Restless
Restless this time of year.
There should be big red X’s across the calendar days.
Rocky Mountain trail to Cascade Falls ©
Closet’s choices should be narrowing as each day passes.
“I’ve washed, folded, stacked, and counted. Don’t even think about it. Find something else to wear.” Mom would warn as suitable attire was forced into yawning suitcases. We happily looked like faded cast aways for the last week of school.
As soon as the last school bell rang, we sprang into the car faster than old St Nick into his Christmas sleigh.
Escape. Miles to go before we’d sleep. (Maybe a donut during a coffee stop. Sugar!)
Summer’s was a reward 4-6 weeks of living in a string of National Parks.
Hauling water to the campsite by bucket, cooking over a camp stove, and sleeping on wiggly canvas sling army cots in a floorless tent.
Skunks thinking the cot legs were some weird obstacle course just for them.
Sleepily eating breakfast at a damp picnic table as a small fawn walks up to see if you’ll share that cup of milk. (Maybe a lettuce leaf instead?)
There should be maps spreading promised across the table.
Like the migratory birds, I feel it.
Like the migratory birds, I fear crashing into an illusion – being confused by a storm – flying headlong into what should not be there.
Yet. The restlessness persists.
Icy waters generously fling sparking jewels at your feet among the pebbles. Far too precious and magical for this world, they only last for a moment or two before disappearing.©
Some are called by water. Lured by seagull calls.
Some by sweet blooms and lush grazing.
Some seek solace in painted sands.
Some feel the mountains’ rhythmic breathing. Hear the icy waters tumbling as they scatter diamonds of light among the rocks. Turn towards the hawk’s sky call.
Restless. With the car so close and the road right there.
Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge
Yosemite giant begging you to stay the day.©
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Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge 
I’ve never come across the Greek version of the phrase, but I love it. And I know exactly what you mean about that restlessness. It’s nearly mid-May, and time is passing. It’s time to lay in the supplies (you know what supplies I mean), take some photos, do the inventory, and work my little rear end off at work. Then, maybe just maybe, there will be a chance to get up and out and roll. Maybe.
What a wonderful kind of vacation you describe, too. It wouldn’t have happened with my mother around, but at least we got a Minnesota lake cabin.
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Were you lucky enough to get Minnetonka Moccasins? They seemed to be in all the vacation gift shops out west…no matter how much I begged. Sigh.
Totally different from Spring Fever, open road restlessness is making it really difficult to focus or sit still. What planting/yard work will be done this year is done. Have been reviewing contingency plans (and stockpiling canned food at RC’s request). Once the summer heat and humidity – along with the mosquitoes arrives, it’ll be easier – I’ll just hibernate. HA HA.
Thanks for scrubbing top to leave a comment
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I remember that my mother acted this way too shortly before we started into a new disaster … I mean adventure. But I still have the same feeling this time… you said it…restless…
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The seagulls calling over head are not making it any easier…
Molly says she’s calling front seat navigator spot. (We have tried that sit on staff’s lap – and it didn’t go really well – for staff…Molly does tend to want to help the driver shift gears, too.
Paw waves and thanks for driving in with a comment
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We never traveled when I was a child so summer meant local parks and pools and carefree days. The waiting for the transition, whatever it is, is the thing. There’s an excitement and an anticipation what is indescribable. Woo hoo! Here comes summer! (We may actually see 80 degrees this coming week. Far better than our high of 56 yesterday!)
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Dad did the numbers and decided it was cheaper for us to travel and camp out half the summer. The remaining weeks were spent riding bikes in mass to the pool – and the library. That was back when kids were handed a list of books to read over the summer – (and in Sept you had papers/discussions/projects that used characters/settings/plots so it was easy to tell who actually read them) The libraries had the titles on special shelves and limited how long you had the titles…at the first of the summer, the books were hard to get, but by mid July, most kids had either read them or had blown it off entirely.
We knew better than to whine “There’s nothing to do”…there was always the threat of clean out your room or pull weeds in flowerbeds. Camping was a whole lot more fun.
Thanks for toasting up a comment. (We’re at upper 80’s to 90’sF…Molly has probably seen the end of outdoor playtime until fall.)
