Camping with the girls...

 

A little belated. But here are some pictures of a camping trip that I took the weekend before last, with Bronwyn and her friend Gala. We returned to Sasquatch Provincial Park. As I've mentioned before, it is hard to resist; a quiet campground only 2.5 hrs from the city...with full cell coverage (if you're with Telus). It was a very lovely, fun trip.

The rain held off and we even managed to get some sun. I stayed in the background as usual; providing drinks, snacks, and some mediation when needed (which wasn't often). The girls had a fabulous time.

We did a fun walk down to the creek; the same one we went to when we camped with Bronwyn's friend, Nicky back in May. Then the water in the creek was high and fast due to Spring run off. Bronwyn and Gala washed their faces with smooth pebbles.

 Gala entertained us on the walk with a magic trick that she did with 3 pebbles...you had to choose one and she would shake them in her hands and 'magically', she would drop the one you chose into your hands. It was a cool trick but sadly she left the stones behind at the campsite.

We got a great campsite by the lake and they were able to explore the lakeside and take off on their own to the nearby playground. They even made a couple of friends. I enjoyed listening to them talk and getting a glimpse into their 7-year old world. Brownyn made up a song that they both sang at the tops of their voices;

Paradise is mi-ine,
God we rule the wo-orld


Paradise is mi-ine,
God we rule the wo-orld

Paradise is mi-ine,
God we rule the wo-orld

SAY IT

God we rule the wo-orld!

I suggested she said "Yeah" instead of "God"...it seemed it bit Evangelical sounding to my ears. She said it was "God" as in "Oh my God!" and did not take my suggestion.

We also walked the lakside trail. Slightly rainy and muddy, but all the better for it. To their shrieking delight the girls found a couple of frogs.

The leaves were steadily falling; carpeting the trail and draped over branches and twigs. Everything look golden. Bronwyn said to Gala, "Wow, this is beautiful!" and Gala replied, "Yes, it is!" And so are they.

The water level in the lake was quite low, leaving mudflats on the lakeside shore. These were too hard to resist and they made their way across to "islands of mud" as the clouds gathered and the day grew darker.

The sunset early and the we told stories around the campfire. Or rather I listened to them telling their stories and marvelled at the outrageous imagination of 7-year olds. This was Gala's first trip without her mom or dad. As evening crept in she would get quite homesick and she woke up both nights missing her mum. After the first night I wasn't sure she would want to stay a second. But the days were filled with laughter, chatter, play and discovery; no time to miss home. So she was brave and stayed a second night, again feeling the pit of homesickness as we sat around the fire and she realised that night was coming. I remember how that felt; I couldn't even go on a sleepover as a girl because I would miss my mum so much. Gala was brave and I was very impressed. So was Bronwyn. It was a really special trip and one that I think I will long remember. I hope they will too.