Where were you? Your photos look like "home"...that is, my home, when I was growing up. We lived in the Hudson River Valley. I wandered with my brothers through the forest on a daily basis, but never acquired any "skills", just a love of nature. The kind of love that makes me catch my breath when I look at your photos. Your second photo reminds me of the stream that ran behind our house. Whenever we went up into the mountains we had to cross the stream. Perhaps my one skill was learning how to hop on rocks and use them as stepping stones on my way yonder.
I enjoyed your essay very much.