The following photos are a long time coming, but last October I took Maddie on her first camping trip. It was all part of a problematically-themed YMCA program (though I'm happy to report they're ditching all the problematic parts starting this spring), but it was a great way to introduce her to sleeping in a tent outside in a low pressure environment: a daddy-daughter group excursion to a YMCA camp facility.
It was a resounding success. You can just see it in her face in that black and white photo—a twinkle in her eyes and the hint of a smile almost visible above the lip of her rain jacket, standing there in the drizzle.
<img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/wp-content/149855/2019/03/889f2-e100_camping102018_012.jpg" alt="" />
Despite 40ºF overnight temperatures and howling, gusty winds, my daughter instantly loved the whole camping experience. Whether it was sleeping in a tent, or spending an entire day outside, or simply poking at a fire with a stick, I saw a child in her element. We get to do the whole thing over again in late April, and we're both pretty excited about it.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]<img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/wp-content/149855/2019/03/2fb82-e100_camping102018_008.jpg" alt=" I shot this all on my first roll of Kodak’s new E100 slide film, by the way. And I am loving the colors. " /> I shot this all on my first roll of Kodak’s new E100 slide film, by the way. And I am loving the colors. [/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]<img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/wp-content/149855/2019/03/d818a-e100_camping102018_005.jpg" alt=" You’d think she was about to try some improvised spear-fishing… " /> You’d think she was about to try some improvised spear-fishing… [/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]<img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/wp-content/149855/2019/03/239cd-e100_camping102018_023.jpg" alt=" They even had a station for the gals to make their own tie-dyed shirts! " /> They even had a station for the gals to make their own tie-dyed shirts! [/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]<img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/wp-content/149855/2019/03/eb6a8-e100_camping102018_016-edit.jpg" alt=" Poking at the fire with a stick really was one of the group’s favorite activities. " /> Poking at the fire with a stick really was one of the group’s favorite activities. [/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2500.0"]<img src="https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/wp-content/149855/2019/03/c717a-e100_camping102018_021.jpg" alt=" Even with my careful slow-roasting method, Maddie isn’t much a fan of toasted shmallows. " /> Even with my careful slow-roasting method, Maddie isn’t much a fan of toasted shmallows. [/caption]