.
It was a pretty perfect weekend. How many days is it until next Friday???
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36 comments:
Now i am jealous.
I love hiking and camping.
Now I am going to have to go fishing today just to make myself feel better
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Hi! First time visitor here...
Absolutely beautiful scenery and what looks like an awesome time with the family. My kids just went fishing for the first time at the beginning of July and it was great!
Thanks for sharing...
That last picture is the best...marshin some mallows..
but camping? just not me..I don't want to be trapped in a tin can with 3 boys...
What fun! Great pictures...I am jealous too! I hate camping...but you tempt me to try again!
It does sound like fun - and looks idyllic. I have many memories of camping with my family when I was a child...we had a caravan though.
But nowadays, please give me a comfy bed and hot water...and a private toilet.
I am hopeless at the wild camping scene. Just hopeless.
Only 3 more days.
Looks like a beautiful weekend!!! Glad y'all had a good, sunny time!
Looks like a relaxing, fun time you had there!
We love camping too even though my kids seem to have have an uncanny ability to locate and romp in poison ivy
Looks and sounds wonderful!
Beautiful. I grew up tent camping and somewhere along the way lost enthusiasm for damp tent walls and sleeping on the ground. But a camper is cool. Or a cabin.
I'm positively insane with jealousy! I have never been camping...and now I'm sad about that. Have enough fun for all of us.
What I love most is the absolute appreciation you bring to this possibility in your life. You don't take it for granted...
I'm laughing, though, as when we were camping the other week, my daughter asked why people buy campers, and I told her they do it because they want to feel like they've left home without really leaving behind the comforts of home. But as I said this, I thought, "Dang, but I wish we had one."
Turtles on a log! Baby Turtles! Oooh!
Um, in a camper, how do you and your wife manage...to get any privacy?
Color me jealous, em! Looks like you had a wonderful weekend - kayaking, marshmallow flambe, the works!
Here's to more Fridays!!
There are a few freshwater ponds on Cape Cod. Mrs. Joe's stepfather took The Champ & I out in a canoe while we were on vacation. It was the first time in a canoe for both him and I. It was very peaceful.
Except for The Champ's endless quantity of questions.
Jocelyn, you are absolutely right! We do want to go camping without giving up the comforts of home. Well, at least all the comforts we can squeeze into a box that is only 8 feet wide and 30 feet long with no phone or TV.
Thomas, hope you caught some fish!
Wendz, we do have hot water (when the propane doesn't run out) and a private toilet. A teeny tiny private toilet.
Rebecca, if you were close enough you would be welcome to join us!
Meno...excellent question. When the kids were younger and went to sleep earlier, "privacy" was possible. Now, some things just have to wait till we are both at home for an evening.
Looks like a great time. I always wanted to go camping, but my parents were SO not into it. I did get to sleep in a tent a few times at camp, though. Loved it.
Aw, man. I'm going to have to get a camper. Maybe not this year, but soon ...
Sounds like you're having a great time thus far!
That WAS the perfect weekend. Your wife sounds like my kind of people, with the book and all. I'm so glad you found your place for memories like toasted marshmallows/flambe, fishing, and just chillin' with the fam. We went beachcombing today with our kids and a neighbors kids. The kids dug up something like 100 clams (we catch and release too, because clams are just yucky), saw umpteen million sand dollars, and a seal or two on the ferry. Nature, and water, especially, is the best kind of fun there is, in my opinion. And...an opinion is a terrible thing to waste. :)
It seemes you had a wonderful weekend - and you're looking forward for another one. That is just great.
I like rivers early in the morning. And then I like them late in the evening, too. And I like them in the daytime as well.
Marshmellows sizzling...yum.
I could deal with camping in a camper.
A tent however is my personal idea of hell.
It looks divine! The thought of just floating on the lake is quite nice. And props to your wife for her mad reading on the lake skilz.
Idyllic. What a lovely way to spend the summer. Perfect.
Mr. Logo believes its only REALLY camping if you are several miles from the closest fire trail or logging road and you carried everything in on your back.
He is not a well man.
Your camping style looks perfect to me!
Looks lovely.
I'm trying not to become the green eyed monster.
Is that son no.17, or son 17 years?? If it's not the latter, I don't know where you find the energy to go camping..
As for the marshmallow cremation, you don't fool me with all your talk of slow shutter speed (He-he).
Looks like you've found a little piece of heaven there.
That looks so beautiful. I want to camp. I want to turn off my rambling brain and take in the lake and the marshmellows and the scent of pine. But it's so hard for me. You have inspired me to try it, though.
Oww wow how much fun does that look? We are going to buy a nice big tent u here soon to begin camping around, instead of forking out big bucks for hotel rooms. We're looking forward to it. Thanks for making me more excited than I initally was. Sounds like you and your family have a brilliant time...
It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Don't you wish you could just bottle up times like that and take them out when needed?
And when the wife takes a new book out on the water we know she reads the end first :-)
i'm jealous too! you obviously aren't living in the Deep South where being outside during the day is an excuse in masochism. glad you had a great time with the family!
Fabulous pictures! Your trip sounds like it was the best!
I've enjoyed camping over the years, but at this point, I simply can't fathom "going" in the woods. LOL
I LOVE CAMPING!
I can hardly wait to introduce my son to the joys of the great outdoors.
You'll find pictures of the boy and some of my camping ventures here.
Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful experience! I am jealous because that looks like so much fun!
Great pictures!
I'm really jealous because I love to fish and haven't been able to do it for a long time.
It looks like you had a great time. I wish we would go camping again but DW hates it now. :(
That all sounds pretty perfect to me! I love summer.
Wow, that looks amazing!
When I was girl, we spent so much time in the Adirondack Mountains and I absolutely loved it. So far, I'm not having much luck selling my kids on the idea. They're their father's sons. How unfortunate.
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