Camp Joseph, for the record

Columbus Day weekend was perfect this year. The weather was spectacular -- 70s and warm. And the colors were FINALLY coming out. (Let's be honest, the very BEST reason to move to New England is the fall colors, right?!)

So, what better way to enjoy our festive fall spirit, than to invite some friends along, and introduce the kids to Camp Joseph, Sharon, Vermont...

What is this Camp Joseph I speak of?? Well... it's just one of the most perfect places on this beautiful earth, in my humble opinion. A hidden treasure. In fact, I hesitate to even blog about it, for fear that the secret will be out, and people will start MOBBING the place, ruining it's peaceful serenity.

But it can't be helped. It must be blogged about. In great detail. (And luckily for you, Brian was camera-happy all weekend and got us PLENTY of great "scenic" views of the place.) The fact is, I googled it, and tried to find any pictures/write-ups of the place before we went. Nothing. Zip. (Unless you count two lame blogs that gave very little detail and whined about the music at the memorial -- I don't.) So, I figured, if I'm putting it on the blog, I might as well do the place justice. For the record. Right?

Well then...

There it is, in all it's loveliness. The open meadow, the hills and trees, even the lake up the road, in the distance. And below, here's the lodge and the pavilion, if you're thinking "family reunion"...

 And the darling little playground, complete with darling little kids. (To be honest, I didn't even know that playground was THERE, until this trip... wasn't on my agenda before, I guess!)

And now for the best part, the cabins! Ah... this is camping at it's BEST, folks!!

Two of the worst "down" sides of camping are completely eliminated with these little adorable bare-bones cabins: 1. no sleeping on the ground. Instead you get a less-than-comfortable, but not-rock-hard, somewhat-clean, wrapped-in-plastic BUNK to sleep on! Tell me that's not a BONUS?! And, 2. no bears... they still don't know how to open doors, and even if they DID, these cabins have keys and locks, so there! Also no other "creatures" venturing into tent territory at night.

Have another look... Aren't they just the cutest!? 

Here's Spence (and Nat, in the stroller), in front of our place. They all have different names from the Book of Mormon. We got the Cabin of Aaron, and our friends were next door in Ammon.

 We aren't the tidiest campers, so thankfully this is the only picture we got of the inside of our little abode. But as you can see, it's got the necessities. Even curtains and a little rug. (Pack-n-play not included.)

 Another best part about Camp Joseph is that it's right behind the Joseph Smith Memorial and chapel. So, for Sunday campers, it's just a five minute trail walk over to the chapel for church. And then another five mins over to visit the memorial and visitors center. Said chapel, looking picturesque (good work, Brian!)...

And church-goers, as mentioned. (I was off galavanting with a sleeping baby who was NOT about to stay put for the entire church meetings, so... I missed the great photo-op. rats. I'm sure you're all so curious to know what I would have worn to church while camping... a mystery.)

Here's a close-up of the chapel, just because. They've remodeled it, since my last visit there (2004). One sad thing, it looks like they took out the little bushes that used to line the steps; they were the kind that turn VIBRANTLY red in the fall. I vote they replant!

From the chapel, it's just a short walk (or even shorter drive) up this lovely tree-lined avenue to the Joseph Smith Memorial...

And here is the memorial itself, quite striking, I think....

I have to say, we took "the tour" this time, with one of the senior sister missionaries (a first for me, in all these years!). It was lovely. I recommend it. Did you know that is one SOLID chunk of granite, all the way up!? And the man who  commissioned it (way back around 1900) was the only church member who helped haul it?! He hired a bunch of locals (who thought he was a bit crazy to attempt the whole plan), and they dragged it to the site, uphill, with horses, mules and oxen.

The kids, of course, loved the hill across from the monument (also something I never even noticed, sans children)...

 Right next to the monument is a nice tree and a little bench, along with the big, stone step where Samantha is sitting. Apparently that step was the front doorstep to the house that used be there, the house where Joseph Smith, Jr. was born on December 23, 1805.

We actually got all four kids to sit on the step, AND look at the camera at the same time! Well done!!

I tried to make an artsy picture with the monument and this darling tree with little berries...

 I think I did better when I just focused on the berries.

Another favorite part of this place, for me, is the path behind the memorial, that leads back into the woods. So lovely... Brian and I walked in these woods together way-back-when, before we ever even had a first date. He picked up pretty leaves for me, since I was collecting them at the time. Memories, sweet memories...

Back in the woods is the site of the Solomon Mack home. Mr. Mack was Joseph Smith's grandfather -- his mother, Lucy's father. I like that place. So did Natalie, as you can see...

