George and I were the first to arrive at Glacier View Campground last Wednesday, acquiring two adjacent sites for our family reunion. They were fantastic: beach access for canoes, several sheltered cooking areas, and an open area for chairs around the camp-fire. 
The next day everyone else arrived, and nine tents were set up in a large arc under the trees. In addition to a dish-washing station, George and I also set up a tent for bathing, with several large basins of hot water, soap, fresh towels, and a soft mat to sit on. Off comes the grime of soot, dirt, bug-spray and sunscreen. Sleeping clean feels so good! 
A Memorial Day reunion has become a family tradition over the past several years. We celebrate May birthdays, seven of them, with an inexpensive gift-exchange. This is our fourth camping experience at Glacier View Campground, with the last one in September, after Taraz and Megan's wedding. Several of those days were spent huddled under a big canopy while it rained. Another time, we had to wear protective head-nets and gloves, to keep the mosquitoes from biting our ears and hands at dinnertime.George and I camped at Lake Wenatchee late one fall when we were the only ones here, and the wind blew so bad at night it almost blew our tent over. Fortunately, we were inside, holding it down. The canopy over our picnic table was also secured with ropes and held down with rocks. But, the wind howled and blustered so violently we were unable to sleep. Sometimes, with a clear sky you will get that kind of weather, then come morning all is peaceful and still.
Each morning, of the five that George and I spent here, we arose shortly after sunrise, made coffee, then paddled away, taking our coffee with us. Taraz and Megan joined us on one of these early paddles, and one by one everyone else set out for the south end of the lake here, where there is abundant bird-life and water-fowl. The sounds were delightful.
Rahmat brought along his spotting scope.
The girls teamed up for board-games, and the guys did too.
We drove along a wilderness road rimmed with a bit of snow to get to a trail-head, but found the road washed out here. The guys were eager to make a dam across the roadbed so we could all get to our hike, but we backed out at the last minute. I don't think anyone wanted to get their hiking boots wet, or get washed down the mountainside.
Taraz did a masterful job placing logs in front of boulders to create a stepping stone trail.Evenings, we sat around the fire-pit, in Rue's camp. That's where all the action was. He had kabobs for dinner one night, and fried trout for breakfast the next morning.
Rue likes to cook outdoors, just like his mom. This was an especiallychallenging trip, as I needed to keep all my perishable foods cold for at least 5 days. I precooked a number of dishes to save on propane, and some of the larger items, like the pot-roast and chicken, the sausage and bacon, were transferred frozen from my freezer to the cooler. I've found that preparing some of the meals ahead of time really saves on production time later on. It is just a matter of warming things up over the fire.
I wasn't really able to do much photography during this trip. There simply was too much to do keeping things running in camp.
However, Annie, Ruhiyyih, Megan, and Taraz took video and stills, and will have them posted on their blogs as time permits. Image here of Rue and Annie - quiet time.
This image of Megan is so sweet; makes me want to squeeeeeeze her!
And this of our precious daughter Ruhiyyih, who leaves to go back to Washington D.C. today. Seeing her, I couldn't have had a more wonderful birthday gift!
