Many many moons ago I sat at this very shore at this very shelter.
So many moons ago my dearly beloved SIL just gave back to me my BL time machine decoder ring.
I now know my SIL took this picture just after 1 am on a Monday night.
More on that later. M n M.
It was one of those not really happy camper type days you see.
One of those holly nasty storming all afternoon hence the tarps type of days.
So as the 'nasty ones' in the afternoon here abouts tend to dew in the evening they lend themselves to spectacular midnights.
The forest around this little ice age pot hole comes to life at dusk like no other place on earth I've ever experienced.
So about 10 minutes after this camera flashed above my left shoulder.
My retinas are still adjusting .. still adjusting back to campfire eyes and severe clear overhead.
Just over my Right shoulder a whiff, a musty weekend smell, something that sounds like human footfall ..
Beak are you screwing with me?
Nope comes from inside the 2 dome tents in the shelter right behind me from the other 3 humans present.
hmm.
The very cool local Black Bear matriarch known as Midnight Mandy sauntered about 8 feet just off my starboard elbow in the pic.
.. drank at the 'dock' and slipped into the pond without a thought huffing with glee.
I looked away just like I was another cheap folding camp chair, but I did glance at her big black eye as I'm not suppose to do.
I think the vibe back from her was as long as you leave my house as clean as yours we're all good.
Ever since her I walk around every and any campground that would have me on Monday dusk's with a huge garbage bag.
Years ago a lot to pick up ..
Now I come back to my site smiling with just another empty bag. 2023.
A 300 lb VT sow winked at me once in 1993 _ I hold up my end of the bargain.
https://www.vtstateparks.com/assets/pdf/halfmoon.pdf