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Love the anticipation of vacation and love vacation as well. Travel, mountains…and you can pick up a few doughnuts on my blog today. How serendipitous! 🙂
janet
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Slipping out of routines and the city was so wonderful. Bad habit to get out of doing that. Thanks for packing a comment into this rolling case (Hopping by to see traveling around your blog)
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Always good to see you. 🙂
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I am so slow in responding these days – the last of tolerable weather is going on and I’m avoiding indoors and screens (Loved that blog post!)
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Where are you? It’s quite hot here in the Chicago area today and will be for a few days. I was working outside for a few hours quite early this morning so as not to overheat. I prefer about mid-seventies (F) for my high and cool at night, especially as our bedrooms are on the second floor.
janet
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TX coastal plains near Galveston. We’ve had the oddest cool-ish fronts almost once a week this spring. But 90’s are here and so is the humidity. On the way to oppressively hot. When the night temps are 75+ it doesn’t cool off much. But we do have breezes from gulf which helps some. Dog walks very early and late. We have to watch Molly’s heavy husky/malumute coat and keep her from overheating. She prefers the AC and couch until end of Sept.
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I can imagine. I see those breeds of dogs outside in the winter and know they’re loving it. 🙂
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We didn’t take many road trips, and the ones we did take had no ANNEticipation. Our parents said they didn’t want us to be disappointed if plans didn’t work out, so they did not tell us ahead of time. We knew we were going away when they lifted us out of our beds in our pajamas and put us in the car. We dressed before stopping for breakfast. I think that’s why today I detest surprise parties. Looking forward to something special is half the fun.
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Half of the fun was going through our encyclopedia’s pictures and maps of destinations days before. It was in no way the luxury package tour, but we did see a lot of stuff.
You got to stop for breakfast? Cool. We ate those little boxes of cereal…but it was one of the few times we got to eat the sugary ones – they don’t need milk which was hard to carry in the cooler. Mom did scramble eggs sometimes over the fire/cook stove, but meals were pretty simple, lots of sandwiches, as she said her vacation should mean no dishes for her to clean.
I don’t like surprise parties either – I think your last sentence may be on to something there.
Thanks for parking a comment here
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We did not take vacations growing up. As soon as I flew the coop I spent years camping in the mountains. Later came big city trips and weeks on the beach somewhere. I still yearn to take long road trips driving the back roads, hitting little out of the way cafes or having a picnic with a beautiful view at one of those rare rest areas on a rural highway. I wistfully think of those days long gone… whilst working away in the pecan orchard. Life changes you know. But I’m happy with my sandwich and fruit, sharing a bit of sweetness with those deer who follow me everywhere. And I know I have it pretty good right here where I am.
I was craving sweets last night… real sweets, not this Paleo wanna be stuff. Now you bring up donuts… I might have to fall off the wagon BIG TIME. Ha ha!!
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Vacation memories of little roads, and cafes on the town square (those used to be the best as the steady customers were usually lawyers/judges and workers from the local courthouse)…I still whined about burger places when mom and dad said plate lunch with vegetables instead.
Sometimes I think you live in a little Snowglobe world with the deer and woods – even with the dogs next door. Hang on to that little world. Oh, OK I’m sure one donut will be fine…moderation and all HAHA
Thanks for traveling this road
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That sounds nice to me. We never ‘roughed it’ but my favourite vacations were the two we spent in the Appalachians. I know we likely went to Disney the same number or more times, but I loved being in the woods and exploring streams the best. Quite a change from sandy beaches! I’d like a bit of sandy beach now, however. For the change 🙂
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No way am I camping on a beach. Those days are so over for me…that’s why this location is good – it’s short enough drive to the coast so we can go walk around in the sand/surf a bit and then get home without it taking all day.
Never been too Disney – it always comes down to we have X amount of time and X amount of money, and the woods and Mts. always win.
Just seems like time to be packing up and heading out.
Thanks for meandering along
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It’s that time of year. I’m feeling restless, too, even after all my travels. I’d like to head to the mountains and stay there for the summer. I heard about the migratory birds. 😦 We’ll be gaining more wind turbines here, and since this is a flight path for migratory birds, it makes me wonder how many the turbines will take out.
