The Blog is BACK, Baby! Camping in Greenbrier

After many requests from my dear friends and family, I'm bringing back the blog.

Well, bringing back the blog for photos of family and friends and such, since I'm souring more and more on keeping my entire family history on Facebook. After much haranguing from Sharon, Becky and Leslie, I decided the blog was still the way to go.

I'm a bit out of practice, though, so give me a little time to get into the habit of it.

Luke used his new machete to chop up firewood.  Gladly, he still has all his limbs, and so do I.

One of my favorite parts of camping is getting up very early, five o'clock AM early, hours before anybody else rises, and making coffee and reading in the still, quiet morning. It is my heavenly 'me-time.'

Meanwhile, Becky (and the rest of the world) slumber peacefully.

Eventually, everyone gets up, and breakfast gets served. Bacon (the non-turkey variety, PLEASE!) and pancakes are the usual favorites, though Leslie and Scott make some killer breakfast burritos.

While foraging in the forest for firewood, Luke and Andrew came upon an old trash heap with some cool old bottles in them.

 

On Saturday, we took a nice hike from Washington Monument National Forest (this is the first monument built to George Washington, apparently. The hike is mostly along the A.T., and heads straight back to camp from there.

Dinner that evening was sheesh-kabobs of chicken, beef and vegetables with potatoes baked in the coals of the fire. Wonderful!

After dinner, a few of us enjoyed the free bluegrass concert in the Birch loop amphitheater.

Sunday was spent at the lake, sunbathing and playing frisbee. I wanted to go into the water, but with the recent rains, our camp hosts informed us that the cow manure run-off made the lake unsafe. Not that there weren't a ton of people in the water playing, but when I stepped ankle deep into the water, and could smell shit, I decided to abort my morning swim.

The last night, Sharon and Desi fixed barbecued chicken thighs, an amazing Israeli cous-cous salad, and boiled corn on the cob. For dessert, we did the traditional dutch-oven cobbler, which was met with rousing approval from all.

Another great camping trip, and this time, NO RAIN! Hooray!

Chesapeake Bay Swim and Civil War History Night

Saturday night, we did an event at Antietam Battlefield, at the old field headquarters of General McClellan.  The home served as a field hospital during the Civil War, and a bunch of retired military officers hold an annual event there to commemorate the spot.

We provided the whisky, while others provided cigars, folklore, and food.  It was a really great night, and though I am not a smoker, I did enjoy the scent of cigars wafting in on the light evening breeze.

Then, this morning, a bunch of folks from our Masters Swim Team and I took off and did the Chesapeake Bay Swim (1 miler).  It was a splendid day for the swim, and it was a great excuse to enjoy some bloody mary's after the swim!

Camping Photos and Luke's Scouting

Haven't had much time to maintain the blog lately, but I do want to share a few photos and updates. In the update category, the boys are both finishing school for the summer today, and are very excited at the prospects of letting their brains rot for the next three months.

As the year ended, they had a bunch of tests and exams. The highlight for Eddie was his musical examinations, for which he scored very well (Superior rating, and with honors), and for Luke, on his reading SOLs, he scored a perfect score in vocabulary, comprehension and overall, with his reading level as the highest level, or PHS (post-high-school). So that is good. We got good kids who are smart. Obviously a chip off their mother's block, as I'm just good for making whiskey.

We went camping a few days ago, and here are some of my photos from the event. We had a really nice time, until the heavens opened up and we floated down the river.

Finally, a photo of Luke at his Scouting Court of Honor. He achieved the rank of Second Class, and is well on his way to achieving First Class. Should he obtain First Class, he will surpass my own achievements in scouting, and I believe he is well on his way. At this particular meeting, he also received the Robotics, Electricity, Nuclear Science, and Citizenship merit badges, which already eclipses my one lone merit badge, Basket Weaving. (I swear I am not making that up!)