For several years in a row, our summer vacation involved camping up at Mammoth Lakes. Ten days of living in a pop-up trailer with the boys in a tent. Ten days of cooking outside, watching for bears, wading in the creek, reading, hiking, playing poker and sitting around the campfire.

But the last two years, our schedules have precluded the long camp vacation. I’m feeling nostalgic, so here are some of my favorite memories.

Our camp kitchen, and the back end of the pop-up trailer.

I miss it.

Activities include creek sculpture – hit and run art, so to speak, lol!

Wading in the creek was a great way to cool down from a hike. Then again, the hammocks were also a great way to cool down – to read, or sneak a nap.

Pre-nap, post reading, camera at the ready.

We had three hammocks, strategically placed around the campsite. Marvelous! But one of the best parts of camping was wandering along the creek, and finding pockets of enchantment, like this one.

The Creek

I can’t show you the part that I love about camping, which is all the stars at night. So here’s a picture of the campfire, and how we spent hours. I am the acknowledged Fire Maven, and fiddling with the fire is my specialty.

Tim’s reading, Tom’s playing guitar, Chet’s off camera also reading, and I’m taking photos. All’s well.

Here’s the interior of the pop-up. Tim’s reading again, naturally. I think this summer we were into the Robert Jordan series of books.

The pop-up was great when the kids were small, but once they got bigger than me, we kicked them out to the tent to sleep.

But the best part of camping? I didn’t care how I looked. As long as I was cool enough/warm enough, I was all shades of happy.

Christine, in the wild. August 2011.

Quick weekend retreats to the boat in San Diego are totally awesome and they do the job of recharging my spirit, but oh, I do miss the mountains.

What’s your favorite vacation spot that you’ve been to? Where would you like to go but haven’t been yet?

~oOo~

Until the next time, cheers!