#323 Go On A Camping Trip

Camping is an awesome time.

With warmer weather around the corner, camping season will be in full swing again. And while camping isn't for everyone, it is an experience everyone should try at least once in their lives. Camping teaches us about the many things we take for granted in day to day life.

Indoor plumbing is one instance. Another instance would be appliances like ovens, refrigerators, washing machines and dryers. However, camping is not at all a negative experience. I think camping can be very fun, relaxing and inspirational.

I have done most types of camping, from rustic tents to pop up campers to camping on a boat. I've stayed in many local campgrounds throughout the Poconos. I've also camped in New Jersey and on a boat in Watkins Glen. Some of the campgrounds are more modern such as the Beachcomber in Cape May, NJ or Splash Magic in Northumberland, PA. Some of them are definitely more rustic such as Locust Lake, Hickory Run and definitely Promised Land State Park. The last three mentioned are all Pennsylvania state parks.

There are many types of campgrounds. Some are restricted only to tents. Some are geared towards RVs and pop ups. Some offer cabins. Some welcome everything. The biggest thing when figuring out where to stay, is to keep in mind what you are willing to go without. If you are looking for a campground with a pool, playgrounds, a grocery store, family activities and flushing toilets, campgrounds like the Beach Comber and Splash Magic are perfect choices. If you are looking for peace and quiet, nature walks, and escaping the modern world, campgrounds like Locust Lake and Promised Land are great choices.

Camping at Hickory Run State Park

Camping with Mr. B at Montour Falls Marina

My Grey camping with the family at Locust Lake.

Roughing it in Cape May.

To be perfectly honest, I do prefer a more rustic campground than a more modern one. Why? I just seem to get more mentally from a rustic camping trip. There is more work involved in one sense. You have to set up the tent and make sure there are no rocks underneath it. Sometimes you don't realize until you are ready to sleep that you missed a rock. That's always fun.

You have to gather wood to start the fire. You have to prepare meals that can be cooked over an open fire. You have to walk pretty far to the nearest bathroom. You have to accept dirt in your life. You have to make sure to store your food in coolers or else attract critters, sometimes smelly or rabid ones, to your site.

Same goes for the garbage. Make sure the garbage bags are kept in a secure spot. We would put them in the trunk of our car. We once had a family of raccoons visit our site one evening while we were asleep. They were so loud from fighting with each other that their screeching woke us. I am not gonna lie, I was a little scared that night because at the time, I did not know they were raccoons.

The next morning half our food was gone. They took the whole bag of marshmallows, plastic and all. Same with the cheese danish. They took the entire package including the metal tin. The hot dogs, buns and butter were all gone. They even took a plastic bottle of ketchup. We actually had to run out to buy more food because they obliterated us. Lesson learned. We stashed the food in coolers and in the cars.

The next night the raccoons came back for more. The food was stashed so there was no way they were getting any snacks. Didn't stop them from trying though. All you could hear was this non stop scratching for almost an hour. When we woke the next day, the cooler had these deep scratches on the lid from the raccoon family trying to get into it.

My mother looked over to a storm drain and saw these glowing eyes staring at her. Needless to say, that day, there were a few sick raccoons making noises from the woods. Eating plastic doesn't feel so great to the digestive system huh? Little buggers. Campgrounds are a gangsta's paradise for Trash Pandas.

The Trash Panda family of food thieves at Hickory Run.

Scenes from a hike in the Lehigh Gorge with my kids. 

Becky and I spotted a field of really weird sheep while camping on the boat!

I've stayed at campsites where there was no electricity or water spigot. If you wanted water, you either brought your own jugs or walked to the community spigot to fill your water vessels. If you wanted light, you used lanterns and flashlights. If you wanted warmth, you put on extra layers and cozied up to the campfire. If you wanted entertainment, you listened to a battery operated radio, read books and played card and board games.

Yes, you have your cell phone, we had our phones, but even the top carriers with the broadest ranges often times have sporadic to no coverage in the more rustic campsites. We mostly used our cell phones to take pictures and send the occasional text but that was it. Besides, sometimes we all just need to put down our phones and forget about it for a few days. It's tough but also rewarding.

