Time in the Outdoors with Your Family

Camp is ready to walk right in!

Cooperating to create meals and activities, spending a bit of time of talking to one another, allows family members to get focused on their feelings toward one another and to take time to understand how the other people feel.   

The simple rituals of camp are great reference points for life.

What are the basics?

Food, clothing, shelter, communication, relaxation, these are the basics of life.

There is time for all of these in camp, without rushing off to find the next thing to distract you.

When was the last time you and your family spent a few days together?  For many families, it’s almost unheard of to do just that.  Yet the family is the most basic point of reference for us as people, and to build a strong foundation will pay off in the long run, as you find out who you are together, paying attention to each other, and to the relaxing feeling that you don’t have to be so complicated.

Life rushes by at a furious pace, with far too much information flooding our senses and insisting that we pay attention to this, or that, it’s so urgent.

But it isn’t really so important, just urgent.

Teaching your children to focus on what is important first will help them to be far more successful as people.  Getting out of the usual routine into a more basic frame of reference will give them invaluable new ways to look at and process information.

You can create memories together that will last all your lives, and the fine times you had in camp will be among the best times ever.

When kids see how basic things can really be, they get happy about it. 

Letting themselves relax a bit more and get into just hanging out just comes naturally to them, and they open up their personalities more to drink in the simple enjoyment that they feel.

The parents, meanwhile, have a chance to compare notes on life and parenting, and give one another support.  It builds strong friendships.  Everything about family life is made better by sharing time in the outdoors.

Come and visit!

                                  Here's the welcome video:

 
http://youtu.be/XmcVpeYVL3E/

Three ways to visit me:

www.bettyofbigsur.com  My web site, where you will find 

information and updates about events and my work,

www.etsy.com/shop/bettyofbigsur, a shop to showcase and sell 

examples of my art and fashion designs,

www.retreatcampchecklist.com, 

a checklist about camping retreats, to let you know what is here, and let me know what you would like to have, and to do, in Big Sur!  Fun, quick, instant feedback!

Big Sur Night Skies in Mill Creek

 Big Sur night skies are filled with splendor.

The moon rising over Chalk Peak is a special treat.  Once a year the top of the hill is it by the large circle of moonlight that seems to roll off the summit, then leap into the sky.
The color changes from silver to white, sometimes with a hint of gold just before making the leap.

The whole forest is lit up by the full moon, and shadows are cast as though it were dawn.  Mysterious shapes appear and blend into one another as the moon continues to rise.

The forest seems to be motionless, yet the constant change in the display of light gives a feeling of motion to the scene.  The sounds of night birds add to the feeling of wildness.
Owls and turkeys sound off.  Perhaps there is a cry from a night hawk. 
You may hear coyotes or wild cats calling out in their mating rituals.  All of natures is feeding on the darkness, and either resting, seeking, or hunting.

At times like this the stars are less visible than when the moon is smaller, yet there are still great numbers of them and the many constellations can be picked out as the night progresses.  The Milky Way crosses the entire sky.

Because of the way the bowl of the canyon is shaped, each month the moon moves quite a distance to the observer.  The progression from North to south is so great that half of the canyon is encompassed by this movement.

On a moonless night, tiny stars which are never seen in more urban environments become visible.
they are so numberous that sections of the sky are lit by groups of stars and nebulae, adding a depth of field to the sight and filling the observor with a sense of awe and wonder.  Think of the distance those beams of light have come to be seen!

Planets stand out clearly in the display with their bright light and you can observe their colors.  With a telescope, the moons of Jupiter and even the rings of Saturn can be seen.

Throughout the year, meteor showers have their special times to light up the sky with colorful surprises.  During a really busy shower, lights appear every few seconds coming from all directions, in all colors.  The occasional huge metor crosses the sky and at times you can even hear these missiles hissing as they pass close by, evaporating in spectacular bursts of beauty.

Cosmic rocks landing here in the canyon, after their long journeys from space, create a fast-paced and deep level of interaction with the energy of the night sky.  From one moment to the next, the unexpected appears.

Come and visit!



Stop by on Youtube:
http://youtu.be/XmcVpeYVL3E/

Three ways to visit me:

www.retreatcampchecklist.com, a checklist about camping retreats, to let you know what is here, and let me know what you would like to have, and to do, in Big Sur!  Fun, quick, instant feedback!

www.bettyofbigsur.com  My web site, where you will find information and updates about events and my work,

www.etsy.com/shop/bettyofbigsur, a shop to showcase and sell examples of my art and fashion designs,

Family Camping Is the Bst time Ever!

