Marin Tender Tracks Thursday May 21, 2015 Day 64

Waxing Cresecnt Moon
Roy’s Redwoods

A truly wonder filled day.  Each day of late they are eating more and more and settling down and in more and more.  There is much continued learning with sharing: sharing desires of how to play a game, sharing a branch, sharing a sacred home/play spot, sharing food, where to sit and who to play with….. They are doing great and working it out and learning as all young children were born to do.
We went back to the same place because, due to the story that I read to them on Tues and their reaction, it felt right to be able to introduce the story about Little Mole.   Little Mole is a true story ( I watched a nature show about this years and years ago) about how little moles when they are born are taken down the long tunnel and caves of their home to go pee and poo far away from where they dwell.  From this story I bring the children into a blind walk where I tie a rope around trees and a natural area.  The children then get blind folded, if they wish, and, without letting go of the rope, feel their way through this trail to where they can “pee and poo!”
The first to do this course was Ariel, then Velia and then Hana. How they really LOVED it!  It is always so fun to watch how each child embraces this  game.  Later in the day Everett and Theron played. Everett did it with out a blind fold twice finding safety in being able to open his eyes at will.  Theron made it without the blind fold about 1/4 of the way and was delighted with that experience. Everett came back two more times and the last time he put the blind fold on.  Julian didn’t want to do it until close to the end of the day at which point he seemd to really enjoy this.  Thea put the blind fold on but looked under the whole way and zoomed through. Nico did not try and lets see, I think I got them all!
In the midst of all of this, Michelle took a wild and wonderful adventure with the boys through the Forest.  How they benefit from this so very much! They were thrilled from the adventure and the freedom of space and time.   All but Theron and Everett played on the bouncy tree on and off throughout the day, taking turns with great delight.
There was another exploration and they all found this wonderful new place up a hill behind us where they had to climb over big fallen logs, climb up the side of hill over rocks and it was adventuresome and fun.
We had a story time at about 12:30 where I read some stories from the Old Golden Guide books of my childhood. They are such sweet,gentle  and pure stories which the children became engrossed in.
When the day was over we brought them back to the bus and there they got to pet a taxidermed mole that past Tender Trackers found in the middle of the trail.  I took it home, put it in my freezer and many years later had it taxidermed.