Ricky chilling on the tire swing in Locust Lake

If it is a scorching hot day at a rustic campground, you could walk through some natural air conditioning via shaded nature trails or soak in a lake for some relief. If it is raining, you can lie in your tent and listen to nature's tears or hang under a canopy and watch mother nature give the earth a bath.

If you are camping near a lake, make an effort to wake at sunrise. I highly recommend it. The mist coming off the lake at daybreak is nothing short of amazing. It's like sitting in a cloud. It's also the ideal time to gather firewood and get the blaze going for some percolated coffee.

Nightime is the perfect time to enjoy fire shows. To experience this, all you have to do is look around the lake or down the horizon. Depending on the set up of the campground, sometimes you can see the beautiful glow of all the many campfires from other sites. It's a simple and pretty view against the pitch black sky. And let's not forget nature's glitter. Depending on the time of summer you are camping, be sure to check out the trees and fields after dark. Thousands upon thousands of fireflies can often be seen fluttering about the trees, showcasing an enchanting display of sparkles in the dark of night. Who said there is no such thing as fairies?

A cool tree growing out of rocks on one of our hikes.

Sure, Camping can be very uncomfortable depending on the elements but, if you change your perspective slightly, it's really not so bad. Food cooked over an open fire is some of the best tasting food ever. Watching the little forest critters scurrying about can literally amuse you for hours.

My kids and I would hike around trails trying to identify trees, birds, plants, and flowers. Nature books are great to take along when camping. You learn so much about your surroundings that it actually takes on this whole new appearance. It's like a world within a world.

My kids and I would stroll around the lake searching for turtles, minnows and pollywogs. There were so many of them. We would stop to admire the clusters of lily pads, our eyes scanning the water for frogs we could hear but could not see.
"Yes! There's a frog. Look mom, there is another one!"
"Look at the turtle bobbing his head out of the water mom. He is so cute!"

Lily Pads hiding frogs and turtles beneath them.

My girl scout making trail mix.

The kids and I would search for the perfect walking stick. In those quests, we would also find sticks ideal for roasting marshmallows and hot dogs. We would gather wildflowers and daises and place them in jars or water bottles as centerpieces for our picnic table.

We would fill sandwich bags with our own custom trail mixes made from items I bought from the grocery store. Here is another camping tip for everyone: Do not forget to secure your sandwich bag of trail mix. If you leave it alone for even a minute, a chippy or squirrel will have that bag ripped open in no time and eat all your candy corn. Those furry, fluffy jerks.....from the jerk store!

Custom Made Trail Mix
Add these goodies to your camping grocery list then have some fun with your family and friends making your own custom trail mixes. A lot of these items you can pick up at the dollar store.   

• Sandwich Bags
• M&Ms
• Animal Crackers
• Granola
• Chex or Life Cereal
• Yogurt Covered Raisins
• Dried Cranberries
• Mini Pretzel Twists
• Chocolate Chips
• Cheerios
• Cheese Nips
• Roasted Peanuts
• Smoked Almonds
• Dried Pineapple or Apricots
• Reese's Pieces
• Frosted Mini Wheats
• Candy Corn
• Sunflower Seeds
• Dried Apple or Banana Chips

Fun times with the Brominski Clan and Crew at Splash Magic

Becky and Jeff cooking Ribeyes over an open fire at Splash Magic.  They were soooooo good. 

As for the more modern campgrounds, they are great too. You can take a warm shower. You can use flushing toilets. Some have pools and little beaches. Maintenance will pick up your garbage everyday and they have plenty firewood for sale. Modern campgrounds also have more activities such as family movie nights, craft workshops and bingo nights. One of the downfalls to modern campgrounds is they tend to pack people in tight. They are always crowded. But, if you are looking for a cheaper alternative to a hotel in a more expensive vacation area, these campgrounds are perfect for families with children.

The Redheaded days. 
Doing puzzles & chillin in the screen tent.

