Labor Day Weekend::Part 1 - Camping

The kids weren't into camping this year.
Matt came up for a few hours.
And that left Steve & Michael & me & Meg the (perfect) dog.
I wanted to camp.

We set up the tent & toilet tent on Thursday evening to reserve our spot.
We packed up Friday, and wanted to go up but Michael wanted to stay home - it was getting dark & he agrees with my Grandma Haws that "even dumb chickens know that it's time to go home when it's dark." So we slept at home.
Saturday morning, I got up, woke Steve & Mike up and finally hit the road about 10 a.m.
Saturday we set up the camp kitchen & I made bacon, pancakes, & eggs. Then I cleaned up, started a fire, and got to work on lunch/dinner.
I made cowboy stew in one dutch over and camping cobbler in the other.
I think one thing I learned about myself while camping is that I don't sit; I like to bustle around and be busy, and I have certain foods that I love to cook & eat in the mountains.

Pretty much the whole time Michael said that he wanted to go home.
After I told him that we were sleeping over, he changed what he was saying to ask, "Is it getting dark?" I think he wanted to just get the trip over with. LOL Poor guy.

We ended the trip short, which made him very, very happy! We came home and slept in our own beds and got home before it was dark. :)

Oh, and one more thing:
When Steve & I were taking the tent down, we saw Bethy's paw prints on the top of the tent. We were probably so frustrated at her running over the top of the tent last year while we were trying to put up or take down the tent, but this year it was a wonderful memory of her last camping trip with us. ♥

Now, onto the pictures!

A selfie 😉

Also entitled, "My View from the Hammock"

May she rest in peace.

♥ Melody

Regarding Christianity

In responding to a friend's post on facebook, I said the following - it could be said in many different ways using different words and scenarios, but ultimately, this is what Christ calls us to do as we build the kingdom of God on earth:

"It is easy to go to a place of safety and refuge, a place of air conditioners and heaters, a place that is clean and free from all of the problems of the world.
The problem with that is that isn't what Jesus asked us to do. Jesus asked us to make a Kingdom of God on earth. He asked us to follow him - to the lepers, to the prostitutes, to the devil possessed, to the well to talk to people that no one else would talk to. 
Making a Kingdom of God on earth, making a heaven on earth, doesn't mean creating a place of beauty and cleanliness where only the 'worthy' may go, but by going to the very places that no one wants to go and take God with you to those people."

♥ Melody

Squidward in a turban

Last night, this is what I saw going on in the Sponge Bob aquarium. 😃The nerite snail became his hat / turban.

♥ Melody