I teach preschool, but these are some things you could modify for older kids: Before camp starts, a couple of weeks in advance, put quick lawn grass seed in containers. We used styrofoam cups. It gets tall really fast. One camp day have the kids paint flower pots with faces on them. Put the grass containers in them and let them give them haircuts and take them home. The grass will keep growing so they can do it over and over again. My 3 year olds called ours "Mr. Grassy Head". Order an ant farm. They are cheap and interesting. The old peanut butter on pinecone birdfeeder. Make treats/snacks that incorporate fresh herbs, letting them do the herb snipping and assembling. The different kinds of mint are really interesting to kids, chocolate mint especially. You could google "homemade wind chime" and find those to make. Also you can paint stones to look like ladybugs or really anything, spray with clear coat and they can put it in their garden at home. Edible seeds. Nuts. In and out of shells. Lots of kids can't identify anything past sunflower seeds, peanuts and pecans. There are so many cool looking ones! Earthworms and ladybugs can be put into soil/garden. Leaf rubbings (or any nature item, really) with crayon. Water spray bottle fights. Dirt cup snacks - pudding, crushed oreos, gummy worms. Have kids crush the oreos themselves. (I use mini ones, just easier) in a ziplock. We make the pudding (instant) too, right then. They can assemble theirs, my preschoolers need help. Fill a large washtub with water and use all kinds of natural objects to play "will it sink or float?". It is interesting which fruits do and don't, as well as other items. Suncatchers with real flowers or leaves (or anything) pressed between clear contact paper. Curling ribbon to hang. They don't last permanently, but alstroemeria keeps its color a long time and you can find it at any grocery store. And you can hang them all up outside during the camp. Cut white carnations will draw up food colored water and you can see it on the petals. Sometimes this works better than others, there may be a flower that works more consistently. And it will take the whole week before you can see much difference. So that might be a take home... If they bring a white t-shirt from home, they can decorate it with "nature's paint" :-) rub on flower petals, make grass stains, some pollens are incredibly durable. If you put a leaf between the fabric (like inside the shirt) and have them pound it with a hammer, it will make the shape on the shirt. Actually, that works well with zinnias and marigolds, too. Demo how to make a cutting and put one for each child in water on the first day. You'll probably have the start of roots by the end of the week and they can take it home or plant it in styrofoam cups. That and the carnation are just great ways to demonstrate how root systems work. I know lots of those are more crafty than outdoor actvities... but it is a start. Google "kids nature camp activities" or something similar and you will find tons of stuff!

The letter was written around Christmastime, and I can tell you that those pictures weren't taken in December on the Maumee, a river I know well. Hard to tell if the pics have any correlation to the letter. They are enchanting, for sure. Camping by the river used to be a very common thing here, and people were doing it even when I was a kid. The banks were for all practical purposes used by the public, with no regard to landowners and as long as you stayed close to the water, nobody said anything. Old newspapers here speak of groups and clubs taking off for picnics on river islands and my Uncle twice removed even donated a park to the city by the river for such use. Even until the 1930s, matrons wore clothes similar to some worn by the gals in the pics, but they are obviously older because even the young woman with the baby is dressed in Victorian garb. They look authentic the letter's age to me.

