Third annual but fourth year there= Carolina Hemlock Camp Ground

Carolina Hemlock is nestled in the crook of the Toe River in Yancey County. 

It is a magical place

that fairies sing about and moss folk long to visit.

You cannot make a reservation. Your desire to be there must be driven by 

faith alone.

Never knowing which site will be open makes for an excitement

reminiscent of childhood dreams.

A good friend invited me to come camping with her and her son,

 four years ago.

Max was almost two and Rohan was five.

The simplicity and beauty stirred something in me.

The children felt free, safe and unbridled.

Since then we have been back every year. I invited another good friend

and she and her son have been part of the camping crew for the last three years.

We have had many other friends and family join us to share in the

magic that is offered.

This year was our biggest group yet and we had a blast. 

Memories are created that will last a lifetime and hopefully be carried on to the next generation.

We met a couple that had been camping there for fifty years and now bring their grandchildren for a week every year.

I hesitate sharing this information and magic.(because I want it all to myself) But I want others to find their own excitement and joy in this natural, water-park, wonderland.

rohan

max a tubing master, now ;o)

Me and Patty enjoying one of the best rapids there!

rohan going down one of the big ones

rohan and the jumping rock... please jump only 

and do not do flips like the crazy teenagers I saw!

Karen doing her big leap! 

So fun to have my sister-in-law there with her boyfriend Peter!

max and karen searching for life below

part of the kid crew, there were two other older boys but they only

stayed one night

(Me, Judy(my camping partner in crime)

 and

 Barbara (one of my closest friends

 and first time camping together!)

my fun, silly, beautiful family

We will be back next year or maybe even next month.

Our slice of heaven.


(thanks to my friend Barbara for a lot of these awesome photos!)

by the moment

Summer is an anomaly.

a·nom·a·ly  (-nm-l)

n. pl. a·nom·a·lies

1. Deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule.

2. One that is peculiar, irregular, abnormal, or difficult to classify: "Both men are anomalies: they have . . . likable personalities but each has made his reputation as a heavy" (David Pauly).

3. Astronomy The angular deviation, as observed from the sun, of a planet from its perihelion.

We are definitely living out of the norm and with no

regard for common order.

Bedtimes are irregular and much, much later then ever before.

(We are generally those parents who have our children in bed by 7:30)

The kids are closing their eyes around 9 or 9:30 every night.

The amount of "treats" being consumed is grotesque. Their seems to

be an occasion for celebrating with food every other day.

Video games (which formally did not exist in the house), have become a daily,

earned, privilege. I guess it is in leu of the t.v. they would normally watch, but still, I feel like 

our house is in another galaxy, an anomaly: one that is

Peculiar,

irregular,

abnormal,

and

definitely

difficult to classify!

Well, that being said, here are some 

moments

of magic, 

that 

happen

Every Day

the boys creating chalk magic

(I left out the one with "i love mom"... i will add it next time) 

added it ;o)

max and his good friend giving baths

to the babies

 dance party

 peach tree harvest

2 trees planted in honor of

my second cousin who left this world at only 12.

She is shining down for sure.

what rohan does while at the pool:

he dives on the bottom to look for treasures.

this is his creation.

 "hey, what are you doing later?"

not exactly what I thought they were 
whispering about but some funny babies.

“There is no happiness; there are only moments of happiness.”

Spanish Proverb quotes                                              This proverb speaks much truth at my house.

wet and wild

You were thinking X-rated... admit it.

At the beginning of every summer we live in our suits.

We smell of chlorine and have crusty pool hair.

I honestly cannot remember the last time the boys took showers.

(must make that part of our day today I guess)

We had two days of family.

Monday the whole family went to the swimming pool

spent time with our Great-Grandmother, whom is not feeling

too well at the time, and moved in a positive direction, together.

On tuesday we met some friends at the pool and played chase,

rocket, ate lunch and laughed a lot.

(I am trying to teach my boys more independence from me,

so far hmm....;o))

Wednesday we had two friends over all day...

We pretended to find dragons,

searched for ghosts in the attic,

went to splasheville, again,

ate popsicles,

ate more popsicles,

went to the library,

made homemade

pizza,

and at the end of the night

when it was just the

boys 

and

me

we

watched

So you think you can Dance.

Today looks promising

with two more friends joining us for the day.

The pool is on tap.

We will be sure to build something with legos,

battle with lightsabers,

tussle, laugh, whine,

scream with frustration

and 

JOY

And at the end

thank the bed for its soft surface and its cool sheets.

Summer busts through here like a hurricane. 

I ALWAYS wonder how it is moving so fast.

The first full week is almost gone and 

there is so much more livin' to do.

So far I am keeping my "controlling" nature in check.

It is nice to have a forum to let it out

and then feel accountable.

Although you would think it would

be enough just 

to have more

peace 

and 

joy.

Happy Wet and Wild days to You. 

And if wet is not your thing then more Wild.

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.
-- Russel Baker

Crick in my neck...

It was really hot yesterday.

At 8:00 p.m. it was 89 still.

Inside our house it was 82.

We don't use air conditioning.

Well, rarely.

 ( I want to save the environment and money,

 when it is convenient for me)

Did I mention before that I am a control freak?

I think I am right, almost all the time, about

almost everything.

This complicates things a lot and makes for

challenging relationships.

On my best days I try my hardest to think before I talk.

I try to say the right thing and listen with respect.

(That does not mean I succeed it just means I try harder)

Those are my best days. 

Who knew, as a child, that the biggest challenges in life

lay within ourselves and not in something or someone else?

Being married and choosing the responsibility of "growing" boys,

is teaching me that control does not bring

happiness,

 just loneliness 

and anger

They say the first step to change is acknowledging what is not working.

I have known this for a long time about myself and continue

to struggle with changing.

This summer I will work on celebrating differences:

In my children,

In my husband,

In my family.

Success is not my goal.

Respect is.

(Thanks to a friend who encouraged me to be more real)

I still have to share my life through photo's though.

They really do help me remember that even through the

shit 

joy is created.

our first day school free

Rohan's first day at the water park

my boys drying out

 this morning it is still 75 in our house

and we live in the mountains!

a weekend of summer celebration 

and making our own choices,

until tomorrow ;o)

This summer is full of possibilities and opportunities 

for making real and magnificent changes,

In attitude and in how we live together.

I will let you know how that is all working out.

Now, I will try to let the kids take more responsibility and 

give them wings to be whomever they are.

Become the change you wish to see in the world.

~Gandhi

(possibly my all time favorite quote and role model)

Oh, I did actually wake up with a crick in my neck.
I created it myself.
;o)

in an hour in downtown asheville

Summer has begun.

I love Asheville.

A lot.

Echo: this week's theme Rouge