As I grow older my family becomes more and more important to who I am as a person. These people, who have always taken the time to be involved in my life, have influenced my hobbies my interests, and even my career path. Among them is a person, who I credit with shaping my current love for the outdoors. My Grandfather on my Mother's side, Leslie Brouillard. Or as we call him, Pepa. You can thank my older brother for that nickname. 

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Leslie grew up in the town of Rich Square, NC, where he also met his wife. He graduated from NCSU in 1967 with an undergrad in Forest Management, and in 1974 he graduated from The University of Maryland with an MBA in Finance. 

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Ever since I could walk, Pepa would take me, my brothers, and the rest of the family all over the area to go on hikes or to just spend time out in nature. One of his favorite things to do would be to point out trees, bushes, lichen, and other plants, telling us what they were and any other interesting facts about them. He always seemed to know which plant we were passing, and if you've got a question about it, he can most likely answer it. He really is an encyclopedia on all the plants in the North Carolina area.

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One of the most memorable experiences I have of my Grandfather would be the first time we hiked the Buxton Woods section of the Mountains to the Sea Trail. Every year, our families head down to Avon, NC for Thanksgiving, and on Friday, all the guys hike a 5-mile trail through the ancient dunes in the Buxton Woods. He loves to share his knowledge and I specifically remember him telling us about the age when the dunes were formed while picking through the sand looking for shells and other fossils. Every time we go, he points out the persimmon tree that sits by the trail, trying to get me or one of my brothers to try a fruit. He also points out the wax bushes that the Native Americans would use to make candles and other goods before the Americas were colonized. 

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Pepa loves a good hike, so I dedicated this project to him specifically. I think I captured the essence of "seeing through his eyes" in most of my pictures, focusing the camera on the plants and other small things we passed on our journey. 

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Because of Covid, our family is no longer heading to Avon for Thanksgiving, but hopefully, I'll get to take a hike with him again soon.