This summer vacation provides me with the first real opportunity in a long time to spend a great deal of daily time with the Girl. As such, I try to do something out of the ordinary with her every chance I get. It’s a good reminder for her of her continued importance in our family despite our shift in attention during the last eight weeks.

Today, we try a new path at a park fairly new to us. We’d explored the north side of the park’s trails; today, we hit the south side, sounding out signs as we marched.

It’s an odd trail. To the right we see a lake and accompanying wetlands — a vision of nature’s riches.

To the left, a view of humanity’s poverty: trailers and virtual shanties. It’s an odd combination, made even stranger by the fact that one of the old homes has a BMW in the driveway. Perhaps a question of priorities: one’s peers don’t have to see one’s house, but one’s car is always on show.

At the end of our walk, an observation point that juts out into the wetland area made even wetter by the copious rainfall of the last few days.

We sit for a while, sharing a pack of crackers and sipping on water, careful not to litter (“The wind could blow the plastic away!” someone explains) and commenting on the various blooms reeds.

During our hike out, with the Girl clasping her hands behind her back, there’s only one thing to do: let her lead.