Memorial Weekend '09

This holiday weekend we hit the dusty northeastern road and went camping in the Berkshires.

I was responsible for the grub. I bought a couple packets of Lower East Side hot dogs and grabbed a can of vegetarian chili from the pantry. I made a chinese chicken salad with leftover friday night chicken. We grilled the franks and beans and corn cobs over the campfire.

The corn was sweet and crunchy- but still a couple of weeks away from being summer corn. I discovered a new use for a toothbrush. It's very handy for brushing away the silky strands from the husks.

There is nothing that smells better, or is more fun, than a campfire. Especially one that roasts hot dogs and marshmallows.

The 'smores weren't great. They had no chance what without chocolate, and with lowfat cinnamon graham crackers. They tasted like sweet spackled cardboard. Kids didn't seem to care much.

We were up in the very early morn, pretty much with the sun. I tried to make that cool fried- egg-in-toast dish, but it didn't work. I think I either cut a too-big hole in the bread, or I was too tired and foggy to really care. The scrambled eggs that I made instead were great. Better tasting than any scrambled eggs I have ever made on my stove at home.

It was decided that Hub would go fishing in the Housatonic. So, the kiddles and I spent all morning at the campground's playground.

It wasn't until I secured this hot cup of coffee made glorious by half & half and a shake of sugar, that I really greeted the beautiful New England day.

At midday, Hub came back from his fishing jaunt. We packed up all our gear, arranged the kiddles in their respective spots, and drove to Great Barrington, MA. A town full of great little shops and restaurants and cool brick and stone buildings. I discovered Robin's candy store there. A place that is a sweetfreaked ADDer's fantasy conjured into 3D.

Robin's peach gelato was perfectly peachy and sweet. And the lemon chiffon gelato was pleasantly subtle in the citrus flavor but strong on the creaminess. Hub always orders the best flavors. The kids' chocolate and strawberry cones were pretty delightful too.

We headed back home for some of the time on a country road that ran between the Housatonic River and a train track. The tall green trees were like a leafy arch that went on for miles over us.

It was a Memorial weekend spent in a great part of a great Land.