We love to camp. We have this old icky pop-up camper that we bought from a friend, and whenever we can find the time each summer, we go camping. I love to sit around the campfire for hours, watching the colors dance in the fire and thinking my own thoughts. I love roasting marshmallows or making campfire pies. I love going for walks on barely-there trails through the woods, spotting snakes and chipmunks and colorful birds. I love to watch my kids catch fish and chase frogs and examine trees chopped down by beavers. I love spending all day from sun-up till after sun-down outdoors. I just love to camp.
We left Friday afternoon and camped for a few days about an hour and a half from here. We camped with friends, which was fun, and it was a great relaxing time. We didn’t sleep much. We worked hard, cooking each meal on a little camp stove and then doing dishes and carrying firewood. We hiked and fished and played hard with the kids. I have spent most of today recovering and I still have heaps of laundry to go. Sometimes I wonder if the whole camping thing is worth it.
And then I remember Goo’s face as he pulled up that fish on the end of his line. I think about Spike’s excitement when he saw the rattlesnake hurrying away from us. I consider Blondie’s discovery of deer tracks and purple wildflowers. And despite the laundry, despite the exhaustion, despite the sunburn…I can’t wait to go again.
