After our return from one set of grandparents, we hopped in the car and headed to the mountains to have more family fun. A summer of vacations!
While visiting my folks, we played with cousins, had water fights dousing Aunt M(!), canoed, fished, camped, four-wheeled, ate yummy food, raced hand-made boats, played games, read, played badminton, elf-bowled, relaxed, and made many happy memories.
Moonrise.
This is the view out my parents door. They get to see this every day. Wow! Soul-feeding beauty.
My sister, mom, and I enjoyed evening walks.
X-man with his cousin D, paddling around on a nearby mountain resevoir.
Playin' it cool--Mr. L.
X-man and Bumpa trying out the canoe. It floats!
Then it was time to head for the mountains. We went to the campground my dad helped construct in his college years 50 years ago. I wonder if he ever thought he'd be taking his grandchildren there years later!
Setting up camp. Camp Marriott--it was THAT nice!
X-man taking a break after looking for firewood
A. and L (a.k.a. Markus)
--a duo of cool campers!
X-man and Bumma perched on a boulder while exploring.
THE Fisherman--my dad.
Setting up 3-4 different fishing poles with weights, bobbers, and slimy worms and salmon eggs, then showing folks how to cast the line, then helping cast, then untangling lines multiple times AND not cussing, then putting on his waders to go IN the lake to untangle lines--STILL not cussing, then cheering and instructing while the kiddos starting pulling in fish after fish in. Awesome!
The most noble and gracious lady I know--my mom.
While my dad set up the fishing lines, she picked mountain strawberries with the kiddos, taught them several different flower names, told us stories of her childhood, built the fire, and kept us well fed.
Amazing!
L. and Bumma, chatting while waiting for the Big One to bite.
Together, happily (??) untangling a fishing line--my parents.
Bring on the fish! This girl is ready to catch 'em.
Miss. B.
Within 5 minutes of casting his line, L. had caught his first fish! Look at him grab that sucker! Ewww. He's a braver soul than me!
A. handling her fish!
I love that this beautiful girl isn't afraid of touching the squishy, smelling things in life. She's a true Mountain Woman! She was sticking the squiggling worms on the hook, pulling the hooks out of the fishes' mouth, bonking them on the head to put them out of their misery, and putting them on the fish-keeper hooks--doing what needed doing. I watched in awe and from a distance.
X-man showing us how a fish is caught!
He let A. "handle" his fish. Smart boy.
Oh, my!
I think B. has caught Moby Dick or something!
Pull 'im in!
Ackkk! Slimy fish!
Fisherwoman B.
So this really is how fishing should be. Each kiddo caught their limit of 4 fish within an hour! The line would be cast and they'd have a bite within a few minutes! No waiting around for these fish to bite. They were hungry! It was rather exciting.
Proud fisherman showing their catch!
Proud mamas of their fishers.
Calm, cool, collected.
Or a little crazy!
It must be the mountain air.
Of course, after all that fishing we were hungry!
Luckily, we had The Fire-Woman who can coax a flame into being in a matter of minutes. A few fish were cooked up as well as hot dogs and s'mores.
The next day, Bumpa and the kiddos rowed across the lake to fish at a new fishing spot. Again, they hit the jack-pot and returned with their limit.
Fisherman L. ready for those fishies!
A, L, and Bumpa
Ready, set, push.
B giving the canoe a big Heave-Ho! And away they go!
X-man enjoying this perch on the water.
We could sometimes see a fish swim by. He wanted to spear them.
B. ready to canoe and catch her fish.
And...she did. Look at those fish!
Sisters AND friends.
Don't you forget that, girls!
You can be each other's best support, through thick and thin, mountains or plains, anywhere!
We returned to lower ground to continue our fun with a bit of four-wheeling.
Bumpa showed X-man how to shift, brake, and accelerate on the four-wheeler, then they took it out for a spin. X-man LOVED it. He wants one of his own.
He has now told me he knows how to drive and instructs me as we drive around. He even asked if he might sit in the driver's seat of our car to show me what he knows. He assured me it would be with the car turned off. Hmmmm...where are the keys? Better keep a tab on those.
Bumpa gave A. driving instructions as well and off they went. She LOVED it too.
So Bumpa, you want to come help teach her how to drive a car??!
B had a turn and away they went. Zip zip!
Our last day was my parent's 47th wedding anniversary!
We tried making a romantic dinner--for 7. While dinner was cooking, my dad put on their favorite music and he and my mom danced--cheek to cheek. The kiddos made a sweet video for the after-dinner entertainment along with a candy poster board card
"Once upon a time a BIG HUNK
saw a HOT TAMALE and figured she'd be his LIFESAVER.
UNO (you know) they married.
Sometimes it was a ROCKY ROAD; there were many JOYS (almond joy)
like their SUGAR BABIES (my sister and I).
They now have 7 grandkids.
The end.
Hugs and KISSES."
All were sad to see the time come to an end. Perhaps a few tears were shed. Good-byes are hard. Then we got back in the car for the loooonnnnngggg drive back home, a little sad to leave, but glad to see our T!
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