In my typical fashion, I made the announcement only three days before we were to leave. The boy's dad doesn't camp with out all the foo foo ammenities and I think that style camping is blasphemous so off I went with the boys.
Our destination was a short 5 hours away. I have worked 7 days a week since we opened the greenhouse March 21. I organized, packed and siked up the boys while selling nursery stock and growing fall mums...Since we only had three days of freedom, I decided to leave at 4 am to catch the most of that first day.
The plan was for the boys to sleep until I got there and be fresh for fishing the day away. Fat chance...The second their butts hit the carseats, they were like live wires. We talked about fishing techniques, fireside cooking and bears all the way.
Nathanial lives, breathes and literally aches to fish. He only utilizes the catch and release technique..I think it is only because he has such fun naming each catch and giving me an inpromptu history lesson on each fish.
Gabriel was intrigued with the whole idea of fishing and asked us questions galore as we traversed the roads back into my childhood. I had been to this particular lake more times than I could count and knew just where I wanted to camp. The nicest thing about this lake was that there was no need for a tent. The Lean to's were available, dry and very much a part of the whole *thing* I mean, really...doesn't that photo just make you want to camp??
A short 20 minute boat ride out to the island and there it was..the fishing Mecca. We unloaded a ton of stuff and got comfy. The boys were so excited that they couldn't decide what to do first. Gabriel wanted to fish, swim and hike at the same time..you all KNOW what Nathanial wanted most of all.
Just the smell of the lake made me feel relaxed. My boys were absorbing something that has stayed with me throughout my lifetime. Camping simply brings an inner peace to you that can't be found anywhere else.
There were no arguments. The boys seemed to enjoy each other's company more and simple things like discussing why or how a squirrel eats the nuts from a pinecone took up chuncks of time that couldn't be better spent.
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