Living in the Woods...
Spring Fun
Doreyl Ammons Cain
When the snow has been around too long, it’s time to dream about spring. The Blue Ridge Mountains yawn, stretch and begin to wake up as the snow starts to melt in early spring. Our nature preserve, Nature’s Home, quivers with the movement of small critters as soft colored spring flowers poke their heads above ground and an infinite number of twigs reveal their Kelly green leaves. As a child I roamed these woods in spring looking, studying and touching the wonder of rebirth. This experience helped me learn about life and eventually cope with the problems of growing up. I believe every child can benefit from spending time exploring nature. With this in mind we have developed an Adventure Package for Kids here at Nature’s Home.
Remember what it was like to float down the river on an intertube and then ride on a haywagon up a bumpy dirt road? How about sitting around a campfire and listening to stories while the shadows around you turn into mysterious creatures? After a belly full of tales having fun roasting hotdogs over an open fire and then browning marshmallows for a crunchy soft dessert ends a delicious day. We have gathered these memorable fun things and added a few more, then tied them carefully into this planned excursion into nature.
It goes like this: Arrive at Nature’s Home at 10:00 AM and take a hayride up our bumpy dirt road to Moonshine Gap. Here you’ll meet our Llama Trekker guides and get introduced to your llama. Then off you’ll go up our Settler’s Trail for a trekking and picnic lunch, exploring spring all the way up and down. Next you’ll hike down to hitch a ride to the river, where a tubing adventure awaits you. Learning about the Tuckasegee River can be a whole lot of fun! Once you’ve returned from the river, another hayride up to Moonshine Gap will help you settle in for some real good storytelling by Amy Ammons, Appalachian storyteller. Amy tells stories about the neck of the woods you’re sitting in, so you almost expect someone to walk out of the woods from her stories. After the stories comes a hotdog & marshmallow roast, a fond farewell and a tired, yet happy hike back down the mountain.
The Adventure Package for Kids includes adults too, especially those who remember these little bits of fun from their own childhood. Give me a call at 828-293-2239 to schedule this spring experience. Groups up to 50 are welcome. Nature’s Home is located near Bear Lake in Tuckasegee, North Carolina.
These stories and articles are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any form electronically, digitally,
printed matter or by any other means without written permission from the author, Doreyl Ammons Cain.
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