Longing for the Forest

 

 

       Well, Summertime is approaching quickly and I can’t wait to go camping again. I keep looking at the photos we took during our last trip. While it started out with several mishaps, it ended up being one of the best trips we’ve ever had!

       Relying on serendipity, we drove to campground after campground and there were no sites available. We were unfamiliar with this area and had only one choice left. So we headed back down the mountain and turned off toward the only campground we hadn’t already checked. As we drove through, we had the sinking feeling that we would not find a site big enough for our “super-dome” of a tent. (It’s a big one alright….big enough to dance in….but…nobody will dance with me! WAAAAAAAAAH!)

       Anyway, to our surprise, the last site before the driveway exiting to the highway was open and, upon further inspection, it was big enough, too! Later, a woman at the restrooms commented that we snagged the best spot in the whole campground!   I have to agree…with a meadow behind us and a creek flowing past….it was PERFECT!

       I sooooo love exploring near the creek. Around every bend in the path, beyond every little thicket or stand of trees, is another awe-inspiring scene.

       The first night, I made chicken and dumplings in the dutch oven, nestled in hot coals.  That is, after our son used flint to make fire since we had forgotten the matches.

       The next night we had so many trout…and they were so fresh and delicious. Another mishap was when I discovered I’d forgotten to bring flour to bread the trout. I added spices to my pancake mix and dusted the fish in that. It turned out so yummy…if I do say so myself!

I have so many more photos, but can’t find what SD card they are on. One of the funniest is a photo of a trout that was so big it didn’t fit in my frying pan. I told our son that I need smaller fish! He had a quick come-back for that. He quipped that he’ll get Dad right on that! (They have a little fishing rivalry going on.) 

It was such a fun trip! I hope we can get back to the Eastern Sierras soon. I really feel the desire to wake up to the sounds of nature, unzip the tent and see a glorious, snow-capped mountain, and sneak off for a little while.