We had four gorgeous towering oaks that framed our backyard growing up. In the autumn when the leaves would fall, my sister and I would rake a path around the yard and play make believe where each massive oak was a different kingdom.

I remember going to Galveston with my parents, fishing with my dad, gardening with my dad, playing in the rain, riding my bike for hours, camping. I’ve always been an outdoors kid and loved nature as a young child to this day.

My favorite memories of outdoor childhood play are the summer evenings spent with cousins running around the backyard. There was something magical with the warm twilight activities. My goals for spending more time outside are to help my grandchildren discover and desire to be outside too.

I remember trees and how they always held such an important role in my life. There were no trees on the lot of our house when I was a child so when my dad had to cut down a sapling next to the house, I cried. My dad was a woodworker so I was constantly exploring the textures, patterns, and colors of the various kinds of wood he used. When we moved to an old orchard, I was in heaven. I climbed, trimmed, and loved the trees around us. Those are the things that I remember most about nature and growing up. My goal is to help my child make lasting connections with nature. It can be with trees, birds, or anything outside that makes them feel at peace. The idea of releasing my expectations to allow my child to explore and make their own discoveries makes sense to me.