New York Years - Camping

  

Camping was a big part of our life during those years. We bought a small tent trailer. (folded up - 6'x 4') My two brothers and I squished into one bed and my parents slept in the other. I remember the plastic on the mattress would flash with static electricity every time we moved.

My favorite summer was the one between my fifth grade year and sixth grade. At the beginning of the summer, we went to Copake Falls Campground, down near the Catskill Mountains. (more memories about the Catskills later)

After that first week, we decided that we wanted to return. Since Daddy was a teacher, he didn't have to work through the summer. Our only obligations were on Sunday, at church.

So, we spent the whole summer camping. On Friday, we returned for my flute lessons. On Saturday, we did our laundry and grocery shopping. On Sunday, we went to church, and on Monday, we returned to the campground.

We found a campsite on the edge of the woods that we liked. My brothers and I played tag and hide n'seek among the tall pine trees. I learned to swim that summer, at least well enough to go to the float.

My father took us on many hikes on the trails. We walked all the way to Bash Bish Falls. The water was freezing. One day, we even found a whole meadow of wild strawberries.

One night, we heard something getting into our styrofoam cooler. When we shined a flashlight through the screen, we saw a skunk. My father didn't want him to steal our food and decided to shoo him away - or at least put the cooler in a safer place. The skunk would push one side of the lid with his nose, and my father would push it down. They continued that for quite awhile before the skunk got tired of the game and sashayed back into the woods.

It was one of best summers ever!