Camp Mystic Lake: Dog Days of Summer

 Some days it was too hot to do anything but hang out in the lake:

Camp Mystic Lake: Crystallized Rocks

Looking back, I didn't think Nature Week was going to be as photogenic as it ultimately was. Or maybe the kids were so involved in their activities that Nicole had a moment to snap some photos.  Either way more photos for you, our Loyal Readers.

Today's post covers crystallized rocks. A simple enough activity, but completely engaging:

Camp Mystic Lake: Nature Week, Walking Sticks

These troopers set out to find walking sticks. 

Then we painted the sticks:

It might have been a bit drizzly, but the troopers weren't deterred.  They wanted to see if the sticks improved their hikes.

Look at these smiling faces!  The sticks were a success!

Tree Climbing

 What's a summer without tree climbing?  I had plenty of them; the limbs on the trees in my childhood backyard started at least 20 feet in the air.  No attempt was made to scale those monsters.

In our backyard, however, it's a different story.  The two brothers picked up some quick skills this summer:

Beaver Brook hike

What a wonderful hike at Beaver Brook in NH! 

We thought we were the only ones there, so technically we wouldn't have to wear our masks.

Turns out we weren't the only ones there. 

It was also the start of "black fly" season in NH.  We were surrounded by them!  So most of us decided to wear our masks to keep the flies off of our faces.

Flies or not, masks or not, it was a very enjoyable family hike with exercise signs along the path:

Followed by an in-the-car picnic (with poutine!) on the ride home, we also narrowly escaped a big thunderstorm.  It was a fun way to spend family time together.

Kayak season

Break out your life jackets!  It's late spring and time to enjoy life on the lake.

Campfire on the Lake

It was a cool April night and the weather was perfect for our first campfire of 2020:

A few nights later, there was a spectacular moon.  It looked much larger in the sky than these photos suggest:

Homeschooling Lesson #38: Microscopy

Look what Tate found in the basement storage area:  MLM's compound microscope!

The A-team showed zero interest, but this kept Tate engaged for quite a while.  What was even more exciting?  MLM finally figured out how to get enough light into the microscope to use the higher magnification levels.

Diana's Baths

On our trip to NH, we stopped at Diana's Baths, a waterfall in North Conway.  It was a short hike to a spectacular set of falls that the kids romped around in for quite a few hours.  Next time we'll bring a picnic and make a full day of it.

Midway through the short hike, we had a small problem:  Tate's shorts.  They kept falling down.

No problem!  MLD to the rescue!  He whipped out some twine and his knife (because doesn't everyone everyone carry this for emergencies?) and voila!  Fixed.

Repair in process

Detail of the finished product

Independence Day: Noah's Last Photos

Today is a happy day for America and a somewhat sad day for our blog.

These are the last photos of Noah taken by Laura.

Laura snapped these photos of Noah while they were on a walk in Lexington.  Noah was teething and unhappy, so we all hoped some fresh spring air would do him some good.

It did. Look at his grin!  And he slept so well that afternoon.

May it be all blue skies and clear sailing ahead for you, Noah my love.  Mommy and Daddy miss you more than you will ever know.  Your spirit, love and smile with be with us wherever we go.

Stroller Napping

Sometimes I wish someone would bundle me up and push me around in a stroller so that I could take a good nap...

Noah is happy anytime he can sneak in a good nap:

Wacky Weather

What weird weather we've had this spring!  One day it's warm, the next cold.  One day sunny, the next rainy.  In this photo, it's clearly cold... Laura has Noah bundled up as snug as a bug in a rug.