Family camping is one of the best ways to bring your family together. 

Family camp is the experience that will bring awesome memories and pictures that will make you smile for decades.  

 What are some of the family stories that you like to tell again and again?  Are they around family vacations you have had?

 When you are out in nature, with the most basic style, you are able to see one another in a new way.

The simple rituals of camp are great reference points for life.

Food, clothing, shelter, communication, relaxation, these are the basics of life.  Smiles, free time, fresh air, sunshine, stars in the sky, trees, birds.  

These are the cherry on top that so enhance your experience of life.

You will love having those here.

There is time for all of these in camp, without rushing off to find the next thing to distract you.

When my grandchildren come to the land that my sons grew up on, they are overjoyed.  Their dads live and work in town, and they have those same types of limitations. Suddenly, they are able to see vast areas of open country, to move around as freely as they want!  And there is plenty of fun stuff to do.  Small pleasures go a long way.

We spend time around the camp fire, going into the house as little as possible, and they eat like warriors.  Running around and playing, walking up and down hills, making up stories instead of watching videos, they are having a great time.  And their parents are, too.  By the time the few days we have together are over, everyone has gotten a recharge and ready to get going on the next thing life has to offer.

It just all looks new again.

Other children come and visit for some of these family visits, too.  It’s so great to watch a pack of kids finding a lizard!  They all naturally form into a relationship structure that makes sense for them, sharing and talking to one another about what’s important to THEM.

The adventure unfolds and they make up new ideas as they go along.

The parents and grandparents, meanwhile, have a chance to compare notes on life and parenting, and give one another support.  It builds strong friendships.

Being in Big Sur together as an annual adventure while the children are growing up strengthens relationships between family members in every way.

How would you like to have great camping stories that don’t involve work and disasters that you might have when you set out on your own? That only involve sitting back and relaxing in nature while others take care of the hard work part?

Get in touch with me to plan a trip that your family will always remember with such joy.

Don't worry, it's not going to be a hassle.

It's all set up, and there is nothing I love more than watching a family get happy in nature.

Welcome video
http://youtu.be/XmcVpeYVL3E/

Come and visit!

Three ways to visit me:

www.bettyofbigsur.com  My web site, where you will find information and updates about events and my work,

www.etsy.com/shop/bettyofbigsur, a shop to showcase and sell examples of my art and fashion designs,

www.retreatcampchecklist.com, a checklist about camping retreats, to let you know what is here, and let me know what you would like to have, and to do, in Big Sur!  Fun, quick, instant feedback!

 

 

  

Big Sur Wild Forage Foods in Mill Creek

Here in Mill Creek there are an abundance of plants which can be harvested at various times of the year for food and medicine.

The ferns in this drawing are bracken ferns, which grow to  large size.  They are shown in the fiddle-head stage of early spring, as they are forming little curls that can be harvested and eaten.  In earlier times people picked these and processed them by leaching them in wood ash to be used as early spring vegetables.

At the same time of the year, small greens pop out in abundant patches in places where there is shade and moisture.  They are a fine pantry of nourishment with high vitamin content. 

Shooting starts make clusters of tiny rounded leaves, low under their purple, yellow and black flowers.

Miner's lettuces have heart-shaped leaves and stems, resembling spinach in color and flavor.  Wild roses have bloomed and set rose hips, glowing orange in the forest when they are ripe.  In some places, wild watercress grows.

Alpine strawberries form mats of miniature leaves and make tiny berries that have an exquisite taste.
And there are vast numbers of acorns.  The early settlers would have learned how to use them in the same way the Native Americans had before them, leaching them in creeks before roasting and grinding them for flour used in soups.

Madrone and manzanita berries are edible and high in vitamin C. They follow the lovely cream-colored flowers with red and orange hues.

Many types of wild herbs grow here.

Plantain, mother of herbs, serves as both food and medicine.  The flowers were gathered for flour and can also be eaten raw. 

Herba Santa, with its pretty purple flowers, is strong against infection.  It has dark green foliage with leatry texture and serrated edges.  Steeped in hot water with honey, it is used as cough syrup.

Herba Pasma, having needle-like leaves and blooming in light yellow, thrives in areas that have been burned.  A tea made of it is delicious and nourishing.  Many people have used it as a remedy for clearing the blood or as a poutice on wounds, to good effect.

