FAMILY FUN

Recently I have been missing New England. Maybe it's the change in season or the rain we've been having...whatever it is I have been thinking more about New England and the folks back east than normal. I miss things about Vermont which I have trouble explaining without sounding trite. I miss it with all five of my senses, and this time of the year is always the worst for me. This past Monday night Sarah and I had planned a family fun night for the kids including a movie and a campout in the living room, but I spontaneously added a walk around nearby Lake Fulmore to the agenda partly because the place vaguely reminds me of Vermont and Lake Champlain.

When we left Idyllwild it was sunny with relatively clear skies. One of the oddities of living so high in the mountains is that quite often it may be sunny at the top but the surrounding valleys are socked-in and overcast. We were unknowingly above the clouds and storm. As we drove down to the lake we descended into the clouds, and by the time we got to Fulmore we were right in the midst of a fine mist which necessitated the sporadic use of the van's windshield wipers.

We tried without success to get some group shots of the kids. Here are the many attempts. It is funny how usually three out of four of them look fine, and one of them is being a goof. It's almost like they plan it. "Okay, it's your turn, when he says cheese do something to ruin the picture."

Ah well.

We explored a rocky overhang which was used by Cahuilla indians as an encampment in ancient times. The mortar holes where they pulverized acorns are very clear. The kids busied themselves cleaning out the holes.

The overhang. "Look like Indians, kids."

Soot from their campfires.

Lake Fulmore is truly more of a pond, but it is beautiful. Especially on a misty day like this one. There are are paths bordered by low stone walls all the way around it as well as bridges and docks out over the water.

Walking in the clouds

Goldenrod! I miss Vermont.

After our walk around the lake we zipped back home and cooked hot dogs over a fire in the fireplace.

I'm not sure why Bowden looks so fierce here. Do you like his snake tattoo?

Maccaroni and cheese too!

Then, while Sarah took the kids upstairs for their bath, I got things ready for the big surprise- a movie and campout in the living room. They thought that all of the fun was over, but No!

We had just finished reading "The Wind in the Willows" at bedtime so I ordered the movie through the library. After hooking up the DVD player,  I set up camp, chucked another log on the fire, and popped some popcorn.

The kids were excited!

They loved the movie, which was fairly faithful to the story. I really enjoyed it too. Wasn't there an animated series based on the Wind in the Willows at one time? I seem to remember that.

Lucy did not make it to the end of the movie.

After the movie, Sarah and I herded them into the tent, and I sung them a few songs before they passed out. Despite all of the excitement they fell asleep really easily because it was quite a bit past their normal bedtime.

This is me pretending to be asleep.