Palo Alto Tender Tracks Day 18, Foothill Park-The Big Meadow

Full MOON
Foothill Park-The Big Meadow

Audrey and Anjalie were off on other adventures today and the rest of us basked in the GLORIOUS warm sunshine and cool breezes that caressed and hugged us throughout the day. The beautiful fall leaves gently fell to the ground just like our Fall song told us about and the squirrels and crows showed us all about gathering and eating during these types of days again, just like our stories and songs share with us.

We had a very peaceful circle and some drank the Rose hips tea that I made from what we gathered on Tuesday.  I discovered that most of them really like Whole foods Graham crackers with Almond butter and they wanted more and more and more but I did not want their lunches to be spoiled by being so filled up with this snack. Bodi however ASSURED me that this would not deter his eating his lunch!   After circle they played for awhile, gathering acorns, finding local dogs to play with, this is Aleki and Lucy’s love. If Audrey were here she would have been right with them!   We then all piled on to the bus and Jasper was a bit sad that by the time he got buckled up the cooler was put in.  He REALLY likes to help carry it up and in the bus.  This is a pretty heavy cooler but he really likes it.

In the bus there was quite a bit of time taken for Lucy, Jasper and Aleki to figure out who was going to get this one seat.  At circle Aleki made it clear that he did not like Jasper and did not want to sit next to him.  And so it begins, having feelings, being allowed to have them yet also learning how to be respectful one to the other.  In circle Bodi chimed in how he does not like his brother Finn when he, mmm what is it, hits him or something like that, yet he also likes him too some times.   The mood around all of this was easy without any intensity.  Just acknowlegment and figuring out where all would sit and be at rest.   When this stage comes about I give a great deal of space to figure things out, like, the perfect seating arrangement in circle time and in the bus.  It is actually like a mathematical equation.  In the bus there were three  children, Bodi, Kashi, and Grace who had no interest in the others struggles ( Giulio really wanted a seat that Jasper wanted after the other three just figured out their seating challenges! Oh dear!) and finally Bodi said “Can we stop this talking and just go!”  Decisions and agreements were indeed finally made, phew! ease came about and we made our way to the meadow to make our soap root brushes and explore in the Sun and a place that was very wide open yet containing.

When we got there I went to the “magick house” to use the bathroom and the children did their usual climbing up the side of it and playing.  On this day they were like geese so when I came out I played with that and then we all ran/flew towards the meadow.  Aleki really wanted to find more mushrooms like we had done before so we all searched about.   We actually did not find any but did find and see other wonders.

Jasper ran ahead straight to the fire circle where they played a lot last year.  I pointed to the tree we were to set up camp out yet all but Bodi went to the tree. He stayed under the tree and we ate together.   Later he joined the group who were ALL in a circle around this fire pit eating, playing and looking SOO BEAUTIFUL AND UNIFIED!  Truly, it was a very peaceful sight to see.  I didn’t even want to disturb it or change it when now and again one or the other would call and say “come on over” , “come see this…”  Later, Laurie went over and after a time some unhappiness came about with Gracey and Jasper.  It seems he was pretending that he was going to throw it into the fire and she really wanted the cone on it and then it turned out she wanted the stick with the cone on it and then it turned out she just didn’t want him to put it in the fire.   They found some peace about it by way of distraction it seems.  The rest of the children found a very large branch on the ground and began carrying it about and playing with it.  Gracey went straight over there.  Jasper told Laurie “see it all got worked out.”

After a time they all came back to the Main tree and took out their lunches.  That does NOT mean they sat and ate.  They mostly like to graze, playing, eating, playing, eating.    Lucy said she saw a frog and asked me to come over. When I got there she, Aleki and Gracey were there.  Gracey said that she wanted to play with a girl and Lucy said that she didn’t want to play with her.  Aleki and Lucy gave each other these big hugs because they know each other so well.  They have been very unified like this of late and not letting too many folks into their world.  However, I, in the best I could make of a magickal, whispery voice, shared all the gifts that Gracey has like, knowing all about how to build Fairy houses and, because she lives in the woods, knowing how to play in the woods and notice all the animals.  I directed this part towards Aleki and wondered if it was true that he likes being in the woods too.  He gave a very big relaxed smile and shortly after this they all began to play and wound up with Laurie on and off the rest of the day making Fairy houses together.

After I left there I went up a hill with Jasper and there were GREAT Maple leaves to be played with . Jasper remembered last week where we were burying each other under the Redwood duff and wanted to do the same here.  I suggested he bury me and then call every one  over to find me.  He began burying me and then Giulio and Kashi came over.  As I was under the leaves I heard Jasper organizing the entire event and being the director of it.  “Kashi, you missed a spot, cover her face.”  “Giulio get some more for over there.”  Nicely I might add.  They covered me well, called the others over as if in play to find me yet Giulio was so excited he just pulled all the leaves off of me. No worries as first Jasper, then Kashi, Giulio and Lucy wanted to be buried and we did bury them. Then POP out they came and scampered off.

I then spent the rest of the day making the Soap root paint brushes with the help of Alexi and Lucy and the rest were playing with Laurie in the bushes.  I was told that Laurie was a patient of Bodi, Jaspers and Giulios. They were Dr.’s.   Bodi gave the shots, Jasper was closely helping and Giulio would get the medicines.  Gracey , and Kashi were over there, I know Gracey was building Fairy houses and I am not sure about Kashi.
He actually came over to me often and he found a stick with some pine needles that he wanted wrapped together for a broom.  He then took it to the bus to take back to his Mom so that they could do this together.

When we got back they were all very happy to get their little baggies of collected Soap Root to take home.