Pymatuning 2012

We took our second camping trip to Pymatuning Lake this year.  

We went for the first time last year and loved it so we're making it an annual trip now.

We get the same camp site with a direct walk-out onto the lake. 

This is what we wake up to in the morning, 

there are few better views in life than this :)

I loved sitting out on the tiny section of beach in the morning watching the fish jump, the blue heron hunt, and ducks land and quack about.  I think one of the things I love best about camping is that for me it is a humbling experience.  A reminder that in nature, life goes on without all the drama we add to it.  All these years after creation and herons and ducks are still hunting fish and fish are still hunting bugs.  It makes all the little things that I spend so much mental energy on seem so silly.

I love the absolute calm it brings to my spirit.

That said here are some more shots from our trip.

The Spillway

Fish and foul are in abundance at the spillway and everyone and their mother stops to feed them. 

Including us...and my mother :)

The birds are awesome but I must admit the carp are kinda creepy.  

But really any animal or bug in large numbers like that gives me the willies.

They practically swim on top of each other and they all have their mouths gaping wide open.

The Fish Hatchery

The fish hatchery is actually more fun than you would think. Yea there are large tanks of fish in various stages of life but the grounds are really beautiful with some unique things to see.  Especially the nesting bald eagles that we were not lucky enough to see this year but did see last time.  Let me tell you to see a bald eagle up close in its natural environment is quite impressive.  But this year we got to see scads of barn swallows nesting beneath the eaves of the hatchery building.  I loved seeing their little heads peeking out of the holes.  The ones in the last photo are probably only about a tenth of what was there.

We absolutely love it there and can't wait to back next year although I think we'll definitely be extending our stay.  You just can't fit in everything you want to take advantage of into 2-1/2 days.

Any other campers out there?

Where do you like to camp?

We're always on the lookout for new places to explore :)