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I'd rather be with animals in the woods than those you'll find in crowded, noisy city watering holes any day.

I've always been an outdoor gal. Some of my earliest memories are of my Dad and I fishing and canoeing in the summer and cooking meals over an open fire after a day in the woods, even in the winter.

So when I met my husband and learned of his love of hunting and fishing, it didn't seem at all out of sync with my interests.

Some of our happiest times have been spent in a boat on a mirror-calm lake with our fishing poles in the water as we quietly and patiently waited for a nibble on the line.

Our albums at home are filled with photos of me wearing hunter orange attire holding the 4-10 shotgun he gave me not long after we were first married.

Yes, I own a gun, have taken a firearms safety course, and I know how to use it.

When our children (who are now eight and almost six years old) were babies, I stayed home with them. But by the time they were old enough to hold their own little superhero and Barbie fishing poles, we all went in the boat to fish.

The kids have learned how to bait their own fishing hooks. They are getting better at sitting quietly as they wait for a fish to take their line.

While the majority of fish we catch are released, on occasion we will bring a couple home to eat. Because of this, the children have tasted trout cooked within minutes of coming from the water and they know the difference between that and what's available in the seafood section at the grocery store.

I can clearly remember the look of pride on their little faces when they reeled in their first catch. While they are still too young to handle a knife, when they are old enough, their Dad will show them how to clean the fish, build a fire and cook their catch of the day.

I can gut and scale fish but I have to admit, I prefer the catching to the cleaning. And, while I can start a campfire, it's something I usually leave up to my better half. But I am pretty confident that should I ever become lost in the woods I could manage to build a shelter and stay warm by a fire.

What I lack is the skill to search for and find edible plants. It would be good to know what is safe and what can make you sick and kill you.

Because we have made our love of the outdoors a family affair, the kids love to put on their little orange hats and vests and go tromping through the woods.

When our daughter was three, I took a picture of her holding a partridge by the feet after one fall bird-hunting trip with her father.

While they are just observing now, when they are old enough, they will take firearms safety courses and safe hunting courses offered through the province's Natural Resources Department.

Although I realize this isn't everyone's cup of tea, our family enjoys spending time in nature - and hunting and fishing are part of this adventure for us.

We spend a lot of time outdoors, so the kids are getting an invaluable wildlife education. They know what a Great Blue Heron looks like and they look forward to seeing the family of Bald Eagles that has a huge nest in trees along the lakeshore where we often pass while fishing.

Because the wilderness is so much a part of our lives, they understand the importance of conservation and nature preservation.

The kids are quick to remind us of the need to leave nothing but footprints behind while walking through the woods.

If you haven't tried it, don't knock it.

One day in nature beats a month of Saturdays at the mall.

Laverne Stewart is a staff writer at The Daily Gleaner. She can be reached at stewart.laverne@dailygleaner.com.