INTO THE WOODS!

   WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26TH., 2017
                   INTO THE WOODS!

    Many of you have already seen the Facebook
photo album I posted on our trip "into the woods"
Tuesday!
     Anybody can have a picnic in the middle of
July. We decided to have one the day after
Christmas when temperatures hovered around
17 degrees!
      A few years back my wife and I discovered
a couple covered pavilions in State forest lands
just beyond World's End State Park. They were
built by the Civilian Conservation Corps sometime
in the 1930's. They feature store walls, a slanted
roof, picnic tables and  a large fireplace!
      We've taken most of our grandkids there at
one time or another and usually find them empty
and generally unused.
       Since our grandson Ryan got a survival kit
for Christmas he more than welcomed a chance
to put it to use at a winter picnic in the woods!
He packed up his equipment and joined his Mom,
sister, cousin, and Grannie and Grandpa for our
adventure.
        It's about an hour and a half away from home
and some of the roads were still a bit slick here
and there. Still we made it only to find the
pavilion area closed. What a disappointment.
         We figured it wouldn't hurt to talk with
the Park rangers to see if they might make an
exception and allow us to use the facilities. That
proved to be a good decision because the workers
we spoke with told us the area was suppose to
be open because work on rebuilding the pavilions
was now complete!
           Not only were we allowed in, the workers
followed us and removed the barriers that had
been in place. And we got to be the first to use
one of the renovated pavilions!
           The grandson quickly proved  he
could start a fire with flint and the wood the
others gathered around the forest. In no time
he had a roaring fire going. We broke out the
hot dogs and wire forks to cook up dinner!
            We had a great time together, warm
enough in our sweaters, coats, and hats and
gathered round the fireplace.
             But we made more than a campfire
and hot dogs. We made memories that will
last a very long time!
              Hope you've made some too this
Christmas season and that all your NEWS
is good.