Fire Starter

Camping.

An experience whereby man can commune with nature, return to the basics, and escape from the noise of modern life. If you're my wife, it's a time when you can get rid of three boxes of papers that needs to be destroyed.

This month's camp out was great. Aaron found an amazing spot in the Blue Ridge mountains with an amazing view of the valley below, an abandoned house, and a vulture living in an abandoned barn. Wild asparagus, intense ant hills, and a helicopter flying overhead in the morning made it especially memorable. Other highlights include:

• Aaron, Spencer (Scout), and myself all bringing stuff to make smores. We ate so many smores. Matt perfected roasting marshmallows.
• My dinner burning and eating the Hebrew National hot dogs Aaron brought in case one of the boys didn't have dinner. (I perfected roasting the hot dogs.)
• Actually getting to use the four-wheel drive on my car heading up to the campsite.
• Making donuts in the morning.
• Sleeping in until 8 a.m.
• Spencer eating hot dogs and smores for dinner AND breakfast.
• Throwing arm fulls of crumpled paper on the fire and watching it flare up.
• Seeing stars. When was the last time you did that?
• Enjoying some beautiful country and good company to boot.

We may head back there next month. Unfortunately, we only got through a box and a half, so next time we have more burning to do. Gladly.