smiles, berries, and campfires

Isn't that what good camping trips are made of? Made a trek up to Canyon Point Campground on the Mogollon Rim. 7700 feet of elevation makes for much cooler nights (and days) than Phoenix. The Mogollon Rim extends for some 200 miles across Arizona, a step function in geology. This step function makes a jump from about 5,000 feet in elevation to about 7,000 in elevation. The lower section all the plant life that is everything I know of Arizona to the upper section which resembles the Rocky Mountains. Ah, the Rockies, pine trees, dew...but then, this is Arizona, right?



A new day dawns and playing and carrying on ensues. Many smiling faces - friends all around.



Who can resist playing in the fire? Not a one, from the youngest to the oldest of the group. Although we older ones tend to let the youngers have the most time playing.



Speaking of playing in the fire, tried out some new Dutch oven recipes, courtesy of the interwebs. With that information and some culinary license, we are on the way to good eating. Of course, how can you go wrong when you start by melting a stick of butter?



Add sugar, lots of berries, in this case blueberries and raspberries.



Top with a white cake mix and stick in the fire to bake while the other part of the meal is cooking. Oh, the other part of the meal, you mean the cake isn't the main attraction? Nope. Fajitas.



After a meal like that, satisfied campers abound, all ready for bed.



Sitting and talking around the campfire, one of the great comforts in life. My dad always said - "...careful, you stare too long in there and you might never come out". I guess Mr. Thoreau said it well:

The fire is the main comfort of the camp, whether in summer or winter, and is about as ample at one season as at another. It is as well for cheerfulness as for warmth and dryness. ~Henry David Thoreau