Too many of today's kids don't get a chance to randomly explore nature at it's finest.  They have so many organized activities or they live where it just isn't safe to be that carefree.  Some of the best times of my childhood was spent 'just walking' around the woods, meadows, creeks (cricks in this part of PA), lanes etc. of our farm &amp; the farms of friends.  It really is too bad that so many of today's kids miss out on this type of adventure.  No preplaning, no structure, no cell phones to call parents from, no reason to go where ever we went except to see what might be there.

Great blog, mountain mermaid!