Sunday, July 11, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
A trip to camp with the dogs
The weather this week has been hazy, hot and humid so Ameranth and I decided to take the dogs out to camp for a swim. Rosie didn't go, and she was very upset about staying home with J. He said she sat looking out the window and howled mournfully- at least until he gave her a special treat and she was over it.
Rosie didn't go because she gets carsick, hates water and would run away. Anna was happy, until she realized Boomer was coming too, and Boomer was, as always, sooo excited to do anything, that he bounded into the car, sat on Anna's head and panted happily.
We drove out to Torsey Lake to the land that my parents bought in the '60s for our vacations, which is about a half hour north of us. My uncle owns the lot next door and he offered the use of his dock and beach, since the other dock wasn't in the water yet, and he has sand rather than mud. Anna had swum before and had her recent exposure to salt water, so she was more interested in investigating smells and running through the woods, but this was all new to Boomer.
Ameranth went in first and coaxed him out to her, and we threw sticks for him to fetch, because he would go through the fires of hell to fetch something, especially if he thinks Anna might want it. After the first panicky thrashing when the ground disappeared:
He seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, at one point swimming out to a plastic jug tied out as a mooring 30 feet from shore. He came right back when called (after he realized it wasn't going to be fetchable).
He even found a treasure- a tennis ball, floating near the campfire area.
Anna found a 'treasure' too. That stump in the right above has been just offshore as along as I can remember and has several roots that stick out. I looked over at Anna to see her tiptoeing her way along one as if she were on a tightrope. Just as I was focusing for a picture, she leaned down and delicately picked up a sodden lump which clearly had a head at one end. Hilarity ensued as we chased her through the briars and we chased her through the brambles and we chased her through places a rabbit couldn't go. (extra credit if you know that song!)
It must not have tasted good (and how bad does that have to be if a dog doesn't like it?) because she dropped what turned out to be a drowned muskrat baby about 8 inches long. Now what to do with it? Scooping it up gingerly on a stick- I suggested two, like chopsticks, but Ameranth was doing it and felt one would work. And it did. We got it over to our side of camp and stashed it under an overturned wheelbarrow, since that was the only dog-safe place we could find.
My uncle came down to visit for a few minutes between tending the chicken he had cooking, and told us a funny story. He and his son had been standing right here on the beach when my cousin suddenly jumped back. Something had brushed by his ankle- it turned out to be the cutest little baby muskrat, they have their burrow right over there and it seemed lost. Um, awkward. We did explain that we had just seen (probably) the same small animal and it wasn't looking too good, but made it clear it was really most sincerely dead before Anna came along. He seemed to take it well.
We don't go out to camp much anymore because we live in Maine, and go to RI for vacations, but we used to bring the kids up every Memorial Day weekend when we lived in RI. This was in 1986.
Rosie didn't go because she gets carsick, hates water and would run away. Anna was happy, until she realized Boomer was coming too, and Boomer was, as always, sooo excited to do anything, that he bounded into the car, sat on Anna's head and panted happily.
We drove out to Torsey Lake to the land that my parents bought in the '60s for our vacations, which is about a half hour north of us. My uncle owns the lot next door and he offered the use of his dock and beach, since the other dock wasn't in the water yet, and he has sand rather than mud. Anna had swum before and had her recent exposure to salt water, so she was more interested in investigating smells and running through the woods, but this was all new to Boomer.
Ameranth went in first and coaxed him out to her, and we threw sticks for him to fetch, because he would go through the fires of hell to fetch something, especially if he thinks Anna might want it. After the first panicky thrashing when the ground disappeared:
It must not have tasted good (and how bad does that have to be if a dog doesn't like it?) because she dropped what turned out to be a drowned muskrat baby about 8 inches long. Now what to do with it? Scooping it up gingerly on a stick- I suggested two, like chopsticks, but Ameranth was doing it and felt one would work. And it did. We got it over to our side of camp and stashed it under an overturned wheelbarrow, since that was the only dog-safe place we could find.
