Gone Fishing! And other tall tales....

It is that time of year! My husband and I took an early wedding anniversary trip up north to our favorite, favorite and I do really mean, favorite camping, hiking, fishing, biking, etc. place. We are not only celebrating our 27th anniversary this year, but, we are also celebrating 20 great years of camping in these woods. Love it! Let's head to the campground...ok?

Lots of trucks and trailers in this particular shot from the upper side of the campground. We prefer the lower side of the campground that is loaded with tree's and wildflowers....a little more private, and near a biking trail.
We unloaded, set up our camp, had a snack and headed for the woods. How I love these woods and all the memories over the past 20 years. So, park your car, or bike, and let's head across the bridge.

Now, think...have you forgotten anything?...water bottle, camera, bug spray....check, check and check. Carry on.

Keep on going. Up above the forest floor and heading to the Visitor's Center. We are almost their.

Hello, old friend. What a happy and welcoming sight. We enter and chat with a few park rangers, look at the new displays, check out the quilt that is sewn every late winter, early spring and raffled off at summers end, sit for a while at the bird windows (huge windows across the back side of the visitors center) and enjoy watching the birds come to many different bird feeders.

And, what do I spy? The BLACK SQUIRREL!!! I am a winner. Every year...for 20 years of camping, we have a contest in our family to see who can spot a black squirrel first. Well, in all fairness....hubby was asking a question at the info desk and I snuck out the back of the visitors center to see if I could possibly see a black squirrel and...well, there you go. Candy bar of choice for me. Lucky day!

Off we go into the woods. Here we are at the logging museum....life from the logging days can be seen in each of these buildings. For years (too many years to count) I have taken a small slip of paper with a "vinegar pie" recipe on it from the museum, logging camp, kitchen. I finally made the recipe this past year and have to say, it was pretty good.

Don't know how the loggers survived the hard winters and all the trees that they chopped and hauled and floated down the rivers to their destinations.

On with our walk, out of the logging camp and up and around the bend and down the hill ---and up again to the chapel in the woods. We have seen a bride and groom, here and their through the years, going or coming out of the chapel and woods.

Rough storms this year brought down a lot of large trees. We counted 5 downed trees, close to the chapel. So glad a tree did not land on the chapel.

Making our way through the woods....taking pictures, talking and swatting a mosquito or two or three...ok, or more.

Forest floor with new seedlings growing and spreading. Have to see if they can get enough light to grow. The forest is so dense that you can easily walk through the forest when it is raining and not get soaked. We use to do this with our children when they were little....rain was not a problem. We would just go into the woods and hike the trails and stay fairly dry.

My husband loves to look up into these particular old trees. It is one of his favorite spots in the forest.

More trail.

More beautiful woods.

Just love all the sounds and smells of the forest. My mind goes back to all my tree climbing days as a child....when I was sure I wanted to build a house in a tree.

Maybe I need one of those bumper stickers that says, "Have you hugged a tree today?"

Any favorite hiking or biking trails for you? Any campers out their? I do love Mother Nature and all her beauty. Can't wait to go up north again. We had a blast.

Enjoy the day. We have gone from a gentle spring into summer over night. Saturday was 92 with humidity....that is rare for this time of year...or for us to reach into the 90's does not happen very often all summer long. Whew! Happy times ahead!!! xo