Off the grid: Scenes from Camping, Day and Night Dos…

This was the corgi’s longest hike yet; and he did splendidly, but subsequently passed out, dirty feet to boot, at the campsite upon arrival back some many hours later. The hike was so densely wooded, we didn’t get a drop wet but were the only ones on the trail. Literally.

We followed it all up with some warming herbal tea…

Before, of course, downing jugs of coffee (after all, if you’ve learned anything in this space, this is the Wolf Clan, and we are, ahem made up a cool 90% of coffee…and that’s fact)…

…and naturally, we had to test it out using an old school tin percolator on the camp stove (procured by my parents circa 1976), as well as a new fancy JavaDrip contraption. Campsite coffee making is quite the endeavor…

But oh, the nectar, is that much sweeter….

…made even tastier yet by a stash of Dunkin’ munchkins for a much needed post-hike sugar boost…

Followed up by even more sweet, albeit downright healthy, doses of local native strawberries…

to quickly be replaced by the sweets of another…

…and this is where things start to become a bit more “blurred”…

with plenty of “cheers” to camping…

Plus, wine will make you bet on cards. Fact.

…and gorge on a quickly, and masterfully, cooked cheesy bean dip concocted over the wood fire to tide you over to the main course.

That main course was a delicious packet my Mum calls “hobo pie”. Filled with lemon dill haddock filets, lemon, fingerling potatoes, greens, and carrots, the entire thing caramelized and blackened a bit deliciously over the wood blaze, and all you had to do was crumple up the tinfoil remnants for clean up!

Which was nicely rounded out by listening to tunes from Jenny Lewis, Stars, Bon Iver, the Eels, Jarvis Cocker, and The Blow around the campfire. This campfire was perfect for roasting marshmallows, a time honored camping tradition.

I hate marshmallows. Always have. But clearly, I enjoy photographing them…immensely.

Of course, those marshmallows had to make up s’mores. I took s’more snaps instead.

And after all the sweet, we needed a bit of salty. Jiffy Pop is quite fun when camping…especially accompanied by a night cap…

…and one last boozy look at the bright night sky before passing out in tent. Cleaning up is much easier than setting up, mind you. Getting off the grid is splendid. I say you try it.