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The Audubon Society/environmental groups are keeping data and tracking wind turbine bird kill numbers. Last administration increased the number of “acceptable” numbers of birds killed – even eagles by electric company projects…although if one person kills one eagle the penalties are severe. Newer turbine are better, but still there’s plenty of reasons not to have them. And then there’s the visible blight of turbines – what happens when they are no longer in use/necessary? There had better be a clause including removal…but I doubt it. The beautiful bluffs of West TX are covered with the monsters.
Parks may be one of the few remaining places left to get away from little screens and the huge ugly power farms of windmills or solar panels.
I can do with less lights and appliances for a little peace and quiet beauty.
Thanks for coasting by to comment
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We always took a car trip every summer when I was a girl. I loved seeing the people + the world out there, while my parents, history buffs, managed to find the most obscure [boring?] historical sights along the way. It is that time of year again, isn’t it?
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My brother and I think we have visited 98% of all the historical markers and sights….we used to put out hands over ears and hum loudly when mom read from some book about history of where ever we were. So I can perfectly identify with you. HAHA
Traveling is the great adventure – and it feels like time…
Thanks for traveling along
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Growing up, both of my parents worked for a local college in Iowa and had the entire month of August off. They would pack up us four kids with lots of camping gear and head west. Most of our camping trips were to Colorado…occasionally California…great memories!!
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No better summer plan. Do you ever get to go back and revisit some of those places?
Colorado was the best playground ever – so much to do and stuff to see that was different from home…and it was cool – even snow on Trail Ridge in July most of the time. Summer always means snow to me HAHA
Thanks for loading up a comment and traveling along
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This post brought back memories to so many of us! I also loved the two weeks we took off in the summer to go camping in Vermont. But I admit now, my favorite part was on the way for the long 10 Hour Dr., we’d leave early in the morning so we could stop and get donuts first. 😎
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Vermont and Maine are still on my list to do. All the pictures look so cool.
Long drives had their benefits – donuts being one!
Thanks for parking a comment here
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My father must have been part-Chaucerian, because it was April that stirred his wanderlust. The spring vacation from school was his time to take time off from work. Load up the car with some clothes, and some coloring books for the three girls; put suitcases in the rear footwells and put a crib mattress over all, and we kids had a great space to doze and play. Cooler in the trunk packed with bananas and cream cheese for sandwiches and some other provisions for small cooking in motels or cabins. Oh the trips. My parents gave us this glorious country on those trips, with frequent detours to or stops at national parks, roadside “attractions,” and meadows (stop! Girl Scout Wildflower Badge in process!). New Jersey to California and back–southern route out, northern route home. And yes, the maps! the maps! I learned to love them as much as my father did, and to fold them just so, as my mother did, so directions could be read off while driving. Sometimes driving into the night, three girls dozing in back, parental conversation in low tones from the front seat making the music of safety and adventure….Thanks for the memories, Phil!
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Long drives were so different before seat belts and radios (much less computer screens/ipad). Those old cars were big and you could stack suitcases in to make a big flat area to stretch out in. All those car trip games and silly songs. Folding maps was a highly desirable skill.
Car windows are the best picture screens ever invented – hope the little kids lose battery power and discover the wonder – and that wind coming in open windows. People actually talking about stuff.
Maybe we lived at the perfect road trip era?
Thanks for letting me roll along your travel memories. Sigh
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Been quite awhile since I’ve been in the “deep woods.” My wife is even more of a city-dweller than myself. However, we’re not adverse to taking at least a symbolic plunge down the road…if the car was close and the road was right there. While we might not plan a vacation specifically to “rough it” we might dip a toe in the water…as long as civilization was within a day’s walking distance!
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My brother now hates camping and his idea of vacation is a Hyatt or some nice resort.
A nice hot tub after a hike is pretty much mandatory for us too, HAHA
(Although I did manage to find a real original log cabin in a mts. national park to rent for a few days..one light bulb hanging on a wire – but hey, it had indoor bathroom…so it stormed and rain leaked in between the logs…gotta get unique memories for the kids somehow…they lived. The next place was a newish patio/townhouse with fireplace you turned on with a switch.
Thanks for cruising by to comment
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