My uncle came down to visit for a few minutes between tending the chicken he had cooking, and told us a funny story. He and his son had been standing right here on the beach when my cousin suddenly jumped back. Something had brushed by his ankle- it turned out to be the cutest little baby muskrat, they have their burrow right over there and it seemed lost. Um, awkward. We did explain that we had just seen (probably) the same small animal and it wasn't looking too good, but made it clear it was really most sincerely dead before Anna came along. He seemed to take it well.
We don't go out to camp much anymore because we live in Maine, and go to RI for vacations, but we used to bring the kids up every Memorial Day weekend when we lived in RI. This was in 1986.
Shoeshine, Ms M, J, Ameranth, and Sectaurs in front.
And I was lucky enough to find this picture taken in just about the same place.
That's #2 in the back, #3, my father, #5, #4 and numero uno (me) leaning soulfully against the tree. Judging by my short hair and glasses style I guess this was probably around 1968.
Lots of good times out there. #4 and her son run the joint now, and he is out there this weekend with friends, so I am sure the fun will continue for years to come.
(I did warn him via Facebook that we left a surprise under the wheelbarrow-good times indeed)
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Dutch Island trip
As threatened promised, here's what we did Sunday. For many years J's family has made a day trip to Dutch Island but this was the first time for Ameranth and me. One of his brothers lives in FL and brings his boat up every year when they come to visit, usually around the Fourth. The island trip is often done during the week, and we are not around. Last year J went out, but I didn't, probably because we had the two devil dogs with us.
As I said, J's family grew up with a boat and had visited the different small islands in the area many times, so he was excited about getting the chance to revisit one. There are ruins of Fort Greble near the center of the island so he, his sister Trish and a couple of nephews hiked in. The nephews went back after J and Trish assured them they would be fine returning by themselves.
No surprise, they got lost. I think I may have mentioned J is directionally challenged, and I've been told the sun was overhead and of no use for navigation. Ha. They milled about for a bit, then headed downhill towards the shore, any shore, coming out quite a bit away from the camp. Staying by the water, they circled back, and the nephews eventually found them, guiding them back to civilization and a beer.
J told me the island was around 4 miles long- after I saw it, I checked Google- just under one mile long, honey. Around 100 acres. But it is lovely, and the family had staked a claim to a little cove just behind the lighthouse at the southern tip.
As I said, J's family grew up with a boat and had visited the different small islands in the area many times, so he was excited about getting the chance to revisit one. There are ruins of Fort Greble near the center of the island so he, his sister Trish and a couple of nephews hiked in. The nephews went back after J and Trish assured them they would be fine returning by themselves.
No surprise, they got lost. I think I may have mentioned J is directionally challenged, and I've been told the sun was overhead and of no use for navigation. Ha. They milled about for a bit, then headed downhill towards the shore, any shore, coming out quite a bit away from the camp. Staying by the water, they circled back, and the nephews eventually found them, guiding them back to civilization and a beer.
J told me the island was around 4 miles long- after I saw it, I checked Google- just under one mile long, honey. Around 100 acres. But it is lovely, and the family had staked a claim to a little cove just behind the lighthouse at the southern tip.
We drove down to a beach just across from this end, and waited for a pickup, after meeting two nieces, a nephew-to-be and their dog, Henry. It was fun going down there because we lived on that road before moving to Maine, and Ameranth remembered walking down to swimming lessons. Although she was just 6 when we moved, I'm not surprised she remembered the walk- it was at least 1/2 mile, (I'm being conservative, since I mocked J, but I think it was closer to a mile) and uphill both ways. No, really, the road goes up a long slope, then down steeply to the shore. Sectaurs would be in an old-fashioned heavy stroller, and I seriously worried about losing control and tumbling down that last bit.