In closing, I highly recommend doing a rustic camping trip for at least 2-3 days. Leave the electronics at home. Keep cell phone usage restricted to emergencies and taking pictures. Avoid social media, television and the news.

Enjoy some relaxation in nature. Allow her to embrace you. Set up some chairs around the fire. Take a nap in a hammock. Use the cast iron for some delicious campfire cooking. Stroll through the forest and discover her mysterious world.

Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, Facebook, Instagram, television, your bills, your responsibilities, your stresses, they will all be there waiting for you when you come back to the modern world. Trust me. They aren't going anywhere. However, your mind will thank you for the small break from reality.

Seneca Lake

Nature is so beautiful!

Some of My Other Outdoor Adventures
#27 Ride On A Boat
#129 Watch The Sun Set and Sun Rise In One Day
#138 Visit Boulder Field, Hickory Run State Park
#208 Try Kayaking
#296 Climb To The Top Of A Lighthouse
#304 Go Apple Picking
#311 Watch The Sun Set On A Beach

Some Of My Favorite Camping Recipes

Campfire Banana Splits

Campfire banana splits.

Grilled Naan Pizza

Grilled Naan Pizza. As long as you have a grate, you can cook over fire.

Grilled Bang Bang Shrimp Skewers

Campfire Bacon  

Campfire Breadsticks 

Campfire Philly Cheesesteaks 

Campfire Potato Packets

Useful Camping Links

A Search Site For Pennsylvania Campgrounds

Pennsylvania DCNR 

Campgrounds Across the USA 

Camping USA 

REI Camping Checklist 

The Mother Of All Camping Checklists 

Fun Activities To Try When Camping 

Chrissy

Ricky and Bill searching for treasure.

Prettiest girl at the campground. 

The Chippy did this! 

#239 Learn To Use Chopsticks

I love using chopsticks. They are so much fun. I wish I could use chopsticks for all of my meals but that would look really silly. Plus, I'm not quite sure how I would eat a slice of pizza or a cheeseburger with chopsticks. Maybe I could stab the cheeseburger with a chopstick, pick it up and try to eat some of it before it slid off the chopstick. The pizza?? Let's just forget this idea. I'll use the chopsticks for Asian cuisine and Asian cuisine only. And maybe salads. And French Fries. But that is it!

Learning to use chopsticks isn't that difficult really. It takes a little practice to get your coordination down but it's definitely not as intimidating as it appears. Don't get me wrong, I am by no means perfect when I use them. I still drop food back onto the plate or down my shirt. Actually, I do that with all my food. It really makes no difference what my utensil of choice is. But, I can also pick up a single grain of rice with chopsticks too. It's not that hard.

General Tso's Chicken

One grain of rice. Yes. I am that good. LOLOL!

Using chopsticks is actually beneficial to your digestion too. They force you to eat slower. You are also eating smaller bites of food. You can't shovel food into your mouth like with a fork, spoon or your hands. I mean, you can still shove a huge piece of sushi or General Tso's chicken in your mouth with chopsticks but overall, you do eat slower. When you eat slower, it gives your stomach the opportunity to send a signal to your brain saying that it is full, before you overeat.

My daughter is a south paw and she works those chopsticks like magic. She is teaching her brother how to use them too since he is also a south paw. He likes to eat french fries with chopsticks. It's good practice though. Unfortunately I do not have any funny chopstick stories so this will be a shorter blog. It's a shocker I do not have any funny stories because I usually have at least one for every event.

In closing, if you are too shy to try using chopsticks in a restaurant, give it a whirl at home with your Chinese Chow Mei Fun, Japanese Sushi, Korean Barbecue, Thai Spring Rolls or American potato chips.

Some Useful Links:   

A Brief History Of Chopsticks
How To Use Chopsticks by The Japan Guy 
Types of Chopsticks 

Chrissy 

#139 Try Sushi

So.... is sushi a trend? I believe at one time, in the US, it was. At one time, this ages old Japanese cuisine was something that could really only be found in metro areas such as Los Angeles and New York City. I'm sure there were some sushi restaurants and Japanese steakhouses dotting the landscape outside of big cities in the US, but it did not truly explode into the mainstream until the 90's and 2000's.

