This weekend I kicked off the damn boots and allowed myself to enjoy the beauty around me. Beauty was right in front of my face. In fact, it’s been here all along.
We went camping on Friday night. An event I would typically avoid with many excuses ready to go.
I don’t sleep well when I camp.
I’m too tired after a long work week.
Parker will get up too early.
It’s not worth the trouble to get everything ready for one night.
I have things to do.
What if I have to poop?
And so on and so on.
Uncharacteristically, I thought, “Yeah, let’s go. Let’s do it.” I figured, it was one of our last chances before colder weather starts.
We even encountered several obstacles that tried to keep us from going up the mountain.
Our new air mattress that was delivered, according to UPS records, at 1:00 pm on Thursday at our porch was stolen. Richard would get home later than usual from work on Friday because he was waiting for parents to pick up their kids from school after a field trip. I was tired, so tired, after a day that didn’t seem to give up. I forgot to pack wine.
Still, we persisted.
And I am so glad we did.
We live right at the base of part of the front range of the Rocky Mountains. Only moments away, we are on a dirt road, climbing up, up, up. We set up camp at just above 10,000 feet next to a little stream, good for splashing, “fishing” (pretend play, people), and hunting for toadstools.
In the morning, as we drove down, down, down the mountain, we kept the windows open, better to feel the breeze and smell the pine. I had a wildflower in my hair, sitting atop my ear, given to me by my son. Only a few times, we passed others in their jeeps and trucks. Here and there, a peace sign flashed out the window in greeting to us.
Summer is still holding on, and we’re not letting go.
26 comments:
I have only once camped out, in the Outback, but if I lived at the foot of the Rocky Mountains I'd camp too. You lucky thing.
Glad you had a wonderful weekend. I am just waiting for summer to bid us farewell here so we can finally get back outside and not melt in the process. It's coming, I feel a coolness already very early in the morning.
So glad you said yes and went :)
Keep the summer coming!!
That sounds lovely. It's so great to feel the sun and breath the fresh air :-)
Good for you ...
I'll be you feel refreshed
and ready to kick your week
off right! Glad you didn't
didn't take the "windows down / breeze
in your hair and stick you head out
the window ... you would have lost
the pretty wild-flower!
Grab that wine bottle and toast the
last few days of summer! ~j.
Wonderful! Glad you had a fun time. Check your email, btw!!!
Ahhh that sounds awesome! I have had my fill of camping (6 weeks in a tent trailer, finally moving INSIDE on wednesday) but I sure do love it! :o)
Just beautiful... and as we down here almost turn from winter to spring reading this gives me hope that the sun will come out and on my little mountain side the warmth will touch my face.
P.S if you go again, ket me know in advance and I'll somehow remind you to pack the wine! x
Oh YAY! Hurray for the Brave girl... Great... Camping is awesome...
I'm so glad you're not letting go! Don't let go!!!
Although...camping for me? No can do.
So glad you had a good time!
I love your blog, found it from SITS!
I am a new follower too! Love the honesty of your writing, similar to mine!!!
I CONSTANTLY have to talk myself down from the ledge where outings are concerned. Lately I've been doing what you did this weekend, and pushing off my anxieties and concerns and just trying to enjoy the present.
After all, our boys won't be this age forever. While it's exhausting now, I know I'll look back on this time 20 years from now and wish with all my might I could have it back.
Sounds great. I love camping but I'm so with you on the pooping thing. We went camping for a week at the Grateful Dead festival in Norther Vermont once, all they had were portapotties. I held it the whole time! No way, not going in there. I peed in the woods, figured I'd hold out til I got back to Boston for the rest...
TMI huh?
Lots of yummy love,
Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
www.mawhats4dinner.com
So jealous!! Wished I lived at the base of the Rocky's!! I'd camp every week!!!
We love to camp and do it as often as is possible. It's still a little too hot and buggy for the kids here. Hey, it's Alabama. There are mosquitos that can carry away small children here. HA! We are ready for our fall camping trip though. We stay on the farmland. Half of it is wooded. I go up to the house if I have to poop. Ha! True I have to take an RTV to get there and dodge the horses and donkeys, but at least I can get to a semi-modern toilet if need be. Was this a comment or a tome?
I LOVE camping! I so wish we could go more. We are actually going to go this weekend with the girls and my parents as a last trip before it gets too cold. Wish us luck!
Sounds like a great weekend! How great that you went even though it's not something you typically like to do. I went away last weekend and let many things that didn' go well get to me. I'm so disappointed that I didn't just shove those off and really enjoy it. Good for you for doing so...
That is so great that you live close to such an amazing place. It was good that you went! I love nature, but I am not sure how wel I would do with camping. Have a great night!
Mama Hen
I can just smell the pine fresh air. Now, I wanna go camping.
oh I'm soooo the same way. Camping just seems like more work than it's worth, but sometimes you just gotta do it anyway. Enjoying nature is so important for our sanity and a nice stress relief. I'm glad you went anyway, I need to be more like you and just take the punge. I'm sure I wouldn't regret it :)
Oh, how lovely this trip sounds! And you did it with NO WINE. Now, THAT'S the real hardship to this story...camping...and no alcohol.
Or, wait. You said no WINE...is it possible you packed something else? A battery-powered blender and some margarita mix, perhaps??
My parents live in Colorado, and it is such a magical place. I'm so glad you had that moment of pure perfection.
I love camping! So glad you did it! It always refreshes me and recharges my batteries. A simple reminder of how beautiful the natural world is and how little we need to be happy.
We haven't camped (besides the backyard) in a while. I miss it, I mean I love the backyard camp out(close to bathrooms) but still there's a lot to be enjoy outside our backyard.
I haven't been camping in years. Maybe next year we will venture it with the kids. Good for you for going, camping can be so much fun, and it's awesome for kids.
I haven't been camping since elementary school. Sounds like a nice trip despite the obstacles.
I absolutely love spontaneous outings like this. We also went out for an overnight with the kids (though we were on a lowly hill in southern Ohio, not the Rockys -- boohoo!) and it was wonderful despite our lack of planning and prep. The stars that night were stunning. That memory will be a treasure forever! :)
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