The weather was gorgeous, sunny and 75 degrees. Son-in-law, George, is an etymologist and nature lover. Every Labor Day he invites family and friends (he has a dozen siblings) to Sherwood Forest in Cuivre River State park for the entire weekend. It's a group camping area with four differen't sections of primitive cabins furnished only with bunks. Each area has a bathhouse and an outdoor fire pit. Years ago, we used to spend the entire weekend in Sherwood Forest, sleep in those insect riddled cabins and cook and eat our meals in the mess hall with the other 100 people in attendance. Some years it was unbearbley hot, others freezing cold at night, and last year it was rainy and the ground so muddy and soupy, every one left early. This year Bill and I decided a full day from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. would be sufficient. Before we left, Georgie, who was already there, texted and asked if we had any board games. Bill texted back: Phase Ten, Yahtzee, Smart Ass. Georgie texted, Grandpa, WHAT did I do?!
We forgot that Georgie was sick last week and missed Bill's birthday. So he wasn't aware that Bill had received the trivia game, Smart Ass as a gift. We sure got a chuckle out of that.
The 65 children of all ages, played baseball, volleyball, soccer, badminton, did archery, rode bikes through the woods, hiked trails, and worked up endless appetites. Darkness brought added fun as the teenaged boys ganged up against the teenaged girls to see who could wreak the most havoc on the other ones' cabins. Nightfall brought roaring fires where adults and the younger children made s'mores. Sean, eleven years old decided to find some firewood. We heard him coming before we saw him; he'd found a downed limb, practically half of a small tree.
Autumn is my favorite season, and yesterday was a perfect fall day to be with family and friends, to appreciate the beauty in nature, to star gaze in an open field without artificial light, to awe at how fast the years are flying and how big the grandkids are getting, and to be grateful for how blessed we truly are.
Did you do something special for Labor Day?
10 comments:
How much fun you must have had! So much family around...how nice. Sherwood Forest...what a great name for a fun area...see Robin Hood by any chance?
Hi Claudia,
Yes, it was a blast. Didn't see Ribin Hood by=ut I did see a lot of wildlife (kids included). Enjoy your day,and your dleicious looking muffins.
Sounds like a great family time! No special plans here for Labor Day, but will probably see one son and maybe have a bbq.
Not yet, it's tomorrow. Glad your family had a fun time.
Your outing sounds like something out of Norman Rockwell. An ideal event that replenishes the soul and grounds you in the basics of life. Or something like that. My weekend has been excellent, though not as busy. Mary Lee and I went bike riding at Creve Coeur Lake Park on Saturday. Today we went bike riding in Forest Park, took our two Golden Retrievers (Hannah and Sadie) for a walk there (off leash where the cops couldn't see us), then into the CWE for coffee at Starbucks while watching the passing parade. With this kind of weather, we didn't want to go inside. But I did, at 8 tonight, to watch "Rubicon" and "Mad Men," possibly my favorite show. Being a former mad man, or ad guy, I sometimes cringe at some of the situations and personalities on the program; frightfully close to my experiences (without the shots of booze in the morning). Labor Day! What happened to Summer of 2010??
I read this last night - looks like you had a lot of fun. We are having a very quiet Labor Day - we are cleaning! sandie
How I envy your big, wonderful family!!! *Sixty-five??!!?* Did I read that right? 65?! Whoa.
Hi Sandie and Tammy,
Yes, at least 65. Those cousins are old enough to bring frineds along now, so we were over-populated with hormonal teenagers.
What a wonderful Labor Day tradition, and how marvelous that there is a place large enough to accommodate everyone. I love the Smart Ass trivia story--too funny.
I think I could repeat Lisa's comment - took the words right out of my...err...off my keyboard.
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