If I could bottle up the smell of a campfire...

A spur of the moment overnight camping trip with friends: Happy Cinco De Mayo 2007
Autumn, Amber and I (photo taken by Loren using a bottle as a filter)


Wally


Loren and Kiffer


Amber and Wally, after dusk by the fire.



A must-have on my camping trips is an out of place object. Past randomness included an entire camp lounge of inflatable furniture, Christmas tree with decorations (during july of course) the large round balloon just showed up and made for a striking contrast.



Uncontrollable laughter


Family portrait




Bugs in your bra, moth in your wine, caterpillar crawling in your braid, stepping on something squishy and crunchy that your not sure if you want to find out what it is... nothing is better than reconnecting with nature. The gentle sound of a leaf falling on your tent as you fall asleep, and waking up to a cold air with a faint smell of campfire. Charades, cards, and break dancing... the laughing till tears are swimming down the line between your cheek and nose all from the amusement you find in yourself and others when there is simply no other televised distraction. Cooking your gourmet meal over a fire and finding the real culinary art is trying to eat your food fast enough and yet still savoring the fresh taste before the creatures buzzing around the lantern take it first. There is a give and take with nature, sometimes even a mixed emotion, the amazement you find in an inch worm, inching its way across your path, closely analyzing its every little move and characteristics and then swatting the bee that is buzzing a little too closely to your ear. I am happy to camp even when I come home smelling like nature and finding it hitchhiked its way back to my reality inside my pillowcase.