May-June, 2023
This day, after some adventures out and about, my friends and I came back to the campground in mid afternoon and settled into our campsites … me into my trailer for some quiet reading (and a nap) … and my friends into their trailer.
But we agreed to meet later in the afternoon on this particular day for a walk around the campground, and for a walk along the portion of Icicle Creek that abuts this campground. So, as planned, later this afternoon I walked the entire 20-second walk from my trailer to my friends’ trailer. 🙂
Here is a photo (below) of their outdoor seating area with table and campfire pit, and our various chairs and firewood and such.
The day was gorgeous so we took off on foot right away to walk through this wonderful campground. We quickly found Icicle Creek. [Click to enlarge photos.]
We were camping here in May/June, in spring, so the water level in the “creek” was full from spring runoff from the mountain snows. Hence the photo below of creek/river water up around tree roots.
I was fascinated by the tree roots in the photo below. The rocks don’t seem to stand a chance … the tree will win every time. “I will either gently move you aside, or unceremoniously shove you into the river, or simply bury you.”
Ah, oops, except when a storm or heavy rain causes a tree to fall into the river.
The two trees below were fascinating. The one on the left might be a Northern Pitch Pine or a Ponderosa Pine though I’m not sure about that since, in western Washington where I live, we have almost no pine trees so I’m not familiar with them. We do have evergreens! We have fir and cedar and juniper and hemlock and spruce and cypress and redwood and others, but not many pine trees. Here at Eightmile Campground, this location is considered to be in eastern Washington where there are a good number of pine trees. The tree on the right appears to be Western Red Cedar. But I sure could be wrong about both of them. Whatever these two trees are, I liked that they have grown together and yet retain their original nature. Lessons for us?
Here’s a video of Icicle Creek taken on our walk.
And then …… ahhh, and then. Back at our campsites. Later that evening, after dinner, after the dishes were done, after other evening chores were completed … my friends built another perfect campfire. We sat and talked … and relaxed … and breathed, and laughed … and chatted about the day and the week and our lives. And Finn the dog snuggled up to me. Well maybe once he did, he’s not really the snuggling kind. But a campfire like this with friends does bring out the best. 🙂
