Progymnasmata

Just two days ago, I took my four-year old daughter on her first father/daughter canoe trip. She handled the bow and I the stern. (I've paddled with her before, but she was always too young to sit in the bow, so my wife had to help maintain order and sanity in the boat by being both paddler and child-manager).

The Preparations
To a four-year old (as with most grown adults), the preparations are almost more exciting than the trip itself, as, in preparing for adventure mind and body are lifted from the hardships of road and stream into the airy ideals of romance.

What this means to a four-year old -- Here's our pre-trip checklist:

1. gummy worms
2. real worms (for fishin')
3. a bag of cherries (more snacks)
4. a thermos of lemonade
5. 2 fishing poles (spinning combo for me, a Dora combo w/ hook & bobber for her)
6. 2 canoe paddles
7. 2 life vests
8. swim suits (should we want to swim afterward)
9. towels

Of these items, the gummy worms, worms, and lemonade were considered most important by all voyagers involved.

We chose to paddle a near-by lake (let's call it Boots Lake) that offered clear water, a convenient swimming beach, and plenty of bluegills for some fast fishin' action.

An aside: Here is what a blue-gill looks like (courtesy of Google images):



These fish above are voracious eaters whose love for the common fishing worm is unbounded by sense or common sense. These qualities, of course, make them a great "gateway" piscis for a healthy, lifelong fishing addition. End aside.

Our trip to the Boots lake was marked by questions about when we could "eat the gummy worms" and/or "drink the sweet drink". To which I answered, smiling, "after you catch your first bluegill."

When we arrived at Boots Lake, I carried the canoe to the landing and my daughter helped me carry the supplies to the shore, where she quickly took the opportunity to throw stones in the water. This activity I freely allowed as throwing stones into a calm lake or pond is a pleasure that will never die with age and should be encouraged whenever occasion or whimsy offers it. In the meantime, I made ready the boat.

"So" I said, "are you ready to sit in the 'mama seat'"?

She nodded proudly.

"Then get your paddle and let's go, " I said.

For the next 3 hours we (mostly I) paddled the entire circumference of Boots lake, stopping frequently to catch a bluegill or two, pass the bag of cherries to each other, using our canoe paddles as serving platters. And we drank lemonade from sturdy plastic camping cups -- mine was blue and hers was red.

Once, while on the north end of the lake, my daughter caught a small large-mouth bass, her first catch of this species. She was excessively proud, especially as I was whooping and hollering the great accomplishment.

Aside: here's what a large-mouth bass looks like (courtesy of Google Images):



I had her hold the fish by its mouth, which is the common method -- you hold it by pinching your thumb and index finger in its mouth, with the thumb in the mouth and the index finger out of the mouth. My daughter was skeptical of this method at first, as it seemed to present the risk of being bitten, but she mustered her courage and did it smashingly well.

In all, we spent from 9:00am to noon on the Boots Lake. She handled her bow with poise, good cheer, and pleasant conversation.

Field Notes
On our trip, we were fortunate enough to see a family of common loons sporting and diving in the clear water. Here's what they looked like (Google Images):



And we got wonderfully close to a great blue heron:



On our way home for lunch and a well-deserved nap, we started to prepare our next outing. . . . in this lengthy conversation only one thing was decided for sure: gum drops.