Louv Readings

After reading Last Child in the Woods I was able to remember plenty of natural experiences I had as a child. Till the age of 6 I lived off 41 in Island Park. Although it was your typical middle class family neighborhood I really don't remember not spending my days outside. My friends and I had a tree-fort, several vacant lots to dig in and play chase on. I remember catching Minos in the ditches, climbing trees, and playing in the mud. After that we moved off Daniels Pkwy and my nature consisted of the preserve behind my house. My dad cleared a path going a few miles back and we would always venture through there. One day my brother and I made a teepee hut out of thin logs and Melaleuca bark. When I was 12 and my parents got divorced my mom stayed there and my dad moved onto 5 acres of land. This was truly a great experience. We had horses, our own chicken coop, a pig, 3 dogs, and ducks. Every single day was an adventure and a definite learning experience. I have always been an animal lover, but to to have the chance to be around some that I would not normally have been able to was very rewarding. I loved every minute of it so a few years later when we moved I was heartbroken. Nothing compares to fresh eggs, a baby duck that follows your every step, delivering puppies, riding horses bareback, and having bonfires on every spare weekend.
Fishing has also been a big part of my families life. Growing up in Florida my dad had a boat that we took out at least 2-3 times a month. I was young and not the most patient child so fishing wasn't always at the top of my list. What I do remember with enjoyment was hooking the bate, swimming while anchored, and of course dad always bought me caned catfish to through off the back of the boat. When we weren't out on the boat we were at the beach or gone for the weekend camping.
Although things have changed in the past 5 years and I'm not very outdoorsy anymore I will always cherish the memories I have and would like to make an attempt to do more of these activities again.