Vervain grows, known for its cosmetic uses.  It has long branches of dusty lavender color, growing low in a spreading habit.

Wild rosemary and mountain sage are here, feeding the bees and the hummingbirds.

Mushrooms including chanterelles grow in quiet dells in years when rainfall is abundant.  Boleta mushrooms also appear, and chicken of the woods with its bright colors pops out of the sides of oak trees.

Native American people harvested grasshoppers in summer and brought shellfish to the mountains for feasting as well.  They camped here a lot during acorn season to gather the rich source of protein, and to hunt.

Game teems through the watershed, including deer, pigeons, quail, and squirrels.  Those who lived off the land would have a lot of work, but sure ate well.  Of course these wild foods were supplemented with those grown and domesticated.  Yet the bounty of nature would sustain those who were able to persevere.


Come and visit!

YouTube!
http://youtu.be/XmcVpeYVL3E/

Three ways to visit me:

www.bettyofbigsur.com  My web site, where you will find information and updates about events and my work,

www.etsy.com/shop/bettyofbigsur, a shop to showcase and sell examples of my art and fashion designs,
www.retreatcampchecklist.com, a checklist about camping retreats, to let you know what is here, and let me know what you would like to have, and to do, in Big Sur!  Fun, quick, instant feedback!

Singing Out Loud

This is Cone Peak, the largest mountain in the area, and which dominates the weather conditions of the region.  Storms which come in from the sea are captured by Cone Peak and cycled back into Mill Creek, causing the climate to much wetter than that of neighboring canyons.

The huge hills in the front of the photo are the northern slopes of Mill Creek, where Nacimiento Road crosses the mountains from the coast and meets up with Jolon-Bradley road far to the east.

This whole area has such great acoustics!  You can hear your own voice echoing back from far away and at times the air is so still that a conversation miles away can be clearly heard.  You may hear the honk of the USFS patrol, or the distant roar of a motorcylce on Highway 1, miles to the west.

Songs of birds in the spring are so numberous and so loud that you will be awakened at first light by a rich tapestry of sound.  this canyon is a junction of the northern and southern migration routes for birds, and a favorite breeding ground for a very large number of species.

So, go ahead and belt it out!  It's a wonderful feeling to just let your own voice get large and come back to you.  Some of the echoes are multiple, and there is a resonance that can hardly be described.
all forms of music are well rounded by the surrounding vegetation.  Nature is full of sound, frogs at night, crickets in the twilight.  Nature expresses herself, and we are part of nature.

Singing is Being!


Come and visit!

New! YouTube video: http://youtu.be/XmcVpeYVL3E

Three ways to visit me:

www.bettyofbigsur.com  My web site, where you will find information and updates about events and my work,

www.etsy.com/shop/bettyofbigsur, a shop to showcase and sell examples of my art and fashion designs,

www.retreatcampchecklist.com, a checklist about camping retreats, to let you know what is here, and let me know what you would like to have, and to do, in Big Sur!  Fun, quick, instant feedback!

Big Sur Pioneer Life

The large pear tree shown in the photo dates back well over a hundred years, and in spring it puts forth a fine show of blossoms, which later in the year yield small pears.  They are an old variety that is not ripe until it is soft in the middle, like jam.  Delicious!

The tree is in an area that was used extensively by the first known pioneer settler here, William Dempsey.

He set up near the year-round artesian spring, where the remains of a small spring house and some posts to contain livestock are still in place.

On the other side of the hillside area is an old apple tree which still produces abundantly.  A large fenced garden was raised,  plowed again and again, many years of rock removal having taken place.
The area can produce abundant amounts of food, although the frost season begins early there and ends late.

Pioneer life was full of comforting rhythms, although the challenges were great.

There was always something to do, whether looking after the livestock, tending the trees and vegetables, cutting firewood, splitting lumber from the nearby redwood trees, or making nails and iron parts by hand in a small smelter.  Tanning of leather from animal hides would give materials for many types of implements and for clothing.
Leisure time could be used in pursuit of making objects of beauty or in making music, reading or reciting from great works of literature, as was the custom in those times.
 
Constant vigilance was the order of the day, since the more resources were created, the greater the appeal to the wild animals near by.  Staying home to guard the food was really important!

The area remains wild in its essence.  Our own generation of pioneers had a lot of challenges, even with all the machinery we were able to use.  

