It snowed Saturday night and again most of the day Tuesday in this part of the state. The kids didn’t get the snow day they had hoped for this morning so no photos from the most recent snow, at least not yet, but here are a few shots of my children (and one of Dad) from winters past.
Hardcore Hannah
Kids of all ages — as well as parents — should play outside, especially in the winter. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars, fly to Colorado and learn to snow ski. Just get outside and play, especially when they close school because of the snow.
What better way to begin a new year than with a hike? A relatively warm day was the perfect time to explore Elam Bend Conservation Area south of where we live. Identify animal tracks in the snow, look for whitetail sheds, walk across a pond or two if the ice is thick enough and, if you’re lucky, startle a turkey or deer.
Elam Bend covers more than 1,400 acres along the Grand River. There are no designated hiking trails but there are plenty of Missouri Department of Conservation roads to explore. There’s fishing along the river, deer and turkey are plentiful, and I’ve seen quail and pheasant a time or two. There’s also a shooting range and primitive camping. Old Havana Trail runs through the east side of Elam Bend where you can find the Newby Cemetery from the late 1800s and a boat ramp that provides a great place to end a Grand River float trip after putting in at Gentryville.
In 2006, Dad and a couple of his friends took my brother, my son, one of my childhood friends and me on a fishing trip to Canada. Upon our arrival in Canada, we were asked to leave so we returned to the U.S. to fish instead on Pelican Lake in Minnesota. Although the trip didn’t go as planned we got a good story and plenty of laughs from it as well as fish for supper every night.
I’ve long been told to use my inside voice. Well I’m not sure where I’m going with this blog other than to share a few photos and maybe some comments while trying to develop an outside voice, whatever that may mean.
Outside Voice 