Another Camp Day!

We have had absolutely BEAUTIFUL weather here this fall!  It seems like there is really no choice by to spend time outside.  However, I really had not planned to attend the camp day earlier this week because it was going to be a long drive, and I was not sure we would be able to be there long enough to warrant the long drive.  The weather made it irresistible, however, and so we headed to Long Branch State Park for another camp day.

We could not have asked for a more beautiful day or a more beautiful site!  We rented a camp site for the day this time.  It overlooked the lake, and had a path leading down to a beach.  The kids spent the day on the beach and in the surrounding woods.  They were busy from the moment we arrived to the moment we had to leave.  In fact, even eating seemed to be an unwelcome interruption to their activities.  There was exploring in the woods, drawing in the sand on the beach, construction of shelters from downed trees and roots exposed by flooding, the discovery of a snake, the making for friendship bracelets, and the uncovering of some fish bones, just to name a few.

Here is Isabella demonstrating the location and function of the carp's jaw bone that we found.  The skeleton we found actually contained many of the fish's bones, including several vertebrae.  Very fascinating!

Madeline holding a snake.  I believe this was a Midland Brown Snake.

This is the structure the kids made by lashing the logs together.  They started with 3 logs, but it grew throughout the day.  They envisioned this as a 2 room structure.

Another view of their structure.

Madeline made a sundial... although it was too late in the day to add times to it.