Palo Alto Day 22 Nov. 28, 2011

Waxing first quarter Moon
Foothill Park- The Island
Dec. 2011 songs for TT

 A Yultide thought:
I think that this is the basis for what has come to be called “emotional intelligence.” It’s a capacity that’s nurtured by silence and by intimacy, and by the freedom to roam.
A quote from The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier

We are back from our short Thanksgiving break. All were here and the day was so beautiful.  We began the day with explorations to see if the dead squirrel was still under the Palm tree. Alas, it was not. Where did it go?  We came to circle fairly quickly after that and began with new songs for our new season, cold, and holiday of darker and darker days leading into THE RETURN OF THE LIGHT, for that is really what all the holidays this time of year are about.
Circle was engaged, involved, all present, learning how to take turns in order to really hear one another, and, being blessed with two one year old apple trees in the center.   Last week, all but Alexi, came home with apple seeds and instructions on How to plant an apple tree.  Audrey brought the trees on this day that she planted from seed last year.  After circle at least half of us really checked out the leaves, the stems, the color and  the way the leaves grew out of the Earth on their stem.  We also did a lot of looking at many leaves from different trees and being mesmerized by them all.  The story for the week is about Why Some Tree Are Always Green from Native Plant Stories told by Joseph Bruchac.  We spent the day looking at the trees that are keeping their leaves and those that are loosing them.  The story explained why that is.  Ask your children and see if they remember.

We took our time during and after circle.  In the bus we took our time passing out stuffed animals and figuring out seating.  No rush so, by the time we got to Foothill Park Alexi was “really hungry.” Therefore, I curtailed the long walk to the Island and took the traditional path.  Of course on the way we found so many wonderful mushrooms and Alexi, who found these first thing in the morning, discovered so many of the spider webs that are now visible due to the dew drops hanging on them.  They look like Diamonds hanging all over the trees!  So beautiful.  As we walked down the trail, in the distance there was a big black blob on the lawn.  Audrey pointed it out to us and Anjalie thought for sure that they were Turkey vultures.  By days end Aleki figured out that they were a whole bunch of Coots, water bird, that we see all the time there.

When we got to the Island  we went straight to seeing if our “birds nests” were still there or eaten.  For me this was the best year ever because, two strings were still there yeet the rest  was no longer hanging, one apple was still hanging but all the seeds were gone  and all the rest of the nests were completely gone.  Usually everything is gone and I always wonder if the Rangers or someone just took them away.  It was so fun to check in all the places that they remembered putting them and then look for clues as to what might have eaten all of the parts and even taken the string!.  These were gifts worth giving for they were indeed received!  They then sat down to eat but it wasn’t long for the desire to roam and play on the Island insued.

There was the usual running, exploring and the like but then, a GRAND chasing Audrey game happened.  All but Lucy and I were joyfully chasing her.  Lucy and I were hiding ourselves on a rock behind the Willow tree next to the water.  Lucy and I had fun listening to them all and trying to figure out what they were doing and whose voices we were hearing.  When they all finally found her she found us, pretended she didn’t and asked “Where’s Wendolyn?”  I made my bird call sounds and they all proceeded to try and find us.  They finally DID and great laughs came.

During the day Lucy had to go poop and all but three people wanted to watch. She said it was ok and we took our great journey over the bridge, up the hill, digging the hole and seeing if the poop was ready to come visit the outside world.  But oh dear, only pee.

Gracy, Paul and Kashi were busy on the Island with Audrey and here is actually where the whole, Chasing Audrey began. So that when we all came back over the adventure was on.

Kashi was involved in his  usual game, trains, Paul, Grace and Jasper and then Bodi, had fun playing on a little rock island that they explored last week. Anjalie and Lucy helped Audrey gather Lichen that I needed for a “surprise.  I think my favorite moment of the day was when Giulio came running back to our food site with great jubilance and joy saying something like ‘Here we are!’  His joyous face was priceless!     And Alexi, well, he was just having a good time running with everyone, discovering how beautiful all the leaves and spider webs were and participating in the group fun.  And oh yes, he really wanted some apple seeds to so, low and behold, he had a great big apple in his lunch so I cut the seeds out for him and saved them in one of his lunch pouches.

Since we couldn’t take the long walk in the beginning I still wanted a bigger journey for them so we took the entire circle route to get back to the bus which passes the other side of the pond, passes the “boats”( the docks), comes upon the meadow that we play at and the fire pit and then back to the original trail to Ganesh, the bus.  Anjale thought this was the LONGEST walk ever, “2 and a half hours!!!” Well, more like 30 minutes included stops.  We found a partial bird carcess with lot’s of wings and really checked that out.  I kept one of the very stinky wings.  We tried to figure out what bird it was and if we have seen any birds with wings that would be this size and coloring. ( I’m pretty sure it was a Coot)  And, they really had fun looking at the Coots legs today.  There were a lot of Coots coming closer and closer to us and we got to see more then we ever have of their unique and fascinating legs and bodies.

Quite a lovely brisk day that turned much warmer then our beginnings suggested the day would be.