This past weekend Adam and I headed south to the Santa Cruz mountains to go camping at Big Basin, a breathtaking state park full of two thousand year old Redwoods, brightly colored banana slugs and foggy ocean mist.
Even though it was Easter, it was a tough weekend for me personally because it was the two year anniversary of my brother’s death. So, I chose to honor his life the best way I knew how—by cooking dinner (and breakfast!) over a campfire, by falling asleep to the sound of rain on my tent and by going on a strenuous five mile hike through misty old growth Redwoods.
ps–we stayed in a tent cabin here. Even as a total camping newbie, I thought it was fantastic! My favorite part of our little tent cabin was the wood burning furnace in the corner. And yes, I totally pretended it was the Little House in the Big Woods.
Who do you think I am, anyway?
{ 69 comments… read them below or add one }
i love that shot (#14 i think…?) of the trail in the woods…it just looks so beautiful and peaceful! i have been praying for you with the 2-year anniversary of your brother’s death…i’ve never lost a sibling, but i can imagine that it would be incredibly hard, even as time goes on. hope you have a beautiful day today!
This is such a beautiful, and peaceful post. What a stunning setting for a getaway, and a perfect way to honor your brother’s life and memory.
HOW FUN! i love camping like this! Thinking of you always! glad you had such a great weekend dear! xo
Such beautiful pictures!!
I love the way you honored your brother too. I can’t even begin to imagine how hard it was for you. You have such a lovely spirit
Camping is so much fun.. love your little cabin! Sleeping on the ground is sometimes the worst part. and you avoided it!
These are such lovely photos Jenna, and what a great way to honour your brother. Looks like you and Adam had a great weekend together.
What a great getaway! So much more glamorous than the mini-tents that I always end up pitching when my family and friends go camping.
And that bumper sticker is perfect
Most people under-estimate the power of clearing our heads. Trips like these are sometimes crucial to our health!
Great pictures! Getting away is often needed to just regroup and focus on what’s important.
I’ve never been camping in my adult life and want to go so bad this spring! I went a few times as a kid but can’t even distinctly remember it. Looks like so much fun!
I hope you had a great adventure this Easter weekend. It looks like a relaxing wonderful couple of days!
Thoughts and prayers are with you, jenna!
For someone who has never gone camping, I’m finding your pictures enticing! Glad you got to spend the weekend remembering your brother in a great way.
STUNNING photos, Jenna! I think my favorite is away from it all… Hope you found some peace this weekend. Hugs, Karen
I haven’t been camping in a long long time — I loved looking through the pictures!
looks like you had a great time!! nice photos
what a great way to celebrate your brothers life!
Now this is camping! What a beautiful place.
We each have our own way of dealing with things. I can relate to the needing to get away to just think and remember. Hope it was a therapeutic time to remember the brother you love.
xo
What a wonderful camping trip! You did a lovely job of honouring your brother x
I think that’s a great way to honor someone, and a very nice way to spend Easter as well
I’ve never been camping, I really want to go but I’m a little scarred….
It looks like a really nice way to spend the weekend and honor your brother’s life. I hope you were filled of happy memories throughout.
That sounds like a very special way to celebrate Easter and pay tribute to your Brother’s life.
How gorgeous and what a wonderful way to tribute the memory of your brother.
We went camping there when I was 12. I hate camping, but that trip was magical. One favorite memory from that trip: hiking with my pregnant mother, my uncle, and my cousin Peter (who was 11 at the time.) Peter and his dad had been to San Francisco before meeting up with us and Peter had purchased a one pound bag of saltwater taffy. He brought the bag on the hiking trip in case we wanted some snacks. My mom offered to carry the bag, and proceeded to eat ALL of his taffy. We were on a short hike, so this was noteworthy to us. Peter was really upset.
Anyway
I loved seeing photos and reliving the vacation! We were obsessed with finding banana slugs when we were there, so it was so fun to see a photo of one of the slugs.
I hope that Easter Sunday view brought you some peace. I wonder if John had a part in making sure your weather was nice that morning.
I love that you took the weekend to celebrate life.
And that you conquered camping! 
I think you picked the best way to do a weekend away and celebrated your brothers life : ) I bet he was watching from heaven : )
Just found your blog through Health magazine! Very excited to read more. Your weekend sounds like the perfect way to honor your brother’s memory. I’ve never really been camping but I think I should try it out sometime!
Lovely pictures Jenna, I really enjoyed looking through them! Hope you are feeling rejuvenated after this weekend. It looks so peaceful!
Gorgeous shots, especially the last few. What an incredible way to honor John.
What a wonderful way to honor your brother. And your pictures of your trip are great, especially #14 (can I copy for my own personal use only??, just love that!!) We love camping and go often but have not been yet this year, still to much snow!
I LOVE camping and you’re making me miss it!
That looks like a lot of fun! The pics are gorgeous and I love that you packed wine glasses! I have never seen a banana slug before, that thing is crazy!