And further along the path, is the Old Stone bridge, where the old highway used to run back in the 1800s. Pretty cool, I think! (And don't let those sr. missionaries tell you it's too far a walk; we managed it with six kids in tow.)

So, how did the kids like our trip to Camp Joseph??

They loved it. So much, in fact, that we hardly EVER saw them. Here they are, having fun in the wood-hauling hand cart...

Poor Nat had to spend quite a bit of her time relegated to the stroller, which was not to her liking. But every time we let her down, she promptly put pebbles in her mouth, dug up handfuls of wet dirt, and headed for the road. Babies never learn, I guess. She would not honor me with a smile...

I know this is getting long, but it's going to get longer still, lucky you!

I thought I'd better throw in a few pictures of the nearby Quechee Gorge. It's tradition -- we always stop at the gorge and look over...

 Here's a shot that includes the shadow of the bridge we were standing on, just to give you a better feel for it's "gorge-ness." We were the itty bitty little dots on the bridge. Wow.

 Natalie really enjoyed looking at gorge, and I'm glad Brian kept a tight grip on her!

Awww... she even let me take her picture WHILE she was looking at the camera! (Seems to be a rare treat these days. rats!)

The gorge from the other side of the bridge... Too bright, I know. And even the postcards I bought don't really do it justice. It's GORGEous. ha. Get it??

What's a trip to Sharon, Vermont without an add-on trip to Woodstock, Vermont?? I don't know, actually, because I've never had one! ha! 

Every time I've been to Sharon, we've always detoured over to Woodstock, just because it's one of the most darling little New England villages EVER. The sign probably even says that...

It's a little hard to capture all that Woodstock darlingness on film, but here's the General Store, which brings back memories of darlingness to me, for sure! Picture the quaintness of Cracker Barrel restaurant/store craftiness (ya know what I'm talking about?) Then, times it by four or five. Or maybe even six. That's the General Store. Soooo cute! We bought a giant checkers set for the kids for Christmas. Shhh... don't tell.

 Oh, and it looks like Brian managed to sneak over to the covered bridge for a quick pic. Lucky us, again!

Of course, we were biased, but we certainly thought the cutest part of Woodstock this time was right here... Say cheese!

And everybody go CRAZY!!

And now, I know you were thinking I was done again. But no. If you've borne with me this far, you get the reward of hearing the back-story behind Camp Joseph and Sharon and Woodstock (I'll try to keep it brief, promise.)

A long time ago, back in the fall of 2001, I was living with bff Alicia in Boston, just starting our East Coast dream. Alicia got this idea of getting a group together to go up to Sharon, Vermont during our church's General Conference weekend. She'd stayed at Camp Joseph with her roommates the fall before (which happened to be before I got enough courage to move to Boston). So, she made the arrangements, promised us all we'd have a great time, and voila!! -- that's how I came to know of Camp Joseph.

Brian and I were both part of our first little group there. But it was a couple of months before we ever started dating (Round 1). So, that other girl that liked Brian at the time sorta had "dibs." No biggie. It was a great trip! In fact, the colors that year were the VERY BEST I've ever seen. No kidding. (As you may have noticed from these pics, colors this year were a little faded, due to the warmer fall than usual.)

We went again the following fall, again for General Conference weekend. That time, Brian and I had just broken up (Round 2) in September. It was a bit awkward, but we try not to dwell on that one. And then the next year, we were sort of somewhere in the middle of Round 3 of dating -- which consisted of me chasing him, and him not wanting to give me the time of day. Again, a bit awkward, but there was that nice moment where we went for a short run together, only to find everyone in our group ditched us and we watched a whole session of conference just the two of us. I thought it was nice. Brian did too -- I'm writing this, so I'm allowed to say things like that. right?? ;)

The next fall, we went back again, right after we were married, as we passed through Boston on our way to London to start Brian's new job and our new life together. Ah... the memories. See why I love Camp Joseph?!

Just a little note, for those who may be wondering, Camp Joseph is a church-run facility, operated by senior missionary couples, and is exclusively for members of the church.. (At least, that's what their list of "rules" posted in the cabin said.) It is often reserved for YW girls camp programs or other youth activities. It is open from May until Columbus Day weekend in October. (We were the last campers this season.) It does cost a bit, but it's worth it! Flushing toilets and hot showers are included, plus if you smile and ask nicely the host couple will let you borrow their can-opener.

Good stuff, folks. This is the good stuff that makes me happy to be in New England.