I hope this lasts forever....but I know it might not....

Warning: Video Laden. Sentimental (for me, anyway). Borderline SAPPY.

Double Warning: Wikkid Cute Kid Running Through Woods

This spring I took B into the woods behind our development. I grew up 'out in the sticks', and often go back to the woods to re-ground myself (is that the right term? I dunno.) It isn't that I am a tree hugger or that I am 'in love with Mother Nature', but I do find that the more I spend time in the woods, the smaller my problems become. Or at least more manageable. Do you have a place to go for that?

Anyway, while B was flitting around the woods, I decided to shoot some video with my phone. I am told that before I know it, he won't want to go into the woods with his Dad, or help with laundry, or dishes, or cleaning, or just riding around laughing, or any of that 'fun' stuff. So I am starting to capture it as often as I can. Since you came here, you get to see some of it, too.

I like to call this first one "Spring". It was shot on 1MAY10, in the evening.

What a hoot. This next one, I call "Fall". Shot same day as above. Wait for it....wait for it....

This is the last one that I shot that day. I had been running along behind him, but decided to stop to see what he would do when he didn't hear me. He kept going; lost in the moment, lost to his thoughts. I totally know how he may have felt at this time. When I think about things like, "what would I do differently?", I almost always answer myself with "spend more time running in the woods."

Lastly, here is a video that I shot yesterday, Labor Day 2010. B and I (as ususal) were up before the rest of the house. As usual, we were having a tough time keeping quiet. So off we went to find a geocache (as often we do). The area was less than 10 miles from the house, and has an elaborate trail system that I had heretofore known NOTHING about (as UNususal. TLW says that I know everything about everything am a real smarta$$, but...well, not in THIS case (isolated incident)).

alright. for some reason blogger isn't letting me see my own blog. my MOM, (God love her) often replies to the email notification she gets about the blog, but doesn't comment ON the blog site. I dunno why. I've tried to 'splain it to her, but...well.....she DOES live with my Dad, so THAT's gotta account for some added confusion, so i'll cut her some slack (Hi, Mom!). here is her comment to this posting:

"So very cute .... not so sappy... wish I had the miracle of phone videos when you had an almost dangerous run in the woods of Gilead once.... remember the leap over the well??? Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane... no .. it is a flying boy!! Remember???? .tm "

And to answer, yes, I remember. I recall it often, actually. We were returning from a family hike in the woods, and being the calm, cool, collected boy that I was  highly exitable kid that I was, I ran ahead of everyone else (as I often did). I usually stayed within sight, but not this time. As I sped down the hill, I came across a pile of fallen branches, so naturally I lept over them. In mid air, I looked down to find a GAPING HOLE IN THE EARTH, assuredly put there to swallow little boys who ran too far ahead of their parents. In a last ditch effort to save my life, I managed to pull my legs up just enough before landing that I cleared said well, before I came crashing to earth. Mayhem ensued, the EPA was called, and the well was filled with toxic waste and then sealed with cement from Agway. Flowers were planted around the edge in homage to all other little boys who weren't such good jumpers as me.

Did I get that right? Little cloudy on the last part, but that's how I tell the story, anyway, and I'm stickin' to it.