The Blanch Herd: Red Canyon in Fall

After getting bumped twice due to covid and the death of Gregg's grandpa, we finally were able to get away on the 15th-18th of September with Paul and Kim to the Blanchards' happy place: Red Canyon. The official campgrounds in the vicinity were closed, but we were able to snag our favorite dispersed spot at Meadow Park and settled in nicely. (Thank heavens Paul and Kim filled up their water tank in their trailer before arriving . . . and thank heavens they shared their bathroom facilities with us! We were camping like kings!)

We spent Wednesday evening through Saturday lunchtime playing, talking, hiking, disc golfing, biking, reading, hammocking, kayaking, magnet fishing, sleeping, learning, cooking, eating, and loving our time in the outdoors together. The highlight for me was probably hearing elk bugling as we sat around the campfire! Magical!!

I was reading a book about homeschooling during this campout and one of the things she mentioned for when you're feeling discouraged about how school at home is going is to jot down all the learning that is happening at home. I wasn't discouraged at all about homeschool thus far, but I decided to try it for this trip, maybe to justify taking a camping trip mid-week during the school year, maybe just because I was curious, but I was pretty impressed with my list, if I do say so myself!

And now for the part you're really here for - the photos:

Morning campfires are delightful.

Swedish pancakes are a camping tradition this year.

Good morning, campsite!

Just look at the lighting for that cornhole game!

Grandpa brought along some new-fangled DI finds.

Matchy Matchy Kim Blanchard squared.

This view never gets old!

We hiked around Greens Lake even though we weren't camping there.

Group shot on the dock.

And one more so Kim is
in there.

I thought these pinecone remains
on the tree was so beautiful -
almost like a tropical flower!

Dutch watchin'.

We kayaked on West Green's Lake since it seemed a bit easier
to access with the boats from the parking lot. Sam was a master
boat hauler!

Yes, we sent them out solo - and they did awesome!

It started sprinkling, and they were damp from the boats,
so some dockside cuddling in towels was in order.

He even pulled the big one uphill back to the car!

A chill in the air made our soup seem extra
cozy for dinner.

It doesn't show up well, but those aspens were starting
to turn!

Disc golf (we just picked trees and rocks and fire pits
as goals) with my dishy!

Fun swing in our campsite.

Gregg took a lovely morning walk in the meadow.

Field Trip! We couldn't go inside the dam
and down to the bottom, but we still learned a lot
and had a great time.

Sam is the size of a record-setting lake trout!

Little Hole for lunch.

Spent Friday afternoon magnet fishing off the dock
at Green's Lake. This may not look like much, but just zoom
in to that little dock by the bush and maybe you'll spot a little boy's
bare tush as he relieves himself off the dock. Oh boy!

Magnet fisherwoman extraordinare.

This one's not so bad either.

And then Grandpa got in on the fun.

No pocket knives caught like when they did this together at Smith
and Morehouse, but they did snag a plethora of fish hooks, bottle caps,
a small carabiner, and an old salmon eggs jar.
And they had a ball doing it, so that's what matters!

Naan pizza for the win!

I heart ponderosas!

This was my hammock reading once I finished the homeschooling
book. I didn't get very far before I had to return it to the library,
but I fully intend on checking it out again when I'm back in library
service in November. It seemed like a fitting story to read amidst
all the Afghanistan talk in the news lately, since it is written by an Afghan-
American and takes place there under government turmoil.
I really liked the few chapters I read, so I have high hopes!

What's not to love?!

Good mornin' campfire!

S'more's and chips on a Saturday morning . . . don't worry,
they had oatmeal first!

We hiked from Red Canyon Lodge to Skull Creek
Campground on Saturday morning before we packed up
to head home.

Group shot at Skull Creek.

C is for Callie tree.

A ground squirrel apartemnt complex!

Coming back toward the creek on the return
trip, I hurried ahead to get this shot, then promptly
slipped and nearly rolled into off the edge into the water.
Gregg and I were laughing so hard that I then aspirated a
drop of spit and started coughing up a lung! What a spectacle!