thanks Dad!

I think I'm still in a thankful mood from the weekend. Having this attitude all of the time would be awesome!

Tonight I went for a walk with my dad. I am really grateful to have the relationship I do with my parents. When I was younger he would help me with school assignments, hiking through the woods and pointing out different kinds of trees, and using his trusty jackknife to cut out pieces of bark for my projects. He makes maple syrup, and I remember as a child tromping through the mist and the snow to "help" him collect sap.. which mainly entailed peeking into each bucket, and feeling like I personally won the jackpot when I found a bucket that was overflowing. I remember the steam boiling off of the vats of maple sap on the hot plates in the woodshed, and the sweet aroma that it produced. I remember excitedly waiting for the final product, the golden amber maple syrup that we rationed carefully on our pancakes, which we totally ate for supper.

Source.

I remember the time and effort we put into building our very own lean-to on a vacant lot in the woods up the street, the hours and planning that went into it, and the feeling of accomplishment it produced.

Picture this, only covered in fir boughs and with a triumphant 10 year old perched beneath it. And pretend that dude is my dad. Source.

Yep, I have a great Dad :)

We finished our walk tonight sitting on a bench in our backyard, in front of a campfire. It's cooler now, so there aren't mosquitoes and blackflies to contend with, and the whole experience was just really peaceful. The sky was ridiculously clear, and we could actually see the Milky Way! I'm always quick to point out the only constellation I was ever able to see, which is the Big Dipper.

Definitely not my photo. Source.

So this one's for you, Dad. Here's to another year of father-daughter bonding in the great outdoors.