Tuesday, September 3, 2013

a boy and his bow...



Those photos up there took much coercing on my part to get my little man (but, oh, how he's getting so big) to consent to my photo-taking. He knows his mama and her attachment to her camera, but he also makes it known to me that he is less than happy to be the spotlight of the photos his mama takes.

However, coercing is what I did, and I got him to agree to just do his thing while I snapped away. This mama is not too proud to beg when it comes to capturing memories of her kiddos. :)

His bow was inspired by this book. Ian and I read My Side of the Mountain over the winter this past year, and it really inspired him to learn more about survival and handmade items. Earlier this summer, I found a copy of The Dangerous Book for Boys at our local thrift shop. I grabbed that baby and ran. I'd been wanting to buy a copy but hadn't wanted to spend the money at that present time. We had checked it out of the library so I knew that the boys liked the book. Needless to say, I was pretty darn excited to see a brand new copy for $1.00 at the thrift shop.

Ian decided he wanted to build his own bow after perusing the pages of this awesome book. So it became a little summer project for him and Brad. They completed it this past weekend, and he has had such a blast shooting with it. And I must just say that I am totally impressed with how good this thing shoots! I mean, the arrow really flies!

And, of course, his little sister just had to try the thing out. Goodness, I had to try the thing out! My arrow didn't go near as far as his. But it was pretty cool!

He only has one arrow, so he's waiting for our next trip to town so that he can buy a few more with the money he has saved. And in the meantime, that one arrow is getting quite a bit of use. :)

I love it. I love that he researched, drew, and designed a model of a bow. I love that he was excited and passionate about it. I love that he forewent the store-bought model for something that is so much more meaningful, made by his and his daddy's hands.

This little project is such a treasure to my heart.



I also just wanted to thank everyone for all of their very kind and encouraging comments and emails regarding my last post. They meant a lot. Really.



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2 comments:

Pam said...

I can see how this whole project would be a treasure to your heart. It is wonderful! What an amazing job they did. Your pictures are like a storybook themselves. I read "My Side of the Mountain" when I was a kid and really liked it; my kids read it and loved it as well. I love "The Dangerous Book for Boys" as well. I got it for Russell and Eddie several years ago. I would have loved to have had it for Nathan and Luke when they were about your son's age. I am on the verge of getting it for my oldest grandson. How wonderful to have gotten it at the thrift store for so little.
Blessings,
Pam

Wendi said...

Such a fun and meaningful project! A memory that Ian will always treasure.

I haven't been commenting much lately (time issues). I hope that you are staring to feel better!