Saying goodbye to summer...

The days seemed long and endless didn't they;
crashing into the setting sun and re-awaking in the early
hours to generate summer sounds and
hearten the ventures of the day.
The water was silky soft and clear and clean and
afforded hours of canoeing,
paddle surfing, boating, and swimming, diving
and just laying on the beach and basking in the sun.
The campfires burned bright; the laughter
was wholesome and the friendships were warm;
the lightning storms arrested our attention as they
crackled above us and the
tiny raindrops could be heard tapping a summer tune.
The food was grand and scrumptious and even those
simple hamburgers and hot dogs roasted over
the open fire tasted sooo...good. Those full moons and blistering days
of full sun with temperatures that made the turtles sleep
and people sweat. We walked around in shorts and flip flops
with tees tucked in our pants. We burned our noses
and our faces along with our knees and toes.
We enjoyed the bands, the impromptu gatherings,
the reverberation of life.

Summer...so hard...to say goodbye.

​

 

I'm actually glad summer time is over...well almost. All the biting bugs and monstorious heat has kept my family up quite a bit since I have an infant and two kids allergic to alot of different things related to outside. Now that its getting cooler, we all can enjoy the outside a bit more.

 

Restlessness - now that's a descriptive word. I can identify with that. So...my answer this year is to get out more rather than sitting beside an open fireplace reading journals and dreaming of next summer. Our first winter camp out is scheduled for the end of January. Other than that I've vowed to use my snowshoes that I haven't used since I got a pair from the Yukon Mad Tapper a number of moons back.

I do forget that our Babblers are from all over the world and that summer means different things. Our summers in this neck of the woods are to be enjoyed - they are simply to short.

 

I can say that I have experienced one fierce storm a few years back. And it was fierce. We stayed in the tent and listened intently to the howling of the wind and the slam of the snow against the roof and walls for a whole day and night. I was in the Bala area and we were snowed in for two extra days. There was no way we could get out because the road was snowed in and was not a priority on the plow man's list.

We plan trips well so that we have a safe place to park the van and we take our equipment in by toboggan. The trip is logged in that people know where we are and friends now have phones and the like should we need them. Two extra days are added [with food and fuel provision] should the weather prevent us from getting out. If we are over two days the gendarmes come looking for us - knowing were are. [That hasn't happened yet.]

I'm into hot tent camping and pack a stove that keeps us more than warm. That, with proper clothing and winter condition sleeping bag keeps me warm as toast. When I go with a small group the equipment is divided to save weight.

No - I haven't done any ice fishing - fishing hasn't been one of those activities I ever got excited about.

 

This is true...

 

Indeed!

 

I hope that your summer
was as good as mine;
and that next year it will even be better.

For those who missed it because life got in the way,
my heart goes out to you.


​

 

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BUT...I have a winter camp coming up AND [I know that you will believe this.] I'm already planning for 2016 [GW]. I didn't like the seats on my picnic table so I've changed them, sewed a weather panel to my kitchen shelter, put a crest on my sign, flag, and hiking pants. And I'm looking at some new camp furniture designs that I can accomplish this...this....it's really hard to say, this...OKAY...RETNIW (WINTER)!

 

We won't camp again until we head south during my kiddos spring break. There is snow in Michigan and my husband doesn't feel comfortable pulling a camper on potentially icy roads. We just went for the last time this season and I cleaned out all of the stuff that can't freeze and any foods and spices so we don't get little critters. Next week we will winterize and blow out all the tanks to prevent freezing. It's a sad, sad time!

 

I camp every opportunity I can - next weekend is no exception. I'll be out with our Venture Group for the weekend and will only be taking the Hooligan tent as I'm only out for a couple of nights.

 

The Hooligan Tent - enough for my Allagash cot and winter sleeping bag,

...and this is my Allagash Cot.