Lobster Lover's Roll and Chicken Tempura Roll, 5 Star Chinese Restaurant, Hazleton

Why the explosion? Sushi was relished by the rich and famous. Celebrities often listed it as their favorite food. The Iron Chefs of Food Network often incorporated it into their meals. Health gurus often promoted it along with tofu diets. The general population, intrigued with this unique cuisine began venturing out to try it. Eventually, it became the "thing" to do. After awhile though, Sushi lost it's "trendy" status, which was a beautiful thing.

Why did that happen? Because, most "trends" have a lifespan of about a year, maybe a little longer. Ask the fashion industry. Ask the diet doctors. Ask the "As Seen On TV" inventors. Yet, there are also lifestyles and products that have been around forever, and will remain around forever, but were thrust into the spotlight for a short period of time because a public figure was doing it/wearing it/promoting it/talking about it. This lifestyle or product had a "trendy" moment but will also survive the moment.

Sushi, like pizza, has been around for ages. It became trendy, but then became a part of day to day life because of it's continued popularity. Supply and demand has made it possible for the common folk to enjoy sushi in their own back yards now. You no longer have to venture to a metropolis to try it. In fact, many Chinese restaurants have added the Japanese delectable to their menus as well.

Sushi successfully crossed over from "trendy" to mainstream in the US.

Sushi & Crab Rangoon @ Jumbo China Buffet

This is where my part comes in. I am not really a "trendy" person. There are most certainly particulars flowing through the popular culture waves that pique my interest, but those things number a few. The Sushi trend, well that was something I wanted no part of at all.  Raw fish? Eel sauce? Fish eggs? No freakin way was I eating that. Ewwwwww!!! Disgusting. The whole thing just grossed me out completely. And I have a pretty broad palette.

Yet, 7 years ago, for whatever reason, I had a change of heart. I was shopping in Wegman's with my friend Jere. She wanted to pick up some spicy crab sushi from their sushi bar. I winced but followed her over to the stand. She was so excited that they had her favorite kind. She started explaining all the different flavors and varieties of sushi on display. I must admit, I found her passion and knowledge awesome. I thought the little packages were interesting and colorful. They were certainly art in my opinion. I still wasn't eating it though. No way.

Later that day, while we were hanging at her house, she asked me to try some of her crabmeat sushi. She knew I would love it. I must admit for the first time ever, I was a little curious. I was also starving. She held the tray in front of me. Reluctantly, I took a piece of sushi from the tray. It took me a moment or two to get up the nerve to actually put it in my mouth though. I literally had to talk myself into it.

The convo in my head went like this:
Miss Adventurous my ass.
Oh yea, I'm always up for trying new things and having new experiences.
Fraud!!!
It's not like I was going to jump out of a moving train. It's a piece of food for Christ's sake. Just try it. ( My head is a very interesting place to be sometimes. Sighs.)

Finally, I closed my eyes, shoved the piece of sushi in my mouth and began to chew. I was prepared to be completely appalled and ready to puke. I even had a tissue on stand by so I could spit the sushi into it because this was going to be so disgusting. But, that never happened. The crabmeat sushi was delicious and tasty and wonderful. I so was not expecting that. I stood corrected. I was gonna eat my own words but, Jere offered me another piece of sushi so I ate that instead.

Eventually I found myself driving up to Wegman's weekly to buy that savory, spicy crab sushi sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning. One week, Wegman's didn't have the spicy crab sushi so, I decided to be really adventurous and try the not spicy crab sushi. It was ok. I preferred the spicy one much better though.

Then something else happened. The Jumbo China Buffet in my town started serving sushi as part of the buffet. Or, maybe they always did and I never noticed. Who knows? All I knew was this gave me the perfect opportunity to try some different sushis.

