Ramble with Storm: ``Fishing on my birthday"

Mulling things on my morning ramble

with Storm, the family’s mixed Lab.

A lone Canada goose flew low over the town last night and right through the moon, at least from my vantage point.

Rather spectacular sight.

I had stepped outside to savor the fullness of the moon, what most of us consider the Harvest Moon. Though there are other names, some of them more inventive or descriptive.

Our town goes through it own celebration of the harvest with its Pumpkin Fest at the end of September and I suspect the goose was discombobulated by the fireworks last night.

This morning was another celebration of sun and moon. The full moon was setting in rather spectacular fashion as the sun rise was just beginning as the meathead and I set out.

But I digress under the spell of the moon. I had really wanted to consider teaching kids fishing.

The little guy’s birthday is in a couple days. Yesterday as we are walking around the Pumpkin Fest, he said, out of the blue, “Can we go fishing on my birthday?”

Now explain to me why our last kid is finally the one who loves to go fishing, loves digging around outdoors stuff–on his own, with buddies or with me.

I sometimes wonder if I had to learn a few things as I got older.

With my oldest two boys, I sometimes wonder if I didn’t have too much of an “damm it, this if fun, you better like it” attitude about fishing.

I have learned a much more laissez-faire attitude with my daughter and the last boy. And they like it a lot more.

And I have also learned the tricks anybody who has taught kids fishing for very long learns or knows: keep the time short, have food and drink associated and (the hardest for me to learn) don’t fish yourself.

All I know is, that is one of the best questions any of my kids has asked.

Again, a rather quiet morning for wildlife.

Two doves by the town pond. The great blue heron was back in its corner of the north old clay pit. No squirrels or rabbits. Two Canada geese splashed in the town pond as the meathead and I approached.

There are things I have learned to appreciate more as a parent of older years. Just as there are things I have learned to savor and appreciate in general as I age.