Going to new places is fun.

It never feels right without family.

My favorite part is discovering new places.

However, wouldn't it be cool to see it through many generations' eyes?

As we explored the national parks out west my mom and dad saw the sun setting over a mound of rock made so cool by erosion. We played cards and drank cool drinks and just observed the serenity of the canyon. We saw the rocks that protrude out of the ground making it look unearthly. The trails and hikes make us so tired and took so much effort but in the end, were so worth it.

When we stayed on the Chippewa flowage my brother and sister saw the dark water that holds so much life as we have seemed to catch so little. We heard the loud clap of a beaver’s tail slapping the glass water. We even saw a little duck so scared it made the water its runway. We found many hidden rope swings that made any island fun.

In Florida, I saw so many different things that were so interesting. Waking up early to go outside and fish with my dad, having the best luck or no luck at all, it doesn't matter. We go to the bay and catch crabs, it is so fun and I love watching these animals in their natural habitat. There’s a little country park we go to and explore the terrain as it has so many shells and different creatures to see.

One would think seeing all these new ecosystems and animals would make me forget about my home. But… It has only made me more grateful. If I can see all those animals and appreciate nature there, I should not take my backyard for granted because it sustains so much life including my family.

My backyard is full of scattered prints of what we miss at night. The tall abundant trees give homes to things like the owl that hoots loudly in the middle of the night. The deer that cross so many times. A few times a year we see an albino squirrel that I’ve never seen anywhere else. Our backyard holds so much if you only have the eyes to look.