Fire is an elemental part of the outdoor experience. Whether it is enjoyed with friends in the summer, keeping you warm on a brisk evening, comforting you after being out in the snow, or trying to keep one lit during a rainstorm. Depending upon the outdoor experience, the fire provides you with sustenance through cooked meals. Continue reading “Getting Back to the Outdoors with Backyard Firestarting”
Tiger Den Year Plan
As I mentioned last week, I am the den leader for my oldest son’s Tiger Den. The Cub Scout Tiger Program is for first grade boys. In our pack, for the most part, we take the summer off, so the Rank Program for the year is typically completed from the months of October through May. The boys receive their completed rank in June at our Pack Blue and Gold Dinner. Continue reading “Tiger Den Year Plan”
Scouting Back to the Outdoors
I was a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout. While in scouting, I made every rank except for Eagle Scout. After that I moved on to other things, so all told, I was out of scouting for about 25 years. That was until last year when I started again with my oldest boy in the Lion Den of the local Cub Scout Pack. Continue reading “Scouting Back to the Outdoors”
About I of the North
I spent my youth outdoors. It was an essential part of who I was. Somewhere between then and now, that part of me fell aside. School, job, wife, kids, suburban trappings all took more and more of my time, until it had been years since I had been camping. I let those things take such a priority that something previously essential had become only a memory.
I’m working to take it back now. I’m raising two boys (with my lovely wife), and I want them to love the outdoors as I did and do. They’ll make their own mistakes, but I want them to learn from this mistake of mine and stay true to themselves.
I started I OF THE NORTH for some external accountability and to share some of my thoughts. I’ll share some of the things that I’m doing to get back to the outdoors. If anyone else is in a similar situation, then maybe something in here helps. Maybe we can learn from each other.
Ben