Weekend at the River

Food...the succulent centerpiece of every day.

Our weekend camping experience brought perfect weather (in the fifties at night--practically unheard of for July in Missouri), delicious campfire-prepared food (I did not overeat...ahem, okay, well, maybe just a little), and the company of a wonderful group of friends.

Our typical day at the river consists of a late breakfast/brunch accompanied by a spicy made to order Bloody Mary. Then it's a short walk downhill to the river where some folks fish and some get into the clear rushing water of the Saint. Hours later it's back up the hill (gotta get our exercise somehow, and that hill is steep!) for happy hour while dinner prep begins. Then a huge feast prefaces music around the campfire with musicians and singers aplenty. However, a night-time trip back down the hill is not unusual, either.

This weekend we were treated to a glorious fireworks display Saturday night on the river's flat boulders (compliments of one of our pyro-techy friends). Once the smoke cleared, we rested against sun-warmed granite to enjoy a sky filled with so many stars that they looked like a sequined blanket.

The critters were abundant, too. Fish (catch of the day went to our musical muse), butterflies, dragonflies, birds, squirrels, raccoons, and toads, to name only a few.

And then of course, there were the dogs. Tune in tomorrow for their adventures in Weekend at the River.