One of my favorite things to do is to hike.  I especially love hiking near streams.  Every time I see a stream it brings me back to memories of my childhood.  Growing up in San Jose we had a park near us called Hellyer Park.  Hellyer Park had a man-made lake in the middle of it and several picnic areas.  That is not my favorite part, just on the other side of this park was a little creek that ran through it.  During the summers I can remember my mom taking my brother, sister and I wading in the creek.  One particular summer I can remember going to the store and buying some netting material and then our mom made nets for us to hunt crawdads with.  We spent hours wading up and down the creek catching and releasing animals. 

Spending time in nature refreshes my soul.  Whether I am hiking up at the tram in Palm Springs or a visit to Yosemite it always energizes me and recharges my batteries. 

What are some memories from your childhood?  Are there things you do now because you first enjoyed them as a child with your family?