Sometimes on rainy days like today, I turn off the stereo in the shop and just listen to the rain falling on the leaves of the oak, birch, and aspen trees outside my shop while I smith. There is a sort of tranquility and peace about it. A feeling of the deeper connection between man and nature. It satisfies a yearning in my soul for times long distant when the wonders of technology of the modern age weren’t even yet on the horizon of human thought. It gets me to thinking about this connection between humanity and the earth and our history together.
Inevitably I think back to my childhood memories of camping and hiking with my brother and parents. We were pretty serious about it too. Mostly boat-in camping on the islands of the Boundary Waters of Northern Minnesota and Canada. Two weeks with only what you brought in and your skills to sustain you.
Back then the closest “civilization” was the little gas station/restaurant about 50 miles away. You could go the entire two weeks without seeing another human being. The breathtaking landscape and flora and fauna were your companions. The wolves would serenade you every night; the bear would wander through the camp in the wee hours of the morning, and all day the deer, squirrels, eagles, ducks, and other forest denizens would keep you company. 
Fresh caught fish cooked over the fire in a cast iron fry pan. Foil-wrapped packs of sliced onions, potatoes, garlic and of course butter, sizzling away. In the morning, reindeer moss crushed into flour for pancakes with bacon and eggs.
Naturally my thoughts drift to the tools for survival. A knife; flint and steel; an axe. With these tools and some knowledge, mankind can survive and thrive. With these tools one can create shelter, fire, clothing and secure food. These pictures show what my personal minimal survival kit has consisted of for the past 12+ years. Naturally I carry a dagger instead of a knife and any of you that know me or have followed my other posts will understand my obsession.
So please, take a moment on a rainy day to enjoy the simple beauty and pleasure that can be had from feeling the connection between humanity and nature.
