Early Spring is best for Louisiana camping

I camped in the creek bottom Friday night. The sun had set, and darkness was quickly closing in. I set up my tent under the drop- off, to be sheltered from that North wind whistling across the field. It had been a lovely, mild afternoon but the temperature was dropping rapidly. Trees and brush were tight, so a large enough campsite was hard to find in the fading light; I was especially trying to avoid the game trails. Those deer will ramble around all night long and keep waking you with their nervous snorts and foot stamping. Once the tent was pitched, I stepped off to a convenient kitchen spot and saw a green fireball overhead. I looked up and saw another… don’t meteor showers come in the early morning? Then I saw another that was nearly stationary… lightning bugs! They were scattered all around in the treetops and when one was caught in a gust of wind, his flash went through the woods like a tracer. That was quite a show. I never knew fireflies were out this early or at such cool temperatures. Supper in the dark must be simple and hot, so Ramen soup was on the menu: quick, easy cleanup, and I was ready to duck into the tent. I fired up the candle lantern and it quickly moderated the temperature in my little solo tent, but it’s not quite enough light to read by. Funny… I recall that it used to be enough light… maybe they just don’t make candles like they used to. Unfortunately, my bed was not very satisfactory. Setting up in the dark, with few spots available, I had picked a very lumpy location, and could expect as long night. I soon crashed and the next I knew, my cell phone’s alarm was calling me… maybe it was not so bad a site after all. I love to watch the woods come alive in the early morning. The sky was just beginning to gray when I heard the turkey gobble across the creek. I might be looking for him next weekend! Then I heard an excited- sounding hen start up, and there were several abbreviated gobbles… I don’t know enough about turkeys: maybe those were still on the roost; or maybe they were the younger jakes.