Thursday, July 23, 2009

Adventures in Relaxation

In the doldrums of Winter, we imagine this place. While the rain and cold confines us to our homes, we begin to count the days until we can sleep outside on dry ground under the clear starry sky with our friends and some very tall trees all around us. We long for it. We do it every year, but only in this one season, and it never seems to come soon enough. Then we arrive, 12 big people 8 little people, and we're always freshly amazed at how beautiful the forest is and how clean the air feels and how much stuff we all need to get through a weekend of camping. Then we relax. The kind of blank agenda relaxation that only comes when you're far away from telephones and computers and TV. If you want music, you have to make it yourself.
We only motivate for the sake of a little adventure. For these six-and-unders, a bumpy ride down a gravel road to the river is a fantastic voyage indeed.We spend our quality timeand they spend theirs.We talk around the campfire and tell stories by lantern light.

We soak up the sunshine and the fuzzy warmth of so much togetherness.
Hopefully it's enough to last until next time. But, ah, the Summer is young, and there are plenty more adventures in relaxation to come.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

All's Fair

It's just not Summer for us without a trip to the County Fair. It helps that it comes right to our little town, and makes it impossible to pass up. But come on, show me a person of any age who doesn't get excited when they step out on the Midway and into all the sights and sounds. Bright lights flashing, kids on rides squealing with delight, carnies hawking their prizes and the pump organ calliope music blaring. Well, maybe not everyone, but I know a few kids in particular who are more than happy to oblige.