Ni Hao Buffet At State College, PA

I tried the Philly Roll. It was okay. The cream cheese in it was a little weird for me. I tried the California roll. It was alright. The tuna roll wasn't gross but I really wasn't a fan. Once in awhile I get a hankering for a tuna fish sandwich. Otherwise, I am not a big tuna fan. I also only really enjoy salmon if it is smoked. This is why I suck at diets. Two of the top recommended diet foods are Salmon and Tuna. One I won't eat unless it is smoked and the other one I won't eat unless it is mixed with gobs of mayo. Epic failure!! I enjoyed the Shrimp sashimi very much though.

Then another something else happened. Yes, Mirakuya happened. My world was about to be blessed with shrimp tempura, eel sauce and panko bread crumbs. Mirakuya is a Japanese Hibatchi and sushi restaurant and it opened in my city. Hazleton finally had a restaurant dedicated to Japanese food and sushi. Hello Godzilla Roll!

No worries though. The Godzilla Roll is not scary like the name implies. Not at all. The Godzilla Roll is actually a shrimp tempura roll coated in eel sauce then topped with tuna that is mixed with lots of spicy mayo and panko crumbs which actually makes it taste like crab, not tuna. I know that is really weird but that's what I taste. Then, they drizzle more eel sauce over the roll. Let me tell you, I destroy that baby every time I order it.

The M&L Roll, Valentine Roll & Shaky Dog Roll  Ginza in Lancaster, PA

The Shogun Roll, Autumn Roll and Honey Roll     Mirakuya  Hazleton, PA

And who knew eel sauce was so tasty? I know I didn't. Eel sauce is the Japanese equivalent of the Italian Balsamic reduction many of us drizzle on everything. The Mikado roll quickly became another favorite of mine.. The Mikado is shredded surimi (fake crab meat) mixed with mayo and panko then rolled up in rice. I usually get a basic shrimp tempura roll to go along with the Mikado roll because...I just do. They are my favorite combo.

Sometimes I venture out and try a different roll but for the most part, these two rolls are my go to favorites. If I am craving a third roll, you can't go wrong with the fresh, clean taste of the veggie roll. It is very tasty and pretty healthy too. Whenever I am visiting a new Japanese sushi place, I know those rolls will be on the menu in some form or another so I always have a safety net in case there is too much funky stuff on the menu.

In closing, I will say that I am not a purist when it comes to sushi. I could never order the sushi and sashimi platter. I guarantee I would not like most of the selections the chef has made. I just don't care for the texture and flavor of most raw fishes in the sushi and sashimi. But, there are sushi rolls that I absolutely adore. I must say, I am so glad I finally tried sushi.

Even my son, who was one of the pickiest eaters on the planet, loves sushi. He tried it last year for the first time and now he is a regular connoisseur. He is even more experimental than I am. I think that is so great!  See...you never know. Sometimes things we think we will not enjoy, turn out to be a real passion for us. Never Say Never!

Here are some links about sushi! 😁

All About Sushi Guide

A Picture Guide Of Sushi Rolls 

Wikipedia Sushi Guide 

Chrissy

Baked Maryland Crab Sushi. Aloha Sushi Club, Baltimore

#457 Tour A Brewery

The puppy truck!!!!

Once upon a time I worked for a company that was doing some downsizing. Unfortunately, a few of my close friends were let go in the first round of layoffs and firings. Not only was this event very shocking to me, it was also very upsetting to say the least. Without a doubt, I was definitely distraught over all of this. There were reals tears shed and many, many curse words spewed, all by me. In fact, I think I took things harder than most of the people laid off. LOL! Needless to say, it was never the same for me after that.

I missed them so much. Yes, we were close friends so I got to see them all the time, but I missed seeing their faces every morning in the halls. My heart was broken. But through all of this, I also got to witness many of my friends and former co-workers make the most of their time on unemployment. Instead of wallowing in sadness and depression, they turned their downtime into great opportunities. Carpe Diem was on the menu every day. Some traveled the country. Some went back to school. Some found higher paying jobs. Some learned how to relax a little.

And with each new round of layoffs, it appeared that an unusual tradition was rising from the ashes as well. This tradition became a rite of passage almost, for those who had been let go. What was this unusual tradition you ask? Well, it was a tour of the Yuengling Brewery of course. I mean, what else could it be?  It was free. It was fun. It had beer samples. What a great way to forget about your worries for awhile right? It was quite genius to be honest.

