So many times it happens 2 fast, you trade your passion 4 glory; don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just 2 keep them alive

All About Camping

One day the camping trip will be a dream of the past. Spending time with loved ones, friends, and acquaintances. Memories of childhood. Memories of your child's school days. Memories of something unusual. What a nice thing to remember the camping trip with poignant (emotionally touching or moving) thoughts and stories and photos.

And the smell of the smoke Lingers. It seems to permeate everything. I could smell it in church. I can smell it on me now. I can smell it on the kids this Monday morning.

These are just some of the memories:

• the flames of the campfire reaching out towards the circle of onlookers; flaming embers passing over their heads
• dogs running throughout the camp, sniffing and going up to everyone to be held or petted
• Berkley running in the river and kids jumping and splashing and ruining more than a few pairs of shoes
• people sitting around the campfire telling jokes and stories; Mr. Hauglie sarenading us with songs and his guitar - that was very nice
• Mrs. Miller telling us about the birds she identified on her hike
• the kids telling us about seeing the falls and going in it
• kids of all ages hiking together and Duffett watching to see that they were safe, especially the little ones
• smores and toasted marshmallows
• moms and dads grilling hot dogs and burgers
• moms and dads making bacon and pancakes and oh did we have a lot of bacon
• apples and grapes and oranges and pineapple being passed out
• conversations around the campfire: Mrs. Wowk went to Cross and CDO; I didn't know that
• Mr. McKay sleeping outside the tent and a coyote came by at night to sniff around
• kids sitting on the fence for pictures or sitting in trees
• people up and about all night
• and the sound of wind cascading down off the mountains bringing with them cold night air
• coffee brewing in the morning and hot chocolate for the kids
• sleeping, or should I say trying to sleep in the tent, my feet were freezing and I was shaking until I put my clothes back on; I don't thing I slept more than an hour: I crashed about two o'clock Saturday afternoon
• trying to sleep and kids yelling outside
• scaling the steep bank to get to the Romero ruins
• finding Indian pottery and learning to put it back
• Rufus got off his leash and we were trying to find him; he can be vicious
• saving Berkely from getting hit by a car
• Sam H. and Mr. Veevers and Mrs. Salazar talking together for a half an hour and watching the sun come up
• looking at the moon and stars through the telescope - what is that line called separating light from dark on the moon??? (the terminator)
• sticking your feet in the thirty degree water
• Duffet and Morgan sleeping outside
• Kayla walking around in the morning in her sleeping bag
• seeing Sam D. and Mariah and Allison and some high school students
• climbing up the huge hill by the camp and sitting on a very large rock
• Parents getting to know each other.
• The Hauglie family and their expert camping/survival skills. To bring it all together: The food, the cooking utencils, the grill, the red headlamps so as not to affect the stargazing, cookies, candy, coffee, hot chocolate, soda you name it; The Hauglie's had it covered.