ohhhh, the symolism

Camping season, 2009, has drawn to a close. It makes me sad. We got home this morning from what turned out to be the last trip of the year. When we arrived at the park, it was apparent that others had already ended their season. Ours was one of three campsites in the entire park that was occupied. At first it was wnderful! The dog could roam free, we had no one adjacent to us....almost like we were the only ones there. This morning the reality set in.
We know that this park closes, usually at the end of October. The manager had told us that the pipes freezing was used as the gauge. Frozen pipes mean that it is time to blow them out and close the gates for the winter. We woke up this morning to frozen pipes. We would be the last compers of the year.
We tried to milk it. We kept adding wood to our fire, going for walks, anything but gearing up to leave. As our wood ran out, I grew melancholy. The fire was symbolic of our camping season. Flames were out and we were trying to keep them going just a little longer. We sat watching the coals burn out while off in the distance we could hear a tractor picking up picnic tables. They have to be refinished every winter. We watched the burning coals while our tables went away to the shop.
Finally after about an hour, we had to call an end to it all and dowse the burning embers with water, dowsing our monthly getaway in the process. With the coals go our trips to the river, our hot dogs roasted with sticks, our long walks looking for deer, our s'mores, and any chance of seeing the elusive bear.....at least for this year. All will wait until next spring. All we have to get us through the winter is the memory of our camping trips. Finding out that Cooper only like marshmallows that are toasted, eating a little less dinner so we have room later for s'mores, heading to the field early in the morning to see the herd of deer, and waiting patiently and quietly while Jamey tries (and succeeds at) feeding deer from his hand. these memories will all come to life again next spring. But for now, I am left with the memory of that fire burning out my campiing trips.....oh the symolism.