Still Breathing:)

Yes we are.  Camp is small again this week, and Gruper and I continue to take it easy.  Becky, Mackayla and Emily all left late last week.  The girls both wanted to make their own souvenir–an acrylic painting:)  Check these out!

I’d love to say they got their creative talents from me…but…

I drove Emily into Minnesota, handed her off, and returned to Camp all in one day (500 miles)!  Our visit was nice, and Emily was able to experience a taste of our “other” life.  The drive was quite pretty:

The girls enjoyed their plane ride, as did Mr. Bentley!  We told him he could climb on board and look around.  Unbeknownst to him, he was going up with his mom and grandma!  His enthusiasm after the flight could be summed up in one word:  joy!

 

 

As you can see, he was “flying high”!

This adventure with his mom and grandma was significant:  his papa (Big O, John O’Neill) passed nearly a year ago, and this family needed to return to Tall Pines Camp.  Gruper and I honestly felt it was very important to help with closure.  The ladies did a great job!  Nita operated a tiller–something I don’t care to do–and both she and Rachel provided multiple opportunities for Bentley to fish, frolic, and heal.

That boy caught that fish 100% on his own!  His papa is so proud!  Bentley left a picture that is hanging on our fridge as I type (and get teary):

Enjoy Alabama, Buddy (drive your mum nuts with the sand)!

Doug and his beautiful family returned last week, and brought friends!  The boys spent a lot of time fishing, in spite of mayflies and warm temps.  Warren released this northern

and Evan released a walleye seed!

Erika and Monika took advantage of massages(!), and the boys all took a painting class!

The ladies also joined me for what I thought would be a “pancake and muffin pick.”  I was very wrong…folks, I have 1 gallon in the freezer already!  #banner season

Doug was with Duane when he released this BEAUTIFUL fish!

Yes, he could have kept that walleye as his 18″+, but he CHOSE to return her to the lake!  Thank you, Duane!  We look forward to seeing you and Jan again next year!

Gruper and I sneaked out for our first fishing session this week!  He boated two bass and a perfect eater walleye for me; I boated nothing.  I was plucked repeatedly, lost a small walleye (I think) before it reached surface, and had my line cut–most probably by a northern.  Surface temps were around 74, and flies–not may–were most active.  We still had a very nice time!

Rod and family are here for two weeks.  They enjoy the northern hunt as well as chilling!  We are excited that my gal Sal and our matriarch Pat will be here today!  Our third quiet week will be filled with love and relaxation!  I’ll close with Doug and Erika’s definition of perfection (I think)!