When you’re a child you don’t really appreciate how your parents’ interests can impact on your life. I haven’t got my Mum’s green fingers and I’ve no interest in being a football referee like Dad but I have taken a few things on board.
I have learnt so many things from my Dad, he has the patience of a saint, is very methodical and has two very different passions (not including my Mum, but let’s not go there!!) He has always loved Motor Sport and my brother and I, have much to thank him for on that score, as will our children. I’ll save that topic for a different post, but my love of Ferrari and all things Formula One stems from my Dad.
My Dad’s other passion is Entomology. He loves insects; ANY insect. He’s been a member of the Amateur Entomologists’ Society for longer than I’ve been alive, and still keeps them updated on his ‘finds’ in Spain. My brother and I spent our childhood attached to butterfly nets trying desperately to catch something, anything, and to emulate our Dad. Give him a butterfly net and he is a sight to behold – he won’t miss, EVER. We spent most of our childhood living in Surrey, near the Hampshire border, and many weekends were spent running up and down the towpath along the Basingstoke canal chasing butterflies or dragonflies.
I didn’t always appreciate this lifestyle, I’m certainly not an ‘out in all weathers’ kind of person, so am sure I did my fair share of moaning in the rain as we looked for some beetle or other. But now, I really do appreciate what Dad gave us; an interest in the world around us and the little creatures that could be found everywhere.
My son already seems to be fascinated by butterflies, much to Gramps’s amusement when we visited him in Spain last November. My son has enjoyed further butterfly adventures during recent visits to the Butterfly House at Blenheim Palace and Butterfly World at Studley Grange.
Now my son is learning all about Mini Beasts at Pre-school, I wish Dad wasn’t living in Spain so he could entertain all the kids with his encyclopedic knowledge 🙁
Anyway, second best was to sendmy son to Pre-school today with my insect collection which Dad framed for me a million years ago, and which now hangs in my son’s bedroom. It’s full of butterflies, moths, beetles and bee’s that I caught as a child, or collected at exhibitions. My son loves it, as do I. I hope his friends liked looking at my son’s ‘show and tell’ this morning.
So are we scared of spiders?? No, I grew up surrounded by various species of Stick Insects, so a pesky spider isn’t going to scare me or my my son 🙂
That is a wonderful connection to have with your little boy and your Dad. What an amazing show and tell too. Lovely blog. P.S. Found you via the PoCoLo link.
Thank you, glad you liked it 🙂
Wow, beautiful insect collection there for Little Monkey. There are some great docs in BBC 4’s Alien Nation Season – amazing super-close up filming of insects (available on iplayer). I’ve been showing them to my ‘Little Foxes’ (ages 4 & 7, so a bit older than Monkey) loved them.
Also found you via PoCoLo ; )
Thanks for the lovely comment and for info on BBC4 programmes 🙂
oh wow what a beautiful collection, the photos are lovely xx
thanks for the lovely comment
what a fantastic past time! I can tolerate spiders but to be fair i am not keen on insects x
I owe Dad a lot for not worrying about mini beasts, but snakes are a different kettle of fish, so to speak!
What a lovely post, I really wish I wasn’t scared of creepy crawlies but I am and I’m passing it onto my kids which I really didn’t want to do!
Oh don’t worry, I hate snakes, oh and water! But that’s a whole different post I can feel brewing – Lol
Wow! I bet he was the envy of all the little boys at show and tell! Funnily enough I used to have stick insects as a child, but I’m not so keen on spiders. Butterflies though, amaze me. Found you via the PoCoLo link!
Kate
a href=”http://justpirouetteandcarryon.blogspot.com”>Just Pirouette and Carry On…
I think they were all fascinated, and it just went so well with the term’s theme too. I could watch butterflies for hours (well, in a parallel universe where I actually had a free minute!). Thanks for the visit, glad PoCoLo helped you find me. I’ll come over and visit you too 🙂
How brilliant is this! I love the butterfly display :). I’m not scared of spiders, but I do have a problem with aquariums although I was very proud of myself to have actually braved one for Grace’s sake and not show her my fear. Thank you for linking up with #PoCoLo x
Thank you. I have a phobia of water (don’t ask!) and am trying to overcome that with Monkey and swimming lessons – the things we do for our children 🙂 Have thoroughly enjoyed #PoCoLo (my first Linky) and introduced me to some lovely blog – so pat on the back for you x
Lovely post. I know what it’s like to have grandparents in a different country – it can be sad at times but lovely when children and grandparents get full on quality time together x
Yes I agree, and thank god for Skype! It’s really helped Monkey build a great relationship with his grandparents x
Absolutely. Long live Skype!!
Although your parents live in another country Monkey is benefiting from your Dad’s passion for insects through you! Your collection is very impressive and I’m sure Monkey was the envy of many of his classmates that day. Thanks for linking your lovely post to Country Kids.
Yes, very true. I’m lucky to have had the time with my Dad as a child to discover the natural world around us
that collection is amazing! I love Butterflies. It feels like we don’t see all the same kinds of insects and creatures that used to be so common place when we were little. I used to see loads of peacock and red admiral butterflies in my Grandparents garden when I was little, I hope my kids get to see all the same stuff as they grow up.
Too true, I’m pretty sure that you can’t find a couple in our collection anymore. Dad got really upset when he visited his childhood butterfly hunting ground a few years ago, the heathlands had been cleared and he found NO butteries of any variety, very sad.
What an impressive collection and what fantastic knowledge to pass on to your son. I bet his class loved seeing them 🙂
I think they were rather impressed. Wish I’d listened to my Dad more when I was a kid but at least I know what most of the butterflies are called 🙂