On the Shoulders of our Progenitors

One of my fondest childhood memories is of riding on the shoulders of my father, cool fresh air filling my lungs and the wonderful sound of flowing water gently cutting through the lush country of the Oregon high desert. I never realized what a gift he was giving me and how it would shape the rest of my life. Each powerful step he took, fighting thousands of meandering gallons of water instilled a sense of safety; I knew that he was in control, that we were not just in nature but part of it, and I knew that I was doing something that my family had been doing for decades and we were drawing from the great knowledge of our ancestors.

Belonging, meaning, strength, trust all wrapped up in one simple memory. What if it’s that easy?

Becoming a father is one of the hardest endeavors I’ve ever taken on, and I don’t say “becoming” lightly. You are not a father, just because you’ve managed to procreate! You have to give up most of your self for your children, always be “on” if they need you, and show them how to love and care for others and themselves. It’s your job to give them the skills to not just live, but thrive and have a passion for life. But how the heck do you do that??? I believe the answer is spend quality time with your children doing something you love to do.

Our children are little mocking birds, they mimic nearly everything we do and they understand more than we think. So when you spend time with them and share your passions, you are telling them that you care about them and that you love life with them right by your side, without ever saying a word. I feel great when someone I care about tells me that they care about me and like spending time with me, but when they show me…, there’s nothing like it.

And that’s why I created Carpenter Adventures, and my first product will help moms and dads around the world fish with happy children on their shoulders. The first of many adventuring products. We hope to inspire you to get outside, and bring the kids. We will find ways of sharing resources and information about what kind of adventuring you can do locally. And we will give to foundations that support the conservation and responsible use of our great land.

Alright, here we go! You may think winter is a time when fishermen are just sad, and adventurer’s have nothing to do… but no!

• The Brown Trout get hangry, and it’s our responsibility to take great selfies with them. Use big flies that imitate small fish, or an Orange Rapala if you like to spinner fish and try the top and bottom of slow holes.

• The slopes are ready for a ride, and if you don’t down hill ski, give Nordic skiing, snow shoeing, or sledding a shot. Don’t have the gear? My dad purchased our first down hill ski gear from the local thrift shop for pennies on the dollar, and we had no idea our gear was outdated. We just knew the thrill of the slopes was great! So be thrifty with clothing and gear.

• My families favorite activity is a field study. It’s easy to find public land wherever you are, and identifying Fauna and Flora is a blast. We love to identify recycling Fungi that only grow in the winter, or try to tell what type of hard wood tree we’re looking at only by it’s bark.

• Prepare your garden (start small if you’re new to gardening) You can even get some of your plants started if they take longer to propagate. I like to get broccoli going because it really fruits in colder weather, so you need the plants to be grown in the spring. Strawberries are the same. Research is part of the fun, so dig in with your kids when figuring out what you want to do.

• Take up Archery. It’s easy to make a bow for your kids (I may even do a post about it) or you can buy them with arrow’s for around $30 from Dick’s sporting goods, Walmart or on Amazon. My kids absolutely love shooting their bow’s, and you can do it in any weather. If you have smaller kids, start with a traditional bow instead of compound (no little wheels where the strings connect to the bow) The compound bow may require the child to pull it back further than they are able. We love to play games with our bow, like taping a balloon to the cardboard target to see who can pop it first.

• Read a book:) This is technically not an adventure, but books can take your mind on the wildest adventures and the truth is, sometimes you just can’t get outside. That doesn’t mean you have to go to the screens. Go to the library and find novels like James and the Giant Peach, Lemony Snickets A Series of Unfortunate Events or, The Guardians of Ga’Hoole. If your kids are older, try out Harry Potter.

• Daddy’s survival class - A must for all children is fort building, and you can incorporate survival techniques when it comes to making a shelter. Use Sticks, rocks, or whatever you can find to create forts and then wait for the imaginary army’s to attack.

Another great resource for finding adventures and activities is the National Wildlife Foundation. You can check out their kids programs here.

We’d love to hear your feedback on this article. Also, if you have a great adventure you want to share, post it on our facebook page.