All posts by Clay

About Clay

I've been a blogger since 2010 and I keep at it because of the community of readers I have come to know. Every day is a possibility and I intend to make every day count.

Queen of the Bluegill

adventure, Family, food, jobs, Reading, Writing, , , , , , , , ,
gluten-free cherry cobbler - campfire style!

Short of sounding like a crank, it has been busy! Even being at the lake can be tiring and regular household chores can quickly fall by the wayside piling up until such a point where I have to stop and catch up. Today is that day. It is a perfect day to catch up, or at least make a valiant attempt. It was windy and cloudy this morning as I watched clouds forming in South Bay come across the lake and sprinkle the lawn. Rain is in the forecast off and on all day and it is just the right weather for a day of catching up. Continue reading Queen of the Bluegill →

Summer foods

adventure, Family, food, Reading, teaching, Writing, , , , , , , ,
BBQ chicken on the deck, what could be better?

I am really blessed. Growing up, summer vacation meant staying at home and maybe a trip, but mostly it was time spent at home swimming in the lake, boating with the neighborhood kids, or at the swimming at the country club my parents belonged. Thirty-six years later, I have a place to go for the summer – the cottage in Michigan. It’s not mine, but it belongs to Beth’s family and has been in her family since the fifties. Continue reading Summer foods →

Friday’s slides and video

adventure, Family, Scouting, teaching, Writing, , , ,
Troop 35 retires the colors on Friday, July 1st

It was late Friday and Saturday, Sunday, and Monday have come and gone. I wanted to post pictures from Friday’s activities as well as post the link to the “Mountain Dew” song.

William, Olivia, and I are at the cottage and Beth and Ivy are back in Wheaton with grandma. I hope she gets better and is back at the cottage soon, it’s just is not summer without her and grandpa up here! Continue reading Friday’s slides and video →

Two days in one post

adventure, country, Family, Life in General, Reading, Scouting, teaching, Writing, , , , , , ,

The last two days have disappeared before I knew it. Saturday we broke camp at Camp Tesomas and departed summer camp; the troop drove south and home to Wheaton; William and I took another direction, east to Grayling, Michigan and Beth’s family cottage. On Sunday, William and I drove to Traverse City to pick up Olivia who flew up from Wheaton to join us and we spent time on errands before coming home. At times, I have been too busy to think about camp and writing, but it is early morning and quiet. The kids are sleeping upstairs and everything is still and calm – the perfect time to write. WARNING: This is a long post, read at your own risk. Continue reading Two days in one post →

Elmo gets it!

Family, history, Scouting, teaching, Writing, , , , , , ,
How could I write about this and not include a picture?

Friday is never an easy day at camp. It means it is the last day and it’s time to pack up and return home to our families. I know I had a few items on my ‘to do’ list for Friday as did the scouts. They had to wrap up their merit badge classes and a few of the younger scouts had to finish requirements for advancement to Tenderfoot, Second Class, or First Class – big moves for a first year scout. All I had to do was finish the Geezer merit badge and swim the mile. Continue reading Elmo gets it! →

Thursday news from camp

adventure, country, Life in General, Scouting, teaching, , , , , , ,

Yesterday seems lost when I look back but it wasn’t, it was filled with the sights, sounds, and memories of scout camp. I busied myself with visiting a couple of program areas and checking off requirements for the Geezer merit badge, I swam a half-mile in the afternoon with William, and I took only six pictures. I have no idea how that happened. However, I did get a good night’s sleep and woke up rested this morning. Continue reading Thursday news from camp →

Wednesday and the Order of the Arrow

country, Family, Life in General, Reading, teaching, , , , , , ,

It was cold Wednesday morning, when we woke up. I lay inside my sleeping bag with just my head out and heard a few scouts and adults stirring around camp. I heard someone say, ‘It was 42 this morning.’ The forecast had called for a low in the forties, but 42 – that’s cold for the last part of June, even up here. I was the last adult up and out of his tent and the last to leave camp for the flag ceremony and breakfast. The scouts are well into the camp routine, even the newest scouts. Breakfast, and then off to classes. All of the adults attended the scoutmaster meeting with the daily briefing and then we hiked back to camp taking a shortcut that wasn’t. It was okay, though, we can use it as a Geezer requirement! Continue reading Wednesday and the Order of the Arrow →

Tuesday and chili

adventure, Family, jobs, Reading, Scouting, teaching, , , , , , , , ,
the view from inside my tent

I stayed up late last night and crawled in to bed, much too late. It was cool and in the fifties and windy; I could hear the wind whipping through the trees and the sound soothed me as I tried to get warm snuggling inside my sleeping bag. I attempted to read before I fell asleep, but I couldn’t. I was just too tired. That’s what it is like here. I am just like the scouts – working hard at having fun, but it doesn’t seem like work at all and it is very tiring. Continue reading Tuesday and chili →

Monday – Battle of the Bands

adventure, Family, jobs, Scouting, teaching, , , , , , , , ,
Smiley the Tent watches over the trading post

Light comes early at Tesomas, about quarter past five and I stirred but didn’t get up. It had been a late night Sunday and I was enjoying snuggling inside my sleeping bag. I am certain I wasn’t the only one. My alarm sounded at six and I reluctantly crawled out of bed and joined the group of scouts at the picnic table. They were excited about the coming day and possibilities it held. Continue reading Monday – Battle of the Bands →