Adventure In The Woods

When we were growing up one of our stand by activities was playing down by the creek, in "the forest" as we use to call it. It was really in the tall cotton woods that lined the creek bank East of our house. Yes, we played down there for hours, unattended, by a body of water, and somehow we all lived to tell about it. At the time there was an old pick up truck that was half covered with mud. We could get in the through the windows, but we could also climb on top of it and make up all sorts of stories about how it had gotten there. There was a big cotton wood that had fallen down that we walked across, we made forts, played house and Narnia, looked at animal tracks, played in the water, and all sorts of other adventures. Our cue to come back up to the house was when mom or dad would honk the bus horn, then we would make our way back up to the house through the tall grass and by way of the hay bales.

My memories from the woods are some of my fondest childhood memories of my brother, sister, and I all playing together. That's why I was so excited that the weather was nice enough to take Zane down to the creek. Grandma and Zane had gone down and scouted out a good fort location earlier in the day and we made plans for a picnic there when they got back. At lunch time we gathered our picnic supplies, and a hatchet for fort making, then to the creek we went. The grass is shorter than I remember, but there are many more tree branches hitting me in the face, funny how that works out. Once we got there Zane showed us the room that Grandma and him had started making earlier in the day with "pipes" (AKA branches). We quickly ate our lunch then Zach and Zane got busy building a fort against a large fallen tree branch.

 On  the menu, ham and cheese sandwiches, veggies with ranch dip, and oatmeal cookies.

There was lots of exploring, looking for long branches and bark used to to make the walls and the roof of their fort. Zane found a snake skin and a hollow tree, both great finds for our little explorer. He too played house in the different areas marked by fallen branches and trees. The wind here was insane, yet again, today, but in the woods you could hear it, but it wasn't wiping at your face. We were shielded by the trees and eventually by quiet the little fort. This made being outside tolerable for a little while. I can't handle the wind.

Rowan did not enjoy his picnic, throwing up a couple times, but he rallied and eventually enjoyed stomping in the leaves, chewing on sticks, and playing with people on the blanket while the exploring and building took place. I found the hood of the pick up we used to play in. It is now completely covered with dirt, grass and trees growing on top of it now, except one little hole where the hood is peaking out.

The walk back was difficult for Zane, as it always is. By the time you're ready to head to the house you are exhausted, hot, hungry, and thirsty. Turns out Zane might have not enjoyed his lunch either or caught some sort of stomach bug in the woods as he spent the rest of his day with a belly ache. Too many veggies and ranch?? Who knows, but we had a wonderful time in the woods and I can't wait to make more memories there with my boys.

Very proud of his little house.