Picture above is from our honeymoon. Sarasota Bay Mangroves in a kayak. To learn why mangroves are important visit www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/florida/stories-in-florida/why-mangroves-important/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw3eeXBhD7ARIsAHjssr9fnx1nLVcrBItlTtksFVc4GZ8qj0-eTKJBzqJuYcgHHac1aORj64MaAt4TEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Why We Do What We Do
How Did We End Up Here?We used FB as a way to document our adventures. I (Kathy) used to scrapbook but multiple kids in multiple sports made that nearly impossible. I found FB to be a great way to look back on memories and enable my parents and relatives to stay involved with what we are doing. 'Back in the day' I used to write a letter capturing the year's highlights and snail mail it to my grandparents at the end of every year. Facebook now makes that less time consuming and immediate, so we used this avenue.
We didn't realize how many people saw our posts until we would be at work or a game and they come to us saying they saw us do this, catch this, or grow that. Without commenting or liking, they were still interested. Drum roll...... We have decided to venture off of Facebook and start our own blog and website. bLively Outdoors has been a dream of ours, and we have plans for growing it even bigger when Sage (freshman in HS) graduates. We can't wait to get more kids involved in the outdoors. Our '*and more' tag came from me fixing the blend door actuator in my car so I had heat, spending $6 a month on my DIY nails (videos will be posted), Bobby building a shed at his Tennessee home that went on to be sold to be used as a bakery, his 'condo' in the woods built from crates, and how we do all of this with a 4 sport athlete. No matter what you do, bLively about it. |
How Did Our Love for the Outdoors Begin?Bobby's parents grew up in Tennessee and Kentucky. Mine here in Ohio, but we both have Cherokee heritage.
We both grew up in Hilliard and each have fantastic childhood memories of running around in our little town. Most of them involving cricks, oh wait, it's creeks, ponds, trails and spending time alone with nature. As a child, I found peace sitting on the deck listening to the birds and watching tree branches sway in the breeze. I thought this was normal but came to realize, most people, kids and adults, miss the details that surround them. In Junior High, my parents took me to Myrtle Beach, and that is where my love of the ocean began. All things water. Bob has memories of hunting and fishing with his dad from an early age. They took houseboat trips, found ponds wherever they went, and ate what they grew in their garden. From how many times he has told me the story, I think one of his favorite memories is his family grabbing a bucket of KFC and going to the Scioto River to fish. |
Are We Professionals?
Heck no!
Obviously, Bobby has a lot more experience and knowledge than I do. I've dabbled in fishing and hunting but was really just winging it. Some things are new to us and we try it together, other things he has pretty much mastered. I'm the organizer, writer, and student. Hopefully, we can inspire people to dabble, too, and enjoy the outdoors as much as we do. |