That's the bridge to Jamestown, a much bigger island, in the background. This beach is where the URI Bay Campus is located and this is their dock:
There is a little beach to the north which has a sandy bottom, and that is where the kids had their lessons. So they weren't dealing with a slippery rocky bottom, just cold salt water, tides and waves. (When they started lessons at the lake in Maine, they wanted to know when the tide changed) J insists that the water in Groton, CT where he learned to swim is much colder than the water in the bay here.
Anyway, after a looong wait in the broiling sun, our transportation showed up and we all got on board without much fuss, even Anna and me. A zippy ride over and we disembarked just as well.
We could only stay a little while, since we were double-booked and had to get to my side of the family for a relaxing end to the day. I don't know what kind of boat the FL brother-in-law has- it's not huge- but the RI b-i-l has a Boston Whaler and man, that ride is a lot bumpier! I'm not sure why Boston Whaler drivers seem to feel that they have to speed directly across any waves or chop, but we got back to shore extremely quickly and didn't bounce overboard as we feared.
All in all, it was a very nice weekend, beautiful weather and the extreme heat wasn't so bad with a shore breeze.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
NOW I remember a good thing about work.
The air conditioning. It was so cold there that I wore gloves and a hat in the winter, but in July, it sure was nice. Except I just remembered that it was too cold to actually dress for the muggies for the drive in, because then I would have frozen again. I think that negates the good part.
Fortunately, the AC in the van was working just fine for our weekend trip to RI, and the weather couldn't have been better to be on the bay. J's family had their holiday party on Saturday and high tide worked out nicely for boat rides for most of the day.
The house is on a cove which ends right beyond their driveway in a marsh, so there is little wave action but a nice breeze. Growing up, J and siblings swam here and I believe even dug clams that were safe to eat! The dogs still swim, and oh, what dogs we had! 4 yellow labs from Florida, one of their offspring who lives in RI, chocolate lab Henry from NY, Mabel from MA, the 3 dogs who live there, Anna who came down with us, and Max, the goldendoodle from next door.
Fortunately, the AC in the van was working just fine for our weekend trip to RI, and the weather couldn't have been better to be on the bay. J's family had their holiday party on Saturday and high tide worked out nicely for boat rides for most of the day.
The house is on a cove which ends right beyond their driveway in a marsh, so there is little wave action but a nice breeze. Growing up, J and siblings swam here and I believe even dug clams that were safe to eat! The dogs still swim, and oh, what dogs we had! 4 yellow labs from Florida, one of their offspring who lives in RI, chocolate lab Henry from NY, Mabel from MA, the 3 dogs who live there, Anna who came down with us, and Max, the goldendoodle from next door.
No fights and everyone stuck around, (except for visits with Max to meet his parents) but we heard that old goodie "Mabel, Mabel, get off the table!" (with the second line "the quarter's for the beer" unspoken) more than once.
That picture looks like fighting, but Anna and Mabel (who belongs to Ms & Mr C) are old friends and that's actually Anna inviting a chase. The labs would fetch a stick as long as anyone was willing to throw one.
One got going so fast, he actually walked on water!
Okay, not really, there is a big rock just under the surface, but it sure surprised me the first time I saw that!
Lots of family there, cousins from 16 to 37, and a few in the next generation as well. My in-laws and I commented that we were now the "old folks"- how did that happen? I've been coming here for the 4th since 1977 and it really, really doesn't seem like that long ago. Until you do the math.
She's waving bye-bye, not "talk to the hand"!
For some reason, this shelter was erected on the lawn:
Then lifted onto the deck:
These brothers found it a lot easier to retrieve an errant frisbee than when they were a couple feet shorter! Oh yes-the one on the bottom brought his girlfriend and announced that they had become engaged just hours earlier!
It was a very nice day and we even got Mr C to agree to a group picture before they left. He's a tricksey one.
The next day we went to Dutch Island, but that's another story.
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