Reading Aloud

Harrison made my day. He asked me what book I was going to read to them on vacation.

I've always loved reading to my kids. When we were camping six years ago I started reading "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls to them. On the way home, they wanted me to keep reading. We eventually had to find a flashlight when it got dark so I could see the page. I ended up reading for six hours straight.

During the sad ending (I won't tell you what happens, in case you haven't read it yet) I was choking back tears. However, I was in good company--I could hear sobbing from the back seat. I finished shortly before we pulled into Wichita.


Last year I read them one of my favorites, "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee (or Tequila Mockingbird, as Harrison calls it). They listened, but it didn't seem to grab them the way I'd hoped.


So I was pleased that Harrison seems willing to give me another chance. I told him I'll read "Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain.


"Is that even a good book?" he asked.


Oh Harrison, just you wait.

At the top of Starvation Creek road, somewhere in Colorado, 2004. This was the last time we camped at O'Haver Lake and rode our quads on the old mining roads. This year the boys will ride their own quads, of course. Laurel and I will double up on quad in the picture, Grandpa's Arctic Cat.