Hi Linda, I am going to C and P some ideas from a thread I started and saved - to help me come up with ideas...maybe something will strike you! How about some "Hobo Stew"....before you leave home, brown some ground beef with onions and whatever seasoning you like. Do this ahead of time and freeze it. When you are ready to prepare dinner, put the beef in a pot with some broth, or water or beer or a combination of and add whatever canned/frozen veggies you might have with you...corn, peas, beans, etc. We make this for our annual hayride....I prepare the beef and the entry fee for those attending is one can of veggies. It's always different, but always good! You could also freeze some chicken breast ahead of time....in a marinade of your choice. They will marinate as they thaw, then you can toss them on the grill. Any left overs make good sandwiches for lunch. Kielbasa or hot links on the grill make for good appetizers, or snacks for folks that drop by. Just grill and slice...serve with something as simple as catsup. It's not gourmet, but it'll work. ________________________________________ Freeze your large containers of water. It will keep your food cold and you will have cold water to drink when the ice melts. How about chicken fajitas? Slice and marinate chicken breasts and bell peppers (yellow and orange) and onions. Then fry it all up in one huge pan. Serve on soft corn tortillas with shredded lettuce and sour cream. ________________________________________ How about wraps? for a cold food. My daughter and I cabin camp and we have a lot of vegies that are prepared and various lunch meats, sauces, etc. We have it all ready in zip locks and very easy to prepare and for clean up. ________________________________________ Pasta salad! Goes with everything! No worries if it sits out for awhile. Make ahead and take in a big bowl or big ziploc!! Marinate your steaks in ziplocs a day or two ahead. Toss 'em on the grill and pitch the bag. No cleanup! Make chili or spaghetti ahead and freeze or refrigerate. Heat & eat with garlic bread. Pickles. Candy bars. Chips/crackers. Cheese. Hey! It's camping! Go for it! Deanna ________________________________________ How about breakfast tacos? That used to be a staple when we went camping years back. Scramble eggs, add whatever else you like, such as bacon or sausage, potatoes, peppers, onions. Add to flour tortillas, top with cheese and hot sauce if desired. We would usually take fajitas for first night as we would have everything already made before we left and a big bag of flour tortillas. Also quesedillas are good and quick over the campfire, too. ________________________________________ Couscous is great for a quick and easy and tasty side dish. Boil 2 cups water in a pot. If desired, add bullion cube or other flavorings. Stir in 1 cup couscous, return to boil, then remove from heat, cover the pot and leave alone off the heat for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, mix in some butter if desired. Easy, quick, fulla carbs, no waste, and easier than messing with straining a pot of pasta out there in the wilderness. ________________________________________ My huband is going camping with the kids this weekend (father-kid). They are bringing cereal, granola bars, milk, taylor ham, bacon, eggs, coffee singles, cold cuts, bread, condiments, london boil (pre-marinaded), hot dogs, hamburgers, pre-cooked pasta, chili, potatoes (to be baked in the fire), marshmallows, s'mors-stuff, cookies, chips and stuff. If I was going I would bring boneless chick breast or pork chops to cook on the fire/grill, BBQ sauce, fruit salad, and a pasta salad. ________________________________________ Things cooked on a stick, individual foil dinners cooked in the coals, and banana boats! For the banana desert, use one banana per person, pull back one section of the peel, slit banana still in the peel with a knife, insert pieces of Hershey bars, nuts, mini marshmallows, etc. Lay section of peel back over the filled banana, wrap in foil, lay in coals or on grate over fire until hot and gooey. ________________________________________ You can do all sorts of aluminum "package" meals on a campfire. Just use sturdy heavy duty foil-- butter inner surface then layer sliced potatoes, onion,sliced ham or beef or spam-- add some seasoning , another dab of butter or oil-- wrap tightly and keep turning in the coals. Boxes of mac & cheese-- just add extra cheese.( use the little cans of evaporated milk) Do a big, huge pan of brownies. English muffins & toppings for mini pizzas. Couple of meatloafs-- good cold sandwiches or reheat, sliced Stuff for tacos Frozen hash browns-- & plenty of eggs-- There's a canned, refrigerated ham pattie we often use at camp,it's in the same section as the hams in the grocery. Canned tuna or salmon makes a nice addition to a tossed salad. Fruit Have fun -- don't forget the bug spray, liquid Benedryl, tylenol,deck of cards, good batteries & to check for ticks! ________________________________________ Where we usually camp, it is cold in the mornings and evenings even in summer. So my usual camping menu has warming items for breakfast and dinner. For breakfast it is nice to have hot cocoa packs to make for the kids. Also cooking fresh or dried fruit in a pot of oatmeal. For dinner, a chicken stew or beef stew made ahead of time with veggies and potatoes makes a one pot heat and eat meal. As suggested for the french dip, it can be frozen for transport and keep the ice chest cold. For lunches, we like to keep them simple: fresh fruit, pb & j sandwiches or cheese and crackers, some gorp (nuts, dried fruit and M&Ms) for snacks. ________________________________________ The cabin looks just wonderful! My Mom bought this huge cast iron frying pan that fit the campfire, it had to be 2' across at least! My Mom rarely cooked inside after getting the frying pan. Everything tasted great in the cast iron but then again we were usually starving for every meal! We even had roast turkey at least once per Summer. My Dad would dig a hole and place logs across the hole. Then place large rocks on top of the logs and start a fire inside the hole. When the fire would heat the rocks and eventually burn through the logs and the rocks would fall into the hole making an oven. Then my Mom would place the foil wrapped turkey inside the hole on top of the heated rocks and it would bake. It was delicious! Stacy

Dlm, Oh now I understand. No, I just posted Wandawega because I like it. It looks like everyone else has heard of it too. That's why no one else was excited about it when I linked to it. Now I want to check out the lettered cottage. Kitschy, You are a Wandawega groupie, too? Where upstate is your lakehouse? I think back in the real estate boom a lot of people bought second homes -- we did too but stayed closer to home. Amaqan, Id love to see photos! It sounds really cute.