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.

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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.

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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.

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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.