Okay I’ll admit it, my body does not like the cold ground or the ground doesn’t appreciate being laid on all night-one of the two. The final conclusion is that we are not friends and I nor my back are as young as we used to be. I feel like someone has beaten every bone in my body. It only lasts a short time after waking up but the time it lasts is brutal. One positive thing about the ground is that it must have a chiropractic effect because although my muscles are sore my back has never felt better. A solid support is good for the back, it must be the cold that effects the muscles.  I realize with age that I have a bit less tolerance for cold as well a truth that is lost on my son who seems indifferent to my plight. Another problem with age is the need to sleep, not the quick realization of the sun and running out to see whatever wildlife I can find, instead I want to sleep trying to hide my eyes from the sun.

I remember when I was very young, I used to go outside as soon as the light came through the window. We used to stay in an A-frame house in Promised Land State Park. While the adults were drinking coffee and enjoying what to me was mundane conversation, I was out there enjoying every bit of nature I could find, including the occasional deer, bear and raccoon. Now I sure could use a great mundane conversation and a cup of coffee would be great as well.

One final post about the ground, as not to beat a dead horse, or a cold solid -well you get it. My son has never seen a shooting star, it always happens in his peripheral view and he always seems to just miss it.
He talked me into something that was both childish and uncomfortable but an amazing experience we will both remember. He wanted to lay on the ground at night and watch the stars trying to catch a glimpse of a shooting star. It would be a great idea and one I would be all for if it wasn’t for the fact that the landscape around the lake is all stones and cold wet sand. We compromised, we sat and watched and than laid down on a couple of rocks and watched the stars. I assume neighbor campers must have thought we were crazy but it was very cool. I used to lay on the hood of a car up in Pennsylvania and watch for shooting stars, but now we were on the soil with a softer rock-not really-under my head watching a great expanse of lights stretched to every direction we could see. I guess so much for me and the ground not being friends as it was quite enjoyable and my back remained intact, even though the muscles were a bit aggravated for a bit of time.

Original photo sketch for the fishermen

Initial sketch for the fishermen

All I can say is the universe and all of its amazing attributes is breathtaking when you stop and look at it. Not only is it amazing on the first look but it is changing constantly. At first there were a faint pepper of light stars that looked like celestial clouds with a deep blue aura broken only by the moonlight. The lake reflected the light so perfectly and the trees framing it was simple and stunning. We discussed the universe and the fact that many of the stars we see have long since perished. I saw three shooting stars that he barely got a chance to see-again in the peripheral view. We discussed the Milky Way and I realized how little I know about Astronomy and how much more I need to know. Next time
we take a trip like this we will have a
telescope and a bit more knowledge.

I plan on painting this scene as well-a star filled sky with accurate depiction of the star layouts-I’ll let you know how well that goes. I will post it as an update but there will be several moon scenes both in pastel and oils. The image I included on this post will be the reflection of the stars and be created as a night scene. Two other images that will be taken from this trip is a painting of the fishermen, an image of the light reflecting off of the water with just silhouettes of several fishermen or woman for that matter.

It’s amazing how much you talk and the interesting things a father and son can talk about when you stop and observe, so many things we have interests in learning more about, so many thoughts and ideas you never get a chance to talk about when we life such a  busy life. We found a bit of ourselves under the stars and we will both never forget it.