Camping Stories.

Fire building:  the Girl Guide way.  

When we were camping a couple of weeks ago, while I was watching Sheldon playing with his 'burning stick', I decided that it was high time that Juliana learned how to start a fire.

I told her about when Peter and I first started camping and the fire was my responsibility.  I could build it and start it with only a couple of matches and no paper - that's how I learned it when I was young.  

Juliana began with a lesson from Sheldon about lighting matches.

Then she collected all sorts of little twigs for kindling.  She built a little teepee of kindling and surrounded it by a log cabin of sticks.

After more than a few matches and a lot of hot air.....success!

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Coffee + kleenex for allergies + my book + a little spot of sun = my every morning.

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Sheldon found a "Y" stick.  Naturally he fashioned it into a slingshot.

A slingshot that would fit on his bike.  Just in case he needed it out on a ride, I guess.

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Quality canoe time.

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Pattern Guy staying warm.  Or something...

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This was the picture that I took, about 8 minutes into our 90-minute hike, when my back exploded. 

The next day when we went out on the lake, I was squired around in the canoe.  From my seat, I could see these guys:

While packing a waterproof container to take out in his kayak, Sheldon brought what he figured he would need on a half-day adventure:  a granola bar, deodorant, and pistachios.

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Usually we leave all electronics in the car when we camp.  For some reason Sheldon had his iPod touch out at the campfire (using the flashlight app, perhaps?, I can't remember).  Next thing we knew he was recording the fire so that he could play it back on our computer this winter.  Always a thinker, that kid.

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A beautiful sunset to say goodbye to another successful camping season.