Delectable Mountain: Of Camping Trips and a Love of Nature

The next block in my Diary Quilt -- Delectable Mountain -- is for my dad. And it's fitting I post this today, as today is his birthday.  Happy Birthday, Dad!

Delectable Mountain -- for my Dad

When I was first flipping through the idea book, I spotted this block and new right away -- Dad. It instantly called to mind all the camping trips we took when I was a kid, the respect for nature that has been instilled in me from birth. 

We traveled all over the country, not always in comfort, but always with a soundtrack of fun and laughter.

I learned at a very early age to leave nothing behind but footprints, take nothing away but memories & photographs. The last thing we did at any campsite was to walk the area and pick up every scrap of trash, whether we were the ones who'd dropped it or not. Of course I didn't love that part as a kid, but I came to appreciate it later, once I realized what it meant and why we were doing it.

I learned too that if we wanted to spot any deer, birds, or other wildlife, to walk quietly; not let my presence be known. Just one little step in valuing nature and the wonders of the natural world, rather than taking things for granted.

As a child, I saw much of the western and mid-western United States, famous landmarks and obscure locations alike. I guess it's rubbed off, as I now drag my boys around to all the hidden and not-so-hidden gems here in Brazil.

One fun tidbit -- I took my very first steps on a camping trip, in an orange pup tent. Thirty years later, more or less, The Adventurer took his first steps on a similar camping trip. I guess I'm doing a decent job of passing Dad's legacy on to the next generation.

Do you have a fun camping memory to share?