Swing anyone?
From the time I was about two or three years old until I was nine I lived in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada – on an Air Force base. This was the best place in the world for a child to grow up as far as I am concerned. Maybe it was just because we lived only three doors down from the school grounds entrance and our backyard backed onto the school property or maybe it was because I had lots of friends around me who also loved to be outside. Being an Air Force base, at this time, it was a very safe place to live. Whatever the reason, I absolutely LOVED it!
I spent most of my life outside in those days and try to do the same now... even in winter I try to find as much to do outside as possible. There’s a book by Richard Louv called “Last child in the woods” where he talks about his belief in the issue of nature-deficit disorder. I haven’t read it yet but it’s high on my list of books to read next!
I definitely want my daughter to spend as much time outside as she can get. We have a 3 seasons room, which is a screened in area of our neck, with a roof. We can be out there rain or shine. As of the fall, we also have a completely fenced-in backyard. I really wanted a swing set for her, just like I had in the ‘good old days’ and as of yesterday she has one!
It was almost ritualistic the way that it went up, with the five of us out there... Willow, my husband and our two dogs. I tried to help my husband, grouping like things together, keeping Willow and the dogs out of the small pieces and letting the dogs chew up the big cardboard box that it came in. There was even a bon fire to burn the box when we were done... another one of my favourite things to do! I’m hoping that this ritual will be a sign of all the amazing fun to take place in our backyard for years to come.
(c) 2010 www.kimbelangermills.com All rights reserved.
I spent most of my life outside in those days and try to do the same now... even in winter I try to find as much to do outside as possible. There’s a book by Richard Louv called “Last child in the woods” where he talks about his belief in the issue of nature-deficit disorder. I haven’t read it yet but it’s high on my list of books to read next!
It was almost ritualistic the way that it went up, with the five of us out there... Willow, my husband and our two dogs. I tried to help my husband, grouping like things together, keeping Willow and the dogs out of the small pieces and letting the dogs chew up the big cardboard box that it came in. There was even a bon fire to burn the box when we were done... another one of my favourite things to do! I’m hoping that this ritual will be a sign of all the amazing fun to take place in our backyard for years to come.
(c) 2010 www.kimbelangermills.com All rights reserved.
Wow, you have the same memories as I do of our old housing in Cold Lake.... Out of all the Bases I lived on, Cold Lake was will always hold a special place in my heart. I loved the toboggan hill "Suicide Run" as it was called... the small little creek (which was more like a river to us at that age)... it was magical and fun there. I truly miss it. -TM-
ReplyDeleteYES! Loved that 'creek' which I, too, remember as more of a river -LOL. I will always have the special memory of tadpole 'hunting' with my mom. What a magical place it was :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks TM !