June 21: Here in lies a tale of the summer solstice sunrise!

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. Jawaharlal Nehru 

I have tried, where possible to support the girls with adventures, so when Nic said she had been invited on a sunrise hike up Mount Tammany by her environmental teacher in honor of the summer solstice (gasp, already!!!), I said, awesome...how are you going to get there? No problem, she had organized a ride...all good...just make sure she is up at 2:30 am to meet her ride, and get to the Delaware Water Gap and up the mountain in time to see the sunrise. Oh...what? Your ride has fallen through, never mind. Do you think you could please take me Mom, because my driver's license is still probationary and I can't drive before 5 am, and I will catch a ride home? Sigh, of course dear...how often do you get to hike up a mountain and watch the sunrise of the summer solstice? So...the alarm goes off at 2:20 am...not a stir from the animals...they are actually, what are you crazy hoomans doing??? Up and out the door by 3:00 am, arrive at said destination parking lot off the side of the I-80 at 4:00 am, perfect timing to meet the contingent on the hike, except that no-one is around but us....hmmm. Then, a car pulls up behind us, and I am petrified...have watched too many horror movies, and someone comes to the window...Nicole? I think we have the wrong parking lot. Whew! Not the axe-murderer...I forgot to mention that Riley also came along for the ride...and was a fierce protector. So, we followed the car in front of us to the correct parking lot, which was about as dodge as the first, and just as Nic stepped out the car she said...ooo, would you mind waiting, I don't have a ride home?...if I had known I may have worn hiking shoes, not slipslops, or brought some work to do, or a book to read....but instead I said, sure (mumble, mumbly)....just have fun and don't take too long! Every five minutes on find friends....where is she? I need the bathroom, oh my gosh, is that someone coming towards the car with a flashlight, oh no, those are fireflies, oh goodness, another car is pulling in, hide under the dash, shhhh Riley, stop barking. The best part I forgot to mention is that it was pouring with rain and foggy!!! What is the time? Surely it must be getting light by now...oh no, it's only 4:30 am...and on it went until finally it stopped raining, got light, and I could lie back, open the sunroof and shut my eyes for two minutes with my fierce companion protecting me!!! Just as I was about to doze off, the car door opened....and there was Nic! Whew! Mental note, always keep the doors locked! The things we do!