It was only a matter of time.
After years of loyal service strapped to my pack, my beloved camera, a Sony NEX-6, finally died. Together we’ve been through a lot — starting with countless hikes, to one kid, to a back injury, to fishing trips, to a second kid — and such a reliable companion deserves a good send off. Here’s is my best shot.
Below you will find a retelling of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd’s Goodnight Moon framed around pictures my camera took over its lifetime. This is a parody.
Goodnight Moon is a perfect book. My youngest wont go to sleep without reading it and no kids room is complete without it. Please consider buying a copy to thank them for inspiring this post. I receive no kickbacks, but here is a link to Amazon and an independent bookstore finder for your convenience.
Under the Arizona sky
There are two little boys
With lots of things to try
And mountains with-
Trails steep enough to make sore thighs.
And two men swearing not to do this again
And a perfect canyon
And great companions
And a blue hat
And Uncle Pat
And nets full of fish we won’t put in a dish
And a views prettier than you ever could wish
Goodnight sky
Goodnight sore thighs.
Goodnight trails steep enough to make sore thighs.
Goodnight light
And goodnight things to try
Goodnight men
Goodnight swearing never to do this again
Goodnight canyon
And goodnight companions
Goodnight chub
And goodnight flubs
Goodnight blue hat
And goodnight Uncle Pat
Goodnight net
And goodnight fish
Goodnight cabin
Goodnight avoiding the dish
And goodnight views prettier than you ever could wish
Goodnight kids
Goodnight Mom
Goodnight perfect nighttime calm.
Max Wilson is a born and raised Arizonan with a love for all that is beautiful and strange about the Southwest. He studied at Arizona State University, where he received his PhD in ecology. He writes here at Lesser Places, occasionally for Backpacker, and even more occasionally for scientific journals. You can follow him on twitter @maxomillions.