Unless you are a gypsy at heart or more accurately, a pseudo-gypsy who loves Nature up to the point of fainting, then if you live in the south, don't ever never ever go camping in the
summer... k? Just saying ;)
When we moved south two years ago we had this idealized idea that camping here was just like camping up north, where we had done it all of our lives and where summers are the best time of year for such endeavors. We were so used to that, that we didn't realize how things can change in a different atmosphere. But after that first camping experience in the heat of August two years ago (you can read all about it HERE, if you'd like), we soon learned that things are very much different in the south, and swore never ever to go camping again in the summer... that's, until this weekend. Hehe!
You see, someone had told my husband the Fisherman of this
magical gypsy camp place where fishes abound and practically wait placidly by
the riverbanks to be caught. And thus... you just know how it
goes... he made reservations without telling me. And of course, I didn't want
to spoil his enthusiasm. So I went along, and not even once said anything
about our old promise... of summer, and of the relentless summer days in the south, or of being a
gypsy at the wrong time of the year, and such...
It was a beautiful place indeed. Heat and humidity steamed out of the earth
like lava coming out of some strange volcano.
Fishes didn't want to bite, and the camp was quiet and swarming with
ants and then some more...
Around mid-day we cooked our lunch, and later ate it in a groggily state... the fisherman washed the dishes and I dried them up. We took our books out and read. We drank sparkling coconut-pineapple Ice, we ate watermelon and kept perspiring some more. We watched the clouds for strange, wild animals and mythological creatures doing whatever they do high above past the tall pines, and went in and out the gypsy caravan like some crepuscular squirrels, getting from tree to tree from tree to the ground... waiting for heat and humidity to subside a bit.
The gypsy caravan was a cocoon in cheerful colors, veils and velvet.
Baby you got what I need... you got my sunshine.
Baby you... you got what I need baby you...
and when I'm with you, it is a beautiful world.
It's all I can dream... baby you... you got what I need...
Have you heard that song?
Have you heard that song?
I could have gone swimming, but when the Fisherman went down to the river, I started down the green
paths on a nature's hunt all by myself. 'Cause that's just who I am. And thus, I collected
some lovely treasures... pinecones and needles, an interesting moss covered
twisted twig, and some pebbles and stones that all went to live in my garden. A bird's
feather was found buried among the wildflowers... from which it may have come from among the many? I had to wonder.
By that time, my head was already spinning under the heat of the day... spinning spinning...
that's when I discovered an ogre encrusted on a tree, and further down some witch's cottage among old tangled roots. Hello, is anyone there?
It was such a magical day... things did really got better after that... it did, it really did! But I'll have to stop right here for now, cause my story can linger, and I'm sure you'd not want to read past here... so yeah, I'll come back real soon with a 'second season' of Camping in the heat of August. How 'bout that! ;) For now, that's it. Hope you had fun reading. And stay tune for more!
:)
ReplyDeleteLol Cielo! I live in the Tropics, so I hear you on the 'not camping in Summer'! Many folk do though, and enjoy it immensely, so there must be some rewards! I look forward to more of your Camping Tales. Love, Mimi xxx
ReplyDeletelolol, loved this. I had been alone writing about my tales of living in the heat and got no responses, obviously because none of my readers were from the sub tropics....because anyone, ANYONE who lives through it will always have some commiserating words to respond with, and now I hear them from you. Yes, the summers in sub tropics is when we need to go to "sleep", like people do in the north in winter. Our winters however, is when we can come alive, BBQ-ing is great then, I mean wonderful! This year is the worst I've ever experienced in heat in all the years here. I am very ready to leave. When I have to hide indoors when I really want to be out, because the heat is making me feint and destroying what energy I have to move my body, then it has become hostile. sigh.
ReplyDeleteOhhh my.... You have such patience. I know I would have rebelled at the first blast of camping area heat/humidity. I just can't "do" heat/humidity any more. :-)
ReplyDeleteBut in your hands, it makes a delightful story.
And yes, I now know that my Blogger Update thing, is not updating your posts. Pout... It has happened here, and at Hollow Woods. Now I know, to check myself, for new posts.
Gentle hugs,
Luna Crone
I wonder what the problem could be with Blogger updating, etc. I lost my LinkWithin blog feature just like that, and cannot get it back now.. I can't figure out how to solve the problem either... ;)
DeleteThanks for coming by...
Cielo
I so enjoyed reading this, living in Mississippi as I do, which is the Deep South and our heat and humidity seep from the ground like the volcanoes as you described!! You and Fisherman are very brave souls to try summer camping, since you weren't raised in the extreme heat, as my husband and his friends were. However, they are the first to admit their LOVE of air conditioning, ha-ha! Hubby's mom, in her 80s, has a window air conditioner and doesn't like to use it much, her sister, at 87 years young has no air conditioning and much prefers it that way, which is just as it was when they grew up. Sweltering! Your Gypsy Caravan is beyond the moon charming!! however, as a cocoon it'll be delightful to snuggle into, in a couple of months! Thank you so much for writing!
ReplyDeleteOh I know how it is, my parents who live in FL keep their air conditioning on very high like in the 79-80's, even during those August hot days... except when we visit, then they will have to lower it, and freeze... hehe. They are always cold when they come visit us.. mom cannot stand cold, not a little bit.
DeleteCielo
You know I would rather be in Florida in August than Virginia. Virginia is low lying, muggy and mostly without breezes. My husband is from Palm Beach county Florida, and in the home his grandpa built, it had cross breezes with so many windows.
ReplyDeleteWhen we visited in August it was a lot nicer than here. I am scared of gators though.
Love your caravan, snuggly and comfy, had one similar ages ago and miss it.