Spring!

It's been a cold spring, rainy and snowy and less than ideal for being outside. So the last couple of days have been pretty nice.

Saturday began at Home Depot, the idea being to get flowers and a wheelbarrow and whatnot. But there was a kids carpentry activity going on, and jack was entranced. He got a little orange apron, and he and I made a bird feeder. Took a picture of him when we were finished and it was an easy, natural, and proud smile.

At home, swept up in the carpentry fervor, Jack wanted to do more building. So we found some scrap wood, the fact that I throw nothing out occasionally pays off, and made him a little toolbox. Came out pretty nice, if I do say so myself. He happily filled it with cool-looking tools and stray nails and such, and then set about instructing Kate on How to Be a Builder.

 Later, while Kate had dance class, Jack and I went to the ball field to practice. We met a couple of his teammates and a couple of other dads, hit some balls, fielded some grounded, made some throws. At times Jack messes around and doesn't take things seriously, then I remember he is only 8, then he focuses and gets a nice hit or makes a nice play, then he doesn't...it's a fine line. Anyway, felt great to be outside. Couple of times, playing short, he ranged to his left to field a grounder and snagged it in his glove while on the run. It actually looked natural, like an extension of his arm.

Today we went to Teatown Lake Nature Center, hiked 1.5 miles around a lake, saw some cool owls, an eagle, and vultures -- all animals that had been in some way hurt and couldn't have survived in the wild. "Education Ambassadors" the signs called them. Kids loved the animals, and most of the hike, making up little games with leaders and followers, captains and navigators. They were game for everything, even when the wind off the lake was pretty strong and we were all chilled.

What was a little funny was Jack being disappointed we didn't see more animals, owls flying about us, snakes slithering by as we walked the trail. I tried to explain that just being in nature, hiking, feeling the air and the sun, was the appeal, but realized I was the same way as a kid, as we went on numerous trips out to get wild flowers and such. I wanted to see animals, not this rippling water, swaying tree stuff!

Anyway, it was a nice hike, and I am convinced Jack and Kate will one day write about such trips themselves, fully appreciating them.