The Knife

On our inaugural backpacking trip with the girls, our neighbors, who secured a campsite on Thursday in anticipation of our Friday arrival, found these treasures:two Coors Lights, two Black Butte Porters, and a Schrade sheath knife with a broken tip. Jordi gave the knife to Elizabeth, because she needed one for Trackers camp. I remembered that Aaron had told me at the block party that he had learned how to use a grinder to repair damaged knives and chisels. I asked him, "Can you fix it?" His response was, "Come on over."

The pictures say it all. He did a great job. Thanks, pal!





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Fort Stevens

To celebrate the end of two years with the Kennilworth Cooperative Preschool, many of the families went camping at Ft. Stevens, near Astoria, on the Oregon Coast. It was chaotic, buggy, and fun.

Typically, the Larrisons were the first ones to arrive at the campsite. As soon as we stepped out of the old station wagon, we were swarmed by mosquitoes. It was nasty. Luckily, we had bug spray which proved effective. A surprising percentage of the families that showed up after us didn't have bug spray, but we were more than willing to share.

Despite the pests, we had a great time hanging out. Among the highlights:

• Elizabeth realized she doesn't like fishing after we spent some time on the water and she observed other anglers trying to get flopping fish off their hooks. She felt bad for the fish.
• Barb tried to fix a reel on one of the girls's fishing rods, then went for a mighty cast, and tossed half the reel into the lake.
• Many of the families who, out of politeness or ignorance or reliance on an "herbal" bug spray, refused our offer of DEET, lived to regret the error of their ways and eventually embraced better living through chemistry.
• The shipwreck on the beach at Ft. Stevens was more exposed than I've ever seen it, which my catastrophizing mind interpreted as a sure sign of global climate disaster.
• The kite Uncle Scott bought us is fantastic, and proved a good rallying point for kids and adults scattered around the coastal area.

We also had an awesome time just hanging out with the very cool families who are part of KCP. I think Barb and I both came away from the weekend hoping that there was some way that we could maintain our friendship with these interesting and engaging families.

It was a huge, crowded campground. Here are just some of the KCP campers hanging out. You can't see them, but there were a lot of mosquitoes.

Suzanne, her great friend Jasper, and his younger brother Stewart.

Uncle Mark expressed an interest in seeing pictures of me. Here is one.

This is Sam. Sam's cool.

Poor Lucas didn't get the bug spray fast enough. He got bitten on the eyelid and the rest was history. Even Basil (the poodle in the foreground) was sprayed with DEET.

Andrea and Stew enjoying a moment of rest, thanks to the deadly chemicals keeping the bugs off them.

Our neighbors Jordy (pictured) and Jeff (not) showed up with a celebratory bottle of bubbly! They still needed the bug spray.

Suzanne and friends roasting marshmallows.

Bananaphone

Suzanne and Joey having a conversation over the bananaphone. Notice Joey's awesome infinity scarf (they're all the rage, fashionistas!). By happy accident, he color coordinates beautifully with Suzanne.

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A New Environment

On our way to the campsite, the girls were dying to get some time to play in snow. When they got the chance, finally, they quickly realized the importance of being properly dressed.

Fogged in, but still beautiful. If only we could see the view!

We are camping a lot this summer! It feels like more than usual. Maybe it isn't. This camping trip, the weekend of June 23, was at a place we'd never been: Sawmill Flat campground, on the eastern slopes of Mt. Rainier.

It was really exciting to drive to a new environment: high alpine forest. And driving over the mountain (see the pictures, above) was amazing. It was rainy and foggy, so we couldn't see any of the spectacular vistas. But we knew they were there! If our luck changed, we'd see them on the way back to Portland. (Spoiler alert: our luck changed, and the views were indeed spectacular.)

We got there on Thursday. It was raining, but not hard. Anson and Alder showed up on Friday, in the early afternoon, and it was still raining -- but still not hard; one could shelter under the ponderosa pines and remain bone dry. On Saturday and Sunday it was beautiful and sunny. We took a short drive to an awesome cave with a stream running through it, and spent some time by the river (which was too swift to play or swim in).

And, as spoiled above, our drive back over Rainier in the clear weather was stunning.

The girls were troupers, unbothered by the rain.

Elizabeth maintains a sense of style, no matter the circumstances.

Stacking river rocks. A Pacific Northwest tradition.

Danger is their middle name.

Elizabeth loves camping for many reasons, not least of which is that some non-parent adult will allow her to drink soda.

Anson is a delight.

Entering the cave: Suzanne, brave girl, in the lead.

1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb war!

A river runs through it; "it" being our campground.

I hate white bunnies!

Elizabeth and Alder have always had a special bond.

The weather was gorgeous on the drive back to Portland.

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