Adventures in Swamp Land!

[Arilaftia 0]

I had one of the more interesting days in a while. I went up to my moms house in the country to take out a beaver dam that was causing flooding in her backyard. This is an event I do about 2-3 times a year and its actually quite a lot of fun. Growing up I was a tomboy to the extreme, so jumping into the river and pulling out the logs, sticks and mud, ahh that’s easy, no big thing for me. I brought my 6 year old son along so he could enjoy the river as well as the sights and smells.

 

My first realization I had while in the river/brook (Bit smaller than a river and bigger than a brook or stream LMAO!)

We had to take kind of a long route around to get to the dam through some marsh. My little guy is following behind me going Eww, Yuck, this is gross! He didnt like the swamp or the bugs. Although when we got there he did have alot of fun just searching along the edges for frogs

 

Anyway I realized just how much my son has missed not being out in the woods and swamps, all the great places to grow up in and explore where nothing was gross, just different and amazing.

It took about 2 hours to pull all the logs and shovel out the bottom a bit but I was able to drop the water level back down by over a foot! Moms house is saved! for a another couple months anyway.

 

Well the water felt fantastic so I fell back into it several times, god it felt great! But I couldn't convince my son to jump in. He watches too much Discovery Channel for his own good, thinking there are too many dangerous animals living in that water. Sure mom, You get eaten, Ill stay here and be safe! ahh Thanks son!

 

One side point.. we walked back to my moms so I could change and discovered the down side of awareness.. little river bugs and nasties in my clothing, my hair.. Ah I miss the unawareness of youth of days of old.. when I would swim in that river everyday and never think twice about what would be crawling on me when I get out! Of course I never said a word to my son on this. He was right, but I'm not going to admit on that one!

 

Its just been a wonderful day and I plan on taking him up to see all my favorite hidey spots in the mountains this summer.

[Guest FrostElfTwin]

In my youth I used to take bike rides around the town...searching out places where teenagers would drink their illicit beer...and level the incriminating bottles behind! If I was lucky, they left the case too.

 

Made $ from that (Dad would take the empties back for me with his own.)

 

Lots of time spent cycling through mossy woodland parks in British Columbia--seeking out naughty teen spots. (During the day of course!)

 

In fall, the salmon would fill the river... quite exciting!

 

Guess that is my version of dam busting.

[erialc 2]

:rofl: Kids eh! Bless him Sounds like you both had an awesome day out Ari...have a splash for me! Sounds perfect. Walking in the mountains sounds awesome too!

 

hehe I remember some of the antics me and my sisters would have in Ireland on the farm hehe I think we drove my parents and family insane. Always getting filthy and hiding, until it started to get dark then we'd soon run in. Those tales of bansidhes and other creatures of the night soon had us scurrying indoors! I was forever getting told off for taking the calves for a walk....bit of bailer twine worked wonders as a leash

[EvilMale 7]

Sounds like loads of fun Ari. But I can tell our kids are different mine don't mind getting dirty and all sorts of gross. My son helped me clean out my dear and elk last year after the we got home from hunting. Heck my oldest daughter played with the hearts lol. I guess I will never get sick of country life.

[fRACTAL 0]

Your oldest daughter played with the hearts!

Eww...

She'll turn out to be an evil vampire mate!

Or maybe work in a butcher's shop

~Doom

Edited July 23, 2007 by TimOfDoom

[Arilaftia 0]

I was forever getting told off for taking the calves for a walk....bit of bailer twine worked wonders as a leash

Oh what a wonderful image !! It brought to mind some fun events in my childhood too of a friend and I taking the neighbors burro and donkey out for a run! (Will have to get the pics from my mom!)

 

My son helped me clean out my dear and elk last year after the we got home from hunting. Heck my oldest daughter played with the hearts lol. I guess I will never get sick of country life.

haha Well I understand that, haha I used to help my brother gut and skin whatever he brought home from hunting.. deer, bear.. ah the memories. (hope they go away soon LOL!) I dont hunt myself, but I can clean em!

We live on the outskirts of a city, Wish I could move out towards my moms house, there is nothing like going out and hearing nothing except birds wind and the trees. And the freedom to just go outside till dark and let my son just roam as I did. Someday

[dicknail 0]

:: you guys... I was supposed to be heading the last Harry Potter book, but instead...

[Schot 407]

Ah that sounds amazing Ari!

 

I would love to do that! Not the gutting part but the dam removal part. Bloody guts, yuck! lol. Growing up in a small-ish town with lots of woodland does wonders for a childhood I'd say. I can't imagine my childhood would have been as adventurous had it been in a big city. I think there is a belief among many that small town life is extremely boring but not to my mind. Quite possibly the most fun I had was in the open fields and within the woods.

 

Brings back memories of building rafts of wood skids and styrofoam to ride a flooded forest, adventuring through an old run down house in the middle of nowhere, a great big willow tree split down the middle with one half ramping from the ground way up to near the middle of the tree, hide and go seek within a field of THICK fog, spider fights, tadpoles and minoes and so many more! Ah the days of living in a town called Autumn Hill.

