Fishing.
It's the activity of choice when the cousins come to town.
Here is the whole crew before heading out in the morning.
I have such childhood memories of spending the day at the pond with my little brother fishing the day away. While I wouldn't say that my skill is the same as his, I can certainly bait a hook and cast a rod with the best of 'em.
However, in the eyes of my children I am simply mama. "Uncle Braddy" on the other hand is revered as the fishing master. They follow him through the trail in the woods like he's the Pied Piper and sit along the waters edge, lapping up his pearls of fishing wisdom like thirsty little puppies around a saucer of milk.
Each time I wandered down to the waters edge and offered to help cast a rod or put a new worm on a hook, unfailingly, the reply was "no thanks Mama......Uncle Braddy, can you help me cast my line" or "No thanks Mama.....Uncle Braddy, I need a new worm on my hook."
I have to admit I was equal parts insulted and touched by their admiration of my baby brother.
In the end all 3 of the boys proved to be quite bountiful fishermen. Each hooking at least one Bass (the prized catch of the weekend) and plenty of Sunfish alike.
Most of all I love that my brother and I have been able to pass along a love of something so close to our hearts, while watching with delight, our own little people discovering the joy and excitement of feeling that familiar tug on the end of the line. My hope is that they are walking away with some special memories of summer days spent together around the edge of a pond. It feels like such a gift all the way around.
