Stories in the snow

Posted 8/21/12

When I was a child, my parents gave me a small plastic camera. Little did they know they were placing me on a path that continues to illuminate my life today as I shoot digital images throughout the …

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Stories in the snow

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When I was a child, my parents gave me a small plastic camera. Little did they know they were placing me on a path that continues to illuminate my life today as I shoot digital images throughout the Upper Delaware River region, some of which wind up in this column.

Last weekend, our 11-year-old niece Joei Shaller joined us for a hike at Shohola Recreation Area, where we plied our cameras in capturing images of animal signs along the trail we explored. The snow made the process very productive, with evidence of animal life all around us.

As we leaned down to photograph tracks from wild turkeys, deer, raccoons and rodents, Joei announced, “I could spend all day doing this!” We took time to consider questions about the animal signs we saw, gaining a better understanding of who was doing what before we happened along. This type of activity can light the fire of imagination in a young person, while delivering a healthy dose of fresh air and exercise.

What better gift to give your child this holiday season, than time spent together outdoors, looking for clues to the unseen creatures living there? Cameras provide an excellent tool to take the exploration to another level, but are not necessary to experiencing the simple, yet profound connecting that is possible. The next time it snows, make it a point to wander for a while in search of the stories written across the landscape.

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