My Children

I've been a very lucky women to be entrusted with four beautiful sons to raise and love. Early on I decided that I would enrich my children's lives with nature. Being outside is what I'm most comfortable with, and I could easily follow my heart and spend quality time with my boys. I spent my first pregnancy hiking and being outside, lots of sun shine and fresh air. I had my first case of poison ivy when I gave birth to Jason, from the reaction of the nurses hearing I had been out hiking, I knew, I was not typical. I know my labor and delivery were easy because of my lifestyle. Our first home was on the Ramapo River. The river was our backyard. We were treated to sightings of otters, muskrats, mink and lots of ducks and geese on a daily basis. Of cause I fed the birds, several feeders adorned our deck. Jason went on his first hike at only three weeks old. We took him up to Claudis Smith Cave in Harriman State Park, which was a hike we could do from our home. His first water experiences were in the river, not a swimming pool. Soon after his birth I created a Nature Box for him out of an old wooden wine box. I filled it with objects from nature that were interesting to touch and look at. I added more as he grew. Once he was walking we took him to hiking places often where there were always lots interesting things to see including deer, right up close and personal. We had a fish tank and my turtle Pee-Wee and he learned to love and respect them. During his first year and a half took him on several vacations to different states, all nature centered. When Jason was a year and a half old we decided to move to a bigger house as a brother for Jason was expected in the Spring. Although the home we purchased was not in the location we had hoped to find, it was larger, affordable and had a couple of features that I knew we would have lots of birds passing through to feed. One feature was that it was located on a seasonal stream, and the other, it was between two habitats,wooded mountains and fields. We lucked out that our side yard is a wildlife trail, deer, bear and other creatures use it daily to cross from one habitat to another. The back of the house faces South,and has lots of large windows so it is always full of sunshine. Our homes location has never disappointed me even after twenty years. I added a large pond, lots of natural planting for food. My sons have grown up watching birds and animals from its windows every day of their lives. Over the last two decades, many of their friends have come to our home, and most that had no appreciation for birds, have left saying things like....Wow! I never knew birds were so beautiful, colorful or that we had so many kinds living right here. They sit with me at the kitchen table, and I identify the birds for them. They know me as the nature mom.

The earliest education I gave my sons was not to teach them things like the alphabet or colors from books, it was to take them outside and say things like, look at the Cardinal or the Blue Jay and then ask what color it was. What letter does bird start with. All the while doing what I loved best and mothering them at the same time. I took them for long bike rides on country roads, walks in beautiful parks with ponds,lakes, streams, armed with nets and buckets, we took home frog and salamander eggs and watched the miracle of them hatching into tiny beings, who we let go right back where we found the eggs. We caught snakes, toads, turtles, salamanders and examined them, always careful to put them back where we found them. Everyday of the year there was something new to see and do in the outside world. We had a small menagerie of furry and scaly pets at all times, I taught the boys how to properly care for their charges, how important it was to give them the best life possible. I would bring our pets into the schools and share them with the other children. We visited farms, zoos, aquariums, museums and the Catskill game farm was a biannual trip for us. I had the rare opportunity to be a kid again. To get back my sense of Wonder about all things alive and the natural world. Raising the boys this way has been a pleasure, every day a adventure.

We had only one income for all those years, and thankfully neither Bobby nor I had any interest in possessions, cars, clothing, jewelry or keeping up with the Jone's. We spent all available cash on many vacations every year. My father once remarked that we are always away, why don't you stay home once in a while and give your kids some stability once in a while! I laughed thinking, why would I want to just stay home?? We camped and rented tiny cottages in beautiful places. We took the boys to beaches, lakes, on islands, out in the ocean to birding, whale watching. We saw many sunsets, sunrises, ate tons of different foods and enjoyed each others company. For me raising them was like living a dream. I was getting to do what I loved best everyday. As the years have gone on, our vacations into Nature have really blossomed, in the last couple of years the boy have been to Costa Rica, the Pacific Northwest, California and now this coming Summer, Yellowstone National Park. I hope that after their childhoods are said and done that they have enjoyed it all as much as I have. It has been a joy to mother them.

In my first few years as a mom, I am thankful that when several older friends and family members told me to enjoy my kids to the fullest, that raising them would be over in a heartbeat, for once in my life....I listened. Their words still echo in my head, you can have a clean house and an orderly life when they are gone...for now get out there and just be with them and enjoy the moments. I have and I am grateful for each one.