OUT OF THE WOODS

Where did the summer go?  Camp is so quiet we heard wolves howl last night.  The bears are moving in to take over their turf and…

 …the aspen leaves are turning to gold coins.

 I finally had time to learn how to drive a four-wheeler.  We took a little spin down a forest service road to a nearby creek the other evening after we helped paint some doors and close up cabins.

If DH was holding a pitch fork here we could stand in for a new version of American Gothic.

 Our son-in-law, along with our daughter and grandson, came to help us haul out our camp trailer before it gets so cold things start freezing up.  We live close enough we can come back to camp a few more times to help with the final winterizing.

 Our home away from home moves off out of the forest…

 …and down farm roads to spend the winter sitting in our back yard.  If things go as planned we’ll get to spend next summer with another collection of campers.

SQUIRRELS AND BEARS--OH MY!

No matter how we try to hang on to the last golden days of summer, the chill of autumn warns us we need to get ready for cold weather.

Squirrels at camp are working overtime to gather every pine cone they can lay their paws on.  Well, not every pine cone.  Each one has to be carefully examined to make sure it is just right.

 This one certainly measures up to squirrel specifications.

 We’ve watched their frenzied gathering as we’ve gone about our own preparations to help winterize camp.

 Where are all these pine cones being stashed?

 We found bushels of them stockpiled in the wood shed. Now you know where the term, “squirrelled away” comes from.

 And the squirrels aren’t stopping any time soon.  This may be a sign of a hard winter ahead.

 I was told about this deposit made not far from our camp trailer.  I put down a roll of packing tape here to give an idea of the size of the thing.  It's bear scat.  This critter hasn’t been scarfing down pic-a-nic baskets.  He’s been dining on gobs of berries, and then leaving the seeds in a new place with plenty of fertilizer.

 Too much fiber can cause the squits.  Our bear visitor didn’t make it to the porta potties.

 We’ve spent all summer warning campers about bears.  They were here first and they’re no joke.  As much as we’ve loved our summer in the woods, I’m looking forward to returning to civilization.

CLOSING CAMP

Campers use rocks around summer camp for all kinds of things.  Rocks can be used for decoration, for crafts and as visual examples to represent things like challenges and strength.  Still, most of those rocks get left behind when the campers depart.

 Two buckets of rocks were just too cool to send back to their natural habitat so I stacked them up to make a garden cairn near our camper trailer.  I’m using it as a weather indicator/seismometer.  When it’s wet, that means rain.  When it’s dry then there’s sun.  If it has tumbled down then it could mean heavy wind or an earthquake.  In the case of an earthquake; each fallen rock represents another magnitude on the Richter scale.  Or, maybe DH just drove by too close with his ATV, or perhaps a bird mistook it for a perch.

 Anyway, we’re helping close down the camp for the season.  DH has drained the pool and cleared out the pumps.

We’ve been putting away tools and equipment.  Don’t I look all woodsy and impressive with the ax and splitting maul?

 All the outside benches needed a fresh coat of paint.

   

 So DH and I spent two days covering them and ourselves with a coat or two of exterior enamel deck stain.

 On the other side of camp, Vern has been busy putting up walls for a new bathroom with showers.  This building will especially be appreciated by those who have to make a potty run at two a.m. from the cabins ‘way ‘way across camp.

In the next few weeks we’ll help blow out the water lines and do other chores to winterize the place.  Then we’ll drag our camper trailer home and see if we can re-adjust to life in a real house.