Camping Again!

We went camping again this week!  This time we took a couple of our grandkids along for the ride.  H and M are the only grandkids we have close enough  to do things with regularly.  (Everyone else requires a trip of several hours, 8 hrs or, 15 hrs or, a plane ride to the west coast! )

This was H and M's first exposure to camping, and I must say we did it up!  We had a hard time getting on our way, in fact we were so late getting out we stopped at a local lunch place, so that we wouldn't get to the campsite starving our heads off!  We arrived at the campsite and we began to set up the tent with the kids help of course.  They already know how to set it up, because we have set it up at the house a couple of times to get them used to it.  

Once the tent was up, and the rain fly was in place, I let the kids in and began putting some of the bedding inside.  We noticed some thunder in the distance, and decided that the next thing to do would be to put the BIG tarp over the tent!  We had no sooner covered the tent when the heavens opened up right over our heads!  A downpour!  

The tarp we were working with is 16 ft x 30 ft.  It is the biggest tarp I have ever handled, and it wasn't fastened to anything!  Working quickly, we secured the 4 corners, and inserted the 4 poles to raise it up, we had already done a strong rope down the center of the tarp, and as high as we could reach.  I had 2 more poles to stabilize the long sides.  We were drenched,  and we were elated that we had done a very difficult  thing!  We had set up camp in the pouring rain!  Now we know that we can!

Just as we finished the rain let up, (of course), and as DH went around and tied down the tarp some more, I began to toss things inside the tent,  where the kids had been encouraged to play nicely with the help of a package of gummy bears, we are the grandparents after all!   Once everything was unpacked, DH and the kids went on a bike ride while I did some organizing.  Later on we had a quick dinner, and built a fire in the fire pit so that we could have smores  when the coals were just right.

By bedtime they were ready for a story, and a night time back rub.  They slept really well and woke up really early!  After breakfast we took a hike to a swimming hole on the creek, we played in the water and generally tried to wear them out.  Their Mom showed up around 1:00pm, we had lunch and she got a quick tour of the campground, then it was time for them to head to the house.  ( we would stay another 2 nights).  Their Mom said that they were asleep before she got to the main road. (I think we might have been too!)  

We spent a quiet afternoon and evening where I finally got some spinning done.  I broke down and started spinning the Merino and silk roving I got from Gossamer Web.  ( I had promised myself that I would finish one of my other spinning projects before I started this one)  It is really beautiful!  Here is the roving, I love how it has the color going from purple on one end to teal on the other.  I am going to spin straight from the roving, and Navajo ply it to keep the colors separate.

And here is the bobbin.

I also was able to start a new knitting project.  It is a crescent shawl that starts at the bottom edge with a Lily of the valley lace panel.  Then you pick up along one side, and knit the rest in Stockinette.  Here is as far as I have gotten.

For the next 2 days we hiked the trails around the Campground, ate too much food, and I did spinning and knitting while DH worked on his artwork.

We are back home now and glad for a hot shower and the washing machine!   Next week I will be taking that plane to the west coast to see my family in California first, and then I will head north to Portland to see a new grandson.  He is 10 days late as of this morning, he has officially won the race for the latest baby in the family!  Surely, he will be born by the time I get there!

I will be gone for 2 weeks, but I will be able to post while I travel.  Mom and I always get into some sort of project, I am sure that this trip will be no different!

Until next time in California, Happy Weaving, Spinning, and Camping, Tina