Camp Creek Press

Just heard this word this week. With the rising cost of fuel, more people are opting to look into the fun things to do in their own area — just like we were discussing in my last post.

So here's another vote for visiting and appreciating everything your own community has to offer. Take a stay-cation!

Think of the benefits:

• Sleep in your own bed every night!
• The cleanliness of your room is not in question — it may not be 100% clean, but it’s not in question!
• No packing!
• No unpacking!
• No kids whining in the backseat while you’re stuck in traffic! No missed flights or lost luggage!
• Best of all — at the end of your stay-cation, you won’t be totally exhausted and in need of another vacation.

For our part, we sat down and did a little online research and came up with a long list of places to hike and paddle this summer that are within an hour’s distance from our house. And we live in the cornfields of the Midwest, so if we came up with 30 new places to explore, imagine what might be available to you!

Check out:

Get Away on Vacation — at Home

Real Simple: Kick Back, Relax, Vacation at Home

Ideas for the At-Home Vacation

Great Tips/Ideas for Spending Your Vacation at Home

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.

George A. Moore

Love That Boy

by Walter Dean Myers

Love that Boy,
Like a rabbit loves to run.

I said I love that boy,
Like a rabbit loves to run.

Love to call him in the morning.
Love to call him,
“Hey there, son!”

He walk like his Grandpa,
Grins like his Uncle Ben.
I said he walk his his Grandpa,
And grins like his Uncle Ben.
Grins when he’s happy,
When he sad, he grins again.

His mama like to hold him,
Like to feed him cherry pie.
I said his mama like to hold him.
Like to feed him that cherry pie.
She can have him now,
I’ll get him by and by

He got long roads to walk down
Before the setting sun.
I said he got a long, long road to walk down
Before the setting sun.
He’ll be a long stride walker,
And a good man before he done.

Love that Boy,
Like a rabbit loves to run.

I said I love that boy,
Like a rabbit loves to run.

Love to call him in the morning.
Love to call him,
“Hey there, son!”

May is my month. Mothers Day, my birthday, and then my mom's birthday all in the space of two weeks. Plus, May has May baskets ... and the best weather.

We play it pretty cool on Mothers Day. Handmade cards. A joint present from my three guys — something for the garden.

Since my birthday quickly follows Mothers Day, and I lay claim to the whole month, I usually get a camping trip or a kayaking trip, too. My favorite present is a great memory.

So what are you guys doing this weekend?

I'm getting some great feedback from some of you who have done observational drawing with your children and grandchildren. If you have a story and/or a picture to share, put the link in the comments or e-mail me, and I'll do a round-up later this week!

Thank you for your great feedback; it really does encourage me to keep going! I'll be posting the next art lesson after our class on Friday!

Thought you might want to take a look at this situation and maybe lend your support.

If this happened to me, I would be enraged.

Am I the only one who remembers these?!

I'm itching just thinking about it.

From Liivia's beautiful blog.