The way to camp without a stove is to get a spot designed for an RV. Then, there is a plug and it is easy to make coffee before everybody else is up and you don’t have to start a stove or mess with the fire before you are really ready to mess with a fire. Great day!

So, I was walking in Memphis..walking with my feet 10 feet off of Beale.

Walking in Memphis.

Do you really feel the way I feel.

Anyway – at a conference and got to spend a few minutes wandering downtown at the Beale Street area. Found the Flying Saucer, which was also big fun.

But, this caught my eye so I had to photograph it: Words to live by at Beale Street (in Memphis, TN)

This week was the 20th anniversary of a campout that was started as a wedding anniversary present from one of my camp buddies to his wife, who is also a camp buddy.

It is a treat, blessing and honor that this group of friends (odd that we are) still get together every year and camp out. Since it was the 20th anniversary, we decided last year to go somewhere a bit different so out to the Rockies we went.

As we drove up to over 10,000 feet, it started raining. Bad news for camping..but, then as we got out of the cars, the sun came out and the most magnificent rainbow I have ever seen appeared and ended right by our campsite. Cool.

Yaz Tickets
Wheeee….Row AA!!!

Thanks to the Mouse Journal, I didn’t have to keep up with the set list but just danced my toes off instead.

Here’s the set list:

1. Nobody’s Diary
2. Bad Connection
3. Mr. Blue
4. Good Times
5. Tuesday
6. Ode to Boy
7. Goodbye Seventies
8. Too Pieces
9. In My Room
10. Anyone
11. Walk Away From Love
12. I Before E Except After C
13. Bring Your Love Down (Didn’t I)
14. Sweet Thing
15. Winter Kills
16. Midnight
17. Unmarked
18. State Farm
19. Don’t Go

The encore:

1. Only You
2. Situation

Thanks Mouse Journal

Funny, I met someone at the conference last week who I follow on Flickr because I recognized her from her pictures. She also follows me and we had a nice face to face conversation. One of the things we talked about was our Project 365. She had to let hers go for a long while and is trying to decide whether to just start over or try to get back into it “already in progress”. I was telling her how much trouble I am having just keeping up with one picture a week instead of the daily photo..in some ways, it seems much harder than the P365 postings did. Hmm..

Anyway – get ready for a few photos coming in fast and furious as I go hit Flickr in a minute!

My friend got a new scooter!

It is red!

Really red!!

It is big!

It might look like a motorcycle but it is a scooter.

So cool!

I tried on her helmet but that is as far as it went.

Oh my, I’m delayed again. I think the daily project was a much stronger motivator for this but anyhoo – here is my photo for last week. Went to pick up my new work lappy from my friend who was traveling to town for her son’s tennis tournament. I managed to squeeze off a shot during the second set.

Oh, I so wanted the video to turn out but 30 seconds of black just didn’t quite cut it. We went out to the GSMNP and into the Elkmont area to witness first hand the nature spectacular that is the synchronized firefly display that happens for about 3 weeks this time of year.

We wandered around the area as she told us stories of the Elkmont community and how all of these little cabins came to be sadly ruining from neglect. Then, up the trail and sit down facing the “stage” of a hillside. After it got dark, we started to see a few flickers of light here and there. Then, more. Then, more.

Then, slowly but surely – they started joining up. On – blink, blink, blink, blink – and then, darkness. About 5 seconds later – another set of blinking. It was so fascinating. The group of 20 in the class quit chattering, we quit eating our snacks or messing with our packs.

We just sat.

And marveled.

At least, I did.

It ranked up there with some of the other highlights of my life in nature like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time and poking my head up through a big rock slide that we creekwalked through to see a huge waterfall right before me up in Pisgah National Forest.

Words really don’t do it. Photos really don’t do it. My little video camera didn’t do it at all – too dark but I have a feeling it wouldn’t be able to capture it either. You just have to be there.

I have heard about it for years but never gone. So glad I did. It is worth it. Go!!!

(SIDENOTE: A local TV station has some video but, as I suspected, it doesn’t quite show up like it does in person)