A Rainy Campfire and a Burial

One of our first stops while visiting Gramma is to go to the campfire lake... but as we got closer, it started to rain but... you know what... rain never stopped this little bear!

It's so pretty here.

Gramma didn't come as she was afraid the water would be too high.

But it's perfect!

Lots of beach... we are going to be just fine.

First, we gathered some dry twigs from dead hemlock trees and some old man's beard lichen (the hanging stuff). 

We got that going with some matches...

And some dry sticks from under logs and stuff and... we have us a campfire!

We did have to keep gathering wood though...

But we found lots!

Plus... there's a source of wood right behind me!

This is a cottonwood tree and the bark is beary thick.

As the tree grows, pieces of bark come loose and you can just lift them off.

So we got some good sized chunks of cottonwood bark, most of which was dry because of the way the tree was leaning.

See!

That is a beary good campfire. It's nicer out here than at home. Mostly because there is no cell reception out here so "someone" can't get distracted by their phone!

It's soooo pretty.

And soon enough, it was time to leave. At least there's no campfire bans!

We stopped at the graveyard to visit Grampa's grave...

And now we have another burial to do...

We are going to the place where we have buried some cremains from Rascal, Spooky and Daisy (Rose's dog).

We have a spot next to this gnarly birch tree... just off the trail... 

Ah, here it is. Just scuffed away the leaves and there's the rock.

We have a little bag of Rascal still (not sure why) and a little bag of Minnie...

We dug a little hole and poured them in. Best little cats ever.

Then we put the heart-shaped rock back...

Covered it with leaves...

And left a sprig of False Solomon's Seal... RIP little cats.

Then... since we're out and about anyhow... we went to check on a few stinging nettle patches.

But it's too late in the season and they are already going to flower. Oh well!