A large population of deer in the area still use the trail that runs down the hill right next to the homestead area.  In autumn, great flocks of pigeons thunder into the skies  during their migrations.
Mountain life holds its own rhythms, which continue during this time, with new additions, yet it can truly be said that in many cases the old ways serve best.  Low technology such as drying fruit, using wood for heating, and solar for electricity, help to keep the feeling of serenity that the mountains offer as their greatest gift.  Making things by hand just comes naturally here.

I honor the spirit of the people who lived here before me, and learn from their examples.
Faith, perseverance, creativity, and adaptability, along with continual cooperation with nature, were the things they knew so well. It is my hope to carry forward the lessons they have for us.

Come and visit!
Four ways to visit me:


Youtube!http://youtu.be/XmcVpeYVL3E/

www.bettyofbigsur.com  My web site, where you will find information and updates about events and my work,

ww.etsy.com/shop/bettyofbigsur, a shop to showcase and sell examples of my art and fashion designs,

www.retreatcampchecklist.com, a checklist about camping retreats, to let you know what is here, and let me know what you would like to have, and to do, in Big Sur!  Fun, quick, instant feedback!

Mill Creek History

Mill Creek in Big Sur has a history of being home to the hardy and industrious. It was a haven for the native inhabitants of the area before the European arrival. A beach at the bottom of the creek has both easy access to fishing, and fresh water.

Further up the hill are rich oak habitats abounding in acorns, which were used for food. Wild greens grow throughout the year, and grasses which hold high nutrient value also grow profusely. In fact, these same grasses held many grasshoppers which could be harvested at the right time of year for a rich feast. Imagine, fresh fish, shellfish, grasshoppers and wild greens, along with acorn soup.

The people carried everything they owned with them, ranging from place to place finding fresh riches wherever they went..

The area became far more sparsely inhabited in the later years. Most of the native inhabitants were already gone by the tie the Europeans came. The reason for this is not yet known.
Spanish travelers along the coast held the Big Sur mountains in dread, believing they were home to malevolent spirits, and avoided them except for landfall in dire need.
Where they did land, they planted eucalyptus tress to be cut later for masts, and planted mustard. The yellow colors of the mustard flower let them know that they had been to that location before, serving as a beacon, visible even far out to sea.

Later, Mill Creek was populated by homesteaders and loggers. In the early twentieth century, there was a working sawmill in the bottom of the creek. Redwood trees were felled using six-or-eight foot long hand saws, and then cut into sections. Teams of mules pulled the sections to the sawmill, or in some cases the section was used to make hand-split lumber. Trees that had fallen in difficult positions were simply left where they had fallen.
The cabins and gardens of the homesteaders have vanished over time. The last traces of the sawmill were destroyed in the fire of 2008.
Some of the names of the pioneers are known.
The name of William Dempsey name lives on in the name of the place where I live, Dempsey Flat. He came to Mill Creek in the 1860s or so, and had been here for quite a while before he filed his homestead claim in 1896. His claim was witnessed by the Gomez brothers, who had a homestead on Chalk Peak.
Mr. Dempsey had over 500 fruit trees and 150 goats when he filed. That's why I know he had been here a while! Some of the trees he planted are still living and bearing fruit.
He would have been growing hay and also letting the goats out to range in the rich forest. he probably also kept pigs, and no doubt had a lot of wild game to eat.
There are wild turkeys, deer and pigeons abounding in the forest. It is unlikely that he left home very much, though, since the trip to King City was long and arduous. Perhaps he went down to the Mill Creek landing for the once-a-year delivery of flour and goods from San Francisco. In rough weather, the goods would simply be pitched overboard, and the people had to swim out to get the barrels, or wait for them to land.

The ways of the pioneers are inspiring. I live here in the mountain spirit, having seen the changes from having no telephone or paved roads, to these days of being on the Internet. Amazing! Yet some things are the same. The wind and rain, the cycles of the seasons, reminding one of the small nature of a human mind, and inviting further curiosity about what nature has to say, cause deep reflection to be a natural way of life..

Come and visit!

New! YouTube video: http://youtu.be/XmcVpeYVL3E

Three ways to visit:
http://www.bettyofbigsur.com, my web site, where you will find information about retreats and ways to experience the wildest part of Big Sur in comfort. Plan your ideal getaway!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/bettyofbigsur, my online shop featuring items made by hand here in my home studio
http://www.retreatcampchecklist.com, a fun and fast checklist to learn more about Big Sur Retreat Camp, and get in touch with me to plan your time in paradise