A Country Boy Education

"Thank God I'm a Country Boy" was a big hit when I was a child.  Singing the praises of a simple, country life, John Denver won the hearts of everyone I knew.  Thirty-five years later, when my boys have the chance to visit Nana and Papa Dale in Missouri, they rediscover the pleasures of blue skies, creeks, and all that country life has to offer.

This past week, Spencer went turkey hunting with his Papa Dale in Missouri.  He watched a big gobbler flee unexpectedly, followed closely by a large coyote.  The boys played with their cousins, Breanna and Hannah; they went hiking through the woods, riding four wheelers, and chasing rabbits.  They practiced archery with compound bows and crossbows.  They shot rifles, went bicycling, and played outside until dark nearly every day.  John Robert learned how to fix a flat tire on a bicycle.  They went swimming.  They played hide and seek with the neighbor children.  They spent the week smelling like grass and, well, like little boys.

There are many private schools these days that make a big deal about their outdoor education programs.  They take hikes and field trips and charge thousands of dollars for these "enrichment" experiences.  We called it spring break.  But it was really just a little bit of Country Boy Education.  And it was priceless.