One of the best things about summer is the warm evenings we get from time to time. These nights are usually part of a three- or four-day heat wave.

When we were growing up, these evenings were great for sleeping out under the stars in our sleeping bags on the lawn in front of our house. We did not have a tent, but I remember dad had some Army cots that he kept in the garage that we always used. My brother Dana and I were pretty small. I recall dad opening up the heavy wooden frame of the cot, exposing the tan-colored canvas that was soon stretched tight as dad put the cots together. Soon four cots were lined up on the lawn. Mom and dad slept outside with us for the great adventure.

When my sisters Mia and Elisa came along, dad bought some cots with aluminum frames. They were much lighter than the Army cots, and I think we got some more sleeping bags from the S&H Green Stamp store in Santa Barbara. Soon, the Army cots were replaced with the newer, aluminum models. Dad always made sure if one person had an aluminum cot, then it wasn't long that we had a total of six cots for everyone. This held true for everything from baseball mitts to bicycles.

As time went on, the four of us slept outside regularly during the summer. Mom and Dad relinquished their cots to our friends, who used to stay overnight and sleep under the stars with us. It proved to be a good deal for our dogs, as well. They would always jump up on either sister's cot and curl up near their legs, and enjoy a nice, soft berth for the night.

Occasionally, Dad would get out his two Coleman stoves. One had two burners, and the other had three. Dad loved to cook breakfast outside using his Coleman stoves. They did not have the canisters of fuel like you get today. Each stove had a portable tank you filled with fluid, which I think was white gas, and pump the plunger on the outside to develop pressure, then light the burners. Breakfast always tastes better when you cook it outside - even if it is in your front yard.

That was the extent of our camping when we were kids, but living out on the ranch with no real neighbors made for a great experience, better that any crowded camping ground. I think dad would have gotten a kick out of camping in a campground, as it would have given him the opportunity to meet all kinds of folks, most of whom probably would have ended up at our campsite for dinner.

Earlier this month, right before school started, there were several warm nights around Los Alamos. Our little boy Clayton convinced me we should all have a sleepover outside on the lawn. I agreed, and soon Clayton and his sister Kathleen were hauling our sleeping bags outside.

Advertisement

I found our tarp we use for camping, and spread it out on the lawn behind our house. Soon, a pile of blankets were spread out on top of the tarp, ready for the sleeping bags. Next came the pillows, flashlights and two or three teddy bears for company through what could be a scary night roughing it on our back lawn.

The moon was almost full, and its bright glow filled the night sky. It was so bright that my wife Karen had a hard time falling asleep. Not so with the kids and me. We were out as soon as our heads hit those pillows in the fresh evening air.

I awoke around 4 a.m. and stared up at a clear sky, filled with more stars than I can recall seeing in a long time. I found the Big Dipper, and then gazed at what seemed to be a never-ending, magical Milky Way. I looked over at my fellow campers, who had all gathered with mom in a double sleeping bag, complete with our new kitten, Palmer, who was sound asleep on Kathleen's chest, halfway under the covers.

I turned over and drifted back to sleep, thinking how lucky we were to be able to experience the same simple pleasures I enjoyed as a boy, living on a ranch near Ballard.

Kevin Merrill is a vineyard manager for Mesa Vineyard Management in Santa Maria. He is a board member for the Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau, and is president of the Central Coast Wine Growers' Association Foundation. He can be reached at kmerrill@mesavineyard.com.

August 31, 2008