Written By: Rachel Gnagy @ Inscribed Photography
I love camping. The smell of the campfire, the fresh breezes, the sunshine, and even the surprise rain showers that seem to come every time we camp! For years my family has enjoyed camping with friends and church family. And every Labor Day weekend, you can find us at Timberlake Ranch Camp.
Since 1998, my family has been going to Family Camp at Timberlake. After going solo for a couple of years we invited another family that were good friends of ours. Since then it has evolved into a group of over forty people. We have our special camping spot that we claim every year and fill with campers, tents, bikes, lawn chairs, and food.
Timberlake has lots of activities that we enjoy every year – ropes courses, an obstacle course, horseback riding, paintballing, a gym, a waterfront area for swimming, canoeing… SO much fun.
One of my favorite things to do is go canoeing. I love the feeling of gliding through the water and enjoying the tranquility of the day.
There’s also a sweet little chapel tucked away on the campground. Can’t you just see a rustic wedding taking place here?
And of course, the food when we camp is amazing. Years ago my dad salvaged the griddle top of an old stove that we tore out of our church. He customized it by adding handles, a drain, and even a smokestack to keep the smoke out of everyone’s eyes! Now we use it over the campfire. Pancakes, eggs, and bacon in the morning and beef or chicken fajitas at night! Here’s a snapshot of that going on:
Why yes, we use drywalling tools as cooking utensils – don’t you? =)
No camp-out would be complete without sitting around the campfire at night. Stories are told, jokes are shared, s’mores are eaten, and we enjoy each other’s company. I love the cool evenings after the sun goes down and scooting closer to the fire to keep warm. It’s the perfect ending to a great day of camping.
What are your plans for this weekend?