Palo Alto Tender Tracks April 16, 2014 Day 29

Full Moon
Foothills Park

What an absolutely beautiful, beautiful day!  Everyone was here as well as Nareya’s Mom and a Teacher in Training.  4 adults to 8 children, YEAH and What Fun!!!
We took our time getting stuffies, books and blankets for their stuffed animals and then made our way to the park.   When we got there they jumped out and began to play and find the Dandelion seed babies to make wishes on and off we went making wishes!  Natalie gave me a lot of them to makes wishes on. Thank you Natalie!   We made it to circle time and it was fun. They ate Bunny crackers and after we had new songs with two of them being all about Bunnies. When they ate their bunnies they felt them wiggle, jiggle and jump down inside their bellies.    Then I read them a wonderful story with such sweet and gentle pictures. The book is  called Rabbits Wedding. As we read it we saw that the bunnies were playing in a place just like we were with Dandelions, daisies and all sorts of beautiful plants that surrounded us. After snack we began to gather and eat the Dandelions, miners lettuce, chickeweed and then they discovered, well Bosch found, the big cones that were right above our heads and at our feet.
For quite some time we moved gently into time and space with ease and grace.   There were games here and there.  We discovered that Anissa is REALLY great at hitting with a bat.  We found these sticks that were great for batting, Japser found a cork that was a really good substitute for a ball and off we went.  Nareya and Natalie had their hand at it but really, wow, Anissa hit it with focused and joyful attention.   We found string on some of these sticks and Dahlia, Nareya, Aurora and Jasper used them to make buildings and stick things.   Bosch was with Nareyas Mom, and eventually all of us ,as they unearthed the Dandelions roots and then grubs and worms.
We had some rousing Hide and Seek games and then I saw a huge nest in a tree above us.  Could it have been a squirrels nest that got squished? Can it be some birds nest?  But wait, Eagles make nests that big but they do not live around here and wouldn’t make it this low.  So Bosch climbed up a tree to get as close as he could to see.  And, all he saw is that it looked like a nest. We were left with more questions then answers and,  as one of my Tracking teachers always shared, it is great to have more questions then answers.  Ones passion can get ignited by seeking  and searching  for the answer.
Dahlia, Nareya and Natalie were having fun playing together. Emme wanted to play with them but they wanted to just be with the three of them for a time so another and happy alternative came about;playing  with me and Aurora.  So, off we went.
Lunch time came. They were all very ready and we all sat together in a circle and ate with joy and jokes.  Anissa took out her rasberries and I began to call them little hats.  Jasper loved this and made hats out of all his food.  Aurora, Dahlia, Nareya and Natalie had a GRAND time sneeking up on Bosch while he “slept” next to the tree. Then there were HAT STEALERS!!!  How could this be. They took Bosch’s, Mine and our teacher friends hats.  Oh dear. They were very excited about this game and Eric joined in. Anissa and Natalie at times switched sides and decided to aid us in capturing back our hats!  All ended right, good and FUN!!
Then pack up and off to the slippey sliddey.   Our two visiting friends had never been there so it was fun for the children to lead them.  They didn’t have a lot of time but with what they had, great triumphs ensued.  Dhalia, though very scared, made it all the way to the top, figure out how to get to where she wanted to be and slippey sliddey all the way down. Her thank you at the end of the day was being so happy for being ABLE TO DO IT!   Anissa made it across a very big branch about 6 ft high that Bosch spotted her on and then wiggle jiggled her all the way back.   Aurora wanted to go but we had to leave so she will be the first next time.    Nareya and Eric and sometimes Emme had a grand time piling leaves over their feet and everyone was just happy and filled with life.   We made our way back to the bus and off we went with joy in our hearts.  Nareya’s Mommy read and then told some stories all the way back.