Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Nature

I was born in a city, on the shores of Danube River, and I grew up in a city-town: half country, with beautiful houses and lots of hills, half city, with some industry and apartment buildings. I spent my childhood and youth hiking the hills and mountains, camping and being outdoors. Hubby was born and bred in the capital of the country - but loves outdoors (not so much to camp in a tent anymore, though :))

Canada, Eh! @ PSSA, Elysburg, PA
Our son has been born in the city we moved 14 years ago: one that reminds me of my home-town: half country, half city, with rolling hills (they call them mountains, but I know better), and numerous places to hike. We took him hiking when he was 2 months old, and never stopped - he's a city boy with a country heart :)

Four years ago, when we first arrived to Elysburg it was a truly magical moment. The place holds a special magic for me, and for the whole family. The mountains remind me of the mountains I camped in many eons ago, the air is crystal clear, the sun is brighter and bigger, the Susquehanna looks like the Danube, and the night sky is simply amazing. Oh - I forgot the monastery, PSSA quarters are right next to a Carmelite monastery.

That first year and every time we came, we encounter one of the loveliest things in life: fire flies.

If you've never caught one (like dear hubby, who encountered them first time 4 years ago!) and you ever have a chance, don't pass it. It is such a beautiful thing - to be able to hold light!

Since July 2008 (our first stop in Elysburg) it became a tradition to make a firefly lantern: we catch a few, put them in a jar and for a few minutes admire them. It's not so much the lantern, as the journey: it's so wonderful to watch the little boy become a Gypsy and roam around the camp barefoot, catching the light! Tonight was no different: out came the jar (I have one in the trailer just for this, with holes in the lid), away ran the child, catching them and adding them one by one to his lantern. When he reached 10 he admired them for a few more seconds and let them go.

Enjoy your fire flies!

Pennsylvania State Sportsmen' Association grounds: Elysburg, PA

2 comments:

  1. We love fire flies. We get a lot of them where we are, and we can see them lighting up the backyard on a hot summer night. My girls were a little taken aback the first time they went out to catch them because they can be caught pretty easily ... they seem to move more slowly then other insects! My youngest just stood there stunned not wanting to move!

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    1. My only regret is that you cannot take proper pictures of them (not with normal equipment, anyhow) - a truly ephemere moment of beauty!

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