Does anybody really know what time it is, does anybody really care, about time” This is a song from Chicago’s 1972 album, and the theme of my most resent camping experience. On rout to our outdoor, home away from home, I was the DJ. Nate who is sitting in back seat says, “ Play some Chicago, you know the one about time.” As we arrived at our destination, all of us were singing the main chorus of the song over and over in our heads. (You know. When you get a particular song stuck in your head?) Later on in the day someone would ask, “ what time is it? “ The rest of us would brake out into the theme song for the weekend, followed by outbursts of laughter, or groans of not again. This song that was playing in our brains all weekend gave us a good start to a successful camping experience.
Any good camping experience in my mind, starts out by leaving technology at home, that’s right, we turned off those cell phones, took off those watches, and we weren’t afraid of getting a little dirty. Embracing the full peace, and the full adventure of camping, we left the real world behind, for our weekend in the wild.
Weather I’ve gone backpacking or just car camping, the art of making fire has been key. I have often wondered if I was a bit like the early man, when he first decovered the heat of a good blaze. When the flames are a blaze my eyes are drawn to the light of it. If it’s cold I sit very close, close to the fire, and close to those I ‘m sharing it with.
Now, the heat is on, and things begin to fall into place. We are inspired for hours, upon hours, to sing, play guitar, harmonica and, yes even a tribal like instrument such as a Jim bay has been known to pierce the wild silence of the night. We also told jokes and stories, only after we couldn’t remember anymore camp songs, or sing another note without losing our voices.
Hot dogs, burgers, cheese, eggs, sausage, carol, bananas, and soda were a part of our menu for the great out doors. We also lightly blackened some husked corn over an open flame. Husked corn is really easy, and really good when it’s cooked over the fire. Most important on this list of foods that we had were of course, smors stuff. Which consisted of three items, the gram, the chocolate, and “the malow. “, (This is a quote from the Sand Lot, one of my all time favorite movies) oh ya, and we gathered some long sticks and carved tips on them for roasting the Marshmallows.
When I go camping, I like to learn a bit more about the natural world. I really recommend bringing my friend Nate, he works for the DNR, he also owns some different types of field guides such as, birds, reptiles, bugs, trees, and plants. I believe in taking in, what is around you, Tromping through the forest, we looked for those critters, and creatures. We took Day hikes, and night hikes, we hiked up Mountains, along riverbanks, in valleys, and through swamplands. We took our time and scanned the trail ahead of us for those things that we didn’t see every day. Toads jumped about the trail, there was an amazing yellow and black striped spider. We watched her spin her web. It was so intruket, and it glisined in the moonlight.
Sleeping in a tent is part of this outdoor weekend. Most of the time sleep is a bit hard to get, just because it’s not my own bed, but I love hearing the crickets in the evening. On this particular weekend I was woken in the wee hours of the night by some eerie noises. At first I was scared, then I realized what they were. Bard owls, which sounds like, “ who cooks for you, who cooks for you. “ they also made this creepy kakulling sound. I have a tent that allows me to see the night stars just before I slip into dream land, and in the morning, when the sun comes up the tent gets a little warm, and you can hear the bird’s chirping all around you.
One of the best parts of the trip was, time alone. Every morning after I finally got motivated to squirm my way out of my sleeping bag, and kind of fall out our tent, I would make my way to a quite spot next to the lake. There, I spent time reading the bible praying, and writing in my journal. Mostly I spend time just being still and quiet. It’s in that still and quiet that I hear what’s inside.
I sure needed that weekend of sleeping in a tent, singing by firelight, chasing lizards and marveling at the grandness of the night sky. My Friends and I agreed when the weekend came to an end, we had all needed it, needed to be away from time, from clocks, from appointments . . . we needed to sing,” Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, Does Anybody Really Care About Time.”
Any good camping experience in my mind, starts out by leaving technology at home, that’s right, we turned off those cell phones, took off those watches, and we weren’t afraid of getting a little dirty. Embracing the full peace, and the full adventure of camping, we left the real world behind, for our weekend in the wild.
Weather I’ve gone backpacking or just car camping, the art of making fire has been key. I have often wondered if I was a bit like the early man, when he first decovered the heat of a good blaze. When the flames are a blaze my eyes are drawn to the light of it. If it’s cold I sit very close, close to the fire, and close to those I ‘m sharing it with.
Now, the heat is on, and things begin to fall into place. We are inspired for hours, upon hours, to sing, play guitar, harmonica and, yes even a tribal like instrument such as a Jim bay has been known to pierce the wild silence of the night. We also told jokes and stories, only after we couldn’t remember anymore camp songs, or sing another note without losing our voices.
Hot dogs, burgers, cheese, eggs, sausage, carol, bananas, and soda were a part of our menu for the great out doors. We also lightly blackened some husked corn over an open flame. Husked corn is really easy, and really good when it’s cooked over the fire. Most important on this list of foods that we had were of course, smors stuff. Which consisted of three items, the gram, the chocolate, and “the malow. “, (This is a quote from the Sand Lot, one of my all time favorite movies) oh ya, and we gathered some long sticks and carved tips on them for roasting the Marshmallows.
When I go camping, I like to learn a bit more about the natural world. I really recommend bringing my friend Nate, he works for the DNR, he also owns some different types of field guides such as, birds, reptiles, bugs, trees, and plants. I believe in taking in, what is around you, Tromping through the forest, we looked for those critters, and creatures. We took Day hikes, and night hikes, we hiked up Mountains, along riverbanks, in valleys, and through swamplands. We took our time and scanned the trail ahead of us for those things that we didn’t see every day. Toads jumped about the trail, there was an amazing yellow and black striped spider. We watched her spin her web. It was so intruket, and it glisined in the moonlight.
Sleeping in a tent is part of this outdoor weekend. Most of the time sleep is a bit hard to get, just because it’s not my own bed, but I love hearing the crickets in the evening. On this particular weekend I was woken in the wee hours of the night by some eerie noises. At first I was scared, then I realized what they were. Bard owls, which sounds like, “ who cooks for you, who cooks for you. “ they also made this creepy kakulling sound. I have a tent that allows me to see the night stars just before I slip into dream land, and in the morning, when the sun comes up the tent gets a little warm, and you can hear the bird’s chirping all around you.
One of the best parts of the trip was, time alone. Every morning after I finally got motivated to squirm my way out of my sleeping bag, and kind of fall out our tent, I would make my way to a quite spot next to the lake. There, I spent time reading the bible praying, and writing in my journal. Mostly I spend time just being still and quiet. It’s in that still and quiet that I hear what’s inside.
I sure needed that weekend of sleeping in a tent, singing by firelight, chasing lizards and marveling at the grandness of the night sky. My Friends and I agreed when the weekend came to an end, we had all needed it, needed to be away from time, from clocks, from appointments . . . we needed to sing,” Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, Does Anybody Really Care About Time.”
Comments