Camping at 11 Mile State Park

This past weekend Irv and I took Mr. Beans, MP, and JP camping at 11 Mile State Park.  The boys left right after school and headed up there to set up our camp.  The girls weren't able to leave until after work so it was kind of late when we got there.  Everyone was starving so the first order of business was dinner.

MP was responsible for Friday night's dinner and she made some outstanding Hobo dinners and corn on the cob over the fire.

For dessert I made peach cobbler in the dutch oven over the fire (yummy).  This was my first attempt at cooking with a dutch oven...it turned out amazingly good.

After a freezing cold night and very little sleep, Saturday morning started with a little fishin.  MP was fishin by 5:30 in the morning.  She has become quite the fisherwoman this year.  The only thing caught the entire day was a crawdad.

JP cooked delicious French toast for breakfast.  She used the campstove that my parents gave us.  I think it's at least as old as I am, but it still works.  When JP gets married next year I told her I was handing it down to her and Brian.  (JP, I hope you're not mad that I posted this picture.)

We rented a canoe from the marina located on the other side of the lake.  Irv and JP rowed it across the lake to our camp site in about 18 minutes.  I was very impressed.  Then that evening they had to return it to the marina by rowing back across the lake.

The dogs did some swimming, or I should say Cody did some swimming. Our black lab, Keira, doesn't seem to like the water (so what are those webbed feet for?).

Keira preferred to look pretty and take naps in the tall grass.  Keira isn't much of a camper.  She shivered all night and just wanted to go home.

Irv and Mr. Beans flew their kite.  Notice the beautiful blue sky.

When evening came it was time for another great meal--beef stew cooked in the dutch oven.  To complete the meal I also made biscuits.

Of course, no camping trip is complete with smores.

Another cold night followed.  Even Irv felt sorry for the exhausted dogs and let Keira sleep on the bed to stay warm.  (Yes, I said bed.  Irv and I like to be comfortable when we camp.  I think everyone was a little jealous of our tent and bed.)

JP and Cody kept each other warm.

Happy Campers!

 

 

We agreed on four things:

1.  Camping is all about the food.

2.  One night of camping once per year is more than enough.

3. There's nothing wrong with breaking camp at 7:30 in the morning so you can be home by 10:00 to take a hot shower and wash all the dirty, nasty clothes that you wore while camping.

4.  DP, Adam, and Brian need to be there with us next year.  We missed you!