The Star of All Valleys

  Chapter 2

  The kids were up early, ready to explore. Willy let them go to the rest room with Aggie. They were full of news when they got back. "Mommy, there's all this gross stinky stuff in their toilets," Allison complained. "Why don't they ever flush?" Aggie hooted at that and Willy explained the finer points of campground plumbing.

  "Just be glad we don't have to use the bushes. At least we have someplace to sit and a little privacy," she said.

  "Boys don't need to sit all the time," boasted Jeffy, always ready to find something to be proud of. "Grandpa says it's okay for us men to water trees in the woods," he snickered.

  "Grandpa had better quit teaching you disgusting things," said Aggie. "If I see you watering a tree, I'll barf!"

  "Clean up your mouths and wash your hands," interrupted Willy. "Breakfast is almost ready."

  Over their breakfast of pancakes and bacon, they planned the day. “Let’s just stay around here today and enjoy the mountains,” Willy said. “I’d love to take a lot of pictures. There is a beautiful view in every direction.” Aggie, Allison and Jeffy all agreed wholeheartedly.

  “We need to explore all the trails,” Aggie mused. “Let’s go over to the ranger station and get a map. Maybe we can see some wildlife.” Aggie was a budding naturalist and wanted to go into some field dealing with any aspect of nature when she got older. At thirteen she had many dreams and aspirations, but remaining at the top of the list was her love of all things natural.

  “Good idea,” Willy agreed. “Let’s get this camp set up so it’s like home first, then we can go out exploring.”

  Allison and Jeffy were just happy to be done travelling for a while and enthusiastic about whatever happened. They were willing to go along with whatever their mother and aunt decided as long as it involved plenty of play time.

  They spent the morning putting up a canopy over the picnic table, making their area homey, and gathering wildflowers. Willy had gotten out a colorful table cloth and Allison and Jeffy brought pretty rocks they found to put around the edges to hold it down in the breeze. She sent the kids to look around camp for flowers to make a centerpiece and found a cup they could fill with water to put them in.

  When all looked pretty and homey, they started out on their exploring journey. The first stop was at the ranger station on the edge of the lake. They were greeted by a friendly young lady ranger who pointed out the rack of maps and forest information and told them more about the area. After spreading the map and consulting, they decided to hike along the road at the edge of Cottonwood Lake and see the sights in that direction.

  They hadn’t gone far when Aggie, ever watchful for wildlife, directed their attention across the lake and they watched a moose come out of the trees and feed in the willows at the edge. They watched until it moved deeper into the willows out of sight and then they went on their way. They passed a whole mountainside of loose, tumbled rocks and caught sight of a family of marmots busy with their winter preparations in and out of holes between them. Jeffy wondered why the rocks didn't fall on them. Willy answered all his questions patiently but was glad when he found a stick and went charging off to try to capture some wildlife. Three year old boys were so inquisitive and full of curiosity.

  They decided to try wading in the lake in the hot afternoon, but one dip of their bare feet in the water and they gave up on that idea. They had seen some banks of snow left under the protecting trees on their hike and now they understood why the water was so cold. Aggie was disappointed. She loved to swim and wanted to see how deep the lake was. Willy promised her that they would try to find a swimming pool when they went to town tomorrow. Their attention was diverted when Allison found some tiny sea shells at the edge of the lake. Willy got a shot or two of the pretty little things and gave Allison and Jeffy each a plastic bag to collect as many as they could carry.

  They watched a group of people pump up and launch two rubber rafts, then climb aboard and paddle toward the far end of the lake. They were friendly folks and worked and played with much humor and noise. One young mother told Willy that she and her siblings met here at Cottonwood Lake every summer for a family reunion. “We miss our parents. They used to love it up here too. They would tell us about the big dance floor that was built here in their younger days. All the young people would travel in their wagons and by horse to come to the dances.”

  The sun was to the tops of the western hills when Willy put away her camera. She had gotten some beautiful shots of the lake and surrounding areas. She had a knack for photography and sometimes the pictures brought in more money than the articles. She was getting quite good at picking out interesting angles and color combinations.

  Several times during the day, Willy had found herself daydreaming about yesterday and the tall ranger with strong arms. She had kind of looked for him as they hiked around. When they had stopped in at the ranger station to get a map of the area, she had entered with a little nervousness that he would mention something about their encounter yesterday, but he hadn't been there. The young, very pretty woman at the counter had helped them with maps and answered her questions. She found herself feeling a faint stab of jealousy and was surprised at her reaction. "He certainly has nothing to do with me," she told herself.

  Returning to the camp, they all spread out and went in search of firewood. Aggie hit pay dirt when she happened across a nice stack in another campsite. “Nobody is there,” she said. “Who cares if we use it?” They all trooped over and carried back armfuls to pile by their own fire ring.

  They built another fire and sat around it after supper. It grew very chilly after the sun went down. Willy pulled out warm jackets for them all since the fire only kept one side of them warm at a time. Faint singing could be heard from the large family group camping down the road. They listened and then joined in with their own voices when it was a song they knew. “I wish that Grandma was here,” sighed Allison. “She knows so many songs.”

  When Jeffy's head grew heavy against her arm, Willy stood and picked up the flashlight. "One last trip to the bathroom," she said. "Let's all go together and then we'll turn in for the night."

  Teeth brushed and prayers said, they settled down in their beds and listened to the night sounds. An owl hooted from somewhere nearby and an answering hoot came from farther away. They could see the stars shining brightly in the windows and the moon rising over the mountains. Willy lay awake until she heard the deep, even breathing of the children then her eyes closed in peaceful sleep also.