Mistwalker
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2007
- Messages
- 19,024
I've been busy a lot lately, so it's been a while since I spent and entire day out with my daughter. Yesterday was a nice bright sunny day, and it was a good day to get the little one outside for a while, look around a bit and practice some skills. So, I blew everything else off for the day and we headed out.
The natural observations started in the parking lot of a local store
She likes getting her pack and gear together. Her main tools for the day: Fiddleback Forge mid-tech Hiking Buddy, her vintage GSA pocket knife, a UST sighting compass, and a UST spark force.
We went for a hike through the fields and woods around one of our favorite ponds. Lots of frogs at the pond. Most went kerplunk when we got near, sending ripples across the pond, but some just sat there. She also spotted and quickly identified some raccoon tracks. There were a lot of dragonflies too. She got a kick out of watching their dynamic courting dance in the air.
In the field beside the pond there was a lot for her to look at: Butterflies, grasshoppers, Autumn Olives, Blackberries, Crabapples, Garlic flowers, Passiflora vines, and Carolina Horsenettle to name a few.
Various fungi popping up, and I harvested some for later use.
She likes to be near water, so we eventually wandered our way back to the pond.
She likes working with the fire steels, and needs practice, so when she asked if she could practice with it, I of course said yes. In observing her and trying the spark force myself, I realized the striker could stand to be sharper, so I'll sharpen it up before we go back out. But for the money, I'm fine with her practicing with it as much as she wants to.
She asked how it could be used to start fires and so I showed her one way. No pics because I didn't have the tripod and remote handy, but the fire steels made by a member here who goes by Swonut are very nice and throw great sparks. I have bought about 7 so far and have all of the knives my partner and I use in classes rigged up with them.
After that demo she wanted to practice her knife skills.
We were talking about the fish in the pond and ways to catch them. After I told her you could sometimes find good bait in soft logs, then the hunt was on even though had no fishing gear with us. But hey, I'm good with her practicing skills and gaining further understanding of her environment. The more she found, the more excited she got, and the more she dug into the log.
Soon it was time to go. But she had to stop and say bye to a new friend.
She worked up a good appetite, man did she eat. You think you get funny looks when you pull your own knife out in a restaurant, the looks from the city bred waitress were priceless when she pulled hers out to cut her steak. But, what can I say, even a child can figure out the steak saws offered by restaurants are all but useless...
..
The natural observations started in the parking lot of a local store
She likes getting her pack and gear together. Her main tools for the day: Fiddleback Forge mid-tech Hiking Buddy, her vintage GSA pocket knife, a UST sighting compass, and a UST spark force.
We went for a hike through the fields and woods around one of our favorite ponds. Lots of frogs at the pond. Most went kerplunk when we got near, sending ripples across the pond, but some just sat there. She also spotted and quickly identified some raccoon tracks. There were a lot of dragonflies too. She got a kick out of watching their dynamic courting dance in the air.
In the field beside the pond there was a lot for her to look at: Butterflies, grasshoppers, Autumn Olives, Blackberries, Crabapples, Garlic flowers, Passiflora vines, and Carolina Horsenettle to name a few.
Various fungi popping up, and I harvested some for later use.
She likes to be near water, so we eventually wandered our way back to the pond.
She likes working with the fire steels, and needs practice, so when she asked if she could practice with it, I of course said yes. In observing her and trying the spark force myself, I realized the striker could stand to be sharper, so I'll sharpen it up before we go back out. But for the money, I'm fine with her practicing with it as much as she wants to.
She asked how it could be used to start fires and so I showed her one way. No pics because I didn't have the tripod and remote handy, but the fire steels made by a member here who goes by Swonut are very nice and throw great sparks. I have bought about 7 so far and have all of the knives my partner and I use in classes rigged up with them.
After that demo she wanted to practice her knife skills.
We were talking about the fish in the pond and ways to catch them. After I told her you could sometimes find good bait in soft logs, then the hunt was on even though had no fishing gear with us. But hey, I'm good with her practicing skills and gaining further understanding of her environment. The more she found, the more excited she got, and the more she dug into the log.
Soon it was time to go. But she had to stop and say bye to a new friend.
She worked up a good appetite, man did she eat. You think you get funny looks when you pull your own knife out in a restaurant, the looks from the city bred waitress were priceless when she pulled hers out to cut her steak. But, what can I say, even a child can figure out the steak saws offered by restaurants are all but useless...
..
I hope all is well your way.
