Marin Tender Tracks Thurs. Oct.15, 2015 Day 10

Waxing Moon
Richardsons Bay

Perfect, just a perfect day! We did not even touch any of the projects we had hoped for the children to finish or begin. We just were in the presence of nature and flowed with it’s grace and glory.
Xander, on his fourth day,  really entered in more and I was delighted to see that.  It is always a journey, for anyone of any age, to come into a group that has already formed and find your place amongst them.  Today was a step in for him and a deeper step in for the others as well. Deepening, deepening.
The Weather brought this possibility of unity on as well as the wisdom and gift of the water, it’s beauty, it’s treasure’s that were hiding under every wave that went in and out, the Moon’s pull upon the waters shores and the birds, flora, fauna, land and, well you know… so much more!
We had our circle time right when we got there under a great Oak tree and Buckeye. The Buckeye tree was and is a great one for climbing on and that is what they did with GREAT exuberance and joy.  This time of year there are so many stories that they all vie in my head to be the one to be told. So, quite unexpectedly and certainly not planned or intended but rather due to what was going on with the children, the season, and  the weather, I told a story about How Bat Came to Be.  It was beautiful and quite fitting.
Talay was VERY happy that she had some Pineapple Guava to share with the group from, her home I believe, for snack.
After circle and bathroom we made our way to find the beach.  When there the weather was warm and the waters beckoning the children to come and play. The children asked, “Can we go naked in the water?”It is an isolated place so, “Sure!”  and off the clothes went and into the water they did go. All accept Xander and Aaron.  They were happy to pull up their pant legs and play by the waters edge building great structures.  Rhett came by a little later and joined them for a bit of this play as well.
The rest, well, they were in the water, jumping off a rock, finding a diving spot and Ariel and Layton were, SWIMMING!!!  yes it is true, they were swimming away in the water.
We found a board and made it into our gathering place where there they brought so many wonders that were found on the shore.  Aaron and Xander were creating deep, well something, in the sand that was so soft, smooth and inviting to be played with.  But wait, what happened?  The warm rays of the sun got covered up by clouds and it got cooler and cooler and colder and colder and shivers came and, “WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES!!’ So, I took out my camp towel that is always in my pack, we dried them off, put clothes back on, laid out the lunch cloth and there we all sat together eating.  I told a story about Why the Tides Come in and Out, because the tides were getting closer and closer and closer to us!  They shared food, figured out how to eat without getting the sand IN their food and then off to play some more.
There was great exploring of the rocks, finding dead birds and getting ever so curious, watching a Gull that came near us, hearing many other birds, and oh so much more.
Cleaning and getting ready to go of course took some time as there was much to pack up. We sat down and looked at our treasure board and the children shared what they had gathered and where. Rhett was ansy to get going so he explored up above and then finally he and a few others found an incredible mushroom. It was truly a magnificent wonder.  It was like a large Sea Shell growing sprouting out of a dead tree stump. The top was creamy white and underneath was florescent yellow.  A bit got broken off so we all smelled it. Yup, it smelled just like MUSHROOMS!
We finally made it to the bus and took our time with our good byes and thank you’s. On the way back Michelle facilitated their desires to tell stories and share songs. So, they all took turns telling stories and singing songs that they loved that they offered to the group.  In the morning Michelle had shared a song where they had a drone part and then she sang the song over that. That was incorporated into their own sharing by so many of them at the end of the day.
It has been delightful to see how they just take to what is being offered, incorporate it into their life and then offer it all back.
Wow, such a great, full and blessed day!  Thank you Sun, Thank you Water, Thank you Air, Thank you All of Life, thank you Parents!!!