On Being A Kid In the Country

We just marked the one-year anniversary of our move from suburban New Jersey to the Berkshires. It’s been a great year & the kids have really adapted well to life in the country. Aside from their participation in the usual after school activities & sports, living here has really helped the kids develop an appreciation for the simpler things in life, especially the natural beauty that surrounds us. Most of their weekends involve a good hike, swimming in the nearby lake or former marble quarry or a bike ride on the nearby rail trail that runs alongside the beautiful Williams River.

kid in the country alec

Quarry Swimmer

A couple of weeks ago, I had an experience that for me, highlighted just how great it is to be a kid in the Berkshires. After a long day of work, I was about to pull into our driveway when I spotted our kids heading down to the brook that abuts our house, to catch frogs & tadpoles.

Catching Frogs

The Simple Pleasures

I pulled the car in the driveway and walked down to brook to watch them. And, that’s when it hit me. Sometimes it’s the simplest things in life that give the greatest pleasure. And that yeah, it really is great to be a kid in the country!

 

 

 

 

Don’t Miss Mud Day!

This Saturday, May 17th is Mud Day! What on earth is Mud Day, you ask?  Mud Day is a spring festival celebrating the Berkshires landscape & the environment. The festival is held at Muddy Brook Elementary School – 318 Monument Valley Rd., in Great Barrington, from 11am – 3pm.  The event is open to the public.

We went last year with the kids & it was a blast. It’s such a wholesome family event – no cheesy game booths & prize tickets for junky plastic toys that linger around your house for years.  Each class exhibits a project they worked on during the school year related to the environment & conservation.  And, the highlight (for the kids, at least) are several mud pits that the kids get to play in.  Our kids’ favorite was the tug of war mud pit. They’ll also have lots of fun craft activities for the kids.  Last year my daughter spun her own colorful jump rope that she still uses.

My daughter creating her own jump rope

My daughter creating her own jump rope

To top it off, there will be great food (from Prairie Whale, ice cream from The Scoop & amazing doughnuts from Home Sweet Home Doughnut Shoppe ), musical entertainment & plenty of mud for the kids to romp around in.  Important tip: bring a spare change of clothes for your kids & bring them to the festivities in clothes that you don’t mind them getting dirty.  Enjoy!