by Teri Bell
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| Article Courtesy of Savannah Morning News |
It took weeks of planning and months of scheduling, but we finally achieved it - a family camping trip!
My two sons, their wives, four grandchildren, three dogs, Steve and I descended on James Island County Park near Charleston and spent three wonderful days in tents. Yes, I said tents.
Now don't go shaking your head saying "not me." It really wasn't very primitive at all. We all had our own tents for sleeping plus two tents for shade. The bathhouses were only 30 yards away. We had a water connection and a power connection, and we slept on air mattresses. We had the canopy tents draped with Christmas lights, I had my coffee pot and we had a multi receptacle for our phones.
The one thing we didn't have was a television, so we all sat around and talked to each other, and that was what I aiming for. The campground has wifi, but no one pulled out a computer to work. The grandchildren never even asked for screen time. (For those of you not in the know - that means they didn't ask to play with an iPhone or an iPad.)
They even asked to go to bed the first night! They couldn't wait to sleep in their tent. Our only alarm clock was early morning tunes of the birds.
We took a trip to Folly Beach one morning and my heart soared as I watched my family playing in the waves, building sandcastles and laughing ... ah, that laughter. It is the sweetest sound on this earth. Papa Steve holding the hands of the oldest two boys (5 and 4) as they jumped waves, my son holding his 1-year old daughter, watching as the boys played - and Grandma Teri took it all in and thanked God for his many blessings.
On Saturday, we celebrated the first birthday of Katie, our only granddaughter. She sat on top of the picnic table and destroyed her birthday cake. She was covered in icing and so was anyone else around her. Since we were outdoors, the mess wasn't a problem! We grilled hotdogs, roasted marshmallows, and Papa Steve grilled kabobs one night. We didn't rush, we didn't quarrel, we didn't get bored. We just enjoyed being together.
I think we have a new appreciation for being together since my daughter, Loraine, died. We tried to take this trip last year, but everyone was busy and sweet Katie was still baking in her mother's womb, so it never happened. This year, we made time and we felt the pain of one missing, but I think it made us love each other more and cherish the time we have together even more. We are all very painfully aware of the fact that there are no promises of tomorrow. Memories were made, relationships strengthened and love grew over that weekend.
I cried as they drove away. The tears weren't tears of loss but tears of gratitude for the many blessings I have - far more than what I deserve.
I wish for you and your family times like we shared that weekend. It's so hard to get everyone together, and it can be pretty expensive.
Steve and I discovered The Campground at James Island County Park while attending dog shows. They have a huge playground, a spray park, a water park and miles of paved trails. Folly Beach is just a few miles away and parking is free if you're staying in the campground. There's plenty to keep even the smallest camper entertained.
When packing food for a weekend camping trip or just a family picnic, be sure to pack foods on ice and not leave them sitting out on the table for long periods of time in this heat. A hot summer day is like a party for bacteria and they grow rapidly. Make sure sandwich meats are stored in the cooler at all times. When deciding on sides, stay away from the mayonnaise dressed salads and choose vinegar dressed instead. The acidity of the vinegar actually slows down the growth of bacteria, making them much safer on a picnic table. Here's a great full meal salad that could do well on a camp out.
Teri Bell is co-owner of Miss Sophie's Marketplace at the Mighty Eighth in Pooler. Go to sophiesmarketplace.com.
Farmer's Market Salad (adapted from Southern Living)
2 cups halved grape or cherry tomatoes
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 small bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup diced firm, ripe fresh peaches (about 2 medium)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 (8-oz.) package penne or ziti pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1/3 cup torn fresh basil
1/3 cup torn fresh cilantro
Combine all ingredients and toss in Parmesan Balsamic Vinaigrette.
Parmesan Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon table salt
Combine ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
