Cabin Camping

We went camping in a cabin that we rented for a night. It almost didn't happen as I was sick and Hubby didn't want to go with me being sick. I decided I would rather have a good time and not feel well then feel like I missed out because I didn't feel well so I took a bunch of painkiller and packed the cooler an we took off.

It was a nice drive and it felt so good to get out and explore the country. It took about an hour from our house to get there. The directions online were not very clear and we were nervous that it would be hard to find or we would miss it as we were driving down the road. But then there it was and it was easy to see and super nice inside.

The kids loved it. We played by the river and explored the woods. The kids found a baby rattlesnake and we ate a ton of good food. We played board games all night and enjoyed hot water and a flushing toilet and a nice heater. I kept thinking while we were playing games that it was nice and shouldn't be just an activity we do when we are not at home.

No one slept well though as it was pitch black in there and the wind howled and the rain fell on the roof. Out in the woods like that the refrigerator and the clock on the wall were so loud all night long. Our youngest woke up in the night about 5 times and once it was because her big sister had disappeared and she couldn't find her in the bed they were sharing and it was so dark in their room. Turns out big sister had just fell out of the bed and was sleeping on the hardwood floor.

The weather was just perfect, cool and crisp but warm enough to want to take off a sweater when hiking. The forest was wet and dense with ferns and fungus and smelled of cedar. We loved this adventure and have plans to find the other cabins for rent in the area and check them out next summer.

Late Summer Walks

It took a few weeks for me to get the kids out on daily walks but then I got the courage up to go out and explore our new neighborhood. At first glace it seems there is nowhere to go but the streets are strange here, winding, stopping and starting and it turns out we can walk a lot of places. Our normal walk is about 7 blocks down the street to the community garden. We hope to get some beds there next spring but for now we have been going and helping with the last few harvests for the food bank. 

The kids are so full of energy and I love how they want to take their costumes with them. It must feel more magical and like they have somewhere to go all dressed up. I have been enjoying learning the new plants that grow around us here. I have been finding the oak, and nut trees. The kids loved the black walnut down the street. They picked them and I would smell them. Most people don't know how to harvest their black walnuts and we used to try at our old house as we knew where two large trees were. It never worked out well for us and for me if it isn't relatively easy I am not going to bother. 

We can walk down to the garden, or we can turn and go under the overpass and go into a completely different neighborhood just a few blocks away. There are a few places to pick berries and there is a huge stand of Comfrey in our front yard. I had the opportunity to take some boxes down to the garden and harvest as many Roma tomatoes as I wanted but I am trying to lighten my plate. I am going to miss home canned tomato sauce this year but I just need some time to rest and focus on what is most important after selling our last house that almost worked me to death. 

So all in all this has been good. For the most part our neighborhood is nice and it is so much calmer than our last. I am missing all the old picturesque houses and trees but to feel safer and not stressed about getting hit by cars is a really good thing.