September 2. It must have been an unusual temperature drop even for the Adirondacks – the night was harshly cold, down to freezing. After seeing the forecast, we made a stop at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Albany and bought thermal underwear (“base layer”). Two layers of wool over that, hat, gloves, sleeping bags, and it was still cold. So cold, in fact, that I walked up and down the campsite from three o'clock to four because I couldn’t stand lying motionless in the hammock anymore. Condensating breath. Got up at twenty past six, made fire again. Thank you, fire.

We look into the fire, we look up at the domes of leaves, we look at the sky, stars if present. The restlessness of doing nothing else slowly dissipates.

Children’s voices reverberate between the trees.