Sam and the Boundary Waters

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Terry

About six months ago I was given the name of Sig Olson’s youngest son, Robert Olson. He and his older brother made up the composite character Sam affectionately called Sandy “The Squoip”. Sam and Sandy used to torment Giny mercilessly with a little batty routine about a certain boid and woim. Although it drove Giny crazy then, when I read this story to my kids, they almost die laughing as I give my best Sandy”The Squoip” impersonations.

This weekend (January 14-15), I am very fortunate to be able to interview Sig’s youngest son about his memories of Sam and Giny. Steve Yahr, who is writing the companion book on Sam’s life, will be going with me on this trip. So many questions run through your mind before an interview like this. To be sure, it will become a memory that we will not soon forget.

Quotable

"Fear is the screen that hides from our view the friendship native to the wild heart. Wildness is only a form of fear, for when kindness and patience have penetrated the veil, we see unmistakable evidence of the love in all forms of life."Fear is the screen

(Duke) "Once in while I have reached the place where peace was close at hand that I knew where to seek it at last. It was when I forget myself, and as someone said, look through nature to nature‚ as God." Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo and Still-Mo pg. 38Once in a while

"A childhood has another quality which we really should never surrender. It clings to no yesterdays." A Tippy Canoe and Canada Too‚ pg. 166A childhood has another

"Our failure to understand the true nature of things has put so many creatures on the undesirable list that if all were destroyed of which people do not approve, there would be little wild life left." A Tippy Canoe and Canada Too‚ pg. 71Our failure to understand

"The enemies to our happiness are more in the nature of mistakes, errors, superstitions, fears — things that have no power or substance except that which we give them in ignorance."The enemies to our

"One has sensed little of the real beauty of the natural world if he has not been moved to tears." Too Much Salt and Pepper‚ pg. 175One has sensed little

"The biggest compliment is to tell someone that they are perfectly natural." Too Much Salt and Pepper‚ pg. 252The biggest compliment is

"How values change. A week ago these things (gas rations stamps) were more valuable to me then gold notes. Now they aren't even good wastepaper!" A Tippy Canoe and Canada Too‚ pg. 158How values change

"It is within your sacred power to point thoughts of tired people to God." Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo and Still-Mo pg. 237It is within your

"Who has not stood at the glorious moment when it seems that God Himself has called him (or her) by name and directed him (or her) to an important task?" Too Much Salt and Pepper‚ pg. 218Who has not stood