Sounds like a lovely time! Glad you enjoyed yourself.
Gorgeous pictures. Glad you were able to get away. There have been a few weekends that we’ve gone to a family farm to get away when things are tough. Nature can be so relaxing and restoring.
Lovely. Just lovely. I hope it helped you to get away.
I saw my first banana slug in Santa Cruz!!!
I miss camping…you only get a few good weeks in FL when it isn’t too hot! I think your brother would have loved the way you honored him outdoors!
And what a view for Easter morning! Truly a miracle!
Super cute. Those hot dogs are makig me hungry for lunch.
so i love that you came to the santa cruz mountains and saw a banana slug in just two days, while i’ve been living here and being a ‘banana slug’ for 9 months, and still haven’t seen one
and now i’m excited to go camping in my own neck o the woods!
Good for you! Can’t go wrong with Big Basin.
Big Basin is a beautiful park. I have quite a bit of fun memories there
hope you have fond memories from there as well. Such a lovely place to honor your brother.
I can’t imagine there is a place in the world that is more beautiful than the Redwoods. I certainly haven’t seen it and I’ve travelled a fair amount. I think it may be time for me to return soon!
What a beautiful place to camp! I love your pictures! It looks like you had a wonderful camping experience, what a great way to honor and remember your brother!
what a nice trip. camping is the best!
What a great way to honor your brother! After my Mom passed away, I spent many hours hiking those same trails in her honor, as well as running through Huddart Park. There’s something about those trees and quiet trails that brings me closer to her.
I love the redwoods. I haven’t been in quite some time.
Your brother was right there with you both, noshing on a chili dog.
Looks like you all had a fabulous weekend!
stunning ~ a beautiful way to enjoy the holiday and honour your brother ~
we spent time there when we were in california a while ago, completely adored it!
Beautiful pictures, and what a lovely homage to your brother.
That sounds like the perfect weekend, Jenna! I’m sure your brother was smiling down on you.
What a lovely and restful weekend. (hugs)
What a great way to honor your brother! I never knew banana slugs existed-kind of gross!
Beautiful photos! So glad to hear you had a relaxing getaway.
I love camping! Of course, our trips are not NEARLY so relaxing with 4 little Fergusons to run after. I think buying Organic Chili in a can makes it waaaay classier, just sayin’!
My favorite campfire food is Pepsi chicken, I have the recipe on TK I do believe. That and scrambled egg, canadian bacon and cheese english muffins in foil on the coals for breakfast, YUM!
Looks like you had a wonderful resurrection weekend and quiet time in honor of your brothers life. Thanks for sharing!
What a very beautiful way to honor your brother. In a dell of ancient trees, under the stars, by a fire with your soulmate. My brother’s death is the ghost that never leaves me…lightened in nature. Prayers for your family.
We hiked there back in FEbruary for our anniversary. It was beautiful! Did you have to take that ridiculously windy 1-lane road of death to get there?
The pictures are beautiful! It looks like a lovely trip, and what a beautiful way to honor your brother. I’m sure he was smiling down on you this weekend!
So pretty.
<>
What’s in the 4th pic?! Did you make cornbread too? Love that you get away on the weekends.
Send me a man and a tent please.
And franks. With beans.
Love your pics – but they take forevvvvvvvvvvverrrrrrrr to load!
What amazing pictures, Jenna, and I am so sorry that this weekend was tough for you. Major hugs to you!
The trip looks wonderful and hopefully like it brought some smiles to your face. Thanks for sharing the great images!
Love the pictures…. they are all beautiful. I love the one of just the trail!
I totally pretended I was Laura in the kitchen with “Ma” at least 5 times this past week
Happy Easter, Jenna!
Thinking of you and your family and your brother John.
Camping, outdoors and chilidogs in the woods-hope this retreat and
being so close to nature was peaceful. I know you have written your brother
was a surfer and loved the waves-hope being in the great outdoors
sang out to both your spirits in a way only brother and sister can understand.
Blessings.
I’m sorry to hear about your brother’s death but I think celebrating in a positive way is healthy. You did something to honor his memory.
I love Big Basin! And the banana slugs are our mascot at here UCSC
Looks like a fun weekend and my heart goes out to you and your family.
I love Banana Slugs!!!
pic 6–love the title. name for your next blog?
What a lovely trip. Thinking of you during this tough time. My tough time is in December. I lost my brother 3 and a half years ago, just before Christmas. What a lovely way to spend this time. Hugs!
Heidi xo
Jenna~~~
I truly still consider you and John “my kids”!!!
I love it – I knew you were really Laura Ingalls!!!
I am so lucky to share so many many awesome memories of John with you! We had some really fun and great times together – that have really impacted me now that I am a mother!
Love you so much!!
Anne.
I’m jealous! I love camping and that park looks extra beautiful.
I just came upon you site and have enjoyed the few posts I have read so far. I love food, check. I love camping, check. Thanks for sharing.
{ 2 trackbacks }