Science Project - Sunrise

For Gabe's science, he had to observe a sunrise, so we got up before dawn and drove downtown to the parking deck so we would have an unobstructed view. It was glorious!

Camp 2018 - Sunrises, Moonrises, and Other Light Shows

If there's one thing that camp is good for (and believe me, it's not the only thing!) it's gorgeous sunrises.

It's so hard not get up every morning at 5am just for the spectacular show that gets put on. 

Each one is a little different. Some are so foggy that you can't see the sun at all.

And some are so picture-perfect they don't seem real.

Sometimes, though, the moon gets jealous and has to steal some of the sun's thunder.

Even the clouds get into the act some days, looking like something out of a painting.

And then, if we're lucky, we're there when the town of Long Lake has a fireworks show and dazzles us from miles away.

You can't tell from the pictures, but the fireworks we can see from the dock are almost 3 miles away in a straight line and so we don't hear the booms of them until almost 12 seconds have passed!

It's only a quirk of the geography that even allows us to see the fireworks at all.

If the Camp were a quarter mile to the left or right or if they launched the fireworks from a spot that same distance to either side, we wouldn't see them because of the mountains.

Camp 2015 - Sunsets, Sunrises, Stars and Goodbye.

Camp is one of the most beautiful places on Earth when it comes to sunrises and sunsets. Well, usually it is. This particular year we had a lot of foggy mornings, so the sunrises were mostly just a vague brightening of the fog.

 We did have a nice sunset or two, tho.

 Then, the next-to-last morning, we woke to a picture-perfect sunrise.

As we wrap up this series, I just want to throw out a few random things that we did, saw or captured while we were there.

 We did get a chance to go up to Bog River a couple of times and the kids played around in the lake and on the rocks while I fished.

 Fishing was pretty good this year. I caught 5 keepers (smallmouth bass for those inclined to that kind of thing) this year, 2 in our lake and 3 in Bog River. These two 16" beauties were from Bog River.

 I have no idea what's going on in this picture... 

 Nor this one... nutballs.

 The kids played Blokus for the first time. 

 The lake was a daily thing for the kids. We told them before we ever left home that they'd have a huge pool they could swim in every single day.

 Even Irene and Emma were generally friendly toward each other. At home, they spend a good deal of time pestering each other. :)

 The paddleboard was pretty popular with everybody.

Even the wildlife.

 We brought a couple of Lego sets for rainy days, but we didn't have much rain until the day we were packing up to leave, so we just let them build one during a quiet time.

 I love the details they put into things like this... The dresser, the skull, the coffee mug...

This is my favorite thing about being up here. The stars are stunningly clear and bright. 

 So many!

This was really a wonderful trip for us. Sometimes we feel so torn between coming up to Camp or going out to Colorado, but we have yet to regret our choices. :) 

Our next opportunity to come up here won't be for another 3 or 4 years, probably, but it will be well worth the wait!

Sunrise in Yorktown

Jeremy and I really enjoy getting up early to view a sunrise on the beach. We haven't done this in a long time. Actually, I like an early morning sunrise just about anywhere. I think the air is fresh and still quiet. It's a great way to start the day. This vacation brought us close to a east facing waterway (not a beach but it would do). So we decided to give our kids the experience with us. We went down the Colonial Parkway towards Yorktown and pulled off to see the sunrise. It was beautiful. The kids played in the sand while JR and I watched the sun rise. So now you can enjoy a beautiful sunrise too...

Psalm 30:5 (Amplified) - For His anger is but for a moment, but His favor is for a lifetime or in His favor is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 19:1 (NLT) - The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.