Camping at Westmoreland

Our first family vacation! Just the four of us, not a trip to the parent's or a wedding or any other event. Three days in the woods as a family.We almost didn't know how to begin.

That might be why we procrastinated choosing a tent site. We had every option to chose from because we have not visited any of them. So we pussyfooted.

Our hesitation chose for us. The first half dozen campsites we looked into were booked full. Westmoreland State Park was low on our list; I felt a bit let down before we even packed the car.

But I was wrong. Wrong, wrong. All those "no vacancies" everywhere else led to this moment:

Juvenile Bald Eagle fishing

Joy. At sharing beauty with my family. At the majesty of creation. At white cliffs plunging to the bay and eagles fishing overhead and all 2 hours from home. At sun and dirt and feeling like the adventuring me that was confined for pregnancy and raising infants was finally breathing real air.

The art of camping is well practiced between us. We don't need to talk through who will do what. We have our areas of expertise. Set up camp together. Hubby builds a fire while 'wifey' starts dinner. The ritual of temporary homesteading.

It's a little more complicated now that we have to take turns with the girls. Small one was channeling the spirit of Pocahontas, ready to trail blaze if a watchful gaze happened to stray.