This is What Camping Food Prep Looks Like

This is what Tammy camping food prep looks like. I’ve got 2 or 3 meals of pasta salad – which will be eaten first since it has cheese in it, a couple meals of tofu and cous cous, granola/juice/fruit for breakfast, these snack bars that I made and then more snacks and peanut butter (always great for the last day) in the bag.

It takes a lot of time to prepare for camping. Sometimes while I am doing it I ask myself, “Why do I camp?” But I prepare all my meals before I go, so once I’m there it’s done and it’s magnificent. Today was nice as I originally thought I’d be leaving today, but now I’m leaving tomorrow so I had the whole day to prepare without feeling rushed (#1).

The reason I’m leaving tomorrow is after at least four years of recruitment, I finally got a friend to go attend the Labor Day music festival that I love. It’s been raining off and on all day, so I’m actually glad we decided to leave tomorrow anyway.

I went back and forth to the garden to get cherry tomatoes, an heirloom tomato, green peppers, green onions, parsley and basil all fresh available and ready to fuel camping (#2). And the rain always seemed to let up when I was ready for another ingredient.

Similarly, I told myself I would bike to yoga this AM rain or shine, but I didn’t have to test whether I meant it. It wasn’t raining when I woke up so it was easier to motivate myself to go. Though it started thundering not too long after I came back. I hadn’t been to one of Sheila’s classes all summer and I really enjoy her as a teacher (#3).


Every once in a while I get on a children’s lit kick. The last couple times at the library I searched for Newbery award winning books that were currently on the shelf. Yesterday I started, and today finished, one called Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. It is a historical fiction book that takes place in Oklahoma during the dust bowl and the whole thing is written in poems. I was skeptical, but I started reading it during dinner last night and finished at least half in one sitting. The author does an exceptional job of drawing me into the thirst for the rain and the dust everywhere. I especially love the way she describes the rain on p. 177. (#4)


I was looking for a Wendell Berry poem in an old journal. Then I started looking through the journal. . I wrote in journals for over six years before I ever put an image in one. The journal I was looking through is when I began to mix up images with words. Now, over 10 years later, I can see how an image can capture something in a way that words can’t. This drawing brings me back to a very special day, unclouded by the interpretation that words would have provided. I haven't taken the time to do that for years, I’m glad that day I did (#5).