Outdoor Pursuits......a defense

Our kids love the outdoors. This is one thing that Race and I have been successful at passing on to them.

But, still. Pictures like the ones below, undoubtedly make some folks cringe. Like we have abondoned our child to grow up with nature, as nature would have it. Like race and I have dreadlocks, and are living in a van down by the river. But, let me explain...

For Jack, the outdoors is like one Giant Treasure Hunt. The motherload, if you will of amazing, mindblowing mysteries to be solved.

I kid you not, when I tell you that this child skeptically, and correctly critiques "Survivorman".

He is very well versed in the dangers in our "neck of the woods". (Due to his own curiosity and the paistaking training of MANY family members! Thanks, Mam-maw, pap-paw, Aunt Thomasina, Austin, Savannah...just to name a few!) He can identify all the plants, reptiles, mammals, fishes, and all manner of living things here where we live. He knows which snakes and lizards are O.K. to catch, and which must be avoided and reported. So, we haven't just let the little guy grow up like Tarzan.......exactly. And we do wrangle him up on Sundays, clean him up and sit him in chuch to keep him civilized and religious. Really. There's no cause for alarm.

Look! Blissful childhood!! There it is! In action..


Behold! ............The Booty!! (No, I don't mean the quarter...stick with me, here)

Jack found this little baby snapping turtle in the creek yesterday. I thought that the kid was going to wet his pants! He was so excited that he wanted to sit down and write( YES. WRITE.....With a pencil and paper, and everything.......have I mentioned that this kid is a total pencil-phobe??) a letter to his little cousin(and fellow critter catcher) Q, to tell him about it. Complete with photo.

So, while he is, maybe, some sort of modern-day Mowgli, his father actually holds a very respectable job, his mother wears make-up, and much-too-rarely-, gets her nails done. And sometimes, on a weekday, we even make him discard his loincloth and wear civilized clothing. So......no worries.......we're good.

have a good day!

Melissa