Marin Tender Tracks Nov. 9, 2011 DAY 1

Day before Full Moon
Lake Lagunitas

This was a very wonderful first day of our new group.  Lenny and Bodi  are joining and the time of day is extended for the others.  We started the day with seeing who knew who and opening up to the newness of the day and each other.  There was beautiful inclusion throughout the day, mainly the boys one to the other.  Simone and Sidona took a bit of a step back then there more usual expressions and stayed closer to me.  The boys have clear distinctions between boys and girls and actually, so do the girls. Well, maybe more Benny, Leo, and Sidona.  Not that unusual at this age.  Bodhi was very happy to run with the boys and maybe quite happy that they were all playing a game that he loved so much TIGER.  But I step ahead too quickly here.

After introductions and taking some time just to be where we were, they all got stuffed animals and off we went.  When we got to the Lakes Lenny went straight to gathering sticks for future fires.  These kids REALLY are up for fire and, the ones from the past 8 weeks are truly looking forward to more, making of Popcorn, on the open fire!!!  When I first met Lenny I was telling him about all the stick gathering that needs to be done before the rains come and he is on it!!

We found a place to eat our lunch, sing our songs and hear the story for the day but Leo wanted more sun.  He didn’t want to put his coat on all day but rather just find the Sun.  So, we moved a bit into a beautiful area with Sun shining nicely upon us.  There they ate, we sang and I told a story that I tell for the beginning of all new things, How Stories Came to Be.  If you have my CD it is on there.
Much running about happened and then Sidona had to go poop. So, we all left our things where they were and made an adventure back to the bathrooms, ( not too far away).  She went poop and the rest of them had fun running all around the bathroom house in many different directions.  Then, back to the food, packing up and making our way to a new adventure.

I wanted to take them to the area on the loop trail where the bridge, lake and little creeklet meet.  We ran and played all the way there looking at different beautiful leaves and finding some old familar ‘”stomping grounds” yet kept going until, we made it there.

What fun as we first discovered some beautiful mushrooms by Bodhi and Leo.  Leo really wanted me to see them so I came back with him. Then we gently picked a few and felt them, smelt them,explored them and then went to go use them to make a Fairy house.   As we were making a Fairy house Leo and Benny really wanted to stomp it down yet really showed great self control with not doing so as I then redirected them towards stomping some other things.

Bodhi began his most magnificent Tiger growl while the others were on top of a big Redwood stump.  One by one they joined in the Tiger game which led to pursuing me, and taking them away from the building and stomping of the Fairy house!  The rest of the day was filled with chasing, laughing, climbing, me pulling them to different areas of where we were, having to navigate over logs, water, hills, big stumps and the like.  Simone ALWAYS impresses me with her methodical yet great tenacity to go to places that are not initially easy for her but she runs, jumps, climbs and says “Wait for me!” as she follows this rambunctious group.

There were several times where Leo and Benny got a little rough with me and Lenny beginning to follow along but when I laughed and would say ” Stop, a bit to rough for me” they did immediately.   Sidona was more observing today yet involved with the mushrooms and building, Simone went in and out of climbing, chasing and building, Bodhi was in his Tiger world and in the world of the other boys, Lenny loved gathering sticks and playing with everyone.  Leo was just having fun chasing, climbing, exploring and finding very wonderful mushrooms and Benny was so happy where we were he said “Can we come here EVERY TIME!!!”  He also did not want to leave and after that struggled and began having a hard time with others.

By the time we got back to the bus he was a bit unkind with Simone, we had a group “conflict resolution” moment and then  I stayed with him while the others got in the bus.  It seemed that being in his car seat and a bit away from the others aided him in finding some rest from his deep upset to leaving his great fun and excitment.

On the way back Sidona was filled with stories as she and Simone play so well with their stuffed animals together.  The others seemed to be mostly watching with great interest.