This past weekend marked the annual “family” camping trip my boyfriend and I go on with two other couples. Friday after work we all drove to Mount Blue State Park for a great weekend of campfire-cooked food, lake time, warm days and comfortably cool nights.

Mount Blue is a great family camping destination with many campsites, nearby hiking options and a big lake, and it’s just a short two-hour drive from the Portland area. The main office tracks which sites are occupied with a simple washer hook board that is a wonderful example of an artful everyday object, to me anyway- I love the geometric design and mixed washer colors.

Given the ease of access to our campsite we were able to enjoy some more luxurious meals and activities (read: we brought cast iron and paddleboards- something you wouldn’t likely pack for the Appalachian). The site we were at was a short walk through lush green forest to the lake where we spent a lot of time fishing, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, and swimming.  We relaxed in the evenings and gathered around the fire roasting marshmallows and enjoying summer in Maine. This weekend was just the break from the office I needed!

I hope you had a great weekend too! Hayley