 

So when is the next outing with the little one Ari? Maybe a camping trip is in order!?

[EvilMale 7]

I agree I love small town life I wouldn't have it any other way. everything moves at a slow pace. I did the big city thing when I was in the army and tell you what I hated it. I felt trapped. No room to move around. It was like living in a fish tank a giant fish tank.

[fRACTAL 0]

I'd love to have grown/grow up, in a really pleasant quiet area, but I'd probably get bored, anyway, my city has some of Britains most beautiful countryside around it, so no trouble getting to see the country here...

But I always think, of a lot of places, not all, hell it would be boring to live here...

(I think the ideal place is a small town/village near enough to a city that you can go there if you want to see a film, go shopping etc..)

~Doom

[erialc 2]

Before moving back to Sheffield (4th biggest city in England) our house was really rural, hardly any public transport, 6 houses on our tiny cul-de-sac, a church, a pub and a tiny primary school. A few more houses and a village hall. It was great, quiet, cool walks, streams rivers etc but I always missed Sheffield. During this time of living there (around 10 years) we travelled around the country a lot including Ireland. We owned circus tents which we hired out to the festival scene (Glastonbury, Global Gathering etc) plus some corporate event stuff.

 

I guess what I am saying is that if I had lived that rurally and hadn't had the opportunity to travel etc I would have probably gone a bit stir crazy. Even then I drove back to Sheffield as often as possible for my city hit. Then again if you ask me this is a pretty unique city.....an extroordinary amount of parks, open areas for walking. The Peak National Park etc.

 

hehe sorry Ari didn't want to hijack your thread

[gogoblender 3,070]

What a great story. And you're right to comment on the unawares of our youths. Didn't that sort of invulnerability just power us through our hot summer holidays? Our complete lack of understanding for time and dangers. All great powers we brought in when exploring, building treehouses and, as in your case...dambusting!

 

You gave the l'il feller but a taste of adventure Ari... maybe a magical breakdown of The Discovery Channel would give him more!

 

gogo

 

p.s. awww, no pic? I'd a given tons to see you ramboing a dam!

[EvilMale 7]

I will have to see if I have any pics of Good Ole Montana where Grew up...... Now I am homesick for (Mountains Ganalf Mountains I say) I would like to see the Rocky Mountains of home and show you guys where I grew up instead of the hot desert where My family and I now reside.

Ari you get pics of your Childhood stomping grounds and I will do the same.

[Arilaftia 0]

Oh Schot, your reminiscing brought so many memories back for me... sigh.. Moonlight skating on the huge pond behind my moms house and hearing the coyotes howling on the mountain.. I cant tell you how fast me and my brother skated home when they hit the ice! Playing in the old granite quarry sheds and crane house. They were abandoned. haha Oh and swimming in the quarries as well!.. Wow.. hmm Thank you for bringing back so many!

 

Oh no worrys Clair! I was thinking this thread might be a fun reminisce about our childhoods! It brings to light more about how we are deep inside

 

hehehe Gogo, I thought about bringing the camera, but I was worried it would get damaged But I promised on the next one I will! Oh and thats a great idea.. Ill see what I can find online actually LOL My little town I grew up in actually has international notoriety in a few ways.. If anyone has seen the movie "What Lies Beneath", It was mentioned and made out to be a thousand time larger than it truly is.

 

Forgive me for the cornyness that has overflowed there.. It wasn't the same *cough 30ish cough* years ago.

They now have a celebration for a blood sucking pest! lmao! http://www.blackflyfestival.org/

ooooh I found a few pics of a few of my favorite spots, I need to shrink them down a bit first than Ill post em! but there are better places Ill get personal shots of

[fRACTAL 0]

Yup, Sheffield is certainly the best city, we have more green space per person than any other city... in Europe!

~Doom

[Genenut 8]

Ihave a name for blackflies, but its not usable in mixed company.... *sigh* even the red fire ants in FL werent as bad as the black flies are...

 

this is close to where I live :

 

http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2458/

 

But if you live in New England you probably read about what happened last month on July 2nd. I think that expereince ruined what naiveness this area still had. Even with the trees and such all around I still dont let my kids run around like I used to when I was thier age. Too afraid of the strangers that come and visit the natural beauty up here will also take a "souvenir" of thier stay.... Even living in a small town is no guarentee of safety these days ...

[Arilaftia 0]

Oh the clouds of blackflies are incredible, even in their horridness.

 

Ahhh I know Kancamagus Scenic Byway alll tooooo well!! First time we took it was a trip to Maine.. Well the map said it was a straight shot! lmao! I didn't realize straight up than straight back down! I was impressed our car made it though! In later years we went back just to enjoy it rather than pray we'd make it home

 

Now Im not sure what happened on July 2nd, which event? Sadly there have been just too many lately...