Eventually, it became my turn to go on the tour. Yep. I had just become the newest member of the Unexpected Vacationer's Club which was founded by two of my closest friends, Becky and Gerry. It was my turn to bond over brewskies with fellow friends and co-workers whom had also lost their jobs. As news of my layoff hit the waves, my downsized kin were there to warmly embrace me with open arms from the other side. They were aware of the emotional funnel cloud that was spinning through my brain. How? Why? What am I going to do? What do I need to do? Did this really happen? What's with all these creepy flying monkeys? It that a witch on a broom? WTF is going on here? Toto! Where is Kansas?

Becky, myself and Krista

There were real tears and curse words again. There was a heavy dose of anxiety and terror too. Thankfully, my outer circle peeps were able to empathize with me. They were able to point me in all the right directions. Once I was able to do all I needed to do, my feet landed in Kansas once more. I clicked my ruby red slippers three times and shouted Carpe Diem. All of a sudden, I found myself in Pottsville standing outside the Yuengling Brewery, ready to complete my initiation into the unemployed world.

Gerry & Becky, founding members of the Unexpected Vacationer's Club, and myself.

Well, not really. We actually drove to the Brewery. I was also wearing sneakers and I live in Pennsylvania not Kansas. But it kind of felt like a tornado swept me away. Anyways, it was my turn to visit the brewery and I was very excited to partake in this awesome, free distraction from my reality. I had never been to a brewery before. This was probably because I didn't even like beer. On this day though, we were living in Carpe Diem mode and trying new things. Here are some really cool things I learned on my tours of Yuengling Brewery.

Yuengling Brewery

Pottsville, PA.

1. Yuengling Brewery has been around since 1829, making it the oldest brewery in America.
2. The original founder, David Jungling, hailed from Germany and changed his surname to Yuengling.
3. Before refrigeration, the beer was stored in caves underneath the brew house.
4. During prohibition, the Yuengling family opened a dairy and made ice cream. It is very good ice cream. They started making it again but it is a separate company from the brewery. I really enjoy it. 
5. After prohibition ended, President FDR received a truckload of beer from Yuengling.
6. The brewery is operating under it's fifth generation of family ownership with Dick Yuengling Jr.
7. The brewery must be purchased by each new generation of Yuengling's. It is not passed down or inherited.
8. Yuengling has a sister plant in Tampa, Florida and one in Port Carbon, PA. However, the company is also very serious about not compromising the quality of their beer. It is not mass produced and sold nationwide.
9. There is a tavern located in the brewery where samples are enjoyed after the tour. 
10. Yuengling Lager is their most popular beer.
11. Different beers are brewed and bottled on specific days of the week. Each batch must be sampled and approved by Mr. Yuengling before being sold to retailers.
12. They are very, very strict about sterilization.
13. Producing beer is no joke. There are many, many steps involved in making a good tasting beer. 
14. They have a beer bottle roller coaster inside the brewery. Well, that is what I named it anyways. They probably don't call it that but if they want to call it that, I would be okay with it. 
15. I actually enjoy Premium Light very much.
16. The brewery, and the family that runs it, are downright amazing. Good people for sure!

Yummy Yuengling Ice Cream!

The Beer Roller Coaster

Felt like putting a glove on one of the bottles ala Laverne and Shirley. 
I did not.

Kegs in the cave.

Sometimes you have to take a walk on the wild side.

Awesome bench!

Getting our samples on in The Rathskellar

I got to meet Mr. Yuengling. He was so nice.

In closing, if you are looking for something cheap or free to do, check out your own back yard. There are many local breweries, distilleries and wineries in regions across the country that offer tours and specials. You may discover a product you enjoy, like I enjoy Premium Light and Yuengling Lager. You may also come to find that there are companies, products, events, etc. in your region that have some really amazing histories and contribute coolness and pride to you local region.

Link to the Yuengling Brewery. Check it out!!

Chrissy