Camping Fun!

Earlier in the summer a family camping trip to Drummond Island was discussed and planned, and the weekend fun took place two weeks ago.  Those of us who were able to make the trip had a lot of fun that I tried to capture on this video.



A Family Tradition: Orchard Beach State Park

We spent a long weekend over the 4th of July at Orchard Beach State Park.  For several summers, when our kid's were young, Jerry took each child on seperate weekends to Orchard Beach for camping and fishing with Dad.  Portage Lake, in Onekema, is just a few miles away and the "fish-stories" that originated there are still being told today.  A bass that four-year-old Jack caught seems to grow each time the tale is re-told, but I believe the actual size was 17 1/2 inches.  In this photo we are standing on the bluff watching a sunset, and Jerry can still see in his memory a six-year-old Kody wondering aloud where the sun goes when it sets.  "It goes into the water...listen..you can hear it sizzle."  Jerry remembers the very surprised look on Kody's face before following up with the truth.  Kayla loved to fish every bit as much as the boy's did.  Her squeals of excitement when the bobber went down continued until the fish were safely inside the boat.  Who can roast the perfect marshmallow, a skill Kayla learned while camping with her dad, is still contested between them and the rest of us can't even compete.  Mr. C's chicken, broken oars and thunder storms; all memories of Orchard Beach State Park, so you can see why we still love to camp there.

  Szzzzzzzzz..........

Waiting for the fireworks a generation later.

Sharlet loved running in the sand and just look at that sky!

Now he's the Dad who is sharing the excitement of Portage Lake.

Another trip is already in the works for next summer with the WHOLE family in attendance.  We are planning on one fishing day for "the boys" including all four grandsons and another day for the "girls" including the two little grandaughters.  Grandpa will be going on both trips because he started it all, and because I hate squishing worms onto my hook :).